The Identified Strategic Challenges Facing The Lego Company Marketing Essay

The Identified Strategic Challenges Facing The Lego Company Marketing Essay The identified strategic challenges facing the Lego Company is the pursuit to creating innovative product lines that instills interests of the companys brand. With more visual graphics toys that perform technology advanced entertainment, the Lego Group must reinvent original concept that is current to interests of the targeted demographic. In addition, the other challenge is balancing act managing pricing matrix due to the economy woes that occurs at leave every 4-5 years that impact purchases. Therefore, the Lego Company strategic planning is critical to apply appropriate applications that will sustain the status quo of sales but with a determinate 20%-45% of increase sales. The brand identity is critical to this assessment to reaching the targeted measure for a successful return in investment. The stated opportunities are the beneficial aspects to building the dedicated customers to a new revamping of the product line specifically geared towards each age group. The Lego Company was founded tradition and that is why in 1932 by Ole Kirk Christiansen, in which, the company has passed from father to son and is now owned by Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, a grandchild of the founder. In the past almost 80 years from a small carpenters workshop to a modern, global enterprise that the company is now, the Lego Company is the worlds 50th largest manufacturer of toys. Key recommendations The recommended strategic approaches to take advantage of the opportunities for further increasing the brand identity and brand equity is in the creation of the value for customers. In doing so, the customer will demonstrate loyalty and producing sales channels. The refocusing of the value that the Lego Company implements provides for a set target to identifying creative aspects of the current and new product line. Benefits and advantages of the recommendations The Lego Company benefits and advantages of the recommendations of implementing value by imposing advanced safety, creativity, and innovation as well as customer services to the product line produces brand equity. The Lego Company strategy for the period to 2010 is its core focuses on creating value that promotes the brand identity that produces quality products. In each new product design and concept the mission to infuse value systematic concerns supports the recommendations. The increasingly refine and improve product range strategically enable its new products to compete, for example, with the many electronic products on the target market. Aims to convince MD to read main report. The targeted aims to influential the demographic market is in the strategy that underlines the continued importance of focusing on profitability within the organization. Conversely, the situation facing all toy manufacturers at present is that they are tailored to focus from many quarters, such as, by consumers, customers and competitors. The Lego Company aim is to meet this challenge with a determination to unite and bind consumers, fans and retailers for an increasing the interests to the organization. The current challenges of todays toy products to attract and sustain customers with technology advanced precut, the Lego Company product line is the key attribute to present innovation. With over 79 years of toy business experience, the organization has the means to innovate the Lego bricks, PC Games, and Lego Land to heighten the demographic interest. Introduction The founding of the company since 1932, the strategic opportunities are the building of the LEGO brand that is more than simply our familiar logo brand but a new concept to transform technology product line. The targeted demographic needs for new interesting and innovate products that has a learning angle within its concept provides an exceptional opportunity. Therefore, the new branding of the companys products can provide a more strategic operational excellence for a dominate presences within the targeted market demographic. The refocus on the value will offer consumers a new vision for identifying Lego as the company to trust to demonstrate a safe purchase price and durability in the product line. The increase operational excellence is another strategic benefit and advantage for a profound measure to showcasing the Lego Company with the customer base. The products and services, and the accountability that is the LEGO Company brand identity is portrayed around the world that produces higher brand equity. In doing so, the benefits and advantages are more positive the brand will acts as a guarantee of quality and originality that shall achieve the mission by constantly focusing on a consistent strong brand. Main Body The Lego Companys strategy shared vision with the mission of the organizations presents the tangible strategy that is creating the required value for our customers to increasing the sales channels. In doing so, the pursuit for the building the brand identity leading to increasing brand equity is met to sustaining the manufacture known for producing the Toy of the Century. The marketing angle is the aim to making the foundation for a traditional interlocking principle for offering unlimited brand identity possibilities to emerge as the leader in manufacturing toys (Legos.com, 2009). The LEGO Company goal is to provide an improvement of issues that concern the product to create value for the child, parents, the retail shops, vendors, and society in general. The Environment SWOT/TOWS The strength identified is in the established brand identity with LEGO entails longetivity to foster a sense of trust of the product. The strength aspects present a vast measure of imprinting the feature of durability along with longevity with the product line. The Lego Company objectives feature a concept that reaches a wider demographic from age 1-6 and determines to expand this range (Ingram, Laforge, 2006, pp. 22). Therefore, the weaknesses identified are the needed ability to create innovated products such as the PC Games and Lego Land as well as reinventing the legendary Lego bricks to a new height. The lack there of will create a lesser share of the targeted audience compared to competitors. Respectively, the opportunity presents a means for creative toy manufactures to bring in key concepts to from remember able products that are long lasting for improving the brand equity standing. The threat is in the competitors; Coko, Tyco, and Mega Blocks, that are more apt towards pricing and innovated accountability that masters in the area of visual conceptual presentations. The competitors objective is to foster a new way of toy manufacturing that prides itself on a technical visual environment. In doing so, the Lego bricks are the foundation to counteract the threat of not creating innovated product lines, at least every other year. The opportunity is then presented to revolutionary the means for marketing the product that is the leading toy of choice. The weakness is then moved to a lesser degree because of the strategic marketing means for a desired results leading to strength for the Lego Company. The strength is presented for advancing the vision of the company to present value with innovation that is imperative. Strategic Capability The capacity to applying the strategic applications is to reaching the companys goals for leading sales 2-to-1 compared to competitors. The implementation of the company is through the means that perform its best to make a positive impact on areas such as working environment, environment that encourages innovation in the Research Development departments. In doing so, the marketing concept is reached with a directive to illustrate a primary aim to supply good, and healthy play product aspects (Savory, Butterfiled, 1998, pp.88). The strategic context to presenting the companys brand for having fun is the central concept within the marketing initiatives for reaching the desired results to the targeted demographic. The marketing initiatives are targeting the age groups of 1-6 as well as to 7-9 years old present an interesting concept to increasing the brand equity over the next 5 years. Business Idea The profound business idea is reinventing the original Lego bricks to an improved product line that advances the learning and playing experience that is remember for target group of age 7-9 demographics. The concept presents the business idea that builds on the foundation to foster a technology concept to drawing in the preference for Lego products rather than the competitors. The strategic move is a cost-effective approach that limits most marketing markets to a television and print ads combination. In doing so, the business idea is mastered perfectly to demonstrate a wiliness to compete with Nintendo and WII products more proactively. The concept is to reinvent the product line more geared to highlighting known entertainment in the demographic. Recommendations The recommendation is the investment of resources into the product line of Lego bricks, PC Games, and Lego Land that transform into a technology advanced ability and associated with current child entertainment venues. The similarities to Monopoly Games associating with Barbie, Sports, and now Disney version so Lego Company must consider branching out into similar avenues. The focused effort on the development to not only continues influencing kindergarten toddlers and schoolchildren but is to sincerely tap into the young teenagers to young-at-heart adults demographic. In doing so, the fascination of sports and cars are imperative to delivering the designed models for a creative Lego bricks that be performed on your computer by visiting the LEGO Factory website. In this retrospect, the recommendation is honing onto the strength identified for the Lego Company can build on the brand identity and brand equity. Conclusions In the pursuit for establishing a target market increase by 20% with the targeted age demographic of 7-9 as well as 10-14 for sales to improving an overall measure of global performance. The leading of plastic parts to create a new dimension of reality provides the opportunity to recreating a fascinating concept that improves the brand identity. The measure provides the brand equity to increase matching the sales projections for the next 5years due to manufacturing quality products. In doing so, the value target matrix is met accordingly to fulfill the strategic management planning goals with innovated products. The focus on mirroring the same concept as Monopoly Games strategy of paring up with popular entertainment venues and activities provides the Lego Company the same opportunity. Therefore, the targeted demographics are more likely to reinforce the primary vision of the organization as being the The Toy Manufactory in the current and next century by adapting to the times. Appendices Lego Company Weight Rating Weighted Score Products Weighted Comments Strengths Color 0.15 5 0.75 Bricks The variety of fresh ideas concept Shape 0.05 4 0.2 Land Always distinguish style Features 0.1 4 0.4 Theme Variety of features in the market Sizes 0.05 4 0.15 Bricks Measure component Diversity 0.15 3 0.45 Accessory Long lasting on adapting Weaknesses Acceleration Performance 0.05 2 0.1 Production Need to improve Limited in flexibility 0.05 2 0.1 Adaptability Not clear on concept in some markets Interior Design 0.2 2 0.4 Design No variety in standard 0.80 2.55 Table A. Table B. The reflection of the organization presents how the usage of invested resources to provide the innovated product line is critical to the success of Lego Company. The competitors strategy identifies to the mission for effective pricing to counteract the powerhouse of Lego Company. Therefore, the analysis presents the opportunity for the Lego Company to demonstrate a more diversified pricing matrix with the incorporation of value and quality. In doing so, the fundamentals of the recommendation to reinvent the product line of the Lego bricks, PC Games, and Lego land can be achieve successfully. The core vision of Lego Company is to provide an exceptional product in the international market place by proceeding to the next phase of developing an effective business initiatives outlining innovation. The recent analysis of the strengths and weakness of Lego Company focusing on the global market provided insight into the overall benefit for moving forward to rebranding the product line. The marketing strategy for a global integration is to accomplishing corporate initiative that outlines the profitability margin in effectiveness of the product brand (Armstrong Kotler, 2007, pp.11). The analysis on the weakness of Lego Company presented a concern with a proposed consensus on the needed invested resources capital to meet phases of implementation for a planned strategy, in order, to enter new technology products in the market. Therefore, the counteract impact of the Lego Company provides a vitality of the product that has been proven years pages record sales with PC Games. The entry proved from 1990s to current year a strong brand name in the current market for further research and development. Therefore, the need to receive approval from strategic for developing a business initiatives present the effectiveness of the product will remove concerns on initial estimation of capital required. The implementation of formulating the business plan will provide the usual focuses of the mission, purpose, management staff but as well as details on the three core strategic approaches. The three strategic areas are positioning, segmentation, and branding to infuse Lego Company in its initial launching efforts to secure a prestigious footing in the global market place. The positioning will provide the previous research on where the best location for the entry into the international market that will target the core children, school-aged, and teens consumer audience. The marketing positioning will play in sync with the segmentation marketing strategy, in order, to solidify the core vision of the parent company. In doing so, the focus is set to be of offering and providing an exceptional product that can be adapted to any specific international culture environment (Wild, Wild, and Han, 2006, pp. 45). Furthermore, the Lego Companys branding strategy will be highlighted in the business plan to outline the psychological theory that would be in play to capture the awareness of the product and brand identity. Moreover, the focused attention will be on the apathy theory as well as a child, the parent, and the vendors psychological theory concept to deliver the impact of a new awareness to the product and its profound capabilities (Best, 2006, pp. 28). The entrance into the international market must have the means to effectively construct the vision of Lego Company for the short-to-long term goal; hence, a concise effort to instill a communication model has already been established. The marketing strategy for Lego Company already established communication model outlines the short-term goal to the global market with the implementation of strategies within twelve months. The long-term goal measuring will take place in the ninth to twelfth month to secure a footing for long-term efforts that synergize the companys marketability. The long-term goal is to roll-out 3 upgraded version of the product line associated with Disney, Sports, and Learning Visuals within the next 1 to 4 years. The additional long-term goal is to recoup the initial capital investment required at the start of launching globally and to start marking a profit by year 2. The time for Lego Corporation to enter the global market is right now with any delay due to the ramifications can result in losing a hefty share in the consumer market. The outcome can presents a more dramatic entry into the market due to the brand identity established. The research study presents the investigation of the correlation between various marketing strategies on successfully popular products that are online gaming features for the worldwide web (George, Jones, pp. 18). The identification of the product marketing strategy bringing traffic to the brand identity for equity advancement creates an effective measure to tapping in to the targeted demographic. The built by a website designer to increase the popularity in the search engine, hence a review of the three main search engines specifications to avoid rejection in the ranking level. The marketing methodology approach seems to display how the creative features of original product can improve by strategies focusing on current trends (Gobe, 2001, pp. 12). The mission of the organization to focus on a refine associated with the products as well as the PC gaming web technology aspect accomplishes in the desired outcome marketing strategy. The popularity of the Lego Company creativity and durability proves to being the established foundation to meeting the targeted demographic needs for innovation and interest. Respectively, the mission for a value concept incorporated into the strategy provides for a strong effort to compete with manufactory to increase the share in the market.

Leadership lessons from the movie “Invictus” Essay

Invictus is a biographical film based on the book Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation. The story of the film revolves around Nelson Mandela’s efforts and strategy to unite the South African society that is torn apart by apartheid. Upon being elected as the first black President of the nation amidst severe opposition from the whites, Mandela faced an enormous challenge to reconcile the nation and build a democracy in the country devoid of racism. The 1995 Rugby World Cup hosted by South Africa became an unlikely opportunity for Mandela to restore harmony in the country. The blacks in South Africa despised the Springboks, South Africa’s rugby team as it was a symbol of white oppression. Only the whites supported the Springboks, whereas the blacks always supported the opposition team. By inspiring Francois Pienaar, the captain of the poor-performing Springboks to win the World Cup, Mandela was successful in inching towards his goal of racial h armony in the country. Invictus serves as a good lesson on leadership by portraying two characters, Nelson Mandela and Francois Pienaar as successful leaders, however, with different leadership styles. Nelson Mandela exemplifies transformational leadership. His ultimate goal of reuniting a nation torn by racial discrimination was a major transformation that would change the face of the nation globally. He shaped a strategic vision of a realistic and attractive future of the nation and was very efficient in communicating his vision since the beginning of his mandate. On his first day as the President, Mandela observed that all employees of the previous government were leaving their jobs. He organized a meeting with them to communicate his vision and encourage them to stay back if they shared his goal. When his black security guards were unhappy about being forced to work with white counterparts, he informed them about his goal of a racially united country and persuaded them to work together as a single unit. Mandela set up a perfect example of modeling his vision by incorporating both blacks and whites in his personal security unit. He not only spoke about his vision but also enacted upon it; this is a perfect example of â€Å"walk the talk†. He believed that the nation would trust him if they saw consistency in his words and actions. A transformational leader  tends to face several external and internal challenges on the path towards his goal. Self-confidence, strong conviction in the vision and commitment to lead from values help face these challenges. These qualities were a significant part of Mandela’s leadership style. Despite facing resistance from his black security guards, he changed the ethnic representation of his personal bodyguards to teach them racial harmony. This proved to be a right move because by the end of the movie both the black and white bodyguards worked efficiently as a single unit and supported the Springboks together. Mandela strongly believed in the virtue of forgiveness and pardoning the whites for their past behavior. He demonstrated this himself and persuades his people to also forgive the whites. Despite a consensus amongst blacks to change the name and emblem of Springboks as a revenge for years of oppression by the white population, Mandela persuaded the committee to forgive the whites, reconsider their decision and re-vote. On receiving minimal support, Mandela decided to retain the Springboks ensuring that the whites were not punished for the past (example of participative leadership). Being aware that his decision would make his supporters unhappy, he stood by his decision because he believed in leading from values. An effective leader would strive to incorporate principles into people’s passion. Mandela exhibited both people-oriented and task-oriented leadership. His warmth, mutual trust, respect, appreciation and gratitude for his subordinates impressed Francois. In a rugby match, Mandela personally interacted with some of the viewers at the game. During their first meeting, Mandela appreciated Francois’s job as captain of Springboks and acknowledged the challenges as a captain of a national team. Mandela also demonstrated a high level of emotional intelligence and created a positive work environment which made him earn trust, respect and love from his employees. He made an effort to strike a personal chord with his subordinates. For instance Mandela quietly memorized the names of each of the Springboks players so he can give them each a personal greeting. Mandela was an excellent motivator. This is visible when he inspired Francois to win the World Cup. Towards the end of their meeting, it seemed like Francois realized a significant change in his outlook and shared Mandela’s vision about the importance and meaning of a Springboks win to South Africa. Mandela believed in leading by example and by inspiration from the work of others. He found motivation and drive to  excel from the Victorian poem ‘Invictus’. Mandela’s philosophy of leadership was to inspire others not only to be their best, but to become even better than they thought they could. Francois Pienaar is another character in the role of a leader. He was the captain of the underperforming Springboks. Francois exemplifies transactional leadership. His role was to motivate and inspire the team to deliver their best performance and regain the confidence of the country in his team. His leadership ideology was leading others by example to improve team performance. In one scene when the team was exhausted after extensive physical training, Francois was the first one to continue exercising despite the fatigue, hence inspiring his team-mates not to give up. After his meeting with Mandela, Francois was motivated to win the World Cup and believed in Mandela’s vision about the importance and meaning of a Springboks win to South Africa. Despite encountering initial opposition from his own team-mates, Francois had confidence in his vision and persuaded his team-mates to provide rugby training to poor black kids. His confidence and faith in the vision was too strong to be affected by his family’s dislike for Mandela. Francois came across more as a task-oriented and achievement-oriented leader than a people-oriented leader. Depending on the situation, Francois slightly altered his leadership style. He was an autocratic leader when he directed his unwilling team mates to provide training to the black kids. In another scene, when his team mates were least interested in learning the national anthem, he did not use force but persuaded them to sing it meaningfully by explaining what it meant. The team’s visit to Robben Island, where Mandela was jailed, boosted Francois’s inspiration and belief in the poem ‘Invictus’. In the end, Francois proved to be a successful and efficient leader when the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup.

Twilight 12. BALANCING

12. BALANCING â€Å"Billy!† Charlie called as soon as he got out of the car. I turned toward the house, beckoning to Jacob as I ducked under the porch. I heard Charlie greeting them loudly behind me. â€Å"I'm going to pretend I didn't see you behind the wheel, Jake,† he said disapprovingly. â€Å"We get permits early on the rez,† Jacob said while I unlocked the door and flicked on the porch light. â€Å"Sure you do,† Charlie laughed. â€Å"I have to get around somehow.† I recognized Billy's resonant voice easily, despite the years. The sound of it made me feel suddenly younger, a child. I went inside, leaving the door open behind me and turning on lights before I hung up my jacket. Then I stood in the door, watching anxiously as Charlie and Jacob helped Billy out of the car and into his wheelchair. I backed out of the way as the three of them hurried in, shaking off the rain. â€Å"This is a surprise,† Charlie was saying. â€Å"It's been too long,† Billy answered. â€Å"I hope it's not a bad time.† His dark eyes flashed up to me again, their expression unreadable. â€Å"No, it's great. I hope you can stay for the game.† Jacob grinned. â€Å"I think that's the plan – our TV broke last week.† Billy made a face at his son. â€Å"And, of course, Jacob was anxious to see Bella again,† he added. Jacob scowled and ducked his head while I fought back a surge of remorse. Maybe I'd been too convincing on the beach. â€Å"Are you hungry?† I asked, turning toward the kitchen. I was eager to escape Billy's searching gaze. â€Å"Naw, we ate just before we came,† Jacob answered. â€Å"How about you, Charlie?† I called over my shoulder as I fled around the corner. â€Å"Sure,† he replied, his voice moving in the direction of the front room and the TV. I could hear Billy's chair follow. The grilled cheese sandwiches were in the frying pan and I was slicing up a tomato when I sensed someone behind me. â€Å"So, how are things?† Jacob asked. â€Å"Pretty good.† I smiled. His enthusiasm was hard to resist. â€Å"How about you? Did you finish your car?† â€Å"No.† He frowned. â€Å"I still need parts. We borrowed that one.† He pointed with his thumb in the direction of the front yard. â€Å"Sorry. I haven't seen any†¦ what was it you were looking for?† â€Å"Master cylinder.† He grinned. â€Å"Is something wrong with the truck?† he added suddenly. â€Å"No.† â€Å"Oh. I just wondered because you weren't driving it.† I stared down at the pan, pulling up the edge of a sandwich to check the bottom side. â€Å"I got a ride with a friend.† â€Å"Nice ride.† Jacob's voice was admiring. â€Å"I didn't recognize the driver, though. I thought I knew most of the kids around here.† I nodded noncommittally, keeping my eyes down as I flipped sandwiches. â€Å"My dad seemed to know him from somewhere.† â€Å"Jacob, could you hand me some plates? They're in the cupboard over the sink.† â€Å"Sure.† He got the plates in silence. I hoped he would let it drop now. â€Å"So who was it?† he asked, setting two plates on the counter next to me. I sighed in defeat. â€Å"Edward Cullen.† To my surprise, he laughed. I glanced up at him. He looked a little embarrassed. â€Å"Guess that explains it, then,† he said. â€Å"I wondered why my dad was acting so strange.† â€Å"That's right.† I faked an innocent expression. â€Å"He doesn't like the Cullens.† â€Å"Superstitious old man,† Jacob muttered under his breath. â€Å"You don't think he'd say anything to Charlie?† I couldn't help asking, the words coming out in a low rush. Jacob stared at me for a moment, and I couldn't read the expression in his dark eyes. â€Å"I doubt it,† he finally answered. â€Å"I think Charlie chewed him out pretty good last time. They haven't spoken much since – tonight is sort of a reunion, I think. I don't think he'd bring it up again.† â€Å"Oh,† I said, trying to sound indifferent. I stayed in the front room after I carried the food out to Charlie, pretending to watch the game while Jacob chattered at me. I was really listening to the men's conversation, watching for any sign that Billy was about to rat me out, trying to think of ways to stop him if he began. It was a long night. I had a lot of homework that was going undone, but I was afraid to leave Billy alone with Charlie. Finally, the game ended. â€Å"Are you and your friends coming back to the beach soon?† Jacob asked as he pushed his father over the lip of the threshold. â€Å"I'm not sure,† I hedged. â€Å"That was fun, Charlie,† Billy said. â€Å"Come up for the next game,† Charlie encouraged. â€Å"Sure, sure,† Billy said. â€Å"We'll be here. Have a good night.† His eyes shifted to mine, and his smile disappeared. â€Å"You take care, Bella,† he added seriously. â€Å"Thanks,† I muttered, looking away. I headed for the stairs while Charlie waved from the doorway. â€Å"Wait, Bella,† he said. I cringed. Had Billy gotten something in before I'd joined them in the living room? But Charlie was relaxed, still grinning from the unexpected visit. â€Å"I didn't get a chance to talk to you tonight. How was your day?† â€Å"Good.† I hesitated with one foot on the first stair, searching for details I could safely share. â€Å"My badminton team won all four games.† â€Å"Wow, I didn't know you could play badminton.† â€Å"Well, actually I can't, but my partner is really good,† I admitted. â€Å"Who is it?† he asked with token interest. â€Å"Um†¦ Mike Newton,† I told him reluctantly. â€Å"Oh yeah – you said you were friends with the Newton kid.† He perked up. â€Å"Nice family.† He mused for a minute. â€Å"Why didn't you ask him to the dance this weekend?† â€Å"Dad!† I groaned. â€Å"He's kind of dating my friend Jessica. Besides, you know I can't dance.† â€Å"Oh yeah,† he muttered. Then he smiled at me apologetically. â€Å"So I guess it's good you'll be gone Saturday†¦ I've made plans to go fishing with the guys from the station. The weather's supposed to be real warm. But if you wanted to put your trip off till someone could go with you, I'd stay home. I know I leave you here alone too much.† â€Å"Dad, you're doing a great job.† I smiled, hoping my relief didn't show. â€Å"I've never minded being alone – I'm too much like you.† I winked at him, and he smiled his crinkly-eyed smile. I slept better that night, too tired to dream again. When I woke to the pearl gray morning, my mood was blissful. The tense evening with Billy and Jacob seemed harmless enough now; I decided to forget it completely. I caught myself whistling while I was pulling the front part of my hair back into a barrette, and later again as I skipped down the stairs. Charlie noticed. â€Å"You're cheerful this morning,† he commented over breakfast. I shrugged. â€Å"It's Friday.† I hurried so I would be ready to go the second Charlie left. I had my bag ready, shoes on, teeth brushed, but even though I rushed to the door as soon as I was sure Charlie would be out of sight, Edward was faster. He was waiting in his shiny car, windows down, engine off. I didn't hesitate this time, climbing in the passenger side quickly, the sooner to see his face. He grinned his crooked smile at me, stopping my breath and my heart. I couldn't imagine how an angel could be any more glorious. There was nothing about him that could be improved upon. â€Å"How did you sleep?† he asked. I wondered if he had any idea how appealing his voice was. â€Å"Fine. How was your night?† â€Å"Pleasant.† His smile was amused; I felt like I was missing an inside joke. â€Å"Can I ask what you did?† I asked. â€Å"No.† He grinned. â€Å"Today is still mine.† He wanted to know about people today: more about Ren? ¦e, her hobbies, what we'd done in our free time together. And then the one grandmother I'd known, my few school friends – embarrassing me when he asked about boys I'd dated. I was relieved that I'd never really dated anyone, so that particular conversation couldn't last long. He seemed as surprised as Jessica and Angela by my lack of romantic history. â€Å"So you never met anyone you wanted?† he asked in a serious tone that made me wonder what he was thinking about. I was grudgingly honest. â€Å"Not in Phoenix.† His lips pressed together into a hard line. We were in the cafeteria at this point. The day had sped by in the blur that was rapidly becoming routine. I took advantage of his brief pause to take a bite of my bagel. â€Å"I should have let you drive yourself today,† he announced, apropos of nothing, while I chewed. â€Å"Why?† I demanded. â€Å"I'm leaving with Alice after lunch.† â€Å"Oh.† I blinked, bewildered and disappointed. â€Å"That's okay, it's not that far of a walk.† He frowned at me impatiently. â€Å"I'm not going to make you walk home. We'll go get your truck and leave it here for you.† â€Å"I don't have my key with me,† I sighed. â€Å"I really don't mind walking.† What I minded was losing my time with him. He shook his head. â€Å"Your truck will be here, and the key will be in the ignition – unless you're afraid someone might steal it.† He laughed at the thought. â€Å"All right,† I agreed, pursing my lips. I was pretty sure my key was in the pocket of a pair of jeans I wore Wednesday, under a pile of clothes in the laundry room. Even if he broke into my house, or whatever he was planning, he'd never find it. He seemed to feel the challenge in my consent. He smirked, overconfident. â€Å"So where are you going?† I asked as casually as I could manage. â€Å"Hunting,† he answered grimly. â€Å"If I'm going to be alone with you tomorrow, I'm going to take whatever precautions I can.† His face grew morose†¦ and pleading. â€Å"You can always cancel, you know.† I looked down, afraid of the persuasive power of his eyes. I refused to be convinced to fear him, no matter how real the danger might be. It doesn't matter, I repeated in my head. â€Å"No,† I whispered, glancing back at his face. â€Å"I can't.† â€Å"Perhaps you're right,† he murmured bleakly. His eyes seemed to darken in color as I watched. I changed the subject. â€Å"What time will I see you tomorrow?† I asked, already depressed by the thought of him leaving now. â€Å"That depends†¦ it's a Saturday, don't you want to sleep in?† he offered. â€Å"No,† I answered too fast. He restrained a smile. â€Å"The same time as usual, then,† he decided. â€Å"Will Charlie be there?† â€Å"No, he's fishing tomorrow.† I beamed at the memory of how conveniently things had worked out. His voice turned sharp. â€Å"And if you don't come home, what will he think?† â€Å"I have no idea,† I answered coolly. â€Å"He knows I've been meaning to do the laundry. Maybe he'll think I fell in the washer.† He scowled at me and I scowled back. His anger was much more impressive than mine. â€Å"What are you hunting tonight?† I asked when I was sure I had lost the glowering contest. â€Å"Whatever we find in the park. We aren't going far.† He seemed bemused by my casual reference to his secret realities. â€Å"Why are you going with Alice?† I wondered. â€Å"Alice is the most†¦ supportive.† He frowned as he spoke. â€Å"And the others?† I asked timidly. â€Å"What are they?† His brow puckered for a brief moment. â€Å"Incredulous, for the most part.† I peeked quickly behind me at his family. They sat staring off in different directions, exactly the same as the first time I'd seen them. Only now they were four; their beautiful, bronze-haired brother sat across from me, his golden eyes troubled. â€Å"They don't like me,† I guessed. â€Å"That's not it,† he disagreed, but his eyes were too innocent. â€Å"They don't understand why I can't leave you alone.† I grimaced. â€Å"Neither do I, for that matter.† Edward shook his head slowly, rolling his eyes toward the ceiling before he met my gaze again. â€Å"I told you – you don't see yourself clearly at all. You're not like anyone I've ever known. You fascinate me.† I glared at him, sure he was teasing now. He smiled as he deciphered my expression. â€Å"Having the advantages I do,† he murmured, touching his forehead discreetly, â€Å"I have a better than average grasp of human nature. People are predictable. But you†¦ you never do what I expect. You always take me by surprise.† I looked away, my eyes wandering back to his family, embarrassed and dissatisfied. His words made me feel like a science experiment. I wanted to laugh at myself for expecting anything else. â€Å"That part is easy enough to explain,† he continued. I felt his eyes on my face but I couldn't look at him yet, afraid he might read the chagrin in my eyes. â€Å"But there's more†¦ and it's not so easy to put into words -â€Å" I was still staring at the Cullens while he spoke. Suddenly Rosalie, his blond and breathtaking sister, turned to look at me. No, not to look – to glare, with dark, cold eyes. I wanted to look away, but her gaze held me until Edward broke off mid-sentence and made an angry noise under his breath. It was almost a hiss. Rosalie turned her head, and I was relieved to be free. I looked back at Edward – and I knew he could see the confusion and fear that widened my eyes. His face was tight as he explained. â€Å"I'm sorry about that. She's just worried. You see†¦ it's dangerous for more than just me if, after spending so much time with you so publicly†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He looked down. â€Å"If?† â€Å"If this ends†¦ badly.† He dropped his head into his hands, as he had that night in Port Angeles. His anguish was plain; I yearned to comfort him, but I was at a loss to know how. My hand reached toward him involuntarily; quickly, though, I dropped it to the table, fearing that my touch would only make things worse. I realized slowly that his words should frighten me. I waited for that fear to come, but all I could seem to feel was an ache for his pain. And frustration – frustration that Rosalie had interrupted whatever he was about to say. I didn't know how to bring it up again. He still had his head in his hands. I tried to speak in a normal voice. â€Å"And you have to leave now?† â€Å"Yes.† He raised his face; it was serious for a moment, and then his mood shifted and he smiled. â€Å"It's probably for the best. We still have fifteen minutes of that wretched movie left to endure in Biology – I don't think I could take any more.† I started. Alice – her short, inky hair in a halo of spiky disarray around her exquisite, elfin face – was suddenly standing behind his shoulder. Her slight frame was willowy, graceful even in absolute stillness. He greeted her without looking away from me. â€Å"Alice.† â€Å"Edward,† she answered, her high soprano voice almost as attractive as his. â€Å"Alice, Bella – Bella, Alice,† he introduced us, gesturing casually with his hand, a wry smile on his face. â€Å"Hello, Bella.† Her brilliant obsidian eyes were unreadable, but her smile was friendly. â€Å"It's nice to finally meet you.† Edward flashed a dark look at her. â€Å"Hi, Alice,† I murmured shyly. â€Å"Are you ready?† she asked him. His voice was aloof. â€Å"Nearly. I'll meet you at the car.† She left without another word; her walk was so fluid, so sinuous that I felt a sharp pang of jealousy. â€Å"Should I say ‘have fun,' or is that the wrong sentiment?† I asked, turning back to him. â€Å"No, ‘have fun' works as well as anything.† He grinned. â€Å"Have fun, then.† I worked to sound wholehearted. Of course I didn't fool him. â€Å"I'll try.† He still grinned. â€Å"And you try to be safe, please.† â€Å"Safe in Forks – what a challenge.† â€Å"For you it is a challenge.† His jaw hardened. â€Å"Promise.† â€Å"I promise to try to be safe,† I recited. â€Å"I'll do the laundry tonight – that ought to be fraught with peril.† â€Å"Don't fall in,† he mocked. â€Å"I'll do my best.† He stood then, and I rose, too. â€Å"I'll see you tomorrow,† I sighed. â€Å"It seems like a long time to you, doesn't it?† he mused. I nodded glumly. â€Å"I'll be there in the morning,† he promised, smiling his crooked smile. He reached across the table to touch my face, lightly brushing along my cheekbone again. Then he turned and walked away. I stared after him until he was gone. I was sorely tempted to ditch the rest of the day, at the very least Gym, but a warning instinct stopped me. I knew that if I disappeared now, Mike and others would assume I was with Edward. And Edward was worried about the time we'd spent together publicly†¦ if things went wrong. I refused to dwell on the last thought, concentrating instead on making things safer for him. I intuitively knew – and sensed he did, too – that tomorrow would be pivotal. Our relationship couldn't continue to balance, as it did, on the point of a knife. We would fall off one edge or the other, depending entirely upon his decision, or his instincts. My decision was made, made before I'd ever consciously chosen, and I was committed to seeing it through. Because there was nothing more terrifying to me, more excruciating, than the thought of turning away from him. It was an impossibility. I went to class, feeling dutiful. I couldn't honestly say what happened in Biology; my mind was too preoccupied with thoughts of tomorrow. In Gym, Mike was speaking to me again; he wished me a good time in Seattle. I carefully explained that I'd canceled my trip, worried about my truck. â€Å"Are you going to the dance with Cullen?† he asked, suddenly sulky. â€Å"No, I'm not going to the dance at all.† â€Å"What are you doing, then?† he asked, too interested. My natural urge was to tell him to butt out. Instead, I lied brightly. â€Å"Laundry, and then I have to study for the Trig test or I'm going to fail.† â€Å"Is Cullen helping you study?† â€Å"Edward,† I emphasized, â€Å"is not going to help me study. He's gone away somewhere for the weekend.† The lies came more naturally than usual, I noted with surprise. â€Å"Oh.† He perked up. â€Å"You know, you could come to the dance with our group anyway – that would be cool. We'd all dance with you,† he promised. The mental image of Jessica's face made my tone sharper than necessary. â€Å"I'm not going to the dance, Mike, okay?† â€Å"Fine.† He sulked again. â€Å"I was just offering.† When the school day had finally ended, I walked to the parking lot without enthusiasm. I did not especially want to walk home, but I couldn't see how he would have retrieved my truck. Then again, I was starting to believe that nothing was impossible for him. The latter instinct proved correct – my truck sat in the same space he'd parked his Volvo in this morning. I shook my head, incredulous, as I opened the unlocked door and saw the key in the ignition. There was a piece of white paper folded on my seat. I got in and closed the door before I unfolded it. Two words were written in his elegant script. Be safe. The sound of the truck roaring to life frightened me. I laughed at myself. When I got home, the handle of the door was locked, the dead bolt unlocked, just as I'd left it this morning. Inside, I went straight to the laundry room. It looked just the same as I'd left it, too. I dug for my jeans and, after finding them, checked the pockets. Empty. Maybe I'd hung my key up after all, I thought, shaking my head. Following the same instinct that had prompted me to lie to Mike, I called Jessica on the pretense of wishing her luck at the dance. When she offered the same wish for my day with Edward, I told her about the cancellation. She was more disappointed than really necessary for a third-party observer to be. I said goodbye quickly after that. Charlie was absentminded at dinner, worried over something at work, I guessed, or maybe a basketball game, or maybe he was just really enjoying the lasagna – it was hard to tell with Charlie. â€Å"You know, Dad†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I began, breaking into his reverie. â€Å"What's that, Bell?† â€Å"I think you're right about Seattle. I think I'll wait until Jessica or someone else can go with me.† â€Å"Oh,† he said, surprised. â€Å"Oh, okay. So, do you want me to stay home?† â€Å"No, Dad, don't change your plans. I've got a million things to do†¦ homework, laundry†¦ I need to go to the library and the grocery store. I'll be in and out all day†¦ you go and have fun.† â€Å"Are you sure?† â€Å"Absolutely, Dad. Besides, the freezer is getting dangerously low on fish – we're down to a two, maybe three years' supply.† â€Å"You're sure easy to live with, Bella.† He smiled. â€Å"I could say the same thing about you,† I said, laughing. The sound of my laughter was off, but he didn't seem to notice. I felt so guilty for deceiving him that I almost took Edward's advice and told him where I would be. Almost. After dinner, I folded clothes and moved another load through the dryer. Unfortunately it was the kind of job that only keeps hands busy. My mind definitely had too much free time, and it was getting out of control. I fluctuated between anticipation so intense that it was very nearly pain, and an insidious fear that picked at my resolve. I had to keep reminding myself that I'd made my choice, and I wasn't going back on it. I pulled his note out of my pocket much more often than necessary to absorb the two small words he'd written. He wants me to be safe, I told myself again and again. I would just hold on to the faith that, in the end, that desire would win out over the others. And what was my other choice – to cut him out of my life? Intolerable. Besides, since I'd come to Forks, it really seemed like my life was about him. But a tiny voice in the back of my mind worried, wondering if it would hurt very much†¦ if it ended badly. I was relieved when it was late enough to be acceptable for bedtime. I knew I was far too stressed to sleep, so I did something I'd never done before. I deliberately took unnecessary cold medicine – the kind that knocked me out for a good eight hours. I normally wouldn't condone that type of behavior in myself, but tomorrow would be complicated enough without me being loopy from sleep deprivation on top of everything else. While I waited for the drugs to kick in, I dried my clean hair till it was impeccably straight, and fussed over what I would wear tomorrow. With everything ready for the morning, I finally lay in my bed. I felt hyper; I couldn't stop twitching. I got up and rifled through my shoebox of CDs until I found a collection of Chopin's nocturnes. I put that on very quietly and then lay down again, concentrating on relaxing individual parts of my body. Somewhere in the middle of that exercise, the cold pills took effect, and I gladly sank into unconsciousness. I woke early, having slept soundly and dreamlessly thanks to my gratuitous drug use. Though I was well rested, I slipped right back into the same hectic frenzy from the night before. I dressed in a rush, smoothing my collar against my neck, fidgeting with the tan sweater till it hung right over my jeans. I sneaked a swift look out the window to see that Charlie was already gone. A thin, cottony layer of clouds veiled the sky. They didn't look very lasting. I ate breakfast without tasting the food, hurrying to clean up when I was done. I peeked out the window again, but nothing had changed. I had just finished brushing my teeth and was heading back downstairs when a quiet knock sent my heart thudding against my rib cage. I flew to the door; I had a little trouble with the simple dead bolt, but I yanked the door open at last, and there he was. All the agitation dissolved as soon as I looked at his face, calm taking its place. I breathed a sigh of relief – yesterday's fears seemed very foolish with him here. He wasn't smiling at first – his face was somber. But then his expression lightened as he looked me over, and he laughed. â€Å"Good morning,† he chuckled. â€Å"What's wrong?† I glanced down to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything important, like shoes, or pants. â€Å"We match.† He laughed again. I realized he had a long, light tan sweater on, with a white collar showing underneath, and blue jeans. I laughed with him, hiding a secret twinge of regret – why did he have to look like a runway model when I couldn't? I locked the door behind me while he walked to the truck. He waited by the passenger door with a martyred expression that was easy to understand. â€Å"We made a deal,† I reminded him smugly, climbing into the driver's seat, and reaching over to unlock his door. â€Å"Where to?† I asked. â€Å"Put your seat belt on – I'm nervous already.† I gave him a dirty look as I complied. â€Å"Where to?† I repeated with a sigh. â€Å"Take the one-oh-one north,† he ordered. It was surprisingly difficult to concentrate on the road while feeling his gaze on my face. I compensated by driving more carefully than usual through the still-sleeping town. â€Å"Were you planning to make it out of Forks before nightfall?† â€Å"This truck is old enough to be your car's grandfather – have some respect,† I retorted. We were soon out of the town limits, despite his negativity. Thick underbrush and green-swathed trunks replaced the lawns and houses. â€Å"Turn right on the one-ten,† he instructed just as I was about to ask. I obeyed silently. â€Å"Now we drive until the pavement ends.† I could hear a smile in his voice, but I was too afraid of driving off the road and proving him right to look over and be sure. â€Å"And what's there, at the pavement's end?† I wondered. â€Å"A trail.† â€Å"We're hiking?† Thank goodness I'd worn tennis shoes. â€Å"Is that a problem?† He sounded as if he'd expected as much. â€Å"No.† I tried to make the lie sound confident. But if he thought my truck was slow†¦ â€Å"Don't worry, it's only five miles or so, and we're in no hurry.† Five miles. I didn't answer, so that he wouldn't hear my voice crack in panic. Five miles of treacherous roots and loose stones, trying to twist my ankles or otherwise incapacitate me. This was going to be humiliating. We drove in silence for a while as I contemplated the coming horror. â€Å"What are you thinking?† he asked impatiently after a few moments. I lied again. â€Å"Just wondering where we're going.† â€Å"It's a place I like to go when the weather is nice.† We both glanced out the windows at the thinning clouds after he spoke. â€Å"Charlie said it would be warm today.† â€Å"And did you tell Charlie what you were up to?† he asked. â€Å"Nope.† â€Å"But Jessica thinks we're going to Seattle together?† He seemed cheered by the idea. â€Å"No, I told her you canceled on me – which is true.† â€Å"No one knows you're with me?† Angrily, now. â€Å"That depends†¦ I assume you told Alice?† â€Å"That's very helpful, Bella,† he snapped. I pretended I didn't hear that. â€Å"Are you so depressed by Forks that it's made you suicidal?† he demanded when I ignored him. â€Å"You said it might cause trouble for you†¦ us being together publicly,† I reminded him. â€Å"So you're worried about the trouble it might cause me- if you don't come home?† His voice was still angry, and bitingly sarcastic. I nodded, keeping my eyes on the road. He muttered something under his breath, speaking so quickly that I couldn't understand. We were silent for the rest of the drive. I could feel the waves of infuriated disapproval rolling off of him, and I could think of nothing to say. And then the road ended, constricting to a thin foot trail with a small wooden marker. I parked on the narrow shoulder and stepped out, afraid because he was angry with me and I didn't have driving as an excuse not to look at him. It was warm now, warmer than it had been in Forks since the day I'd arrived, almost muggy under the clouds. I pulled off my sweater and knotted it around my waist, glad that I'd worn the light, sleeveless shirt – especially if I had five miles of hiking ahead of me. I heard his door slam, and looked over to see that he'd removed his sweater, too. He was facing away from me, into the unbroken forest beside my truck. â€Å"This way,† he said, glancing over his shoulder at me, eyes still annoyed. He started into the dark forest. â€Å"The trail?† Panic was clear in my voice as I hurried around the truck to catch up to him. â€Å"I said there was a trail at the end of the road, not that we were taking it.† â€Å"No trail?† I asked desperately. â€Å"I won't let you get lost.† He turned then, with a mocking smile, and I stifled a gasp. His white shirt was sleeveless, and he wore it unbuttoned, so that the smooth white skin of his throat flowed uninterrupted over the marble contours of his chest, his perfect musculature no longer merely hinted at behind concealing clothes. He was too perfect, I realized with a piercing stab of despair. There was no way this godlike creature could be meant for me. He stared at me, bewildered by my tortured expression. â€Å"Do you want to go home?† he said quietly, a different pain than mine saturating his voice. â€Å"No.† I walked forward till I was close beside him, anxious not to waste one second of whatever time I might have with him. â€Å"What's wrong?† he asked, his voice gentle. â€Å"I'm not a good hiker,† I answered dully. â€Å"You'll have to be very patient.† â€Å"I can be patient – if I make a great effort.† He smiled, holding my glance, trying to lift me out of my sudden, unexplained dejection. I tried to smile back, but the smile was unconvincing. He scrutinized my face. â€Å"I'll take you home,† he promised. I couldn't tell if the promise was unconditional, or restricted to an immediate departure. I knew he thought it was fear that upset me, and I was grateful again that I was the one person whose mind he couldn't hear. â€Å"If you want me to hack five miles through the jungle before sundown, you'd better start leading the way,† I said acidly. He frowned at me, struggling to understand my tone and expression. He gave up after a moment and led the way into the forest. It wasn't as hard as I had feared. The way was mostly flat, and he held the damp ferns and webs of moss aside for me. When his straight path took us over fallen trees or boulders, he would help me, lifting me by the elbow, and then releasing me instantly when I was clear. His cold touch on my skin never failed to make my heart thud erratically. Twice, when that happened, I caught a look on his face that made me sure he could somehow hear it. I tried to keep my eyes away from his perfection as much as possible, but I slipped often. Each time, his beauty pierced me through with sadness. For the most part, we walked in silence. Occasionally he would ask a random question that he hadn't gotten to in the past two days of interrogation. He asked about my birthdays, my grade school teachers, my childhood pets – and I had to admit that after killing three fish in a row, I'd given up on the whole institution. He laughed at that, louder than I was used to – bell-like echoes bouncing back to us from the empty woods. The hike took me most of the morning, but he never showed any sign of impatience. The forest spread out around us in a boundless labyrinth of ancient trees, and I began to be nervous that we would never find our way out again. He was perfectly at ease, comfortable in the green maze, never seeming to feel any doubt about our direction. After several hours, the light that filtered through the canopy transformed, the murky olive tone shifting to a brighter jade. The day had turned sunny, just as he'd foretold. For the first time since we'd entered the woods, I felt a thrill of excitement – which quickly turned to impatience. â€Å"Are we there yet?† I teased, pretending to scowl. â€Å"Nearly.† He smiled at the change in my mood. â€Å"Do you see the brightness ahead?† I peered into the thick forest. â€Å"Um, should I?† He smirked. â€Å"Maybe it's a bit soon for your eyes.† â€Å"Time to visit the optometrist,† I muttered. His smirk grew more pronounced. But then, after another hundred yards, I could definitely see a lightening in the trees ahead, a glow that was yellow instead of green. I picked up the pace, my eagerness growing with every step. He let me lead now, following noiselessly. I reached the edge of the pool of light and stepped through the last fringe of ferns into the loveliest place I had ever seen. The meadow was small, perfectly round, and filled with wildflowers – violet, yellow, and soft white. Somewhere nearby, I could hear the bubbling music of a stream. The sun was directly overhead, filling the circle with a haze of buttery sunshine. I walked slowly, awestruck, through the soft grass, swaying flowers, and warm, gilded air. I halfway turned, wanting to share this with him, but he wasn't behind me where I thought he'd be. I spun around, searching for him with sudden alarm. Finally I spotted him, still under the dense shade of the canopy at the edge of the hollow, watching me with cautious eyes. Only then did I remember what the beauty of the meadow had driven from my mind – the enigma of Edward and the sun, which he'd promised to illustrate for me today. I took a step back toward him, my eyes alight with curiosity. His eyes were wary, reluctant. I smiled encouragingly and beckoned to him with my hand, taking another step back to him. He held up a hand in warning, and I hesitated, rocking back onto my heels. Edward seemed to take a deep breath, and then he stepped out into the bright glow of the midday sun.

Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery Plan for Local...

CASE STUDY-BUSINESS CONTINUITY/DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY 1. Disaster Recovery for City Hall Server #3 a. RTO/RPO for Hardware/Software: The Recovery Time Objective (RTO) is the determined length of time from when a disruption occurs in which a department’s functionalities, systems, applications, etc. must recover. The RTOs for the City Clerk, HR, and Finance Departments are as follows: RTO: Recovery Time Objective APPLICATIONS CITY CLERK HR FINANCE Millennium – Internal Payroll Processing 1 Day 4 Hours 1 Day Access to External Ameripay Payroll Service 1 Day 4 Hours 1 Day Collector’s Office System (Access) 1 Month 1 Month 1 Month Building Department System (Access) 1 Month 1 Month 1 Month Water†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, this particular strategy is the only one which will accommodate a RPO of zero (0) for those applications identified herein as tolerating no data loss. d. Strategy Justification: i. As stated above, this strategy is appropriate for City Hall in consideration of its RPO of zero (0) for three of its apps. This is the only strategy to provide a RPO of zero (0). The utilization of a Hot Site with continuous availability at an Internal Facility will ensure City Hall’s ability to meet its business criticalities in the event a disaster should occur. iii. Other options exist for Disaster Recovery. Following is a brief description of each. ïÆ'Ëœ Option #2 – Hot Site with Replication/High Availability Prior to a disruption, the Hot Site would be equipped with the required infrastructure in order to facilitate the immediate recovery of critical business functions. This includes all hardware, telecommunications, environmental components, and software to ensure continuous availability of the critical applications to serve users from either site. This strategy typically involves a manual switchover to the Hot Site at time of disaster. 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