Case Study Of Mobilink Management Essay

Case Study Of Mobilink Management Essay The running title of the study is primarily outlined as Impact of Training and Development on Employee Performance and the Organisation A Case Study of MOBILINK. In depth, the research will focus on how training and development affects the performance of both employee and the Organisation. Employees are progressively stipulating change, preferences, flexibility, and variety in their work; suggesting that with the de-layering of organizations and  empowerment  of individual employees, the future for both the organization and the individual employee depends not in the promotion to the successively higher levels, but rather in developing the value of the individual as human capital (Seidler, 1996). The value of human capital is improved by achievement of higher performance potential such as new tasks, functions, and KSAPs (knowledge, skills, abilities, personal attributes) (McGregor, 1988). The paper discusses in detail the research proposal of the topic. Training and Development (TD) basically deals with the acquisition of understanding, knowledge, techniques and practice. In this research proposal, the background and problem of the study are presented; the objectives of the study are originated. Here, crucial concepts, questions, theory and assumption are stated. Finally, the methodology to be used is defined. Research Problem: The key problem that will be discussed in this study is how TD affects the performance of both employees and the Organisation. The following research problems will be discussed in the course of the study. Discussion of the Employee Training and Development in MOBILINK. i.e. in what specific ways does TD improve the performance of the staff and organisation. Discussion about other supportive elements or approaches that enhance the Training and development requirements according to the globalisation. Conclude the effects as much as the benefits that the employee can get and the positive return for the business in carrying out of training and development. Furthermore, following will be the sub questions of the problem; To evaluate need and importance of Training and Development in the organization. To evaluate how Training and Development works, functions and processes in MONILINK. To investigate the new methods and techniques in Training and Development and their exploitation in the commercial sector. To gain more information about the business of Telecom sector at a large level corporation spanning multiple geographical locations in multiple countries. To become good introduction of my university in the commercial sector and open up doors for career in the T D field in the long term in the future. I will use the case study method that will permit my study to observe, evaluate and formulate its own analysis concerning to the subject of training and development. Purpose of the Study: The purpose of the study is to simply establish the sound answer on the effects of the training and development on employees and the organisation. The research particularly looks at the employee training and development pattern within the  Organisation and their positive return to the business. Moreover, the study offer discussions made by other authors concerning with the employee training and development. The study believes that training has a big relationship on the level of understanding, knowledge, and skill of an employee. In other way, the training also creates a big advantage for the organization in their incorporation that can be admitted as part of the organizational system. In addition, the training can comes in different forms and should not be stick in one training strategy or techniques for there are many reasons that might trigger to its development. Objectives of the Study: The key objective of this study is to examine the effectiveness of Training and Development at MOBILINK. In the literature of employee training and development, human resource is the utmost source of the development of a business. In the same way, it is essential to study the current practices in the company training and development that are meant to contribute to the improvement of the employees skills and organisational performance.   To deal with this objective, I will conduct a survey on the new employees views of their training under Mobilink. Moreover, the survey intended to find out if new employees were satisfied with their jobs in their first month in the company. In addition, management personnel will be interviewed to evaluate their views on constructive employee training and development patterns and on employee retention and attrition. Literature Review: Training and development is essential to organizations which seek to gain a competitive advantage through a highly skilled and flexible workforce, and are seen as a major element to high productivity and quality performance. A skilled workforce can increase productivity by producing a higher level of work with greater value. The organisations seek to ensure the availability of reliable workforce to aid in the realisation of its strategic business plan. To achieve this goal, the company should train and development career (Wilson, 2005). It is worth noting that different companies have different approaches to their business. Further, education seems to be the same for the students of the same profession. This has the indication that the ultimate skills and experience enjoyed by the employee reflects their training in a particular organisation (Wilson 2005,p.102).Employee engagement practices are instrumental in promoting employee commitment to the mission and objectives of an organisa tion. According to the principles of effective human resource management, training and Development of employees is one of the reliable tools of ensuring their satisfaction at the workplace (Bureau of Labour Statistics, 2009). This is due to the fact that training eliminates the demoralisation aspects brought by failure to efficiently realise ones expectations at the workplace. In addition, training gives employees an opportunity to achieve their professional career goals while earning a living. All these are important are important in meeting the social and economic responsibilities of both the individual and the organisation.Training and career development serves the important role of strengthening the reputation of an organisation. Reputation remains the best marketing tool for the products and services of any business. On the other side, the reputation of a company is defined by the effectiveness and reliability of its services to the customers (Aidele 2009, p.76). This means tha t an organisation should have in place a strong workforce to meet its market demands. This calls for engaging in employee training and career development since such is vital tools in promoting innovative solving of problems. Still, providing training and development gives the organisation the competitive advantage of identifying the best talent for its workforce as it eliminates certification qualifications to engage in seeking actual capabilities of its employees. Business leaders are always looking forward for the success of the organization and therefore, they should create a kind of strategy that can undergo the midst of challenges (Meek, 2007). Historically, the training suggests that there are benefits that the training might deliver in the entire organization. One predictable result is the improvement in the level of performance of the people. Another is the minimization of the organizational cost and the capacity of the employees to answer the consumer needs (Shea, 2008). Many people have seen Training and Development as inseparable but according to the report ,Developing the Developers by Megginson Pedler (1991) its been shown that most managers viewed Training Development as different and wanted to keep them as two separate terms. This report made the following definition; Training: The relatively systematic attempt to transfer knowledge or skills from one who knows to one who does not know. Development: Working with individuals or organisation to enable them to cross a threshold which has qualitative significance to them and their life. The significance of employee training and development has long been recognized as a critical matter for businesses (Ford et al., 1997).There are many elements involve in perusing the training and development in an organization. In organizational view, the active employee involvement and training is considered as one of the strategic concerns of the organizational leaders. Organizations personalized different training and development processes and procedures that can achieve the best result in the businesss sustainability. People, as the key for the organization, are the main target of the training therefore the training among the business leader help them to provide the valid reason in creating the appropriate decision for the entire organization and have a great impact on their managerial skills and styles (Johnson, 2001; Farvaque, et al., 2009) Furthermore, the training and development for some business analysts were considered as a partnership or enhancing the employer-employee relationship (2009). Human capital is treated as a key to success for all industries. Human Resource Management practices play a pivotal role to gain profitability and market share that ultimately enhance the organizational performance in the long run (Qureshi, 2006). But in the current scenario, enterprises are facing problems in terms of shortage of brilliant workforce, dramatic rise in Retirements, poaching of the key people by competitors, and increasing turnover. As the business environment becomes increasingly competitive, organizations need to focus on improving all areas of their business especially human capital because the performance of the people employed has a major impact on profitability (Lloyds, 2010).It is now commonly accepted that employees construct an important cause of competitive advantage for the organisation. As a result, it is important that an organisation should adopt best TD practices to get best utilization of its employees. The above trend has point to enhanced interest in the impact of HRM on organizational performance, and a number of studies have established a positive affiliation (Gelade Iivery, 2003). Research studies have demonstrated that training has a positive influence on organizational performance. Zwick (2006) stated that increasing the training strength has an optimistic and significant effect on establishment of productivity.In the same way Bartel (1991) also demonstrated a direct and positive relationship between productivity and training program. The amount of training is an important antecedent for firms who wish to improve their productivity (Savery and Luks, 2004). But Cunha (2002) found no significance of training on organizational performance.Moreover, effective staff training and professional development can help to produce positive youth outcomes and increase retention of youth workers (Fancsali 2002, Huebner et al.2003, Astroth et al. 2004, Hartje et al. 2007).There are many models of training and development that have made greater progress into organizational settings, which have began to have a greater impact on instructional design. Specifically, Instructional Systems Design (ISD), Human Performance Technology (HPT), Performance-Based Instructional Design (PBID), and Total Quality Management (TQM), all of which originate from research in the area of organizational development. Role of Theory: Training and Development has been increasingly used in the literature as well as in the business world as a critical concept redefining the borders between business, society and the state. Extensive literature exists on the concept of TD. For the purpose of my research, I will use the theories developed about it. Methodology and Methods: Research Approach: I will get most of my research information through the books, Journals, Internet and newspaper articles. Webster and Watson (2002) states that the major contributions are likely to be in the leading journals. It can also come from some Official documents provided by the clients such as information about their system, IT infrastructure, training facilities and others. Information can also come from official policy manuals, plans and other stuff which is not confidential for the company. Research Context: My case study will be focus on MOBILINK GSM Pakistan, exploring its methodology of Training and Development to streamlining and improving the efficiency of its employee and the organisation. Given below is the brief introduction of MOBILINK and the Training and Development techniques used in the organization: MOBILINK Introduction: MOBILINK GSM (PMCL), a  subsidiary of Orascom Telecom, started its operations in Pakistan in 1994, and has become the market leader both in terms of growth and having the largest customer subscribers of over 30 millions and growing. MOBILINK is the first cellular service provider in Pakistan to operate on a 100% digital GSM technology. Currently there are about five thousand employees in Mobilink among them 500 employee are on temporary basis or outsourced. Training and Development in MOBILINK: MOBILINK mostly trains its employees by On Job Training which means that the employees are trained as they perform their jobs and along with their duties. The manager or supervisor guides them how to perform their jobs and guides them about the effectiveness in the work. Internees are trained in various departments and then mostly hired by Mobilink itself and their training is basically teaching them the ropes and the basics of everything. On a general basis the training done in Mobilink can be divided into two categories: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Soft skill training à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Technical Training Graham Burke, One of the the President PMCL Mobilink, said ; Mobilink will offer proper training plans to its employees in order to make them more reactive to their responsibilities Sampling Plan: Sampling involves taking a certain number of people to get them contributed in the research by taking their views about a matter or conduction of interviews about the topic under research. To add to emphasis to the studys purpose to analyse respondents opinion, interviews will be conducted from relevant persons in Mobilink. Data Acquisition Method: Primary data will be collected by adopting a qualitative approach by taking different focus groups, this will provide insight and inform the interview process (Threlfall, 1999; Gilbert,2008). To add to emphasis to the studys purpose to analyse respondents opinion, interviews will be conducted from relevant persons in Mobilink, for this purpose I will spent about 6-8 weeks in Pakistan(My home country) in order to get my required data. I will conduct structured interviews from some of the employees in Mobilink.Interviews will be recorded. Observation sheet will be filled by the researcher during the interview whereas some of the modifications will be made if necessary to explore a particular issue irrelevant to Training Development. Project Planning: Time Scales: The part of the research dealing with data collection from secondary sources will take approximately 4-6 weeks. Compiling and analysing of data collected from interviews and observations will take 6-8 weeks approximately. Final research will provide the study hypothesis in 6-12 weeks approximately. Critical Success Factor: Broad level of secondary data on the subject of Training and Development will significantly satisfy the objectives of the study. In broader sense, good knowledge of their systems, their facilities and their performance improvement plans and there success in the failure in the achievement of objectives will be a major success factor in the research. Cost Implications: It will work not too cost effective. The main reasons behind the cost saving is that I already had a plan to go to Pakistan during my holidays and Mobilinks one of the main office exists in Lahore, Pakistan which is my hometown. Most of the offices from where I am planning to collect data are located in the walking distance or close proximity. This will save me cost of fare, or overnight stay which I may have had to face if the locations were away. To get users input, recording equipment will be used to record their responses, although it will cost a one time expense of purchase of equipment, but it will save cost of stationary and printing and paper cost that would incur if responses are collected on printed questionnaire or survey forms. Ethical Issues: There can be ethical issues around the data collection and use of data for research given that organizations provide access to their information which be sometimes beneficial for their competitors to give them undue advantage. However I will manage secrecy of the information I will obtain during and after the completion of the research. All other ethical standards will be followed during the research to gain information from company or its employees. The challenges expected to be faced are lack of trust on person from outside the organization in providing information. I will use top-down approach to overcome this issue. I will take management in confidence and agree them to share information with me that will take away a number of resistances from lower staff. Although I will keep good terms and deal nicely with all staff regardless of their ranks, still having management on my back will open up several doors for me which otherwise would proof difficult to open.

Opening Day :: essays research papers

The sun shines radiantly upon the towering stadium at the corners of Michigan and Trumball. Spring has arrived and erased the dreary, grey weather of winter. The old dilapidated stadium will come to life in a couple of hours to mark the beginning of an anticipated season.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Brringg! The bell signals the end of class and I anxiously wait for my mother to arrive. I find myself impatiently glancing at the clock every two minutes; finally the car pulls up. I jump into the back seat and throw off my heavy backpack. As my mom pulls away, the same old raspy voice can be heard over the radio. I try to block out the blaring AM station, but the word â€Å"opening day† grabs my attention. The weatherman forecasts a sunny day with a cool breeze. A smile erupts on my face, which my mom can’t help but notice through the reflection of the rearview mirror.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I arrive home and hurriedly run up the steps. Stacks of baseball cards and other memorabilia blanket the floor beneath me. I throw off my grade school uniform and find my clothes nicely folded on top of the dresser. I slip on a pair of jeans, but can’t figure out which shirt to wear. I take a seat on my bed and slowly contemplate which Tiger’s T-shirt I should wear. Looking at them brings back memories of past visits to Tiger games. I begin to reminisce, however my daydreaming is short-lived and terminated by the ringing chimes that signal the arrival of my other fifth-grade friends. I quickly grab any shirt and put on my broken-in baseball cap while running downstairs. My friends and I load the car and we pull away from my house. At last we’re on our way.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We arrive at the stadium among a frenzy of other fans. As I step out of the car, my body shakes with a chilling flash of excitement. I rub down the goose bumps that graze my arms and nervously reach into my pocket to find my ticket. It’s still there, but a light film of sweat still covers my palms. Even though we are a few blocks from the stadium, a buzz penetrates the air. Judging by the deafening cheers of the crowd, we know the game has already started. As I glance at the shaking stadium during each wild wave of applause, my steps increase ever so slightly in anticipation.

Its Not Hard to Make Decisions When You Know What Your Values Are Essa

It's Not Hard to Make Decisions When You Know What Your Values Are Roy Disney explains that "It's not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are." This is an important theme for the characters of Stephen Dedalus from James Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and of Frank McCourt from Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes. The two things in life that are supposed to supply stability (parents and the church) have failed, which is why Stephen and Frank discover that only through their own self-reliance will they ever be able to experience true freedom from the forces that have bound them. Stephen's parents let him down by not emotionally supporting him while Frank's parents do not physically support him. Right before Stephen leaves to go to the university, his father shouts out to his siblings, "Is your lazy bitch of a brother gone out yet?" (135). Stephen's father shows a lack of respect for his son by calling him lazy and goes on to imply that he is not very masculine. His father belittles him in front of his family and does not even apologize for his harsh words. Stephen's mother also disappoints him as "he had watched the faith which was fading down in his soul aging and strengthening in her eyes" (126). Stephen sees his mother choosing religion over him. His mother decides to trust the Catholic Church rather than her own son, which shows that her support is not toward Stephen. Through his parents' lack of emotional support, Stephen must look inside himself for strength. Frank's parents support him emotionally, but they do not adequately provide the support he needs physically. Angela "hopes [Malachy] might bring home something from the farm, potatoes, cabbage, turnips, carrots, but he'll never bring ... ...m from the church, his nation, and even his family. However, Frank soon breaks away from his family and even claims, "If my whole family dropped from the hunger I wouldn't touch this money in the post office" (333). The only ticket out of his miserable life is to save up money and move to America. Frank is finally able to put his own welfare above the expectations of his society. It is through the suppression of his individuality that forces Frank to disconnect himself from the bonds of his society. Stephen and Frank are able to gain the courage and strength to leave Ireland and their former lives behind them due to the lack of dependability provided by their parents and the Catholic Church. From the adversity that they must overcome in their lives, Stephen and Frank are both able to achieve true freedom from the limitations that have held them down for so long.

Night World : Spellbinder Chapter 4

At that moment Thea almost hated her cousin. But there was no choice. Four pairs of eyes were watching her: Blaise's gray eyes, Vivienne's emerald green, Selene's dear blue, and Dani's velvety dark ones. They were waiting. Thea got up and began the long walk across the patio. She felt as if everyone was watching her. She tried to keep her steps measured and confident, her face serene. It wasn't easy. The closer she got to that sandy hair, the more she wanted to turn and run. She had tunnel vision now: everything on the sides was a blur; the only clear thing was Eric's profile. Just as she got within earshot, he glanced up and saw her coming. He looked startled. For a moment his eyes met hers: a deeper green than Vivienne's, more intense and more innocent. Then, without a word, he turned away and walked quickly down a path between two buildings. He was gone before Thea knew what was happening. She stood rooted to the ground. There was a huge amount of empty space inside her, with only her uncomfortably pounding heart trying to fill it. Okay; he hates me. I don't blame him. Maybe it's good; maybe Blaise will say we can all forget him now. But when she went back to the shady table, Blaise was frowning thoughtfully. â€Å"You just don't have the technique yet,† she said. â€Å"Never mind. I can coach you.† â€Å"Viv and I can help, too,† Selene murmured. â€Å"You'll learn fast.† â€Å"No-thank you,† Thea said. Her pride was hurt and her cheeks were on fire. â€Å"I can do it myself. Tomorrow. I have a plan already.† Dani squeezed her hand under the table. â€Å"You'll do fine.† Blaise said, â€Å"Just make sure it's tomorrow. Or I might think you don't really want him.† And then, to Thea's immense relief, the bell rang. â€Å"Hawthorne, yarrow, angelica†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Thea peered through the thick blue glass of an unlabeled jar. â€Å"Some kind of nasty powder†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She was in the front room of her grandmother's shop, deserted now because it was closed for the evening. Just being with all these herbs and gems and amulets gave her a feeling of comfort. Of control. I love this place, she thought, looking around at the floor-to-ceiling shelves of bottles and boxes and dusty vials. One whole wall was devoted to trays of stones-unpolished and polished, rare and semiprecious, some with symbols or words of power engraved on them, some dirty and fresh from the earth. Thea liked putting her hands in them and murmuring their names: tourmaline, amethyst, honey topaz, white jade. And then there were the good-smelling herbs: everything you needed to cure indigestion or to call a lover; to soothe arthritis or to curse your landlord. Some of these-the simples-worked whether you were a witch or not. They were just natural remedies, and Gran even sold them to humans. But the real spells required both arcane knowledge and psychic power, and no human could make them active. Thea was whipping up a real spell. First, heartsease. That was good for any love charm. Thea opened a canister and fingered the dried purple and yellow flowers gently. Then she dropped a handful of them into a fine mesh bag. What else? Rose petals were a given. She unstopped a large ceramic jar and got a whiff of sweetness as she sprinkled them in. Chamomile, yes. Rosemary, yes. Lavender†¦ she twisted the cork out of a small vial of lavender essence. She could use some of that right this minute. She mixed it in her palm with a teaspoon of jojoba oil then dabbed the fragrant liquid on her temples and at the back of her neck. Blood, flow! Headache, go! The tension in her neck started to ease almost instantly. She took a long breath and looked around. Some bones of the earth would help. Rose quartz carved in the shape of a heart for attraction. A lump of raw amber for charm. Oh, and throw in a lode-stone for magnetism and a couple of small garnets for fire. It was done. Tomorrow morning she'd take a bath, letting this giant tea bag infuse the water while she burned a circle of red candles. She'd soak in the potent mixture, letting the smell of it, the essence of it, seep into her skin. And when she got out, she'd be irresistible. She was about to walk away when a leather pouch caught her eye. No. Not that, she told herself. You've got a mixture here to promote interest and affection. It's plenty strong enough just to get him to listen to you. You don't want anything stronger. But she found herself picking up the soft pouch anyway. Opening it, just to look inside. It was full of reddish-brown chips, each about the size of a thumbnail with a woody, aromatic smell. Yemonja root. Guaranteed to draw an unwilling heart. But usually forbidden to maidens. Recklessly, not letting herself think about it, Thea transferred half a dozen chips to her mesh bag. Then she put the worn leather pouch back on its shelf. â€Å"Figured it out yet?† a voice behind her said. Thea whirled. Gran was standing at the foot of the narrow stairway that led to the apartment above the store. â€Å"Uh-what?† She held the mesh bag behind her back. â€Å"Your specialty. Herbs, stones, amulets†¦ I hope you're not going to be one of those chanting girls. I hate that whiny music.† Thea loved the music. In fact, she loved all the things Gran had mentioned-but she loved animals even better. And there wasn't much of a place for animals in witch life, not since familiars had been outlawed during the Burning Times. You could use bits of animals, sure. Lizard foot and nightingale tongue. Blaise was always trying to get hold of Thea's animals for just that purpose, and Thea was always fighting her off. â€Å"I don't know. Gran,† she said. â€Å"I'm still thinking.† â€Å"Well, you've got time-but not too much,† her grandmother said, walking slowly toward her. Edgith Harman's face was a mass of creases, she hunched, and she used two canes-but that wasn't bad for a woman over a hundred who ran her own business and tyrannized every witch in the country. â€Å"Remember, you've got some decisions to make when you hit eighteen. You and Blaise are the last of our line. The last two direct descendants of Hellewise. That means you have a responsibility-you have to set an example.† â€Å"I know.† At eighteen, she would have to decide not just her specialty, but which Circle she would join for life: Twilight or Midnight. â€Å"I'll think about it, Gran,† she promised, putting her free arm around the old woman. â€Å"I've still got six months.† Gran stroked Thea's hair with a veined, gentle hand. It chased the last of Thea's headache away. Still holding the mesh bag behind her back, she said, â€Å"Gran? Are you really mad about having us here for the school year?† â€Å"Well, you eat too much and you leave hair in the shower†¦ but I guess I can stand it.† Gran smiled, then frowned. â€Å"Just as long as you stay in line until the end of the month.† There it was again. â€Å"But what's happening at the end of the month?† Gran gave her a look. â€Å"Samhain, of course! All Hallow's Eve.† â€Å"I know that,† Thea said. Even the humans celebrated Halloween. She wondered if Gran was having one of her vague spells. â€Å"Samhain-and the Inner Circle,† Gran said abruptly. â€Å"They've picked the desert for their ceremony this year.† â€Å"The desert-you mean here? The Inner Circle is coming here? Mother Cybele and Aradia and all of them?† â€Å"All of them,† Gran said. Suddenly her wrinkles looked grim. â€Å"And by Air and Fire, I'm not having them come here just to see you girls screw up-1 have a reputation, you know.† Thea nodded a little dazedly. â€Å"I-welt no wonder you were worried. We won't embarrass you. I promise.† â€Å"Good.† As Thea discreetly tucked the mesh bag under her arm and started for the stairs, the old woman added. â€Å"You'd better toss some plantain into that mix to bind it all together.† Thea felt herself blushing furiously. â€Å"Uh†¦ thanks, Gran,† she said, and went to look for plantain. Above the shop were two tiny bedrooms and a kitchenette. Grandma had one bedroom and Thea and Blaise shared the other. Tobias, Gran's apprentice, had been bumped to the workshop downstairs. Blaise was lying on her bed, reading a thick book with a red cover. Poetry. Despite her frivolous act, she wasn't stupid. â€Å"Guess what,† Thea said, and without waiting for Blaise to guess, told her about the Inner Circle coining. She watched to see if the news would scare Blaise-or at least alarm her into good intentions. But Blaise just yawned and stretched like a well-fed cat. â€Å"Good. Maybe we can watch how they summon the ancestors again.† She raised her eyebrows at Thea meaningfully. Two years ago in Vermont, while the human world was trick-or-treating, they'd hidden behind maple trees and spied on the Samhain summoning. They'd seen the elders use the magic of Hecate, the most ancient witch of all, the goddess of moon and night and sorcery, to bring spirits across the veil. For Thea it had been scary but exciting, for Blaise just exciting. Thea gave up on trying to alarm Blaise. Thea looked at the three star-shaped blue flowers lying on her palm. Then, one by one, she ate them. â€Å"Now say ‘Ego borago guadia semper ago,' † Selene instructed. â€Å"It means, ‘I, borage, always bring courage.' Old Roman spell.† Thea muttered the words. For the second day in a row, she was on the patio looking at a sandy head across the room. â€Å"Go get ‘im, tiger,† Blaise said. Vivienne and Dani nodded encouragingly. Thea squared her shoulders and started across the room. As soon as Eric saw her coming he went down the side path. You idiot, Thea thought. You don't know what's good for you. Maybe I should just let Blaise have you. But she followed him. He was standing just beyond the buildings, staring into the distance. She could only see his profile, which was nice-clean and somehow lonely. Thea swallowed, tasting a lingering sweetness from the borage flowers. What to say? She wasn't used to talking to humans-especially human boys. I'll just say â€Å"What's up?† and be casual she thought. But when she opened her mouth, what came out was, â€Å"I'm sorry.† He turned immediately. He looked startled. â€Å"You're sorry?† â€Å"Yes. I'm sorry I was so mean. What do you think I was following you for?† Eric blinked-and Thea thought his cheeks colored under his tan. â€Å"I thought you were mad because I kept staring at you. I was trying not to get you madder.† â€Å"You were staring at me?† Thea felt a little flushed herself. As if the herbs from her bath were steaming fragrantly out of her skin. â€Å"Well-I kept trying not to. I think I've got it down to one look every thirty seconds now.† He said it seriously. Thea wanted to laugh. â€Å"It's okay. I don't mind,† she said. Yes, she could definitely smell the love potion now. The heady floral scent of rose and heartsease, plus the spice of yemonja root. Eric seemed to take her at her word. He was definitely staring. â€Å"I'm sorry I acted like such a jerk before. With the snake, I mean. I really wasn't trying to feed you a line.† Alarm whispered through Thea. She didn't want to think about what had happened in the desert. â€Å"Yes, okay, I know,† she said. He was watching her so intently, his eyes such a deep green. â€Å"Well- you see, the reason I wanted to talk to you was†¦ you know, there's the Homecoming dance this Saturday. So I thought we could maybe go together.† She remembered at the last instant that in human society boys frequently asked girls to dances. Maybe she'd been too direct. But he looked-well, extremely pleased. â€Å"You're kidding! You're serious? You'd go with me?† Thea just nodded. â€Å"But that's terrific. I mean-thanks.† He was as excited as a kid at Beltane. Then his face clouded over. â€Å"I forgot, though. I promised Dr. Salinger-that's my boss at the pet hospital-that I'd spend the night there Saturday. Midnight to eight a.m. Somebody needs to watch the animals that stay overnight, and Dr. Salinger's going to a conference out of town.† â€Å"It doesn't matter,† Thea said. â€Å"We'll just go to the dance before midnight.† She was relieved. It meant less time play-acting in front of Blaise. â€Å"It's a date, then.† He still looked so happy. â€Å"And, Thea?† He said the name shyly, as if almost afraid to use it. â€Å"Maybe-maybe we could do something else sometime. I mean, we could go out, or you could come over to my house†¦.† â€Å"Uh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The yemonja smell was really making her dizzy. â€Å"Uh†¦ well, this week-I'm trying to get adjusted to the new school and all. But maybe later.† â€Å"Okay. Later.† His smile was unexpected, astonishing. It transformed his face, turning the sweet, serious shyness into charismatic radiance. â€Å"If there's any way I can help, just ask.† Why, he's handsome, Thea thought. She felt a sort of tug at her insides, like a bird being charmed out of a tree. She hadn't realized how attractive he was, or how the gray flecks in his eyes seemed to catch sunlight†¦. Stop that! she told herself abruptly. This is business, and he's vermin. She felt a flush of shame at using the word, even in thought. But she had to do something. Without meaning to, she'd moved closer to him, so she was looking up into his face. Now they were only inches apart and she was feeling distinctly giddy. â€Å"I have to go-wow. I'll see you later,† she murmured, and made herself back up. â€Å"Later,† he said. He was still glowing. Thea fled. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, she tried to ignore him. Avoided him in the halls, acting as busy as possible. He seemed to understand, and didn't chase her down. She just wished he wouldn't look so dreamy and happy all the time. And then there was Blaise. Blaise already had a couple of husky football players who followed her everywhere, Buck and Duane-but neither of them was invited to the dance. Blaise had a unique method of choosing a partner. She told them all to go away. â€Å"You don't want me,† she said to a gorgeous Asian-American guy with one earring. It was lunch break on Thursday, and the witches had a whole table to themselves: Vivienne and Selene with Blaise on one side; Dani with Thea on the other. The gorgeous guy had one knee on a chair and was looking very nervous. â€Å"You can't afford me, Kevin. I'll ruin you. Better get out of here,† Blaise said, all the while looking up with sleeping fire in her gray eyes. Kevin shifted. â€Å"But I'm rich.† He said it simply, without affectation. â€Å"I'm not talking about money,† Blaise said. She gave a deprecating smile. â€Å"And anyway, I don't think you're really interested.† â€Å"Are you kidding? I'm crazy about you. Every time I see you†¦ I don't know; it just makes me crazy.† He glanced at the other girls and Thea knew he was uncomfortable at having an audience. But not uncomfortable enough to stop talking. â€Å"I'd do anything for you.† â€Å"No, I don't think so.† Blaise was toying with a ring on her left index finger. â€Å"What's that?† Vivienne interjected nonchalantly. â€Å"Hm? Oh, just a little diamond,† Blaise said. She held out her hand and light scintillated. â€Å"Stuart Mac-Ready gave it to me this morning.† Kevin shifted again. â€Å"I can buy you dozens of rings.† Thea felt sorry for him. He seemed like an okay guy, and she'd heard him talk about wanting to be a musician. But she knew from long experience that it wouldn't do any good to tell him to get out of here. It would only make him more stubborn. â€Å"But I wouldn't want a ring from you,† Blaise was saying in a soft, chiding voice. â€Å"Stuart gave this to me because it was the only memento he had of his mom. It meant everything to him-so he wanted me to have it.† â€Å"I'd do the same thing,† Kevin said. Blaise just shook her head. â€Å"I don't think so.† â€Å"Yes, I would.† â€Å"No. The thing that means the most to you is your car, and you'd never give that up.† Thea had seen the car. It was a silver-gray Porsche. Kevin lovingly touched it up with a chamois in the school parking lot every morning. Now Kevin looked confused. â€Å"But-that car's not really mine. It belongs to my parents. They just let me use it.† Blaise nodded understanding. â€Å"You see? I told you that you wouldn't. Now, why don't you go away like a good boy?† Kevin seemed to collapse internally. He stared at Blaise pleadingly, not making a move to go away. At last, Blaise tilted her head at the football flunkies. â€Å"C'mon, man,† one flunky-Thea thought it was Duane-said. They took Kevin by the shoulders and propelled him away. Kevin kept looking back. Blaise dusted her fingers off briskly. Selene pushed back pale hair and drawled, â€Å"Think he'll cough up the car?† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Blaise smiled. â€Å"Let's just say I think I'll have transportation to the dance. Of course, I'm still not sure who I'm taking†¦.† Thea got up. Dani had sat silently through lunch, and now she was watching Blaise, her velvety dark eyes half horrified and half admiring. â€Å"I'm getting out of here,† Thea said significantly, and was relieved when Dani stopped staring at Blaise and stood up. â€Å"Oh, by the way,† Blaise said, picking up her backpack, â€Å"I forgot to give you this.† She handed Thea a small vial, the size that perfume samples came in. â€Å"What's it for?† â€Å"For the dance. You know, to put the boys' blood in.†