The Industrial Dispute

The Industrial Dispute Ø INTRODUCTION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Aim of this essay is to analyze whether boycotts and lockouts are two other anti-impasse weapons used by labour and management. For that we have to get an idea of what is strike and lockouts, and its impact on both management side and labour side. A bargaining impasse occurs when the two sides negotiating an agreement are unable to reach an agreement and become deadlocked. An Impasse is almost invariably mutually harmful, either as a result of direct action which may be taken such as a strike in employment negotiation. Most disputes arise in situations where facts are able to be interpreted in multiple ways, and if parties interpret the facts to their own benefit they may be unable to accept the opposing partys claim as reasonable. They may believe the other side is either bluffing or acting unfairly and deserve to be punished. According to Section 2(k) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 industrial dispute is defined as, Any disputes or differences b etween employers and employers, or between employers and workmen, or between workmen and workmen, which is connected with the employment or non-employment or the terms of employment or with the conditions of labour, of any person. Ø STRIKE A work stoppage undertaken in support of a bargaining position or in protest of some aspect of a previous agreement or proposed agreement between labour and management. Strikes can be divided into two basic types: economic and unfair labor practice. An economic strike seeks to obtain some type of economic benefit for the workers, such as improved wages and hours, or to force recognition of their union. An unfair labor practice strike is called to protest some act of the employer that the employees regard as unfair. Essential requirements for the existence of strike are There must be a concerted refusal; or Refusal under a common understanding of any number of persons who are or have been so employed to continue to work or to accept employment They must stop work for some demands relating to employment, non-employment or the conditions of labour of the workmen Ø EXAMPLE FOR STRIKE   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Royal Mail postal workers took strike action over job security and working conditions. They voted three to one in favour of action, with 61,623 out of a total of 80,830 workers who voted saying they wanted to strike. The regions in the UK which have been hardest hit by the postal strikes are London, with a cost to businesses of  £187.1 million, and Scotland with a cost of  £82.5 million. The segments affected generate revenues of  £23 million per day, estimate of cost is  £10 million per strike day adding up to a projected total of  £40 million so far. Ø CAUSE OF THE STRIKE In 2007, the last national postal strike ended after both sides signed a 14-page agreement on pay and changes to working practices. As deals go, the agreement to end the 2007 nationwide postal strike was certainly woolly in parts.There was plenty of opportunity for both sides to disagree on exactly what it meant in practice. At the very least, the tortuous discussions on implementing the agreement have proved that give and take has one attribute very much in short supply. The stated aim of the agreement, which now seems ironic, was to move away from the adversarial relationships that persist in too many parts of the business. As members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) are now out on another nationwide strike, that goal seems further away than ever. Walk sequencing machines were to be trialled using computer programmes to produce the sensible delivery round for a postal worker. The 2007 deal set a concrete deadline of the end of January 2008 to agree a framework to deal with the trialling and implementation of all new technology and automation. But two years on, there is still no agreement according to Royal Mail, which says that a framework was twice agreed between negotiators, but each time it was subsequently rejected by the executive committee of the CWU. The union declined to comment. Another clause in the agreement pledged is the early shift payment is ceased in delivery on agreement to pay restructuring. But Royal Mail says that the early shift payment still technically exists, and the company continues to be keen to discuss pay restructuring with the union. So in other words it seems nothing has changed. So the 2007 agreement on modernisation has led to some significant changes in the way Royal Mail staff operate. But with CWU members now out on another nationwide strike, the great prize of replacing confrontation with trust between the two sides, seems as far away as ever. During industrial disputes, sometimes employees use strike as a anti-impasse weapon. The various forms of strike that employees use as weapons when industrial disputes arise are Ø ECONOMIC STRIKE   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most of the strikes of workers are directed towards facilities and increase in wage levels. In economic strike, the labourers demand increase in wages, travelling allowance, house rent allowance, dearness allowance and other facilities such as increase in privilege leave and casual leave. A strike is legal if employees are using it to exert economic pressure upon their employer in order to improve the conditions of their employment. In this case, employees are not using the strike as an anti-impasse weapon. STAY-IN STRIKE In this case, workers do not absent themselves from their place of work when they are on strike. They keep control over production facilities. But do not work. Such a strike is also known as pen down or tool down strike. SLOW DOWN STRIKE Employees remain on their jobs under this type of strike. They do not stop work, but restrict the rate of output in an organised manner. They adopt go-slow tactics to put pressure onthe employers. SYMPATHETIC STRIKE. When workers of one unit or industry go on strike in sympathy with workers of another unit or industry who are already on strike, it is called a sympathetic strike. The workers of sugar industry may go on strike in sympathy with their fellow workers of the textile industry who may already be on strike. Picketing. When workers are dissuaded from work by stationing certain men at the factory gates, such a tep is known as picketing. If picketing does not involve any violence, it is perfectly legal. From the above definitions the strike in the form of economic strike and picketing, are not used as anti-impasse weapons by the employees. But the other forms of strike that are discussed above are unwanted and illegal strikes, which in turn are used as an anti-impasse weapon, when industrial disputes arise. Ø LOCKOUTS DEFINITION Industrial action during which an employer withholds work, and denies employees access to the place of work. In effect, it is a strike by the management to compel a settlement to a labor dispute on terms favourable to the employer. When lock out action is taken by several employers in concert, it is called a joint lockout. The Requirements of lockout are Temporary closing of place of employment The element of demand for which the industrial establishment is locked out, must be present The intention to re-open or take the workers back if they accept the demands must exist The employer and employees must be engaged in an industrial process carried on in an institution. Lockout is intended for compelling the employees to accept any terms or conditions- tactic in bargaining. Closure is shutting employment ending bargaining Ø EXAMPLE OF A LOCKOUT AND IMPACTS   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Roopacherra tea estate in south east Assam has been under lockout for nearly month after the executives abandoned it. Leading to the death of a three-year-old girl, Shivani Kalindi and two workers, Yogendra Kalindi, 22, and Manorama Dev, 60, according the workers panchayat (council). After the death of the girl, workers defied the lockout and began picking and selling leaf to other factories for their survival. The Katlicherra police have registered a case against the absconding tea executives and a fact-finding team has been set up to look into the deaths by the Hailakandi administration. Some food was given by the local administration after a hunger strike by a large group of women workers. Dilip Singh, president of the garden panchayat, claimed that the out-of-work labour force was scavenging for roots and tubers of plants in the absence of food as most women and children in the labour colony were suffering from malnutrition related ailments. Roopacherra tea estate has a 1,400-strong workforce, who have been paid no wages since a lockout was declared on January 19.The reason cited by the management for the lockout was flagrant violation of instructions relating to attendance. Ø IS MANAGEMENT USING LOCKOUT AS ANTI-IMPASSE WEAPON:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Apart from lockouts, the management uses its own methods to counter the workers. Some of the weapons used by the management are: Employers Association. The employers may form their unions to collectively oppose the working class and put pressure on the trade unions. Termination of Service. The employers may terminate the services of those workers who are on strike by blacklisting them. Their lists may be circulated to other employers so as to restrict their chances of getting .The management is using lockout as an anti-impasse weapon for most of the above labour problems, even if the employees are on economic strikes. The management uses this weapon because they are dead-locked and they dont want the employees to gain something out the strike. This is due to the lack of business management at the top level of the industry. However, in a situation where Industrial disputes take place because of indiscipline and violence on the part of the workforce. The management is forced to use the lockouk. Ø STEPS TO AVOID STRIKE AND LOCKOUTS Maintaining Good Industrial Relationship:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To avoid strikes and lockouts an organization must have healthy Industrial relationship. The relationship between Employer and employee or trade unions is called Industrial Relation. Harmonious relationship is necessary for both employers and employees to safeguard the interests of the both the parties of the production. In other words good Industrial Relation means industrial peace which is necessary for better and higher productions. Industrial Relation is a major force which influences the social, political and economic development of a country .Managing industrial relations is a challenging task because it deals with a highly complex, fast developing, ever changing and expanding field. There are certain factors such as composition of working class, work environment, socioeconomic status of the workers and their attitude to work, managements ideology, role of the state, thinking of the community etc which have a considerable bearing on the state of relationship between labour and management. Apart from the primary objective of bringing about sound and healthy relations between employers and employees, Industrial Relation aims at To safeguard the interest of labor and management by securing the highest level of mutual understanding and good-will among all those sections in the industry which participate in the process of production. To avoid industrial conflict or strife and develop harmonious relations, which arean essential factor in the productivity of workers and the industrial progress of a country. To eliminate, as far as is possible and practicable, strikes, lockouts and by providing reasonable wages, improved living and working conditions, said fringe benefits. Improvements in the economic conditions of workers in the existing state of industrial managements and political government. Economic satisfaction of workers: Psychologists recognize that human needs have a certain priority. Need number one is the basic survival need. Much of men conducted are dominated by this need. Man works because he wants to survive. This is all the more for underdeveloped countries where workers are still living under subsistence conditions. Hence economic satisfaction of workers is another important prerequisite for good industrial relations. Off-the-job conditions: An employer employs a whole person rather than certain separate characteristics. A persons traits are all part of one system making up a whole man. His home life is not separable from his work life and his emotional condition is not separate from his physical condition. Hence for good industrial relations it is not enough that the workers factory life alone should be taken care of his off-the-job conditions should also be improved to make the industrial relations better. Enlightened trade unions: The most important condition necessary for good industrial relations is a strong and enlightened labor movement which may help to romote the status of labor without harming the interests of management, Unions should talk of employee contribution and responsibility. Unions should exhort workers to produce more, persuade management to pay more, mobilize public opinion on vital labor issues and help Government to enact progressive labor laws.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Negotiating Skills And Attitudes Of Management And Workers: Both management and workers representation in the area of industrial relations come from a great variety of backgrounds in terms of training, education, experience andattitudes. These varying backgrounds playa major role in shaping the character of industrial relations. Generally speaking, well-trained and experienced negotiators who are motivated by a desire for industrial peace create a bargaining atmosphere conducive to the writing of a just and equitable collective agreement. On the other hand, ignorant, inexperienced and ill-trained persons fail because they do not recognize that collective bargaining is a difficult human activity which deals as much in the emotions of people as in their economic interests. It requires careful preparation and top -notch executive competence. It is not usually accomplishedby some easy trick or gimmick. Parties must have trust and confidence in each other. Ø SETTLEMENT MACHINERIES CONCILIATION : It is a peace making process in an organization. A conciliator contacts both the parties by separate meetings and jointly through joint conference. The parties mayor may not accept his suggestions. ARBITRATION: If the parties are not satisfied with the decision of the conciliation machinery then a third party interference known as Arbitrator is introduced. There are two types of Arbitrations they are Voluntary Arbitration Compulsory Arbitration ADJUDICATION: It is the last remedial step for the settlement of Industrial Disputes. In RSP the disputes are sent to the adjudicative authorities by the appropriate govt. after proper examination and verification such as: Labour courts call the cases mentioned in the schedule of Industrial Dispute Act. Industrial Tribunals call the cases mentioned in schedule of Industrial Dispute Act. The above mentioned characteristics are very important for an organization to avoid any kind of industrial disputes, which leads to the strikes and lockouts, in some cases which even leads to the closure of the organization. It is very difficult to maintain perfect industrial relations. Now many organizations focus and invest huge money to enhance their human resource management team, and it is extremely important for the HR department to work out with the industrial relations with some innovative ideas. And the organization which has a efficient HR policies has a unique competitive advantage over their competitors. Now being a part of the HR team, iam going to explain the ways or procedures that a HR team is going to perform for the better industrial relations to avoid any kind of disputes or impasse, within a particular organization. Progressive HR Management Outlook. There should be progressive outlook of the HR management of each industrial enterprise. It should be conscious of its obligations and responsibilities to the owners of the business, the employees, the consumers and the nation. The HR policies must recognize the rights of workers to organize unions to protect their economic and social interests. Ensure workers Participation in Management   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The participation of workers in the management of the industrial unit should be encouraged by making effective use of works committees, joint consultation and other methods. This will improve communication between managers and workers, increase productivity and lead to greater effectiveness. Creating a collective bargaining :   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Collective bargaining is process of joint decision making and basically represents a democratic way of life in industry. It is the process of negotiation between firms and workers representatives for the purpose of establishing mutually agreeable conditions of employment. It is a technique adopted by two parties to reach an understanding acceptable to both through the process of discussion and negotiation. The HR department shoule make sure that the collective bargaining agreement with the collective bargsining council has the following mandatory items, Wages Hours of work Incentive pay Overtime Layoff and recall procedures Union security clauses Management rights clauses Grievance procedures Seniority Safety Ø CONCLUSION For this essay it is clear the both management and labor use strikes and lockouts as a anti-impasse weapons according to their situation (not always). In some cases as discussed in the essay both labor and management has used strike and lockouts as a bailout option. This situation will change if the management and the labors have a good relationship and a clear collective bargaining agreement. Thus the organization must concentrate on the HR policies and find ways to properly implement the polices, to gain a strong industrial relations which gets the competitive advantage for the organization. Ø BIBLOGRAPHY A.M. Sharma, Industrial Relation R. Allen and T. Keaveny, 1988, Contemporary Labor Relations, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. Sisson, k and storey, j (2000) The Realities of Human Resource Management, open university press http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8296660.stm (10-12-09) http://www.kelkoo.co.uk/co_17062-kelkoo-press-release-strike-costs-40-million.html (10-12-09) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8320025.stm (10-12-09) http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/lockout.html (15-12-09) http://libcom.org/news/article.php/tea-garden-lockout-180206 (09-12-09)

What Are The Concepts Of State And Sovereignty Politics Essay

What Are The Concepts Of State And Sovereignty Politics Essay State refers to the rule tool of economically dominant class. Class nature is the fundamental properties. State includes three elements, namely political power, territory and the unity of people. State power is the embodiment of the country. It is a society institution with power governance and has external and internal sovereignty in a certain territory (Christopher Tomlins, 2008). In international relations theory, as long as the independence of a country recognized by other countries, the country can go into the international field, which is also key factor to prove its own sovereignty. Sovereignty refers the internal supreme power and external independence that one state has. It also refers to the highest authority of one country to handle their own affairs independently inside and outside and manage their own country. Sovereignty is one countrys inherent right that different from other social groups and special properties. Sovereignty mainly includes three aspects just like the followings. One is the maximum internal power. State has the power to manage its entire people and things within or outside the territory (Eric A. Heinze, 2010). And it also has the right to determine its own political system and socio-economic system according to its situation. Second is foreign independence, namely the state completely and independent exercise power and rule out any external interference. Another is the power of self-defense. It refers to the power that the country defenses the threat and aggression of foreign countries to maintain political independence and territorial i ntegrity. Mutual respect for national sovereignty is a basic principle in modern international relationship. Sovereignty is one power above the law, nation, indivisible, sovereign, unified and lasting. Peace of Westphalia recognized the sovereign rights of country in treaty form first time in 1648. It provided the sovereign equality of states regardless of the size of the countries. State sovereignty is considered as one most important features. In some traditional theory of international law, sovereignty becomes a supreme power. Sovereign country is not necessarily bound by international law. People of state may even resort to war to achieve their will. Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States of 1974 provides that each country has the inalienable sovereign rights to choose economic systems, political, social and cultural systems accordance with its will (Jonathan K. Ocko, David Gilmartin, 2009). Each state enjoys the full permanent sovereignty on its all wealth, natural resources and economic activities and so on. The above expresses a common core concept: state sovereignty is abso lute and inviolable. Sovereignty has many unique features. It is the inherent property of state, and is non-transferable, indivisible, inviolable sanctity and exclusive. Sovereignty is the highest authority to handle internal and external affairs independently. State has the highest sovereignty in the domestic and independent external sovereignty in the international. Moreover, sovereignty state is the only actor in international relations. State sovereignty is the fundamental interests that relates to the rise and fall of country. Sovereignty and territorial has close link. With the development of society, modern international law makes a more specific identification and maintenance to national sovereignty. Week 5: The central ideas and claims of liberalism and realism Liberalism is a bourgeois political thought in nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It advocates the complete freedom of personal activities and development and against the political, social and religious constraints. Liberalism is an ideology or philosophy. The basic view of liberalism international relations theory is the state is embedded in society. The interaction between state and society creates the state preferences and also affects the acts in the international community. The core assumptions of liberalism that support this basic view include the following aspects (John Burton, 1996). One is the assumption on the primacy of social actors. Liberal theory suggests that the most basic actors are the various groups and individuals in international political. They are rational and avoiding disadvantages. They are subjected to certain concepts of influence and domination under the constraints of certain material conditions. They may organize collective action to defend and fi ght for their different interests. Second is hypothesis on the state representation and national preference. State or other political organizations represent the number of domestic social groups. The interest of these social groups is defined as national preferences, and they will take purposeful action to achieve these benefits in international politics. The other is the assumption on interdependence and the international system (John Burton, 1996). Liberalism views that the pattern of interdependent state preferences determines the behavior of country. In fact, liberalism has three major variants, namely the concept liberalism, commercial liberalism, and republicanism liberalism. Liberalism stresses the social identity and values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹are the fundamental determinants of national preferences, and are main reasons for the cooperation and conflict between countries. Commercial liberalism considers that individual and collective acts of state are based o n the market incentives of national and transnational economic actors. Republican liberalism focuses on the social recognition and economic benefits of these requirements into national policy, domestic political system. Realism considers that the state preference is power. Their pursuit for security, sovereignty and wealth is same. The central ideas and claims of realism include the followings. Realism assumes the human nature is self-centered and competitive. International system is anarchy. There is not sufficient authoritarian to bind the interaction of states on the country. In the international system, there are still a large number of non-state actors. They play a role in international politics, but in the view of realism, the status of non-state actors is always secondary, state is dominant actors. Realism also believes the essence of international politics is conflict from the view of pessimistic human nature, that is, the struggle for power is under anarchy (Robert Jackson, Georg Sorensen, 1999). Therefore, the international politics is first described as a realist power politics. It is the confrontation between countries, conflict and war stage. The core normative theory of realism is nati onal survival and security. Therefore, in the order of international issues, national security is usually in the highest position. Realists recognize the difficulty of view a country as rational actor. In any case, the result of rational choice is a satisfactory or second best choice at least. Week 6: Different visions of realist and liberal about peace and security Realists believe that the primary means of protecting national security and peace in the international community are balance of power and deterrence. The peace and security concept of realism is built on the basis of the following assumptions. First of all, sovereign states are the main actors of the international community and centered on national interests. Second, the basic structure of the international system is anarchy, that is, there is no legal power of centralized control (John Horton, 2010). International political anarchy determines that there is no law, code of ethics and public authority between the nations. This will inevitably lead to mutual suspicion and the worst intentions among countries. Third, the relations between countries can only be a competitive relationship in the anarchy international system. Countries participates in international struggle for power or existence, mainly rely on their own resources and ability. Self-help is the only way to achieve national security. Realists also believe that the central feature of international relations is the competition for power and the show of strength. Security has always been the primary objective of national policy. Under the situation of anarchy in international community, states improve national security through military expansion, alliances or acquire buffer which leads to security dilemma and causes insecurity in other countries. The means to protect national security are balance of power and deterrence. The balance of power maintains state independence and the stability of international system (R.O. Keohane, 1986). Nuclear deterrence contributes to the over forty years of cold peace between the two superpowers in Cold War to some extent. Although balance of power strategic can not overcome the internal contradictions and the implement of nuclear deterrence needs rational and mechanisms conditions, these two ways are still reasonable means in safeguarding national security and curbing hegemonic. The liberal also recognizes international community is in anarchy, but against the realists fragments the political relations between international and domestic. They are more tend to emphasize the common interests, values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹and norms in international relations to ensure international community is harmony. To sum up, the views of liberals on peace and safety are as following. First is the theory of world government. The national strategy, interests, power and policy choices are all the response to lack of national security in the international anarchy. In essence, war plays the functions of governmental in anarchy. World government and international law can be used as a substitute for war. Treaty powers namely a global government or loose management system formed through negotiations and consultations between the major powers. It is one of the ways to establish world government (Wotipka, Christine Min; Tsutsui, Kiyoteru2008). Second is theory of coll ective security. In view of real life does not have prerequisites for establishing a world government, liberal hopes to establish a collective security system to overcome the security dilemma. The other is economic interdependence and peace. Liberal views that economic interdependence may help to reduce and mitigate the conflicts between countries and promote international peace. In short, the liberal considers that economic and trade relations will make more interdependent among countries, thus reducing the war to increase safety.

Essay on Camus’ The Stranger (The Outsider): World Without Purpose

World Without Purpose in Camus' The Stranger (The Outsider)   In The Stranger, Albert Camus misleadingly portrays his existentialistic views of life, death, and the world.   Camus portrays the world as absurd or without purpose Meaursalt, who, as a reflection of Camus, is foreign and indifferent to his own life and death.   Meaursalt eventually senses guilt for his crime, not because of the remorse of taking someone else’s life, but because it means he would lose the little things that he considers important in his life.   Meaursalt is a puzzling character, who leaves readers to be uncertain about Camus’ views of life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Meaursalt is a simple and ordinary man living in French Morocco.   Neither intellectual nor emotional, when his mother died, he did not feel or show any sorrow.   He is a character rather distracted by his surrounding, such as people walking by and nature.   He would feel much irritation whenever the sun would shine red and bright.   On a thoughtless walk on the beach, he ends up killing an Arab (who had a hostile relationship with his friend) for no apparent reason, but because his [Arab] blade light reflected by the sun.   In addition, for no good reason he shoots four more times, the body lying on the ground.   He is tried in court, during which he feels he is his own spectator.   Meaursalt gets convicted of murder and sentenced to death.   Before execution, he feels guilt for the first time because he would miss the simple things in life.   However, he is never scared to die, because for him death comes eventually.   Just before the execut ion, a chaplain tries to make him believe in God, but Meaursalt angrily defends his atheistic views.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Meaursalt is an uncommon character that prefers simpl... ...t sure whether to say it is objective or subjective.   The novel itself is a puzzle to me and I’m not in any pursuit to figure it out.   I’m not refusing to, but I find no point in doing so.   The same way Meaursalt treats life as meaningless, I treat it the same way, but that life is meaningful.   We don’t need to go searching too hard that in the process we give up on life, as I see Meaursalt as.   I think you could have a meaningful life without knowing the meaning.   I can’t accept Meaursalt’s values, because I do believe in a God and an afterlife.   That is the difference between him and me.   I would not recommend this book to anybody who is in the process of soul searching.   It is a confusing yet an unique story to be regarded only as Camus’ point of view of life. Works Cited: Camus, Albert. The Stranger, trans. Mathew Ward. New York: Random House, Inc., 1988.

Human Resource Management in Business Essay -- essays research papers

Human Resource Management in Business Abstract Human Resource Management (HRM) is no longer a personnel office that is simply a record-keeping and maintenance function. Huselid (1995) points out that there is a positive correlation that has developed between HRM as a strategic ally and company performance. HRM research has grown from an atheoretical origin to view organizational activities from an interdisciplinary perspective (Jennings, 1994) that is concerned with a movement toward methodological and theoretical development (Ferris & Judge, 1991). This review will look at the different ways HRM plays into the overall scheme of providing an organization with a more sustainable competitive edge. Table of Contents Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..4 Background†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦4 Strategic Human Resource Management†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.6 Multicultural Knowledge Transfer†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..8 HRM in the Public Sector†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦9 Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.11 References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..13 Human Resource Management in Business The fast paced area of HRM as seen many new developments in the science and practice of the field over its roughly 80-year history (Ferris et al., 1999). One of the earlier developments in HRM research that still has significance today was, at the time, a theoretical foundation that challenged researchers to design measures to assess the relationship between â€Å"individual personalities† and â€Å"company personalities† (Gilmer, 1960). This field of inquiry led to the research that has come to be known as strategic human resource management (SHRM), a field that attempts to align HRM functions and activities with the strategic goals of the organization (Butler, Ferris, & Napier, 1991). Another aspect of this review takes a look at HRM from an international perspective. This viewpoint acknowledges the importance of the global economy, as well as emphasizes the value of the Human Resource (HR) activities that address cross-cultural concerns (Napier, Tibau, Janssens, & Pilenzo, 1995). Lastly, the political perspective of HRM presents an opportunity to address those features of public sector HRM practices that have become outdated by contemporary organizational standards (Soni, 2004). Background Human Resource Management is a diverse ent... ...the international human resources manager. In G. R. Ferris, S. D. Rosen & D. T. Barnum. (Eds.), Handbook of human resource management: 217-242. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishers. Pfeffer, J. (1998). The human equation: Building profits by putting people first. Harvard Business Press: Boston. Romano, E. (1995). Opportunity in diversity. Journal of Property Management, 60, 2, 30 (6). Retrieved November 12, 2004, from InfoTrac database. Soni, V. (2004). From crisis to opportunity: Human resource challenges for the public sector in the twenty-first century. The Review of Policy Research, 21, 2, 157-178. Retrieved November 8, 2004 from H.W. Wilson database. Sundstrom, E., DeMeuse, K. P., & Futrell, D. (1990). Work teams: applications and effectiveness. American Psychologist, 45, 2, 120-133. Walker, D. M. (2000). (Statement from David Walker) Managing human capital in the 21st century. Report no. GAO/T-GGD-00-77. Washington, DC: General Accounting Office. Webber, S.S. & Donahue, L.M. (2001). Impact of highly and less-related diversity on work group cohesion and performance: A meta-analysis. Journal of Management, 27, 2, 141. Retrieved November 12, 2004, from InfoTrac database.

The Female Entrepreneurial Role in James M Cains Mildred Pierce :: Mildred Pierce Essays

The Female Entrepreneurial Role in James M Cain's Mildred Pierce A woman's place in the post-depression era is usually one where a woman would commonly be known to have a role in the economy; only to be waiting in her kitchen to cook for the "money-making husband." It was often rare to encounter one woman who had the ability to take her inner interests and turn them into an entrepreneurial role in society. Yet, through this novel by James M. Cain, one will encounter Mildred Pierce, in which Mildred uses her inner talent, and cooking. To redeem the long lost woman's role in the economy and the workforce. This inner interest of cooking was not kept inside the household as it has with millions of other woman in the United States; it was instead expanded into a successful capitalistic venture for Mildred. Gorgeous legs, great cook, and friendly disposition. Mildred used these attributes to survive a divorce and poverty and to claw her way out of the lower middle class. Yet Mildred also had a weakness, one being that she has failed to Veda’s standards. Mildred Pierce tries her best in order to please her daughter. She charts the rise and fall of a woman who makes and markets pies. When her husband loses his livelihood as a result of the Wall Street crash, Mildred takes work "as a waitress"(Mildred Pierce) in a diner. "Recognizing that she can produce better pies than the business currently has to offer, she rapidly becomes its supplier."(1,dirks) Then she opens a restaurant of her own, which leads to openings of several others. Mildred, a mother of two daughters, was left alone because of her husband, Bert. Mildred, capable of cooking meals as to a fancy restaurant she decides to utilize these techniques in opening her Own restaurant. Wally, a friend of Mildred's husband helps in organizing a place to build the new restaurant." For the first time in her life, Mildred felt the quick excitement of a conspiratorial deal. She comprehended the credit aspect of it, once Wally explained it, and she didn't need to be told how perfect the place was for her purposes."(93,Cain) Mildred able to use the abandon Pierce Model home she renovates, and turns it into a restaurant. She decided on a name, "Mildred Pierce" in which she only serves chicken and waffles and pies on the side.

Feminism

â€Å"Feminism isn't about making women strong. Women are already strong. It's about changing the way the world perceives that strength† ( G.D. Anderson).Challenges that women face like domestic violence, gender equality in the business world, unfair maternity and reproductive issues, women require that both government and corporate America take notice and provide equality. There are 86,400 seconds in a day, and every nine seconds a woman gets sexually assaulted or beaten. Domestic violence is an utmost issue in the world and affects around 9 million couples. Domestic violence can be characterized as any type of abuse or harm inflicted on a person by their spouse or partner. Anyone can be a victim. Victims can be of different cultures, sex, race, and religion. The abuse can range from intimidation and name-calling to threats and physical/ sexual harm. It is not a new epidemic, it has been ongoing in history throughout all cultures. The Common Law of England permitted a man to beat his wife, provided the diameter of the stick so used was not wider than the diameter of his thumb, hence, the term â€Å"Rule of Thumb† ( Burnett). In the 15th century, the Catholic Church ruled the husband was the judge of his wife, and had all power over her. After centuries of domestic violence, in today's society there are athletes beating their wives in elevators, in homes, and publicly abusing woman on social media. What part of famous athletes beating their wives in elevators is okay? The number of American troops killed in Afghanistan and Iraq between 2001 and 2012 was 6,488, the number of American women who were murdered by their current or ex male partners during that time was 11,766 (Vagianos). The number of women killed is almost double of the amount of casualties lost at war. The world has been inundated with millions of stories, but the stories don't go away and the problem will not stop quietly. The numbers involving domestic violence continue to rise every day. As stated previously, in every nine seconds a woman is getting beaten or sexually assaulted. On an average that is roughly twenty people per minute which also means 28,800, people a day are getting abused or sexually assaulted. The list could go on with continuously high numbers. Around 70% of these cases go unreported and of the ones that are reported, the victim has been assaulted or beaten by their intimate partner around 35 times before contacting the police. The main reason is because victims are terrified of coming forward. Women should not have to be so afraid to confide in authorities, but they hide it away because they believe it is a personal matter. While it might be true that women experience domestic violence more than men, still all in all, men can be victims of domestic violence as well. About one in seven men have been subject to sexual/ physical abuse by their intimate partners, and two in five gay/ bisexual men are subject to it (Vagianos). Society only hears what's on the news, about 85% of women being victimized, but nothing regarding the 15% of men being victimized. The only talk concerning men being assaulted are ones coming from the comedians about prison rape jokes. Society strongly stereotypes it as men as the abusers, and women as the victims which sometimes isn't always necessarily the case. In fact 46%, of male victims have a female perpetrator (Rosin). According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, maternity leave is time off from a job given a mother to take care of a newborn child. The first couple months of a newborn's life can be very crucial for both mother and baby as both of them need this time for bonding and adapting. The average maternity leave is around six weeks if a mother has a normal birth, or eight weeks if the mother has a c-section. With some companies offering a paid maternity leave, but most offering an unpaid maternity leave. Some companies offer a longer twelve week period, but the catch, it is unpaid. For a new mother, a twelve week maternity leave is sort of arbitrary because companies don't understand the difficulties of having a newborn. The major problem is that it is unpaid. Workplaces look at motherhood as a choice, meaning they refuse a paid maternity leave. This makes it harder for the families with low incomes who want to procreate, because this puts mothers in the spot of either working full time or staying home and having more children resulting in a financial strain for the family. The infant mortality rate can be impacted by paid maternity leave. Most countries have a lower rate, however, the United States has a rate of 6.1. A baby born in the U.S. is nearly three times as likely to die during her first year of life as one born in Finland or Japan. That same American baby is about twice as likely to die in her first year as a Spanish or Korean one (Ingraham).For each additional month of paid maternity leave offered in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), infant mortality is reduced by 13%, according to a new study by researchers from McGill University and UCLA Fielding School of Public Health (Science Daily McGill University). That means for every 1,000 births, eight of them die. That seems like a little amount, but in the United States babies arrive every eight seconds, but worldwide there are at least 251 babies born per minute. Over the years women have overcome numerous obstacles in the workplace, but a never ending obstacle is gender inequality. At every corporate level women are continuing to still be unrepresented and make up a little less than half the workforce. That means four out of ten families have a female as the â€Å"breadwinner† compared to their male counterparts. Given in today's society there is a strong emphasis on women being the stay at home moms/caregivers while the men are earning the family income. If women are in the workforce they are less likely to have any type of â€Å"S.T.E.M.† occupations and more likely to have a job pertaining to caregiving like a nurse. According to the report, only 4.6% of women work in STEM occupations, compared to 10.3% of men (Van Kampen Law, PC). On average, women working full-time earn just seventy nine cents for every dollar men earn (Van Kampen Law, PC). This is because of the gender wage gap, the ratio of a male to females earnings. It can affect all types of women in different ways. For example, a black women would have to work for eighteen months to make the earnings of a white male in one year. They are paid sixty seven cents for every dollar that a man would earn. A hispanic woman would earn fifty nine cents. Colored women are being targeted with gender and discrimination in the workplace.

Succubus Heat CHAPTER 27

While I'd been pretty confident in telling Seth that Dante had likely skipped town, I nonetheless stopped by his shop the next day. It had never been very prosperous looking to begin with, but now the signs of abandonment were clear. The neon PSYCHIC sign was gone. The blinds were also gone, showing a room even barer than before. The FOR LEASE sign on the door was probably the most telling clue that Dante was gone for good. In the wake of what had happened with Seth, it was hard to know what to think about Dante. My heart almost didn't have the energy for it. I had cared about him, absolutely. He'd suited my decadent phase, and despite his blackened soul, there were parts of him that were likeable. And above all, it appeared that he'd cared about me, misguided or not. I wasn't happy about the deal he'd made with Grace, but I was glad he hadn't been there to face Jerome and Mei's punishment. No one deserved that, not even Dante. I hoped wherever he was, he'd try to start a new life-maybe one that could lighten his soul a little. I well knew, however, that humans with damned souls rarely recovered. Later that evening, I drove over to Capitol Hill. Peter and Cody were hosting a cocktail party to celebrate Jerome's return, though I half-suspected they simply wanted to drink away the sorrows of losing the sun. â€Å"How can we celebrate Jerome being back when he's not even here?† Tawny wanted to know. She was back to her normal, Amazonian blond self and was holding her martini glass in a precarious way. Peter couldn't take his eyes off it. I was nursing a gimlet out of politeness. The vampires had gone out of their way to get Grey Goose and fresh lime, but truthfully, I was a little burned out on alcohol. It seemed like I'd been perpetually drunk these last four months. I was not burned out on cigarettes yet, but I was trying very hard to break the habit once more. â€Å"Jerome's got plenty to keep himself busy,† I said. â€Å"We're just drinking in his honor.† â€Å"But he is staying, right?† asked Cody. We all turned to Hugh. Like the rest of us, Hugh'd had his abilities restored, and I'd honestly expected him to be a lot happier having his imp vision back. Instead, he seemed very serious, and I could have sworn he was watching me when I wasn't looking. â€Å"Yep. He and Mei schmoozed the corporate guy pretty good and pulled in enough favors to get backing from others. Cedric and Nanette both swore up and down that no one else was better qualified to run Seattle than him.† â€Å"Nanette finally caved, huh?† I swirled the ice around in my glass. â€Å"Of course, knowing Jerome owes her now probably makes her feel secure in her territory.† Cody shook his head. â€Å"Still. Grace went through an awful lot to try to pull this off, between the Canadians and all the wheeling and dealing. And Dante.† He shot me an apologetic look that I waved off. â€Å"I don't know,† said Peter. He finally seemed convinced that Tawny wasn't going to ruin his upholstery. â€Å"She's a middle management demon with so-so power. Doing what she did-seizing the opportunity when she thought Jerome looked weak-was probably the closest she'll ever get to ruling over an area like this.† â€Å"What do you mean? Would she be stuck forever? Never have her own domain?† asked Tawny, frowning. â€Å"She might have eventually gotten assigned control of some nonexistent town in middle America, but I doubt much more.† Hugh still looked oddly speculative. â€Å"Clearly, she didn't want to. Neither does Mei, from the looks of it.† â€Å"So much for it being better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven,† I said, pleased with my own wit. â€Å"Of course, I think we're going to see a lot more in Mei's career. She might be so-so in power, but she's got a plan.† â€Å"Have you noticed how she's a lot less scary alone?† asked Cody. â€Å"It was the matching clothes,† said Peter sagely. â€Å"When they dressed alike, it was too much like those girls from The Shining .† More laughter and conversation ensued, though I eventually grew quiet and simply listened. Maybe I could be the life of the party, like Seth had said, but this group could do okay without me. I took a certain amount of contentment by being back with them and having our lives returned to normal-such as they were. I could never be human again, but these were the people I wanted to be damned with. At one point, I got up to trade my empty glass for water and discovered Hugh had followed me into the kitchen. He still looked troubled. The others were laughing and talking, providing cover for our conversation. â€Å"What's going on?† I asked. â€Å"I thought you'd be happy.† â€Å"I am, I am,† he said. â€Å"Believe me, I am. God, that was miserable.† I couldn't help a smile. Hugh had hit his stride with being a lesser immortal. He was past the novice stages of Cody and Tawny and could fully reap the benefits of his position. However, he wasn't old enough to have acquired all the jaded centuries Peter and I had. Out of all of us, I didn't doubt that Hugh had suffered the most. â€Å"Then what's going on?† He hesitated, and again, I was struck by how out of character he was behaving. â€Å"Georgina, has Seth done anything†¦bad lately? Rob a bank? Cheat on taxes?† â€Å"Of course not,† I said, more confused than ever. â€Å"Has he†¦or well†¦did he do anything, uh, bad with you?† To my chagrin, I blushed. You'd think nothing would make a succubus self-conscious, but I still tried to maintain that line between my private and business sex lives. My silent response was enough for Hugh. â€Å"Fuck.† â€Å"What?† I asked. â€Å"We did it when I was in stasis. I didn't take any of his energy. I didn't shorten his life. And we haven't done it since Jerome came back. It's over. He's back with Maddie.† Hugh raised an eyebrow. â€Å"Oh?† â€Å"I realized how impossible it was for us and convinced him to go back to her. I really laid on the guilt.† Just mentioning what had happened made me ache all over again. â€Å"I'm sure you did,† Hugh said dryly. â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"Georgina†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He sighed. â€Å"There's no easy way to explain this. When I first met Seth, his soul was like†¦a supernova. It lit up a room. That guy had such a generous spirit, it was insane.† Had. â€Å"And now?† The answer was slowly creeping in on me. â€Å"Now, there's a shadow on him. A stain on his soul. He cheated on Maddie with you†¦and is back with her, keeping that from her†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The room started swaying, and I forced myself to focus on Hugh. â€Å"What we did, it wasn't sleazy. We are†¦were†¦in love. It was sweet-that is, it meant something.† â€Å"Maybe it did, sweetie. Maybe the planets aligned when you made love. But regardless of what happened between you, he wronged her-and he feels it now. That sin is darkening his soul.† â€Å"How dark?† I asked, my voice almost a whisper now. â€Å"If he were a hit by a car right now†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Hugh's face was both hard and sad. â€Å"He'd head right to Hell.† â€Å"Oh my God.† I collapsed back against the counter. â€Å"I didn't think†¦didn't realize†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Since I hadn't been a succubus, I hadn't been thinking like one. I hadn't worried about shortening his life or exhausting him because there was no need. While I'd known we were both deceiving Maddie and had felt a fair amount of guilt over it, I'd never considered it in terms of damnation. I'd turned off that part of my life, the part of being a succubus that counted and tallied souls-the main part of my job. Which was stupid of me. Humans didn't need us to sin. They did it all the time on their own and did just as good a job-if not better-than we could. I didn't have to be a succubus to make Seth sin. I could have been any woman, any woman he'd had an affair with. Sin was subjective, too, and different people would feel it differently. For someone like Seth, doing what he did would leave a harsh mark-and me making him feel guilty about it hadn't helped. â€Å"This is worse,† I said. I laughed, but it was the kind of hysterical laughter that could segue to tears at any moment. â€Å"It would have been better if we'd had sex when we were dating. I'd have taken years off his life, but his soul would have stayed pure-and that's what matters in the long run. Instead, I was so adamant about refusing to do it†¦and now look. Look what I did.† Hugh caught my hand and squeezed it. â€Å"I'm sorry.† â€Å"Is there†¦is there any way he can undo it?† â€Å"You know the answer as well as me. Sure, he can eventually swing the pendulum the other way. But it's hard. Very hard.† â€Å"He's a good person,† I said stoutly. â€Å"Maybe, but that may not be enough anymore.† â€Å"He'd need a deal with God,† I muttered. I stared at the floor, studying the tiles absentmindedly. What had I done? How could I have been so stupid? Had I been so blinded by love and lust that I'd been oblivious to the principles that had dictated my immortal vocation these long centuries? â€Å"Georgina,† Hugh said hesitantly. I looked at him. â€Å"There's something else†¦just a heads up. You know this as well as I do. When upright people screw up like this†¦they do try to rebound in their way. The guilt's got to be eating him. People like that try to do things to make up for it. Rash things. Something tells me he'll be like that.† â€Å"Thanks for the warning,† I said. â€Å"Though I can't imagine he'd do something that could make this any worse.† The imp cut me a look. â€Å"Sweetie, he's human. Don't underestimate him.† Hugh was right. The next day, I went to the condo builder's office and talked more in-depth with the real estate agent that handled their sales. We chatted for a while and talked numbers, though I still couldn't shake the feeling that I was doing this without thinking it through. The pictures were nice, the floor plan was nice, and the options were nice. Yet, I didn't know if this was just some impulsive reaction to the ups and downs in my life. Then, when he took me to the unit itself and showed me the balcony, I knew. It was a beautiful day, one that wasn't true summer yet but could give us enough hope that winter was just about finished. Puget Sound was deep blue, and the downtown skyline gleamed in the sun against a cloudless sky. To the west, the Olympic Mountains were visible for the first time in over a month, their peaks still heavy with snow. As often happened with this kind of weather, people turned out in droves, treating it like it was high summer. Families came out, shorts came out. This part of Alki didn't have a true beach-that was at a park a little farther down-but the water was still just a stone's throw away from my building, separated only by the small road and narrow strip of grass. I watched the waves break against the shore and realized this was where I needed to be. â€Å"I want to make an offer,† I told him. I knew Maddie would want to know, so I made sure she was the first one I told when I ended up back in Queen Anne later that night. It was early evening, my last day before returning to a real full-time schedule, and I swung by the store to catch her and tell her. Only, she sought me out first, with news of her own. â€Å"Georgina!† I'd barely entered when she grabbed my arm and pulled me off into the cookbooks. â€Å"Hey,† I laughed. â€Å"Glad you're in a good mood. I've got news.† â€Å"Me too!† Her face was radiant, and after all that had happened, it made me happy to see her like this. I couldn't help a return grin. â€Å"What's up?† She glanced around covertly, then lowered her voice. â€Å"You were right.† â€Å"About what?† â€Å"About Seth needing time-about him being preoccupied.† Oh lord. He'd finally slept with her again, now that things had ended with us. I can't say I was happy to have this news delivered to me, but for her sake, I was at least glad she could stop worrying. â€Å"Wow, that's great, Mad-â€Å" â€Å"He was waiting to propose!† She shot her hand up to my face so quickly that for half a moment, I thought she was going to punch me. But, no, there was no impact-unless you counted the brilliant glitter of the engagement ring dazzling my eyes. â€Å"Oh my God. But it†¦it's so soon†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I know,† she said, breathless from her excitement. â€Å"I can't believe it. And I mean, yeah, we've only been going out for about four months, but Seth says we can have a long engagement, that he just wanted to commit things between us.† Of course he did. When upright people screw up like this†¦they do try to rebound in their way. The guilt's got to be eating him. People like that try to do things to make up for it. Rash things. How could I be surprised? I'd become a succubus because I'd cheated on my husband and been caught. I'd sold my soul in an effort to blot that act out, to make him and everyone else I knew forget me. Why was this any different? â€Å"You don't think†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Maddie turned uneasy, once more seeking my approval and advice. â€Å"You don't think it's too fast, do you? Have I made a mistake? I mean, even if we wait awhile for the wedding†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I kept smiling. â€Å"It's fine, Maddie. There's no time frame that's set for everyone. If it's what feels right to you, then you've got to do it.† Her grin lit back up. â€Å"Oh, thank you. I'm so glad to hear you say that. I mean, I said yes, and I've been excited†¦I just didn't want it to seem like I was rushing in.† She glanced back down, admiring the ring. I realized something. â€Å"It's a diamond.† She gave me a curious look. â€Å"Of course. Why wouldn't it be? Most engagement rings are.† Last year, I'd teased Seth about getting married, and he'd said that if he ever did, he'd give his bride-to-be a ruby because he thought diamonds were ordinary, and getting married was extraordinary. I stared into the stone's glittering facets, puzzled. â€Å"Did you pick it out? Had you told him you wanted a diamond?† â€Å"Nope. It had never come up. He just got it for me. Why?† I shook my head and tried to look happy for her. â€Å"No reason. It's beautiful. Congratulations.† I turned to leave. â€Å"I'll see you tomorrow.† â€Å"Georgina, wait.† I paused and looked back. â€Å"What was your news?† â€Å"Wh-oh. Yeah. I'm buying the place in Alki.† â€Å"Seriously?† I swear, she almost seemed more excited about that than the engagement. â€Å"When will it be done?† â€Å"July.† â€Å"Oh, wow. That's great. You could have such great summer parties.† â€Å"Yep. Let's hope it gets finished on time.† She sighed happily and gave me a quick hug. â€Å"Isn't this a great day? Good news for both of us.† â€Å"Yeah,† I agreed. â€Å"Great.† I walked home, too stunned over the engagement news to process it much. Considering Hugh's prediction, there wasn't much to process. I'd convinced Seth that he and I were a fantasy, that he needed to settle into reality and take what good he had with Maddie. Seth had believed me and tried to make it up to her-make it up to himself, even-with this hasty engagement. He was not a rash person usually, but the extreme circumstances had turned him into one. My phone rang about half a block from the store. I could recognize Vancouver's area code by now, but I didn't know the number. For all I knew, Evan wanted me to smuggle them some spray paint across the border. To my relief, it was Kristin. â€Å"Hey,† I said. â€Å"How's it going?† â€Å"Fine. Well, better than fine. Great actually.† There were a few awkward seconds of silence. â€Å"Me and Cedric†¦we're†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The first spark of enthusiasm I'd felt in a while leapt up in me. â€Å"Really? You guys are a†¦thing?† â€Å"Yeah.† There was wonder in her voice, like she could hardly believe it. â€Å"He told me that you were the one who said that he should go out with me.† â€Å"Oh, well. I†¦just suggested he was looking in the wrong places.† â€Å"Georgina, there is no way I can thank you enough for this.† Her voice was brimming with emotion, something I wouldn't have thought possible of the businesslike imp. â€Å"This is†¦I've wanted this for so long. Loved him for so long. And he never noticed me until you made him just pause and look. That's exactly how he said it too. That he'd been so busy chasing everything else that he'd never seen what was in front of him.† I thought I might get choked up too. â€Å"I'm glad for you, Kristin. Really. You deserve it.† She laughed. â€Å"Most would say us damned souls don't deserve anything.† â€Å"We're like anyone else, deserving both good and bad. I'm not sure being damned has anything to do with it.† She was quiet for a moment, and when she spoke again, her voice was low, almost hard to hear. I actually stopped walking and stepped off down a side street to get away from the din of traffic. â€Å"It's funny you mention that,† she said slowly. â€Å"Because†¦well, I did something for you.† I suddenly had an image of Tim Horton's donuts showing up on my doorstep. â€Å"Er, that's really not necessary. I didn't do that much.† â€Å"You did, though. To me, at least. And so†¦I wanted to do something just as big for you. I, uh, went and looked at your contract.† I caught my breath. â€Å"What?† â€Å"We've had a lot of paperwork to file, and I managed to work in a corporate trip.† â€Å"Corporate trip† was a nice way of saying she'd visited the inner offices of Hell. â€Å"Kristin†¦if you'd been caught†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I wasn't,† she said proudly. â€Å"And I found your contract and read it.† I'd come to a complete stop now. The world around me didn't exist. â€Å"And?† â€Å"And†¦nothing.† â€Å"What do you mean nothing?† â€Å"I mean, there's nothing wrong with the contract. I went over and over it. Everything's in order.† â€Å"It can't be! Niphon was trying so hard to mess with me†¦to get me recalled. Hugh was certain it meant he was trying to shift attention from the contract.† â€Å"I don't know about any of that,† said Kristin, sounding truly sympathetic. â€Å"All I know is what I read. You sold your soul and took on standard succubus servitude in exchange for every mortal you knew forgetting who you were. That sound right?† â€Å"Yeah†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"That's what it said. All the language was exactly as it should be.† I didn't really have any response, so I gave none. â€Å"Georgina, are you still there?† â€Å"Yeah†¦I'm sorry. I just thought†¦I'd been so certain†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It had been a foolish hope, that maybe somewhere there was a loophole for me. But then, I seemed to fall for those things all the time, just like I had with Nyx's dream and the impossible chance of getting pregnant while in stasis. I was as naà ¯ve as Dante had said. â€Å"Thanks. I really appreciate you looking.† â€Å"I'm sorry you didn't get what you wanted. If there's anything else I can do for you-that doesn't involve breaking into records-let me know.† â€Å"Thanks. I will.† We disconnected, and I stared bleakly at my surroundings, at the quiet residential block I'd stepped off onto. â€Å"There is no way,† I said out loud, â€Å"that this day can get any worse.† A rustle behind me made me jump, and I spun around. I had thought I was alone and now felt like an idiot getting caught talking to myself. I saw no one, though. Then, a bush by the sidewalk twitched a little. I took a few steps toward it and knelt down. Yellow eyes peered out at me, followed by a piteous meow. I made the clicking sound that's universal to cat owners, and after a few moments, my observer emerged. It was a cat, a very scraggly one-and a cat I was pretty sure I'd seen before. It was smaller than Aubrey, maybe younger, and I could see its ribs poking out underneath the fur, which was matted and dirty. When I petted the cat's head, I noticed a dry texture to the fur that often indicated fleas. The cat seemed unsure of me-but not enough that it ran away. It mostly seemed curious for now, like it was trying to figure me out-and maybe score some food. Which was fine, because I was trying to figure it out too. Clearly, this cat had no owner, or if it did, that ownership needed to be revoked. I studied its yellow eyes and every frail line of its body. The cat looked so different and yet†¦I was certain it was the one. And in a musing that was worthy of Carter, I suddenly wondered if the universe might not be done with me after all. I let the cat sniff my hand a bit longer, and then I reached out and picked it up. It was a she. She didn't fight me as I held her to my chest and walked home. In fact, she started purring. Maybe she knew me. Maybe she was just weary of fighting all the time too. When I shouldered open my door, Aubrey's head immediately jerked up from where she'd been napping. She made no noise, but all the fur on her back stood on end as she studied our new visitor with narrowed eyes. Roman, lying on the couch as usual, also studied us. He looked at the cat, taking in her orange and brown patched coat. Then, he looked up and met my eyes. I'm not sure what he saw, but it made him smile. â€Å"Let me guess. That's a tortie.† â€Å"Yes,† I agreed. â€Å"This is a tortie.†