Unethical Marketing Research Practices

Unethical Marketing Research Practices Practices in relation to proposals constitute a breach of professionalism, courtesy and ethics, research managers should understand that, Examples of common faults: Added consulting services prior to winning the assignment, expecting the research company to provide value Developing research instruments and special exercises and providing customized local market information. These may include project design, However, it is wrong to make this an expectation., the research company may wish to supply some of these services to place themselves in a better competitive position; In order to place the second in a better competitive position, disclosing details of one Research Companys proposal to another Company information and pricing structure the research companys approach should be treated as proprietary and confidential. Research managers should not use another company as a lever or check on a regular supplier, seeking comparison bids without charge Evaluating Research The process of vendor selection can sometimes become derailed by individual egos and political dynamics which are harmful to successful study execution and should be avoided, the research manager typically must review them with senior research, brand and marketing management. The consultants personal qualities including their level of enthusiasm, poise and professionalism as well as the skills and professional capabilities offered by the research company, primary criteria that should be applied in the selection process are the fit between the projects substantive requirements and the research manager should be certain that the proposals offered are equivalent in all respects, particularly in terms of specifications and possible hidden costs not apparent in the quotation Unethical Practices in Marketing RESEARCH SUPPLIERS Low-ball pricing Underpaying field services Lack of objectivity Abuse of respondents Selling unnecessary research Violating client confidentiality Research Clients Issuing bid requests when a supplier has been predetermined Obtaining free advice and methodology via bid requests Making false promises Unauthorized requests for proposals Field Services Law-ball Pricing What Is Low Balling the Price When Buying Car? Car dealers are often stereotyped as tricky and dishonest, and the car buying experience is viewed as an adversarial contest between the customer and salesperson. While its not always that way, there are some dishonest dealerships and salespeople who will use unethical practices to sell their cars. One of these practices is known as lowball. Not every dealer will use it, but you should be aware of it in case someone tries it. If they do, you should know how to handle it. Lowball the price of a car means offering to sell it at an unrealistically low price. For example, a car dealer might offer you a vehicle for $27,000 even though it normally sells for a minimum of $30,000. Unfortunately, the dealer has no intention of actually selling the car at that price. Its an underhanded tactic to get you through the door. There are two purposes for giving you a lowball offer. If you are shopping around, Roosevelt Gist of Auto Network says a salesperson will give a lowball price to ensure that you will come back. He knows that no other dealer will be able to meet the offer, so he wants to guarantee your return. He wont give you anything in writing, and when you return he wont honor the price. Youll get an excuse like you misunderstood or the sales manager wouldnt approve it or the car has been sold. Instead, youll find yourself back in negotiations. The second purpose is to get you into the dealership if you have not been there yet. If you are shopping via email or over the phone, the dealer may call you with a price that sounds too good to be true. When you arrive, he wont honor the price. It may seem that lowball would turn off buyers, but some dealers get good results with this tactic. If youre shopping over the phone or via email and he can get you through the door, he hopes that you wont want to be bothered shopping around at other dealers. If he can get you to do a test drive and engage you in negotiations, he hopes to make a sale. If youre already at the dealership after shopping around, he is counting on the fact that you are tired and will give in to the higher price. The best reaction when you have been lowballs to simply walk out the door. Once you see the dealer has no intention of honoring the price, youll also see that he is not above using dishonest tactics. Its better to spending more time shopping around than to deal with an unethical business. You can prevent lowball by asking the salesperson to put his offer in writing if it sounds unusually low. If he makes the offer over the phone, ask him to send you an email or fax you a written confirmation before you visit the dealership. If he refuses to do this, dont bother going to the dealership. Youve probably gotten a lowball offer that will not be honored when you arrive. Lake of Objectivity How to Avoid Unethical Behaviors and Dirty Tricks of Realtors Since the commissions of the Real Estate Agent are being paid by the seller of the house a buyer cannot relay on his objectivity or impartial conduct, like in many professions and occupations there are honest and ethical people and there are some who arent exactly as since without a buyer there is no deal, the seller can expect the agent to exert pressure to lower the selling price. Therefore he would do anything in his power to make the buyer pay more than he wanted and on the other hand (the good hand :-), push the seller to settle for less than he hoped to be paid for his property. In short, the agents main interest is to make sure that there would be a sale, so he would be able to get his commission , what we would concentrate here though, is the unethical dirty tricks and manipulations some of the Real Estate agents are using in order to achieve it. In general it make sense to bring both sides to agree on realistic price that can cut a deal Misconduct of Agents to Seller The sellers are the biggest losers from the real estate agents tricks Home owners are often duped into paying money to agents before their homes are sold. If their home does not sell, or it sells for less than the consumer was led to believe, this money, which often amounts to thousands of dollars, is lost. Purpose of advertising is NOT to sell homes, but to raise the profile of agents; this is at the direct expense of home sellers. Home sellers are being convinced by a rational that the price goes up at auctions but the reason the price goes up at auction is because it starts at a very low price. The truth is that auctions get lower prices more often than they get higher prices. Among agents, an auction is considered the fastest and best conditioning method. Home Owners lose millions through having their homes undersold at auctions.. It is a common deceit. At other times, home sellers are given totally fictitious offers in order to convince them to lower prices, many agents submit offers to sellers which are lower than the offer actually made by the buyers. This reckless disregard for the personal safety of home-owners is a serious ethical concern. Open Inspections, Almost anyone can walk through a family home without identification. Agents will say that there has been lots of activity and, if no one has bought, the price must be lowered. But agents do not say that the people who looked were not qualified Also, the more lookers who can be attracted to an open inspection the easier it is to persuade the owner to reduce the price. Abuse of Respondents Often, an association and its members will have already heard rumors or seen patterns of wrongdoing before a crisis becomes public. By choosing to do nothing then-or even after a scandal breaks-associations have failed their professions and industries. Leadership and quick action to shore up public trust is needed. I am convinced that many associations have failed their professions and industries in times of scandal and crisis. But what should an association do when one or more of its members is waist-deep in a public scandal? Here are a few suggestions: Condemn the sin, not the sinner. Public confidence in a profession or industry demands that the profession always be ready to draw clear lines between acceptable and unacceptable behavior. It is possible to make a strong and timely statement on the ethics of a specific behavior without judging whether the particular behavior has occurred in this case or whether a specific executive is guilty. The first response of an association must be to label the unethical behavior for what it is Ask the accused to step aside. It should be an unwritten law of associations and professional societies that accused individuals step aside temporarily until charges are resolved. The credibility of any association depends on the integrity of its leaders. This does not admit guilt, but simply respects the special role of the association. Pull the trigger if guilt is established. If the guilt of an individual or member firm is established, then the association must act to force the resignation or withdraw the membership of the guilty. Cases where guilt is never proven, but the stench of scandal is strong, present harder choices. Associations must be in the business of building public trust. Quiet action to force the resignation of an association board member may be called for. If an association today does not have a process for throwing out a member, it had better create one. Define and advocate best ethical practices, not just minimum behaviors. Association codes designed to define and advocate exemplary rather than minimal behaviors. In todays ethical climate, restoring trust will require a focus on best practices and exemplary behavior If only the lower boundary is established, those inclined to wrongdoing will always be probing how low is low, most association and industry codes of ethical conduct are least common denominators, a list of provisions that virtually every member can agree to because the standards are so low Keep your ethics current with the changing nature of your profession or industry. Ethical norms codified by the firms and their associations in the past addressed problems of a simpler time. Only through visionary action and timely debate on new ethical issues facing the profession or industry will public credibility and trust be sustained The ethical failures in the accounting, financial services, health care, and telecommunications industries can in part be attributed to the rapidly changing structure and altered characteristics of those industries Selling unnecessary Research Admittedly, people assume different approaches to managing their visibility. On the contrary, years of BSRP research finds that in our culture, if you want to get paid what youre worth, its essential. Doing whatever you can to direct attention to the competencies you have, and contributions you make, is not inherently wrong or evil. Some are narcissistic and vain but not necessarily unethical. However, there are some people who plainly do not subscribe to conventional rule of conduct. To them, for example, the rhetoric of principles, values and integrity only serves as an additional device which can be used to scam others. Their unrestrained behavior taints ethical self-projection for everyone. They may be tedious and boring, but they are not necessarily unethical. The result is a catalog of twenty-two behavioral tools unethical self-promoters tend to use. How many have you experienced? Well intended people are content to practice appropriate self-presentation, when they can, moderated by a sense of honor, respect for the truth and prudent regard for the feelings of others For 30 years we have been observing those devices in use, especially as they are used by salespeople, managers, executives, ex-clergy, consultants, psychologists, and others. Violating Client Confidentiality Temptation grows stronger when were tired, afraid, under pressure, or in conflict all of us face the human temptation to duck important ethical responsibilities. By making what we know or suspect is unethical seem perfectly ethical. Common cognitive strategies can fool us They can spin the most questionable behaviors into ethical ideals. The most common ethical fallacies rely on twisted judgment, appealing fallacies, and juggled language. To restate a major theme of this book: We believe that the overwhelming majority of psychologists are conscientious, caring individuals, committed to ethical behavior. We also believe that all of us are fallible, no one is perfect in all areas at all times, and we all share vulnerabilities at one time or another to at least a few of these ethical justifications. What sorts of cognitive maneuvers can transform unethical behavior into the ethical ideal? Many of the justifications below appeared in previous editions of this book, and some were added when the list appeared in Here are a few. We encourage readers to expand the list. Unethical not as long as a managed care administrator or insurance case reviewer required or suggested it. Unethical not what sorts of cognitive maneuvers can transform unethical behavior into the ethical ideal? if the American Psychological Association or similar organization allows it. Unethical not if an ethics code never mentions the concept, term, or act Unethical not as long as any law was broken. If someone discovers that our c.v. is full of degrees we never earned, positions we never held, and awards we never received, all we need do is non defensively acknowledge that mistakes were made and its time to move on Its not unethical as long as we can name others who do the same thing. unethical not if we can use the passive voice and look ahead. Its not unethical as long as we didnt mean to hurt anyone. unethical not even if our acts have caused harm as long as the person we harmed had it coming, provoked us, deserved it, was really asking for it, or practically forced us to do it or, failing that, has not behaved perfectly, is in some way unlikable, or is acting unreasonably. without any doubt whatsoever that exactly what we did was the necessary and sufficient proximate cause of harm to the client and that the client would otherwise be free of all physical and psychological problems. Its not unethical as long as there is no body of universally accepted, methodologically perfect (i.e., without any flaws, weaknesses, or limitations) studies showing -, difficulties, or challenges. Its not unethical if we could not (or did not) anticipate the unintended consequences of our acts. For example, it may seem as if a therapist who has submitted hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of bogus insurance claims for patients he never saw might have behaved unethically. Its not unethical if we acknowledge the importance of judgment, consistency, and context. : It was simply an error in judgment, completely inconsistent with the high ethics manifest in every other part of the persons life, and insignificant in the context of the unbelievable good that this person does. However, as attorneys and others representing such professionals often point out Use of professional Respondents Unethical Behavior Its Impact on Todays Workplace Such unethical behaviors include a wide variety of different activities. Among the most common unethical business behaviors of employees are making long-distance calls on business lines, duplicating software for use at home, falsifying the number of hours worked, or much more serious and illegal practices, such as embezzling money from the business, or falsifying business records. Though there is sometimes a difference between behaviors that are unethical and activities that are actually illegal, it is up to the business itself to decide how it deals with unethical behavior legal or not. It is a sad truth that the employees of just about every business, in every business, will occasionally encounter team members who are taking part in unethical behaviors. After all, unethical behavior that is not illegal frequently falls in a grey area between right and wrong that make it difficult to decide what to do when it is encountered. Many employees find that discovering unethical behavior among co-workers actually tests their own values and ethical behaviors. For example, some people feel that it is alright to tell a little white lie, or to make one long distance call on the companys nickel, as long as they can justify it in their mind. Furthermore, different people have different views regarding what is ethical and what is unethical. Employee needs to consider how s/he feels about that particular activity, as well as informing about that activity, or turning a blind eye. When employees discover other employees doing something that they know is wrong by the companys standards, their own sense of what is right and what is wrong instantly comes into question The first step is to create a company policy, in writing, that is read and signed by each employee. This erases most feelings of ambiguity when it comes to deciding what to do after witnessing an unethical behavior Should the employee speak to the individual directly, or should the employee head directly to a company supervisor? Even by deciding to do something about it, the employee who has discovered the unethical behavior is presented with a number of difficult choices. To make this decision a bit easier, many companies have adopted several techniques that allow for the management of unethical activities. With clear instructions, there will be less hesitation in reporting unethical activities, and then they can be dealt with quickly and relatively easily, before they develop into overwhelming issues the second is to give a clear outline of what is expected of the person who has discovered the unethical behavior. It should include the person who should be contacted, and how to go about doing it. Furthermore, the repercussions of unethical behaviors should be clearly stated. both the person doing the activity, and the witness to the activity will be well aware of the way that things will be dealt with, and there wont be any risk of someone not reporting unethical behavior because theyre afraid that the culprit will be unfairly treated. Communication is key in the proper management of unethical behavior in todays workplace. RESOURCES Hagan, F. (2000). Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Criminology. Boston: Allyn Bacon. Lasley, J. (1999). Essentials of Criminal Justice and Criminological Research. NJ: Prentice Hall Neuman, L. B. Wiegand. (2000). Criminal Justice Research Methods. Boston: Allyn Bacon. Reynolds, P. (1982). Ethics and Social Science Research. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Senese, J. (1997). Applied Research Methods in Criminal Justice. Chicago: Nelson Hall. Not an official webpage of APSU, copyright restrictions apply, see Megalinks in Criminal Justice OConnor, T. (Date of Last Update at bottom of page). In Part of web cited (Windows name for file at top of browser), MegaLinks in Criminal Justice. Retrieved from http://www.apsu.edu/oconnort/rest of URL accessed on todays date.

Mother to Son

Langston Hughes’s poem entitled â€Å"mother to Son† is a poem of nurturing, love, and discussion of thoughts. The mother as the narrator of the poem shares her thoughts about life. She said that life is not an easy journey.   She relates her life to a stair, which was not a crystal or a beautiful and genuine gem. As what she is trying to tell her son, life is a never-ending journey with full of mysteries, fear, struggle, pain, success, and meaning. The mother saw her child giving up on something so she told him not to think about the negativities for it was the challenge of living. From the beginning of the poem, the narrator already took place as the authority and judge. As she stated her case, she already concluded many things around her journey and life. However, every insight that was imposed as personal justifications by using the words â€Å"for me†. It means that the conclusion is an opinionated discussion. Everything is logical but deep. The narrator reaches her hand towards her son as she wanted him to become a better person like the way she treated her life during her childhood until she became an adult. Her transition from being a soft-spoken mother to an imposer and going back to a nurturing and loving mother is a also a significant idea within the poem as she used the word â€Å"son† in the beginning, â€Å"boy† in the middle and â€Å"honey† in the latter part of the poem. The word â€Å"son† showed her literal relationship with her child. As she used the word â€Å"boy† it shows that the narrator became an imposer, but as she went used the word â€Å"honey† she imposed a more intimate relationship with her child – her love, nurturance and acceptance of her son’s weakness. Through this, the relationship of mother and child became an educator and student relationship but soon goes to a more intimate relationship that moulds the mother and the son to be intact. In terms of the symbolisms, elements, and images within the poem, the author used the images that can be seen within the house such as carpet, stair, and floor. It shows the true essence of motherhood because literally or logically speaking, mothers are made to nurture the home and the family. By looking or analyzing the images alone, it can be seen that narrator is a woman or a mother to be specific because it embossed the responsibilities of a woman within the house. There are also ironies within the poem such as dark and light, climbin’ and landin’, and fall and climb. The author showed a balance justification of strength and weakness towards the mother’s personality showing that she was not a perfect person, but trying to become a better one for her child. The author succeeds his attempt to incorporate both negative and positive aspects of life, which is a sensitive issue especially if a child is part of the situation. His attack was simple but complete. He stated everything a mother and child should know within a short poem that distinguishes him to become an effective moralist poet. The passage â€Å"Life for me ain't been no crystal stair† was the main thesis of the poem. At the end of the narrator’s discussion, she showed in what she is trying to say about life by restating the main argument of the poem. This attack shows her responsibility to give her child a goof faith or belief how life is going to be as he went to his own journey. She pushed her son to climb the stair without thinking of the negative aspects of life but always on the positive side of everything because negativities are part of life but it was not the only reason for living. Work Cited Hughes, Langston. Mother to Son. (n.d.) 5 December 2007.

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 23. Memories

Tm so sorry, Seth. I should have been closer.† Edward was still apologizing, and I didn't think that was either fair or appropriate. After all, Edward hadn't completely and inexcusably lost control of his temper. Edward hadn't tried to rip Jacob's head off – Jacob, who wouldn't even phase to protect himself – and then accidentally broken Seth's shoulder and collarbone when he jumped in between. Edward hadn't almost killed his best friend. Not that the best friend didn't have a few things to answer for, but, obviously, nothing Jacob had done could have mitigated my behavior. So shouldn't have been the one apologizing? I tried again. â€Å"Seth, I – â€Å" â€Å"Don't worry about it, Bella, I'm totally fine,† Seth said at the same time that Edward said, â€Å"Bella, love, no one is judging you. You're doing so well.† They hadn't let me finish a sentence yet. It only made it worse that Edward was having a difficult time keeping the smile off his face. I knew that Jacob didn't deserve my overreaction, but Edward seemed to find something satisfying in it. Maybe he was just wishing that he had the excuse of being a newborn so that he could do something physical about his irritation with Jacob, too. I tried to erase the anger from my system entirely, but it was hard, knowing that Jacob was outside with Renesmee right now. Keeping her safe from me, the crazed newborn. Carlisle secured another piece of the brace to Seth's arm, and Seth winced. â€Å"Sorry, sorry!† I mumbled, knowing I'd never get a fully articulated apology out. â€Å"Don't freak, Bella,† Seth said, patting my knee with his good hand while Edward rubbed my arm from the other side. Seth seemed to feel no aversion to having me sit beside him on the sofa as Carlisle treated him. â€Å"I'll be back to normal in half an hour,† he continued, still patting my knee as if oblivious to the cold, hard texture of it. â€Å"Anyone would have done the same, what with Jake and Ness – † He broke off mid-word and changed the subject quickly. â€Å"I mean, at least you didn't bite me or anything. That would've sucked.† I buried my face in my hands and shuddered at the thought, at the very real possibility. It could have happened so easily. And werewolves didn't react to vampire venom the same way humans did, they'd told me only now. It was poison to them. â€Å"I'm a bad person.† â€Å"Of course you aren't. I should have – ,† Edward started. â€Å"Stop that,† I sighed. I didn't want him taking the blame for this the way he always took everything on himself. â€Å"Lucky thing Ness – Renesmee's not venomous,† Seth said after a second of awkward silence. ‘†Cause she bites Jake all the time.† My hands dropped. â€Å"She does?† â€Å"Sure. Whenever he and Rose don't get dinner in her mouth fast enough. Rose thinks it's pretty hilarious.† I stared at him, shocked, and also feeling guilty, because I had to admit that this pleased me a teensy bit in a petulant way. Of course, I already knew that Renesmee wasn't venomous. I was the first person she'd bitten. I didn't make this observation aloud, as I was feigning memory loss on those recent events. â€Å"Well, Seth,† Carlisle said, straightening up and stepping away from us. â€Å"I think that's as much as I can do. Try to not move for, oh, a few hours, I guess.† Carlisle chuckled. â€Å"I wish treating humans were this instantaneously gratifying.† He rested his hand for a moment on Seth's black hair. â€Å"Stay still,† he ordered, and then he disappeared upstairs. I heard his office door close, and I wondered if they'd already removed the evidence of my time there. â€Å"I can probably manage sitting still for a while,† Seth agreed after Carlisle was already gone, and then he yawned hugely. Carefully, making sure not to tweak his shoulder, Seth leaned his head against the sofa's back and closed his eyes. Seconds later, his mouth fell slack. I frowned at his peaceful face for another minute. Like Jacob, Seth seemed to have the gift of falling asleep at will. Knowing I wouldn't be able to apologize again for a while, I got up; the motion didn't jostle the couch in the slightest. Everything physical was so easy. But the rest†¦ Edward followed me to the back windows and took my hand. Leah was pacing along the river, stopping every now and then to look at the house. It was easy to tell when she was looking for her brother and when she was looking for me. She alternated between anxious glances and murderous glares. I could hear Jacob and Rosalie outside on the front steps bickering quietly over whose turn it was to feed Renesmee. Their relationship was as antagonistic as ever; the only thing they agreed on now was that I should be kept away from my baby until I was one hundred percent recovered from my temper tantrum. Edward had disputed their verdict, but I'd let it go. I wanted to be sure, too. I was worried, though, that my one hundred percent sure and their one hundred percent sure might be very different things. Other than their squabbling, Seth's slow breathing, and Leah's annoyed panting, it was very quiet. Emmett, Alice, and Esme were hunting. Jasper had stayed behind to watch me. He stood unobtrusively behind the newel post now, trying not to be obnoxious about it. I took advantage of the calm to think of all the things Edward and Seth had told me while Carlisle splinted Seth's arm. I'd missed a whole lot while I was burning, and this was the first real chance to catch up. The main thing was the end of the feud with Sam's pack – which was why the others felt safe to come and go as they pleased again. The truce was stronger than ever. Or more binding, depending on your viewpoint, I imagined. Binding, because the most absolute of all the pack's laws was that no wolf ever kill the object of another wolfs imprinting. The pain of such a thing would be intolerable for the whole pack. The fault, whether intended or accidental, could not be forgiven; the wolves involved would fight to the death – there was no other option. It had happened long ago, Seth told me, but only accidentally. No wolf would ever intentionally destroy a brother that way. So Renesmee was untouchable because of the way Jacob now felt about her. I tried to concentrate on the relief of this fact rather than the chagrin, but it wasn't easy. My mind had enough room to feel both emotions intensely at the same time. And Sam couldn't get mad about my transformation, either, because Jacob – speaking as the rightful Alpha – had allowed it. It rankled to realize over and over again how much I owed Jacob when I just wanted to be mad at him. I deliberately redirected my thoughts in order to control my emotions. I considered another interesting phenomenon; though the silence between the separate packs continued, Jacob and Sam had discovered that Alphas could speak to each other while in their wolf form. It wasn't the same as before; they couldn't hear every thought the way they had prior to the split. It was more like speaking aloud, Seth had said. Sam could only hear the thoughts Jacob wanted to share, and vice versa. They found they could communicate over distance, too, now that they were talking to each other again. They hadn't found all this out until Jacob had gone alone – over Seth's and Leah's objections – to explain to Sam about Renesmee; it was the only time he'd left Renesmee since first laying eyes on her. Once Sam had understood how absolutely everything had changed, he'd come back with Jacob to talk to Carlisle. They'd spoken in human form (Edward had refused to leave my side to translate), and the treaty had been renewed. The friendly feeling of the relationship, however, might never be the same. One big worry down. But there was another that, though not as physically dangerous as an angry wolf pack, still seemed more urgent to me. Charlie. He'd spoken to Esme earlier this morning, but that hadn't kept him from calling again, twice, just a few minutes ago while Carlisle treated Seth. Carlisle and Edward had let the phone ring. What would be the right thing to tell him? Were the Cullens right? Was telling him that I'd died the best, the kindest way? Would I be able to lie still in a coffin while he and my mother cried over me? tt didn't seem right to me. But putting Charlie or Renee in danger of the Volturi's obsession with secrecy was clearly out of the question. There was still my idea – let Charlie see me, when I was ready for that, and let him make his own wrong assumptions. Technically, the vampire rules would remain unbroken. Wouldn't it be better for Charlie if he knew that I was alive – sort of – and happy? Even if I was strange and different and probably frighteningtohim? My eyes, in particular, were much too frightening right now. How long before my self-control and my eye color were ready for Charlie? â€Å"What's the matter, Bella?† Jasper asked quietly, reading my growing tension. â€Å"No one is angry with you† – alow snarl from the riverside contradicted him, but he ignored it – â€Å"or even surprised, really. Well, I suppose we are surprised. Surprised that you were able to snap out of it so quickly. You did well. Better than anyone expects of you.† While he was speaking, the room became very calm. Seth's breathing slipped into a low snore. Ifelt more peaceful, but I didn't forget my anxieties. â€Å"I was thinking about Charlie, actually.† Out front, the bickering cut off. â€Å"Ah,† Jasper murmured. â€Å"We really have to leave, don't we?† I asked. â€Å"For a while, at the very least. Pretend we're in Atlanta or something.† I could feel Edward's gaze locked on my face, but I looked at Jasper. He was the one who answered me in a grave tone. â€Å"Yes. It's the only way to protect your father.† I brooded for a moment. â€Å"I'm going to miss him so much. I'll miss everyone here.† Jacob,I thought, despite myself. Though that yearning was both vanished and defined – and I was vastly relieved that it was – he was still my friend. Someone who knew the real me and accepted her. Even as a monster. I thought about what Jacob had said, pleading with me before I'd attacked him. You said we belonged in each other's lives, right? That we were family. You said that was how you and I were supposed to be. So†¦ now we are. It's what you wanted. But it didn't feel like how I'd wanted it. Not exactly. I remembered further back, to the fuzzy, weak memories of my human life. Back to the very hardest part to remember – the time without Edward, a time so dark I'd tried to bury it in my head. I couldn't get the words exactly right; I only remembered wishing that Jacob were my brother so that we could love each other without any confusion or pain. Family. But I'd never factored a daughter into the equation. I remembered a little later – one of the many times that I'd told Jacob goodbye – wondering aloud who he would end up with, who would make his life right after what I'd done to it. I had said something about how whoever she was, she wouldn't be good enough for him. I snorted, and Edward raised one eyebrow questioningly. I just shook my head at him. But as much as I might miss my friend, I knew there was a bigger problem. Had Sam or Jared or Quil ever gone a whole day without seeing the objects of their fixations, Emily, Kim, and Claire? Could they? What would the separation from Renesmee do to Jacob? Would it cause him pain? There was still enough petty ire in my system to make me glad, not for his pain, but for the idea of having Renesmee away from him. How was I supposed to deal with having her belong to Jacob when she only barely seemed to belong to me? The sound of movement on the front porch interrupted my thoughts. I heard them get up, and then they were through the door. At exactly the same time, Carlisle came down the stairs with his hands full of odd things – a measuring tape, a scale. Jasper darted to my side. As if there was some signal I'd missed, even Leah sat down outside and stared through the window with an expression like she was expecting something that was both familiar and also totally uninteresting. â€Å"Must be six,† Edward said. â€Å"So?† I asked, my eyes locked on Rosalie, Jacob, and Renesmee. They stood in the doorway, Renesmee in Rosalie's arms. Rose looked wary. Jacob looked troubled. Renesmee looked beautiful and impatient. â€Å"Time to measure Ness – er, Renesmee,† Carlisle explained. â€Å"Oh. You do this every day?† â€Å"Four times a day,† Carlisle corrected absently as he motioned the others toward the couch. I thought I saw Renesmee sigh. â€Å"Four times? Every day? Why?† â€Å"She's still growing quickly,† Edward murmured to me, his voice quiet and strained. He squeezed my hand, and his other arm wrapped securely around my waist, almost as if he needed the support. I couldn't take my eyes off Renesmee to check his expression. She looked perfect, absolutely healthy. Her skin glowed like backlit alabaster; the color in her cheeks was rose petals against it. There couldn't be anything wrong with such radiant beauty. Surely there could be nothing more dangerous in her life than her mother. Could there? The difference between the child I'd given birth to and the one I'd met again an hour ago would have been obvious to anyone. The difference between Renesmee an hour ago and Renesmee now was subtler. Human eyes never would have detected it. But it was there. Her body was slightly longer. Just a little bit slimmer. Her face wasn't quite as round; it was more oval by one minute degree. Her ringlets hung a sixteenth of an inch lower down her shoulders. She stretched out helpfully in Rosalie's arms while Carlisle ran the tape measure down the length of her and then used it to circle her head. He took no notes; perfect recall. I was aware that Jacob's arms were crossed as tightly over his chest as Edward's arms were locked around me. His heavy brows were mashed together into one line over his deep-set eyes. She had matured from a single cell to a normal-sized baby in the course of a few weeks. She looked well on her way to being a toddler just days after her birth. If this rate of growth held†¦ My vampire mind had no trouble with the math. â€Å"What do we do?† I whispered, horrified. Edward's arms tightened. He understood exactly what I was asking. â€Å"I don't know.† â€Å"It's slowing,† Jacob muttered through his teeth. â€Å"We'll need several more days of measurements to track the trend, Jacob. I can't make any promises.† â€Å"Yesterday she grew two inches. Today it's less.† â€Å"By a thirty-second of an inch, if my measurements are perfect,† Carlisle said quietly. â€Å"Be perfect, Doc,† Jacob said, making the words almost threatening. Rosalie stiffened. â€Å"You know I'll do my best,† Carlisle assured him. Jacob sighed. â€Å"Guess that's all I can ask.† I felt irritated again, like Jacob was stealing my lines – and delivering them all wrong. Renesmee seemed irritated, too. She started to squirm and then reached her hand imperiously toward Rosalie. Rosalie leaned forward so that Renesmee could touch her face. After a second, Rose sighed. â€Å"What does she want?† Jacob demanded, taking my line again. â€Å"Bella, of course,† Rosalie told him, and her words made my insides feel a little warmer. Then she looked at me. â€Å"How are you?† â€Å"Worried,† I admitted, and Edward squeezed me. â€Å"We all are. But that's not what I meant.† â€Å"I'm in control,† I promised. Thirstiness was way down the list right now. Besides, Renesmee smelled good in a very non-food way. Jacob bit his lip but made no move to stop Rosalie as she offered Renesmee to me. Jasper and Edward hovered but allowed it. I could see how tense Rose was, and I wondered how the room felt to Jasper right now. Or was he focusing so hard on me that he couldn't feel the others? Renesmee reached for me as I reached for her, a blinding smile lighting her face. She fit so easily in my arms, like they'd been shaped just for her. Immediately, she put her hot little hand against my cheek. Though I was prepared, it still made me gasp to see the memory like a vision in my head. So bright and colorful but also completely transparent. She was remembering me charging Jacob across the front lawn, remembering Seth leaping between us. She'd seen and heard it all with perfect clarity. It didn't look like me, this graceful predator leaping at her prey like an arrow arcing from a bow. It had to be someone else. That made me feel a very small bit less guilty as Jacob stood there defenselessly with his hands raised in front of him. His hands did not tremble. Edward chuckled, watching Renesmee's thoughts with me. And then we both winced as we heard the crack of Seth's bones. Renesmee smiled her brilliant smile, and her memory eyes did not leave Jacob through all the following mess. I tasted a new flavor to the memory – not exactly protective, more possessive – as she watched Jacob. I got the distinct impression that she was glad Seth had put himself in front of my spring. She didn't want Jacob hurt. He was hers. â€Å"Oh, wonderful,'71 groaned. â€Å"Perfect.† â€Å"It's just because he tastes better than the rest of us,† Edward assured me, voice stiff with his own annoyance. â€Å"I told you she likes me, too,† Jacob teased from across the room, his eyes on Renesmee. His joking was halfhearted; the tense angle of his eyebrows had not relaxed. Renesmee patted my face impatiently, demanding my attention. Another memory: Rosalie pulling a brush gently through each of her curls. It felt nice. Carlisle and his tape measure, knowing she had to stretch and be still. It was not interesting to her. â€Å"It looks like she's going to give you a rundown of everything you missed,† Edward commented in my ear. My nose wrinkled as she dumped the next one on me. The smell coming from a strange metal cup – hard enough not to be bitten through easily – sent a flash burn through my throat. Ouch. And then Renesmee was out of my arms, which were pinned behind my back. I didn't struggle with Jasper; I just looked at Edward's frightened face. â€Å"What did I do?† Edward looked at Jasper behind me, and then at me again. â€Å"But she was remembering being thirsty,† Edward muttered, his forehead pressing into lines. â€Å"She was remembering the taste of human blood.† Jasper's arms pulled mine tighter together. Part of my head noted that this wasn't particularly uncomfortable, let alone painful, as it would have been to a human. It was just annoying. I was sure I could break his hold, but I didn't fight it. â€Å"Yes,† I agreed. â€Å"And?† Edward frowned at me for a second more, and then his expression loosened. He laughed once. â€Å"And nothing at all, it seems. The overreaction is mine this time. Jazz, let her go.† The binding hands disappeared. I reached out for Renesmee as soon as I was free. Edward handed her to me without hesitation. â€Å"I can't understand,† Jasper said. â€Å"I can't bear this.† I watched in surprise as Jasper strode out the back door. Leah moved to give him a wide margin of space as he paced to the river and then launched himself over it in one bound. Renesmee touched my neck, repeating the scene of departure right back, like an instant replay. I could feel the question in her thought, an echo of mine. I was already over the shock of her odd little gift. It seemed an entirely natural part of her, almost to be expected. Maybe now that I was part of the supernatural myself, I would never be a skeptic again. But what was wrong with Jasper? â€Å"He'll be back,† Edward said, whether to me or Renesmee, I wasn't sure. â€Å"He just needs a moment alone to readjust his perspective on life.† There was a grin threatening at the corners of his mouth. Another human memory – Edward telling me that Jasper would feel better about himself if I â€Å"had a hard time adjusting† to being a vampire. This was in the context of a discussion about how many people I would kill my first newborn year. â€Å"Is he mad at me?† I asked quietly. Edward's eyes widened. â€Å"No. Why would he be?† â€Å"What's the matter with him, then?† â€Å"He's upset with himself, not you, Bella. He's worrying about†¦ self-fulfilling prophecy, I suppose you could say.† â€Å"How so?† Carlisle asked before I could. â€Å"He's wondering if the newborn madness is really as difficult as we've always thought, or if, with the right focus and attitude, anyone could do as well as Bella. Even now – perhaps he only has such difficulty because he believes it's natural and unavoidable. Maybe if he expected more of himself, he would rise to those expectations. You're making him question a lot of deep-rooted assumptions, Bella.† â€Å"But that's unfair,† Carlisle said. â€Å"Everyone is different; everyone has their own challenges. Perhaps what Bella is doing goes beyond the natural. Maybe this is her gift, so to speak.† I froze with surprise. Renesmee felt the change, and touched me. She remembered the last second of time and wondered why. â€Å"That's an interesting theory, and quite plausible,† Edward said. For a tiny space, I was disappointed. What? No magic visions, no formidable offensive abilities like, oh, shooting lightning bolts from my eyes or something? Nothing helpful or cool at all? And then I realized what that might mean, if my â€Å"superpower† was no more than exceptional self-control. For one thing, at least I had a gift. It could have been nothing. But, much more than that, if Edward was right, then I could skip right over the part I'd feared the very most. What if I didn't have to be a newborn? Not in the crazed killing-machine sense, anyway. What if I could fit right in with the Cullens from my first day? What if we didn't have to hide out somewhere remote for a year while I â€Å"grew up†? What if, like Carlisle, I never killed a single person? What if I could be a good vampire right away? I could see Charlie. I sighed as soon as reality filtered through hope. I couldn't see Charlie right away. The eyes, the voice, the perfected face. What could I possibly say to him; how could I even begin? I was furtively glad that I had some excuses for putting things off for a while; as much as I wanted to find some way to keep Charlie in my life, I was terrified of that first meeting. Seeing his eyes pop as he took in my new face, my new skin. Knowing that he was frightened. Wondering what dark explanation would form in his head. I was chicken enough to wait for a year while my eyes cooled. And here I'd thought I would be so fearless when I was indestructible. â€Å"Have you ever seen an equivalent to self-control as a talent?† Edward asked Carlisle. â€Å"Do you really think that's a gift, or just a product of all her preparation?† Carlisle shrugged, ‘it's slightly similar to what Siobhan has always been able to do, though she wouldn't call it a gift.† â€Å"Siobhan, your friend in that Irish coven?† Rosalie asked. 1 wasn't aware that she did anything special. I thought it was Maggie who was talented in that bunch.† â€Å"Yes, Siobhan thinks the same. But she has this way of deciding her goals and then almost†¦ willing them into reality. She considers it good planning, but I've always wondered if it was something more. When she included Maggie, for instance. Liam was very territorial, but Siobhan wanted it to work out, and so it did.† Edward, Carlisle, and Rosalie settled into chairs as they continued with the discussion. Jacob sat next to Seth protectively, looking bored. From the way his eyelids drooped, I was sure he'd be unconscious momentarily. I listened, but my attention was divided. Renesmee was still telling me about her day. I held her by the window wall, my arms rocking her automatically as we stared into each other's eyes. I realized that the others had no reason for sitting down. I was perfectly comfortable standing. It was just as restful as stretching out on a bed would be. I knew I would be able to stand like this for a week without moving and I would feel just as relaxed at the end of the seven days as I did at the beginning. They must sit out of habit. Humans would notice someone standing for hours without ever shifting her weight to a different foot. Even now, I saw Rosalie brush her fingers against her hair and Carlisle cross his legs. Little motions to keep from being too still, too much a vampire. I would have to pay attention to what they did and start practicing. I rolled my weight back to my left leg. It felt kind of silly. Maybe they were just trying to give me a little alone time with my baby – as alone as was safe. Renesmee told me about every minute happening of the day, and I got the feeling from the tenor of her little stories that she wanted me to know her every bit as much I wanted the same thing. It worried her that I had missed things – like the sparrows that had hopped closer and closer when Jacob had held her, both of them very still beside one of the big hemlocks; the birds wouldn't come close to Rosalie. Or the outrageously icky white stuff – baby formula – that Carlisle had put in her cup; it smelled like sour dirt. Or the song Edward had crooned to her that was so perfect Renesmee played it for me twice; I was surprised that I was in the background of that memory, perfectly motionless but looking fairly battered still. I shuddered, remembering that time from my own perspective. The hideous fire†¦ After almost an hour – the others were still deeply absorbed in their discussion, Seth and Jacob snoring in harmony on the couch – Renesmee's memory stories began to slow. They got slightly blurry around the edges and drifted out of focus before they came to their conclusions. I was about to interrupt Edward in a panic – was there something wrong with her? – when her eyelids fluttered and closed. She yawned, her plump pink lips stretching into a round O, and her eyes never reopened. Her hand fell away from my face as she drifted to sleep – the backs of her eyelids were the pale lavender color of thin clouds before the sunrise. Careful not to disturb her, I lifted that hand back to my skin and held it there curiously. At first there was nothing, and then, after a few minutes, a flickering of colors like a handful of butterflies were scattering from her thoughts. Mesmerized, I watched her dreams. There was no sense to it. Just colors and shapes and faces. I was pleased by how often my face – both of my faces, hideous human and glorious immortal – cropped up in her unconscious thoughts. More than Edward or Rosalie. I was neck and neck with Jacob; I tried not to let that get to me. For the first time, I understood how Edward had been able to watch me sleep night after boring night, just to hear me talk in my sleep. I could watch Renesmee dream forever. The change in Edward's tone caught my attention when he said, â€Å"Finally,† and turned to gaze out the window. It was deep, purply night outside, but I could see just as far as before. Nothing was hidden in the darkness; everything had just changed colors. Leah, still glowering, got up and slunk into the brush just as Alice came into view on the other side of the river. Alice swung back and forth from a branch like a trapeze artist, toes touching hands, before throwing her body into a graceful flat spin over the river. Esme made a more traditional leap, while Emmett charged right through the water, splashing water so far that splatters hit the back windows. To my surprise, Jasper followed after, his own efficient leap seeming understated, even subtle, after the others. k The huge grin stretching Alice's face was familiar in a dim, odd way. Everyone was suddenly smiting at me – Esme sweet, Emmett excited, Rosalie a little superior, Carlisle indulgent, and Edward expectant. Alice skipped into the room ahead of everyone else, her hand stretched out in front of her and impatience making a nearly visible aura around her. In her palm was an everyday brass key with an oversized pink satin bow tied around it. She held the key out for me, and I automatically gripped Renesmee more securely in my right arm so that I could open my left. Alice dropped the key into it. â€Å"Happy birthday!† she squealed. I rolled my eyes. â€Å"No one starts counting on the actual day of birth,† I reminded her. â€Å"Your first birthday is at the year mark, Alice.† Her grin turned smug. â€Å"We're not celebrating your vampire birthday. Yet. It's September thirteenth, Bella. Happy nineteenth birthday!†

Hedge Funds And Its Strategy Classifications - 992 Words

Introduction As of 2014, more than 11,000 hedge funds are managing more than $2.6 Trillion in assets (De Pol, 2015). The statement itself speaks how important these hedge funds are in the global financial market. They provide investors with opportunities to achieve gains and manage risks. Hedge funds provide liquidity and make financial markets more efficient. These funds can be operated with extreme flexibility and play an important role in financial innovation and reallocation of financial risk (Rubin et al, 1999). Although it sounds good, hedge funds took a hit during the 2008 crisis. Along with the credit crisis came Madoff fraud, the biggest investment scam in 2008. Investors started looking at these funds as high risk, highly leveraged investment vehicles that lacked transparency. Since mid-2009 hedge funds have picked up and strategies are being improved for better risk management, transparency and gaining confidence of investors. The article will give a brief overview of Hedge Funds and its strategy classifications. Then it will particularly describe â€Å"Event Driven† strategy and the market risks associated with it. Hedge Funds A hedge fund can be defined as a pool of investment vehicles that is actively managed and is open only to a limited group of investors and whose performance is measured in absolute return units (Connor and Woo, 2003). Hedge funds are private investment partnerships that require investors to make considerable investments. They are largelyShow MoreRelatedHedge Funds And Hedge Fund3653 Words   |  15 PagesChapter 2 Hedge funds 2.1 Introduction This chapter gives a brief introduction to hedge funds and hedge fund data. Hedge funds are generally considered as private investment vehicles for wealthy individual and institutional investors. 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