The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 3

Ella â€Å"I take it that's Micha?† Lila wanders around my kitchen as she tightens a loose ribbon on the waist of her floral dress. â€Å"He's even cuter than in the picture.† â€Å"Yep, that would be Micha.† I kick a box across the stained linoleum floor and flip the light on. It looks the same; seventies themed colors, wicker chairs around the glass table, and yellow and brown countertops. â€Å"So just your dad lives here?† Lila circles the small kitchen and her gaze lingers on the countertop next to the kitchen sink where empty bottles are lining the wall. â€Å"Yeah. My older brother moved out as soon as he graduated.† I adjust the handle of my bag and head for the stairway. The house smells like rotten food and smoke. In the living room, the aged plaid sofa is vacant, and the ash tray on the coffee table is spilling over with cigarette butts. The television is on so I shut it off. â€Å"So where's your dad?† Lila wonders as we climb up the stairs. â€Å"I'm not sure,† I avoid the truth, because he's probably at the bar. â€Å"Okay, where's your mom?† she probes. â€Å"You never told me where she lives.† Lila doesn't know much about me and it's how I want it. Leaving her in the dark, about my mom, my brother – everyone in this aspect of my life – has allowed me to transform into someone who doesn't have to deal with my problems. â€Å"My dad works nights,† I make up a story. â€Å"And my mom moved out quite a while ago. She lives up on Cherry hill.† She leans forward to study a portrait of my mother displayed on the wall; the same auburn hair, pale skin, and green eyes as me. Her smile was just as fake as mine, too. â€Å"Is this your mom?† She asks and I nod. â€Å"She looks just like you.† My chest tightens and I quickly trot to the top of the stairway. At the end of the hall, the bathroom door is wide open. The corner of the porcelain tub and the stain on the tile floor is in my line of vision. My heart constricts tighter as the memories flood me. I'm suffocating with panic. â€Å"Baby girl,† she said. â€Å"I'm going to go take a nap, just for a little while. I'll be back in just a bit.† My knees tremble as I shut the door. My chest opens up and oxygen flows through my lungs again. â€Å"So where does your brother live?† Lila peers inside my brother's room full of drums, guitar picks, CDs, and records. There's a bunch of band posters taped to the wall and a guitar up on a mount. â€Å"I think in Chicago.† â€Å"You think?† I shrug. â€Å"We don't have the best relationship. She nods, like she understands. â€Å"So is he in a band?† â€Å"I'm not sure if he's still in one now. I'm guessing since his stuff's here, probably not,† I say. â€Å"He only played because he was friends with Micha and he's in a band. Or was. I have no idea what he does anymore.† â€Å"Ella, did you lose touch with everyone in your life?† Lila accuses, tucking the pillow under her arm. Her scrutiny makes me uncomfortable. Avoiding confrontation, I turn on my bedroom light and shudder at the sight. It's like a museum of my past. Sheets of my artwork are tacked to the walls, trimmed with a black skeleton border Micha put up when we were twelve to make my room more â€Å"manly.† A collection of guitar picks line the far dresser and there is a pile of my boots in the corner. My bed is made with the same purple comforter and there's a plate with a half-eaten cookie on it, which is growing mold. I toss the cookie into the trash. Hasn't my dad been in here since I left? Lila picks up a guitar and plops down on the bed. â€Å"I didn't know you played.† She positions the guitar on her lap and strums the strings. â€Å"I always wanted to learn how to play, but my mom would never let me take lessons. You should teach me.† â€Å"I don't play.† I drop my bag on the floor. â€Å"That's Micha's guitar. His initials are on the back.† She turns it over and looks at the initials. â€Å"So the hot guy from next door is also a musician. God, I'm about to swoon.† â€Å"No swooning over anyone in this neighborhood,† I advise. â€Å"And since when are you into musicians? I have never, until today, heard you say anything about liking guys who can play the guitar.† â€Å"Since they look like him.† She points over her shoulder toward Micha's house, which is visible through the window of my room. â€Å"That boy is dripping with sexiness.† Jealousy growls in my chest and I mentally whisper for it to shut up. I pick up a photo of my mom and me at the zoo when I was six. We're happy, smiling, and the sun is bright against our squinting eyes. It rips at my heart and I let the photo fall back onto the desk. â€Å"There's a trundle under the bed that you can sleep on if you want.† â€Å"Sounds good.† She slides the guitar off her lap and goes over to the window, drawing the curtain back. â€Å"Maybe we should go to the party. It looks kind of fun.† I gather my hair away from my eyes before dragging the trundle out from under the bed. â€Å"No offense, Lila, but I don't think you can handle one of Micha's parties. Things can get a little bit crazy.† She narrows her eyes at me, insulted. â€Å"I can handle parties. It's you that never wanted to go to any of them. And the one's that I did talk you into going to, you just stood in the corner, drinking water and sulking.† I flop down on the bed with my arms and legs slack over the edges. â€Å"That party is nothing like a college frat party. They're the kind of parties you wake up from the next day on a park bench with no shoes on and a tattoo on your back, with no recollection of what happened the night before.† â€Å"Oh my God, is that how you got that tattoo on your back – the one you refuse to tell me what it means.† She lies on the bed next to me and we stare at the Chevelle poster on my ceiling. â€Å"It means infinite.† I tug the hem of my tank top down, hiding the tattoo on my lower back, and drape my arm over my forehead. â€Å"And I don't refuse to talk about it. I just can't remember how I got it.† She gives me a sad, puppy dog face and bats her eyelashes. â€Å"Pretty please, with a cherry on top. This might be my only chance to go to a party like this. The ones at my old neighborhood consist of limos, fancy dresses and tuxes, and a lot of champagne.† When I don't respond, she adds, â€Å"You owe me.† â€Å"How do you figure?† â€Å"For giving you a ride here.† â€Å"Please don't make me go down there,† I plead, clasping my hands together. â€Å"Please.† She rolls onto her stomach and props up on her elbows. â€Å"He's an old boyfriend, isn't he? You were lying. I knew it. No one can draw a picture like that of someone they've never loved.† â€Å"Micha and I have never dated.† I insist with a heavy sigh. â€Å"If you really want to go see what these parties are all about, I'll take you down there, but I'm not hanging around for more than five minutes.† I give in because deep down I'm curious to check up on the world I left behind. She claps her hands animatedly and squeals, looking out the window one last time. â€Å"Holy crap. Someone's standing on the roof.† They say curiosity killed the cat. â€Å"Come on, party girl. Let's get this over with.† *** About fifteen years ago, this town used to be a decent place to live. Then the factory that supplied jobs to almost the entire town shut down. People were laid off and slowly it began to dwindle into the bottomless pit that it is now. The houses across the street are painted in graffiti and I'm pretty sure my next door neighbor makes moonshine in his garage, or at least he did before I left. Inside Micha's house, there are people loitering in the entryway. I push my way through them and into the kitchen, which is crammed with even more people. On the table is a kegger and enough bottles of alcohol to open a liquor store. The atmosphere is overflowing with the scent of sweat and there are a few girls dancing on the kitchen counters. People are making out in the corners of the living room where the sofas are shoved to the side, so the band can flare on their instruments, screaming lyrics of pain and misunderstanding at the top of their lungs. I'm surprised Micha isn't up there playing. â€Å"Holy crap. This is†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Lila's blue eyes are round as she gawks at the people jumping up and down in the living room, shaking their bodies and thrashing their heads. â€Å"Like a mosh pit,† I finish for her, shoving a short girl with bleached hair out of my way. â€Å"Hey,† the girl whines as her drink spills down the front of her leather dress. â€Å"You did that on purpose.† For a split second, I forget who I am and turn around to blast her with a death glare. But then I remember that I'm the calm and rational Ella; one that doesn't get into fights and beat other girls up. â€Å"What, preppy girl?† She pats her chest, ready to throw down. â€Å"You think you scare me.† Lila bites her thumbnail. â€Å"We're sorry. She didn't mean to.† Chants fill the living room and the chaos is giving me a headache. â€Å"Sorry,† I strain an apology and squeeze between her and the wall. She snickers at me and her friends join in with her laughter as they sashay to the back door. It takes everything I have not to turn around and tackle her to the floor. Lila makes a beeline for the bar set up on the counter, dumps a drop of vodka into a cup, and mixes it with a splash of orange juice. â€Å"Okay, that was intense. I thought she was going to kick your ass.† â€Å"Welcome to Star Grove.† I shout over the music. â€Å"The Land of the Intense and Poverty-stricken, where the adolescents roam free without sober parental supervision and try to start fights wherever they can.† She laughs, takes a gulp of her drink, and her face pinches at the bitterness. â€Å"Try – † She starts, then coughs. She pounds her hand against her chest. â€Å"Are you going to make it?† I ask. Lila has never been a big drinker. She nods and clears her throat. â€Å"I was going to say try growing up where you have to get permission to wear a certain style of shoes.† I give her a mystified look and she adds, â€Å"If it wasn't up to my mother's stylish fashion standards I wasn't allowed to wear it.† I edge out of the way of a guy with blotchy skin and a beanie covering his head, who doesn't seem to mind that he knocks his shoulder into mine. â€Å"I'm sure it wasn't that bad growing up where you did. I mean, at least there was some control.† â€Å"Yeah, there was,† she says uneasily and her eyes quickly scan the room. â€Å"I can't believe there's a live band. It's like being at an outside concert.† â€Å"What? They don't have live bands in California?† I joke with a small smile as I pour myself a cup of water. â€Å"One's that take place outside?† She stirs her drink with a straw. â€Å"Not these kinds of bands. Think much more mellow, with a stage and seats to watch.† â€Å"Sounds like fun to me.† I oblige a smile and glance at my watch. â€Å"Are you about ready to go?† â€Å"Are you joking?† Sucking the drink out of the straw, she hops on the counter and crosses her legs. â€Å"We just got here. Why would we want to go? In fact, we should go dance.† My eyes find the living room, where a guy with dreads smashes his head against the glass plate of a cabinet in the corner and everyone cheers. â€Å"You can if you want, but I'm good.† I gulp my water. â€Å"I like all my bones intact.† Leaning against the counter, I scan through the crowd, curious to see where Micha is. I don't know why I'm so curious, but I am. Occasionally he would bail on his own parties, either to hook up or just get some quiet. I found him a couple of times hiding out on a lawn chair. Each time, he would pull me onto his lap and we would stare up at the night sky, talking about an unreachable future. I spot him in the corner, sitting on the couch with his arm draped around some blonde girl with boobs popping out of her dress. His hair hangs in his eyes and he's nibbling at his lip ring, driving the girl crazy I'm sure. They're just talking, but the girl keeps flipping her hair off her shoulder and her hand is on his chest. It's hard to tell if Micha's enjoying her company or not. He was always difficult to read when it came to girls because he never really looked interested in any of them, but sometimes he would end up with them for the night. I asked him about it once and he said it was all fun, but that he was just killing time until I gave into my inner desire to be with him. I tackled him to the ground for it and it made him laugh. â€Å"Why do you have that look on your face? Like you're undressing someone with your eyes?† Lila asks, following my gaze. â€Å"Oh, is that – â€Å" My eyes dart from Micha. â€Å"I wasn't looking at anyone, just the madness in the living room.† â€Å"Yeah, right,† she says, elevating her eyebrows. â€Å"You totally want him. I can see it on your face.† â€Å"Well, I'll be damned if it isn't the infamous Ella May!† Ethan Gregory grins from the other side of the counter, just behind Lila. He stumbles around the corner, nearly clipping his head on the low ceiling. Before I can respond, he has me trapped in an awkward hug with his long arms that are tracked with tattoos. His grey shirt smells like an ash tray and his breath like beer. He pulls back, ruffling his black hair with his fingers. â€Å"Does Micha know you're here in his house?† I lie breezily, very aware of where Micha is and what he's doing. â€Å"I'm pretty sure he saw me walk in.† â€Å"I doubt that. He's been looking for you for the past eight months.† He glances over his shoulder and nods at Lila, then tips in toward me. â€Å"You know he's been a wreck ever since you took off. You really fucked up his head, Ella.† â€Å"That's such a lie,† I tell him. Ethan and I have never really gotten along very well, which is why the hug confused me so much. We both had the same blunt attitude and butted heads a lot. The only reason we were friends at all was because of Micha. Although, there was one time we did bond for a split second, but we never talk about it. â€Å"Micha doesn't fall apart over anyone. I know him better than that.† His face is flushed and his brown eyes are bloodshot. â€Å"I guess you don't know him as well as you think then, because he's been a wreck. In fact, all he's done for the last few months is search for you.† â€Å"Which explains the party,† I retort. â€Å"I'm guessing that classifies as that.† â€Å"First one in five months,† he says. â€Å"And I think he only did it because he found out where you were and needed a distraction.† â€Å"I know him better than you do, Ethan, and he doesn't fall apart over girls,† I say, but cringe at the fact that I might not know him anymore. A lot can happen in eight months. â€Å"Hey, Lila, we should go. It's getting late.† She glances at her diamond encrusted Rolex and rolls her eyes. â€Å"It's like nine thirty.† â€Å"You're leaving already?† He waves his hand in the air. â€Å"That's nonsense talk right there. You haven't even seen Micha yet and he's gonna be super pissed if he misses seeing you, especially since you ran away from him in the driveway.† â€Å"Actually, I think we're going to hang out for a little while longer,† Lila presses with unrelenting eyes. She mouths, he's hot. Then she fastens her hands together. Please, Ella. Pretty please. Ethan isn't Lila's type. He's got baggage almost as heavy as mine. I start to protest when Micha's deep voice floats over my shoulder and tickles my skin like feathers. Without being able to help it, I let out a soft moan. â€Å"Yeah, pretty girl, stay a little longer.† He's so close that the heat of his body kisses my skin and my insides tremor. His fingers comb through my hair as he whispers, â€Å"You smell so good. God I've missed your smell.† â€Å"I have to get up really early in the morning.† I clear my throat and Lila's eyebrows furrow. â€Å"I need to go home and get some sleep.† He places his hand on the counter, so the crook of his arm is touching my hip. â€Å"You can keep trying to avoid me,† he breathes in my ear, taking a nip at my earlobe. â€Å"But sooner or later you're going to have to talk to me.† His breath reeks of beer and his clothes of smoke. Refusing to crack at the sound of his sexy voice, I turn and face him. â€Å"I don't have time to get drunk and act like a moron.† He's even more gorgeous under the light and more irresistible, even though his eyes are glossed over. â€Å"It's your fault I'm drunk – you drive me crazy.† He descends his voice to a soft purr, the same voice he's used on me many times to get what he wants – the voice that makes me feel alive inside. â€Å"Baby, come on. Please. We need to talk.† He leans in to kiss me. The suddenness throws me off balance and I trip over my own feet. â€Å"Micha, stop it.† I gently push him back and he staggers into the edge of the counter. â€Å"You're drunk. And I'm going home.† â€Å"She's acting weird†¦ like she's way too calm,† Ethan remarks, with a wave of his finger. â€Å"And she's dressed funny, like that girl we use to go to school with. What's her name?† He snaps his fingers. â€Å"Stacy†¦. Stacy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Harris,† I say exhausted. â€Å"And I look like a girl that went away to college and grew up.† Lila slants forward. â€Å"Ella's been this way since I've known her, but I'm really curious what she used to look like with the way everyone keeps talking about her because I can't picture her any other way besides this.† Micha and Ethan trade drunken looks and then howl with laughter. The room quiets down a little as people glance in our direction. â€Å"What's so funny?† Lila frowns and looks to me for help. â€Å"I'm so lost.† â€Å"Nothing. They just think they're funny.† I dodge around Micha, but he seizes my elbow and hauls me back against his chest. â€Å"Hey relax, baby.† He kisses my forehead and gives me his innocent face. â€Å"Please don't go. I just got you back.† Before I took off, the boundaries of our friendship were starting to blur. I thought time would fix this, but it seems like we're back to where we started. As much as I would love to melt into him, it just can't happen. I can't open up like that and lose control. I need control. â€Å"No one's got me back. I'm just here for summer break and only because I didn't have money to rent an apartment,† I say and his expression falls. â€Å"The Ella you knew is gone. She died on that bridge eight months ago.† He blinks, as shocked as I am. His lips part then he clasps them shut, struck speechless. â€Å"I didn't mean that,† I say quickly. â€Å"I'm sorry, Micha. I just can't deal with this.† â€Å"Don't be sorry for being real,† he says, rubbing his forehead with the back of his hand. I force the lump in my throat down. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I say again, and then weave through the crowd and out the back door, inhaling the fresh air. â€Å"What's your problem?† Lila asks as she catches up with me at the edge of my driveway. She squashes her plastic cup and tosses it into the trash can on the back porch. â€Å"I'm so confused. What just happened?† â€Å"I needed to get out of there before I lost it.† I don't slow down until I'm in my room where I close the door and shut the window, locking away the world. I sigh back against the wall, breathing in the quiet. Lila watches me with inquisitiveness as she pulls her hair back into a bun and puts some lip gloss on. â€Å"Ethan and Micha act like you used to be someone else. Like this isn't the real you. Want to explain?† â€Å"Not really.† I push away from the door and collect some pajamas from the duffel bag. â€Å"I'm going to go take a shower. Do you need anything from downstairs?† â€Å"Yeah, for you to tell me why those guys have you so frazzled.† She unclips her watch and tosses it into her purse that's on the bed. â€Å"I've never seen you so worked up like that. You basically had an orgasm when you first saw him.† â€Å"I did not,† I say, embarrassed and annoyed. â€Å"And you haven't seen me that worked up because I'm not that person anymore.† â€Å"Except for when you're around him,† she insinuates. â€Å"When you were talking to him, there was something in your eyes I've never seen before. You were always so closed off to all the guys at parties and in school. Honestly, I thought you were a virgin. But the way you and Micha were looking at each other – you've had sex with him, right?† Pressing my lips together, I tuck my pajamas under my arm, and shake my head. â€Å"No, Micha and I've never slept together, just like we've never dated. But we've been friends since we were kids.† She sits down on the bed and unhooks her sandal. â€Å"But you've had sex before?† I squirm in my skin. â€Å"I'm going to go get ready for bed.† â€Å"Whoa, wait a second.† She leaps off the bed wearing one shoe and jumps in front of the door with her hands spread out to the side. â€Å"Are you saying that you've never had sex? Ever.† I struggle for words she'll understand. â€Å"It's not like I haven't because I don't believe in premarital sex or anything. I just†¦ Look there's a lot you don't know about me and sometimes I have a hard time getting close to people.† She's not surprised. â€Å"Well, obviously. That's totally been a given from day one.† â€Å"What do you mean?† I question. â€Å"I've never told anyone that before.† Not even Micha. â€Å"It means sometimes I can see right through you.† She sighs and counts down on her fingers. â€Å"I've been your roommate for eight months and all I know about you is you're focused on school, you hate to drink, hate being around large crowds, and have never went on a date. I barely know you and being here, I'm starting to wonder if I know you at all.† She knows the Ella I want her to know. â€Å"Can you let me by? I'm really tired.† She gives me a disbelieving look, but doesn't press. She steps aside and lets me by. Relief washes over me because I don't want to get into it with her. Not tonight. Not ever. I never want to get into the night that changed my life. I buried my reckless identity, and I won't dig it up again.

Critical Evaluation of International Essay

A review of literature on international HRM reveals three different approaches (Dowling et al. , 1999, p. 2): Comparative, Cross-cultural and multi-national. Firstly, according to Adler (1997), the early approaches to researching international HRM focused on cross-cultural differences and examination of human behaviour from an international perspective. Certainly, research on cross-cultural organizational behaviour has become a conduit for the understanding of the dynamics of multicultural domestic and international workplaces within the advent of globalisation. There are different levels of analysis within cross-national HRM, national factors, contingent factors and organisational level. Cross-national HRM researchers claim that it is at the levels of national factors and contigent variables that they can make useful contributions through the examination of the impacts of such determinants of HRM policies and practices (Boxall, 1995; Brewster et al, 1996). However, other researchers (Budhwar and Sparrow, 1997; Jackson and Schuler, 1995) argue that national factors and contingent variables are not enough in themselves to provide an understanding of the context-specific nature of HRM practices. It is important therefore, to consider analysis of the impact of organisational-level strategies (Budhwar and Sparrow, 1997). Secondly, the comparative approach focuses on similarities and differences in HRM practices within an international context. Undeniably, Budhwar & Sparrow (2002) note that the increase in globalisation of business transactions, the emergence of new markets such as the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) as well as hyper competition among organisations at equally the domestic and international level have been associated with an increased significance and need for comparative human resource management (HRM) studies. As a result, there has been a growing number of studies addressing the configuration of HRM in different national contexts (Budhwar & Sparrow, 2002). According to Rechie, Lee and Quintanilla (2009) one of the most significant role of comparative HRM research is to provide managers, principally those working in multinational firms, with specific guidelines concerning how to design and implement an effective HRM system taking into consideration cultural differences especially when their business operation enters into different cultural contexts for example western multinationals seeking to do business in China. This notion of being responsive to the context and standardisation of HRM policies and practices has generated controversial but nonetheless critical topics of discussion in comparative HRM, such as the debate on localization versus standardization, and the process of transferring HRM policies and practices across nations (Rechie et al, 2009). The thirdly, multinational approach, tends to focus on HRM practices in multinational organisations. The HRM extant literature reveals that there are two distinct schools of thought as regards approaches to managing people within MNCs: (i) convergence and (ii) divergence. According to Brewster et al. , (2007), the convergence approach is said to be one of the most dominant strands in international management research. On the one hand, the convergence approach has three main assumptions: firstly, the ultimate aim in all organisations is to improve performance through high-performance work systems (Brewster, 2001). Secondly, the universal aim of performance improvement can be achieved by using sound and effective management philosophies that hold true despite of differences among national environments (Girgin, 2005). Thirdly, proponents of the convergence approach argue that if local practices are different from these principles, they are expected to be replaced with ‘the one best way’, converging mainly on the American model as the leading industrial economy (Dowling et al. , 1999). According to Girgin (2005) the concept of convergence towards the one best way practice has been encouraged and/or supported by the forces of globalisation, which has led to the opening of world markets, deregulation, regional integration and improvements in communication technologies. Although HRM as a field of practice was developed in America, the principles and practices designed for America may not hold for other parts of the world. Barlett and Ghoshal (1989), say that, the main suggestion of the globalisation argument is that nationality factors in the operation of national systems and of companies are no longer influential or important as international companies become ‘trans-national’ which converge to a new ‘best model’. Yes, the IHRM literature shows that because multinational corporations are embedded in their home institutional environments, they may attempt to transfer ‘home’ practices to their foreign operations in different cultural environments (Edwards et al. , 1999). However, the study of HRM practices in Europe (see Brewster et al 2007) suggest that national differences are significant in the determination of HRM practices. On the other hand, the divergence approach or contextual paradigm searches for contextually unique practices and approaches to management, it does not search for evidence of similarities (Brewster, 2001). Within the IHRM literature, the focal point of the divergence standpoint is the dissimilarity of policies and applications across different national and regional contexts and tries to understand the particularities of the context with a view to interpret why and how such differences have emerged in these settings (Brewster, 2005). Within the divergence school of thought, there are two distinct approaches to managing human resources in multinational organisations: (i) the culturalist and (ii) the institutionalist perspectives. Based mainly on Hofstede’s (1980) value-based behavioural dimensions and concepts of national culture which have made an attempt to explain the influence of culture upon Multinationals’ behaviour, the culturalist approach has found widespread acceptance in the IHRM literature. Hofstede (1980) came to a conclusion that culture was the main determinant of the variations in work-related values, attitudes and behaviours among employees and managers within the same organisation, and of the same profession, age, or gender. Hofstede found that there were four dimensions that explained the differences in work-related values and behaviours: (i) Individualism and collectivism, (ii) Uncertainty avoidance, (iii) Power distance and (iv) Masculinity and femininity According to Girgin (2005), the culturalist approach endeavours to build an understanding of differences in work organisations, managerial behaviour and human resource practices based on attributes of national cultural distinctiveness in terms of values, ideas and beliefs shared by people in a given society. Under the divergence school of thought, the institutionalist perspective is the second. The main argument of the institutionalist perspective is that national institutional contexts (for example, government systems, training and development systems) play a major role in determining structures and strategies of organisations (Girgin, 2005). According to Girgin (2005), those who support the Institutionalist perspective stress the pressures on companies to acquire and maintain legitimacy in relation to the environment and the way that interlocking practices can bring benefits in particular systemic contexts. This perspective presents itself as a more comprehensive framework for the comparative study of different national systems (Girgin, 2005). For example, despite the knowledge of the influence of culture on organisational behaviour, HR practitioners cannot simply measure cultural values across their operations and predict behaviour, due cognisance must be given to various institutional contexts. As noted by Dewettinck and Remue (2011) certain practices are shared across or within particular contexts; some are distinctive of certain countries; some are unique to certain sectors or sections of an organization or even individuals. Without doubt, while each of the above approaches sharpens the focus on some aspects of HRM, it is possible that solely focusing on one aspect may unavoidably, hinder capturing the positive aspects from other perspectives(Mayrhofer and Brewster, 2005). Indeed what appears to be more significant in researching international HRM is the context. According to Dewettinck and Remue (2011) the notion of context and/or focus on contextual factors has been reflected in the cross-cultural embedment of many international HRM studies (Brewster, Mayrhoferand Morley, 2004), in addition, the Globe project which was focused on leadership also reveals that context is important (House and Javidan, 2004). For example, a recent study by Hartmann et al. (2010) of western multinationals operating in China shows that these organisations implement relatively unchanged HRM practices from their home country in their Chinese subsidiaries. The study of Hartmann et al. , reveals that consideration of contextual factors is important in the understanding of HRM practices and the management of people in an international context. As a matter of fact, results of Hartmann et al. ’s study indicate that, although the Chinese subsidiaries of Western multinationals were able to implement unchanged HRM practices such as talent management from their headquarters, the practices were not successfully internalised. This demonstrates the significance of national cultures and being responsive to local needs in implementing HRM practices. The example above actually shows that context is an important aspect in researching international HRM regardless of the approach taken. In conclusion, there is indeed something to be learnt from each of the perspectives. Each of the perspectives do make considerable contribution to the understanding of international HRM.

How To Convert Feet to Kilometers - Worked Example Problem

How To Convert Feet to Kilometers Problem This example problem demonstrates how to convert feet to kilometers. Feet To Kilometers Conversion Problem The average commercial jet flies around an altitude of 32,500 feet. How high is this in kilometers? Conversion Solution 1 foot 0.3048 meters1000 m 1 kmSet up the conversion to the desired unit will be canceled out. In this case, we want km to be the remaining unit.distance in km (distance in ft) x (0.3048 m/1 ft) x (1 km/1000 m)distance in km (32500 x 0.3048/1000) kmdistance in km 9.906 km Answer 32,500 feet is equal to 9.906 kilometers.Many conversion factors are difficult to remember. Feet to meters would fall into this category. An alternate method to perform this conversion is to use multiple easily remembered steps.1 foot 12 inches1 inch 2.54 centimeters100 centimeters 1 meterUsing these steps we can express a distance in meters from feet as:distance in m (distance in ft) x (12 in/1 ft) x (2.54 cm/1 in) x (1 m/100 cm)distance in m (distance in ft) x 0.3048 m/ftNote this gives the same conversion factor as above. The only thing to watch out for is for the intermediate units to cancel out.

Literature and Art of the Harlem Renaissance essays

Literature and Art of the Harlem Renaissance essays In the early 1900s, particularly in the 20s and early 30s, African American literature, art, music, and dance began to flourish in Harlem, a section of New York City. Variously known as the New Negro movement, the New Negro Renaissance, and the Negro Renaissance, the movement emerged toward the end of World War I in 1918. The Harlem Renaissance marked the first time that mainstream publishers and critics took African American literature seriously and that African American literature and arts attracted significant attention from the nation as a whole. Although it was primarily a literary movement, it was closely related to developments in African American music, theater, art, and politics The Harlem Renaissance seemed to be the best of times for America, during which whites and African Americans began to mix and gain a better understanding of one another. Harlem became the epicenter of music, art, and literature. This was the place from which acclaimed writers of the period started th eir careers. (Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, etc.) Blues and jazz were the prominent styles of music heard throughout the community, made notable by artists such as Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith, and Duke Ellington, and could almost always be heard in social bars known as speakeasies. "No common literary style or political ideas defined the Harlem Renaissance. What united participants was their sense of taking part in a common goal and their commitment to giving artistic expression to the African American experience." (Harlem Renaissance Review) African Americans were able to find sanctuary in the North, having to face much less racism and abuse than those who remained in the South. Many were now able to hold decent jobs with good pay, as opposed to the labor they were forced to do previously. They held an intense yearning for equality. However, they still faced many challenges. Despite protest and some progress, racism still separated Americans in every...

Private School Headmasters Compensation

Private School Headmasters' Compensation Education professionals often earn significantly less than what they could earn in the business world or in other professions. However, there is  a group of leaders of private schools who are actually seeing surges in their salaries that pack quite the financial punch: the Head of School. What are these leaders really making and is it justified? The Head of School's Job Compensation Averages A head-of-school is a job that comes with enormous responsibility. At private schools, these high powered individuals have to run not only a school but also a business. Many people dont like to think of schools as businesses, but the truth is, they are. A Head of School will actually oversee a multi-million dollar business, some schools are billion dollar businesses when you consider endowments and operating budgets, and they are responsible for the well-being of hundreds of children every day. Boarding schools add another level of responsibility when it comes to leadership and oversight of children, as they are essentially open 24/7. The head is involved in not only the aspects of academics and ensuring students receive quality educations, but also hiring and HR, fundraising, marketing, budgeting, investing, crisis management, recruiting, and enrollment. The person who sits in this role must be a part of every aspect of the school.   When you consider the enormous expectations made of these dedicated individuals, most head of schools compensation is far below comparable levels in other fields. How far below? Significantly. The average compensation of the top 500 CEOs is in the millions according to Executive Paywatch. According to NAIS, the average compensation for a head of school is about $201,000, with boarding school heads edging out their peers with about $238,000. However, some schools also have presidents, which at the day school level are making comparable salaries, but are making an average of $330,000 at boarding schools.   But, thats not to say that Heads of Schools are hurting. An interesting note is that many private school heads also tend to receive extensive benefits, such as free housing and meals (even some day schools offer this), school vehicles, housekeeping services, country club memberships, discretionary funds, strong retirement benefits, and even expensive buyout packages should the school not be thrilled with his or her performance. This can easily equate to another $50,000-$200,000 in benefits, depending on the school.   Comparison to Public School College Compensation While many claim heads-of-schools make less than their corporate counterparts, the truth is that many actually  earn more than some  public school superintendents. The average salary without benefits for a superintendent is about $150,000 nationally. But some states, like New York, have superintendent salaries exceeding $400,000. In general, the salaries at Urban Schools tend to be greater for superintendents. Now, college presidents, by contrast, make significantly more than private school headmasters. Reports vary from source to source some claiming presidents average about $428,000, while others show the average is more than $525,000 annually with many earning well over $1,000,000 in annual compensation. The top 20 highest-paid presidents all earned over a million dollars annually, even in 2014.   Why Do Head-of-School salaries vary so much? Location significantly affects the salaries of these top-level positions, as does the school environment. Heads of schools, historically referred to as headmasters when the positions were held primarily by men, at junior schools (middle schools and elementary schools) tend to make significantly less than their secondary school counterparts, and boarding school heads tend to make the most due to a large amount of responsibility the school has in providing an appropriate homelife for students from around the world. Schools in small towns tend to offer smaller salaries, although many New England private schools buck that trend, with schools that are centuries old in small towns offering some of the top salaries in the country. A couple of years ago, the Boston Globe came out with a story about the surge of salaries in New England, uncovering several heads with salaries ranging from $450,000 to over a million dollars. Fast forward to 2017, and those heads are making even more, with increases equating to 25% raises in only a few years. School financials also play a role in head-of-school compensation. Naturally, those institutions with higher endowments and annual funds also tend to pay their leaders higher salaries. However, tuition doesnt always indicate the level of a head-of-schools salary. While some schools with high tuitions will indeed offer some of the most competitive compensation packages, those are usually schools that dont rely on tuition to cover the bulk of the operating budget. In general, the more tuition-driven a school in annually, the less likely it is that their head of school will be pulling the biggest dollars.   Compensation Information Sources The Form 990, which non-profit schools file annually, is similar to a tax return. It contains information about headmasters compensation, as well as other high paid employees. Unfortunately, to make sense of figures you have to examine several different pages of the filing. The elements of the compensation packages are complex and are contained under many different expense headings. If the school is a 501(c)(3) not for profit educational institution, it must file a Form 990 with the IRS annually. The Foundation Center and Guidestar are two sites that make these returns available online. Note: the cash salaries are somewhat misleading as most of these key employees receive significant allowances for housing, meals, transportation, travel, and retirement plans apart from their cash salaries. Figure an additional 15-30% for allowances and/or non-cash compensation. The gross amount in many cases exceeds $500,000, with some exceeding $1,000,000 with other compensation factored in. A sampling of head-of-school  and president base salaries ranked from highest to lowest, based on Form 990 submissions from 2014, unless otherwise noted: Episcopal High School, Alexandria, VA $605,610 with $114,487 in est. other compensationMilton Academy, Milton, MA $587,112 with $94,840 in est. other compensationPhillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH -  $551,143 with $299,463 in est. other compensationPhillips Academy, Andover, MA - $489,000 was reported in 2013, with no head of school compensation listed in 2014Choate Rosemary Hall,  Wallingford, CT $486,215 with $192,907 in est. other compensationHarvard  Westlake School, Studio City, CA - President $483,731 with $107,105 in est. other*Rye Country Day School, Rye, NY - $460,267 (down from $696,891 in 2013)Hackley School, Tarrytown, NY - $456,084 salary and $328,644 in est. other compensationDeerfield Academy, Deerfield, MA - $434,242 with $180,335 in est. other compensationWestern Reserve Academy, Hudson, OH - $322,484 with $128,589 in est. other compensationHarvard  Westlake School, Studio City, CA - Head  $320,540 with $112,395 in est. other*   *Figures from the 2015 Form 990 Some older 990 forms have revealed the following headmaster salaries, from highest to lowest. Well continue to update this information as we obtain it.   Greensboro Day School, Greensboro, NC $304,158The Brearley School, New York, NY $300,000Lancaster Country Day School, Lancaster, PA $299,240Poly Prep Country Day School, Brooklyn, NY $298,656Georgetown Day School, Washington, DC $296,202Culver Academies, Culver, IN $295,000St. Marks School of Texas, Dallas, TX $290,000Hathaway Brown School, Shaker Heights, OH $287,113Madeira School, Maclean, VA $286,847The Dalton Schools, New York, NY $285,000Hotchkiss School, Lakeville, CT $283,920Punahou School, Honolulu, HI $274,967Far Hills Country Day School, Far Hills, NJ $274,300Groton School, Groton, MA $258,243North Shore Country Day School, Winnetka, IL $250,000Avon Old Farms School, Avon, CT $247,743The Peddie School, Hightstown, NJ $242,314Kent School, Kent, CT $240,000Episcopal Academy, Merion, PA $232,743Cranbrook Schools, Bloomfield Hills, MI $226,600University School of Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI $224,400McCallie School, Chattanooga, TN $223,660Middlesex School, Concord, MA $223,000Sidw ell Friends School, Washington, DC $220,189 Ransom Everglades School, Miami, FL $220,000The Masters School, Dobbs Ferry, NY $216,028Greenwich Country Day School, Greenwich, CT $210,512Harvey School, Katonah, NY $200,000The Hill School, Pottstown, PA $216,100Taft School, Watertown, CT $216,000Shore Country Day School, Beverly, MA $206,250Miami Country Day School, Miami, FL $200,000Village School, Pacific Palisades, CA $210,000Lake Forest Country Day School, Lake Forest, IL $188,677Hillel School of Metropolitan Detroit, Farmington Hills, MI $156,866Annie Wright School, Tacoma, WA $151,410Foxcroft School, Middleburg, VA $150,000Ravenscroft School, Raleigh, NC $143,700Forman School, Litchfield, CT $142,500 Are Headmasters' Compensation Packages Justifiable? A good headmaster deserves to be well-paid. The head of a private school must be a top-notch fundraiser, a superb public relations person, a fine administrator and a dynamic community leader. How lucky we are to have talented educators and administrators who lead private schools rather than manage a Fortune 100 enterprise. Many of them could make 5 or 10 or even 20 times as much as they currently do. Trustees need to review their key employees compensation packages annually and improve them as much as they can. Its extremely important to attract and retain talented administrators in our private schools. Our childrens future depends on it. Resources:Pay Soars For Headmasters at Mass. Prep SchoolsHeadmasters Salaries On The Rise

Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults brochure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults brochure - Essay Example An analysis using a thematic approach on literature indicates six important areas that help in contributing to the development of the attitudes that are defined as being positive or being negative towards the type of people who are known to do self-harm. Lack of training and education was the main link of negative experience and attitudes. In addition, it was also associated with the impact as a result of perception differences of the roles of healthcare professionals and the influence due to clinical culture as well as how people do perceive self-harm as a health need. Greater understanding of self-harm experiences and improved training were linked to positive attitudes. Despite this, the nature of the care reported by the consumer of the services indicates that significant improvement are still needed to the health care attitudes in the health settings ensure high-quality services are being provided to the consumers. The issue of self-harm is significant within the services regarded as contemporary. Several people who do self-harm in many times do manage their wounds at home; however, certain occasions where injuries caused by self-harm need to be seen in the settings of hospital. Several of the consumers of the services that have been receiving health care services in hospitals have reported dissatisfaction and bad experience with the kind of services being rendered. The experiences of the services by the consumers have greatly contributed to the development and survivor groups’ actions. Several authors have described the word survivor in relation to this circumstance as an aspect of surviving the services of psychiatry in addition to other experiences lived. This is a clear show that the provision of service that was intended to help the people who are victims of self-harm has been reported as being traumatic for several number of healthcare service

Aquisitions and Payments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Aquisitions and Payments - Essay Example ing the entire useful life of assets, the management would be paying fewer taxes under double- declining method of depreciation during initial years of useful life. This is because double- declining method uses double the rate of straight line method. Depreciation would be higher in initial years as compared to straight line method. Carrying value of in later years would be lower as compared to straight line method and hence lower depreciation would be charge to income statement resulting into higher income and thus higher taxes during later years of useful life. The position is exactly reversed when management decide to use straight line method of depreciation. However, when using double- declining method and paying fewer taxes in initial years of useful life of asset, the company will have to make provisions for deferred taxation. The cash flow statements of Pier 1 Imports show an entry under the head changes in cash from ‘Sales of receivables in exchange of beneficial interest in securitized receivables’. . That means that Pier 1 had to resort to Securitization laws to take hold of assets covered for receivables that became bad and unrecoverable. The company is generating cash by way of making sales of those assets or beneficial interests held in place of bad recoverable under the provisions of the law. This indicates that there were recoveries that turned bad and Pier 1 had to resort to take possession of some beneficial interests to make good some of the bad debts. â€Å"Securitization is the process of pooling and repackaging of homogeneous illiquid financial assets into marketable securities that can be sold to investors.† (Lakshmi Mohandass). This shows that securitization is undertaken only of those financial assets which become illiquid or bad to recover. The amount shown under the above stated head ‘Sales of receivables in exchange of beneficial interest in securitized receivables’ is quite significant. In 2007 changes in cash flow from such