International marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

International marketing - Essay Example It provides the facility of discounts at Mulberry shops to its shareholders who own the 500 shares with the company (Morley 2011). The company operates on a large scale, having stores throughout the UK and across the world including Europe, Australia, and Asia. It aims at expanding its base by increasing the production of leather bags in the UK. Mulberry Handbags represent the symbol of England’s distinctiveness and style along with the lifestyle of the people of Britain. This brand is mostly preferred by ladies and is one of their best choices. The uniqueness lies in the provision of exclusively designed handbags that are available at reasonable prices. This brand provides products that represent ideal price, design, style and quality all provided at a single point. Mulberry has produced some top class products like Bayswater handbags and Roxanna handbags with the new unique designs styles. Therefore, Mulberry provides stylish and durable handbags at reasonable prices. The co mpany also operates through various online stores that provide handbags of all models and styles to the various consumers in the market (Morley 2011). The company aims to go for internationalisation in India in order to reach new market and expand its customer base. The reason lies in increasing the sales and earns increasing profits by providing uniquely designed and luxury leather goods to the potential customers. India has the second largest population in the world and this will provide the brand a large market space to grow and expand. Situational Analysis The situational analysis has been done in order to analyse the environmental conditions of the Indian market which will help to develop the marketing plan and enforce the expansion strategy in the Indian market. Socio-Cultural Environment Social cultural environment has an important role to play in when a company takes decision to enter international market. This environment includes all the factors that are not included in ec onomical or political aspects. The social cultural environment on broader parameter consists of complete range of behaviours patterns and relationships of the individuals in their personal lives. The basic factors that are included in the social cultural analysis of the market include characteristics of population of the market, values and attitudes and lifestyles and relationships (Hollensen 2008). Mulberry is a company of British origin which is well known for its luxury leather goods. The company is willing to engage itself in international trade by expanding and entering the Indian market (Morley 2011). The company needs to give emphasis on understanding the Social cultural environment of India before taking the final decision to enter the market. Along with this the company needs to understand this to design its products in such a manner that it is able to align its working with the requirements of the country like India it is initiating to enter (Wilson and Gilligan 1997). Com petitive Analysis For the purpose of competitive analysis of the PEST and porter’s analysis of the market is conducted in order to identify the environment which is to be faced by the company willing to perform its functions in India (Fill 2006). The major factors are discussed in detail as under. PEST Analysis Political Factors: This factor indicates the degree of intervention of the government in the functioning of the economy. India is the biggest democracy of the world and type of government

Why do terrorist organisations have different structures Use examples Essay

Why do terrorist organisations have different structures Use examples of at least one decentralised and one centralised structure to illustrate your arguments - Essay Example anizational structure whereby daily operations, responsibilities of decision making and other military logistics are delegated by the top management to other middle level and lower level managers either within the same or different geographical areas. On the other hand, centralization refers to the organizational structure whereby most of the major logistics such as decision-making, resource allocation are conducted at the same office, which is the central head office. Decentralization by terrorist groups offers relatively more advantages than centralization (Rapoport 2004, p. 47). There has been efforts by the United States together with its allies aimed at destabilizing the Al-Qaeda organization but this organization continues to operate as normally and even more stronger and has been big security threat to the US and other western nations. Research has shown that part of Al-Qaeda’s prolific success lies mostly on its ability to function as a decentralized organization. Although the U.S invaded Afghanistan and Iraq, Al-Qaeda still poses serious threats to the national security of the U.S and this has been contributed by the decentralized manner in which they operate. The U.S has targeted this organization both militarily and politically but despite this, Al-Qaeda continues to thrive. Al-Qaeda has conducted several terrors acts even despite the efforts of Global War on Terror (GWOT) by the U.S. (Cronin 2008, p.102). Most modern terrorist organizations are thriving on very well because they function as distributed networks in what is called as decentralized system. The manner in which they operate makes such organizations able to survive better than if they were organized in hierarchical systems. Initially, GWOT actions had significant significances on Al-Qaeda but with the manner in which it operates, it has remained a resilient organization. For example, autonomous individuals and cells and advanced technologies combined with globalization tools and the

Waitroses Brand Expansion

Waitroses Brand Expansion In 2000, Waitrose purchased 11 stores from rival Somerfield. During 2004, in order for Morrisons to meet competition regulations following its acquisition of Safeway, Morrisons had to sell 52 of the Safeway stores. The first batch of 19 stores were sold to Waitrose. In August 2005 Waitrose purchased a further five former Safeway stores from Morrisons. This took the firm as far north as Durham (now closed), fitting with its long term strategy to evolve into a national retailer. In December 2005, Waitrose also bought another store at Biggin Hill, south east London, from Morrisons. In March 2006, Waitrose announced the purchase of five additional branches, including two branches in Edinburgh, situated in Comely Bank and Morningside. The other three locations included Balham in South West London, Barbican in the City of London and Buxton in Derbyshire. In July 2006, Waitrose announced it had purchased another six stores from Morrisons and also a former Safeway regional distribution centre in Aylesford, Kent expanding Waitrose to 182 stores. The six stores which were rebranded into Waitrose are located at Hexham in Northumberland, Eastbourne in East Sussex, Formby in Merseyside, Parkstone in Poole, Dorset, Lymington in Hampshire and Portswood in Southampton, Hampshire. Since Morrisons began selling Safeway stores in order to meet competition regulations, Waitrose had purchased 31 stores from Morrisons since 2000 and 16 from Somerfield. In 2007 four new Waitrose branches opened, the first of which opened in Harborne in Birmingham. This was followed by Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester in July. The company also revealed plans to extend and refurbish a number of branches. During 2007, Waitrose opened branches across the United Kingdom including Ampthill, Bedfordshire, replacing a Budgens store in September, a second Waitrose branch in the South at College Town, Sandhurst, Berkshire in November and also a newly built branch in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire. In March 2008, three branches were purchased from Budgens, in Buckingham, Bayswater, in West London. The same year, branches opened in Cardiff (Pontprennau), Crewkerne, Kenilworth, Newcastle upon Tyne, White City (Westfield London), Chiswick, Clapham, Edgware Road (the latter three purchased from Woolworths) and Nottingham. A Waitrose store in Banstead was destroyed by fire in December 2008. In June 2008, Waitrose announced the acquisition of four Woolworths store sites for conversion to Waitrose branches in Chiswick, Battersea (Clapham Junction), Edgware Road (Marylebone) and Chapel Market, Islington. All these stores are now trading. In January 2009, Waitrose announced that they had acquired 13 sites from The Co-operative Group to be converted into Waitrose branches in Bridport, Dorset; Headington, Oxfordshire; Haslemere, Surrey; Saxmundham, Suffolk; Ponteland, Northumberland, Croydon, Surrey; Upminster, Essex; Stamford, Lincolnshire; Holsworthy, Devon; Alcester, Warwickshire; Torquay, Devon; Caldicot, Monmouthshire/Sir Fynwy; Leigh-on-Sea, Essex; as well as building another nine branches to make a total of 22 new branches. On 12 November 2009, Waitrose opened a new branch on Byres Road in Glasgow. This is after having purchased the preceding Somerfield store in this location. This is the first Waitrose branch situated in Glasgow. Also, a former Somerfield store in Stamford opened in June 2009. Waitrose cited it was the largest expansion in the history of the company, by adding 4,000 partners and increasing to around 220 supermarkets. Waitrose has entered into a licensing agreement with Spinneys of Dubai, United Arab Emirates to open three purpose-built branches, of which the first opened in the Dubai Mall in October 2008. Spinneys will convert 20 of their own stores to the Waitrose format by 2010. The company has a long term goal of opening 400 branches across the UK by 2017 and doubling its revenue to  £8bn by 2016. Recent developments: Waitrose is involved in a new scheme to operate food halls in key stores of sister chain John Lewis. The stores are officially branded as John Lewis Food Hall and use of the Waitrose brand is limited, but the stores do carry some Waitrose own-brand product lines. The staff uniform is also different to that of Waitrose. The first John Lewis Food Hall opened at the flagship London Oxford Street department store in October 2007; a second opened at the Bluewater branch in August 2009. Also in early 2009, following a fire which destroyed a Waitrose main store in Banstead, Surrey, Waitrose took up temporary residence in the towns former Woolworths store, vacated as a result of Woolworths collapse. The store was smaller than the damaged site but allowed Waitrose to maintain its presence in the area until the rebuilt main store re-opened on 26 November 2009. In April 2009, Waitrose announced a franchise deal with Welcome Break (a motorway service area operator). The two Waitrose stores which are the smallest stores in the partnership opened at Welcome Break services in Oxford and South Mimms on 1 and 15 May 2009 respectively. In Autumn 2009, Waitrose announced plans to expand its presence in the convenience store sector after successful trials of the format. These stores are smaller than the main Waitrose stores but allow the chain to retail a selection of keynote ranges in areas where there is not a suitable site for a large Waitrose supermarket. The firm also plans to expand on its presence at Welcome Break service stations. The firm has also signed a deal with Alliance Boots which will see Boots operating branded pharmacies and retailing health and beauty products through Waitrose stores; in return Boots stores will sell Waitrose food products.

Honda Cars :: essays research papers fc

Racial Riots in America   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Over the past century, beginning before World War I, many incidents have occurred involving white mob assaults against entire black communities. In most of the cases these white mobs attacked the black neighborhoods, beating and killing the residents in many numbers. They also set fire and destroyed the blacks property. This was the result of the white society trying to maintain their superiority over the black communities, keeping them as the minority. These brutal confrontations are mostly referred to as race riots. Out of the many and many of these race riots that have been committed over the years, I have chosen a few to talk about in my paper.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In September of 1906, in Atlanta, Georgia, months of fury had broken out of race hatred. The newspapers had begun to treat black crime, mostly rape and assault, in an inflammatory manner. It had been reported that twelve white females had been raped in on week. The impression was given that it was black males who had been doing this. That began the riot. Mobs of whites murdered blacks, also destroying and looting their homes and places of work. This came with little help from the local authorities. The blacks attempted to resist the whites, but were too outnumbered. Some blacks armed themselves in self-defense, but were arrested. After the rioting went on for four days, two whites and ten blacks were dead with hundreds injured, and over a thousand had left the city. In 1917, in East St. Louis, many white working men felt that blacks were threatening their political and social status. After workers of a labor union at an aluminum plant went on strike in April of 1917, the plant hired blacks to do the work. When a militia, of both white and black, destroyed the strike the whites blamed the blacks for the defeat of the strike. A rioted was started, when whites began to burn and demolish black’s buildings. Many blacks were also beaten, and the only thing that the police did was to take the injured to the hospital. On July 1, a few whites in a Ford car drove down streets in a major Negro part of town. They shoot into many homes and buildings. After this the blacks armed themselves, so when the police came to investigate, who also were driving in a Ford, the blacks fired upon them, killing two police men.

Hr Systems Comparison: System Thinking , Best Practice, Best Fit

Managing human capital| HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT| | | | Table of Contents 1. Abstract3 2. Introduction3 3. System and Ecological Thinking4 3. Best Practice5 4. Best Fit6 5. Discussion7 5. 1. ‘Systems Thinking’7 5. 2. ‘Best-Practice’8 5. 3. ‘Best-Fit’9 6. Summary and Conclusion10 7. Bibliography11 1. Abstract This assignment will assess three main schools of thought that apply to Human Resources Management (HRM). With regards to contemporary HRM concepts it is evident that a consideration of the ‘larger picture’ is necessary to be able to effectively push an organisation towards its ideals goals.A consideration of ‘system thinking’, ‘best practice’ and ‘ best fit’ systems of HRM lead to balanced conclusion that it is necessary for an HR Manager to have a sensitivity to the individual needs of the workforce as well as the ultimate mission of the company. Each system discussed here does this diff erently here does this differently with each focussing on alternate viewpoints of what is most important; be it the intricacies of the system, the commitment applied to the overreaching goals of the organisation.This study finds that our of the three areas studied is viable and arguable that best practice system offers the most well rounded set of principles for general HRM. However, to assess the appropriate HR System for a more specific organisation either local or international, it is essential to consider a conglomerates system, which takes into consideration the specific aims of the company the needs of the staff to create an efficiency and enhanced performance that is still systematic and easily applicative.Key words: System Thinking, Best Practice, Best Fit, Human Resource Management 2. Introduction Human Resource Management was influenced from the changing look of the employment management relationship that occurred after the First and Second World War. It starts with the Fi rst World War; it can be classified in terms of a changed attitude of managers towards labour, changed labour management practices, the development of personnel techniques, and development of the personnel profession.During WW1 the demand for workers significantly increased, as a result of this, the need for monitoring workers, and finding qualified workers to manage the group of people similarly increased. â€Å"These new values became incorporated in what was emerging as a distinctive body of management thought, practice and ideology, upon which later theory and practice are founded. † WW1’s impact on HRM grew rapidly during WW2, with an increase in new theories and ideas. In addition to this, labourers created their industrial unions which enhanced the monitoring of the people and also allowed a development in training.During WW2 developments opened vast fields for HRM. Significant impacts occurred after the war, when the idea was introduced that â€Å"quality adds to costs†. Subsequently, â€Å"western organisations have since come to emulate the philosophy and practises of quality that proved so successful†. The concept of HR can thus find their beginnings rooted in the aftermath of the two world wars This essay will consider three main systems of HR namely; ‘systems thinking’, ‘best practice’ and ‘best fit’.Within these topics there will be an assessment of what each of these systems involves with regards to HR and occasionally the International HR Manager. The ‘best-fit’ system can be subdivided into three models which shall be discussed also. These are the ‘life-cycle model’, the ‘competitive model’ and finally the ‘configurational model’. Furthermore there will be consideration of the benefits and limitations of each of these practices, culminating in an assessment of which of these systems could offer the advantageous and beneficial HRM for the Director. . System and Ecological Thinking By definition, the context of HRM is complex because the nature of HR is that it is affected by many different factors, both internal (Vision, Mission and Goals, Policies, Management Approach, Organizational Culture, Quality of Work Life) and external (Political , economic, Social and Technological). Collins comments that â€Å"from the perspective of context, the story is never-ending†. He refers here of course, to the idea that these internal and external factors have an enormous effect on the working environment.It is a sensitive issue which requires a large amount of continued assessment; the goal being to keep these factors in check and accounted for in order to create a harmonious, productive and efficient workforce. This approach helps to simplify the complexities of context by looking upon HR as a ‘system', a term which denotes a delicate habitat made from smaller ‘sub-systems', where each ‘sub-s ystem' provides a layer of information that feeds up the chain to create the bigger picture.In the context of International HR (IHR), managers take on the same responsibilities as their local based colleagues but the area of activity and difficulty of these duties is based on the extent of internationalisation of the organisation. As they move towards a more global economy, organisations are supposed to revise their HR strategies. From one country to another, for example, external factors (e. g. politics) or internal factors (e. g. practice) would be vastly different.As a result of this, normal decisions can be really complex in an organisation operating around the world in multiple countries, particularly since for international organisations, all HR events are supposed to be synchronised across the home country and different national branches. The IHR manager needs to consider how to improve their leadership of a global company, choosing high potential employees and making correct decisions for the overall HR organisation A critical issue for IHR managers is creating co-operative strategies between countries.Consequently, the IHR manager cannot look at the ‘big picture’ from only one perspective. As Collin’s suggests, positivist and alternative views of a system can open â€Å"useful insights into the understanding of context†, ‘system’ thinking â€Å"allows us to see the whole rather than just its parts and recognise that we are a part of that whole. It registers patterns of change, relationships rather than just individual elements, a web of interrelationships and reciprocal flows of influence rather than linear chains of cause and effect. †The ‘system’ approach is organised in such a way that the processes and objectives are considered as a whole. For example, the ‘system’ consists of the organisation of the human element, machines, material resources, tasks, formal authority relatio nship; all of which are small informal groups. Each of these components works towards achieving the objective of the organisation – all of the processes are connected to each other. The main ‘system’ is the organisation, and this includes the interrelated and interdependent subsystems.The system thinking approach can be divided into an ‘open system' which refers to systems that take information from the environment, and a ‘closed system' whereby the system does not have any relationship with the environment. It is important for IHR Managers to remain firmly within an ‘open system’. They are required to start a dialogue with their environment and constantly adjust internally to remain buoyant and in balance with the external factors. It is interesting to consider an aspect of ‘systems thinking’ referred to as both ‘Hard Systems Thinking’ (HST) and ‘Soft Systems Thinking’ (SST).Within HST, humans are c onsidered as an objective resource. Its purpose is to pinpoint the ideal solution for predicting and controlling the use of existing resources. Once this ideal solution has been identified, the role of HRM then focuses on enforcing compliance with the designed regime. The difficulty with HST however, is that it is incapable of taking into consideration any kind of human misunderstanding or conflict which may hinder goal achievement. On the other hand, SST as proposed by Checkland (1980), is available to help tackle those problems which could not be handled by HST.SST has seven stages, which focus heavily on wide participation to create ownership of the outcome. Firstly, one must enter the problem situation, secondly express the problem in a â€Å"rich picture†, thirdly Formulate Root Definitions so that one can create precise perspectives of the participant system, fourthly Build Conceptual Models to understand better what each system does, fifthly, compare these models with reality, sixthly identify possible changes and seventhly take firm action to improve the situation. The benefits of SST are that it truly is able to recognise that problems occur due to differences of opinion.Its chief aim is to develop a sense of mutual understanding and preserving the existing state of affairs. Another aspect of ‘systems thinking’ is ‘Critical Systems Thinking’ (CST). According to Jackson (1991), CST accumulates five main components: critical awareness, social awareness, and dedication to human emancipation, complementarism at the theoretical level and complementarism at the methodological level. Midgeley (1995) stresses that CST developed around three areas of thought: improvement, critical awareness, and methodological pluralism.Improvement is able to be easily monitored through value systems, critical awareness considers participation factors and boundary judgements while methodological pluralism reflects on the range of methodologies available to temper communication and observation in order to supply an improvement, offer mutual understanding and involve a decision making process. Both Jackson and Midgeley show that CST is able to satisfy the three key human interests that were identified by Habermas in 1970 as being the technical interest, the practical interest and the emancipatory interest. 3. Best PracticeThe concept of ‘best practice’ falls under the category of a strategic human resource management technique (SHRM). It is also an example of ‘high commitment’ HRM. The idea behind ‘best-practice’ SHRM is that if an organisation adopts a particular selection of HR practices that are considered ‘best’ or most effective, then this will allow that organisation to enjoy an improved performance; both in terms of organisational productivity and output, and employee satisfaction. It is argued that with the ideal set of ‘best practices’, any company or organisation will benefit if they implement these practices fully (ie. ith a level of ‘high commitment’). There has been much research into the perfect set of ‘best practices’; since without knowing what constitutes the ideal universal set, it is impossible to claim any is really a ‘best’ set. Pfeffer (1994) provides one of the most commonly considered set of HR practices – a collection of sixteen HR principles designed for â€Å"competitive advantage through people†. These sixteen were then later simplified in 1998 into seven practices for â€Å"building profits by putting people first†.Marchington and Wilkinson later tweaked these practices for the benefit of the UK populace in 2002. The simple act of Pfeffer’s work needing to be altered to better fit a UK audience, suggests that the original principles were not relevant and consequently, not universal. If, the concept of ‘best practice’ is for an org anisation to follow a set of universal practices as closely as possible, with the idea being the more closely followed, the better the performance, then these principles need to be applicable to a universal audience to begin with.Guest (1987) expands on this by noting that since lists of ‘best-practices’ vary wildly in their inclusions it is difficult for there to be any rigorous evidence that supports any kind of universal application. Youndt et al. (1996) provide a generalised acknowledgement of what most models of ‘best-practice’ seem to focus on. In this research it is claimed that most focus on â€Å"enhancing the skill base of employees†. Extensive training of staff is undoubtedly important for many sets of ‘best-practice’, with most providing at least induction training and/or performance appraisals.Similarly Youndt’s recognition that many practices â€Å"promote empowerment, participative problem-solving and teamwork† which we can see reflected in examples such as Huselid’s (1995) stress on information sharing, Kochan and Osterman’s (1994) problem-solving groups, and Arthur’s (1994) suggestion of social events respectively. Youndt et al. goes some way towards establishing a more universal set of ‘best practices’, by taking the most commonly appearing practices and collecting them into a likely looking set of the most popular practices.In doing so, one could hopefully assume that the principles are relatable to a vast majority of organisations if not, ideally, all. Considering the difficulty in pinning down a firm set of ‘best practices’ acknowledged and agreed upon by all, it is interesting then that Capelli and Crocket-Hefter (1996:7) believe that in place of a single set of practices, which they believe to be â€Å"overstated†, it is rather the â€Å"distinctive human resource practices† that cause progression and enhancement of or ganisation.A type of practice that is thus distinguishing and characteristic or a particular workplace cannot be considered universal, but rather a focused set of practices that are applicable in a specific work environment. A final aspect to consider with ‘best-practice’ is the notion put forward by Storey, 1992, that single practices will be less affective if they are executed individually. MacDuffie, 1995, expands on this further by suggesting that it is essential for each practice to be grouped together into with complementary practices.This concept is known as ‘horizontal integration’. It is recognised that this type of integration allows some practices to be added or left out, as long as there are a core set of highly committed principles to adhere to. Although this too has problems, since in Guest et al. ’s analysis of the WERS data in 2000, they found that â€Å"the only combination of practices that made any sense was as straightforward cou nt of all the practices†. 4. Best Fit ‘Best-fit’ is also an example of SHRM.It is a concept which is rooted in ‘vertical integration’; the idea that a company’s business and HR strategies are aligned and cohesive. The suggestion being that an organisation becomes increasingly efficient when its HR department and the overall aims, goals and mission of the company are tailor fit. There are three models of ‘best-fit’ that explore this vertically integrated relationship, firstly the ‘life-cycle models’ (Kochan and Barocci, 1985), secondly the ‘competitive advantage models’ (Miles and Snow, 1978 and Schuler and Jackson, 1987) and thirdly the ‘configurational models’. . 1. Life-Cycle Models This model tries to link the vertical relationship between HR practices and company policy to a metaphoric ‘life-cycle’ of a company, from its start-up phase through to decline. Baird and Mershoulam (1988) states that â€Å"human resource management’s effectiveness depends on its fit with the organisation’s stage of development†. The inference is that as a company grows, changes, progresses etc. so must its complementary HR department. During the start-up phase, the emphasis for the HR department is flexibility and informality.As the company grows (growth phase), so must the HR policies. With the assumed increase in staff it is necessary for there to be a more rigid and formal HR department to cope with this. It is a perfect opportunity to foster innovation. The next stage is the maturity stage whereby a company is more established. During this time the HR role is about stability and control, and about perfecting practices already in place. Finally the decline stage considers HR’s role in matters such as redundancy and generally reducing company size. 5. 2. Competitive Advantage ModelsThis model usually applies to the research conducted by Porter (19 85), in which three bases of competitive advantage were identified: cost leadership, quality of service, and focus or innovation (i. e. being the sole provider of a product or service). Schuler and Jackson (1987) expand on this research by defining HR practices that ‘fit’ Porter’s three bases. Within each base (which can be referred to as a market strategy) there is an ideal set of employee roles alongside a reinforcing set of HRM policies. If the two are able to align efficiently, then it is presumed a higher level of performance will incur. 5. 3.Configurational Models The configurational model was proposed by Delery and Doty (1996). It attempts to rectify the problem that the best-fit school is often levelled with, that it oversimplifies the organisational reality. It does not take into consideration the ways in which a company is expected to grow and change in accordance with external factors (economic, political, social). The configurational approach aims to steer clear from linear thinking, and allows for the prospect that a company/organisation may be subject to many independent variables and may be focusing on multiple performance strategies at any given time.In short, the configurational model’s aim is to simultaneously achieve both horizontal and vertical integration. It responds to the truth that it is necessary for a company to be able to integrate it’s HR policies both horizontally and vertically (i. e. in accordance with the company’s overall direction but also with a set of practices that provide employee satisfaction and growth) in order for it to survive. This concept is easily visualised through Miles and Snow’s (1978) ‘defender’ and ‘prospector’ categories.The ‘defender’ category refers to a system that operates in a stable and predictable environment, while the ‘prospector’ category is conversely unpredictable and hurried. Each category is nec essary for the progression of the company (vertical integration), while the varying characteristics of both allow for a set of fairly general HR practices designed to secure employee satisfaction (horizontal) while adhering to the needs of both categories. 5. Discussion The three systems that have been discussed address HRM in vastly different ways.What is interesting to note is that despite this incongruence, they each prove to be successful and efficient systems. It is necessary however to discuss each system a little more critically in order to assess which system would be the most useful and effective in a work environment. 6. 1. ‘Systems Thinking’ ‘Systems thinking’ is a highly beneficial process for the IHR Manager. What is unique about its application is that it is able to take a very complex, perhaps global, situation and conceptualise it in such a way that it becomes clear how it can be manipulated by external factors.The manager is able to witness how the environment can affect the subsystems and consequently implement changes that react with the environment so as to produce a dialogue that is able to breathe and develop organically. For the IHR Manager it is essential for such complex dynamics to be simplified to an extent that it becomes easily manageable and they are able to grasp the bigger picture, whilst remaining in tune with the intricacies of the subsystems that are flexible to change. It is this ‘open system’ that makes ‘systems thinking’ so unique.Furthermore, the concepts of HST and SST are equally beneficial within ‘systems thinking’. HST is perfect for workforce planning and optimising resources, while SST is excellent for agreeing goals, performance feedback and participation. However, ‘systems thinking’ finds its downfall in the fact that while HST and SST are effective systems, they are only able to work independently of each other. Ideally, one would merge the two to provide an all encompassing system both in tune to the personal needs as well as the technical aspects. Another limitation of most ‘systems thinking’ in general is that it is primarily oriented towards ethodology, and is fundamentally rationalist. Flood (2001) argues that when focused on human existence, â€Å"systemic thinking helps people to sense a deep holistic or spiritual quality†, but arguably perhaps only if the idea of ‘systems thinking’ can be expanded to become part of a worldview, rather than just a discipline or methodology. In short, ‘systems thinking’ is at risk of only seeing the bigger picture to the detriment of the particulars. 6. 2. ‘Best-Practice’ The concept of ‘best-practice’ is one that takes into consideration the specifics of HRM.It encompasses some of the most commonly used principles of HR by identifying key policies that are essential to HRM. The advantages of this system lie in its simplicity. It is able to present a firm, established and tested selection of HR principles that will undoubtedly be beneficial to an organisation. The problems with ‘best-practice’ arise centred around the word ‘best’, however if one concurs with Capelli and Crocker-Hefter (1996), that these practices would be better referred to as ‘distinctive’, then we are faced with a healthy abundance of productive systems, ready to be implemented.An HR Manager in this instance need only choose a set of principles which they feel is most applicable to their situation and organisation and start using the immediately. Since there are so many ‘best-practice’ systems, it is arguable that one could alter and tailor-make a set of ‘best practices’ that are specific and unique to a particular organisation. The technique of horizontal integration, or ‘bundling’ allows complementary systems to be implemented alongsi de each other and heightens a sense of congruence and cohesion, as asserted by Wright and McMahan (1999).Furthermore there is evidence to support the idea that the ‘high-commitment’ strategy behind ‘best-practice’ (i. e. an organisation should aim to follow all systems within a ‘best-practice’ set) creates a higher achieving organisation. While horizontal integration can be considered beneficial, frustrations may arise due to the fact that ideally no single practice should be pulled out of a system and used individually as its efficacy will drop considerably. Additionally, the ‘best-practice’ system is only effective on a non-universal plane.Since there is such an abundance of systems it is impossible to select just one set as being the only ‘best-practice’. Consequently for an organisation on an international level, the ‘best-practice’ system would not be beneficial and could potentially neglect certain i mportant aspects if it is not catered towards the specifics of that organisation. On the other hand, Youndt et al. (1996) were able to briefly collect a sample of some of the most commonly appearing policies, which could provide a sound starting point for any HRM. 6. 3. Best-Fit’ When considering the ‘best-fit’ model it is plain that its main advantage is its use of vertical integration. By paying close attention to the overall aims and goals of the company, the ‘best-fit’ system is able to create a set of HR policies that work in complete cohesion with those aims in order to fully maximise the potential of the staff and consequently the business. Every aspect of the organisation works with the focus of the same goals. The various models within the ‘best-fit’ system each have their own benefits too.The ‘life-cycle model’ is able to vividly explore the natural progression of a company and alters it’s HR policies in tan dem with this progression. However, it is difficult to know throughout this model which HR strategies are able to secure the type of human resources that are necessary to continued viabilities, even when industries develop, and which are more likely to contribute to sustainable competitive advantage through the life cycle? (Boxall and Purcell, 2003). The ‘life-cycle’ model is unique also since it is able to allow the HR Management master the present while pre-empting the future.However, it is incapable of allowing for unexpected incidents and relies on an organisation not veering away from the pre-planned cycle. The ‘competitive advantage model’ is useful since it focuses on company gain and edge and tries to set an organisation apart from the other by an awareness of Porter’s three key bases (1985). Finally, the ‘configurational model’ allows both horizontal and vertical integration, which ideally allows the full potential of a company to be realised, whilst expanding and enhancing staff prospects. The difficulties of the ‘best-fit’ system lie in its common criticism, that it oversimplifies the matter entirely.It does not take into consideration internal turmoil or conflict which needs to be sensitively addressed. It assumes that everyone’s best interests are with the overall aims of the business, and provides a rather harsh reality of working life. It forces HR into a submissive system that fits into the overall goal, and implies that within this model HR is a secondary factor. On balance, on an advisory level for an IHR Manager, ‘systems thinking’ would be the most beneficial, since it offers the opportunity to assess the situation on a larger scale and implement strategies that can be manipulated in harmony with the external influence.However, when considering a start-up company or a localised company, it would appear that the ‘best practice’ model is the most viabl e. While it is not able to be fully universally applied, it is able to provide an excellent basis for most businesses. For the discerning HR Manager, a set of ‘best-practices’ can be established specific to that organisation that can be assessed and manipulated as the company progresses with time. 6. Summary and Conclusion In conclusion, this assignment is able to consider the complexities of HRM through the investigation of three strategic systems.It is apparent that each system has many benefits, and each is certainly applicable in various situations. Each HR system is designed with a certain business model in mind. The ‘system thinking’ approach is clearly catered towards a more internationally based institution, while the ‘best-fit’ approach takes into consideration the start-up company. It is only really the ‘best-practice’ system (in this study) that offers a middle ground option for the largest sector of businesses.It is evi dently important for the HR Manager to keep on top of their chosen system, as the ever changing environment, especially nowadays, leaves businesses vulnerable to external factors (most apparent in the form of political, social and economic factors). It is vital for HRM to remain vigilant, but flexible in their approach in order to maintain stable in the face of adversity. 7. Bibliography 1. Midgley, G. , Systemic Intervention: A Critical Systemic Perspective, in Systems Thinking, Government Policy and Decision Making, Bergvall-Karweborn, B. Ed. ), ISSS, Louisville, Kentucky(1995). 2. Human resource management in context, Audrey Collin pg85 4th edition 3. Ulrich, W. , Critical Heuristics of Social Systems Design, 103-115, in Flood, R. L. and Jackson, M. C. Critical Systems Thinking, Directed readings, Wiley, Chichester(1991). 4. Checkland. P. B. , â€Å"Are Organizations Machines? † Futures, 12:421(1980). 5. Miles, Raymond E. and Snow, Charles C. (1978). Organizational strateg y, structure, and process. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co 6. Delery. J. E. and Doty. H. D. 1996) ‘Modes of Theorizing in Strategic Human Resource Management: Tests of Universalistic, Contingency, and Configurational Performance predictions'. Academy of Management Journal. 7. Bennis, W. and B. , Nanus, Leaders: The Strategies for Taking Charge, Harper & Row(1985). 8. . R. S. Schuler / Journal of International Management 6 (2000) 9. Adams, J. S. , â€Å"Toward an Understanding of Inequity,† Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, Nov. , 422- 436(1963). 10. Armstrong, M. , Managing People, A Practical Guide for Managers, Kogan Page, London(1998). 1. Beer, S. , The Heart of the Enterprise, J. Wiley & Sons, Chichester(1979). 12. Beer, S. , The Brain of the Firm, J. Wiley, Chichester(1981). 13. Bratton, J. and J. , Gold, Human Resource Management-Theory and Practice, MacMillan Business, London(1999). 14. Belbin, E. , Management Teams: Why They Succeed or Fail, Heineman, Lon don(1981). 15. Burrell, G. and G. , Morgan, Sociological Paradigms and Organizational Analysis, Arena, England(1994). 16. Checkland, P. , Systems Thinking, Systems Practice, J. Wiley and Sons, Chichester(1981). 17. Combs, W. V. Manpower Planning: Operational Research and Personnel Research, American Elsevier Publishing Co. , New York, (1965). 18. Flood, R. L. , Solving Problem Solving, J. Wiley, Chichester(1995). 19. Flood, R. L. and M. C. , Jackson, Creative Problem Solving, Total Systems Intervention, J. Wiley, Chichester(1991). 20. Flood, R. L. and N. R. A. , Romm, Diversity Management, J. Wiley, Chichester(1996). 21. Foot, M. and C. , Hook, Introducing Human Resource Management, Addison Wesley Longman Ltd. , Essex(1999). 22. Habermas, J. , Knowledge and Interest, in Sociological Theory and Philosophical analysis, D.Emmet and A. MacIntyre (Eds. ) MacMillan, London, (1970). 23. Habermas, J. , Theory and Practice, Heinneman, London(1974). 24. Handy, C. , Understanding Organizations , Penquin Books(1993). 25. Jackson, M. C. , Systems Methodology for the Management Sciences, Plenum, New York(1991). 26. Rice, A. K, Productivity and Social Organization, Tavistock, London(1958). 27. Ryan, T. A. , Intentional Behavior, Ronald Press, New York(1970). 28. Tyson, S. , and A. , York, Personnel Management Made Simple, Heineman, London, (1982). 29. Weightman, J. , Managing Human Resources, Institute of Personnel Management(1993).

Angels Demons Chapter 98-101

98 The six pompieri firemen who responded to the fire at the Church of Santa Maria Della Vittoria extinguished the bonfire with blasts of Halon gas. Water was cheaper, but the steam it created would have ruined the frescoes in the chapel, and the Vatican paid Roman pompieri a healthy stipend for swift and prudent service in all Vatican-owned buildings. Pompieri, by the nature of their work, witnessed tragedy almost daily, but the execution in this church was something none of them would ever forget. Part crucifixion, part hanging, part burning at the stake, the scene was something dredged from a Gothic nightmare. Unfortunately, the press, as usual, had arrived before the fire department. They'd shot plenty of video before the pompieri cleared the church. When the firemen finally cut the victim down and lay him on the floor, there was no doubt who the man was. â€Å"Cardinale Guidera,† one whispered. â€Å"Di Barcellona.† The victim was nude. The lower half of his body was crimson-black, blood oozing through gaping cracks in his thighs. His shinbones were exposed. One fireman vomited. Another went outside to breathe. The true horror, though, was the symbol seared on the cardinal's chest. The squad chief circled the corpse in awestruck dread. Lavoro del diavolo, he said to himself. Satan himself did this. He crossed himself for the first time since childhood. â€Å"Un' altro corpo!† someone yelled. One of the firemen had found another body. The second victim was a man the chief recognized immediately. The austere commander of the Swiss Guard was a man for whom few public law enforcement officials had any affection. The chief called the Vatican, but all the circuits were busy. He knew it didn't matter. The Swiss Guard would hear about this on television in a matter of minutes. As the chief surveyed the damage, trying to recreate what possibly could have gone on here, he saw a niche riddled with bullet holes. A coffin had been rolled off its supports and fallen upside down in an apparent struggle. It was a mess. That's for the police and Holy See to deal with, the chief thought, turning away. As he turned, though, he stopped. Coming from the coffin he heard a sound. It was not a sound any fireman ever liked to hear. â€Å"Bomba!† he cried out. â€Å"Tutti fuori!† When the bomb squad rolled the coffin over, they discovered the source of the electronic beeping. They stared, confused. â€Å"Medico!† one finally screamed. â€Å"Medico!† 99 â€Å"Any word from Olivetti?† the camerlegno asked, looking drained as Rocher escorted him back from the Sistine Chapel to the Pope's office. â€Å"No, signore. I am fearing the worst.† When they reached the Pope's office, the camerlegno's voice was heavy. â€Å"Captain, there is nothing more I can do here tonight. I fear I have done too much already. I am going into this office to pray. I do not wish to be disturbed. The rest is in God's hands.† â€Å"Yes, signore.† â€Å"The hour is late, Captain. Find that canister.† â€Å"Our search continues.† Rocher hesitated. â€Å"The weapon proves to be too well hidden.† The camerlegno winced, as if he could not think of it. â€Å"Yes. At exactly 11:15 P.M., if the church is still in peril, I want you to evacuate the cardinals. I am putting their safety in your hands. I ask only one thing. Let these men proceed from this place with dignity. Let them exit into St. Peter's Square and stand side by side with the rest of the world. I do not want the last image of this church to be frightened old men sneaking out a back door.† â€Å"Very good, signore. And you? Shall I come for you at 11:15 as well?† â€Å"There will be no need.† â€Å"Signore?† â€Å"I will leave when the spirit moves me.† Rocher wondered if the camerlegno intended to go down with the ship. The camerlegno opened the door to the Pope's office and entered. â€Å"Actually†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he said, turning. â€Å"There is one thing.† â€Å"Signore?† â€Å"There seems to be a chill in this office tonight. I am trembling.† â€Å"The electric heat is out. Let me lay you a fire.† The camerlegno smiled tiredly. â€Å"Thank you. Thank you, very much.† Rocher exited the Pope's office where he had left the camerlegno praying by firelight in front of a small statue of the Blessed Mother Mary. It was an eerie sight. A black shadow kneeling in the flickering glow. As Rocher headed down the hall, a guard appeared, running toward him. Even by candlelight Rocher recognized Lieutenant Chartrand. Young, green, and eager. â€Å"Captain,† Chartrand called, holding out a cellular phone. â€Å"I think the camerlegno's address may have worked. We've got a caller here who says he has information that can help us. He phoned on one of the Vatican's private extensions. I have no idea how he got the number.† Rocher stopped. â€Å"What?† â€Å"He will only speak to the ranking officer.† â€Å"Any word from Olivetti?† â€Å"No, sir.† He took the receiver. â€Å"This is Captain Rocher. I am ranking officer here.† â€Å"Rocher,† the voice said. â€Å"I will explain to you who I am. Then I will tell you what you are going to do next.† When the caller stopped talking and hung up, Rocher stood stunned. He now knew from whom he was taking orders. Back at CERN, Sylvie Baudeloque was frantically trying to keep track of all the licensing inquiries coming in on Kohler's voice mail. When the private line on the director's desk began to ring, Sylvie jumped. Nobody had that number. She answered. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"Ms. Baudeloque? This is Director Kohler. Contact my pilot. My jet is to be ready in five minutes.† 100 Robert Langdon had no idea where he was or how long he had been unconscious when he opened his eyes and found himself staring up at the underside of a baroque, frescoed cupola. Smoke drifted overhead. Something was covering his mouth. An oxygen mask. He pulled it off. There was a terrible smell in the room – like burning flesh. Langdon winced at the pounding in his head. He tried to sit up. A man in white was kneeling beside him. â€Å"Riposati!† the man said, easing Langdon onto his back again. â€Å"Sono il paramedico.† Langdon succumbed, his head spiraling like the smoke overhead. What the hell happened? Wispy feelings of panic sifted through his mind. â€Å"Sorcio salvatore,† the paramedic said. â€Å"Mouse†¦ savior.† Langdon felt even more lost. Mouse savior? The man motioned to the Mickey Mouse watch on Langdon's wrist. Langdon's thoughts began to clear. He remembered setting the alarm. As he stared absently at the watch face, Langdon also noted the hour. 10:28 P.M. He sat bolt upright. Then, it all came back. Langdon stood near the main altar with the fire chief and a few of his men. They had been rattling him with questions. Langdon wasn't listening. He had questions of his own. His whole body ached, but he knew he needed to act immediately. A pompiero approached Langdon across the church. â€Å"I checked again, sir. The only bodies we found are Cardinal Guidera and the Swiss Guard commander. There's no sign of a woman here.† â€Å"Grazie,† Langdon said, unsure whether he was relieved or horrified. He knew he had seen Vittoria unconscious on the floor. Now she was gone. The only explanation he came up with was not a comforting one. The killer had not been subtle on the phone. A woman of spirit. I am aroused. Perhaps before this night is over, I will find you. And when I do†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Langdon looked around. â€Å"Where is the Swiss Guard?† â€Å"Still no contact. Vatican lines are jammed.† Langdon felt overwhelmed and alone. Olivetti was dead. The cardinal was dead. Vittoria was missing. A half hour of his life had disappeared in a blink. Outside, Langdon could hear the press swarming. He suspected footage of the third cardinal's horrific death would no doubt air soon, if it hadn't already. Langdon hoped the camerlegno had long since assumed the worst and taken action. Evacuate the damn Vatican! Enough games! We lose! Langdon suddenly realized that all of the catalysts that had been driving him – helping to save Vatican City, rescuing the four cardinals, coming face to face with the brotherhood he had studied for years – all of these things had evaporated from his mind. The war was lost. A new compulsion had ignited within him. It was simple. Stark. Primal. Find Vittoria. He felt an unexpected emptiness inside. Langdon had often heard that intense situations could unite two people in ways that decades together often did not. He now believed it. In Vittoria's absence he felt something he had not felt in years. Loneliness. The pain gave him strength. Pushing all else from his mind, Langdon mustered his concentration. He prayed that the Hassassin would take care of business before pleasure. Otherwise, Langdon knew he was already too late. No, he told himself, you have time. Vittoria's captor still had work to do. He had to surface one last time before disappearing forever. The last altar of science, Langdon thought. The killer had one final task. Earth. Air. Fire. Water. He looked at his watch. Thirty minutes. Langdon moved past the firemen toward Bernini's Ecstasy of St. Teresa. This time, as he stared at Bernini's marker, Langdon had no doubt what he was looking for. Let angels guide you on your lofty quest†¦ Directly over the recumbent saint, against a backdrop of gilded flame, hovered Bernini's angel. The angel's hand clutched a pointed spear of fire. Langdon's eyes followed the direction of the shaft, arching toward the right side of the church. His eyes hit the wall. He scanned the spot where the spear was pointing. There was nothing there. Langdon knew, of course, the spear was pointing far beyond the wall, into the night, somewhere across Rome. â€Å"What direction is that?† Langdon asked, turning and addressing the chief with a newfound determination. â€Å"Direction?† The chief glanced where Langdon was pointing. He sounded confused. â€Å"I don't know†¦ west, I think.† â€Å"What churches are in that direction?† The chief's puzzlement seemed to deepen. â€Å"Dozens. Why?† Langdon frowned. Of course there were dozens. â€Å"I need a city map. Right away.† The chief sent someone running out to the fire truck for a map. Langdon turned back to the statue. Earth†¦ Air†¦ Fire†¦ VITTORIA. The final marker is Water, he told himself. Bernini's Water. It was in a church out there somewhere. A needle in a haystack. He spurred his mind through all the Bernini works he could recall. I need a tribute to Water! Langdon flashed on Bernini's statue of Triton – the Greek God of the sea. Then he realized it was located in the square outside this very church, in entirely the wrong direction. He forced himself to think. What figure would Bernini have carved as a glorification of water? Neptune and Apollo? Unfortunately that statue was in London's Victoria & Albert Museum. â€Å"Signore?† A fireman ran in with a map. Langdon thanked him and spread it out on the altar. He immediately realized he had asked the right people; the fire department's map of Rome was as detailed as any Langdon had ever seen. â€Å"Where are we now?† The man pointed. â€Å"Next to Piazza Barberini.† Langdon looked at the angel's spear again to get his bearings. The chief had estimated correctly. According to the map, the spear was pointing west. Langdon traced a line from his current location west across the map. Almost instantly his hopes began to sink. It seemed that with every inch his finger traveled, he passed yet another building marked by a tiny black cross. Churches. The city was riddled with them. Finally, Langdon's finger ran out of churches and trailed off into the suburbs of Rome. He exhaled and stepped back from the map. Damn. Surveying the whole of Rome, Langdon's eyes touched down on the three churches where the first three cardinals had been killed. The Chigi Chapel†¦ St. Peter's†¦ here†¦ Seeing them all laid out before him now, Langdon noted an oddity in their locations. Somehow he had imagined the churches would be scattered randomly across Rome. But they most definitely were not. Improbably, the three churches seemed to be separated systematically, in an enormous city-wide triangle. Langdon double-checked. He was not imagining things. â€Å"Penna,† he said suddenly, without looking up. Someone handed him a ballpoint pen. Langdon circled the three churches. His pulse quickened. He triple-checked his markings. A symmetrical triangle! Langdon's first thought was for the Great Seal on the one-dollar bill – the triangle containing the all-seeing eye. But it didn't make sense. He had marked only three points. There were supposed to be four in all. So where the hell is Water? Langdon knew that anywhere he placed the fourth point, the triangle would be destroyed. The only option to retain the symmetry was to place the fourth marker inside the triangle, at the center. He looked at the spot on the map. Nothing. The idea bothered him anyway. The four elements of science were considered equal. Water was not special; Water would not be at the center of the others. Still, his instinct told him the systematic arrangement could not possibly be accidental. I'm not yet seeing the whole picture. There was only one alternative. The four points did not make a triangle; they made some other shape. Langdon looked at the map. A square, perhaps? Although a square made no symbolic sense, squares were symmetrical at least. Langdon put his finger on the map at one of the points that would turn the triangle into a square. He saw immediately that a perfect square was impossible. The angles of the original triangle were oblique and created more of a distorted quadrilateral. As he studied the other possible points around the triangle, something unexpected happened. He noticed that the line he had drawn earlier to indicate the direction of the angel's spear passed perfectly through one of the possibilities. Stupefied, Langdon circled that point. He was now looking at four ink marks on the map, arranged in somewhat of an awkward, kitelike diamond. He frowned. Diamonds were not an Illuminati symbol either. He paused. Then again†¦ For an instant Langdon flashed on the famed Illuminati Diamond. The thought, of course, was ridiculous. He dismissed it. Besides, this diamond was oblong – like a kite – hardly an example of the flawless symmetry for which the Illuminati Diamond was revered. When he leaned in to examine where he had placed the final mark, Langdon was surprised to find that the fourth point lay dead center of Rome's famed Piazza Navona. He knew the piazza contained a major church, but he had already traced his finger through that piazza and considered the church there. To the best of his knowledge it contained no Bernini works. The church was called Saint Agnes in Agony, named for St. Agnes, a ravishing teenage virgin banished to a life of sexual slavery for refusing to renounce her faith. There must be something in that church! Langdon racked his brain, picturing the inside of the church. He could think of no Bernini works at all inside, much less anything to do with water. The arrangement on the map was bothering him too. A diamond. It was far too accurate to be coincidence, but it was not accurate enough to make any sense. A kite? Langdon wondered if he had chosen the wrong point. What am I missing! The answer took another thirty seconds to hit him, but when it did, Langdon felt an exhilaration like nothing he had ever experienced in his academic career. The Illuminati genius, it seemed, would never cease. The shape he was looking at was not intended as a diamond at all. The four points only formed a diamond because Langdon had connected adjacent points. The Illuminati believe in opposites! Connecting opposite vertices with his pen, Langdon's fingers were trembling. There before him on the map was a giant cruciform. It's a cross! The four elements of science unfolded before his eyes†¦ sprawled across Rome in an enormous, city-wide cross. As he stared in wonder, a line of poetry rang in his mind†¦ like an old friend with a new face. ‘Cross Rome the mystic elements unfold†¦ ‘Cross Rome†¦ The fog began to clear. Langdon saw that the answer had been in front of him all night! The Illuminati poem had been telling him how the altars were laid out. A cross! ‘Cross Rome the mystic elements unfold! It was cunning wordplay. Langdon had originally read the word'Cross as an abbreviation of Across. He assumed it was poetic license intended to retain the meter of the poem. But it was so much more than that! Another hidden clue. The cruciform on the map, Langdon realized, was the ultimate Illuminati duality. It was a religious symbol formed by elements of science. Galileo's path of Illumination was a tribute to both science and God! The rest of the puzzle fell into place almost immediately. Piazza Navona. Dead center of Piazza Navona, outside the church of St. Agnes in Agony, Bernini had forged one of his most celebrated sculptures. Everyone who came to Rome went to see it. The Fountain of the Four Rivers! A flawless tribute to water, Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers glorified the four major rivers of the Old World – The Nile, Ganges, Danube, and Rio Plata. Water, Langdon thought. The final marker. It was perfect. And even more perfect, Langdon realized, the cherry on the cake, was that high atop Bernini's fountain stood a towering obelisk. Leaving confused firemen in his wake, Langdon ran across the church in the direction of Olivetti's lifeless body. 10:31 P.M., he thought. Plenty of time. It was the first instant all day that Langdon felt ahead of the game. Kneeling beside Olivetti, out of sight behind some pews, Langdon discreetly took possession of the commander's semiautomatic and walkie-talkie. Langdon knew he would call for help, but this was not the place to do it. The final altar of science needed to remain a secret for now. The media and fire department racing with sirens blaring to Piazza Navona would be no help at all. Without a word, Langdon slipped out the door and skirted the press, who were now entering the church in droves. He crossed Piazza Barberini. In the shadows he turned on the walkie-talkie. He tried to hail Vatican City but heard nothing but static. He was either out of range or the transmitter needed some kind of authorization code. Langdon adjusted the complex dials and buttons to no avail. Abruptly, he realized his plan to get help was not going to work. He spun, looking for a pay phone. None. Vatican circuits were jammed anyway. He was alone. Feeling his initial surge of confidence decay, Langdon stood a moment and took stock of his pitiful state – covered in bone dust, cut, deliriously exhausted, and hungry. Langdon glanced back at the church. Smoke spiraled over the cupola, lit by the media lights and fire trucks. He wondered if he should go back and get help. Instinct warned him however that extra help, especially untrained help, would be nothing but a liability. If the Hassassin sees us coming†¦ He thought of Vittoria and knew this would be his final chance to face her captor. Piazza Navona, he thought, knowing he could get there in plenty of time and stake it out. He scanned the area for a taxi, but the streets were almost entirely deserted. Even the taxi drivers, it seemed, had dropped everything to find a television. Piazza Navona was only about a mile away, but Langdon had no intention of wasting precious energy on foot. He glanced back at the church, wondering if he could borrow a vehicle from someone. A fire truck? A press van? Be serious. Sensing options and minutes slipping away, Langdon made his decision. Pulling the gun from his pocket, he committed an act so out of character that he suspected his soul must now be possessed. Running over to a lone Citroen sedan idling at a stoplight, Langdon pointed the weapon through the driver's open window. â€Å"Fuori!† he yelled. The trembling man got out. Langdon jumped behind the wheel and hit the gas. 101 Gunther Glick sat on a bench in a holding tank inside the office of the Swiss Guard. He prayed to every god he could think of. Please let this NOT be a dream. It had been the scoop of his life. The scoop of anyone's life. Every reporter on earth wished he were Glick right now. You are awake, he told himself. And you are a star. Dan Rather is crying right now. Macri was beside him, looking a little bit stunned. Glick didn't blame her. In addition to exclusively broadcasting the camerlegno's address, she and Glick had provided the world with gruesome photos of the cardinals and of the Pope – that tongue! – as well as a live video feed of the antimatter canister counting down. Incredible! Of course, all of that had all been at the camerlegno's behest, so that was not the reason Glick and Macri were now locked in a Swiss Guard holding tank. It had been Glick's daring addendum to their coverage that the guards had not appreciated. Glick knew the conversation on which he had just reported was not intended for his ears, but this was his moment in the sun. Another Glick scoop! â€Å"The 11th Hour Samaritan?† Macri groaned on the bench beside him, clearly unimpressed. Glick smiled. â€Å"Brilliant, wasn't it?† â€Å"Brilliantly dumb.† She's just jealous, Glick knew. Shortly after the camerlegno's address, Glick had again, by chance, been in the right place at the right time. He'd overheard Rocher giving new orders to his men. Apparently Rocher had received a phone call from a mysterious individual who Rocher claimed had critical information regarding the current crisis. Rocher was talking as if this man could help them and was advising his guards to prepare for the guest's arrival. Although the information was clearly private, Glick had acted as any dedicated reporter would – without honor. He'd found a dark corner, ordered Macri to fire up her remote camera, and he'd reported the news. â€Å"Shocking new developments in God's city,† he had announced, squinting his eyes for added intensity. Then he'd gone on to say that a mystery guest was coming to Vatican City to save the day. The 11th Hour Samaritan, Glick had called him – a perfect name for the faceless man appearing at the last moment to do a good deed. The other networks had picked up the catchy sound bite, and Glick was yet again immortalized. I'm brilliant, he mused. Peter Jennings just jumped off a bridge. Of course Glick had not stopped there. While he had the world's attention, he had thrown in a little of his own conspiracy theory for good measure. Brilliant. Utterly brilliant. â€Å"You screwed us,† Macri said. â€Å"You totally blew it.† â€Å"What do you mean? I was great!† Macri stared disbelievingly. â€Å"Former President George Bush? An Illuminatus?† Glick smiled. How much more obvious could it be? George Bush was a well-documented, 33rd-degree Mason, and he was the head of the CIA when the agency closed their Illuminati investigation for lack of evidence. And all those speeches about â€Å"a thousand points of light† and a â€Å"New World Order†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Bush was obviously Illuminati. â€Å"And that bit about CERN?† Macri chided. â€Å"You are going to have a very big line of lawyers outside your door tomorrow.† â€Å"CERN? Oh come on! It's so obvious! Think about it! The Illuminati disappear off the face of the earth in the 1950s at about the same time CERN is founded. CERN is a haven for the most enlightened people on earth. Tons of private funding. They build a weapon that can destroy the church, and oops!†¦ they lose it!† â€Å"So you tell the world that CERN is the new home base of the Illuminati?† â€Å"Obviously! Brotherhoods don't just disappear. The Illuminati had to go somewhere. CERN is a perfect place for them to hide. I'm not saying everyone at CERN is Illuminati. It's probably like a huge Masonic lodge, where most people are innocent, but the upper echelons – â€Å" â€Å"Have you ever heard of slander, Glick? Liability?† â€Å"Have you ever heard of real journalism!† â€Å"Journalism? You were pulling bullshit out of thin air! I should have turned off the camera! And what the hell was that crap about CERN's corporate logo? Satanic symbology? Have you lost your mind?† Glick smiled. Macri's jealousy was definitely showing. The CERN logo had been the most brilliant coup of all. Ever since the camerlegno's address, all the networks were talking about CERN and antimatter. Some stations were showing the CERN corporate logo as a backdrop. The logo seemed standard enough – two intersecting circles representing two particle accelerators, and five tangential lines representing particle injection tubes. The whole world was staring at this logo, but it had been Glick, a bit of a symbologist himself, who had first seen the Illuminati symbology hidden in it. â€Å"You're not a symbologist,† Macri chided, â€Å"you're just one lucky-ass reporter. You should have left the symbology to the Harvard guy.† â€Å"The Harvard guy missed it,† Glick said. The Illuminati significance in this logo is so obvious! He was beaming inside. Although CERN had lots of accelerators, their logo showed only two. Two is the Illuminati number of duality. Although most accelerators had only one injection tube, the logo showed five. Five is the number of the Illuminati pentagram. Then had come the coup – the most brilliant point of all. Glick pointed out that the logo contained a large numeral â€Å"6 – clearly formed by one of the lines and circles – and when the logo was rotated, another six appeared†¦ and then another. The logo contained three sixes! 666! The devil's number! The mark of the beast! Glick was a genius. Macri looked ready to slug him. The jealousy would pass, Glick knew, his mind now wandering to another thought. If CERN was Illuminati headquarters, was CERN where the Illuminati kept their infamous Illuminati Diamond? Glick had read about it on the Internet – â€Å"a flawless diamond, born of the ancient elements with such perfection that all those who saw it could only stand in wonder.† Glick wondered if the secret whereabouts of the Illuminati Diamond might be yet another mystery he could unveil tonight.