A New Begining Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

A New Begining - Research Paper Example A group of 10 is a good sized group and will be able to be managed within a short amount of time. We will have the initial screening through doctors, but we will also provide a short questionnaire for anyone who is interested in the group. The questionnaire will ask about their attitude towards weight loss, what they have tried in the past, how often they have tried to lose weight, and what results they had in the past. The questionnaire will also ask screening questions that will pertain to whether an individual has problems with eating disorders. In order for someone to be successful in weight loss, they will need to make a variety of changes with not only their eating habits but with their mental ideas about food. In order to lose weight, they may need to undergo a complete change in their lifestyle. This is one of the reason why it will be important to define those people who actually have a mindset that will promote their moving forward. Each person in the group will also need t o go through one individual therapy session with one of the group members. This will create a psychological profile for each person so that we know what we are dealing with when people come into the group. According to Berg, Landreth and Fall (2006) we should screen participants so that the members of the group have similar goals and needs for weight loss, and they would be people who would not stop the progress of the group. When thinking about this criteria, we would want to make sure that the members of the group were mentally healthy (they do not have psychological disorders that would stop the progress of the group), and who were at a similar level of needing to loose weight. In other words, we would like to have people in the group who are serious about weight loss and who will do what is required. Some of this would be done in the prescreening which would include an interview with each individual who was interested in the group, the questionnaire, and a conversation with thei r doctor (with a written permission from the person wanting to join the group). Since Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is supposed to be brief therapy, we will limit the group to 12 sessions of 45 minutes each and we will meet at the treatment center. Rationale for CBT CBT has been used to assist many people in stopping smoking, turning away from alcohol and drugs, as well as stopping many mood disorders. Using CBT for weight loss is relatively new, according to St. Clair (n.d.). Losing weight involves not only a physical change, but individuals must also change their thinking. CBT is able to help them make new decisions about the way they look, about weight loss in general and they learn to think thin (St. Clair, n.d.). Arhart-Treichel (2007) reports on a study done by the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research in which ten women were a part of a weight loss group. The results of the study showed that the women lost a pound a month to a pound a week and were able to keep it off. A Swedish randomized clinical trial done in 2005 studied 62 obese people who lost an average of 17 pounds after the 10 weeks program and another five pounds by the follow-up date 18 months later (Arhart-Treichel, 2007). Clearly, CBT is slowly showing an effective way

Enormous Changes at the Last Minute: Postmodern Humanism :: Grace Paley Enormous Last Minute Essays

"Enormous Changes at the Last Minute:" Postmodern Humanism in the Short Fiction of Grace Paley(1) On the jacket of her second book of short stories, Enormous Changes at the Last Minute, Grace Paley, a feminist, postmodernist, antiwar activist, and writer, identifies herself as a "somewhat combative pacifist and cooperative anarchist." In 1979, she was arrested on the White House lawn for demonstrating against nuclear weapons, and her rÃÆ'Â ©sumÃÆ'Â © is full of such protest-related arrests. Paley's statement in a 1998 interview with the online magazine Salon is typical: "Whatever your calling is, whether it's as a plumber or an artist, you have to make sure there's a little more justice in the world when you leave it than when you found it." Paley's fiction expresses similar sentiments but in rather subtle ways. Women in her short stories do not get arrested for protesting; instead, they visit their aging fathers in the hospital. (2) Paley's concern for justice appears in her short fiction as a postmodern humanism that works itself out in the establishment of storytelling, re ality-making communities. In "Toward a Concept of Postmodernism," Ihab Hassan schematizes postmodernism in opposition to modernism. This sampling of the catchwords he identifies gives us a window into the project of postmodern theorists: Antiform, Play, Anarchy, Decreation/Deconstruction, Antithesis, Absence, Dispersal, Anti-narrative/Petite Histoire, Indeterminacy (591-2). Postmodern writers, then, play with language, experiment with narrative fragmentation, introduce previously ignored voices, borrow heavily from both popular culture and "canonical" literature, and generally break boundaries. How can we classify Paley as a postmodern writer if an ethical framework underlies her writing? Shouldn't she be trying to deconstruct reality and expose the meaninglessness of the American experience? Of course, no work or writer fits perfectly into postmodernism's theoretical agenda. For that matter, the very establishment of an unyielding definition of postmodernism is antithetical to its self-proclaimed turn away from the rigidity of modernist thought. For students of postmodernism this can be a maddening maze of deconstruction that eventually leads to the extinction of the study of literature. If, as radical deconstructionists might argue, our language systems and understandings of reality prove to be valueless, the scholar of literature is left with little to do, as is the social critic. It is for this reason that Hassan writes Thus we can not simply rest-as I have sometimes done-on the assumption that postmodernism is antiformal, anarchic, or decreative; for though it is indeed all these, and despite its fanatic will to unmaking, it also contains the need to discover a "unitary sensibility" (Sontag), to "cross the border and close the gap" (Fiedler).

Impact of It on Process Improvement

VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences  ©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. http://www. cisjournal. org Impact of IT on Process Improvement 1 1 Lotfollah najjar, 2 Ziaul huq, 3 Seyed-mahmoud aghazadeh, 4 Saeedreza hafeznezamiCollege of Information Science & Technology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, USA, Fax: 402-554-3284, 2 College of Business Administration, University of Nebraska at Omaha, USA, Fax: 402-554-268, 3 Department of Business Administration, School of Business, State University of New York at Fredonia, Fredonia, Ny 14063, USA, Fax: 716-673-3332, 4 Civil and Environmental Engineering UCLA, 5731 Boelter Hall, box 951593 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1593 1 [email  protected] unomaha. edu, [email  protected], [email  protected] edu, [email  protected] com. ABSTRACTThere has been a lack of empirical research related to the role of IT in process improvement in a multidimensional way. The purpos e of this paper is to investigate the extent that IT could be used (from low tech to high tech and constraint to proactive), type of process reengineering projects employed (compromise to radical) and their effect on firm performance. The firm performance was defined as market share, customer relationships Management, IT impact, and efficiency (as multifaceted such as lowering the cost, lowering the process variability, and lead time).Data from 108 small-to-medium sized organizations both in service and in manufacturing were collected for this study. Both Factor Analysis and MANOVA Analysis were employed to analyze these relationships and to find out the optimum points (interaction among the types of IT and types of BPR) and their effect on firm performance. ). The result showed that organizations that adapt high technology alone or BPR alone cannot achieve the same result and business performance as the organization that benefits from interdependency between IT and BPR.Keywords: BP R, IT, Organizational Performance, Process Improvement, CRM, Efficiency, Factor Analysis, MANOVA. 1. INTRODUCTION The modern business organization is a complex collection of business processes, which cross multiple business units and handle everything from the mundane daily operations to core business processes. Many of these business processes have changed very little since their original implementation, thus failing to take advantage of new best practices or technological advancements.Over time, businesses realized that their current processes were no longer providing a competitive advantage, and that changes to processes were necessary in order to improve performance. In order to change the processes or to build completely new ones, process redesign or improvement must take place. Whether the method is Total Quality Management (TQM), Six Sigma, Business Process Reengineering (BPR), or one of the many others, the core concepts are the same: streamline the process, reduce costs, an d remove waste.Process improvements can be incremental and continuous, or they can be giant leaps that fundamentally change the way organizations do business. One thing in common with all process improvement initiatives is that information technology is a major component, regardless of the method. Hammer and Champy (1993) state IT is an enabler of BPR, and while this is still true information technology has become more than just an enabler. Just as throwing money at a problem will not make it go away, a business problem can’t be reengineered simply by hrowing new information systems at it (Hammer & Champy, 1993). 1. 1 Business Process Improvement The drive for process improvement is not new. Process improvement methodologies have been developed and used for over 30 years. Six Sigma was developed in the mid 1980s as a way to improve manufacturing processes (Drake, Sutterfield, & Ngassam, 2008). Business process reengineering pushed to the forefront of process improvement in th e early 1990s when some felt larger leaps in process performance were needed.Both of these methods are still among the most widely used today, and have been adjusted to meet modern business needs. There are three main types of process improvement: continuous, benchmarking, and reengineering. Continuous is more â€Å"systematic† than simply solving problems as they occur, and can be easily integrated into an organization. Improvements to processes using this methodology are typically small, but if they are ongoing will add up to larger gains in improvement over time (Tenner & DeToro, 1997).Continuous improvement is a plan-do-study-act method that uses the following six step model: understand the customer, assess efficiency, analyze the process, improve the process, implement changes, and standardize and monitor. Before an organization can accomplish higher levels of process improvement, it must first successfully 67 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emergin g Trends in Computing and Information Sciences  ©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. http://www. cisjournal. org implement continuous improvement (Tenner & DeToro, 1997).Six Sigma, a continuous improvement methodology, was originally created by Motorola to help reduce manufacturing defects, with a five year goal of no more than 3. 4 defects per million. Analyzing the variation in defects was the key to Six Sigma, which required very accurate data (Drake et al, 2008). This method was designed as a quality improvement initiative, but its later implementation in other industries and services allowed for broader application. Bringing an organization in line with the best practices of their industry makes use of the benchmarking methodology.Benchmarking creates greater single improvements than the continuous method, but is more resource intensive and occurs less often (Tenner & DeToro, 1997). Benchmarking is essentially reverse engineering of a process: by taking apart a compet itor’s processes (or products) if can be seen how they work and what makes them good. Proper benchmarking requires a four phase, tenstep model. The planning phase includes identifying the benchmark subject, indentifying benchmark partners, and collecting data (Tenner & DeToro, 1997).The analysis phase includes determining the performance gap and projecting future performance. The integration phase includes communicating results and establishing goals. The action phase includes developing action plans, implementing the plans and monitoring results, and finally recalibrating the benchmarks (Tenner & DeToro, 1997). Reengineering is the highest level of process improvement. Reengineering creates radical improvements to processes, often resulting in high performance gains. Reengineering requires a highly skilled organization willing to accept high levels of risk (Tenner & DeToro, 1997).Like the continuous and benchmarking improvement methods, a step-by-step model is needed. The si x step model for reengineering includes the following: organizing the reengineering project, launching the reengineering project, inventing a new process, integrating, acting, and evaluating (Tenner & DeToro, 1997). The origins of business process reengineering began in the late 1980s, but truly started with an article in the Harvard Business Review which called for the total redesign of business processes.Michael Hammer (1990) felt it was not enough to simply renovate existing processes, but instead the processes should be removed altogether and replaced with new and improved processes started from a clean slate (El Sawy, 2001). Unlike other methodologies such as Six Sigma, information technology was seen as from the beginning to be a necessity when trying to achieve BPR (Hammer & Champy, 1993). 1. 2 Information Technology’s role in Business Process Reengineering For many BPR authors (Hammer & Champy, 1993; Davenport & Short, 1990; Irani, Hlupic, & Giaglis, 2002), informatio n technology is a crucial component of BPR.It is becoming clearer that investments only in new IT or BPR projects cannot stand by themselves (Kohli & Hoadley, 2006). Increasing market pressure, as well as an organization’s need to innovate, will lead to new IT adoption (Lee, Chu, & Tseng, 2009), but simply implementing new IT will not make BPR work. Hammer and Champy (1993) say it best: â€Å"A company that cannot change the way it thinks about information technology cannot reengineer. A company that equates technology with automation cannot reengineer. A company that looks for problems first and then seeks technology solutions for them cannot reengineer† (p. 3). How an organization uses IT will largely determine how well and to what degree they will be able to implement BPR. IT was originally considered simply as an enabler for BPR (Hammer & Champy, 1993), and while it is still true that IT can enable BPR initiatives, IT’s role in process improvement has become much greater and more varied. IT can be the initiator that drives process improvement, or the tool which makes process improvement possible. Eardley, Shah, and Radman (2008) define six roles that IT can play in BPR.These roles are: constraint, catalyst, neutral, driver, enabler, and proactive. These roles vary in impact from being constraining at the negative end to being proactive at the positive end. Legacy IT systems are the most common source of IT constraints. They are considered a constraint because process improvement is held back by old, inflexible IT systems (Eardley, Shah & Radman, 2008). Organizations have switched to client-server systems over time because of cost, but legacy mainframe systems still exist and the benefits of replacing them are debatable (Akhavan, Jafari & Ali-Ahmadi, 2006).The next step towards a positive IT role is that of catalyst. When new information technology is brought into a business and causes changes to business processes, IT becomes a catalys t. While the role of catalyst can be positive, if new information technology is not right for the organization the impact will likely be negative (Eardley et al, 2008). 68 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences  ©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. http://www. cisjournal. orgSometimes, IT is nothing more than a support tool rather than a key component for process improvement. In these cases, IT is considered neutral. It will typically be seen in various software tools for process design and implementation (Eardley et al, 2008). Moving further toward a positive impact role is that of driver. Information technology’s role as driver is the result of a technology push from forced implementation of new information systems that then require process improvement to take advantage of the new capabilities (Eardley et al, 2008).Purely IT driven BPR without defined business needs are not desirable and could ne gatively impact business strategy (Eardley et al, 2008). The role of enabler is generally the most common role associated with BPR and process improvement. Enabler is also a business â€Å"pull† role as opposed to a technology â€Å"push†, meaning that IT and the business units are aligned from a strategic standpoint, thus leaving no technology gap (Eardley et al, 2008).The enabler role may be broken down into specific impacts as defined by Thomas Davenport (1993): automational (removing human interaction), informational, sequential (reorganizing process sequence), tracking, analytical, geographical (processes from different locations are coordinated), integrative (tasks and processes are coordinated), intellectual (intellectual assets are distributed) and disintermediating (process intermediaries are removed). Each of these impacts affects the BPR process differently and to different degrees.The final role for IT in BPR is proactive. Eardley et al. (2008) state that a proactive role is â€Å"the ‘ideal’ role of IT in BPR† (p. 639). This IT role ideally helps create major change as well as supporting BPR. When the organization standardizes BPR within the business and ties it closely with IT and the impact can be tremendous by allowing the ability to transform processes faster and on the fly (Eardley et al, 2008). The impact each of these roles has is dependent on the type of BPR projects that each role is coupled with. The types defined by Eardley et al. 2008) are: failure, compromise, one-step, evolutionary, and radical. A â€Å"failure† project type can theoretically be matched with the more desirable â€Å"proactive† IT role, but advanced IT would be hindered by a poor business plan. Conversely, a â€Å"radical† project type matched with a â€Å"constraint† IT role would result in a progressive business plan being wasted by old technology or simply a poor IT infrastructure (Eardley et al, 2008). The ideal coupling of IT roles and BPR types is for â€Å"evolutionary† and â€Å"radical† BPR projects to be joined with â€Å"proactive† and â€Å"enabler† IT oles to achieve the greatest positive impact on the BPR effort and on the business as a whole (Eardley et al, 2008). 1. 3 Performance and value impact on organizations The primary goal of any process improvement project, regardless of method, is to reduce waste, improve efficiency, and ultimately reduce costs. Information technology plays a key role in reaching process improvement goals, but it does not guarantee success. More than 70 percent of early BPR projects have ended in failure (Ramirez, Melville & Lawler, 2010).Choosing the proper method of process improvement or reengineering with a complementing information technology system will determine the impact on combined effectiveness. A study done by Ramirez et al. (2010) discusses the impact of IT on business process reengineering with a focus on cost rationalization BPR (doing more with less) and work restructure BPR (implementing new business processes). Ramirez et al (2010) found in their study that generally, the relationship of IT and BPR had a positive relationship on not only the production efficiency of a company, but also the market value.It was found that production output was increased by roughly one percent among surveyed businesses resulting from IT and BPR interaction, thus having a positive association towards operational efficiency (Ramirez et al, 2010). This result holds true for both cost rationalization and work restructure. However, for an organization’s BPR investment to get positive returns, the BPR project must be â€Å"IT centric† (Ramirez et al, 2010). This means that BPR projects that are not focused entirely around IT will see much lower returns, if any, from the project.While increased performance of production processes and value they add to an organization is simpler to documen t, performance improvements that affect an organization’s market value are more difficult to discern. To find the impact of IT and BPR on the organization’s market value, one must look at all BPR efforts which an organization has attempted, and their cumulative effect on that individual organization (Ramirez et al, 2010). Unlike the impact on production performance, cost rationalization BPR and work restructure BPR interactions with IT are not positively associated in the long term.There is evidence that over an extended period of time that the impact of either type of BPR can be negative in market value. This may be due to the number of BPR failures, especially earlier BPR efforts, in an organization (Ramirez et al, 2010). The one factor that may determine the degree of positive BPR impact on an 69 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences  ©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. http://www. cisj ournal. org organization is the appropriate selection of information technology to complement the selection of the right BPR method (Ramirez el al, 2010).While IT and process improvement methodologies such as BPR can stand alone, their impact on each other is significant in improving performance. Research done by Albadvi, Keramati, and Razmi (2007) shows that BPR has a mediating effect on the impact of information technology on an organization’s performance. For IT to positively impact the performance of an organization and thus create a return on IT investment, BPR is needed for IT to reach its full potential (Albadvi et al, 2007). The risks involved with an organization’s decisions must always be accounted for.The impacts of IT and BPR are no different and must be considered along with performance goals. BPR itself requires an organization to measured take risks (Misra, Kumar & Kumar, 2008). Information technology can impact an organization’s risk due to BPR i n two ways. IT can help mitigate risk by aiding risk management with high quality risk models and process simulation. However IT can also be a source of risk, as BPR will inherently implement new IT systems and IT processes (Misra et al, 2008). Thus organizations must account for all risks involved with IT and BPR implementations.When all aspects, including risk, are considered it is clear that IT and BPR are necessary partners for improving organizational performance and productivity. These improvements will have an impact on a company’s overall market value but they can only be maintained long term with careful selection of projects (Ramirez et al, 2010). Beyond their partnership, IT and BPR must also complement each other to reach performance increase goals of an organization. The impacts that IT and BPR have on each other reinforce their recursive relationship. 2.PURPOSE This paper focuses on investigating the role and impact that information technology has had on process improvement. The combination of information technology with process improvement and how this combination impacts performance and sometimes the value of the business, as well as examples of IT, will also be discussed. This paper investigates the extent that IT could be used (from low tech to high tech and constrained to proactive), type of process reengineering projects employed (compromise to radical) and their effect on firm performance.The firm performance has been defined as market share, customer relationships Management, IT impact, and efficiency (as multifaceted such as lowering the cost, lowering the process variability, and lead time). 2. 1 The Roles of IT in BPR To determine the role of IT in BPR, existing work in the area (Chan, 2000; Gunasekaran and Nath, 1997; AlMashari and Zairi, 20006, Eardley, 2008) was also examined to determine whether parallels could be established for small-to-medium sized organizations both in service and in manufacturing.Their research found th at IT could have six possible roles: a constraint, a driver, a neutral, a catalyst, an enabler, or be proactive. The six different roles of IT in BPR are shown in Table 1based on Eardley’s model (Eardley, et al, 2008). Table 1: Characteristics of the role of IT in BPR Role of IT Characteristics of the Role Legacy IT systems dominate main business processes. In ? exible IT infrastructures. Lack of skill and/or investment in new IT. Business processes embedded in existing IT systems. Lack of potential for investment in IT due to budgetary factors. Lack of perception of the potential of IT by management.Strategic alignment is low. New IT has been acquired. Changes in the business have been made that favor the use of IT. New management that sees the potential of IT in business change. New relationship developed with IT vendor, consultant, or service provider. Strategic alignment at crucial stage. Constraint Catalyst 70 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emergin g Trends in Computing and Information Sciences  ©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. http://www. cisjournal. org Neutral Lack of IS applications and IT infrastructure in the organization. No IS or IT strategy in place.Business change targets are not well de? ned. The business is in an industry with low information intensity or little competition through IT. Strategies and infrastructures are in alignment. The business has technological capability and seeks to exploit it through business opportunities. Possibly a new business or a technological innovation. Sufficient investment is available and IT development is not a limiting factor. Strategic alignment process is proceeding rapidly. IT is a key performance factor and a â€Å"competitive arena† in the industry. Management has a clear business vision and a future change plan.Business change targets are well de? ned. Sufficient investment is available and IT development not a limiting factor. Strategic alignment in pr ocess. Management has a clear business vision and future change plan. The IS and IT infrastructure is well developed. There are few constraints on IT development. Management sees the potential of IT. Strategies and infrastructure are in alignment. Driver Enabler Proactive Alan Eardley et al, 2008 described the roles of IT as visualized above, as being on a continuum with the constraining role at the â€Å"negative† extreme and the proactive role at the â€Å"positive† extreme, as shown in Figure 1.Roles of IT in BPR More ‘negative’ roles More ‘positive’ roles Constraint Catalyst Neutral Driver Enabler Proactive Figure 1: A continuum of the possible roles of IT in BPR 2. 2 Types of BPR project in the organizations The literature search identi ? ed a number of â€Å"types† of BPR projects in the organizations that were examined, which may be placed on a continuum from â€Å"failure† to â€Å"radical† in terms of their effect iveness in achieving the objectives of major business change (Figure 2). A brief summary of the characteristics of each type of BPR project is given below. Alan Eardley et al, 2008): †¢ Failure – IT does not have a planned role in the BPR project, or the project has to be abandoned, or it is completed but fails to provide the expected business improvements. †¢ †¢ Compromise – The existing IT infrastructure cannot be changed within the given time scale. The BPR project has to take this into account and although it may be a success, will be limited or unambitious in terms of its reach and range. Such BPR projects typically produce â€Å"islands of automation† as they are applied to limited business processes or functions.One-step – The reach and range (and therefore the scope and scale) of a â€Å"one-step† BPR project are greater than for Compromise, but the lack of IT support limits the potential of newly designed processes for achie ving â€Å"higher level† transformations. In this case IT is not seen by an organization as being truly strategic. 71 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences  ©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. http://www. cisjournal. org †¢ Evolutionary – The rate of business change will be incremental through targeted process redesign.The infrastructure will be sufficiently ? exible to cope with progressive change, and the IT strategy will be capable of maintaining alignment with the business strategy over time, although periodic adjustments will be required. †¢ Radical – This type of BPR project achieves major business change with a high degree of reach and range within an acceptably short time scale. The IT infrastructure is very? exible and copes well with the major â€Å"step change† and the IT and business strategies are completely interdependent, being continuously in alignme nt. Types of BPR project Less effective types More effective types FailureCompromise One-step Evolutionary Radical Figure 2. A continuum of the possible types of BPR project The proposed framework by Alan Eardley et al, represents the roles of IT in BPR, the types of BPR projects, and includes the concepts of â€Å"business pull† and â€Å"technology push† (Figure 3) by superimposing upon the diagram four quadrants (Q1-Q4), which are interpreted as follows (Alan Eardley et al, 2008): Q1. Low â€Å"technology push† and low â€Å"business pull† – the â€Å"lower† roles of IT when applied to the â€Å"lower† types of BPR (i. e. to the left of the continuum) are associated with a generally low profile of IT in the organization.Similarly the commitment to radical change within the organization may be poor. These factors will interfere with the organization’s ability to implement BPR successfully. For instance, IT is likely to be a à ¢â‚¬Å"constraint† in an organization that is aiming to achieve at best a â€Å"compromise† approach to organizational change in a forthcoming BPR program. Q2. Low â€Å"technology push† and high â€Å"business pull – the â€Å"lower† roles of IT when applied to the â€Å"higher† types of BPR are associated with an organization that has poor strategic alignment (Avison et al. , 2004).It may possess corporate ambition in planning a radical BPR program, but its IT strategy is weak (indeed, the whole IT function may be under-represented organizationally) and its IT infrastructure lacks flexibility and â€Å"openness. † IT therefore has a constraining role in an organization that occupies this quadrant (e. g. typical symptoms include â€Å"legacy systems† and â€Å"islands of automation†) and prevents the effective implementation of programs of business change. This occurs irrespective of the organization’s ambition or competence in carrying out evolutionary or radical BPR. Q3.High â€Å"technology push† and low â€Å"business pull† – the organization that occupies this quadrant has a keen awareness of technological trends and standards, but a relatively poor business model. Its IT infrastructure is probably very advanced, and technology has a high profile although the business model or strategy may be relatively weak or undefined. Such an organization exhibits poor strategic alignment (Avison et al. , 2004) (in common with the example in the previous quadrant), and may not progress beyond a â€Å"compromise† or â€Å"one step† type of BPR, irrespective of its technical competence or resources.The potential of IT to be proactive or enabling in support of business change in this type of organization is wasted. The literature contains many examples (Davenport, 1995) of high technology companies that failed to change as a result of poor business processes and plans . Q4. High â€Å"technology push† and high â€Å"business pull† – an organization in this quadrant combines a high profile for IT (e. g. well integrated â€Å"IT governance† and a flexible and open IT infrastructure) with a well-developed business plan and well-designed processes.It is able to achieve a high degree of success in carrying out evolutionary or radical BPR, fully enabled by a proactive IT strategy. However, success is not likely to come about by being competent in isolated functions of IT and business. In order to occupy this quadrant, an organization needs to achieve a high level of strategic alignment (Avison et al. , 2004). Note: Description of Q1-Q4 is from â€Å"Alan Eardley et al, 2008)† 72 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences  ©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. ttp://www. cisjournal. org Figure 3: A Proposed framework for evaluating the role of IT in BPR projects. 3. METHODOLOGY A total of 150 small-to-medium sized companies in both manufacturing and service sectors were contacted through the Midwest, and 108 valid questionnaires were returned with an effective rate of 72%. The returned valid questionnaires were adequate regarding the sample size and statistical assumptions to conduct MANOVA. The survey questionnaire was based on four constructs or dimensions and each construct had multiple items or questions for consistency of the measurement.The respondents were required to respond to four questions for each of the four constructs. For each of the questions the respondents had to indicate their agreement Q1: HH, high technology push with high business pull. or disagreement on a 11-point Likert-type scale with the end points being 0 for â€Å"less likely† and 10 for â€Å"more likely†. The four constructs determined the four dependent variables for conducting t MANOV . The four response variables were: market share, customer relationship management, IT impact on organization, and efficiency (multifaceted, such as lowering cost, lowering process variability, and lead time).Four quadrants of figure 3(Q1Q4) were chosen as four levels of treatment of one factor, which is the quadrant (One way MANOVA) as follows: Q1: LL, low technology push with low business pull. Q2: LH, low technology push with high business pull. Q3: HL, high technology push with low business pull. 73 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences  ©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. http://www. cisjournal. org The following MANOVA linear model was used to see which quadrant was the optimum point for business performance.The pairwise comparison test was conducted to compare all four quadrants regarding the four dependent variables as representative of business performance. Y1,Y2,Y3,Y4 = B0 + B1X1 + B2 X2 + B3 X3 + B4 X4 + e Before conducting MANOVA, th e factor analysis was performed. Table 2 shows the result of factor analysis and factor loading. SPSS was used to analyze the data. Table 2: Scale Reliability: Cumulative variance explained and Cronbach’s alpha for four factors 16 questions Questions Impact of IT on Organization 0. 988 0. 750 0. 690 0. 790 0. 789 0. 789 0. 689 0. 87 0. 897 0. 745 0. 897 0. 798 0. 698 0. 987 0. 687 0. 786 100. 00 0. 754 Market Share CRM Efficiency Question 1 Question 2 Question 3 Question 4 Question 5 Question 6 Question 7 Question 8 Question 9 Question 10 Question 11 Question 12 Question 13 Question 14 Question 15 Question 16 Cumulative variance Cronbach’s alpha 28. 588 0. 788 56. 595 0. 881 70. 413 0. 974 The following tables shows the distribution of 108 organizations on 4 different quadrants. Table 3: Organization distribution on 4 quadrants Q1 LL 23 Q2 LH 28 Q3 HL 32 Q4 HH 25 4. DISCUSSION AND RESULTSTable 4 shows the result of MANOVA that all respondents’ means are signific antly different for all four quadrants, and different combinations of technology push and business pull achieved different levels of strategic alignment. 74 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences  ©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. http://www. cisjournal. org Table 4. Tests of Between-Subjects Effects Dependent Source Quadrants nt IT. Impact M. Share CRM Efficency df 3 3 3 3 F 333. 960 236. 449 45. 051 79. 995 Sig. .000 . 000 . 000 . 00 The pairwise comparison shows the result of business performance for each quadrant as follows: Fig. 4: IT Impact 4. 1 Impact of IT on Organization This variable was the highest both for HH and LH respectively and again it proved that the organization with high technology alone cannot achieve the same result as the organization either with both high technology push and high business pull (BPR) or only high business pull (BPR). 75 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences  ©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. ttp://www. cisjournal. org Fig. 5: Market Share 4. 2 Market Share This variable was the highest both for HH and LH respectively and again, it proved that the organization with high technology alone cannot achieve the same result as the organization either with both high technology push and high business pull (BPR) or only high business pull (BPR). Fig. 6: Customer Relationship Management 76 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences  ©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. http://www. cisjournal. org 4. Customer Relationship Management This variable was the highest both for HH and LH respectively and again, it proved that the organization with high technology alone cannot achieve the same result as the organization either with both high technology push and high business pull (BPR) or only high busine ss pull (BPR). Fig. 7: Efficiency 4. 4 Efficiency: This variable was the highest both for HH and LH respectively and again it proved that the organization with high technology alone cannot achieve the same result as the organization either with both high technology push and high business pull (BPR) or only high business pull (BPR). ecurrent theme† (Markus and Robey, 1995, p. 592). The framework demonstrates that no serious BPR effort can afford to ignore the role of IT, and if it does so then the risk of failure is high. It appears that the role of IT in BPR is undervalued at present, especially in terms of its wider and more longterm implications. These implications are as follows. First, IT strategy and business strategy need to be aligned for maximum benefits to be realized. Second, IT strategy dictates the type of IT infrastructure within a company. Third, the IT strategy and infrastructure should both support the business strategy and even influence it.Most importantly, a s change is endemic to corporate life, the IT infrastructure also needs to be flexible in order to cope with changes in the environment and the business strategy (Alan Eardley et al, 2008). 5. IMPLICATIONS OF THE WORK The proposed framework is needed because some organizations attempt to undertake BPR or strategic alignment without giving due consideration to the role of IT in BPR. Indeed, it has been observed that the â€Å"exclusion and expulsion of IS specialists from BPR programs is a 77 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences  ©2009-2012 CIS Journal.All rights reserved. http://www. cisjournal. org A flexible IT infrastructure appears to be an increasingly desirable objective for companies in a rapidly changing environment (Avison et al. , 1997). By enabling an organization to exploit potential business opportunities quickly, such flexibility helps give an organization competitive advantage (Duncan, 1995). A key issue for an organization is the configuration of its IT platforms, network, and telecommunications, and this in turn raises questions concerning configuration, compatibility and integration rules, access standards, connectivity of systems, and excess apacity over the current requirements (Duncan, 1995, p. 42). These needs have led to a move towards distributed computing and standardization (or â€Å"open systems†) that give a high level of connectivity. One example of a company that has implemented such an infrastructure for purposes of improving BPR success is Sweden Post (Moreton and Chester, 1997). any process improvement, no matter whether IT is present or not. Therefore, future research should integrate some dimensions of organizational structure and leadership, mission, and vision as mediating factors. REFERENCES [1] Akhavan, P. , Jafari, M. & Ali-Ahmadi, A. R. (2006). Exploring the interdependency between reengineering and information technology by developing a co nceptual model. Business Process Management Journal, 12(4), 517. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global. [2] Albadvi, A. , Keramati, A. , & Razmi, J. (2007). Assessing the impact of information technology on firm performance considering the role of intervening variables: organizational infrastructures and business processes reengineering. International Journal of Production Research, 45(12), 2697-2734. Retrieved December 9, 2010 from Business Source Premier database. 3] Al-Mashari, M. and Zairi, M. (2000b). Creating a fit between BPR and IT infrastructure: a [4] proposed framework for effective implementation. International Journal of Flexible [5] Manufacturing Systems. 12 (4). 253-74. [6] Avison, D. E. , Jones, J. , Powell, P. and Wilson, D. (2004). Using and validating the strategic [7] alignment model. Journal of Strategic Information Systems. 13. 223-46. [8] Avison, D. E. , Eardley, W. A. and Powell, P. (1997) â€Å"Developing information systems to support [9] fle xible strategy†, Organisational Computing. 7 (1). 57-77. [10] Chan, S. L. (2000).Information technology on business processes, Business Process Management Journal. 6 (3). 224-37. [11] Davenport, T. (1995). The fad that forgot people. Fast Company. available at: www. fastcompany. com/online/01/reengin. html (accessed July 2006). [12] Davenport, T. (1993). Process innovation: Reengineering work through information technology. Boston: Ernst & Young. [13] Davenport, T. , & Short, J. (1990). The New Industrial Engineering: Information Technology and Business Process Redesign. Sloan Management Review. 31(4), 11-27. Retrieved December 10, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global. [14] Dedhia, N. (2005). Six sigma basics.Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 6. CONCLUSIONS This paper demonstrates the significance of IT in BPR and their interdependency that then impact business performance that is defined in four important dimensions: market share, customer relationship management, IT im pact, and efficiency (as multifaceted such as lowering the cost, lowering the process variability, and lead time). This study expanded and further explored the frame work developed by Alan Eardley et al,( 2008) by collecting data from 150 small-to-medium sized companies in both manufacturing and service sectors through the Midwest.They showed the different roles of IT in providing effective support for different types of BPR, and indicated that aiming for a type of BPR that is not compatible with the present role of an IT infrastructure will reduce the probability of success for a BPR project. If this is ignored, a BPR effort will either fail or will not produce the level of results that are often expected from BPR projects ( Alan Eardley et al, 2008). Organizations adapting high technology alone or BPR alone cannot achieve the same result and business performance as the organization that benefits from interdependency between IT and BPR.

I Am A Girl Named Moriah Ebron - 987 Words

In life, people can gain friends quickly, but what no one talks about is that they can lose them just as fast. I learned how quickly a friendship can begin and end about two years ago. In August of 2013 a girl named Moriah Ebron was deemed my best friend. She lived in Delaware while I was all the way in West Virginia. That was a small challenge, but we made it work. We were able to visit each other and have an amazing friendship, but suddenly, something went terribly wrong. Never had I realized how fast friendships can end until I became friends with Moriah Ebron. This is an epic story of friendships and trials as well as love and hate. This is all about how I gained and lost a best friend in the same amount of time, and how that shaped me as a person. It was early spring of 2013, and I decided to message a girl who I had heard a lot of amazing things about. Her name was Moriah Ebron, but I learned that she went by Mo instead. She was incredibly kind, and we had a lot in common. As the year went on, we learned more about each other and we wanted to meet in person. It was odd to me, having a best friend who lived so far away, but while her parents were planning a camping trip to Virginia, she was planning a visit to West Virginia. During the middle of fall, Mo started the journey from Delaware to West Virginia. It was early morning and I was at the Kingdom Hall when my friend Shannon, whom Mo was staying with, walked up to me and asked me to go outside with her. Once outside,

What Is a Stereotype

Stereotypes are characteristics imposed upon groups of people because of their race, nationality, and sexual orientation. These characteristics tend to be oversimplifications of the groups involved, and while some people truly do embody the traits of their stereotype, they are not necessarily representative of all people within that group. Stereotypes are not always accurate and even if positive, can be harmful. Did You Know? Stereotypes are often considered to be negative perceptions of certain groups but in reality, stereotypes can also be positive. An example of this is the myth of the model minority that has attached itself broadly to people of Asian descent. Stereotypes Versus Generalizations While all stereotypes are generalizations, not all generalizations are stereotypes. Stereotypes are widely circulated  oversimplifications of a group of people, while generalizations can be based more on personal experience, not a widely-accepted factor. In the United States, certain  racial groups  have been linked to stereotypes such as being good at math, athletics, and dancing. These stereotypes are so well-known that the average American wouldn’t hesitate if asked to identify which racial group in this country has a reputation for excelling in basketball. In short, when one stereotypes, one repeats the cultural mythology already present in a particular society. On the other hand, a person can make a generalization about an ethnic group that hasn’t been perpetuated in society. For example, someone who meets a few individuals from a particular country and finds them to be quiet and reserved may say that all citizens of the country in question are quiet and reserved. A generalization such as this doesn’t allow for diversity within groups and may result in stigmatization and discrimination of groups if the stereotypes linked to them are largely negative. Intersectionality While stereotypes may refer to a specific sex, race, religion, or country, often they link various aspects of identity together. This is known as intersectionality. A stereotype about black gay men, for example, would involve race, gender, and sexual orientation. Although such a stereotype targets a specific segment of African Americans rather than blacks generally, it’s still problematic to insinuate that black gay men are all the same. Too many other factors make up any one persons identity to ascribe a fixed list of characteristics to him. Differing stereotypes can also be present within larger groups, resulting in things like gender-based stereotypes within the same race. Certain stereotypes apply to Asian Americans generally, but when the Asian American population is broken down by sex, one finds that stereotypes of Asian-American men and Asian-American women differ. For example, the women of a racial group may be viewed as attractive and the men in that same racial group may be viewed as the exact opposite. Even stereotypes applied to a racial group become inconsistent when members of that group are broken down by origin. Stereotypes about black Americans differ from those about blacks from the Caribbean or blacks from African nations. Is There Truth in Stereotypes? It’s often said that stereotypes are rooted in truth, but there is much debate over the role that stereotypes play, especially among professionals in fields like social psychology and sociology. In some cases, professionals argue that a stereotype enables us to respond rapidly to situations because we can relate to similar experiences we have had in the past. However,  stereotypes also make us ignore differences between individuals; therefore we think things about people that might not be true (i.e. make generalizations).

Police Enforcement Work And Its Effects On The Members Of...

Introduction Police Officers work is never routine. The diverse work load for officers range for long periods of tediousness too adrenaline-driven, life threatening activities. Decisions stand within each context of work effectiveness. While using discretion, officers entrusted to manage criminal episodes while simultaneously protecting basic citizen liberties. Outlooks for police officers to be all things to all people are mythical and debatably less burdensome compared to other professions. Police work, involves the location where the officer conducts their daily work and constantly assessed by police administrators, public, attorneys, and the media (Senjo, 2011). Amongst the high expectations, officers work for up to 12 hours a shift, which pinpoints sleep deprivation and fatigue as the cause of ineffective job performance for officers. Problem Statement Law enforcement work, a growing concern exists over sleep problems related to shift work and the increased liability law enforcement agencies face. Wellness Units evaluated the impact of shift work on the sworn members of its department. Shift work can have varying effects on the environmental, familial, social, and work life of a police officer. Officers who work the night shift may have multiple court appearances scheduled throughout the day, which leaves little time for sleep, family life or social activity. Law enforcement agencies across the United States face the dilemma of sleep deprived officers working,Show MoreRelatedThe Law Enforcement System And The Criminal Justice System Essay1657 Words   |  7 PagesThe Law enforcement system is one of the major components within the Criminal Justice System. 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Twilight 7. NIGHTMARE Free Essays

string(105) " to my CD player first, picking it up off the floor and placing it precisely in the center of the table\." 7. NIGHTMARE I told Charlie I had a lot of homework to do, and that I didn’t want anything to eat. There was a basketball game on that he was excited about, though of course I had no idea what was special about it, so he wasn’t aware of anything unusual in my face or tone. We will write a custom essay sample on Twilight 7. NIGHTMARE or any similar topic only for you Order Now Once in my room, I locked the door. I dug through my desk until I found my old headphones, and I plugged them into my little CD player. I picked up a CD that Phil had given to me for Christmas. It was one of his favorite bands, but they used a little too much bass and shrieking for my tastes. I popped it into place and lay down on my bed. I put on the headphones, hit Play, and turned up the volume until it hurt my ears. I closed my eyes, but the light still intruded, so I added a pillow over the top half of my face. I concentrated very carefully on the music, trying to understand the lyrics, to unravel the complicated drum patterns. By the third time I’d listened through the CD, I knew all the words to the choruses, at least. I was surprised to find that I really did like the band after all, once I got past the blaring noise. I’d have to thank Phil again. And it worked. The shattering beats made it impossible for me to think – which was the whole purpose of the exercise. I listened to the CD again and again, until I was singing along with all the songs, until, finally, I fell asleep. I opened my eyes to a familiar place. Aware in some corner of my consciousness that I was dreaming, I recognized the green light of the forest. I could hear the waves crashing against the rocks somewhere nearby. And I knew that if I found the ocean, I’d be able to see the sun. I was trying to follow the sound, but then Jacob Black was there, tugging on my hand, pulling me back toward the blackest part of the forest. â€Å"Jacob? What’s wrong?† I asked. His face was frightened as he yanked with all his strength against my resistance; I didn’t want to go into the dark. â€Å"Run, Bella, you have to run!† he whispered, terrified. â€Å"This way, Bella!† I recognized Mike’s voice calling out of the gloomy heart of the trees, but I couldn’t see him. â€Å"Why?† I asked, still pulling against Jacob’s grasp, desperate now to find the sun. But Jacob let go of my hand and yelped, suddenly shaking, falling to the dim forest floor. He twitched on the ground as I watched in horror. â€Å"Jacob!† I screamed. But he was gone. In his place was a large red-brown wolf with black eyes. The wolf faced away from me, pointing toward the shore, the hair on the back of his shoulders bristling, low growls issuing from between his exposed fangs. â€Å"Bella, run!† Mike cried out again from behind me. But I didn’t turn. I was watching a light coming toward me from the beach. And then Edward stepped out from the trees, his skin faintly glowing, his eyes black and dangerous. He held up one hand and beckoned me to come to him. The wolf growled at my feet. I took a step forward, toward Edward. He smiled then, and his teeth were sharp, pointed. â€Å"Trust me,† he purred. I took another step. The wolf launched himself across the space between me and the vampire, fangs aiming for the jugular. â€Å"No!† I screamed, wrenching upright out of my bed. My sudden movement caused the headphones to pull the CD player off the bedside table, and it clattered to the wooden floor. My light was still on, and I was sitting fully dressed on the bed, with my shoes on. I glanced, disoriented, at the clock on my dresser. It was five-thirty in the morning. I groaned, fell back, and rolled over onto my face, kicking off my boots. I was too uncomfortable to get anywhere near sleep, though. I rolled back over and unbuttoned my jeans, yanking them off awkwardly as I tried to stay horizontal. I could feel the braid in my hair, an uncomfortable ridge along the back of my skull. I turned onto my side and ripped the rubber band out, quickly combing through the plaits with my fingers. I pulled the pillow back over my eyes. It was all no use, of course. My subconscious had dredged up exactly the images I’d been trying so desperately to avoid. I was going to have to face them now. I sat up, and my head spun for a minute as the blood flowed downward. First things first, I thought to myself, happy to put it off as long as possible. I grabbed my bathroom bag. The shower didn’t last nearly as long as I hoped it would, though. Even taking the time to blow-dry my hair, I was soon out of things to do in the bathroom. Wrapped in a towel, I crossed back to my room. I couldn’t tell if Charlie was still asleep, or if he had already left. I went to look out my window, and the cruiser was gone. Fishing again. I dressed slowly in my most comfy sweats and then made my bed – something I never did. I couldn’t put it off any longer. I went to my desk and switched on my old computer. I hated using the Internet here. My modem was sadly outdated, my free service substandard; just dialing up took so long that I decided to go get myself a bowl of cereal while I waited. I ate slowly, chewing each bite with care. When I was done, I washed the bowl and spoon, dried them, and put them away. My feet dragged as I climbed the stairs. I went to my CD player first, picking it up off the floor and placing it precisely in the center of the table. You read "Twilight 7. NIGHTMARE" in category "Essay examples" I pulled out the headphones, and put them away in the desk drawer. Then I turned the same CD on, turning it down to the point where it was background noise. With another sigh, I turned to my computer. Naturally, the screen was covered in pop-up ads. I sat in my hard folding chair and began closing all the little windows. Eventually I made it to my favorite search engine. I shot down a few more pop-ups and then typed in one word. Vampire. It took an infuriatingly long time, of course. When the results came up, there was a lot to sift through – everything from movies and TV shows to role-playing games, underground metal, and gothic cosmetic companies. Then I found a promising site – Vampires A-Z. I waited impatiently for it to load, quickly clicking closed each ad that flashed across the screen. Finally the screen was finished – simple white background with black text, academic-looking. Two quotes greeted me on the home page: Throughout the vast shadowy world of ghosts and demons there is no figure so terrible, no figure so dreaded and abhorred, yet dight with such fearful fascination, as the vampire, who is himself neither ghost nor demon, but yet who partakes the dark natures and possesses the mysterious and terrible qualities of both. – Rev. Montague Summers If there is in this world a well-attested account, it is that of the vampires. Nothing is lacking: official reports, affidavits of well-known people, of surgeons, of priests, of magistrates; the judicial proof is most complete. And with all that, who is there who believes in vampires? – Rousseau The rest of the site was an alphabetized listing of all the different myths of vampires held throughout the world. The first I clicked on, the Danag, was a Filipino vampire supposedly responsible for planting taro on the islands long ago. The myth continued that the Danag worked with humans for many years, but the partnership ended one day when a woman cut her finger and a Danag sucked her wound, enjoying the taste so much that it drained her body completely of blood. I read carefully through the descriptions, looking for anything that sounded familiar, let alone plausible. It seemed that most vampire myths centered around beautiful women as demons and children as victims; they also seemed like constructs created to explain away the high mortality rates for young children, and to give men an excuse for infidelity. Many of the stories involved bodiless spirits and warnings against improper burials. There wasn’t much that sounded like the movies I’d seen, and only a very few, like the Hebrew Estrie and the Polish Upier, who were even preoccupied with drinking blood. Only three entries really caught my attention: the Romanian Varacolaci, a powerful undead being who could appear as a beautiful, pale-skinned human, the Slovak Nelapsi, a creature so strong and fast it could massacre an entire village in the single hour after midnight, and one other, the Stregoni benefici. About this last there was only one brief sentence. Stregoni benefici: An Italian vampire, said to be on the side of goodness, and a mortal enemy of all evil vampires. It was a relief, that one small entry, the one myth among hundreds that claimed the existence of good vampires. Overall, though, there was little that coincided with Jacob’s stories or my own observations. I’d made a little catalogue in my mind as I’d read and carefully compared it with each myth. Speed, strength, beauty, pale skin, eyes that shift color; and then Jacob’s criteria: blood drinkers, enemies of the werewolf, cold-skinned, and immortal. There were very few myths that matched even one factor. And then another problem, one that I’d remembered from the small number of scary movies that I’d seen and was backed up by today’s reading – vampires couldn’t come out in the daytime, the sun would burn them to a cinder. They slept in coffins all day and came out only at night. Aggravated, I snapped off the computer’s main power switch, not waiting to shut things down properly. Through my irritation, I felt overwhelming embarrassment. It was all so stupid. I was sitting in my room, researching vampires. What was wrong with me? I decided that most of the blame belonged on the doorstep of the town of Forks – and the entire sodden Olympic Peninsula, for that matter. I had to get out of the house, but there was nowhere I wanted to go that didn’t involve a three-day drive. I pulled on my boots anyway, unclear where I was headed, and went downstairs. I shrugged into my raincoat without checking the weather and stomped out the door. It was overcast, but not raining yet. I ignored my truck and started east on foot, angling across Charlie’s yard toward the ever-encroaching forest. It didn’t take long till I was deep enough for the house and the road to be invisible, for the only sound to be the squish of the damp earth under my feet and the sudden cries of the jays. There was a thin ribbon of a trail that led through the forest here, or I wouldn’t risk wandering on my own like this. My sense of direction was hopeless; I could get lost in much less helpful surroundings. The trail wound deeper and deeper into the forest, mostly east as far as I could tell. It snaked around the Sitka spruces and the hemlocks, the yews and the maples. I only vaguely knew the names of the trees around me, and all I knew was due to Charlie pointing them out to me from the cruiser window in earlier days. There were many I didn’t know, and others I couldn’t be sure about because they were so covered in green parasites. I followed the trail as long as my anger at myself pushed me forward. As that started to ebb, I slowed. A few drops of moisture trickled down from the canopy above me, but I couldn’t be certain if it was beginning to rain or if it was simply pools left over from yesterday, held high in the leaves above me, slowly dripping their way back to the earth. A recently fallen tree – I knew it was recent because it wasn’t entirely carpeted in moss – rested against the trunk of one of her sisters, creating a sheltered little bench just a few safe feet off the trail. I stepped over the ferns and sat carefully, making sure my jacket was between the damp seat and my clothes wherever they touched, and leaned my hooded head back against the living tree. This was the wrong place to have come. I should have known, but where else was there to go? The forest was deep green and far too much like the scene in last night’s dream to allow for peace of mind. Now that there was no longer the sound of my soggy footsteps, the silence was piercing. The birds were quiet, too, the drops increasing in frequency, so it must be raining above. The ferns stood higher than my head, now that I was seated, and I knew someone could walk by on the path, three feet away, and not see me. Here in the trees it was much easier to believe the absurdities that embarrassed me indoors. Nothing had changed in this forest for thousands of years, and all the myths and legends of a hundred different lands seemed much more likely in this green haze than they had in my clear-cut bedroom. I forced myself to focus on the two most vital questions I had to answer, but I did so unwillingly. First, I had to decide if it was possible that what Jacob had said about the Cullens could be true. Immediately my mind responded with a resounding negative. It was silly and morbid to entertain such ridiculous notions. But what, then? I asked myself. There was no rational explanation for how I was alive at this moment. I listed again in my head the things I’d observed myself: the impossible speed and strength, the eye color shifting from black to gold and back again, the inhuman beauty, the pale, frigid skin. And more – small things that registered slowly – how they never seemed to eat, the disturbing grace with which they moved. And the way be sometimes spoke, with unfamiliar cadences and phrases that better fit the style of a turn-of-the-century novel than that of a twenty-first-century classroom. He had skipped class the day we’d done blood typing. He hadn’t said no to the beach trip till he heard where we were going. He seemed to know what everyone around him was thinking†¦ except me. He had told me he was the villain, dangerous†¦ Could the Cullens be vampires? Well, they were something. Something outside the possibility of rational justification was taking place in front of my incredulous eyes. Whether it be Jacob’s cold ones or my own superhero theory, Edward Cullen was not†¦ human. He was something more. So then – maybe. That would have to be my answer for now. And then the most important question of all. What was I going to do if it was true? If Edward was a vampire – I could hardly make myself think the words – then what should I do? Involving someone else was definitely out. I couldn’t even believe myself; anyone I told would have me committed. Only two options seemed practical. The first was to take his advice: to be smart, to avoid him as much as possible. To cancel our plans, to go back to ignoring him as far as I was able. To pretend there was an impenetrably thick glass wall between us in the one class where we were forced together. To tell him to leave me alone – and mean it this time. I was gripped in a sudden agony of despair as I considered that alternative. My mind rejected the pain, quickly skipping on to the next option. I could do nothing different. After all, if he was something†¦ sinister, he’d done nothing to hurt me so far. In fact, I would be a dent in Tyler’s fender if he hadn’t acted so quickly. So quickly, I argued with myself, that it might have been sheer reflexes. But if it was a reflex to save lives, how bad could he be? I retorted. My head spun around in answerless circles. There was one thing I was sure of, if I was sure of anything. The dark Edward in my dream last night was a reflection only of my fear of the word Jacob had spoken, and not Edward himself. Even so, when I’d screamed out in terror at the werewolf’s lunge, it wasn’t fear for the wolf that brought the cry of â€Å"no† to my lips. It was fear that he would be harmed – even as he called to me with sharp-edged fangs, I feared for him. And I knew in that I had my answer. I didn’t know if there ever was a choice, really. I was already in too deep. Now that I knew – if I knew – I could do nothing about my frightening secret. Because when I thought of him, of his voice, his hypnotic eyes, the magnetic force of his personality, I wanted nothing more than to be with him right now. Even if†¦ but I couldn’t think it. Not here, alone in the darkening forest. Not while the rain made it dim as twilight under the canopy and pattered like footsteps across the matted earthen floor. I shivered and rose quickly from my place of concealment, worried that somehow the path would have disappeared with the rain. But it was there, safe and clear, winding its way out of the dripping green maze. I followed it hastily, my hood pulled close around my face, becoming surprised, as I nearly ran through the trees, at how far I had come. I started to wonder if I was heading out at all, or following the path farther into the confines of the forest. Before I could get too panicky, though, I began to glimpse some open spaces through the webbed branches. And then I could hear a car passing on the street, and I was free, Charlie’s lawn stretched out in front of me, the house beckoning me, promising warmth and dry socks. It was just noon when I got back inside. I went upstairs and got dressed for the day, jeans and a t-shirt, since I was staying indoors. It didn’t take too much effort to concentrate on my task for the day, a paper on Macbeth that was due Wednesday. I settled into outlining a rough draft contentedly, more serene than I’d felt since†¦ well, since Thursday afternoon, if I was being honest. That had always been my way, though. Making decisions was the painful part for me, the part I agonized over. But once the decision was made, I simply followed through – usually with relief that the choice was made. Sometimes the relief was tainted by despair, like my decision to come to Forks. But it was still better than wrestling with the alternatives. This decision was ridiculously easy to live with. Dangerously easy. And so the day was quiet, productive – I finished my paper before eight. Charlie came home with a large catch, and I made a mental note to pick up a book of recipes for fish while I was in Seattle next week. The chills that flashed up my spine whenever I thought of that trip were no different than the ones I’d felt before I’d taken my walk with Jacob Black. They should be different, I thought. I should be afraid – I knew I should be, but I couldn’t feel the right kind of fear. I slept dreamlessly that night, exhausted from beginning my day so early, and sleeping so poorly the night before. I woke, for the second time since arriving in Forks, to the bright yellow light of a sunny day. I skipped to the window, stunned to see that there was hardly a cloud in the sky, and those there were just fleecy little white puffs that couldn’t possibly be carrying any rain. I opened the window – surprised when it opened silently, without sticking, not having opened it in who knows how many years – and sucked in the relatively dry air. It was nearly warm and hardly windy at all. My blood was electric in my veins. Charlie was finishing breakfast when I came downstairs, and he picked up on my mood immediately. â€Å"Nice day out,† he commented. â€Å"Yes,† I agreed with a grin. He smiled back, his brown eyes crinkling around the edges. When Charlie smiled, it was easier to see why he and my mother had jumped too quickly into an early marriage. Most of the young romantic he’d been in those days had faded before I’d known him, as the curly brown hair – the same color, if not the same texture, as mine – had dwindled, slowly revealing more and more of the shiny skin of his forehead. But when he smiled I could see a little of the man who had run away with Ren? ¦e when she was just two years older than I was now. I ate breakfast cheerily, watching the dust moats stirring in the sunlight that streamed in the back window. Charlie called out a goodbye, and I heard the cruiser pull away from the house. I hesitated on my way out the door, hand on my rain jacket. It would be tempting fate to leave it home. With a sigh, I folded it over my arm and stepped out into the brightest light I’d seen in months. By dint of much elbow grease, I was able to get both windows in the truck almost completely rolled down. I was one of the first ones to school; I hadn’t even checked the clock in my hurry to get outside. I parked and headed toward the seldom-used picnic benches on the south side of the cafeteria. The benches were still a little damp, so I sat on my jacket, glad to have a use for it. My homework was done – the product of a slow social life – but there were a few Trig problems I wasn’t sure I had right. I took out my book industriously, but halfway through rechecking the first problem I was daydreaming, watching the sunlight play on the red-barked trees. I sketched inattentively along the margins of my homework. After a few minutes, I suddenly realized I’d drawn five pairs of dark eyes staring out of the page at me. I scrubbed them out with the eraser. â€Å"Bella!† I heard someone call, and it sounded like Mike. I looked around to realize that the school had become populated while I’d been sitting there, absentminded. Everyone was in t-shirts, some even in shorts though the temperature couldn’t be over sixty. Mike was coming toward me in khaki shorts and a striped Rugby shirt, waving. â€Å"Hey, Mike,† I called, waving back, unable to be halfhearted on a morning like this. He came to sit by me, the tidy spikes of his hair shining golden in the light, his grin stretching across his face. He was so delighted to see me, I couldn’t help but feel gratified. â€Å"I never noticed before – your hair has red in it,† he commented, catching between his fingers a strand that was fluttering in the light breeze. â€Å"Only in the sun.† I became just a little uncomfortable as he tucked the lock behind my ear. â€Å"Great day, isn’t it?† â€Å"My kind of day,† I agreed. â€Å"What did you do yesterday?† His tone was just a bit too proprietary. â€Å"I mostly worked on my essay.† I didn’t add that I was finished with it – no need to sound smug. He hit his forehead with the heel of his hand. â€Å"Oh yeah – that’s due Thursday, right?† â€Å"Um, Wednesday, I think.† â€Å"Wednesday?† He frowned. â€Å"That’s not good†¦ What are you writing yours on?† â€Å"Whether Shakespeare’s treatment of the female characters is misogynistic.† He stared at me like I’d just spoken in pig Latin. â€Å"I guess I’ll have to get to work on that tonight,† he said, deflated. â€Å"I was going to ask if you wanted to go out.† â€Å"Oh.† I was taken off guard. Why couldn’t I ever have a pleasant conversation with Mike anymore without it getting awkward? â€Å"Well, we could go to dinner or something†¦ and I could work on it later.† He smiled at me hopefully. â€Å"Mike†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I hated being put on the spot. â€Å"I don’t think that would be the best idea.† His face fell. â€Å"Why?† he asked, his eyes guarded. My thoughts flickered to Edward, wondering if that’s where his thoughts were as well. â€Å"I think†¦ and if you ever repeat what I’m saying right now I will cheerfully beat you to death,† I threatened, â€Å"but I think that would hurt Jessica’s feelings.† He was bewildered, obviously not thinking in that direction at all. â€Å"Jessica?† â€Å"Really, Mike, are you blind?† â€Å"Oh,† he exhaled – clearly dazed. I took advantage of that to make my escape. â€Å"It’s time for class, and I can’t be late again.† I gathered my books up and stuffed them in my bag. We walked in silence to building three, and his expression was distracted. I hoped whatever thoughts he was immersed in were leading him in the right direction. When I saw Jessica in Trig, she was bubbling with enthusiasm. She, Angela, and Lauren were going to Port Angeles tonight to go dress shopping for the dance, and she wanted me to come, too, even though I didn’t need one. I was indecisive. It would be nice to get out of town with some girlfriends, but Lauren would be there. And who knew what I could be doing tonight†¦ But that was definitely the wrong path to let my mind wander down. Of course I was happy about the sunlight. But that wasn’t completely responsible for the euphoric mood I was in, not even close. So I gave her a maybe, telling her I’d have to talk with Charlie first. She talked of nothing but the dance on the way to Spanish, continuing as if without an interruption when class finally ended, five minutes late, and we were on our way to lunch. I was far too lost in my own frenzy of anticipation to notice much of what she said. I was painfully eager to see not just him but all the Cullens – to compare them with the new suspicions that plagued my mind. As I crossed the threshold of the cafeteria, I felt the first true tingle of fear slither down my spine and settle in my stomach. Would they be able to know what I was thinking? And then a different feeling jolted through me – would Edward be waiting to sit with me again? As was my routine, I glanced first toward the Cullens’ table. A shiver of panic trembled in my stomach as I realized it was empty. With dwindling hope, my eyes scoured the rest of the cafeteria, hoping to find him alone, waiting for me. The place was nearly filled – Spanish had made us late – but there was no sign of Edward or any of his family. Desolation hit me with crippling strength. I shambled along behind Jessica, not bothering to pretend to listen anymore. We were late enough that everyone was already at our table. I avoided the empty chair next to Mike in favor of one by Angela. I vaguely noticed that Mike held the chair out politely for Jessica, and that her face lit up in response. Angela asked a few quiet questions about the Macbeth paper, which I answered as naturally as I could while spiraling downward in misery. She, too, invited me to go with them tonight, and I agreed now, grasping at anything to distract myself. I realized I’d been holding on to a last shred of hope when I entered Biology, saw his empty seat, and felt a new wave of disappointment. The rest of the day passed slowly, dismally. In Gym, we had a lecture on the rules of badminton, the next torture they had lined up for me. But at least it meant I got to sit and listen instead of stumbling around on the court. The best part was the coach didn’t finish, so I got another day off tomorrow. Never mind that the day after they would arm me with a racket before unleashing me on the rest of the class. I was glad to leave campus, so I would be free to pout and mope before I went out tonight with Jessica and company. But right after I walked in the door of Charlie’s house, Jessica called to cancel our plans. I tried to be happy that Mike had asked her out to dinner – I really was relieved that he finally seemed to be catching on – but my enthusiasm sounded false in my own ears. She rescheduled our shopping trip for tomorrow night. Which left me with little in the way of distractions. I had fish marinating for dinner, with a salad and bread left over from the night before, so there was nothing to do there. I spent a focused half hour on homework, but then I was through with that, too. I checked my e-mail, reading the backlog of letters from my mother, getting snippier as they progressed to the present. I sighed and typed a quick response. Mom, Sorry. I’ve been out. I went to the beach with some friends. And I had to write a paper. My excuses were fairly pathetic, so I gave up on that. It’s sunny outside today – I know, I’m shocked, too – so I’m going to go outside and soak up as much vitamin D as I can. I love you, Bella. I decided to kill an hour with non-school-related reading. I had a small collection of books that came with me to Forks, the shabbiest volume being a compilation of the works of Jane Austen. I selected that one and headed to the backyard, grabbing a ragged old quilt from the linen cupboard at the top of the stairs on my way down. Outside in Charlie’s small, square yard, I folded the quilt in half and laid it out of the reach of the trees’ shadows on the thick lawn that would always be slightly wet, no matter how long the sun shone. I lay on my stomach, crossing my ankles in the air, flipping through the different novels in the book, trying to decide which would occupy my mind the most thoroughly. My favorites were Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. I’d read the first most recently, so I started into Sense and Sensibility, only to remember after I began three that the hero of the story happened to be named Edward. Angrily, I turned to Mansfield Park, but the hero of that piece was named Edmund, and that was just too close. Weren’t there any other names available in the late eighteenth century? I snapped the book shut, annoyed, and rolled over onto my back. I pushed my sleeves up as high as they would go, and closed my eyes. I would think of nothing but the warmth on my s kin, I told myself severely. The breeze was still light, but it blew tendrils of my hair around my face, and that tickled a bit. I pulled all my hair over my head, letting it fan out on the quilt above me, and focused again on the heat that touched my eyelids, my cheekbones, my nose, my lips, my forearms, my neck, soaked through my light shirt†¦ The next thing I was conscious of was the sound of Charlie’s cruiser turning onto the bricks of the driveway. I sat up in surprise, realizing the light was gone, behind the trees, and I had fallen asleep. I looked around, muddled, with the sudden feeling that I wasn’t alone. â€Å"Charlie?† I asked. But I could hear his door slamming in front of the house. I jumped up, foolishly edgy, gathering the now-damp quilt and my book. I ran inside to get some oil heating on the stove, realizing that dinner would be late. Charlie was hanging up his gun belt and stepping out of his boots when I came in. â€Å"Sorry, Dad, dinner’s not ready yet – I fell asleep outside.† I stifled a yawn. â€Å"Don’t worry about it,† he said. â€Å"I wanted to catch the score on the game, anyway.† I watched TV with Charlie after dinner, for something to do. There wasn’t anything on I wanted to watch, but he knew I didn’t like baseball, so he turned it to some mindless sitcom that neither of us enjoyed. He seemed happy, though, to be doing something together. And it felt good, despite my depression, to make him happy. â€Å"Dad,† I said during a commercial, â€Å"Jessica and Angela are going to look at dresses for the dance tomorrow night in Port Angeles, and they wanted me to help them choose†¦ do you mind if I go with them?† â€Å"Jessica Stanley?† he asked. â€Å"And Angela Weber.† I sighed as I gave him the details. He was confused. â€Å"But you’re not going to the dance, right?† â€Å"No, Dad, but I’m helping them find dresses – you know, giving them constructive criticism.† I wouldn’t have to explain this to a woman. â€Å"Well, okay.† He seemed to realize that he was out of his depth with the girlie stuff. â€Å"It’s a school night, though.† â€Å"We’ll leave right after school, so we can get back early. You’ll be okay for dinner, right?† â€Å"Bells, I fed myself for seventeen years before you got here,† he reminded me. â€Å"I don’t know how you survived,† I muttered, then added more clearly, â€Å"I’ll leave some things for cold-cut sandwiches in the fridge, okay? Right on top.† It was sunny again in the morning. I awakened with renewed hope that I grimly tried to suppress. I dressed for the warmer weather in a deep blue V-neck blouse – something I’d worn in the dead of winter in Phoenix. I had planned my arrival at school so that I barely had time to make it to class. With a sinking heart, I circled the full lot looking for a space, while also searching for the silver Volvo that was clearly not there. I parked in the last row and hurried to English, arriving breathless, but subdued, before the final bell. It was the same as yesterday – I just couldn’t keep little sprouts of hope from budding in my mind, only to have them squashed painfully as I searched the lunchroom in vain and sat at my empty Biology table. The Port Angeles scheme was back on again for tonight and made all the more attractive by the fact that Lauren had other obligations. I was anxious to get out of town so I could stop glancing over my shoulder, hoping to see him appearing out of the blue the way he always did. I vowed to myself that I would be in a good mood tonight and not ruin Angela’s or Jessica’s enjoyment in the dress hunting. Maybe I could do a little clothes shopping as well. I refused to think that I might be shopping alone in Seattle this weekend, no longer interested in the earlier arrangement. Surely he wouldn’t cancel without at least telling me. After school, Jessica followed me home in her old white Mercury so that I could ditch my books and truck. I brushed through my hair quickly when I was inside, feeling a slight lift of excitement as I contemplated getting out of Forks. I left a note for Charlie on the table, explaining again where to find dinner, switched my scruffy wallet from my school bag to a purse I rarely used, and ran out to join Jessica. We went to Angela’s house next, and she was waiting for us. My excitement increased exponentially as we actually drove out of the town limits. How to cite Twilight 7. NIGHTMARE, Essay examples