The Lost Symbol Chapter 58-61 Free Essays

string(113) " the playing field was tipped so heavily in his favor that he would not even need his goggles to track his prey\." CHAPTER 58 The coyly nicknamed explosive Key4 had been developed by Special Forces specifically for opening locked doors with minimal collateral damage. Consisting primarily of cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine with a diethylhexyl plasticizer, it was essentially a piece of C-4 rolled into paper-thin sheets for insertion into doorjambs. In the case of the library’s reading room, the explosive had worked perfectly. We will write a custom essay sample on The Lost Symbol Chapter 58-61 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Operation leader Agent Turner Simkins stepped over the wreckage of the doors and scanned the massive octagonal room for any signs of movement. Nothing. â€Å"Kill the lights,† Simkins said. A second agent found the wall panel, threw the switches, and plunged the room into darkness. In unison, all four men reached up and yanked down their night-vision headgear, adjusting the goggles over their eyes. They stood motionless, surveying the reading room, which now materialized in shades of luminescent green inside their goggles. The scene remained unchanged. Nobody made a dash for it in the dark. The fugitives were probably unarmed, and yet the field team entered the room with weapons raised. In the darkness, their firearms projected four menacing rods of laser light. The men washed the beams in all directions, across the floor, up the far walls, into the balconies, probing the darkness. Oftentimes, a mere glimpse of a laser-sighted weapon in a darkened room was enough to induce instant surrender. Apparently not tonight. Still no movement. Agent Simkins raised his hand, motioning his team into the space. Silently, the men fanned out. Moving cautiously up the center aisle, Simkins reached up and flipped a switch on his goggles, activating the newest addition to the CIA’s arsenal. Thermal imaging had been around for years, but recent advances in miniaturization, differential sensitivity, and dual-source integration had facilitated a new generation of vision enhancing equipment that gave field agents eyesight that bordered on superhuman. We see in the dark. We see through walls. And now . . . we see back in time. Thermal-imaging equipment had become so sensitive to heat differentials that it could detect not only a person’s location . . . but their previous locations. The ability to see into the past often proved the most valuable asset of all. And tonight, once again, it proved its worth. Agent Simkins now spied a thermal signature at one of the reading desks. The two wooden chairs luminesced in his goggles, registering a reddish-purple color, indicating those chairs were warmer than the other chairs in the room. The desk lamp’s bulb glowed orange. Obviously the two men had been sitting at the desk, but the question now was in which direction they had gone. He found his answer on the central counter that surrounded the large wooden console in the middle of the room. A ghostly handprint, glowing crimson. Weapon raised, Simkins moved toward the octagonal cabinet, training his laser sight across the surface. He circled until he saw an opening in the side of the console. Did they really corner themselves in a cabinet? The agent scanned the trim around the opening and saw another glowing handprint on it. Clearly someone had grabbed the doorjamb as he ducked inside the console. The time for silence was over. â€Å"Thermal signature!† Simkins shouted, pointing at the opening. â€Å"Flanks converge!† His two flanks moved in from opposite sides, effectively surrounding the octagonal console. Simkins moved toward the opening. Still ten feet away, he could see a light source within. â€Å"Light inside the console!† he shouted, hoping the sound of his voice might convince Mr. Bellamy and Mr. Langdon to exit the cabinet with their hands up. Nothing happened. Fine, we’ll do this the other way. As Simkins drew closer to the opening, he could hear an unexpected hum rumbling from within. It sounded like machinery. He paused, trying to imagine what could be making such a noise in such a small space. He inched closer, now hearing voices over the sound of machinery. Then, just as he arrived at the opening, the lights inside went out. Thank you, he thought, adjusting his night vision. Advantage, us. Standing at the threshold, he peered through the opening. What lay beyond was unexpected. The console was less of a cabinet than a raised ceiling over a steep set of stairs that descended into a room below. The agent aimed his weapon down the stairs and began descending. The hum of machinery grew louder with every step. What the hell is this place? The room beneath the reading room was a small, industrial-looking space. The hum he heard was indeed machinery, although he was not sure whether it was running because Bellamy and Langdon had activated it, or because it ran around the clock. Either way, it clearly made no difference. The fugitives had left their telltale heat signatures on the room’s lone exit–a heavy steel door whose keypad showed four clear fingerprints glowing on the numbers. Around the door, slivers of glowing orange shone beneath the doorjamb, indicating that lights were illuminated on the other side. â€Å"Blow the door,† Simkins said. â€Å"This was their escape route.† It took eight seconds to insert and detonate a sheet of Key4. When the smoke cleared, the field- team agents found themselves peering into a strange underground world known here as â€Å"the stacks.† The Library of Congress had miles and miles of bookshelves, most of them underground. The endless rows of shelves looked like some kind of â€Å"infinity† optical illusion created with mirrors. A sign announced TEMPERATURE-CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT Keep this door closed at all times. Simkins pushed through the mangled doors and felt cool air beyond. He couldn’t help but smile. Could this get any easier? Heat signatures in controlled environments showed up like solar flares, and already his goggles revealed a glowing red smear on a banister up ahead, which Bellamy or Langdon had grabbed on to while running past. â€Å"You can run,† he whispered to himself, â€Å"but you can’t hide.† As Simkins and his team advanced into the maze of stacks, he realized the playing field was tipped so heavily in his favor that he would not even need his goggles to track his prey. You read "The Lost Symbol Chapter 58-61" in category "Essay examples" Under normal circumstances, this maze of stacks would have been a respectable hiding place, but the Library of Congress used motion-activated lights to save energy, and the fugitives’ escape route was now lit up like a runway. A narrow strip of illumination stretched into the distance, dodging and weaving as it went. All the men ripped off their goggles. Surging ahead on well-trained legs, the field team followed the trail of lights, zigging and zagging through a seemingly endless labyrinth of books. Soon Simkins began seeing lights flickering on in the darkness up ahead. We’re gaining. He pushed harder, faster, until he heard footsteps and labored breathing ahead. Then he saw a target. â€Å"I’ve got visual!† he yelled. The lanky form of Warren Bellamy was apparently bringing up the rear. The primly dressed African American staggered through the stacks, obviously out of breath. It’s no use, old man. â€Å"Stop right there, Mr. Bellamy!† Simkins yelled. Bellamy kept running, turning sharp corners, weaving through the rows of books. At every turn, the lights kept coming on over his head. As the team drew within twenty yards, they shouted again to stop, but Bellamy ran on. â€Å"Take him down!† Simkins commanded. The agent carrying the team’s nonlethal rifle raised it and fired. The projectile that launched down the aisle and wrapped itself around Bellamy’s legs was nicknamed Silly String, but there was nothing silly about it. A military technology invented at Sandia National Laboratories, this nonlethal â€Å"incapacitant† was a thread of gooey polyurethane that turned rock hard on contact, creating a rigid web of plastic across the back of the fugitive’s knees. The effect on a running target was that of jamming a stick into the spokes of a moving bike. The man’s legs seized midstride, and he pitched forward, crashing to the floor. Bellamy slid another ten feet down a darkened aisle before coming to a stop, the lights above him flickering unceremoniously to life. â€Å"I’ll deal with Bellamy,† Simkins shouted. â€Å"You keep going after Langdon! He must be up ahead some–† The team leader stopped, now seeing that the library stacks ahead of Bellamy were all pitch-black. Obviously, there was no one else running in front of Bellamy. He’s alone? Bellamy was still on his chest, breathing heavily, his legs and ankles all tangled with hardened plastic. The agent walked over and used his foot to roll the old man over onto his back. â€Å"Where is he?!† the agent demanded. Bellamy’s lip was bleeding from the fall. â€Å"Where is who?† Agent Simkins lifted his foot and placed his boot squarely on Bellamy’s pristine silk tie. Then he leaned in, applying some pressure. â€Å"Believe me, Mr. Bellamy, you do not want to play this game with me.† CHAPTER 59 Robert Langdon felt like a corpse. He lay supine, hands folded on his chest, in total darkness, trapped in the most confined of spaces. Although Katherine lay nearby in a similar position near his head, Langdon could not see her. He had his eyes closed to prevent himself from catching even a fleeting glimpse of his frightening predicament. The space around him was small. Very small. Sixty seconds ago, with the double doors of the reading room crashing down, he and Katherine had followed Bellamy into the octagonal console, down a steep set of stairs, and into the unexpected space below. Langdon had realized at once where they were. The heart of the library’s circulation system. Resembling a small airport baggage distribution center, the circulation room had numerous conveyor belts that angled off in different directions. Because the Library of Congress was housed in three separate buildings, books requested in the reading room often had to be transported great distances by a system of conveyors through a web of underground tunnels. Bellamy immediately crossed the room to a steel door, where he inserted his key card, typed a sequence of buttons, and pushed open the door. The space beyond was dark, but as the door opened, a span of motion-sensor lights flickered to life. When Langdon saw what lay beyond, he realized he was looking at something few people ever saw. The Library of Congress stacks. He felt encouraged by Bellamy’s plan. What better place to hide than in a giant labyrinth? Bellamy did not guide them into the stacks, however. Instead, he propped the door open with a book and turned back to face them. â€Å"I had hoped to be able to explain a lot more to you, but we have no time.† He gave Langdon his key card. â€Å"You’ll need this.† â€Å"You’re not coming with us?† Langdon asked. Bellamy shook his head. â€Å"You’ll never make it unless we split up. The most important thing is to keep that pyramid and capstone in safe hands.† Langdon saw no other way out except the stairs back up to the reading room. â€Å"And where are you going?† â€Å"I’ll coax them into the stacks away from you,† Bellamy said. â€Å"It’s all I can do to help you escape.† Before Langdon could ask where he and Katherine were supposed to go, Bellamy was heaving a large crate of books off one of the conveyors. â€Å"Lie on the belt,† Bellamy said. â€Å"Keep your hands in.† Langdon stared. You cannot be serious! The conveyor belt extended a short distance then disappeared into a dark hole in the wall. The opening looked large enough to permit passage of a crate of books, but not much more. Langdon glanced back longingly at the stacks. â€Å"Forget it,† Bellamy said. â€Å"The motion-sensor lights will make it impossible to hide.† â€Å"Thermal signature!† a voice upstairs shouted. â€Å"Flanks converge!† Katherine apparently had heard all she needed to hear. She climbed onto the conveyor belt with her head only a few feet from the opening in the wall. She crossed her hands over her chest like a mummy in a sarcophagus. Langdon stood frozen. â€Å"Robert,† Bellamy urged, â€Å"if you won’t do this for me, do it for Peter.† The voices upstairs sounded closer now. As if in a dream, Langdon moved to the conveyor. He slung his daybag onto the belt and then climbed on, placing his head at Katherine’s feet. The hard rubber conveyor felt cold against his back. He stared at the ceiling and felt like a hospital patient preparing for insertion headfirst into an MRI machine. â€Å"Keep your phone on,† Bellamy said. â€Å"Someone will call soon . . . and offer help. Trust him.† Someone will call? Langdon knew that Bellamy had been trying to reach someone with no luck and had left a message earlier. And only moments ago, as they hurried down the spiral staircase, Bellamy had tried one last time and gotten through, speaking very briefly in hushed tones and then hanging up. â€Å"Follow the conveyor to the end,† Bellamy said. â€Å"And jump off quickly before you circle back. Use my key card to get out.† â€Å"Get out of where?!† Langdon demanded. But Bellamy was already pulling levers. All the different conveyors in the room hummed to life. Langdon felt himself jolt into motion, and the ceiling began moving overhead. God save me. As Langdon approached the opening in the wall, he looked back and saw Warren Bellamy race through the doorway into the stacks, closing the door behind him. An instant later, Langdon slid into the darkness, swallowed up by the library . . . just as a glowing red laser dot came dancing down the stairs. CHAPTER 60 The underpaid female security guard from Preferred Security double-checked the Kalorama Heights address on her call sheet. This is it? The gated driveway before her belonged to one of the neighborhood’s largest and quietest estates, and so it seemed odd that 911 had just received an urgent call about it. As usual with unconfirmed call-ins, 911 had contacted the local alarm company before bothering the police. The guard often thought the alarm company’s motto–â€Å"Your first line of defense†Ã¢â‚¬â€œ could just as easily have been â€Å"False alarms, pranks, lost pets, and complaints from wacky neighbors.† Tonight, as usual, the guard had arrived with no details about the specific concern. Above my pay grade. Her job was simply to show up with her yellow bubble light spinning, assess the property, and report anything unusual. Normally, something innocuous had tripped the house alarm, and she would use her override keys to reset it. This house, however, was silent. No alarm. From the road, everything looked dark and peaceful. The guard buzzed the intercom at the gate, but got no answer. She typed her override code to open the gate and pulled into the driveway. Leaving her engine running and her bubble light spinning, she walked up to the front door and rang the bell. No answer. She saw no lights and no movement. Reluctantly following procedure, she flicked on her flashlight to begin her trek around the house to check the doors and windows for signs of break-in. As she rounded the corner, a black stretch limousine drove past the house, slowing for a moment before continuing on. Rubbernecking neighbors. Bit by bit, she made her way around the house, but saw nothing out of place. The house was bigger than she had imagined, and by the time she reached the backyard, she was shivering from the cold. Obviously there was nobody home. â€Å"Dispatch?† she called in on her radio. â€Å"I’m on the Kalorama Heights call? Owners aren’t home. No signs of trouble. Finished the perimeter check. No indication of an intruder. False alarm.† â€Å"Roger that,† the dispatcher replied. â€Å"Have a good night.† The guard put her radio back on her belt and began retracing her steps, eager to get back to the warmth of her vehicle. As she did so, however, she spotted something she had missed earlier–a tiny speck of bluish light on the back of the house. Puzzled, she walked over to it, now seeing the source–a low transom window, apparently to the home’s basement. The glass of the window had been blacked out, coated on the inside with an opaque paint. Some kind of darkroom maybe? The bluish glow she had seen was emanating through a tiny spot on the window where the black paint had started to peel. She crouched down, trying to peer through, but she couldn’t see much through the tiny opening. She tapped on the glass, wondering if maybe someone was working down there. â€Å"Hello?† she shouted. There was no answer, but as she knocked on the window, the paint chip suddenly detached and fell off, affording her a more complete view. She leaned in, nearly pressing her face to the window as she scanned the basement. Instantly, she wished she hadn’t. What in the name of God?! Transfixed, she remained crouched there for a moment, staring in abject horror at the scene before her. Finally, trembling, the guard groped for the radio on her belt. She never found it. A sizzling pair of Taser prongs slammed into the back of her neck, and a searing pain shot through her body. Her muscles seized, and she pitched forward, unable even to close her eyes before her face hit the cold ground. CHAPTER 61 Tonight was not the first time Warren Bellamy had been blindfolded. Like all of his Masonic brothers, he had worn the ritual â€Å"hoodwink† during his ascent to the upper echelons of Masonry. That, however, had taken place among trusted friends. Tonight was different. These rough- handed men had bound him, placed a bag on his head, and were now marching him through the library stacks. The agents had physically threatened Bellamy and demanded to know the whereabouts of Robert Langdon. Knowing his aging body couldn’t take much punishment, Bellamy had told his lie quickly. â€Å"Langdon never came down here with me!† he had said, gasping for air. â€Å"I told him to go up to the balcony and hide behind the Moses statue, but I don’t know where he is now!† The story apparently had been convincing, because two of the agents had run off in pursuit. Now the remaining two agents were marching him in silence through the stacks. Bellamy’s only solace was in knowing Langdon and Katherine were whisking the pyramid off to safety. Soon Langdon would be contacted by a man who could offer sanctuary. Trust him. The man Bellamy had called knew a great deal about the Masonic Pyramid and the secret it held–the location of a hidden spiral staircase that led down into the earth to the hiding place of potent ancient wisdom buried long ago. Bellamy had finally gotten through to the man as they were escaping the reading room, and he felt confident that his short message would be understood perfectly. Now, as he moved in total darkness, Bellamy pictured the stone pyramid and golden capstone in Langdon’s bag. It has been many years since those two pieces were in the same room. Bellamy would never forget that painful night. The first of many for Peter. Bellamy had been asked to come to the Solomon estate in Potomac for Zachary Solomon’s eighteenth birthday. Zachary, despite being a rebellious child, was a Solomon, which meant tonight, following family tradition, he would receive his inheritance. Bellamy was one of Peter’s dearest friends and a trusted Masonic brother, and therefore was asked to attend as a witness. But it was not only the transference of money that Bellamy had been asked to witness. There was far more than money at stake tonight. Bellamy had arrived early and waited, as requested, in Peter’s private study. The wonderful old room smelled of leather, wood fires, and loose-leaf tea. Warren was seated when Peter led his son, Zachary, into the room. When the scrawny eighteen-year-old saw Bellamy, he frowned. â€Å"What are you doing here?† â€Å"Bearing witness,† Bellamy offered. â€Å"Happy birthday, Zachary.† The boy mumbled and looked away. â€Å"Sit down, Zach,† Peter said. Zachary sat in the solitary chair facing his father’s huge wooden desk. Solomon bolted the study door. Bellamy took a seat off to one side. Solomon addressed Zachary in a serious tone. â€Å"Do you know why you’re here?† â€Å"I think so,† Zachary said. Solomon sighed deeply. â€Å"I know you and I have not seen eye to eye for quite some time, Zach. I’ve done my best to be a good father and to prepare you for this moment.† Zachary said nothing. â€Å"As you know, every Solomon child, upon reaching adulthood, is presented with his or her birthright–a share of the Solomon fortune–which is intended to be a seed . . . a seed for you to nurture, make grow, and use to help nourish mankind.† Solomon walked to a vault in the wall, unlocked it, and removed a large black folder. â€Å"Son, this portfolio contains everything you need to legally transfer your financial inheritance into your own name.† He laid it on the desk. â€Å"The aim is that you use this money to build a life of productivity, prosperity, and philanthropy.† Zachary reached for the folder. â€Å"Thanks.† â€Å"Hold on,† his father said, putting his hand on the portfolio. â€Å"There’s something else I need to explain.† Zachary shot his father a contemptuous look and slumped back down. â€Å"There are aspects of the Solomon inheritance of which you are not yet aware.† His father was staring straight into Zachary’s eyes now. â€Å"You are my firstborn, Zachary, which means you are entitled to a choice.† The teenager sat up, looking intrigued. â€Å"It is a choice that may well determine the direction of your future, and so I urge you to ponder it carefully.† â€Å"What choice?† His father took a deep breath. â€Å"It is the choice . . . between wealth or wisdom.† Zachary gave him a blank stare. â€Å"Wealth or wisdom? I don’t get it.† Solomon stood, walking again to the vault, where he pulled out a heavy stone pyramid with Masonic symbols carved into it. Peter heaved the stone onto the desk beside the portfolio. â€Å"This pyramid was created long ago and has been entrusted to our family for generations.† â€Å"A pyramid?† Zachary didn’t look very excited. â€Å"Son, this pyramid is a map . . . a map that reveals the location of one of humankind’s greatest lost treasures. This map was created so that the treasure could one day be rediscovered.† Peter’s voice swelled now with pride. â€Å"And tonight, following tradition, I am able to offer it to you . . . under certain conditions.† Zachary eyed the pyramid suspiciously. â€Å"What’s the treasure?† Bellamy could tell that this coarse question was not what Peter had hoped for. Nonetheless, his demeanor remained steady. â€Å"Zachary, it’s hard to explain without a lot of background. But this treasure . . . in essence . . . is something we call the Ancient Mysteries.† Zachary laughed, apparently thinking his father was joking. Bellamy could see the melancholy growing now in Peter’s eyes. â€Å"This is very difficult for me to describe, Zach. Traditionally, by the time a Solomon is eighteen years of age, he is about to embark on his years of higher education in–â€Å" â€Å"I told you!† Zachary fired back. â€Å"I’m not interested in college!† â€Å"I don’t mean college,† his father said, his voice still calm and quiet. â€Å"I’m talking about the brotherhood of Freemasonry. I’m talking about an education in the enduring mysteries of human science. If you had plans to join me within their ranks, you would be on the verge of receiving the education necessary to understand the importance of your decision tonight.† Zachary rolled his eyes. â€Å"Spare me the Masonic lecture again. I know I’m the first Solomon who doesn’t want to join. But so what? Don’t you get it? I have no interest in playing dress-up with a bunch of old men!† His father was silent for a long time, and Bellamy noticed the fine age lines that had started to appear around Peter’s still-youthful eyes. â€Å"Yes, I get it,† Peter finally said. â€Å"Times are different now. I understand that Masonry probably appears strange to you, or maybe even boring. But I want you to know, that doorway will always be open for you should you change your mind.† â€Å"Don’t hold your breath,† Zach grumbled. â€Å"That’s enough!† Peter snapped, standing up. â€Å"I realize life has been a struggle for you, Zachary, but I am not your only guidepost. There are good men waiting for you, men who will welcome you within the Masonic fold and show you your true potential.† Zachary chuckled and glanced over at Bellamy. â€Å"Is that why you’re here, Mr. Bellamy? So you Masons can gang up on me?† Bellamy said nothing, instead directing a respectful gaze back at Peter Solomon–a reminder to Zachary of who held the power in this room. Zachary turned back to his father. â€Å"Zach,† Peter said, â€Å"we’re getting nowhere . . . so let me just tell you this. Whether or not you comprehend the responsibility being offered to you tonight, it is my family obligation to present it.† He motioned to the pyramid. â€Å"It is a rare privilege to guard this pyramid. I urge you to consider this opportunity for a few days before making your decision.† â€Å"Opportunity?† Zachary said. â€Å"Babysitting a rock?† â€Å"There are great mysteries in this world, Zach,† Peter said with a sigh. â€Å"Secrets that transcend your wildest imagination. This pyramid protects those secrets. And even more important, there will come a time, probably within your lifetime, when this pyramid will at last be deciphered and its secrets unearthed. It will be a moment of great human transformation . . . and you have a chance to play a role in that moment. I want you to consider it very carefully. Wealth is commonplace, but wisdom is rare.† He motioned to the portfolio and then to the pyramid. â€Å"I beg you to remember that wealth without wisdom can often end in disaster.† Zachary looked like he thought his father was insane. â€Å"Whatever you say, Dad, but there’s no way I’m giving up my inheritance for this.† He gestured to the pyramid. Peter folded his hands before him. â€Å"If you choose to accept the responsibility, I will hold your money and the pyramid for you until you have successfully completed your education within the Masons. This will take years, but you will emerge with the maturity to receive both your money and this pyramid. Wealth and wisdom. A potent combination.† Zachary shot up. â€Å"Jesus, Dad! You don’t give up, do you? Can’t you see that I don’t give a damn about the Masons or stone pyramids and ancient mysteries?† He reached down and scooped up the black portfolio, waving it in front of his father’s face. â€Å"This is my birthright! The same birthright of the Solomons who came before me! I can’t believe you’d try to trick me out of my inheritance with lame stories about ancient treasure maps!† He tucked the portfolio under his arm and marched past Bellamy to the study’s patio door. â€Å"Zachary, wait!† His father rushed after him as Zachary stalked out into the night. â€Å"Whatever you do, you can never speak of the pyramid you have seen!† Peter Solomon’s voice cracked. â€Å"Not to anyone! Ever!† But Zachary ignored him, disappearing into the night. Peter Solomon’s gray eyes were filled with pain as he returned to his desk and sat heavily in his leather chair. After a long silence, he looked up at Bellamy and forced a sad smile. â€Å"That went well.† Bellamy sighed, sharing in Solomon’s pain. â€Å"Peter, I don’t mean to sound insensitive . . . but . . . do you trust him?† Solomon stared blankly into space. â€Å"I mean . . .† Bellamy pressed, â€Å"not to say anything about the pyramid?† Solomon’s face was blank. â€Å"I really don’t know what to say, Warren. I’m not sure I even know him anymore.† Bellamy rose and walked slowly back and forth before the large desk. â€Å"Peter, you have followed your family duty, but now, considering what just happened, I think we need to take precautions. I should return the capstone to you so you can find a new home for it. Someone else should watch over it.† â€Å"Why?† Solomon asked. â€Å"If Zachary tells anyone about the pyramid . . . and mentions my being present tonight . . .† â€Å"He knows nothing of the capstone, and he’s too immature to know the pyramid has any significance. We don’t need a new home for it. I’ll keep the pyramid in my vault. And you will keep the capstone wherever you keep it. As we always have.† It was six years later, on Christmas Day, with the family still healing from Zachary’s death, that the enormous man claiming to have killed him in prison broke into the Solomon estate. The intruder had come for the pyramid, but he had taken with him only Isabel Solomon’s life. Days later, Peter summoned Bellamy to his office. He locked the door and took the pyramid out of his vault, setting it on the desk between them. â€Å"I should have listened to you.† Bellamy knew Peter was racked with guilt over this. â€Å"It wouldn’t have mattered.† Solomon drew a tired breath. â€Å"Did you bring the capstone?† Bellamy pulled a small cube-shaped package from his pocket. The faded brown paper was tied with twine and bore a wax seal of Solomon’s ring. Bellamy laid the package on the desk, knowing the two halves of the Masonic Pyramid were closer together tonight than they should be. â€Å"Find someone else to watch this. Don’t tell me who it is.† Solomon nodded. â€Å"And I know where you can hide the pyramid,† Bellamy said. He told Solomon about the Capitol Building subbasement. â€Å"There’s no place in Washington more secure.† Bellamy recalled Solomon liking the idea right away because it felt symbolically apt to hide the pyramid in the symbolic heart of our nation. Typical Solomon, Bellamy had thought. The idealist even in a crisis. Now, ten years later, as Bellamy was being shoved blindly through the Library of Congress, he knew the crisis tonight was far from over. He also now knew whom Solomon had chosen to guard the capstone . . . and he prayed to God that Robert Langdon was up to the job. How to cite The Lost Symbol Chapter 58-61, Essay examples

Concept of Distance in International Management

Question: Discuss about the Concept of Distance in International Management. Answer: Introduction The case study provided for the analysis revealed a lot of information regarding the cultural differences between the Indonesian markets and the markets in Australia and New Zealand. The case study described the irony of the countries to be geographically close to each other and still being miles apart in terms of their cultures, in a clear and effective way. The major intention of the case study was to describe the challenges present in the process of an organization from Australia or New Zealand expanding its operation into the Indonesian markets. This report takes the analysis further by analyzing the cultural difference between the countries, role of women in the target markets and the possible entry strategies of various businesses into the Indonesian markets (Griffin, 2012). Cultural differences The cultural differences between the countries are a significant factor affecting the effectiveness and performance of the organization. This section of the report analyzes the differences between the cultures of Indonesia and Australia. Trompenaars cultural dimensions There are a number of tools and models available to allow the organization to tackle the issue of the differences between the culture of the target market and the home county. Trompenaars cultural dimensions are such a culture model developed by Fons Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner, which defines the cultural differences between two countries based on the below dimensions (Raj, 2015). Universalism versus Particularism This dimension defines the differences between the culture of Australia and Indonesia based on the relative importance provided to the rules, obligations, values, standards and laws over personal relations and circumstance. The culture in Australia contains high value of universalism, which allows a set of rules, laws or standards to be applied in any practical scenarios irrespective of the circumstances. But in case of the culture in Indonesia, the value of particularism is high, which allows more values to be provided to the circumstance along with the personal relations than the rules and regulations (Kohler, 2014). Neutral versus emotional This dimension defines the way people behave in the corresponding country according to their inner feelings. Australia is a country with an emotional culture, where people show their inner feelings on their faces, may it be anger, sadness or happiness. Indonesia is a country which is known to have a culture of keeping the inner feelings in a check. So people in the Indonesian culture dont show anger or sadness on their face, but try to maintain a joyful smile on their faces (DellApa, 2014). Specific versus diffuse This dimension defines the way people perceive the connection between work and personal relations. Australia has a specific culture which allows the people to keep their work and personal lives separate. Although good relationships in the workplace are recommended, Australians believe the role of personal relationships arent very high for the achievement of business objectives. Whereas the Indonesian culture provides personal relationship a lot of value in the workplace as well. Achievement versus ascription The Australian culture is more focused on the achievements of an individual to define who he or she is. But in case of the Indonesian culture, the value of ascription weighs more than achievement, where an individual in society or workplace is defined by who he or she is, not on the basis of his or her achievements (McFarlin, 2014). Sequential versus synchronous time This dimension of the culture of a country defines how people in the corresponding country manage time. People in Australian culture prefer to do things sequentially in the scheduled plan, which in turn causes the people to be punctual and time-bound in professional life. But the culture of Indonesia allows the people to be lenient towards the schedule and timeline (Chhokar, 2013). Internal direction versus outer direction The internal direction culture allows the people to be more confident on their capabilities to change their nature and environment to achieve their goals, which is commonly the belief of the Australians. But in case of the Indonesian culture, people are directed outward and believe that they have to compromise with their surrounding and environment to survive in the world (Ferraro, 2015). GLOBE leadership style The GLOBE project for the leadership styles defines a number of dimensions, which can describe the leadership style generally implemented in various geographical locations or clusters. Performance orientation Generally, the leadership in Australian culture focuses on the performance of the individuals. But in case of the Indonesian culture, the leadership is more lenient towards performance of the individuals and put more values in the personal relationships. Assertiveness orientation The leadership practices in Australia are more confrontational and aggressive in terms of showing the emotions in the workplace. But in case of the Indonesian culture, the leadership in the workplace is more oriented towards assertive behavior, which allows leaders to avoid confrontation and conflicts (Dahles, 2013). Future orientation The Australian work culture is much more future oriented in comparison to the work culture of Indonesia. The leaders in Australian workplaces put a lot of effort and resources into planning and developing strategies along with delaying the sense of satisfaction. But in case of Indonesian work culture, the leaders put more value to early gratification with lenient mentality towards planning and strategizing (Tietze, 2013). Human orientation The work culture in Australian is oriented more towards the business objectives and professional goals than the human relationships. The aim to achieve the professional goals are given much more values to the development of personal relationships in Australian work culture. But in case of Indonesian work culture, the value of human relations are much more than achievements and business objectives (Chhokar, 2013). Gender egalitarianism The presence of gender equality is higher in the Australian work culture in comparison to the Indonesian work culture. Women take equal positions and roles in various Australian workplaces and there is virtually to inequalities between different genders in the Australian markets. The Indonesian work culture has grown a lot in the past few decades to decrease the gender inequalities. Currently the educated women in the urban regions take equal rights in the workplaces across various countries (Ambos, 2014). Australian beef industry exporting to Indonesia The Australian beef industry can expand its operations into the Indonesian markets by exporting livestock to the corresponding markets. This section of the report focuses on the entry strategies for the corresponding industry for the Indonesian markets along with the possible challenges for the same. Entry strategy The entry strategy of the Australian beef industry should focus on the quality, delivery time and costs of the livestock exported into the Indonesia. The Australian beef industry should put extra effort to market the high quality of the livestock being exported into Indonesia. An Indonesian law enforces the import of the livestock only from the countries having the disease-free status from the World Organization for Animal Health. Australia currently holds the corresponding status and can market the same to increase the value of the livestock being exported to Indonesia. Another factor to be focused in the entry strategy of the Australian beef industry is the delivery time of the livestock. The livestock can be delivered to the Indonesian markets within hours and days, instead of weeks required by other exporters. This should be marketed by the Australian beef industry to attract more customers. The Australian beef industry can ensure that the costs for the livestock to be exported t o the Indonesian markets are fair enough to attract more number of orders. The competitive pricing strategy of the Australian beef industry will allow significant increase of the livestock export to the Indonesian markets due to the optimum balance of price and high quality of the products being exported (Kahn, 2014). Challenges There are a number of challenges for the expansion of the Australian beef industry into the Indonesian markets, some of which are mentioned in this section of the report. Recent changes to the Indonesian law restricting import of various livestock from the countries having different areas with the diseased animals, allows the Indonesian markets to import the animals from disease-free zones of a country not having the disease-free status for the entire country. This in turn allows a number of competitors of the Australian beef industry, like India to be introduced in the mix, which in turn increase the competition for achieving the organizational objectives (Gleeson, 2012). The low costs of the livestock from other countries like India is another challenge for the Australian beef industry expanding into the Indonesian markets. The livestock being exported from Australia are generally priced higher due to the high quality, which in turn allows the Indonesian markets to find other cheaper options (Sun, 2012). The differences in the culture of Australia and Indonesia is another challenge for the expansion of the Australian beef industry into the Indonesian markets. The cultural differences between the two countries affect the business communications and operations negatively, which could lead to the failure of the expansion of the Australian beef industry (Kitley, 2014). These challenges can be managed by the Australian beef industry in an efficient manner by proper analysis and monitoring, which in turn leads to the effective expansion of the industry into the Indonesian markets. Role of women This section of the report focuses on the role of women in the Indonesian societies and their effects on the international human resource management of the organizations expanding to the Indonesian markets. Role of women in the Indonesian societies Indonesia is a country which has recently developed a lot in the recent decades in terms of women empowerment. The gender differences in the educational system has gone down a lot in the urban Indonesian regions and have decreased quite in the other regions of the country. The presence of women in the workplace of various industries has also gone up both in terms of the numbers and the equality in the rights, responsibilities and positions. More than 85% of the tertiary-educated women in the urban Indonesian regions have work as their primary activity. The work culture in the country has changed significantly to consider the women of the country to be reliable for bestowing the business responsibilities. The average age of marriage in the urban Indonesian regions has also gone up, which suggests the changes in the preference of the women to work instead of getting married at an early age. This in turn allows the women to have high aspirations and objectives in their professional live s. This allows the women in the workplaces of various industries in Indonesia to be more motivated to achieve their aims and objectives. The gender gap in the tertiary education system in the country has also decreased significantly in the recent past, which has led to the increase of the gender equality in the service industry. Women are not considered to only be inside the homes anymore and the lifestyle of having two earnings in a household is getting more demand in the current societies across the country (Ball, 2012). Effects on Australian companies IHRM The international human resource management process of an organization can be defined as the set of business processes which ensure optimal usage and effective management of the human resources available to the organization in the international locations. The Australian organizations planning to expand their business into Indonesian markets should analyze various effects on the international human resource management process before the business expansion (Koning, 2013). One of the factors that can potentially affect the international human resource management process of the Australian organizations in the Indonesian markets is the presence of female employees in the workplace and the role of women in the Indonesian societies (Harris, 2012). As mentioned earlier, Indonesian societies have developed a significant amount in terms of women empowerment in the last few decades. This in turn has allowed a revolution of women empowerment and engagement to be started across the urban locations of the country. Women have started getting equal rights, positions and responsibilities in the workplaces and educational systems. This in turn has allowed the women in the societies across the country to have more opportunities to achieve their goals and objectives. But a number of rural or less developed regions across the regions havent seen a lot of changes in terms of women empowerment. This in turn affects the international human resource management processes of the Australian organizations in Indonesia, who employs women in various positions in the workplace. Some of these changes or effects on the IHRM processes are mentioned in this section of the report (Nasir, 2016). The Australian organizations should ensure to have specific business guidelines to support the women empowerment revolution going in the country. So the management of the organization should give close monitoring and high amount of effort into ensuring the presence of gender inequalities in the workplace. The Australian organizations operating in the Indonesian markets should also ensure to provide attractive employment options to the women present in the corresponding societies to achieve both their organization objectives and corporate social responsibilities (Riany, 2016). The IHRM processes should also ensure the presence of stricter grievance and complaints facilities available for any kind of discrimination done to the female employees in the workplace based on gender. This allows the management of the Australian organizations to enforce gender inequalities in their workplaces in Indonesia (Munandar, 2014). These changes in the international human resource management processes of the Australian organization operating in the Indonesian markets allow the organization to have successful HRM strategy and successful international business expansion. The changes in the IHRM processes also allows the Australian organizations to get support from the regulations and government of Indonesia in terms of maintaining gender inequality in the workplace. References Ambos, B. and Hkanson, L., 2014. The concept of distance in international management research. Journal of International Management, 20(1), pp.1-7. Ball, D., Geringer, M., Minor, M. and McNett, J., 2012. International business. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Chhokar, J.S., Brodbeck, F.C. and House, R.J. eds., 2013. Culture and leadership across the world: The GLOBE book of in-depth studies of 25 societies. Routledge. Dahles, H., 2013. Tourism, heritage and national culture in Java: Dilemmas of a local community. Routledge. DellApa, A., Smith, M.C. and Kaneshiro-Pineiro, M.Y., 2014. The influence of culture on the international management of shark finning. Environmental management, 54(2), pp.151-161. Ferraro, G. and Brody, E.K., 2015. Cultural Dimension of Global Business. Routledge. Gleeson, T., Martin, P. and Mifsud, C., 2012, May. Northern Australian beef industry: assessment of risks and opportunities. In ABARES report to client prepared for the Northern Australia Ministerial Forum, Canberra. Griffin, R.W. and Pustay, M.W., 2012. International business. Pearson Higher Ed. Harris, M.M. ed., 2012. Handbook of research in international human resource management. Psychology Press. Kahn, L., 2014. Beef Cattle Production and Trade. CSIRO Publishing. Kitley, P., 2014. Television, nation, and culture in Indonesia. Ohio University Press. Kohler, M., 2014. Indonesian in the Australian Curriculum. Babel (00053503), 48. Koning, J., Nolten, M., Rodenburg, J. and Saptari, R., 2013. Women and households in Indonesia: cultural notions and social practices. Routledge. McFarlin, D. and Sweeney, P.D., 2014. International Management: Strategic Opportunities Cultural Challenges. Routledge. Nasir, R., Al-Rasyid, H. and Jumiati, S.S., 2016. Education based cultural in globalization era: case the Indonesian context. The Contribution of Education Institution to ASEAN Economic Community, p.121. Munandar, A.S., 2014. 5 Culture and management in Indonesia. Culture and Management in Asia, p.82. Raj, R. and Griffin, K.A. eds., 2015. Religious tourism and pilgrimage management: An international perspective. CABI. Riany, Y.E., Meredith, P. and Cuskelly, M., 2016. Understanding the Influence of Traditional Cultural Values on Indonesian Parenting. Marriage Family Review, pp.1-20. Sun, D., 2012. Systems approaches towards enhancing continuous improvement and innovation in the Australian beef industry. Tietze, S., 2013. International management and language. Routledge.

Confucianism and Chinese families

Question: Describe about the Report on Confucianism and Chinese families? Answer: I have chosen the topic of Confucianism for my assignment because it somewhat is based on religion. I am a very religious person and choose the said topic so that I can highlight my views and ideas about the said topic and acquire the knowledge that others contain in the said matter. According to me, Confucianism is another term for ideas and philosophies that are based on religion. It is a study of ethics, principles and ideas taught by Confucius who was an Chinese Philosopher who suggested that love, humanity and compassion are the core ingredients which need to be present in an individuals thoughts. I received knowledge and interest in Confucianism when my friends father who worked in China for several years and acquired great knowledge and help from following Confucianism introduced the theory to me. He told me how this theory has helped him survive very critical years of his life in China and the benefits of following the ideology in ones life (Huang, Grace Hui-Chen and Mary Gov e). After my encounter with his suggested idea of Confucianism, I experience that my idea about many aspects in life have changed when I applied my mind in applying the said theory which suggested a simple thing to have love and companion in ones thoughts. I felt more at peace and everyone around me started appreciating the fact that I have become a calmer and a more sorted individual who led to many academic successes and one primary reason for this success was that I looked at everyone from the same outlook. I realized after following the said ideology for several months that my idea for success, peace and justice has changed radically making me a more honest, peaceful and a calmer individual. As I decided to further research about Confucius, the only question I have is that what must have made the famous Chinese philosopher Confucius come with such a simple and relaxed ideology which have multiple advantages and its a planned success road to prosperity. I would love to extend my research to many of this other ideologies, which will have similar results in my opinion. Another question I have in mind, which is unanswered, is about the life of this Chinese philosophy, which is unknown to all. I would love to find out how the said philosophy developed the theory and what was the reason that inspired the introduction of Confucianism in the world (Li Chenyang). My friends father has helped me a lot in my research work, as he was the one who introduced me to the ideology of Confucianism in the first place. His stay in China, where the said ideology is followed primarily has helped me develop my own personal ideas and reviews, which were very different before I was introduced to the said ideology. As this ideology is based from Asia, my few Asian friends have also guided me about the same and their knowledge about Confucianism has benefited me in my research work to a great extend. Reference List Huang, Grace Hui-Chen, and Mary Gove. "Confucianism and Chinese families: Values and practices in education."International Journal of Humanities and Social Science2.3 (2012): 10-14. Li, Chenyang. "Equality and inequality in Confucianism."Dao11.3 (2012): 295-313.

Impact of U.N. Global Compact on Employment Practices in Gap Inc.

Table of Contents Introduction Stakeholders Lessons Learned Recommendations Conclusion Bibliography Footnotes Introduction Gap Inc. is a retail company that deals with clothing and related accessories. The company was founded in California in the year 1969 and it has expanded to other parts of the world. The major brands for the company are namesake Gap banner, banana republic, old navy and Athleta among others.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Impact of U.N. Global Compact on Employment Practices in Gap Inc. specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The company has more than 140,000 employees and it has many operating stores in and outside the United States of America. The company has had several labor disputes and allegations of bad practices therefore it is important to review its operations with regard to the U.N. Global compact principles.[1] This report will show the lessons Gap Inc can learn from the implementa tion of U. N. Compact principles by Army Navy, which is a competitor to Gap Inc. The U.N. Global compact principles are guidelines developed in order to provide a common understanding of labor issues and give principles to address the labor issues all over the world. These ten U.N. Global Compact principles were developed by the Labor working Group established in 2008. They were developed under extensive consultations with the International Labor Organization.[2] The two principles, which will be discussed in this report, are the Principle 2 and Principle 3. Principle 2 states, â€Å"Businesses should make sure they are not complicit in human rights abuses†[3]. Principle 3 states, â€Å"Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining.†[4] These principles are relevant to Gap Inc. The company is an international organization since it has many stores in many parts of the world. Over the past, the co mpany has been implicated in several violations of human rights in their employment practices. For instance, the company was sued in 2003 for failing to pay their workers their overtime dues and poor working conditions, which are tantamount to violation of human rights. The company has been struggling to effect policies that could help it to improve on human practices. The U.N. Global Practices are therefore very useful to the company.[5] Stakeholders The two U.N. Global Compact principles discussed above affects almost all the stakeholders in an organization. The most affected stakeholders are the customers, employees and the management. The employees are the most affected of the others. The two principles seek to promote labor practices in businesses that are why employees are most affected. Managers are the ones who are responsible for implementing the principles. It is therefore the duty of the managers to ensure that the organization follows the laid down principles.[6] The oth er group of stakeholders affected by these guidelines is the customers. This is because the principles provide against violation of human rights and provides for freedom of association[7]. These principles affect the performance of GAP Inc. both positively and negatively. Compliance with the principles will need some restructuring which will be costly to the organization. After the implementation however, the performance of the company will improve.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Lessons Learned The lessons will be derived from the implementation of the U. N. Global Compat principles by Army and Navy Stores Inc. In order to comply with the Principle 2 and Principle 3 of the U.N. Global Compact, Army Navy Stores Inc has taken some steps from which Gap Inc can learn some lessons. One of the steps is to assess the effect of the activities of the company on human relations an d also to assess its employee decisions. This has enabled the company to improve on its efforts to respect human rights and enhance freedom of association of the employees. As a result, Army Navy stores has been able to increase its productivity since the employees are more motivated. Gap Inc. has learnt the need to assess its practices in order to know any cases of violation of human rights and to know whether the company has prevented freedom of association. From these assessments, the company came to an understanding that there were many cases of human rights violations in the company by the employees, security personnel and even the management. The company had also been making efforts to suppress freedom of association for employees. Because of these actions, the employees of the company were not motivated and their productivity was down. After this, the company has decided to set out clear guidelines on how to adhere to the U.N. Global Compact principles. Up to today, there ha s been no official report on the progress of the process of setting out the guidelines. This has a negative effect to the company since many customers and other stakeholders are not contended with the first step.[8] Recommendations There is need for Gap Inc. to step up its actions to ensure compliance with the U.N. Global Compact principles. In order to comply with Principle 2 on violation of human rights, after assessment of the human rights situation in the company, Gap Inc. should develop and promote policies aimed at ensuring respect of human rights. These policies should be communicated to all stakeholders and posted to all work situations. Gap Inc. should also adhere to any other provisions on human rights such as those by the International Labor Organization (ILO) and other legal provisions. The company should also interact freely with the stakeholders in order to get suggestions and support in upholding human rights in the company.[9] In order to adhere to Principle 3 on fre edom of association, Gap Inc. should encourage its employees to form trade unions in order to enhance their bargaining power. The company should involve the trade union in major decisions and there should be extensive consultations between the company and the trade union in the course of its decision making process.[10]Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Impact of U.N. Global Compact on Employment Practices in Gap Inc. specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The company should ensure adequate representation of employees in the bargaining table and uphold respect for the trade union. The company should preserve the secrets of the trade union and keep distance from the operations of the trade union. By doing so, the company will have ensured full compliance with the two principles of U.N. Global Compact. Full compliance with the guidelines will have several benefits to the concerned stakeholders. To the employees, they wil l have better working conditions and they will be in a good position to bargain for better salaries and better working conditions. The management’s role will be made easier since the employees and other stakeholders will be satisfied and will thus give the management amble time.[11] In order to combat these risks, I would recommend that Gap Inc. should conduct seminars in order to sensitize employees on the changes, their advantages and the risks associated.[12] Conclusion Labor practices around the world have become difficult to manage due to globalization, increasing competition, increase in human rights activism among other factors. This was the prime reason for the development of the 10 principles by the United Nations in 2008. These principles have both negative and positive implications to business organizations. Most organizations have not managed to implement the policies full. For instance, Gap Inc. has a long way to go despite the fact that the company needs the pri nciples guidelines badly to avoid labor issues it had over the past[13]. The benefits of compliance with the principles are many as compared to the associated risks therefore I really encourage the management of Gap Inc. to take the recommendations seriously. Bibliography Cayreyre, Mireille, Filiz Demirayak and Paul Dickson. Global Compact International Yearbook 2009. Geneva: United Nations Publications, 2009. Davila, Anabella. Best human resource management practices in Latin America. London: Taylor Francis, 2009.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Dunning, John and Sarianna Lundan. Multinational enterprises and the global economy. Cheltenham: Edward Edgar Publishing, 2008. Gregoratti, Catia. The UN Global Compact. London: Taylor Francis, 2010. Idowu, Samuel and Celine Louche. Theory and Practice of Corporate Social Responsibility. New Jersey: Springer, 2010. ILO. â€Å"The labour principles of the united nations Global Compact, A guide for business†. Geneva: International Labour Organization: 2008. Web. ILO. The cost of coercion: global report under the follow-up to the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work: International Labour Conference, 98th Session 2009. Geneva: International Labour Organization, 2009. Lawler, John and Greg Hundley. The global diffusion of human resource practices: institutional and cultural limits. Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing, 2008 Pattanaik, Kumar. Human rights and business: perspectives and practices. New Delhi: Icfai University Press, 2008. Perkins, Stephen and Su san Shortland. Strategic international human resource management: choices and consequences in multinational people management. Philadelphia: Kogan Page Publishers, 2006. Rasche, Andreas and Georg Kell. The United Nations Global Compact: Achievements, Trends and Challenges. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010. United Nations, Global Compact Principle three. United Nations Global Compact, 2009. Web. United Nations, Global Compact Principle two. United Nations Global Compact, 2011.   Web. United Nations. Human Rights Translated: A Business Reference Guide. Geneva: United Nations Publications, 2008. Footnotes ILO. â€Å"The labor principles of the united nations Global Compact, A guide for business†. (Geneva: International Labor Organization: 2008). Catia Gregoratti. The UN Global Compact. London: Taylor Francis, 2010, p. 26. United Nations, Global Compact Principle three. United Nations Global Compact, August 14th 2009. United Nations, Global Compact Principle two. U nited Nations Global Compact, January 10th 2011. John Dunning and Lundan Sarianna. Multinational enterprises and the global economy. Cheltenham: Edward Edgar Publishing, 2008, 133. ILO. The cost of coercion: global report under the follow-up to the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work: International Labour Conference, 98th Session 2009. Geneva: International Labour Organization, 2009, p. 214. United Nations. Human Rights Translated: A Business Reference Guide. Geneva: United Nations Publications, 2008, p. 156. Andreas Rasche and Kell Georg. The United Nations Global Compact: Achievements, Trends and Challenges. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010, p. 93. John Lawler and Greg Hundley. The global diffusion of human resource practices: institutional and cultural limits. Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing, 2008, p. 103. Kumar Pattanaik. Human rights and business: perspectives and practices. New Delhi: Icfai University Press, 2008, p. 57. Stephen Perkins an d Shortland Susan. Strategic international human resource management: choices and consequences in multinational people management. Philadelphia: Kogan Page Publishers, 2006, p. 291. Mireille Cayreyre, Demirayak Filiz and Dickson Paul. Global Compact International Yearbook 2009. Geneva: United Nations Publications, 2009, p. 212. Anabella, David. Best human resource management practices in Latin America. London: Taylor Francis, 2009, p. 33. This report on Impact of U.N. Global Compact on Employment Practices in Gap Inc. was written and submitted by user Nora Ewing to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

7 Important Considerations for Writing a Postgraduate Personal Statement Essays

7 Important Considerations for Writing a Postgraduate Personal Statement Essays 7 Important Considerations for Writing a Postgraduate Personal Statement Essay 7 Important Considerations for Writing a Postgraduate Personal Statement Essay You are applying for postgraduate but you don’t know how to write a postgraduate personal statement. Well don’t worry†¦ a lot of students don’t know how these statements are written. Even if some students know how to write it they certainly don’t know how to write a compelling one. Basically this statement, which is also referred as a statement of purpose, allows the applicant to elaborate on his/her experience, potential, skills and determination. There are some statements that ask the applicant to answer particular questions while there are also some that only asks general questions. The statement of purpose is a golden opportunity for an applicant to stand out. It is indeed an opportunity that allows you to describe your influences, motivation, determination and your worth to the team of the admission department. In this application you are given a wonderful chance to list down the reason why you are seeking admission in this university and the personal or professional goals you have in mind. The statement of purpose also allows you to discuss your talent and skills that you possess and which you are not able to discuss in the standard admission application. Without further ado, let us discuss the 10 important considerations that are necessary for writing an eye-catching postgraduate personal statement. Before jotting down letters onto your personal statement, first brainstorm and create a list of material that you want to include and discuss in the statement. Keep the list specific and concise. Also check out the prompt that is given by the university at the time of acquiring the admission application. Analyze the prompt carefully and see what types of requirements you will need to keep in mind while writing. Now, briefly explain what makes you different and special from the rest. This explanation will help you in setting yourself apart from other applicants who are applying for the same postgraduate program. Convince them that you are the best fit not only for the university but also for the community of your field. List down some particular reasons why you are only interested to get admission in their university. It may be that their fee is affordable than other universities or they offer some special programs that others don’t. It may also be that they are the most prominent university in the country. Also explain them how you came to know about them. List down and explain any work experiences that you have had. This demonstrates your interest in your field of interest. List and discuss your career goals that you have set in your mind. However, keep the explanation concise and specific. Don’t tell but demonstrate and give evidence to support your claims. List and discuss your most prominent qualities and strengths. Yet again, you have to support those qualities or strengths with supporting evidence. One more important consideration that one needs to take into account is that the opening of the statement must be an attention-grabbing one. It must be able to hook the reader right from the start.

The Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison Research Paper - 1

The Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison - Research Paper Example This happens rarely but it does happen and in this kind of scenario we can totally lose our self respect, confidence and will to live. A similar scenario was faced by the narrator of the novel ‘the invisible man’. It is about the person who explains that his invisibility owes not to some supernatural cause of biochemical accident but instead to the reluctance of other people to notice him. He finds himself in a position where he considers himself as invisible among the people who are sleepwalking around him and thus can’t notice him (â€Å"Invisible man†). This above mentioned instance is also known as â€Å"Alienation". As stated in PsycINFO Database by A. Davids, Alienation is a syndrome composed of five interrelated dispositions: egocentricity, anxiety, distrust, pessimism, and resentment. Alienated individuals are "lone wolves," distrusting their fellow men and apprehensive and ominous about their own future. They tend to apperceive others in their social surroundings as being more alienated than they actually are, yet less alienated than themselves. It is also stated that the alienated person has a "weak ego structure as estimated by experienced clinical judgment." However, when talking about the narrator of ‘the invisible man’, we have to make it crystal clear that his case was different, yet he had most of the symptoms of being alienated as described above. The narrator isolated himself in his room which was a shut-off section of a basement where only white tenants were allowed to live, and disguised himself by we aring dark glasses and a hat. It was not because he had a weak ego structure but he did that because he found ‘white people’ his enemy. One of the reasons that a person can get himself into the state of loneliness is when he isolates himself from the world and decides to live alienated. It is really dangerous for anyone to isolate himself, so it was dangerous for narrator of ‘the invisible man’. As

Ansoff versus Three Generic Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Ansoff versus Three Generic Strategies - Essay Example What is also important to understand that Porter also suggested three important strategies which can be used in order to successfully deal with five forces. Though Porter’s Generic strategies as well as the Five Forces model is considered effective however, there are also other alternative models outlining as to how a firm can successfully deal with the competition and make strategic decisions. One such model is the Ansoff’s Matrix which is also called the Product Market Expansion Grid. Developed in 1975, this matrix largely depends upon the product as well as the industry in which a firm operates and resultantly offers different choices to a firm in order to deal with different strategic challenges. Ansoff’s Matrix suggests four important strategic alternatives available to a firm to successfully operate under a given competitive scenario. These strategies include market penetration, product development, Market Development as well as diversification. This paper will attempt to first explain and explore Five Forces Model along with three generic strategies as suggested by Porter to successfully outperform other firms in the industry. Finally a comparison will be made between three strategies and the Ansoff’s Matrix to strategic development.... These are some of the key factors which need to be looked at in order to critically assess as to how the suppliers may have an impact on the firm. This is also critical owing to the fact that reliance on one supplier or few suppliers may geoperadize the overall position of a firm within an industry and therefore it is critical for a firm to assess this power in more critical manner. Buyers’ Power Buyers’ Power is also critical in the sense that it directly defines as to how the demand dynamics of the firm will behave if buyers have relatively superior bargaining power. This factor becomes more critical if the firm is involved in the B2B type of business with large buyers forming stronger clout. Factors such as brand identity, sensitivity towards price changes, threat of backward integration as well as the availability of substitutes can really define as to how buyers may have an impact on the firm. Threat of New Entrants When an industry is profitable and the prospects of earning profitability are sizeable, new firms tend to enter into the market in order to share the gains. Thus the overall threat of new entrants is considered as significant for any firm working in any industry. Factors such as barriers to entry, cost advantages as well as economies of scale and stronger brands are some of the factors which can allow a firm to successfully meet the threat of new entrants in the market. It is also important for a firm to critically assess this possibility and develop its competitive advantage and core competencies so that it can successfully withstand the challenges posed by the new firms. Threat of Substitutes Threat of substitutes can also be an important force which can result into significant strategic challenges for a firm. Threat of substitutes