Behavior Confirmation

Introduction Social encounters can create, support or nullify a behavioral expectation about another group. If a target exhibits behavior that is consistent with his group, then a stereotype will manifest. This leads to a phenomenon known as the self-fulfilling prophecy. Numerous researches exist on why a person would confirm a certain stereotype about them. The focus of the literature review will be on theoretical and psychological models that explain how expectancy confirmation occurs.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Behavior Confirmation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Models and theories Self fulfilling prophecies may occur prior to an interaction with a member of the stereotyped group, during and after the interaction. Prior to an interaction with a target from a biased group, a perceiver may already form opinions about the target as explained by Darley and Fazio (1980). This perception may cause t he respective perceiver to cancel any interaction with the target if he is in a position of power. As a result, the perceiver will not give the target the benefit of a doubt and will maintain the stereotype. Furthermore, a lack of interaction with the target will deny him an opportunity to change the behavior and thus negate behavior expectancies about his group. Conversely, Kiefer Sekaquaptewa (2006) believe that self fulfilling prophecies occur prior to an interaction owing to behavioral expectations in the targeted group. If a person fears that examiners will evaluate his performance on the basis of his social group, then this could create apprehensions, which undermine the subject’s performance. These implicit expectations about one’s behavior often emanate from social cues, such as television and newspaper programs or advertisements (Lee et. al., 2011). For instance, most media outlets will market engineering and math as male-oriented subjects. Therefore, a subje ct will enter the examination room with that stereotype in mind. She will worry that her examiner will also possess these biases and this will lead to negative outcomes. While Darley and Fazio (1980) blame perceivers for behavior confirmation prior to an interaction between the perceiver and the target, Kiefer Sekaquaptewa (2006) think that the targets are responsible for self fulfilling prophecies. Lee et al. (2011) bring in another dimension to this debate. They believe that stereotype threat, or the belief that others will judge one in accordance to group stereotypes, will cause a target to avoid an interaction altogether. However, this largely depends on whether the potential target is a member of the stereotype out-group or in-group. In these circumstances, a perceiver will assume that the target refrained from interacting with him or her because they possess the stereotype and this will cause them to maintain the bias. During an interaction, it is possible for the target to b ehave in a totally different manner from the concerned stereotype. However, the perceiver may still maintain the stereotype because of a series of reasons. Scholars use their theoretical backgrounds to explain why this occurs. Gurwitz and Dodge (1977) explain that contact can maintain stereotypes if the pattern and the content of evidence, in the interaction, are in line with the behavior expectations.Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More These researchers carried out a study among a group of university students concerning sorority membership. They found that the pattern of dispersion, as well as the magnitude of the evidence, led many perceivers to hold stereotypes about a group even when behavior contradicted these expectations. If contrary evidence about the perceiver’s expectations is prevalent in several people as opposed to one person, then the perceiver will hold th e stereotype. The scholars believe that a person will believe in a stereotype every time a stereotype manifests regardless of the magnitude of the stereotype. On the other hand, if the degree of disconfirming evidence is quite large, then this will lead to nullification of the stereotype irrespective of the pattern of dispersion. According to Gurwitz and Dodge (1977), a perceiver will not change his mind about certain stereotypes regardless of whether the target exhibits non-stereotype behavior because the magnitude of the change is not sufficient to warrant modification. Additionally, the number of interactions that the person has with members of the stereotyped group also comes into play. Conversely, Allen et. al. (2009) as well as Darley and Fazio (1980) believe that a perceiver will still hold certain views about a target irrespective of contrary behavior because of nitpicking evidence. The individual will claim self fulfilling prophecies by interpreting the behavior of the targ et unfairly. In other words, the perceiver will rely on situational factors to explain the inconsistency. Alternatively, the person may simply choose certain patterns that are consistent with the stereotype and deliberately ignore the ones that contradict them. Allen et. al. (2009) use the regulatory focus theory to explain why some people may choose to hold the self-fulfilling conviction even when subjects act in contravention to their expectations. These authors believe that when a perceiver has a depleted mental capacity, he or she will focus on stereotype inconsistent information. However, when operating under full processing capacity, a person will only dwell on facts that are consistent with the stereotype. According to these scholars, perceivers will change their perception about targets if their mental capacity is overfull. Once they are operating at full processing capacity, they will have more time to look for stereotype confirming behavior.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Behavior Confirmation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In certain circumstances, it may appear that a target has confirmed the behavior, if an external observer were watching over the interaction between the two parties. This scenario is objective behavior confirmation, where a neutral observer would concur with the perceiver concerning a target’s behavior. The observer would notice that the subject is supporting the stereotype. According to Darley and Fazio (1970), Lee et al. (2011), Chen and Bargh (1997) and Leander et al. (2011), a person may engage in self fulfilling behavior because he is merely responding in kind to the behavior of the perceiver. However, these scholars disagree on the reasoning behind that response. Darley and Fazio (1970) explain that if a subject believes that he should respond in kind to the perceiver’s behavior, then he will do so even if this leads to the exhi bition of a certain stereotype. For instance, if an interviewer is cold towards a woman interviewee, then this individual will respond to the disconnectedness in kind. This may cause the interviewer to presume that females are unenthusiastic job candidates even though the person caused the reaction. Leander et. al. (2011) affirm that people may create certain behaviors in others when they mimic their behavior. Mimicking another person for social lubrication causes that person to become sensitive about the opinions of others. This causes the individual to act in a way that substantiates stereotypes. Lee et. al. (2011) believe that an interaction between a person with a bias and one who is aware of the bias will lead to confirmation of the behavior because this creates a state of tension and apprehension concerning the interaction. For instance, female purchasers will be anxious about price inflation by male mechanics because they perceive females as ignorant in this field. Their anxi ety causes them to underperform or fail to show up. In essence, this confirms the behavior of the perceiver. Chen and Bargh (1997) carried out an experiment in which they wanted to establish causes of self-fulfilling prophecies. They designed a test in which perceivers saw African American faces and received implicit cues on the same. The perceivers rated the African American subjects as hostile even though the perceivers caused those reactions by their negative reactions towards the group. Therefore, self-fulfilling prophecies may simply be by-products of certain stereotypes that lead to a perpetual stereotype cycle concerning the group. The observer underestimates his role in causing the stereotype and simply attributes it to the target.Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Perhaps one of the most critical aspects of the interaction between a perceiver and another person, who belongs to a disadvantaged group, is the capacity of the perceiver to alter the target’s behavior permanently. In essence, self fulfilling prophecy becomes a permanent observation in the stereotyped group because of past interactions. Keller (2007) uses his regulatory focus theory to explain why one interaction may lead to future behavior confirmations in targeted groups. He explains that when an individual holds a prevention-focused approach to behavior modification, then he will use past experiences to protect himself. Prevention-focused people dwell on security rather than gain as their primary motivator. Therefore, if a situation increases their level of security, then they will engage in it even it perpetuates a certain stereotype about them. They will use past experiences to judge how effectively an interaction protects them. Therefore, if a perceiver or the general s ituation threatened their security, then they will react in a stereotypical manner. Darley and Fazio (1980) believe that when a target has interacted with a perceiver in a way that led to the stereotype, the target will form an opinion about such interactions. In the future, this target will bring those experiences into similar situations and thus perpetuate the stereotype. For instance, an African American male may have experienced negative interactions with law-enforcement officials in the past. He or she may have responded aggressively towards the officer. It is likely that such a person will be aggressive whenever he comes in contact with other law enforcers because of experience from his past. Kiefer and Sekaquaptewa (2006) also have their own explanation on why a negative interaction between a perceiver and target can lead to perpetual self fulfilling prophecies. These scholars argue that women who believe themselves to be biased through previous experiences, will perform poor ly in tests even in the absence of stereotype cues. Therefore, the interaction between them and their assessors affected their association of task performance and membership in a disadvantaged group. These scholars thus believe that negative interactions with stereotypical groups leads to negative identity formation and self fulfilling behavior in the future. Conclusion Literature shows that stereotypes are not what they seem. Mental processes in the target or the perceiver that lead to the exhibition of the behavior cause self confirming behavior. This may sometimes lead to a permanent display of the stereotype and thus cause a reign of error. References Allen, T., Sgerman, J., Frederica, C. Stroessner, S. (2009). Stereotype strength and attentional bias: Preference for confirming versus disconfirming information depends on processing capacity. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 45(2), 1081-1087. Chen, M. Bargh, J. (1997). The self fulfilling consequences of automatic ste reotype activation. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 33(JS971329), 541=560. Darley, J. Fazio, R. (1980). Expectancy conformation processes arising in the social interaction sequence. American Psychologist, 35(10), 867-881. Gurwitz, S. Dodge, K. (1977). Effects of confirmations and disconfirmations on stereotype-based attributes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 35(7), 495-500. Keller, J. (2007). When negative stereotypic expectancies turn into challenge or threat: The moderating role of regulatory focus. Swiss Journal of Psychology, 66(3), 163-168. Kiefer, A. Sekaquaptewa, D. (2006). Implicit stereotypes and women’s math performance: How implicit gender-math stereotypes influence women’s susceptibility to stereotype threat. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 2(12)1-15. Leander, P., Chartrand, T. Wood, W. (2011). Mind your mannerisms: Behavioral mimicry elicits stereotype conformity. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 47(9), 19 5-201. Lee, K., Kim, H., Vohs, K. (2011). Stereotype threat in the marketplace: Consumer anxiety and purchase intentions. Journal of Consumer Research, 8, 1-17. This research paper on Behavior Confirmation was written and submitted by user Jaylyn B. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Human Resource Management Issues

Human Resource Management Issues Types of Human Resource Management Issues in International Business International human resource management is defined as the effective process of procuring, allocating and utilizing human resources in multinational corporations. The issues that are considered to affect human resource management in foreign establishments are as discussed below.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Human Resource Management Issues specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Culture â€Å"Culture is defined as a set of assumptions, rules, and values about social interaction† (Hofstede, 2003). â€Å"HRM personnel should develop culture sensitive policies that are acceptable within the local culture.† (Sims, Schraeder, 2004). According to Hofstede (2003) the following are factors that differ in national cultures and should be considered in defining management practices. Power Distance –Organizations in high power distance develop centralized and bureaucratic structures while those in low power distance are decentralized with more organic structures. Uncertainty Avoidance –In high uncertainty avoidance countries, people tend to rely on experts and ensure greater stability while those in low uncertainty avoidance areas take risks more lightly. Individualism-Collectivism – Individualism implies that everyone should be independent while collectivism holds that everyone should needs the other. Masculinity-Femininity – â€Å"Masculine societies emphasize the need to achieve something tangible while Feminine societies value helping others, having better quality living, and increased relationships with others† (Sims, Schraeder, 2004). Economic Factors HRM practices are usually determined by the economic systems in different countries. â€Å"In free enterprise systems, the need for efficiency favors HRM policies that value productivity; while in socialists systems, policies ten d to prevent unemployment regardless of the efficiency.† (â€Å"Global Human Resource Management,† n.d). Political Regulations and Policies Different countries have differences in industrial relations such as the governing relationship between the employer, employee, and unions. Employees of some nations are usually given legal rights to take part in formulation of company policies while others do not enjoy such rights. When expanding to a particular country, their governing policies may impact the rate at which a company can develop within the region. Educational, Managerial, and Technological Development in Host Country There are several challenges produced by different countries in relation to the need for expansion by multicultural companies. For example, a multicultural company with an aim of expanding its operations in Europe will be faced by different issues and challenges as compared to one with intentions of expanding its operations in China. The available work force in China may be less educated as compared to their European counterparts, thus, fetch lesser compensation. Firm’s International Experience Firms with longer periods of service in the international markets acquire better skills in maintaining a competitive edge. As compared to global players, new entrants in the international business lack the experience and knowledge of the market and may think of it as uncertain and unpredictable. Types of Staffing Policy Approaches in International HRM International Staffing Policy is a factor that has great impact on companies operating in the international arena. Generally, international staffing has greater challenges as compared to domestic staffing. Therefore, different approaches have been identified and are used by International human resource management.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The three main staffing approaches that are used for staffing in International HRM include; ethnocentric staffing, polycentric staffing, and geocentric staffing (â€Å"Global Human Resource Management,† n.d). In an ethnocentric approach, firms tend to employ people from the parent-country nationals (PCN) to take key managerial positions. The advantages associated with this approach include; the nationals’ familiarity with company goals, policies, procedures, products and technology. However, the disadvantages of this approach include; poor expatriate adaptation, lack of expatriates effectiveness, and underdevelopment of local managers. This approach is normally used in the early stages of internationalization and in a centralized approach to globalization. In a polycentric staffing approach, host-country managers (HCN/local managers) are usually given key positions in their own country of residence. This is usually the scenario due to the belief that local managers understand host c ountry market in relation to culture and behavior, thus, deemed to be more suitable for key positions. The advantages of this approach are the lower cost of hiring local managers, who may also be in better positions to advise on sensitive political issues. However, the disadvantages with this approach include; locals conflicting loyalty, difficulties in coordination with the headquarters, and lack of valuable experience by headquarter managers (â€Å"Global Human Resource Management,† n.d). Lastly, in the geocentric approach, firms tend to employ managers from any other country other than the host country to take key managerial positions. These natives from other countries are referred to as third country nationals (TCN). In this approach, there is an assumption that the best candidate to recruit in a firm can be found anywhere on the globe (â€Å"Global Human Resource Management,† n.d). The benefits of using third country nationals include; availability of broad exper ience, multilingualism, and an international outlook. In the international arena, multinational companies have been identified to increasingly recruit third country and host-country nationals to fill positions in their international subsidiaries.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Human Resource Management Issues specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Evaluation of the Expatriate Management Policy in HRM (UAE Case) Generally, expatriates in the UAE have been governed by tough HRM management policies. Most of the expatriates living in the region had to undergo various tight checks before being accepted in the country. Recently, however, some of these governing policies have either been removed or reduced to a certain level. Below are areas which have been under check by the policies. Expatriate Entry Requirements The UAE Ministry of Health is working on a law in cooperation with the ministry of labor to ensure that e xpatriates are disease free before entering the country (UAE mulls new HIV/AIDS test policy, 2007). This is in accordance with the introduction of a new policy by UAE requiring that all expatriates seeking jobs in the region are HIV/AIDS free. Citizenship Initially, expatriates in the UAE could not enjoy citizenship rights regardless of the number of years they lived there. This also applied to their UAE-born children because they were not considered as citizens either. However, this has changed in states like Dubai where expatriates living for more than 20 years will be issued with a UAE passport. The expatriates will then be issued with a document that will enable them to be treated like nationals. However, UAE residency law does not offer permanent residency, but on renewable basis (Now expats in Dubai can get UAE passport, 2005). End-of-service gratitude policy In accordance to the UAE law, it is a requirement that all employers pay their employees an end-of service gratuity whi ch is similar to pension (UAE consider changes, 2010). Currently, reports show that UAE officials are pushing for organization to be paying expatriates an end-of service gratuity. This is intended to make funds available to companies in case of sudden financial constraints. In the current UAE pay skim, expatriates earn 21 days’ pay for the first 5 years of employment and 30 days’ pay for the remaining years (UAE consider changes, 2010). Reference List Global Human Resource Management. (n.d). Web.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Hofstede, G. (2003). Cultures Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors,  Institutions, and Organizations across Nations. New York: Sage Publications. Now expats in Dubai can get UAE passport. (2005, July 25). Web. Sims, R. H., Schraeder M. (2004) An Examination of Salient Factors Affecting  Expatriate Culture Shock. (2004). Web. UAE consider changes to end-of-service gratuity policy for expatriates. (2010, December 14). Web. UAE mulls new HIV/AIDS test policy for expatriate job seekers. (2007, August 1). Web.

Article Review - Educational Instructional Practices, Programs, and Essay - 1

Article Review - Educational Instructional Practices, Programs, and Strategies - Essay Example The research centered on a large urban school district with special emphasis on high –need schools. Specifically, the study focused on the success of the no child left behind government policy. To succeed, the government introduced the Adequate Yearly Progress program to ensure the decline in the number of uneducated children. The instructional strategy/program AND the research that assessed its effectiveness is based on surveys. The findings indicate that missing school has a direct destructive effect on the teacher’s strive to increase the students’ academic performance. Likewise, the prolonged absences trigger a persistent negative relationship between excessive absences from class lessons to performance. The research focused on the academic performance of elementary school students. The research centered on the focused on setting up drastic school measures to address the decline in the student’s academic performances. Further, the study focused on the relationship between absences and academic performance. First, the study tracked five cohorts of elementary school children for a period of six consecutive years. The study centered on the siblings’ progress over a period of six consecutive years. The six years included elementary, middle school, and high school. The policy implications on absence behavior could be derived in terms of which data –based decisions. Second, the research zeroed in on both math and reading standardized tests. The research determined the effects of absences on the students’ noncognitive areas such as behavior issues. The study showed that the absentee students feel alienated from their classmates when they enter the classroom. In addition, several absentee students feel the presence of a gap between themselves and the teachers. The concept of the research was very good. The researchers

100% Maritime Container Cargo Scanning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

100% Maritime Container Cargo Scanning - Essay Example Ports of entry were not left behind. Policies were formulated that ensured that any passenger or cargo that is getting into the American soil has to be thoroughly screened before release. To this end, congress introduced legislations that called for the screening of all cargo that is bound for American ports. Customs and Border Protection (hereby referred to as CBP) was mandated to introduce measures that will ensure that any shipment likely to conceal weapons will be screened before been loaded to a ship bound for any American port. Thus, the screening was to be done at the port of origin. This was enshrined in the American statutes on August 3rd, 2007. The then American president, George W. Bush, was the one that signed it. This paper is going to discuss the 100% Maritime Container Cargo Screening issue. Covered will be the background of this issue, the benefits of this procedure and mot importantly, the challenges that are facing this procedure. The writer will try to provide possible solutions to the challenges that will be identified. After the 9/11 debacle, a commission was set up by president Bush to look into the that attack and come up with recommendations that will ensure that such an attack never happens again in American soil. The commission came up with a raft of recommendations, as their terms of reference called for. These recommendations were signed into law by the head of state on August 3rd, 2007 (Mainbrace 1). The act of these recommendations came to be referred to as â€Å"Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act† (Mainbrace 1). It was also referred to as the â€Å"9/11 Commission Act† (Mainbrace 1). The act provided that 100% of cargo bound for American ports have to be scanned (Mainbrace 1). This was just one of the recommendations of the commission as far as American security is concerned. The deadline for full compliance with this law was stipulated to be July of 2012 (Mainbrace 1). Thus, it is expected that

Psychology-Decision Making Essay Example for Free

Psychology-Decision Making Essay Abstract   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   How does it happen that managers take decisions which lead them to failures? What decision-making mechanisms do they inactivate when they take such decisions? This paper is aimed at analyzing these psychological implications. Psychology Decision Making   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Introduction  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is not rare that managers take decisions which lead them to failure. These failures often become the headlines and the top stories of newspapers and magazines. However, has anyone analyzed the psychological implications of such decisions? What psychological theories could explain such managers’ behavior, and what useful recommendations could be drawn from such cases?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Problem identification   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The case of Sears, when owned by Edward S. Lampert, is the most recent example of a large managerial mistake, having led to significant financial and economic losses. On January 29, 2008 Lampert pushed out his chief executive, but what is more important, he took decision to distance himself from the day-to-day management of his enterprise. â€Å"Until now, the heads of several major departments, like marketing and merchandising, reported directly to Mr. Lampert, even though he has no background in retailing or advertising† (Barbaro, 2008). It is crucial to understand, how Lampert came to the idea of day-to-day management of his enterprise, although he did not have enough professional skills for that    Theoretical background   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is stated, that â€Å"we are likely, social constructed individuals. Our experiences, our cultures, our social order, shape our motivations, our desires, and our beliefs about the world we encounter† (Plous, 1993). Our management decisions are shaped are also shaped under the impact of business environment and the objectives we expect to meet in our management activity. We tend to take decisions, which are primary based on our perception of the world around us (Connolly, 2000). One of the major problems in management decision making is in that a person can hardly be objective in taking decisions. The lack of objectivity leads to the situation, when we do not take into account multiple environmental factors, impacting our decisions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Evidently, there cannot be any better explanation to Lampert’s decision, that the self-perception theory. This theory deals with the human perceptions and the ways they incorporate their perceptions into their daily behavior (Plous, 1993). To be clear, Lampert’s expectations and beliefs into his managerial skills and the ability to cope with a large retail enterprise were not justified from the start. In this case, the major question to be answered was â€Å"what am I to do to make this enterprise profitable?† Trying to answer this question, and taking decisions in the discussed framework, Lampert has concluded that the best solution for the situation would be tying himself to the daily company’s activity. Moreover, it was not enough for him to stay ahead; he had to manage, but this decision lacked theoretical and practical foundations. This is how Lampert’s pseudo opinions impacted the overall performance of the company (Plous, 1993). Respondents are influenced by pseudo opinions when they do not know much about the issue or when they know nothing about it (Plous, 1993). In Lampert’s case, attribution heuristics has greatly contributed into the negative decision outcomes: Lampert was obviously justifying his behavior as situationally-produced. As a result, he has underestimated the lack of his managerial skills (Plous, 1993).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Critical thinking is the integral part of the decision making process. â€Å"Most international managers find it extremely challenging to evaluate a written or spoken commentary on a hot topic because both sides of the controversy seem to have good arguments† (Safi Burrell, 2007). Has Lampert’s decision been caused by critical thinking approach? Definitely, it has: for a long period of time, Sears was criticized for lacking a management team with retail experience and for Lampert’s being a micromanager who hampered the business (Barbaro, 2008). As a result, Lampert was driven to the situation in which he had to admit his managerial mistakes due to the two facts: the external criticism, and the objective financial data confirming the $14 million financial losses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Recommendations   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The case of Edward S. Lampert is a brilliant example of a situation, in which successful manager has overestimated his skills and has not applied any critical thinking approach before the decision was made. As a result, numerous pseudo opinions and the lack of objective information have led to significant gaps in the company’s performance. In order to take a good decision, a manager must â€Å"understand, what result is desirable and the tools available to us for making good decisions† (Safi Burrell, 2007). There are several recommendations for a manager in similar situations. First, it is crucial that the manager avoids pseudo opinions. In this aspect, the wording of the question to answer is very important. In order to create effective decisions, managers must be able to formulate the questions. Properly wording the issue crucially impacts the effectiveness of the chosen answers, and as a result, the managerial activities which lead or do not lead to business success. â€Å"Be honest with yourself about the agendas and motives. Are you really gathering information to help you make a smart choice, or are you just looking for evidence confirming your preconceived notions?† (Safi Burrell, 2007). Not only objectivity and evaluation of one’s skills have led Sears to failure. It is also the inability to properly formulate the goals of such actions: what aims did Lampert have in his actions? Did he want to promote his enterprise profitability or himself as a successful manager? He had to answer those questions before he undertook any real actions which later almost pushed the company into the flow of negative consequences.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In his decision to quit day-to-day management of Sears, Lampert has finally come to one of the crucial elements in the decision-making process: he was able to recall the key facts and decision-making variables. The list of these variables included financial indices and persistent criticism of Sears’ performance. As a result, Lampert was finally able to take the best decision possible in the problematic situation. However, it is still unclear whether hiring a new CEO was based on any objective grounds or would require thorough re-consideration in the nearest future. One may hope that this re-consideration will not be caused by a new management decision-making failure. References Barbaro, M. (2008). Sears’ chairman will take a step back. The New York Times. Retrieved February 1, 2008 from http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/29/business/29sears.html?ref=businessqG4vaywTPkZypAw Connolly, T. (2000). Judgment and decision making: An interdisciplinary reader. Cambridge University Press. Plous, S. (1993). The Psychology of judgment and decision making. McGraw-Hill. Safi, A. Burrell, D.N. (2007). Developing advanced decision-making skills in international leaders and managers. Vikalpa, vol. 32, no. 3, pp. 1-8.

The Presidency Of Andrew Jackson Essay -- essays research papers

The Presidency of Andrew Jackson In this paper I'll go over his presidency, focusing on both the highs and the lows of his two terms in office, from 1829-1837. The issues that I'll focus on are states’ rights, the tariff, the spoils system, Indian removal and banking policies; these controversies brought forth strong rivalry over his years of president. He was known for his iron will and severe personality, and strong use of the powers of his office that made his years of presidency to be known as the "Age of Jackson." Jackson served as delegate to Tennessee in the 1796 Constitutional convention and a congressman for a year (from 1796-97). He was elected senator in 1797, but financial problems forced him to resign and return to Tennessee in less than a year. Later he served as a Tennessee superior court judge for six years starting in 1798. In 1804 he retired from the bench and moved to Nashville and devoted time to business ventures and his plantation. In 1814 Jackson was a Major General in the Tennessee Militia, here he was ordered to march against the Creek Indians, who were pro-British in the war of 1812. Eventually he forced all Indians out of the area. His victory's impressed some people in Washington and Jackson was put in command of the defense of New Orleans. This show of American strength made Americans feel proud after a war filled with military defeats. Jackson was given the nickname "Old Hickory", and was treated as a national hero. In 1822 the Tennessee Legislature nominated him for president and the following year he was elected the U.S. senate. He also nearly won the presidential campaign of 1824. However as a result of the "corrupt bargain" with Henry Clay, he ended up losing. In 1828 Andrew Jackson became the seventh President to the United States. Instead of the normal cabinet made up by the president, he relied more on an informal group of newspaper writers and northern politicians who had worked for his election. I believe that this made him more in contact with the people of the United States, and with the public opinion and feelings toward national issues. President Jackson developed the system of "rotation in office." This was used to protect the American people from a development of a old political group by removing ... ...xas takeover to Martin Van Buren. Jackson was a powerful voice in the Democratic party even after retired. He died on June 8, 1845 on his plantation, the Hermitage, in Nashville Tennessee. Andrew Jackson was the first "peoples president." This comes from his youth in a frontier territory and his "people qualities" which helped him to be more touch with the people of the United States, and therefore the people of the United States took a more active role in the Government. He even went so far as to call himself the elected representative of all American people. I think that Jackson's strengthening of the powers of the presidency are the biggest influence to this day. He used the power of the veto 12 times (more times than all of his successors combined). I only wish that their was a candidate like that running for election in '04. When you gave this project, I though Jackson was a mean tempered Indian fighter who trashed the White House and found his way to office because he took over Florida and defended New Orleans Successfully. But I grew to learn that he was really a great president and did a lot for the presidency of the United States of America.

Leaving Home

My brother, Ricky, sister, Amrit and I had only found out a week before, that we were just about to be whisked away to a foreign country we hadn't set in for seven years, and seven years before that. We would be staying there for a whole month, so as you can imagine, we were taken aback, yet somewhat sceptic, as we'd always heard our parents mentioning a trip to India for a few months, but never actually believed they would go to the bother of booking the tickets. After all, my mother had only taken my now 5-year-old sister to see her family there four years ago. My immediate concern was language. I can read and write my mother tongue, and understand what people are telling me, but wasn't very good at speaking back. I think this pleased my parents, they thought it would be good for us, as they knew we would have to start learning to talk in our mother tongue Punjabi. It wasn't really difficult to prepare for the trip, well not for me anyway. All I had to do was make sure I had a holiday form, homework and suitcase packed. However, my poor parents had to sort out the passports, visas, currency, jabs (ouch) and house security while we were away. I didn't really tell my friends until the last minute, as I was expecting a cancellation, change in plan or even told I'd been set up and it was all a joke. I was actually a little annoyed with my parents for not booking during school holidays, not because I'd miss school, only the workload I'd have to catch up on. But once they explained that they couldn't get a holiday the same time as us, I felt quite sorry for them. When I think back to it, I was actually disappointed that we were going to India, instead of Canada in the summer, which is where I was hoping go, which was no longer possible. India as I last remembered it, was freezing in the morning, and boiling in the afternoon (we went in December), pretty smelly, the people were scared to talk to me and my brother (my sister wasn't born then), and we didn't really want to say anything to them. The thing that disgusted me most about this country was definitely the latrines. I tried not to go to the toilet unless I had a full bladder and was desperate; it was also hard to get toilet paper over there. This time, we prepared ourselves with plenty of rolls before we left. I wasn't very impressed then, but it was also the reason we had gone in the first place, that we didn't feel like enjoying ourselves. It was pretty depressing, as my mother's brother had died in a tractor accident on Diwali, so my mother left England a few weeks before us to go to his funeral. I must admit that I was a little exited, as many of my relatives from Britain had gone a few weeks before us, so we would be meeting them there as well. The flight had been delayed three hours, so I didn't really have a positive attitude when we arrived at the airport. The one thing that thrilled me when we were boarding the plane was that the passengers went on the stairs instead of the corridor, like in the movies, so that we could actually see the plane as we were boarding it. I' m not scared of flying, but I did grow a little nervous as I approached the plane, the paintwork was hand done, the panels looked loose, and generally dirty. I didn't look like it would make it all the way to India. The airhostesses also looked scary. The were from Kyrgystan, the airline company we were travelling with, and spoke in Russian to each other and in a Russian accent to the passengers. I had to strain to understand them properly. They wore thick bright coloured make up, and were always smiling. This had the opposite effect on me than intended, they reminded me of clowns! Inside, the plane was pretty cramped, and during the take off, my ears hurt and I felt sick. Since we were stopping in Turkey for a break, and changing planes in Russia, I had to go through this six times before we even landed in India. On the plane journey, my family were relaxing, listening to music, and reading magazines, but I was working away, struggling to get my homework finished before we reached India, so I could feel free without the stress of having to catch up there. Although we would be so busy I wouldn't even have time. The whole journey lasted two days, the second plane was even worse. Russia is so cold, that there was ice forming inside the plane! It was brilliant when we actually landed in Delhi. The sun was out and the people at the airport were so welcoming. After we came out through customs, we were re-united with my sister's water gun, and mother's almond hair oil, which had been confiscated in Birmingham. I had to laugh. Then we came across a big problem. One of our suitcases was missing. It contained all of my Ricky's clothing. We could claim the contents on insurance, but had to take him shopping for new clothes as soon as possible. I was thirsty, and wanted a drink, but there was one thing that stood in my way, no rupees. While my parents sorted out the lost property forms, l sneaked over to one of the currency exchange bureaus and decided to test the Indian in the office. I got out one pound and put it on the desk. He said, â€Å"is that all? † grinning. I replied,† it's all I've got. † Then he said, â€Å"well only for you then! † I got my sixty-five rupees, and went straight to get a coffee. My mother and I went to the arrivals lounge, where we met my uncle. They were hugging each other, and they all started chatting in Punjabi. The poor man had been waiting for ages, as he hadn't known about the delay, so I went to get the rest of my family. I whispered to my mum â€Å"Mum, he looks nothing like you. † Then she told that he was her cousin, not her brother. We somehow managed to pack everything into the Sumo, which is like a type of jeep or taxi. I was squashed in the back, it was very uncomfortable, but I concentrated on everything around me. There were loads of children coming back from school in their mopeds. Apparently, the timing for our trip had been brilliant for the weather, but our cousins would be taking their exams at this time. In India, the children have to take an exam at the end of every school year; the result of this exam determines whether they will be allowed into the next class. If they fail, they will have to repeat the year. I felt a bit like an intruder when I heard this, because they would have vital work to do, and I would be expecting them to show me around or getting bored. We arrived at the village we would be staying at, Gureh in Ludhiana, Punjab for the next week at around about midnight. I was surprised; could say shocked at the state of the house. The standard was better than the housing in England. The layout is not quite the same, but there was a toilet, a decant shower area, separate bedrooms, and they even had a car. I met my aunt, and my cousin Manjit, who's eighteen years old. He seemed quite shy, and always walked with his head down. His sister who is my age was already gone to sleep. We dumped our bags in our room, and after about an hour, went to sleep. The next day, we got up late and relaxed the whole day. When I met Pardeep, I remembered her from seven years ago straight away. She was pretty cheeky, and sometimes a bit spoilt, but she showed me around the village. I felt ever so conscious of my clothes. I was wearing trousers and a top, but everybody else, in their salwar kameez (type of Indian suit) just smiled. For the next the day of two, we visited relatives from villages that lived near Ludhiana. My uncle drove us. I felt a bit rude, as I didn't remember many of them. One day that week, we took the car ourselves, and I was told I was going to go to Mussayala. This village I could not forget. Last time Ricky and I had great fun chasing after the chickens, feeding the cows the chapattis we refused to eat, running around with our uncles and aunts. They're actually our age, but it's one of the funny age differences that happen a lot in our family tree. At this village lived my great granddad, which gave me something to talk about at home. The only way I can think of to describe Mussayala is that it is one of those ancient forgotten old places in the middle of nowhere. The village had a single toilet, which was sometimes pretty embarrassing. As I thought about how many times we had watched the home video we made from last time, I grew more exited. But when we arrived, in the evening, my â€Å"cousins† acted as if they couldn't figure out who we were. Okay, so maybe my Punjabi wasn't great, but they were so shy. I hoped that this would not carry on. Because my parents had arranged to see an architect about the building on the plot of land for my grandmother. The only architects we knew of were in Chandigardh, the capital of Punjab. I didn't really have any expectations of the city at first, but was very impressed. We got there on the bus, which isn't the best way of travelling in India. We were out in the town, and got to travel in the rickshaws. The roads were a lot cleaner than those in the villages. It was practically like England. We went an actual fast food restaurant, but it didn't sell meat so we just ordered chips and pizza. I wasn't anticipating there would be so many young college students, who wore the same sort of trousers and top I did. I immediately regretted my decision to wear a traditional suit that day. This was the one time I would have felt comfortable in my normal English clothes, and I'd just wasted that chance. The architects had a proper office, and were very professional, not just some back room of a shop, and didn't take long to find. It wasn't a very long meeting, as my parents didn't have enough information about the plot to make a plan. The data had to be really detailed, such as which direction the sun rises. I didn't realise that little things like this affected the construction of a house. We wandered around the centre of the town for a while, and the things I saw made me sure I would have felt comfortable staying here for a few days. But the problem of having too many things to do and too little time to do it in always got in the way. The city is really quite modern and developed; in fact, the whole of the country has really progressed in the last seven years. The shantytowns still lie on the outskirts of the towns, but technology is more advanced and the nation has noticeably prospered. Some people in the farm villages were even walking around with mobile phones. I think that which area of India you see that affects the overall impression. If you compared somewhere like Mussayala to Gureh, you can really see the change. The original plan had been to spend one week in Punjab, two weeks in U. P. where my mums family lived, and go to somewhere like Goa or Bangalore for the remaining week, before heading back towards Delhi. Since we had spent so long in Punjab because of this plot business, this was no longer possible. My dad said that it was silly that we thought we could get everything done in only a month. I was delighted that my cousin Pardeep had holidays and could come to U. P. with us. We really couldn't afford to be lazy the day we were leaving, we got ready early that day, but were still delayed, as the Sumo we had hired had to go back and get a roof rack for all of our luggage. My mum gave the servants some money, and we left with everybody waving goodbye. I was very grateful for their hospitality. This trip took the whole day. Me, Pardeep, Ricky and Amrit sat at the back, parents in the middle and drivers at the front. I just read a magazine, my brother and sister played, and my cousin listened to the Walkman. We stopped off at a few of what would be the equivalent to cafes a few times, bought a supply of crisps and some drink, and went to the latrines while we had the chance. On the route to U. P. , we had to go through a beautiful rural state called Haryana. This is the sort of place where you meet village maids milking cows, there was green grass everywhere and the landscape was beautiful. I had never seen anywhere like it, not even in the Hindi films. On the map, the state was just a small chunk of land. As we came nearer to the heart of U. P. (my mum's family lived south of UP) we saw many women wearing cloths over their heads, there were many more Muslims living here. I also noticed that the signs were written in Hindi. It was annoying, because I couldn't understand what they said, and felt quite ignorant. In Punjab, the main language was Punjabi. Even when the people here spoke Punjabi, they did with a Hindi accent which was difficult to understand fully. I didn't realise that such a change could happen only across states. As it grew dark, we were just approaching the town nearest to my mum's village, Kashipur. We stopped here to buy some bottles of coke. It was here that I began to get exited, we were so near. Pardeep kept telling us how far we were. My mum had already warned me, that most of my cousins my age, would be at their boarding schools, but the younger ones would be here. I was a bit worried, but also enthusiastic. We were all half asleep when we arrived. As we approached the house, I saw a huge a mass of people waiting to welcome us. I never realised I had such a big family. We got out, and everyone was hugging everybody else. It felt good, even if you didn't know who was who. My mum began telling how I was related to everyone else which sometimes got a bit confusing. My older cousins were joking, telling me how they were planning to marry me off some overweight drunk from India. They were also joking about my brother, because he doesn't speak much Punjabi. â€Å"He wouldn't know if we were swearing at him though, would he? He'd just ignore it. † This made me laugh. During the next week, some of cousins came from boarding school for a bit, but there was only one day where everyone was there together, and that was on Ricky's birthday that was celebrated with a couple of party poppers. In the middle of the last week, me and my family, Pardeep, my mum's brother and his son, Jatinder, my mum's sister's daughter, Kuldeep, and my mum's late brother's daughter, Amandeep, who is a bit bratty went on a day trip to Nainital, a village on the foothills of the Himalayas. This is the place my parents visited when they first bought Ricky and me to India. My brother and I of course couldn't remember the place at all, and didn't understand why they were so keen to go back there again. But when we actually got there, we soon found out. We were all crammed into the back of a jeep, and arrived in two and a half hours. During which Jatinder, who was sitting opposite me, flicked nuts at me, tapped me continually and succeeded in annoying me, although he is a year older. Nainital was BRILLIANT. It reminded me of Nepal. The people looked Nepalese and spoke in a Nepalese accent. We even dressed in Nepalese costume and took photos. We went on a few rides, and rode on some horses up the mountains. The view on the ski lift was spectacular, and the scenery of the Himalayas was amazing. Me, Ricky, Jatinder and Pardeep went to on a paddleboat on a large lake for an hour or so. This was tiring, yet relaxing at the same time. It was shortly after this, that we left to go back to UP. I was disappointed when we returned to Delhi for our last night. I didn't miss England at all, not even the tele. There were tears as we left the village. I felt sick at the bottom of my stomach when we waved goodbye. I'd got a little gift for each of my cousins, and made my uncle promise he'd make sure they got them. † See you in four months† I said to him, as we dragged our entire luggage to the x-rays. I knew there wasn't much chance of my parents letting me come back in the summer holidays, even though I told them I was willing to go alone. Apparently, it was so hot, that I wouldn't be able to survive, and would get ill quickly. When Kuldeep asked me when I was coming back, I jokingly told her on her wedding day, though she is only seventeen, but I was surprised when she made keep it as a promise to her. I had picked up many skills throughout the holiday. These include: milking a cow, driving a tractor, making ghee, and insulting somebody in Punjabi, many of which are pretty useless to me in Britain, but it was the experience of learning theses things from my relatives that I treasure. When the plane landed in Britain, I don't think I've ever felt so down. I still want to turn around and go straight back. The weather suited my mood perfectly, it was pouring down. My friends at school and family said there were three things that had changed about me. My skin colour was darker, or as my friend Shona said, â€Å"glowing†. (This sounded much nicer. ) I had also lost a bit of weight, which I have unfortunately regained. I think the change that most people especially my relatives noticed was, that I spoke much nicer Punjabi, and my words flowed better. I think this is because, in England, I could get away with thinking in English, translating the words into the other language, and then letting them out. Whereas in India, you must think sharply and reply quickly, so I had to train my mind to think, as well as speak in Punjabi, which is why it has improved so much. Leaving Home It was the last time I saw my Mother. My grieving pain for my mothers love infinitely grew. She was god in my eyes but was I the god given daughter she had hoped for? Everyday I had run to her absorbing her warmth as I wrapped my long limbs around her waist. The waist that had carried me for nine months, but was I worth the wait? Mother's predictable great force would transfer into my weakened bones forcing me to collapse onto the striped wooden floor. I would land with a thud hoping that the chances of me receiving a hug the next day would increase. Maybe my accidental escape was for the best. Perhaps I was destined for this moment, this was fait in the palms of my hand, waiting for me to reach out and snatch the opportunity. Mother had snatched my rights to live as a normal human being away. It was forbidden for me to even talk to her. I needed permission. I told my self through every breath that everything would end up right, I was right. Rain, rain everywhere. Summer had died out, until next year. Autumn had approached me. My memory remained in the happy days but my solidified body moved on with life. My inner self, deep down, stands proud and fearless to this world creation signed to god. I always believed that if god brings you to it, he will bring you to it. I was eight. I was blessed with the perfect parents. Both their hearts were fulfilled with love and care. Every moment was heavenly. I lived in an averaged sized, 3-bedroom apartment in what was considered ‘normal. ‘ It was good enough for me. The oval shaped window revealed its outer secrets, the growing towers bordered with a beautiful skyline. Father was a man of great expectations. A man of many wise words. His broad shoulders would easily swing me from side to side like a wild hungry lion ripping and swinging his possession; his raw meat. In my case I was the loving prey for my Father, the predator, the bread winner of the family. I was his little princess. Mother was a lady, petite sized with a facial appearance carved from the clouds up above, the clouds in heaven. Mother was a woman who glowed with love for me. Her greatest asset was her silky, black locks that matched her thinly waxed eyebrows which also complimented her brown tan. One day, for the first time every Mother and Father were in their bedroom raving. It wasn't a common sign which usually are positive. I could hear smashing and slamming against the walls. My ears sensed danger. They were noises that I had never heard before. The sense of love that flowed like a river through the air had shattered into broken pieces like corrupted glass which were non-fixable. I could barely make out what was being said. My distraction towards the aromatic spices and herbs from the kitchen flew up my tempted nose. The cuisine had blended with my tears of sadness. I couldn't understand, everything used to be perfect, what could have happened? Before the argument I had thought of Mother's voice as a relaxing tone, music being played from a magical flute that only she could master. Then the tables had turned. My voice seemed as sweet as sugar compared to mothers. Hers was now flat and dull. The lifeless mono-tone wasn't Mother at all. It was as if a Hoover had vacuumed out the energy, the encouragement, the enthusiasm. I thought that the past argument was normal for all married couples until it became a trend. To see physical fighting would be less painful than my pain. It felt as if a needle had attempted to pierce its way through my heart but got stuck leaving never ending pain. The trend became daily. The light ore around both my parents, especially Mother, had faded into the dark shadows. As everyday passed the hatred between the two grew and grew. Mother's once soft, tanned skin mounted with make up for affect had altered to a yellow, pale colour. I preferred Mother without make up but it was far better then seeing Mother like this. She didn't even attempt to make her self look better. You could tell by the way that she lounged around the house that she was too lazy to even care. Mother would sit on the Indian decorated sofas which stood out. The black, long shiny hair had also moved on to knotted tangles. Personally I blame the bottles containing alcohol that Mother used to wash down accompanied with her finger-sized cigarettes. I would watch her drown her sorrows as the booze over took her mind flooding her inner self with this poison. Mother's behavior began to really show. As much as I detested my life I loved it. Half of my heart, the candy half, told me everything would be fine and to carry on loving Mother but the other half, the cold half, would send messages to my brain whispering in my ears for me to leave. To escape! Escape to where though? All the pressure from my parent's constant arguments was too much for me to handle. My sensitive brain was over powered. The repeated parrot phrase ‘leave home' would haunt me in my dreams. Everyday before bed time I would bend my legs, clasp my hands tightly together so pearls of sweat would form. I would pray to god with devotion asking for him to solve my problems. I wished to exit my world of stress and tension. I never gave up. I waited and waited and waited†¦ The day came unexpectedly. With care I would drift pass Mother's negative energy. Deep down my love grew towards Mother no matter what she was. Mother was soft and sweet like gum on the inside but her hardened shell took over on the outside. She was brainwashed. I was always alert of every sharp movement she made, every sligh glance she gave me in the corner of her beady camera eyes, every snarl she would utter under her rotten breath. I quickly limped across the carpet like a sneaky mouse to find my self in front of the powerful door. I called it the ‘deciding door' as it decided weather I should leave the house and never return. On the way I had passed the rose red, ribena stain from when I spilt my glass on the floor. Mother had rescued me from injury. The memories were so fresh in my mind. It was as if it were yesterday. As I opened the door, the invisible wind flew in and out of my ears sending shivers up and down my spine as if an elevator were traveling to different floors. I would stand there shivering, imagining myself in Mothers arms. The whole of my Indian coloured skin would cover in goose bumps, each individual one containing a hair all stood up equal sized looking like they were under commandment in an army. My first step onto the African rug could have been my last. I wished. My long legged limbs would co-operate together so I could travel to where I wished to travel. They were under my instructions. I reached the pavement on the sides of the roads. As the first car lead the rest my heat rotated at a ninety degree angle to the right. No cars in sight. As I reached mid point in the road an internal feeling of sickness approached me. I looked down to find no blood. My consciousness was fading vastly. As I tried to demand my legs to get up they laid there lifelessly. I blinked once, the blue sky. I blinked twice, half the sky. I blinked 3 times, nothing†¦ Leaving Home It was the last time I saw my Mother. My grieving pain for my mothers love infinitely grew. She was god in my eyes but was I the god given daughter she had hoped for? Everyday I had run to her absorbing her warmth as I wrapped my long limbs around her waist. The waist that had carried me for nine months, but was I worth the wait? Mother's predictable great force would transfer into my weakened bones forcing me to collapse onto the striped wooden floor. I would land with a thud hoping that the chances of me receiving a hug the next day would increase. Maybe my accidental escape was for the best. Perhaps I was destined for this moment, this was fait in the palms of my hand, waiting for me to reach out and snatch the opportunity. Mother had snatched my rights to live as a normal human being away. It was forbidden for me to even talk to her. I needed permission. I told my self through every breath that everything would end up right, I was right. Rain, rain everywhere. Summer had died out, until next year. Autumn had approached me. My memory remained in the happy days but my solidified body moved on with life. My inner self, deep down, stands proud and fearless to this world creation signed to god. I always believed that if god brings you to it, he will bring you to it. I was eight. I was blessed with the perfect parents. Both their hearts were fulfilled with love and care. Every moment was heavenly. I lived in an averaged sized, 3-bedroom apartment in what was considered ‘normal. ‘ It was good enough for me. The oval shaped window revealed its outer secrets, the growing towers bordered with a beautiful skyline. Father was a man of great expectations. A man of many wise words. His broad shoulders would easily swing me from side to side like a wild hungry lion ripping and swinging his possession; his raw meat. In my case I was the loving prey for my Father, the predator, the bread winner of the family. I was his little princess. Mother was a lady, petite sized with a facial appearance carved from the clouds up above, the clouds in heaven. Mother was a woman who glowed with love for me. Her greatest asset was her silky, black locks that matched her thinly waxed eyebrows which also complimented her brown tan. One day, for the first time every Mother and Father were in their bedroom raving. It wasn't a common sign which usually are positive. I could hear smashing and slamming against the walls. My ears sensed danger. They were noises that I had never heard before. The sense of love that flowed like a river through the air had shattered into broken pieces like corrupted glass which were non-fixable. I could barely make out what was being said. My distraction towards the aromatic spices and herbs from the kitchen flew up my tempted nose. The cuisine had blended with my tears of sadness. I couldn't understand, everything used to be perfect, what could have happened? Before the argument I had thought of Mother's voice as a relaxing tone, music being played from a magical flute that only she could master. Then the tables had turned. My voice seemed as sweet as sugar compared to mothers. Hers was now flat and dull. The lifeless mono-tone wasn't Mother at all. It was as if a Hoover had vacuumed out the energy, the encouragement, the enthusiasm. I thought that the past argument was normal for all married couples until it became a trend. To see physical fighting would be less painful than my pain. It felt as if a needle had attempted to pierce its way through my heart but got stuck leaving never ending pain. The trend became daily. The light ore around both my parents, especially Mother, had faded into the dark shadows. As everyday passed the hatred between the two grew and grew. Mother's once soft, tanned skin mounted with make up for affect had altered to a yellow, pale colour. I preferred Mother without make up but it was far better then seeing Mother like this. She didn't even attempt to make her self look better. You could tell by the way that she lounged around the house that she was too lazy to even care. Mother would sit on the Indian decorated sofas which stood out. The black, long shiny hair had also moved on to knotted tangles. Personally I blame the bottles containing alcohol that Mother used to wash down accompanied with her finger-sized cigarettes. I would watch her drown her sorrows as the booze over took her mind flooding her inner self with this poison. Mother's behavior began to really show. As much as I detested my life I loved it. Half of my heart, the candy half, told me everything would be fine and to carry on loving Mother but the other half, the cold half, would send messages to my brain whispering in my ears for me to leave. To escape! Escape to where though? All the pressure from my parent's constant arguments was too much for me to handle. My sensitive brain was over powered. The repeated parrot phrase ‘leave home' would haunt me in my dreams. Everyday before bed time I would bend my legs, clasp my hands tightly together so pearls of sweat would form. I would pray to god with devotion asking for him to solve my problems. I wished to exit my world of stress and tension. I never gave up. I waited and waited and waited†¦ The day came unexpectedly. With care I would drift pass Mother's negative energy. Deep down my love grew towards Mother no matter what she was. Mother was soft and sweet like gum on the inside but her hardened shell took over on the outside. She was brainwashed. I was always alert of every sharp movement she made, every sligh glance she gave me in the corner of her beady camera eyes, every snarl she would utter under her rotten breath. I quickly limped across the carpet like a sneaky mouse to find my self in front of the powerful door. I called it the ‘deciding door' as it decided weather I should leave the house and never return. On the way I had passed the rose red, ribena stain from when I spilt my glass on the floor. Mother had rescued me from injury. The memories were so fresh in my mind. It was as if it were yesterday. As I opened the door, the invisible wind flew in and out of my ears sending shivers up and down my spine as if an elevator were traveling to different floors. I would stand there shivering, imagining myself in Mothers arms. The whole of my Indian coloured skin would cover in goose bumps, each individual one containing a hair all stood up equal sized looking like they were under commandment in an army. My first step onto the African rug could have been my last. I wished. My long legged limbs would co-operate together so I could travel to where I wished to travel. They were under my instructions. I reached the pavement on the sides of the roads. As the first car lead the rest my heat rotated at a ninety degree angle to the right. No cars in sight. As I reached mid point in the road an internal feeling of sickness approached me. I looked down to find no blood. My consciousness was fading vastly. As I tried to demand my legs to get up they laid there lifelessly. I blinked once, the blue sky. I blinked twice, half the sky. I blinked 3 times, nothing†¦