Should tourism be developed further in Kenya?

Where is Kenya? Kenya is in east Africa, and is bordered by countries such as Tanzania Uganda, Ethiopia and Somalia. The longitude of Kenya is 38 degrees and the latitude is 0 degrees. The capital city of Kenya is Nairobi and one of the most important towns is Mombassa. This country is bordered to the east by the Indian Ocean, and is on the equator. Why do tourists visit Kenya? Tourists visit Kenya for many reasons. The two most popular types of holidays are safari holidays and beach holidays. These are the two types of places were tourists go to enjoy their holidays and also the scenery and atmosphere. They also like to look at the way and find out about the traditional ways of life and how they are lived, by this countries people. When tourists go on safari holiday's majority of the tourists sit back, relax and enjoy the hot sunny weather and they vacation in the national parks and stay in the lodges. During this visit they travel in the minibuses to see the beautiful wildlife, which Kenya offers. This is where the famous world animals live, for example; giraffes, leopards, elephants, others include lions, rhinoceros, flamingos' and many others. They also take photographs of the wildlife to keep souvenirs, however tourists may also by souvenirs from the different masaii shops, in villages, in the national parks. Tourists may also do different activities, which the national parts in Kenya offer, like hot air balloon safari, mountain trekking and also investigating famous buildings. The other type of most exotic popular place tourists enjoy is the scenery; hot, clean, golden sandy beaches where the tourists enjoy sun bathing. As the weather is hot, the warm sea is also hot. The sea is used for water sports such as, jet skiing, snorkelling swimming in the sea, lake cruises, and glass bottomed boot rides, where the beautiful shells and tropical fishes can be seen and the coral reef. The place that they stay at includes restaurants and modern hotels. They enjoy themselves at bars, where they provide exotic foods. Sports and activities include playing golf, traditional dances high club, traditional crafts and others. This is where and why tourists visit these two popular exotic places. How developed is Kenya? Here I will explain and give detail of how developed Kenya actually is to begin with Kenya has a lower level of development than Japan. I am going to show this by comparing Kenya to Japan. There is a lot of evidence to show that Kenya is a LEDC country meaning it is a less economically developed country. To begin with I am going to write about the birth rate of Kenya is much higher birth rate of Japan. In a way of good thing, however it may also be a bad thing. The good thing is that many workers can help in the industry, where as, on the other hand the bad thing is that more children will be born and will want to be independent, which would coat a lot of money. The birth rate of Kenya is a vast amount of 38 per thousand and Japan has only 10 per thousand. This means that Kenya has a much higher life expectancy at 50 years, compared to Kenya, which has a life expectancy of 54 years. This basically means that majority of Kenyans' people die at a very young age and for this reason, the death rate of Kenya is an incredible 12 per thousand each year and because Japan has a longer life expectancy, it has only 7 per thousand, in their death rate. This could also mean that many people can die young in Kenya, due to not having a lot of access to safe water of sanitation. I know that this is true because only 49% of Kenyans' people have access to safe water, and Japan on the other hand has a shocking 95%. This can be one of the many reason why' the country Japan has a higher life expectancy as well as less amount of people dying compared to Kenya. Lack of money can also be a problem as the money that the people of Kenya ahs is very less, as they cannot afford to pay for there bills, or the government cannot provide it for them, and that is the reason they have to work for a longer of time, and Japan can provide their people with sufficient amenities, as Japan is a country with less people and is an MEDC country. One other good fact is that the male adult literacy of Kenya is only 86% and female is 70%, where as Japans both male and female adult literacy is a shocking 99%; this clearly can state that once again Japan can afford the money for their people and Kenya cannot. If Kenya could then the adults would have an education, which would enable them to get a better career and a job. It cannot provide all amenities like telephones and TV sets for all its people and Japan can. All the above clearly states that Japan can be dependent on its people and government, afford the money, and therefore is a much more richer MEDC country than Kenya, which places or puts in a LEDC country position. How does Kenya earn money? Kenya exports mainly primary goods which includes tea, coffee and horticulture also known as flour, which has a low value and imports mainly manufactured goods such as industrial machinery, motor vehicles, iron and steal, wheat, and many others which have a high value. This means that Kenya gets very little for its exports but has to pay a lot for its imports. This courses Kenya to have a trade difficult. In 1992 Kenyans trade difficult was ik 1000 million. Kenya has had to borrow money from other countries, which basically means that it is in depth. It also has to pay interest on the loan. All this means that Kenya does not have enough money to spend on hospitals, schools which also means providing education, transport such as trains, busses, and cars, and also tractors. Which would help to develop the country. How does Kenya benefit from tourism? Tourism to Kenya is very important, as it makes a lot of money for the country. Tourism has created many jobs opportunities in Kenya even though some may not be very well educated. Some jobs include people needed to work in hotels as chefs for the tourist's people to eat, waitresses, maids, security guards, cleaners etc that the employees get a good wage and a better standard of living. The more money they earn the more tourism going. People such as tourists pay money to stay in the hotels, which then the hotels need to provide things such as cleaning which then they would have to employ a maid/cleaner, and other activities. In the hotels there are jobs such as the receptionists who check all the tourists in and use the telephone apparently, the maid provides food and service for the tourists and the chef cooks the food. There are also many other jobs like shopkeepers, whom earn money by selling souvenirs. All these jobs provide a better standard of living, as they would earn better wages. By tourists coming it has provided and created jobs for employees. Tourism also provides indirect employment, e. g. : farmers can grow food for the hotels. Tour companies who run the safari holidays need people to work, as there is more people where tourists go for amusements therefore more jobs are created. Other jobs includes bus owners whom take the tourists to visit the spectacular scenery, people whom blow he hot air balloons, which is another attraction and amusements that the tourist like to visit and see, and many others also benefit. I. E. : the government also make money from tourism, as they tax every single person whom owns a job, and earns wages. They also tax the tourists when they come on the holiday when paying towards there flight fare/air port ticket. The tour operators make money from the profits that they charge when the tourist pay for the amusements which also includes hot air balloon safari and souvenir sellers. However tourism to Kenya is very important. This is shown as tourism has employed 40,000 to maintain a proper job. The amount of tourist in 1960 was only 150,000, which has in 1990 risen to 900,000, which is approximately 6 times greater, which also means that tourism has become a very important site. The money earned from tourism in 1960 in US$ was 51. 8 million which also has increased to 467 million, which is 9 times greater, which is equal to half of Kenyans exports. However there is also a very important reason to why Kenya does not make a very large profit. One main reason is that Kenya imports goods from many different MEDC countries such as air conditioning from Canada, or office machines from the USA, Carpets from the UK, etc, which is all provided for the hotels that the tourist stay at. This means that the money, which Kenya earns, leaks out by them paying for unnecessary imported goods payment to foreign owners and co-owners with Kenyans and travel arrangements. It is stated that foreigners earn an estimate of 70% of what the tourist pay for their beach holidays, and 40% of tourist's payments. This in other words means that if Kenya did not make large profits it would be more in depth. What effects has tourism had on different groups of people? Tourism has effected many different groups of people, however the two which has most been effected have been the Masaii people and the Muslim people. The masaii people, have been effected in many reasons, one of which is that they had to leave there home, which now has become an amusement park or national parks and have had t move to th edge of them, without receiving no compensation whatsoever, and that is also another reason why they have had a loss in there grazing land. Theses people have now become a game reserve, they are now not seen as human begins but have become a tourist attraction in life with no self-esteem and they face criticism, and have no rights. Their old homes before hey had to move have now become funfairs and lodges and they have lost all hat they once use to own. Sacred rituals once performed by the masaii people now become old-fashioned shows. Kenyans are becoming second class citizens in there own country, unable to go to the beach encase they spoil the scenery and other things. This is also another reason why the number of tourists increases. But also this can e a good thing as it provides these masaii people with jobs from the national parks. The other main group of people affected is the Muslim culture/ Muslim population of the coast. They now have to live in a different type of society. In Islamic religion women have to wear -long black garments covering there entire body except their eyes, as it is a sin to advertise themselves to men. However tourist find it so hot that when they walk thorough theses kind of people they feel different. The tourists wear such things like bikinis or even go topless, and this is a great disrespect to the Muslim inhabitants. This also influences the youngsters of Kenya to wear such things. They do not always respect traditional culture/clothing. Another point is that the souvenir trade is such damage that can occur to the cultural and religious side. This happens when tourists buy something sacred just because it looks good. Even a tourist to a religious building can cause grief due to inappropriate behaviour or unacceptable dress. Tourism has also lead to the opening of many bars and nightclubs in Muslim areas. This again is a disregard for there culture as alcohol is strictly prohibited. Another point Is that these tourist have also bought with them drugs, and other things like this to Kenya. These tourists lead to thousands of Kenyans turning to prostitution for money, which is another main disrespect to the Muslim society. What effect has tourism had on the environment? Tourism has also had an effect on the environment. The ecosystem in the Savannah grasslands involve hot air balloon safari which makes a lot of loud Noise, which then drives the animals to move out, as they produce such racket and sparks which frightens the animals away. The lodges produce lot of rubbish from the left over food, which the people working there, just throw out, and drop it on the outside places, that those animals that are hunting smell the smell, and come to eat such leftovers. This food can be poison and then can kill the poor animals, and for this reasons the animals can become scarce, as they would die out easily. The other reason is the minibuses, which tour the tourists. The tourists visiting the safari places go to see animals in their natural habitats and open environments. Tourists have a huge impact on the animals that they go to see. Tourists are driven around the parks in specially adapted minibuses with open tops so that they can view and photograph the animals. These minibuses want there tourists to be pleased and happy therefore take them to see the animals close and about forty minibuses go and do this each day, around one animal. Because of this the animals are disturbed and harassed and the flashes of the camera also scare away the animals. The drivers not thinking twice pass over the grassland, which gradually wears away, increasing soil erosion and become roads. This means that the vegetation needed for the animals is reduced as they have no fresh grass to eat, which then would make them hungry, and as we know hunger can kill. Also those minibuses tours use the roads in such a way that by them speeding, without them knowing they blow the dust in the air which means that the air would become polluted very quickly, and this could also cause damage to the animals and people of Kenya and also to the environment. Also Another main point is that the coral reef ecosystem is also damaged. This is done in several different ways. Firstly the tourist visit these places and tend to take and pick shells and rocks nd other things from the sea to take as souvenirs, and if each tourist did this then they would destroy the coral reef completely. They tend to stand in the coral reef and their weight and by them stepping on it, it can also cause wreck the coral reef. The tour guides try to impress the tourist by placing anchors in the coral reef, and because of this daily invasion the coral reef would gradually wear out and turn into rubble and ruins. Are there any better ways of developing tourism in Kenya? There are many different ways that would be better ways to develop tourism in Kenya. Firstly let me explain what sustainable development means. This means that it is a progress that can continue year after year and does not waste resources, it improves the quality of life of people and does not damage the quality of life, and that it does not harm the environment either now or in the future. There are many reasons, which would make mass tourism more sustainable For example you should allow people to continue living there traditional ways of life instead of threatening or disrupting there lives, therefore those tourists should respect and wear clothing which is suitable for the masaii people and Muslim culture so no harm is caused. . They should improve people's lives and benefit the local community e. g. schools and healthcare, instead of making large profits for foreign firms while the local people live on poverty. They could do this by giving some money to the community instead of keeping it all to themselves, they should protect the environment and not damage or destroy the natural environment by not placing so many vehicles in one place at one time, or driving on top of the grass. They should also allow local people to use their own skill and knowledge instead of relying on the skill and knowledge of feign expertise. There are different groups of people that could do different things to improve tourism in Kenya; example travel companies could chose destinations that are not overcrowded. They should choose tour operators who are supportive to ecosystem. This way the grasslands and the animals would not get disturbed as much, as they would have less amount of people bothering them. They could also make booklets to inform the tourists about the coral reef, and not to damage it, and to wear appropriate clothing, so that they know before hand, instead of knowing when they reach Kenya. This way at least the people would have a bit of respect for the Kenyan people. The government can have laws such as that those drivers whom pass over the grassland they should be fined or their license taken away from them. They should take license away for those whom are tour guides and allow the tourists to damage its coral reef. They should all agree to a contact which includes rules and regulations. The esonki conservation area is on the edge of the Ambseli national parks and during the rainy season much of ambselies wildlife passes through. By using such service tourists can stay in luxurious safari tents, with showers, flush toilets, and solar powered electric lights, it is all low impact and can be removable, which means that it does not cause any damage to the environment, tourist can enjoy real African experience with truly wild animals. It is all run by the masaii. There are twenty-six masaii trained as rangers. They work in camp, cooking and serving meals, on building roads. The masaii can rule themselves without being told what to do. They get a rent fee for the conservation area, an entrance fee from each tourist and a fee for every tourist for every night that they stay. The profits that they make have paid for a local school and healthcare, and also many other things for the community. Tourists could wear appropriate clothing, which would not effect nor offend the Muslim culture. In conclusion I believe that yes tourism should be developed further in Kenya, by using and making an ecosystem, that does not harm the environment, nor effect its people. I do not think that Kenya can achieve economic development without tourism, as it will earn less money jus from exporting tea and coffee. Tourists should respect peoples peace, privacy a and lands this would allow the Kenyans to live life as peacefully as they want, and does not destroy there traditional ways of life as it would be more crucial for them to live a better standard of living if they did not get tourists pushing them about, and telling them what to do. They should remember that they are a guest and behave accordingly, as this would make them aware that they do not have the right to do things that would effect the people around there lives. They should respect religious places and do not touch religious objects. This would also make them have that significance that it does not belong to them and they should not touch sacred souvenirs even though that would affect the souvenir shopkeepers. They should follow all rules and regulations regarding protected areas for wildlife, as this would make the animals more protected to the environment and live there life according to there habitats and do not have to be scared of living in there own areas. They should dress appropriately, as this would reduce the amount of prostitution and would also show respect o the people of Kenya. They should not touch, chase or harass animals or marine life, for the reason mentioned before. They should also leave plants and marine life to flourish in their natural environment as this would improve Kenya's scenery and would become better food for the animals. They should also not try to waste water as this would be a useful recourse and would not waste a lot of Kenya's money. Switch off lights and air conditioning if you go out which once again would be supporting the local economy. They should ask before taking photographs as this would be another respectful thing for Kenya and would not scare away the animals because of there flash. All the above-mentioned things are a code of conduct which tourist should keep in mind when visiting Kenya.

Marriage in a Man’s World

Marie de France’s epic poem â€Å"Lanval† is an outstanding work of satire that pokes fun at the societal norms of the author’s time, including government and the institution of marriage.   Though she never directly states it, de France paints marriage at the court level as a farce, a facade, and an arrangement of convenience rather than passion, love, or commitment. Marie de France wastes no time in laying the groundwork for the subtext of this poem.   Within the first few stanzas, as she paints a picture of the great and noble King Arthur, she manages to slide in a reference to King Arthur providing his Round Table members with wives as â€Å"gifts.†Ã‚   She mentions these gifts in the same breath as â€Å"lands,† which suggests the King views women as property and the institution of marriage as a kind of purchase agreement.   The art here is in the subtlety with which de France inserts this subversive idea into what seems like a simple description of a man’s virtues. The author reinforces her statement on marriage – specifically the sexist nature of marriage and relationships at the time – with the introduction of the mysterious, wealthy and beautiful maiden.   The maiden acts as a caricature of a male fantasy, approaching him out of nowhere with the offer of free love and devotion.   Only her physical and financial features are praised, and when Lanval agrees to her terms, she immediately allows him to sleep with her.   Lanval has found himself in the perfect situation – sex and wealth from a beautiful woman, and all he has to do is not acknowledge their relationship. It is not long before Lanval’s loyalty is put to the test and de France puts another nail in the coffin of marriage.   King Arthur’s wife, the Queen, apparently unconcerned with the fact that that she is married, offers herself to Lanval.   The author treats this as though a Queen coming on to a knight was common practice, even expected.   When Lanval denies her wish, the Queen is incensed; one gets the idea that she is no stranger to such an arrangement and not used to being turned down.   When Lanval professes his love for his fantasy maiden, he does so to disprove the Queen’s suggestion that he is homosexual. As one would expect, King Arthur is extremely angry when he finds out what has happened between Lanval and the Queen, though the version he hears is not the whole truth.   Arthur vows to bring the knight to justice in court, which is heavily swayed in the King’s favor.   However, when he brings the charges against Lanval he fails to mention that Lanval attempted to sleep with his wife.   Instead, he focuses on Lanval’s statement that his lover’s maidens were fairer than the Queen.   As it seems logical that King Arthur would be far more upset with the idea of Lanval sleeping with his wife than speaking these words, readers get the idea that perhaps King Arthur does not believe the Queen’s accusations.   Perhaps he knows and ignores the Queen’s unfaithful ways, and perhaps he is guilty of the same behavior. After a series of ridiculous happenings in which the male members of the court are nearly put into trances by a series of half naked maidens on horseback, Lanval’s beautiful maiden comes to his aid.   Upon witnessing her beauty, all side with Lanval immediately, King Arthur included.   By pardoning this man who has supposedly wronged the Queen, King Arthur gives insight into his priorities.   Since the mystery maiden is far more physically attractive and wealthy than the Queen had ever been, there was no way Lanval could have made such an advance on the Queen.   And even if he said the things he said, he spoke the truth.   In this comical twist by de France, the King is more than willing to put aside his honor and the honor of his wife for an attractive stranger. Marie de France makes her final comment on the male-female, love-marriage tradition with the image of Lanval leaping onto the back of the maiden’s horse and riding into the distance.   Clearly, de France is turning the typical boy-rescues-girl scenario upside down, and perhaps is suggesting that things in her time are out of hand and need some strong women to turn things around.

The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse Chapter 21. TRAILS

I HATED TO WASTE ANY PART OF THE NIGHT IN SLEEP, but that was inevitable. The sun was bright outside the window-wall when I woke, with small clouds scuttling too quickly across the sky. The wind rocked the treetops till the whole forest looked as if it was going to shake apart. He left me alone to get dressed, and I appreciated the chance to think. Somehow, my plan for last night had gone horribly awry, and I needed come to grips with the consequences. Though I'd given back the hand- me-down ring as soon as I could do it without hurting his feelings, my left hand felt heavier, like it was still in place, just invisible. This shouldn't bother me, I reasoned. It was no big thing – a road trip to Vegas. I would go one better than old jeans – I would wear old sweats. The ceremony certainly couldn't take very long; no more than fifteen minutes at the most, right? So I could handle that. And then, when it was over, he'd have to fulfill his side of the bargain. I would concentrate on that, and forget the rest. He said I didn't have to tell anyone, and I was planning to hold him to that. Of course, it was very stupid of me not to think of Alice. The Cullens got home around noon. There was a new, businesslike feel to the atmosphere around them, and it pulled me back into the enormity of what was coming. Alice seemed to be in an unusually bad mood. I chalked it up to her frustration with feeling normal, because her first words to Edward were a complaint about working with the wolves. â€Å"I think† – she made a face as she used the uncertain word – â€Å"that you're going to want to pack for cold weather, Edward. I can't see where you are exactly, because you're taking off with that dog this afternoon. But the storm that's coming seems particularly bad in that general area.† Edward nodded. â€Å"It's going to snow on the mountains,† she warned him. â€Å"Ew, snow,† I muttered to myself. It was June, for crying out loud. â€Å"Wear a jacket,† Alice told me. Her voice was unfriendly, and that surprised me. I tried to read her face, but she turned away. I looked at Edward, and he was smiling; whatever was bugging Alice amused him. Edward had more than enough camping gear to choose from – props in the human charade; the Cullens were good customers at the Newton's store. He grabbed a down sleeping bag, a small tent, and several packets of dehydrated food – grinning when I made a face at them – and stuffed them all in a backpack. Alice wandered into the garage while we were there, watching Edward's preparations without a word. He ignored her. When he was done packing, Edward handed me his phone. â€Å"Why don't you call Jacob and tell him we'll be ready for him in an hour or so. He knows where to meet us.† Jacob wasn't home, but Billy promised to call around until he could find an available werewolf to pass the news to. â€Å"Don't you worry about Charlie, Bella,† Billy said. â€Å"I've got my part of this under control.† â€Å"Yeah, I know Charlie'll be fine.† I didn't feel so confident about his son's safety, but I didn't add that. â€Å"I wish I could be with the rest of them tomorrow.† Billy chuckled regretfully. â€Å"Being an old man is a hardship, Bella.† The urge to fight must be a defining characteristic of the Y chromosome. They were all the same. â€Å"Have fun with Charlie.† â€Å"Good luck, Bella,† he answered. â€Å"And . . . pass that along to the, er, Cullens for me.† â€Å"I will,† I promised, surprised by the gesture. As I gave the phone back to Edward, I saw that he and Alice were having some kind of silent discussion. She was staring at him, pleading in her eyes. He was frowning back, unhappy with whatever she wanted. â€Å"Billy said to tell you ‘good luck.'† â€Å"That was generous of him,† Edward said, breaking away from her. â€Å"Bella, could I please speak to you alone?† Alice asked swiftly. â€Å"You're about to make my life harder than it needs to be, Alice,† Edward warned her through his teeth. â€Å"I'd really rather you didn't.† â€Å"This isn't about you, Edward,† she shot back. He laughed. Something about her response was funny to him. â€Å"It's not,† Alice insisted. â€Å"This is a female thing.† He frowned. â€Å"Let her talk to me,† I told him. I was curious. â€Å"You asked for it,† he muttered. He laughed again – half angry, half amused – and strode out of the garage. I turned to Alice, worried now, but she didn't look at me. Her bad mood hadn't passed yet. She went to sit on the hood of her Porsche, her face dejected. I followed, and leaned against the bumper beside her. â€Å"Bella?† Alice asked in a sad voice, shifting over and curling up against my side. Her voice sounded so miserable that I wrapped my arms around her shoulders in comfort. â€Å"What's wrong, Alice?† â€Å"Don't you love me?† she asked in that same sad tone. â€Å"Of course I do. You know that.† â€Å"Then why do I see you sneaking off to Vegas to get married without inviting me?† â€Å"Oh,† I muttered, my cheeks turning pink. I could see that I had seriously hurt her feelings, and I hurried to defend myself. â€Å"You know how I hate to make a big deal out of things. It was Edward's idea, anyway.† â€Å"I don't care whose idea it was. How could you do this to me? I expect that kind of thing from Edward, but not from you. I love you like you were my own sister.† â€Å"To me, Alice, you are my sister.† â€Å"Words!† she growled. â€Å"Fine, you can come. There won't be much to see.† She was still grimacing. â€Å"What?† I demanded. â€Å"How much do you love me, Bella?† â€Å"Why?† She stared at me with pleading eyes, her long black eyebrows slanting up in the middle and pulling together, her lips trembling at the corners. It was a heart-breaking expression. â€Å"Please, please, please,† she whispered. â€Å"Please, Bella, please – if you really love me . . . Please let me do your wedding.† â€Å"Aw, Alice!† I groaned, pulling away and standing up. â€Å"No! Don't do this to me.† â€Å"If you really, truly love me, Bella.† I folded my arms across my chest. â€Å"That is so unfair. And Edward kind of already used that one on me.† â€Å"I'll bet Edward would like it better if you did this traditionally, though he'd never tell you that. And Esme – think what it would mean to her!† I groaned. â€Å"I'd rather face the newborns alone.† â€Å"I'll owe you for a decade.† â€Å"You'd owe me for a century!† Her eyes glowed. â€Å"Is that a yes?† â€Å"No! I don't want to do this!† â€Å"You won't have to do anything but walk a few yards and then repeat after the minister.† â€Å"Ugh! Ugh, ugh!† â€Å"Please?† She started bouncing in place. â€Å"Please, please, please, please, please?† â€Å"I'll never, never ever forgive you for this, Alice.† â€Å"Yay!† she squealed, clapping her hands together. â€Å"That's not a yes!† â€Å"But it will be,† she sang. â€Å"Edward!† I yelled, stalking out of the garage. â€Å"I know you're listening. Get over here.† Alice was right behind me, still clapping. â€Å"Thanks so much, Alice,† Edward said acidly, coming from behind me. I turned to let him have it, but his expression was so worried and upset that I couldn't speak my complaints. I threw my arms around him instead, hiding my face, just in case the angry moisture in my eyes made it look like I was crying. â€Å"Vegas,† Edward promised in my ear. â€Å"Not a chance,† Alice gloated. â€Å"Bella would never do that to me. You know, Edward, as a brother, you are sometimes a disappointment.† â€Å"Don't be mean,† I grumbled at her. â€Å"He's trying to make me happy, unlike you.† â€Å"I'm trying to make you happy, too, Bella. It's just that I know better what will make you happy . . . in the long run. You'll thank me for this. Maybe not for fifty years, but definitely someday.† â€Å"I never thought I'd see the day where I'd be willing to take a bet against you, Alice, but it has arrived.† She laughed her silvery laugh. â€Å"So, are you going to show me the ring?† I grimaced in horror as she grabbed my left hand and then dropped it just as quickly. â€Å"Huh. I saw him put it on you. . . . Did I miss something?† she asked. She concentrated for half a second, furrowing her brow, before she answered her own questions. â€Å"No. Wedding's still on.† â€Å"Bella has issues with jewelry,† Edward explained. â€Å"What's one more diamond? Well, I guess the ring has lots of diamonds, but my point is that he's already got one on -â€Å" â€Å"Enough, Alice!† Edward cut her off suddenly. The way he glared at her . . . he looked like a vampire again. â€Å"We're in a hurry.† â€Å"I don't understand. What's that about diamonds?† I asked. â€Å"We'll talk about it later,† Alice said. â€Å"Edward is right – you'd better get going. You've got to set a trap and make camp before the storm comes.† She frowned, and her expression was anxious, almost nervous. â€Å"Don't forget your coat, Bella. It seems . . . unseasonably cold.† â€Å"I've already got it,† Edward assured her. â€Å"Have a nice night,† she told us in farewell. It was twice as far to the clearing as usual; Edward took a long detour, making sure my scent would be nowhere near the trail Jacob would hide later. He carried me in his arms, the bulky backpack in my usual spot. He stopped at the farthest end of the clearing and set me on my feet. â€Å"All right. Just walk north for a ways, touching as much as you can. Alice gave me a clear picture of their path, and it won't take long for us to intersect it.† â€Å"North?† He smiled and pointed out the right direction. I wandered into the woods, leaving the clear yellow light of the strangely sunny day in the clearing behind me. Maybe Alice's blurred sight would be wrong about the snow. I hoped so. The sky was mostly clear, though the wind whipped furiously through the open spaces. In the trees it was calmer, but much too cold for June – even in a long-sleeved shirt with a thick sweater over the top, there were goose bumps on my arms. I walked slowly, trailingmy fingers over anything close enough: the rough tree bark, the wet ferns, the moss- covered rocks. Edward stayed with me, walking a parallel line about twenty yards away. â€Å"Am I doing this right?† I called. â€Å"Perfectly.† I had an idea. â€Å"Will this help?† I asked as I ran my fingers through my hair and caught a few loose strands. I draped them over the ferns. â€Å"Yes, that does make the trail stronger. But you don't need to pull your hair out, Bella. It will be fine.† â€Å"I've got a few extras I can spare.† It was gloomy under the trees, and I wished I could walk closer to Edward and hold his hand. I wedged another hair into a broken branch that cut through my path. â€Å"You don't need to let Alice have her way, you know,† Edward said. â€Å"Don't worry about it, Edward. I'm not going to leave you at the altar, regardless.† I had a sinking feeling that Alice was going to get her way, mostly because she was totally unscrupulous when there was something she wanted, and also because I was a sucker for guilt trips. â€Å"That's not what I'm worried about. I want this to be what you want it to be.† I repressed a sigh. It would hurt his feelings if I told the truth – that it didn't really matter, because it was all just varying degrees of awful anyway. â€Å"Well, even if she does get her way, we can keep it small. Just us. Emmett can get a clerical license off the Internet.† I giggled. â€Å"That does sound better.† It wouldn't feel very official if Emmett read the vows, which was a plus. But I'd have a hard time keeping a straight face. â€Å"See,† he said with a smile. â€Å"There's always a compromise.† It took a while for me to reach the spot where the newborn army would be certain to cross my trail, but Edward never got impatient with my pace. He had to lead a bit more on the way back, to keep me on the same path. It all looked alike to me. We were almost to the clearing when I fell. I could see the wide opening ahead, and that's probably why I got too eager and forgot to watch my feet. I caught myself before my head bashed into the nearest tree, but a small branch snapped off under my left hand and gouged into my palm. â€Å"Ouch! Oh, fabulous,† I muttered. â€Å"Are you all right?† â€Å"I'm fine. Stay where you are. I'm bleeding. It will stop in a minute.† He ignored me. He was right there before I could finish. â€Å"I've got a first aid kit,† he said, pulling off the backpack. â€Å"I had a feeling I might need it.† â€Å"It's not bad. I can take care of it – you don't have to make yourself uncomfortable.† â€Å"I'm not uncomfortable,† he said calmly. â€Å"Here – let me clean it.† â€Å"Wait a second, I just got another idea.† Without looking at the blood and breathing through my mouth, just in case my stomach might react, I pressed my hand against a rock within my reach. â€Å"What are you doing?† â€Å"Jasper will love this,† I muttered to myself. I started for the clearing again, pressing my palm against everything in my path. â€Å"I'll bet this really gets them going.† Edward sighed. â€Å"Hold your breath,† I told him. â€Å"I'm fine. I just think you're going overboard.† â€Å"This is all I get to do. I want to do a good job.† We broke through the last of the trees as I spoke. I let my injured hand graze across the ferns. â€Å"Well, you have,† Edward assured me. â€Å"The newborns will be frantic, and Jasper will be very impressed with your dedication. Now let me treat your hand – you've gotten the cut dirty.† â€Å"Let me do it, please.† He took my hand and smiled as he examined it. â€Å"This doesn't bother me anymore.† I watched him carefully as he cleaned the gash, looking for some sign of distress. He continued to breathe evenly in and out, the same small smile on his lips. â€Å"Why not?† I finally asked as he smoothed a bandage across my palm. He shrugged. â€Å"I got over it.† â€Å"You . . . got over it? When? How?† I tried to remember the last time he'd held his breath around me. All I could think of was my wretched birthday party last September. Edward pursed his lips, seeming to search for the words. â€Å"I lived through an entire twenty-four hours thinking that you were dead, Bella. That changed the way I look at a lot of things.† â€Å"Did it change the way I smell to you?† â€Å"Not at all. But . . . having experienced the way it feels to think I've lost you . . . my reactions have changed. My entire being shies away from any course that could inspire that kind of pain again.† I didn't know what to say to that. He smiled at my expression. â€Å"I guess that you could call it a very educational experience.† The wind tore through the clearing then, lashing my hair around my face and making me shiver. â€Å"All right,† he said, reaching into his pack again. â€Å"You've done your part.† He pulled out my heavy winter jacket and held it out for me to slide my arms in. â€Å"Now it's out of our hands. Let's go camping!† I laughed at the mock enthusiasm in his voice. He took my bandaged hand – the other was in worse shape, still in the brace – and started toward the other side of the clearing. â€Å"Where are we meeting Jacob?† I asked. â€Å"Right here.† He gestured to the trees in front of us just as Jacob stepped warily from their shadows. It shouldn't have surprised me to see him human. I wasn't sure why I'd been looking for the big red- brown wolf. Jacob seemed bigger again – no doubt a product of my expectations; I must have unconsciously been hoping to see the smaller Jacob from my memory, the easygoing friend who hadn't made everything so difficult. He had his arms folded across his bare chest, a jacket clutched in one fist. His face was expressionless as he watched us. Edward's lips pulled down at the corners. â€Å"There had to have been a better way to do this.† â€Å"Too late now,† I muttered glumly. He sighed. â€Å"Hey, Jake,† I greeted him when we got closer. â€Å"Hi, Bella.† â€Å"Hello, Jacob,† Edward said. Jacob ignored the pleasantry, all business. â€Å"Where do I take her?† Edward pulled a map from a side pocket on the pack and offered it to him. Jacob unfolded it. â€Å"We're here now,† Edward said, reaching over to touch the right spot. Jacob recoiled from his hand automatically, and then steadied himself. Edward pretended not to notice. â€Å"And you're taking her up here,† Edward continued, tracing a serpentine pattern around the elevation lines on the paper. â€Å"Roughly nine miles.† Jacob nodded once. â€Å"When you're about a mile away, you should cross my path. That will lead you in. Do you need the map?† â€Å"No, thanks. I know this area pretty well. I think I know where I'm going.† Jacob seemed to have to work harder than Edward to keep the tone polite. â€Å"I'll take a longer route,† Edward said. â€Å"And I'll see you in a few hours.† Edward stared at me unhappily. He didn't like this part of the plan. â€Å"See you,† I murmured. Edward faded into the trees, heading in the opposite direction. As soon as he was gone, Jacob turned cheerful. â€Å"What's up, Bella?† he asked with a big grin. I rolled my eyes. â€Å"Same old, same old.† â€Å"Yeah,† he agreed. â€Å"Bunch of vampires trying to kill you. The usual.† â€Å"The usual.† â€Å"Well,† he said as he shrugged into his jacket to free his arms. â€Å"Let's get going.† Making a face, I took a small step closer to him. He bent down and swept his arm behind my knees, knocking them out from under me. His other arm caught me before my head hit the ground. â€Å"Jerk,† I muttered. Jacob chuckled, already running through the trees. He kept a steady pace, a brisk jog that a fit human could keep up with . . . across a level plane . . . if they weren't burdened with a hundred-plus pounds as he was. â€Å"You don't have to run. You'll get tired.† â€Å"Running doesn't make me tired,† he said. His breathing was even – like the fixed tempo of a marathoner. â€Å"Besides, it will be colder soon. I hope he gets the camp set up before we get there.† I tapped my finger against the thick padding of his parka. â€Å"I thought you didn't get cold now.† â€Å"I don't. I brought this for you, just in case you weren't prepared.† He looked at my jacket, almost as if he were disappointed that I was. â€Å"I don't like the way the weather feels. It's making me edgy. Notice how we haven't seen any animals?† â€Å"Um, not really.† â€Å"I guess you wouldn't. Your senses are too dull.† I let that pass. â€Å"Alice was worried about the storm, too.† â€Å"It takes a lot to silence the forest this way. You picked a hell of a night for a camping trip.† â€Å"It wasn't entirely my idea.† The pathless way he took began to climb more and more steeply, but it didn't slow him down. He leapt easily from rock to rock, not seeming to need his hands at all. His perfect balance reminded me of a mountain goat. â€Å"What's with the addition to your bracelet?† he asked. I looked down, and realized that the crystal heart was facing up on my wrist. I shrugged guiltily. â€Å"Another graduation present.† He snorted. â€Å"A rock. Figures.† A rock? I was suddenly reminded of Alice's unfinished sentence outside the garage. I stared at the bright white crystal and tried to remember what Alice had been saying before . . . about diamonds. Could she have been trying to say he's already got one on you? As in, I was already wearing one diamond from Edward? No, that was impossible. The heart would have to be five carats or something crazy like that! Edward wouldn't – â€Å"So it's been a while since you came down to La Push,† Jacob said, interrupting my disturbing conjectures. â€Å"I've been busy,† I told him. â€Å"And . . . I probably wouldn't have visited, anyway.† He grimaced. â€Å"I thought you were supposed to be the forgiving one, and I was the grudge-holder.† I shrugged. â€Å"Been thinking about that last time a lot, have you?† â€Å"Nope.† He laughed. â€Å"Either you're lying, or you are the stubbornest person alive.† â€Å"I don't know about the second part, but I'm not lying.† I didn't like having this conversation under the present conditions – with his too-warm arms wrapped tightly around me and nothing at all I could do about it. His face was closer than I wanted it to be. I wished I could take a step back. â€Å"A smart person looks at all sides of a decision.† â€Å"I have,† I retorted. â€Å"If you haven't thought at all about our . . . er, conversation the last time you came over, then that's not true.† â€Å"That conversation isn't relevant to my decision.† â€Å"Some people will go to any lengths to delude themselves.† â€Å"I've noticed that werewolves in particular are prone to that mistake – do you think it's a genetic thing?† â€Å"Does that mean that he's a better kisser that I am?† Jacob asked, suddenly glum. â€Å"I really couldn't say, Jake. Edward is the only person I've ever kissed.† â€Å"Besides me.† â€Å"But I don't count that as a kiss, Jacob. I think of it more as an assault.† â€Å"Ouch! That's cold.† I shrugged. I wasn't going to take it back. â€Å"I did apologize about that,† he reminded me. â€Å"And I forgave you . . . mostly. It doesn't change the way I remember it.† He muttered something unintelligible. It was quiet then for a while; there was just the sound of his measured breathing and the wind roaring high above us in the treetops. A cliff face rose sheer beside us, bare, rough gray stone. We followed the base as it curved upward out of the forest. â€Å"I still think it's pretty irresponsible,† Jacob suddenly said. â€Å"Whatever you're talking about, you're wrong.† â€Å"Think about it, Bella. According to you, you've kissed just one person – who isn't even really a person – in your whole life, and you're calling it quits? How do you know that's what you want? Shouldn't you play the field a little?† I kept my voice cool. â€Å"I know exactly what I want.† â€Å"Then it couldn't hurt to double check. Maybe you should try kissing someone else – just for comparison's sake . . . since what happened the other day doesn't count. You could kiss me, for example. I don't mind if you want to use me to experiment.† He pulled me tighter against his chest, so that my face was closer to his. He was smiling at his joke, but I wasn't taking any chances. â€Å"Don't mess with me, Jake. I swear I won't stop him if he wants to break your jaw.† The panicky edge to my voice made him smile wider. â€Å"If you ask me to kiss you, he won't have any reason to get upset. He said that was fine.† â€Å"Don't hold your breath, Jake – no, wait, I changed my mind. Go right ahead. Just hold your breath until I ask you to kiss me.† â€Å"You're in a bad mood today.† â€Å"I wonder why?† â€Å"Sometimes I think you like me better as a wolf.† â€Å"Sometimes I do. It probably has something to do with the way you can't talk.† He pursed his broad lips thoughtfully. â€Å"No, I don't think that's it. I think it's easier for you to be near me when I'm not human, because you don't have to pretend that you're not attracted to me.† My mouth fell open with a little popping sound. I snapped it shut at once, grinding my teeth together. He heard that. His lips pulled tightly across his face in a triumphant smile. I took a slow breath before I spoke. â€Å"No. I'm pretty sure it's because you can't talk.† He sighed. â€Å"Do you ever get tired of lying to yourself? You have to know how aware you are of me. Physically, I mean.† â€Å"How could anyone not be aware of you physically, Jacob?† I demanded. â€Å"You're an enormous monster who refuses to respect anyone else's personal space.† â€Å"I make you nervous. But only when I'm human. When I'm a wolf, you're more comfortable around me.† â€Å"Nervousness and irritation are not the same thing.† He stared at me for a minute, slowing to a walk, the amusement draining from his face. His eyes narrowed, turned black in the shadow of his brows. His breathing, so regular as he ran, started to accelerate. Slowly, he leaned his face closer to mine. I stared him down, knowing exactly what he was trying to do. â€Å"It's your face,† I reminded him. He laughed loudly and started jogging again. â€Å"I don't really want to fight with your vampire tonight – I mean, any other night, sure. But we both have a job to do tomorrow, and I wouldn't want to leave the Cullens one short.† The sudden, unexpected swell of shame distorted my expression. â€Å"I know, I know,† he responded, not understanding. â€Å"You think he could take me.† I couldn't speak. I was leaving them one short. What if someone got hurt because I was so weak? But what if I was brave and Edward . . . I couldn't even think it. â€Å"What's the matter with you, Bella?† The joking bravado vanished from his face, revealing my Jacob underneath, like pulling a mask away. â€Å"If something I said upset you, you know I was only kidding. I didn't mean anything – hey, are you okay? Don't cry, Bella,† he pled. I tried to pull myself together. â€Å"I'm not going to cry.† â€Å"What did I say?† â€Å"It's nothing you said. It's just, well, it's me. I did something . . . bad.† He stared at me, his eyes wide with confusion. â€Å"Edward isn't going to fight tomorrow,† I whispered the explanation. â€Å"I'm making him stay with me. I am a huge coward.† He frowned. â€Å"You think this isn't going to work? That they'll find you here? Do you know something I don't know?† â€Å"No, no. I'm not afraid of that. I just . . . I can't let him go. If he didn't come back . . .† I shuddered, closing my eyes to escape the thought. Jacob was quiet. I kept whispering, my eyes shut. â€Å"If anyone gets hurt, it will always be my fault. And even if no one does . . . I was horrible. I had to be, to convince him to stay with me. He won't hold it against me, but I'll always know what I'm capable of.† I felt just a tiny bit better, getting this off my chest. Even if I could only confess it to Jacob. He snorted. My eyes opened slowly, and I was sad to see that the hard mask was back. â€Å"I can't believe he let you talk him out of going. I wouldn't miss this for anything.† I sighed. â€Å"I know.† â€Å"That doesn't mean anything, though.† He was suddenly backtracking. â€Å"That doesn't mean that he loves you more than I do.† â€Å"But you wouldn't stay with me, even if I begged.† He pursed his lips for a moment, and I wondered if he would try to deny it. We both knew the truth. â€Å"That's only because I know you better,† he said at last. â€Å"Everything's going to go without a hitch. Even if you'd asked and I'd said no, you wouldn't be mad at me afterwards.† â€Å"If everything does go without a hitch, you're probably right. I wouldn't be mad. But the whole time you're gone, I'll be sick with worry, Jake. Crazy with it.† â€Å"Why?† he asked gruffly. â€Å"Why does it matter to you if something happens to me?† â€Å"Don't say that. You know how much you mean to me. I'm sorry it's not in the way you want, but that's just how it is. You're my best friend. At least, you used to be. And still sometimes are . . . when you let your guard down.† He smiled the old smile that I loved. â€Å"I'm always that,† he promised. â€Å"Even when I don't . . . behave as well as I should. Underneath, I'm always in here.† â€Å"I know. Why else would I put up with all of your crap?† He laughed with me, and then his eyes were sad. â€Å"When are you finally going to figure out that you're in love with me, too?† â€Å"Leave it to you to ruin the moment.† â€Å"I'm not saying you don't love him. I'm not stupid. But it's possible to love more than one person at a time, Bella. I've seen it in action.† â€Å"I'm not some freaky werewolf, Jacob.† He wrinkled his nose, and I was about to apologize for that last jab, but he changed the subject. â€Å"We're not far now, I can smell him.† I sighed in relief. He misinterpreted my meaning. â€Å"I'd happily slow down, Bella, but you're going to want to be under shelter before that hits.† We both looked up at the sky. A solid wall of purple-black cloud was racing in from the west, blackening the forest beneath it as it came. â€Å"Wow,† I muttered. â€Å"You'd better hurry, Jake. You'll want to get home before it gets here.† â€Å"I'm not going home.† I glared at him, exasperated. â€Å"You're not camping with us.† â€Å"Not technically – as in, sharing your tent or anything. I prefer the storm to the smell. But I'm sure your bloodsucker will want to keep in touch with the pack for coordination purposes, and so I will graciously provide that service.† â€Å"I thought that was Seth's job.† â€Å"He'll take over tomorrow, during the fight.† The reminder silenced me for a second. I stared at him, worry springing up again with sudden fierceness. â€Å"I don't suppose there's any way you'd just stay since you're already here?† I suggested. â€Å"If I did beg? Or trade back the lifetime of servitude or something?† â€Å"Tempting, but no. Then again, the begging might be interesting to see. You can give it a go if you like.† â€Å"There's really nothing, nothing at all I can say?† â€Å"Nope. Not unless you can promise me a better fight. Anyway, Sam's calling the shots, not me.† That reminded me. â€Å"Edward told me something the other day . . . about you.† He bristled. â€Å"It's probably a lie.† â€Å"Oh, really? You aren't second in command of the pack, then?† He blinked, his face going blank with surprise. â€Å"Oh. That.† â€Å"How come you never told me that?† â€Å"Why would I? It's no big thing.† â€Å"I don't know. Why not? It's interesting. So, how does that work? How did Sam end up as the Alpha, and you as the . . . the Beta?† Jacob chuckled at my invented term. â€Å"Sam was the first, the oldest. It made sense for him to take charge.† I frowned. â€Å"But shouldn't Jared or Paul be second, then? They were the next to change.† â€Å"Well . . . it's hard to explain,† Jacob said evasively. â€Å"Try.† He sighed. â€Å"It's more about the lineage, you know? Sort of old-fashioned. Why should it matter who your grandpa was, right?† I remembered something Jacob had told me a long time ago, before either of us had known anything about werewolves. â€Å"Didn't you say that Ephraim Black was the last chief the Quileutes had?† â€Å"Yeah, that's right. Because he was the Alpha. Did you know that, technically, Sam's the chief of the whole tribe now?† He laughed. â€Å"Crazy traditions.† I thought about that for a second, trying to make all the pieces fit. â€Å"But you also said that people listened to your dad more than anyone else on the council, because he was Ephraim's grandson?† â€Å"What about it?† â€Å"Well, if it's about the lineage . . . shouldn't you be the chief, then?† Jacob didn't answer me. He stared into the darkening forest, as if he suddenly needed to concentrate on where he was going. â€Å"Jake?† â€Å"No. That's Sam's job.† He kept his eyes on our pathless course. â€Å"Why? His great-granddad was Levi Uley, right? Was Levi an Alpha, too?† â€Å"There's only one Alpha,† he answered automatically. â€Å"So what was Levi?† â€Å"Sort of a Beta, I guess.† He snorted at my term. â€Å"Like me.† â€Å"That doesn't make sense.† â€Å"It doesn't matter.† â€Å"I just want to understand.† Jacob finally met my confused gaze, and then sighed. â€Å"Yeah. I was supposed to be the Alpha.† My eyebrows pulled together. â€Å"Sam didn't want to step down?† â€Å"Hardly. I didn't want to step up.† â€Å"Why not?† He frowned, uncomfortable with my questions. Well, it was his turn to feel uncomfortable. â€Å"I didn't want any of it, Bella. I didn't want anything to change. I didn't want to be some legendary chief. I didn't want to be part of a pack of werewolves, let alone their leader. I wouldn't take it when Sam offered.† I thought about this for a long moment. Jacob didn't interrupt. He stared into the forest again. â€Å"But I thought you were happier. That you were okay with this,† I finally whispered. Jacob smiled down at me reassuringly. â€Å"Yeah. It's really not so bad. Exciting sometimes, like with this thing tomorrow. But at first it sort of felt like being drafted into a war you didn't know existed. There was no choice, you know? And it was so final.† He shrugged. â€Å"Anyway, I guess I'm glad now. It has to be done, and could I trust someone else to get it right? It's better to make sure myself.† I stared at him, feeling an unexpected kind of awe for my friend. He was more of a grown-up than I'd ever given him credit for. Like with Billy the other night at the bonfire, there was a majesty here that I'd never suspected. â€Å"Chief Jacob,† I whispered, smiling at the way the words sounded together. He rolled his eyes. Just then, the wind shook more fiercely through the trees around us, and it felt like it was blowing straight off a glacier. The sharp sound of wood cracking echoed off the mountain. Though the light was vanishing as the grisly cloud covered the sky, I could still see the little white specks that fluttered past us. Jacob stepped up the pace, keeping his eyes on the ground now as he flat out sprinted. I curled more willingly against his chest, recoiling from the unwelcome snow. It was only minutes later that he dashed around to the lee side of the stony peak and we could see the little tent nestled up against the sheltering face. More flurries were falling around us, but the wind was too fierce to let them settle anywhere. â€Å"Bella!† Edward called out in acute relief. We'd caught him in the middle of pacing back and forth across the little open space. He flashed to my side, sort of blurring as he moved so swiftly. Jacob cringed, and then set me on my feet. Edward ignored his reaction and caught me in a tight hug. â€Å"Thank you,† Edward said over my head. His tone was unmistakably sincere. â€Å"That was quicker than I expected, and I truly appreciate it.† I twisted to see Jacob's response. Jacob merely shrugged, all the friendliness wiped clean from his face. â€Å"Get her inside. This is going to be bad – my hair's standing up on my scalp. Is that tent secure?† â€Å"I all but welded it to the rock.† â€Å"Good.† Jacob looked up at the sky – now black with the storm, sprinkled with the swirling bits of snow. His nostrils flared. â€Å"I'm going to change,† he said. â€Å"I want to know what's going on back home.† He hung his jacket on a low, stubby branch, and walked into the murky forest without a backward glance.

Unit 3 IP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Unit 3 IP - Essay Example Following report presents the discussion of various applications along with their compatibility and usage addressing the most critical aspects of the manufacturing organizations. Since planning addressing the material requirement is very crucial job for the management, this software will provide the organization to gain access to speed up the entire process of planning and also prevents the issues to occur during the process. The core fundamental of the application is ability to integrate with customer orders, inventory, also providing analytical views on sales, forecasting the different elements including purchases and sales. Pros: This application will provide the company the insight views for the current stock for inventory and involves the critical elements in order determine the accurate and precise level of material to be purchases and manufactured. The application can be tailored according to the needs of the organization. Compatibility: The cost of this application is based on the size of the organization and the need that can be tailored. The compatibility of the software is with the latest technological operating systems (Smcdata, 2011). The main feature of this application is that it provides the configurable settings that enable the user to have full control over the material requirement planning and needs. Since it works with the integration with the external systems therefore it also provide with the forecasts related with the sales and appropriate level of purchase to be done for the material. Tuppas MRP software can also be integrated within different companies especially where the data is diverse. It has self generated reporting system by which it can generate work and purchase orders. This software can be accessed with wireless devices like PDA, Smart Phones like iPhone. This application reduces

What is academic freedom What is the role of universities in Term Paper

What is academic freedom What is the role of universities in protecting and promoting freedom for faculty and students - Term Paper Example ccordance with the US 1940 statement regarding academic freedom, lecturers ought to be categorically careful to avoid, in their capacity, controversial or contending matters that are unrelated to this practice. These teachers have full freedom to write and talk in the public and put their opinions forward without institutional fears of discipline and censorship (Provenzo, 2010). However, they ought to indicate restraint that they are not all representing their educational institution in any way whatsoever. In addition, academic occupancy protects this kind of freedom through ensuring that all teachers can only be sacked for grave reasons of gross misdemeanours and conduct drawbacks (Walvoord, 2010). This can also apply in the case of incompetence in professional occupancy. Additionally, behaviours that underplay professional respect and those that induce condemnation from the general virtual academic community may be punished. Proponents that side with academic freedom purport that the apparent freedom to enquire by scholars and educational affiliation members is overtly pertinent to the realization of the vision and the general mission of the academy. Additionally, the argue that most academic societies are occasionally targeted for alleged repression due to their apparent capability to control, influence and shape the resultant flow of information in the society (West, 2008). As potential scholars try their best to extend and communicate their notions and purported truths that are apparently non-convenient to most political dispensations and authorities, they may get into risk of repression or vilification, imprisonment and possible loss of jobs. For instance, a North African professor lost his employment after discovering and addressing the fact that his nation’s infant death rate was actually higher than the government’s records (Assefa, 2008). Moreover, the contemporary society scholars have come to form a world affiliation, dubbed academic for the

Sabor Inc Case Analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sabor Inc Analysis - Case Study Example The standardization strategy also aimed to increase inventory turnover 20 times of the present rates. According to the company’s management, standardization will help increase sales and help prevent stock-outs. In addition, the company believed that standardization of its products would provide opportunities for lowering the company’s products thereby making the company gain a competitive edge over its rivals. Sabor Inc. had, for many years, sold air humidification and filtration units alongside its heating and cooling units. Air filtration units accounted for 7% of the total company sales. However, the manufacture of Marconil significantly increased the sales of the air filtration units as a percentage of the total sales. The Marconil was a new high-tech, thin, system of filtering small particles from the air. Sabor Inc. air filtration units became very popular due to the high number of people suffering from asthma and allergic reactions. Marconil was cheaper compared to electronic cleaning methods. Marconil cleaning system was popular due to its ability to kill airborne bacteria when used with ultraviolet light units. The Marconil filtration system led to increased sales of the Sabor Inc. air filtration system. Since the launch of the Marconi air cleaning system three years ago, the company has experienced impressive sales records. The sales have often exceeded the sales forecasts by the company’s marketing department. In the first year of its launch, the marketing department projected Marconi sales at $1million but the actual sales stood at $11 million. In the second and third years,the actual sales were $29 million and $ 72 million far beyond the sales forecasts of $15 and $40 million respectively. However, the marketing department predicts that sales growth will level off for the next three years. A. The company can contract Marconi air

State cooperation, challenges and theoretical perspectives from Essay

State cooperation, challenges and theoretical perspectives from realism and regime analysis - Essay Example While the theorists ascribed to the school of realism view conflict as a norm between interactions by countries, the proponents of international regime hold that cooperation is the defining factor to their school of thought. Those ascribed to the theory assumes that countries cooperate in various instances such as within trade, international security as well as within the scope of human rights among other issues (Hercl, 1994, p. 64-66). The existence of international trade necessitate that the participating states as players within the trade to be unified in some manner of cooperation (Litta, 2012, p. 45). Global trade blocks are good examples to these relations between the individual countries who constitute the players in international trade. Besides trade, some common interest lead to cooperation between countries, which are such as the international environmental conservation, practices as well as the international collaborations in security issues. It is therefore the instances of cooperation that by definition allude to regimes (Buzan, 1993, p. 328-330). Despite the theory being inclined more onto the liberal view, hybrid definitions brings out another aspect of the theory as realist approach puts into perspective the neoliberal aspect in understanding the regimes. According to Drezner (2009), â€Å"The primary goal of neoliberal institutionalism was to demonstrate that even in an anarchic world populated by states with unequal amounts of power, structured cooperation was still possible† (65). The international humanitarian organizations such as the UN and others, which are tasked with confirming the correct institutions of rights to human beings. Other regimes, well known across the globe, focus on the areas that the cooperating states would resolve. Another definition to regimes refers to them as partnered behavior, where they are explained by regularity of behaviors, common rules or norms as well as similar principles (Hasenclever, et al, 2000, p. 3). Nevertheless, existence in singular, of such aspects as regular behaviors does not always indicate the existence of a regime. The general definition fails to confine the understanding of regimes to wholly regularized rules or patterns of behavior between states. The convergence of individual actors expectations describe the implicit regimes with an example of a regime being the ‘oil regime’ of the period between 1945 to 1970 which composed of common activities of oligopolistic interdependent organizations which were bound together by national procedure as well as rules and had the intervention of the United States as a sovereign authority. Common regulations and rules dictated the cooperation of the countries involved while exploring, producing as well as marketing of the petroleum products, which formed the point of consensus in the regime. National regulatory frameworks as well as market structures illustrated terms and conditions of supply that defined this pa rticular regime (Haggard and Simmons, 1987, p. 491-495). Countries hesitant to assent to frameworks that govern other states within a regime would not form part of this regime. However, the

Business Environment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Environment - Assignment Example In addition, the current economic, political, social and environmental factors significantly determine the organizational structure as well as financial performance of businesses. In order to address the needs of all the supply chain partners including the producers, manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, employees and customers among others, companies have embarked on creating an environment that enables the participation of all the stakeholders. This paper keenly analyzes how the current economic situations have shaped the operations of Coca-Cola and Body Shop Companies in the local and international markets. Coca-Cola Company Coca-Cola Company is an American based firm that is headquartered in Atlanta. Being the market leader in the soft drinks industry, Coca-Cola specializes in the production of wide range of non-alcoholic beverages. The company operates in more than 200 countries. In order to meet the demands of all its customers, Coca-Cola has wide range of products that include Coke, Nestea, Fanta, C2 Cola, Dasani water and Sprite among others. The purpose of Coca Cola is outlined in its mission that include creating customers value and making a difference, refreshing the world as well as generating moments of happiness and optimism in the contemporary world. In the same way, the company aims at involving its partners including the bottling companies in its global operations. Ownership of Coca-Cola Company Coca-Cola is a public limited company. This means that for an individual to own a share of the company he or she should buy the company’s stock. In its effort to strengthen its capital base, Coca-Cola shares are quoted in various stock exchanges that include New York Stock Exchange, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston as well as Pacific (George 9). Responsibilities The responsibility of Coca-Cola is to instigate healthy living among its consumers and members of the public in general. In order to achieve its objectives, the company has undertaken various corporate social responsibilities including sponsoring of Olympic Games in Canada and Vancouver among other places. In addition, the company is focused at improving the environment through adoption of various initiatives such as the use of recyclable bottles and reduction of footprints within its premises and surrounding environment. Organizational structure In order to effectively serve its large number of customers, Coca-Cola has established various market segments which include Latin America Group, Far East and Middle Groups, North America Groups, Europe Groups, Minute Maid Company and the African Group (Aaker 26). The well experienced human resources under the leadership of Muhtar Kent, the company CEO has led to high sales and increased profitability in the international market. The corporate human resource is responsible for designing of procedures and policies that are followed by the company. On the other hand, the duty of local human resources department is to implement the various human resources systems that are put in place by the company. Shareholders and Shareholders objectives Being a limited company, Coca-Cola does not restrict members of the public from being its shareholder. As mentioned earlier, the company stocks are sold in various exchange ma rkets thus allowing high number of investors to be part of the company ownership. The main objective of the Coca-Cola shareholders is to attain high returns on their investments. Similarly, the shareholders aim at increasing their quarterly dividend. In order to meet the objectives of the shareholders, Coca-Cola uses the services of

Write a paper on the concept of nature as it appears in an artwork of Term

Write a on the concept of nature as it appears in an artwork of Henri Rousseau - Term Paper Example The works of Rousseau were often criticized. Throughout his works it is impossible not to recognize the hand of the master. Let us focus on his painting The Hungry Lion Throws itself on the Antelope (1905). We can see wilderness of the nature and cruelty of lion. His vision of the wild nature is rather intriguing. It looks like events developing on the background of nature are correlated with the picturesque background. In this painting it seems like trees are leaning to antelope and want to preserve it from external harm. In another painting The Dream (1910) the artist depicts a naked woman on the background of the jungles. It is interesting to see that both paintings considered, represent nature as something huge and great, which prevails over human and animals†¦In such a way, the artist conceptualized nature as something sacred. Nature for him was an integrative part of human lives and the lives of animals. Pablo Picasso felt a great respect to creative heritage of Henri Rousseau (Caldwell, 2002). He was sure that this young man was able to shock the audience. He only needed a careful and attentive attitude for his paintings. Many critics claimed that Henri Rousseau had a â€Å"touching desire to imitate nature but whose bureaucratic pursuit of detail barred the way to an  overall  impression† (Symbolism in France). His paintings were accused of absurd, but maybe those critics just did not want to see the real intention of the painter?.. Rousseau depicted a human being as an object, which could be easily transformed and weird shapes and sizes of people reflected by the author are interesting and impressive.  He was a unique artist and he managed to transfer the uniqueness of nature in his paintings. There is no doubt that in his creative mind Rousseau had many interesting ideas. Critics told that Rousseau was an â€Å"unconscious artist†. Another impressive painting is To fete Baby!  This painting has often been considered as an

An Overview of Delta Dental Insurance Essay Example for Free

An Overview of Delta Dental Insurance Essay Abstract This paper provides an overview of Delta Dental one of the most successful health care companies in the United States. As good oral health becomes more essential of Americans’ healthy lifestyle, Delta Dental insurance plans help more than 59.5 million people to be covered on their plans. By describing the outline of Delta Dental’s history and current structure, this article focuses on how Delta Dental insurance has grown and improved access and overall health status. Also, this paper explores strengths and weaknesses (especially with healthcare delivery point of view) as well as makes comparison with other dental insurances companies to reveal that why Delta Dental is better and more successful than others. Finally, the future plans of Delta Dental about how to improve oral care delivery of services to clients and enrollees, as well as how it fared compare to its peer insurance companies are initialed at the end of the paper. Keywords: dental benefits programs, strengths and weaknesses, multiple types, expanding, effective benefits Introduction: Many people in the world may have best access to oral health care, yet millions are unable to get basic dental care. Poor oral hygiene has significant impact on overall personal health. Researches show that poor oral hygiene increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease and poor birth outcome. That’s why nobody can deny the importance of oral health care. According to many statistics insurance companies that play a pivotal role in improving oral health care of the communities, we will focus on the Delta Dental insurance and how growth of the company improved access and overall health status. Delta Dental insurance was established in 1966. Over the years it faces many challenges to expand and increase access of dental care in community. The efforts paid the Delta Dental as widely accepted by community. This paper focuses on challenges Delta Dental had to face to build its pillar in the market. After evolution, Delta Dental insurance exponentially expanded due to its benefits and low primer. Over the years it has made strategies so that many people prefer Delta Dental over other insurances for maximum benefits, which helped improve oral health care. This paper will also highlight some of those strategies. Compare to other dental insurance company, Delta Dental insurance provide wide coverage and offer maximum benefits. This is a unique characteristic of the Delta Dental. We will talk about current structure of the Delta Dental and its future about how to improve oral care delivery of services to clients and enrollees, as well as how it fared compare to its peer insurance companies. Finally, the paper will mention about the future plan of the Delta Dental. History: In order to increase access to oral health care, in 1954, a group of dentists formed a dental service corporation in California, Oregon and Washington. It was lead by Washington Dental Service (WDS), and initiated by providing service to organized labor unions. Later, it expanded its services to all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Delta dental is now a fifteen billion dollar a year nationwide group providing dental insurance to 59 million Americans, making it one of the largest non-profits in the country (â€Å"Our Mission History†, n.d.). Washington Dental Service was joined by more local organizations, which then created Delta Dental Plans Association (DDPA) in 1966. Shortly a year after, WDS partnered with the International Association of Machinists, which was the first step into creating a multi-state dental benefits program. There was a growing number of out of state subscribers, and therefore in order to meet their needs WDS worked with other Delta Dental member companies and Blue Cross/Blue Shield Association members, to continue serving its clients. It provided coverage until 1980s this way (â€Å"Our Mission History†, n.d.). The program continued as such until a bid was won by Delta Dental of California being chosen as the dental benefits carrier for the Office of the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (OCHAMPUS) program. In order for the administration of this very large account to be centralized, other member companies agreed to share its provider data with Delta Dental of California sharing the administrative income and risk. As a result of this change, the National Provider File (NPF), and the establishment in 1990 of Delta USA — was created, the company responsible for overseeing dentist data and enabling the administration of national business (â€Å"Our Mission History†, n.d.). Currently, there are 39 independent Delta Dental member companies operating in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. As one of the largest dental benefits provider DDPA provides coverage to more than 59.5 million people enrolled in more than 97,000 groups. The company was named Dental Care until 1970s and then it officially changed its name to Delta Dental (â€Å"About Us Home†, n.d.). All Delta Dental companies are members, or affiliate of members, of the Delta Dental Plans Association a network of 39 Delta Dental companies throughout the country. Delta Dental companies range from multi-state to single state (â€Å"About Us Home†, n.d.). The multi-state programs consist of the following: * Delta Dental of New Jersey Started in 1969, it provides coverage to over 1.5 million residents of New Jersey and Connecticut (â€Å"Delta Dental of New Jersey†, n.d.). * Delta Dental Plan of Michigan Michigan Dental Service (MDS) was established in 1957, and in 1963 it received its non-profit status. In 1980 MDS expanded to Ohio and Indiana. In early 2006, Delta Dental of Michigan, with its affiliates in Ohio and Indiana, and Tennessee, signed an affiliation agreement under a new nonprofit holding company to strengthen their market positions and increase the number of Americans with dental benefits. In 2009, Delta Dental of Kentucky and Delta Dental of New Mexico affiliated with the family of companies. The newest affiliate, Delta Dental of North Carolina, joined the enterprise in 2010. Currently they cover 8.8 million individuals (â€Å"Delta Dental of Michigan†, n.d.). * Delta Dental of Minnesota It was founded in 1969, and later expanded to North Dakota. It is the largest program in the upper Midwest, serving 7500 Minnesota based on purchasing groups and 3.8 million members nationwide (â€Å"Delta Dental of Minnesota†, n.d.). * Delta Dental of Missouri Delta Dental of Missouri started 50 years ago and has offered dental and vision benefits in the states of Missouri and South Carolina. More than 1,800 companies in Missouri and South Carolina have selected Delta Dental as their dental benefits carrier. The Delta-Vision plan started in 2011 (â€Å"Delta Dental of Missouri†, n.d.). * Dentegra Companies Dentegra is not affiliated with Delta Dental Plans Association. However, this insurance company is authorized by Delta Dental Plans Association to market and underwrites certain national Delta Dental programs. This plan covers 23 million Americans. It serves the states of: Alabama, California, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Texas, Utah, Virgin Islands, West Virginia (â€Å"Why do more than†, n.d.). * Hawaii Dental Service Hawaii Dental Service (HDS) is the first and largest nonprofit dental service corporation in Hawaii providing dental benefit plans to more than a half million members. This plan was incorporated on February 15, 1962, and soon 221 licensed dentists became charter members. HDS serves Guam, Hawaii and Northern Mariana Islands (â€Å"Caring, Visionary Dentists From HDS†, n.d.). * Northeast Delta Dental NDD offers the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, providing quality dental care to millions of residents (â€Å"Northeast Delta Dental†, n.d.). * Oregon Dental Service This plan covers Alaska and Oregon. A research to find affordable dental health by Longshoremens and Warehousemens Union, led them to find Oregon Dental Service in 1955(â€Å"A trailblazer in health†, n.d.). * The single state companies include: Delta Dental of Arizona that started in 1972. Delta Dental of Arkansas, Delta Dental of Colorado began in 1958. Delta Dental of Idaho, Delta Dental of Illinois, Delta Dental of Iowa, Delta Dental of Kansas, Delta Dental of Massachusetts, Delta Dental of Nebraska, Delta Dental of Oklahoma, Delta Dental of Rhode Island, Delta Dental of South Dakota, Washington Dental Service, Delta Dental of Wisconsin, Delta Dental of Wyoming (â€Å"Delta Dental: Members†, n.d.). Delta Dental Plans: Delta Dental offers various plans for individuals, families and enrollees. There are 39 member companies of Delta Dental and each of them provides a variety of dental benefits programs. It also forms contacts with small and large business companies to provide dental insurance coverage for their employees (â€Å"Products and Plans†, n.d.). The various plans offered are the following: 1. Delta Dental Premier ®: This is their traditional fee-for-service plan with largest dentist network with more than four out of five nation’s dentist participating (â€Å"Delta Dental Premier ®Ã¢â‚¬ , n.d., p. 2). It allows patients to get treated by any licensed dentist and also can change dentists at any time without notifying Delta Dental. The main attraction for this plan is that you do not have to pay more than the co-insurance percentage specified by your coverage (â€Å"Delta Dental’s plans†, n.d.). The participating dentists agree to accept pre-negotiated fees and are prohibited from billing more. 2. Delta Dental PPOâ„  : This is a mid-priced fee-for-service plan with the secondary largest dentist network. It has an option to get treated by any dentists and still have lower out-of-pocket costs because the dentists in this network have agreed to do so (â€Å"Delta Dental’s plans†, n.d.). It also has a Delta Dental PPO plus Premier plan which includes all the benefits of Delta Dental PPO and also allows for a patient to see a Delta Dental Premier dentist with benefits of that dentist’s contracted fee (â€Å" Delta Dental PPOâ„   †, n.d.). 3. DeltaCare ® USA: It is a HMO-type prepaid plan with a large network of participating dentists. You must select a dentist from their network for this plan. The main features are there is no annual deductibles, no maximums for covered benefits and set copayments (â€Å"Delta Dental’s plans†, n.d .). 4. Delta Dental Individual and Family: Individual and its family can get the same quality dental benefits as provided by the employers under this plan. Delta Dental offers different plans in different states (â€Å"Delta Dental Individual and Family†, n.d.). 5. Delta Dental Legion ®: It is also known as TRICARE Retiree Dental Program. â€Å"The first and only dental benefits plan created by Congress especially for Uniformed Services retirees and their family members and administered by Delta Dental of California.†(â€Å"TRICARE Retiree Dental Program†, n.d.). 6. Delta Dental Patient Direct ®: It is a dental discount plan for individual, families and groups that do not have dental benefits. The patients choose dentists from the network and pay them directly with the discount price at the time of their treatment. No paper work is required and it is available in the selected markets only (â€Å"Delta Dental Patient Direct ®Ã¢â‚¬ , n.d.). 7. DeltaVision ®: This is vision benefit plan, which is offered in the selected markets only. It includes various pre-negotiated pricing eye-care services, such as professional eye exams, eyewear, contact lenses and laser vision correction (â€Å"DeltaVision ®Ã¢â‚¬ , n.d.). 8. Delta Dental Member Companies: â€Å"They serve nearly one-third of the estimated 173 million Americans with Dental insurance, providing dental insurance coverage to more than 54 million people in more than 93,000 groups across the nation.†(â€Å"Delta Dental Member Companies†, n.d.). There are other plans which are available in few selected populations and states like the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Dental Insurance Plan which is exclusively for AARP members and the Costco Group Dental Plan for the Individuals and Families, which is available only in California (â€Å"Delta Dental’s plans, n.d.). Strengths and weaknesses (especially with healthcare delivery point of view): Delta Dental is the largest dental care carrier in the United States, and they provide coverage to more than 59.5 million people enrolled in more than 97,000 groups. The strengths are obviously regarding to the high level access of the dental care. Many years ago, most of people lost their teeth by middle age, but now many Americans have very good oral health because of the various Delta Dental Plans. They may keep their teeth throughout the lifetime. There are some strengths of Delta Dental according to a recent study (â€Å"Delta Dental by the Numbers†, n.d.): * Delta Dental’s nationwide dentist networks offer unprecedented access: * Delta Dental Premier ® offers the largest network of dentists in the country — encompassing more than 142,000 dentists and more than 251,000 office locations. * Delta Dental PPOSM has a national network of more than 83,900 dentists practicing in more than 168,000 locations. * DeltaCare ® USA provides more than 39,800 dentist office locations. * Delta Dentals PPO Plan delivers the industrys best effective discount — averaging 19 percent nationally — resulting in nearly $3 billion in annual savings compared to dentists average charges. * Delta Dental posted approximately $17 billion in premium revenue during fiscal year 2011, our 32nd consecutive year of financial gains. * Delta Dental’s unique cost-control measures and contractual agreements with dentists help to ensure quality care at moderate fees, collectively saving subscribers with group dental coverage more than $9.0 billion in 2011. * In 2011, Delta Dental member companies processed more than 90 million dental claims or approximately 1.7 million every week, with an accuracy rate of 99.7 percent. Delta Dental focuses on the practice sharing, best services, perfo rmance guarantees, brand name recognition and reputation, whereas, it still have weaknesses such as geographic limitations, innovative practices. Through the numbers above, people might think that we have more and more dentists in large networks so that we would get easy access to dental care, but how do these dentists located? Low-income patients still feel hard to get access to meet one dentist regularly due to the inconvenient transportation, difficulties on appointments, and so on. The president and CEO of Delta Dental, Radine (2011) wrote on â€Å"Annual Report 2011†, â€Å"Delta Dental takes pride in being a single-line carrier with unparalleled expertise in dental benefits, our specialty.† Indeed, they against larger, multi-line insurance companies, and they use competitive strategies to survive during the worst of the economic downturn. However, this kind of single-line model can also be a weakness of dental health care, because coordination of dentists needed to reinforce to increase the quality of companies health care performance. Single-line service may hinder such coordination in between the large dentist network, although they meet the needs for restraining the continuous increased costs. As each program have dissimilar strengths and weaknesses and according to Access to Dental Care/Oral Health Care (American Dental Association, 2012), there are still barriers to getting oral health care: * The dental sections in Medicaid and the State Childrens Health Insurance Programs (SCHIP), which are supposed to provide health care to disadvantaged Americans, rarely have enough money budgeted to do so. Federal law requires that Medicaid cover basic dental services. But many state programs fail to deliver care to even half of their eligible children. * Adult dental coverage through public health programs is even worse; many states simply dont provide it. Its not just about the money. Patients covered under public programs still face hurdles, such as transportation to dental appointments and the difficulty of missing work to keep the appointments. Taking care of ourselves is the key to good oral health, and too many Americans lack a basic understanding of how to brush, floss, eat a healthy diet and drink water with fluoride in it. * About one-third of public water systems are not fluoridated, even though that is the single most effective public health measure to protect against tooth decay. And also, people need to treat what form of coverage they require most and make sure the selected plan provides a low price for the needed processes. Comparison of Delta Dental with all other dental insurances: There are many essential things to keep in mind when deciding on a dental insurance plan, such as prices and co-payment options, local dentist availability, actual coverage, whether it meets your needs and more (â€Å"Dental Insurance Review†, n.d.). Delta Dental Insurance ranking at number three after United Concordia and Ameritas Group Dental is one of the top ten insurance plans in the United States (â€Å"2013 Dental Insurance Comparison†, n.d.). As one of the largest dental coverage plans, founded by dentists, it creates dental coverage plans based on current research and designed to keep people their healthiest and most productive (â€Å"Choosing the Right Dental Plan†, n.d.). Delta Dental Insurance pursues their mission by increasing access to benefits, offering the largest national network of dentists, adding innovative new plan features, aggressively working to keep costs down, and supporting p hilanthropic programs that encourage better overall oral health. Delta Dental Insurance plans offer top of the line features and programs to make insurance services more accessible and convenient for its members. Some of the features that Delta Dental Insurance consists are secure and accessible sites for online enrollment, finding dentists and getting information about available plans. It offers Group/Employer plans, which is important as it gives companies information on the cost of getting dental insurance for their employees. This is important as well for families who wish to enroll other members of the family into the insurance plan. Also Delta Dental Insurance offers individual plans, provides up-front cost information for customers and has Better Business Bureau (BBB) accreditation (â€Å"Dental Insurance Review†, n.d.). Better Business Bureau accreditation is definitely a plus, because they provide ratings based on customer service and satisfaction of members. In addition, Delta Dental Insurance offers multiple types of different plans for its consumers. There is Delta Dental Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), DeltaCare ® USA (Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) option), Fee-for-Service (FFS) Plan, and they also used to offer Discount Plans. But the Discounted Plans are no longer offered by Delta Dental since majority of the members prefer PPO, HMO and FFS plans. The Delta Dental PPO plan is offered worldwide, and for that reason it is more accessible even if the customer relocates (â€Å"Choosing between a PPO and HMO†, n.d.). When choosing a PPO dentist, the out of-pocket costs of customers are often lower because PPO dentists have agreed to charge Delta Dental PPO patients reduced fees. The plan also pays enhanced benefits when patients visit a PPO dentist, so they pay only 20 percent of the PPO dentists contracted fee after their deductible for such services as fillings, oral surgery, root canals and treatment of gum disease in addition to other benefit enhancements (â€Å"Types of Dental Plans†, n.d.). Delta Dental PPO does not cover teeth bleaching and other cosmetic procedures (â€Å"University of California†, 2009). The good thing about a PPO plan is that customers have the freedom to choose any licensed dentist, anywhere in the world, each time the member or a family member requires treatment. And there is no referral required for specialty care. On the other hand, DeltaCare ® USA (HMO option) customers must be residents of California to enroll. It provides individuals and their families with inclusive plans and easy referrals to specialists and even has a benefit for teeth bleaching. The plan emphasizes preventive care; so many services are provided at no cost. There is no annual plan maximum for DeltaCare ® USA (â€Å"Types of Dental Plans†, n.d.). As an HMO member, customers are assigned to network dentist that accept the plans and they must be referred specialist by their assigned dentists. Fee-for-service plans, also known as indemnity or traditional plans, typically offer the greatest choice of dentists. It is up to the customer what dentist to choose or procedure they would like to purchase. Like PPO plans, when you visit a network dentist, you typically pay a certain percentage for each service (called coinsurance) and the plan pays the rest. The percentage usually varies by the type of coverage, such as diagnostic and preventive, major services, etc. (â€Å"Types of Dental Plans†, n.d.). However with FFS plan the member might pay a little extra than the PPO plan. And finally, the Discounted Plans are insurance plans that are offered at reduced rates. There is generally no paperwork, annual limits or deductibles, but you must visit a participating dentist to receive the discount. Also, you may be responsible for a greater portion of the treatment cost compare to PPO or HMO plan. The downside of this plan was the fact that there was a possibility of the dentists being changed annually, and new dentists would be assigned to the customers. But on the plus side, the rates that the customers would receive would be unbeatable. Figure 1 shows the continued growth in enrolment throughout the recession. This also proves that Delta Dental is the largest dental carrier in the United States and it has more than 26 million enrollees at present (â€Å"Delta Dental: Annual Report2011†, n.d., p. 10). Figure 1: Shows the increase in the enrollment of Delta Dental plans by the population. The Y-axis shows the number of enrollees in increasing order and the X-axis shows the years starting from 2008-2012. Adapted from: â€Å"Delta Dental: Annual Report 2011.† (n.d., p. 10). Why is Delta Dental better and more successful than other insurances? Delta Dental offers some of the best dental insurance plans in the United States and around the world since 1954 and as the first company exclusively specializing in dental benefits, Delta Dental has been working hard to improve oral health around the world by providing access to the largest network of dentists, great service, top of the line care plans and developing relationships that emphasize prevention and positive oral health care results over the long term (Delta Dental, 2010). Over 56 million enrollees trust Delta Dental Insurance plans with their oral health and the numbers of satisfied members keep growing (â€Å"Why do more than†, n.d.). â€Å"In 2011, the vast majority of surveyed enrollees from our open network plans said they would recommend Delta Dental to a family or friend. That loyalty is also evident in our exceptionally high enrollee retention rate.† (â€Å"Delta Dental 2011 Annual Report†, n.d., p. 11). Figure 2 which is adapted from the â€Å"Delta Dental: Annual Report 2011† (n.d., p. 11) shows the percentage of enrollee satisfaction and enrollee retention in 2011. Figure 2: The percentage of Enrollee satisfaction and Enrollee Retention. 95% of the Enrollees were satisfied with their Delta Dental Plan and 99% of the Enrollees retained their Delta Dental plan. Adapted from: â€Å"Delta Dental: Annual Report 2011† (n.d., p. 11) Future plans: Delta dental has proven itself as one of the good companies in the market but still they are working diligently to make it better. Delta Dental supports projects in conjunction with major universities and other leading research organizations that are designed to advance scientific knowledge and improve health. Among the projects, recently supports are: a study on the potential for dentists to play a greater role in the detection of health conditions such as diabetes; the cost impact of oral cancer; the application of salivary diagnostics to dentistry; and the development of biotechnology to advance health (Carruth, 2012). All these are the major projects of Delta Dental. Delta Dental is trying to identify ways to improve offerings in ways that will reduce costs while still covering the treatment our subscribers need to stay healthy. Delta Dental will focus on expanding their network in remote places and provide oral care. They are planning continue creating dynamic product lines that provide effective benefits to improve oral health–and overall health – while reducing costs. Delta Dental would concentrate on providing good customer service staff as well as an automated phone line for inquiries. Conclusion: Delta Dental has received many awards in improving oral health care. Their current plans are focused on expanding their network and providing good care for the patients. Delta Dental’s strategies are such that not only patients but also dentist and employees are benefitted. They also focus on many researches to improve quality of care. Moreover, their future plans are focus on reducing cost and providing quality of care for patients. They are providing funds for incurable diseases like cancer and other malignancy. References: A trailblazer in health. n.d.). Retrieved from: https://www.odscompanies.com/about/ American Dental Association. (2012). Access to dental care/oral health care. Retrieved from: http://www.ada.org/2574.aspx Carruth, P. (2012). The future of dentistry. Retrieved from: http://www.deltadentalnc.org/deltaDentalNorthCarolina/files/cf/cfd82d85-42e2-47ea-b49d-3d28e5d80bf3.pdf Delta Dental (2010). America’s oral health: The role of dental benefits. Retrieved from: http://www.deltadental.com/TheRoleofDentalBenefits.pdf Delta Dental (n.d.). About us home. Retrieved from: http://www.deltadental.com/Public/AboutDeltaD/AboutDeltaDental.jsp Delta Dental (n.d.) Caring, visionary dentists form HDS. Retrieved from: http://www.deltadentalhi.org/ddpahi/History.jsp?DView=History Delta Dental (n.d.). Choosing the right dental plan for you and your family. Retrieved from: http://www.deltadental.com/WhitePaperChoosingRightDentalPlan.pdf Delta Dental (n.d.). Contact your local member companies. Retrieved form: http://www.deltadental.com/Public/PlanInfo/planAddressStart.jsp Delta Dental (n.d.). DeltaVision ®. Retrieved from: http://www.deltadental.com/Public/Product/vision.jsp?DView=AboutPIVision Delta Dental (n.d.) Delta Dental by the numbers. Retrieved from http://www.deltadental.com/Public/Company/stats2.jsp?DView=AboutDeltaDentalStats Delta Dental (n.d.). Delta Dental individual and family. Retrieved from: http://www.deltadental.com/Public/Subscribers/IndFamCoverage.jsp?DView=SubscriberIndividual Delta Dental (n.d.). Delta Dental of New Jersey. welcome. (n.d.). Retrieved from: http://www.deltadentalnj.com/index.html Delta Dental (n.d.). Delta Dental of Michigan. Retrieved from: http://www.deltadentalmi.com/About/Company-Profile/Our-History.aspx Delta Dental (n.d.). Delta Dental of Minnesota. Retrieved from: http://www.deltadentalmn.org/about.jsp?DView=AboutUs Delta Dental (n.d.) Delta Dental of Missouri. Retrieved from: https://www.deltadentalmo.com/AboutUs/index.asp Delta Dental (n.d.). Delta Dental Patient ® Direct. Retrieved from: http://www.deltadental.com/Public/Product/direct.jsp?DView=AboutPIDirect Delta Dental (n.d.). Delta Dental PPOâ„  . Retrieved from: http://www.deltadental.com/Public/Product/preferred.jsp?DView=AboutPIPreferred Delta Dental (n.d.). Delta Dental Premium ® : Our most valuable network. Retrieved from: http://www.deltadental.com/DeltaDentalPremierBrochure.pdf Delta Dental (n.d.) Delta Dental’s plans. Retrieved from: http://www.deltadentalins.com/individuals/guidance/plans.html Delta Dental (n.d.). Members. Retrieved from: http://www.deltadentalma.com/members/index.asp Delta Dental (n.d.). Northeast Delta Dental. Retrieved from: http://www.nedelta.com/about.aspx Delta Dental (n.d.). Our mission history. Retrieved from: http://www.deltadental.com/Public/Company/mission.jsp Delta Dental (n.d.). Products and plans. Retrieved from http://www.deltadental.com/Public/Product/product.jsp Delta Dental (n.d.) Survey by city of San Jose: Choosing between a PPO and HMO dental plan. Retrieved from: http://hrclassspecs.sanjoseca.gov/humanResources/survey/BenefitsPlan/DentalPl