Human Resources Information Technology Systems Research Proposal

Human Resources Information Technology Systems - Research Proposal Example 221) "The key to the integrity and ease of maintenance of your decision support applications is to have a repository of high-quality, stable data. The data warehouse is an ideal foundation for building these data marts. The data warehouse contains the basic ingredients that ensure the success of your strategic analytical environment'" (Inmon, Imhoff & Sousa,2001, p.190) "The data mart is customized or summarized data that is derived from a data warehouse and tailored to support the specific analytical requirements of a given business unit of business function'" (p. 195) These three references summarize the purpose of a business information system architecture that can provide analytic resources for key business decision making while facilitating data input required for daily business operational functions such as payroll, benefits, etc. The following proposal will align the development of new Human Resources Information Technology Systems with goals of reduced manhours, smoother data input, and greater data accessibility and accuracy. Presently, low level data input is being accomplished by high level employees thus wasting the time of those personnel; i.e. simple data input that the employee him/herself could input on a real time basis is now being input from paper records by HR personnel. This generates repetitive, time wasting tasks and introduces more chances for data errors and escapes. There are also disparate databases which make data mining and analysis more inefficient than it should be. On a functional level, this system of disparate, non-centralized databases requires employees to access multiple sites to gain the information required for a single task such as processing a new employee. All of these factors create indirect, and often unrecognized, costs to the business. Objectives: 1. Establish a single HR data warehouse that extracts and normalizes data from multiple input sources to provide user defined reports that expedite data mining and analysis of data pertinent to the specific function of that user. Specific business unit and/or departmental data marts can also be created from this data warehouse. 2. Synergize this data warehouse with an integrated On Line Transaction Processing (OLTP) system so that data is retained for analysis by business administrators while supplying operational business functions such as payroll and benefits with the basic data required to perform those functions. 3. Format collected data in a way that can be used by other key collateral business functions such as benefits and Human Resources. 4. Provide a facility for employees to not only input their own data (ex. Time expense, changes in personal data, etc.), but also be able to retrieve and review their own data in real time on the organization's intranet. 5. Integrate and streamline HR requirements for recruitment by creating a central depository of applicant information including copies of their resumes. 6. "Mistake Proof" data entry by establishing input metadata that requires the employee to input correctly formatted data (i.e. numbers for number fields, text for text fields, etc.) and complete information (compulsory fields that will not allow saving the information until they are completed). 7. Establish a scalable system that can

Business Functions and Processes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Business Functions and Processes - Essay Example Primary activities are mainly associated with the creation of a particular product, whereas support activities involve assignments that support the primary activities and each other. Three of the support activities that include procurement, human resource management and technology development can be connected to primary activities, while the fourth activity (firm infrastructure) is responsible for supporting the entire value chain. The concept of value chain postulated by Porter (1985) explains that attaining competitive advantage begins with the effort to build organizational proficiency in conducting specific competitive value chain activities. The underlying aim behind performing such activity is to attempt harnessing those capabilities, which strengthen competitiveness and strategy of an organization. Given the fact that one or more of these abilities become the cornerstone of a company’s strategy and more resources are then allocated towards building greater expertise in performing these activities, the targeted abilities may ultimately become sustainable core competencies (Roper, Du and Love, 2008). In order to understand significance that Porter had attached to the value chain, it is imperative to recognize that there are two distinct and basic sources of competitive advantage. One source is a lower relative cost advantage and the other is a sort of differentiation. Although empirical research scholars have argued on the fact that many companies (specially Japanese) have been largely successful in combining the two sources mentioned above into one source, Porter continued to seek ways whereby both the sources could be developed separately (Hansen and Birkinshaw, 2007). Porter’s primary emphasis was on the argument that attaining low cost advantage or differentiation largely relies upon the disconnected activities performed by an organization. By disaggregating these activities in strategically pertinent groups, managers will be

Factors Affecting Human Comfort In Buildings

Factors Affecting Human Comfort In Buildings Introduction There are many factors that affect human comfort in the internal built environment. Human comfort is affected by thermal factors; physical factors and personal factors. Another factor that can affect human comfort is sound of the environment around them. The final factor that affects the human comfort is the visual of the room and the light intensity. There are ways to measure the physical factors that affect human thermal comfort, the sound comfort and the visual comfort. Thermal Factors The average temperature inside a building is 19-21 degrees and outside is -1 degrees, but there are two different thermal factors that affect the temperature of the room and human comfort; they are physical and personal factors. The physical factors include; air temperature, mean radiation temperature, relative humidity and air velocity. The air temperature inside of a building will change depending on the temperature outside the building and the k-values of the materials used to build the walls and insulation. K-values are the values that all materials have which shows how good insulators the materials are, the lower the k-value the more affective the materials are at retaining heat. The u-value is what overall heat resistance of the materials are. Air temperature is also affected by the people inside the building and they activity they are doing. The mean radiant temperature also affects the human comfort; mean radiant temperature is the radiation that is coming into the building f rom windows and walls, balanced against the radiation given off by the human body. The relative humidity is another factor that affects the air temperature; the relative humidity is the percentage of water vapour saturation that is in the air. The final physical factor that affects human comfort is the air velocity; this is the movement of the air throughout a building or a room. This can be affected by the convection in the room, the warm air enters a room and rises to the ceiling, pushing the cold air downwards and draught also changes the air velocity, the cold air flows into the room and makes the temperature of the draught path colder that the room temperature. Physical and Personal Factors There are also personal factors that can affect the human comfort in a building, they include; age, gender, state of health, clothing and the level of activity. The age of a person greatly affects the temperature of a room; older people give off less heat then younger people. Gender is also a factor that affects the temperature given off by people, females give off less heat than males, and they give off 85% of what the male body gives off. The state of health of the person also affects the heat that they give off and the temperature of the room, a person who is sick or has an illness gives off less heat that a person who is physically healthy. The clothing you are wearing also affects the temperature that you need to be comfortable, depending on the weight of the clothing you will need different temperatures to feel comfortable e.g. swimwear 29 degrees, light clothing 25 degrees, suit, jumper 22 degrees, coat, glove, hat 14 degrees. The level of activity you are doing also affects t he heat that you give off and the temperature needed to feel comfortable. Sleeping 70W, watching TV 115W, office 140W, factory work 265W, lifting 440W. Audio / Sound Factors The sound of the environment that a person is in greatly affects their comfort in the building. Sound is a form of energy that is transmitted in pressure waves and changes depending on the pressure of the air in the room. Sound is the vibration of the particles in a wave that send the particles in all directions and spread out; this creates a pattern of refraction and compaction. Sound has two different sources and types where it can originate from, they are impact/structure-borne sound and air-bourn sound. These are different as they are where the source of the sound comes from. Air-bone sound is sound which travels through the air before reaching a partition, meaning that the vibrations must have travelled through the air before they reach the partition. Main sources of air-borne noise are; voices, radios and musical instruments. Impact sound is vibrations that are generated on the partition and a continuous vibration can be classed as a series of impact noises in succession. Impac t noise does not travel through air like air-borne noise does. The main sources of impact noise are; footsteps, slamming door and vibrating machinery. It is important to know the difference between impact and air-borne noise as the methods that are used to prevent them are very different. However a single source could generate both air-born and impact noise e.g. footsteps, on the floor below the origin the sound would be impacts as it is started on the partition, but in the room of the sound it travels through the it before reaching the partition making it both air-born and impact. Both types of sound have different ways of preventing, so different installations must be put in to insulate from the type of sound. Air-born sound can be prevented by mass of partitions e.g. thick walls as lightweight particles give very little resistance unless they are in layers. The main ways that impact sounds are prevented is by using vibration pads and soft covering on floors and walls. Sound rever berates, so if a sound suddenly stops the sound will not stop instantly. The time taken for the reverberation of a sound decays at different rates depending on the area of the exposed surfaces, sound absorption values of the materials used in the building, the distance between the surfaces and the sound and the frequency of the sound. Visual / Lighting Factors The final factor that affects human comfort is light intensity. If the light levels are too low or too high then it will not be as suitable. Light travels in rays and bounces off objects and into the eye. The rays cannot bend so they must go in straight lines, but light can be refracted through certain materials which can bend the beam slightly. The light needs to be the right intensity so that the eyes dont have to strain too much if it is too dark or if the light is too bright it may blind. Light can be controlled by letting certain amounts of natural light through windows and also by the brightness of the artificial light from the light bulbs. Natural light can be controlled by using darkened windows and the artificial light can be controlled by having dimmers on the lights to change the intensity as the intensity of natural light changes. Glare can affect the human comfort, glare is a light intensity that is too high reflecting off a surface and reflecting into the eyes making it difficult to see detail or may cause visual discomfort. P2- Describe how each factor is measured There are methods that are used to measure the physical factors that affect human thermal comfort. To measure the physical factors, the instruments that are used are; thermometers, globe thermometer, hygrometer and anemometer. A thermometer is a device that is used to measure the temperature of a room, a thermometer includes a liquid that rises as the temperature does and on the side a scale that measures the temperature in  °C and degrees  °F. A globe thermometer is a device that measures radiant heat and consists of a thermometer sensor with a bulb located at the middle of a black copper bulb. The globe thermometers units of measurement are  °C. This can be used to calculate the mean radiant temperature providing that you know the air velocity and temperature. A hygrometer is an instrument that is used to measure that saturation of water vapour in the air of the surrounding environment. This instrument relies on the pressure, temperature, mass and mechanical or electrical cha nge. By calibrating the device and calculating the other factors the humidity can be worked out. It measures its units in percentages. An anemometer is a device used to measure the speed of wind, but there is also an anemometer that measures the pressure of wind, it consists of three or four cups that revolve around a shaft at different speeds depending on the wind temperature and pressure. They are measure in meters per second. Sound is measured using a sound level meter, this instrument analyses the sound that it picks up and uses electronics to convert the sound onto a digital scale. Sound level meter can pick up sound instantly or can be used to pick sound up over time and the average can be calculated. The intensity of light in a room can be measured using a light meter. The light meter woks using an electrical current which is generated by photosensitive electrons that detect the amount of light hitting the surface. This causes the electrons to react depending on the amount hitting the surface and is then converted into an electrical reading. P3- State acceptable values for each factor Each measurement has a range of acceptable values that affect the human comfort is the environment. The suitable range for temperature in a room is from 19 °C- 21 °C. This is also the same value with a globe thermometer. The acceptable value for the humidity of a room ranges from 40%-60%. The units of measurement that sound is calculated in is decibels and the suitable range in a workplace is from 135dB-137dB maximum. Light intensity is measured using Lux, the acceptable values for the intensity of light is 50- 100Lux. M1- Produce clearly worked, accurate answers for different calculations relating to human comfort in the internal environment 1) Calculate the U-value of a cavity wall with a 102.5mm thick brick outer leaf, 45mm of clear cavity, 50mm of fibre insulating board, 115mm of lightweight concrete block inner leaf and 15mm of dense plaster finish. Brickwork – 0.84 Cavity – 0.13 Fibre insulting board – 0.05 Concrete, lightweight – 0.19 Plaster, dense – 0.50 0.1025 + 0.05 + 0.115 + 0.015 + 0.13 =0.13 + 0.05 = 2.06728696742 0.84 0.05 0.19 0.50 1 = 0.483725779 2.06728696742 U-value = 0.48W/m ²K 2) Compare the U-values of a single-glazed window made up of one sheet of 14mm glass with a double-glazed window made up of two sheets of 28mm glass with a 20mm air gap between them. Comment on the difference in U-values and its effects. Glass – 1.022 Cavity – 0.13 Single-glazed = 0.014 + 0.13 + 0.05 = 0.19369863013 1.022 1 = 5.162659127 0.19369863013 U-value = 5.16W/m ²K Double-glazed = 0.028 + 0.028 + 0.13 + 0.13 + 0.05 = 0.36479452054 1.022 1.022 1 = 2.741269249 0.36479452054 U-value = 2.74W/m ²K The single-glazed has a higher U-value compared to the double-glazed. The difference in the U-value is 2.42; this makes a big difference in the insulation or resistance of heat. The higher U-value has less resistance and is a better insulator, so heat can easily escape. However the double-glazed has more resistance and cannot conduct the heat as well. 3) An un-insulated wall has a U-value of 0.92W/m ²K. If insulation board is added to the construction, what minimum thickness of this board is needed to reduce the U-value to 0.34W/m ²K? The conductivity of the insulation board is 0.028W/mK. 0.0565 + 0.92 = 2.93785714286 0.028 1 = 0.34048348655 2.93785714286 U-value = 0.34W/m ²K Insulation board = 56.5mm 4) A dwelling is 6m long by 4.5m wide by 2.4m high. In the walls, there are two windows, each 1m by 0.6m and a large door 2m by 0.8m. The construction has the following U-values: Windows – 4.8 Door – 3 Walls – 2.3 Roof – 0.15 Floor – 3 The inside environmental comfort temperature is 19 °C while the outside air temperature is -1 °C. The volumetric heat specific capacity of the air is 1300J/mK. There are 1.5 air changes per hour. Calculate the total rate of heat loss for the dwelling. Volume of room = 6 Ãâ€" 4.5 Ãâ€" 2.4 = 64.8m ³ Air change rate = 1.5 Volumetric specific heat for air = 1300J/mK Temperature difference = 20 °C 64.8 Ãâ€" 1.5 Ãâ€" 1300 Ãâ€" 20 = 702W 1 Rate of heat loss = 702W 5) Calculate the reverberation time for a hall which has a volume of 2000m ³ and a sound absorbing area of 350m ². 0.16 Ãâ€" 2000 = 0.91428571428 350 Reverberation time = 0.91s 6) A hall has a volume of 4000m ³ and a reverberation time of 1.6 seconds. Calculate the amount of extra absorption (m ²) required to obtain a reverberation time of 1 second. Comment on how the length of the reverberation time has an impact on activities. 4000 Ãâ€" 0.16 = 400 1.6 Extra absorption = 400m ² The length of reverberation time can have an impact on activities. Depending on the reverberation time may have a large effect on it. If the activity is a speech then the reverberation time needs to be lower. The ideal reverberation time for speech is 0.5 – 1 second. However, of the activity involves music then the reverberation time can be higher as the ideal reverberation time for music is 1.5 – 2 seconds. 7) Calculate the wavelength of sound in air at 40Hz. 340 = 8.5 40 Wavelength = 8.5 8) Calculate the illumination in lux (lx) at a desk in a room where there is a requirement for a 5% daylight factor. The external sky has been measure at 7300 lx. 7300 Ãâ€" 5 = 365 100 5% = 365lx D1- Analyse, in both qualitative and quantitative terms, the basic factors that affect human comfort In a building the human comfort can be affected by the temperature in the room, the light intensity and the sound levels in the room. If any of these are higher or lower than the acceptable values then the people might not be able to work to the best of their abilities or concentrate. The use of ventilation, the need and the relation to heat loss. The partitions used and the relation to sound and heat transfer. To make sure that the temperature in a room is constantly within the right values the ventilation and heating up of the new air has to be constant. This is so that the temperature changes cannot affect the workers in the office; if the temperature levels are changing constantly it can affect work rate and ability. Temperature can change quickly by being in a draft or the convection as the hot air rises and the cold air is pushed down. When the room is hot this can also increase the humidity in the room, when the humidity gets high it can make perspiring difficult. This makes the quality of the work that will be done lower and also makes the experience of the worker worse. The temperature can also be too low as well. If the temperature is too low then this will also have a negative effect on the work that will be done. When they are too cold it will cause shivering which will make working harder, if typing or writing. The sound in a room also affects the human comfort. If the noise level in a room is too high then the workers would be uncomfortable. If the sound is increased then this will make hearing much more difficult. This would also make listening to others harder and also following spoken instructions much more difficult to follow out. This could also have a permanent effect of the persons hearing and may partially or completely deafen them. this means that the quality of the work would not be done as well and may also not be done to the standard wanted due to a possible hearing disability. The amount of light in a room is also a factor that also affects human comfort. If the light levels are too high in a room then the worker may be unable to see well or if light is reflecting off surfaces into their eyes this may irritate the workers. This may also cause partial blindness or permanent blindness. The contrast in lights if they are working at a computer may also hurt their eyes due to straining them to see a screen or paper. However, if the light levels are too low this may also have a negative effect as well. If the light levels are too low this will also cause straining on the eyes and difficulty seeing. Also the contrast of lights in certain areas may have a harmful effect on the eyes of the workers. If the light on the screen is too bright compared to the inside and natural lighting then this could also hurt their eyes. Another factor which may affect human comfort would be the altitude that they are working at. If they are at a high altitude then there may be a lack of oxygen or knowing that they are high may make the workers feel nauseated and sick. At high altitudes people may experience increased bladder activity, decreased appetite, insomnia, swelling of hads, feet and knees and breathlessness. Ventilation is also needed in a working environment. If there is no ventilation then the room would have an insufficient supply of oxygen and exchange for fresh air. If the room is also too hot this will cause the room to be stuffy and will have a very bad effect on the workers. The ventilation can be shafts and windows. Windows will also allow light into the office so that the light levels will not be too low and this will also allow a large amount of oxygen into the offices. The partitions that are used in an office may be good and bad. The partitions could be too thin and you may be able to hear through the partitions, this could be distracting for workers and depending on the thickness of the partition, it may trap in too much heat or let too much heat escape making it difficult to work in conditions that arent correct. If an office has a large amount of natural light this can be good for the workers as they will feel like they are in a natural environment, also allowing enough fresh air at a constant temperature, however if it is very dark outside then it might make the workers feel colder and if it is too bright then it may make them feel too hot. This could be avoided by having curtains or blinds, which will also trap heat in if it is a cold day and keep the cold out.

The Impact of Societal and Economic Changes upon the Family Essay

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Family and society have come across many changes during our history. Every change that occurred has affected what many people would call the "Benchmark Family" (Scanzoni #7). This is considered the perfect family or the norm. The Family would consist of the husband that is the breadwinner and the wife who is responsible for raising the children, and taking care of the home (Scanzoni #4). Society has changed dramatically from the 19th century. These changes in turn have affected Family. Many factors through the years have been responsible for these changes. Feminism is a tremendous factor that is still having its effect on family and society today. Another factor is employment. Women in the workplace have changed family structure over the years. Sex is also a factor that changed family and society in many ways. I will explore these factors and show what effect they have on family.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Feminism impacted family in a tremendous way. In the "Jacksonian Era" the notion was that men had divine right to rule over women (Scanzoni #104). People believed that men had certain characteristics that enabled them to be better outside the home, for the purpose of supporting his family. Women were believed to be fragile and over sensitive for the harsh workplace (Scanzoni #104). Society also had certain rules that had to be followed by the public to keep society stable. These rules were mainly developed through the bible and religious institutions. During the 19th century religion was an important part of peoples lives. Religion basically dictated to the people what was right and wrong. Religion was very influential during this period. A person believed, what the church said about how they should live was what god wanted and dictated in the Bible (Scanzoni #103). For many years people lived their lives the way the church wanted them too.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Then the start of Feminism occurred, women began to say "God sees the genders as equals" according to the Bible (Scanzoni#107). Women started to raise questions about different issues in regards to equal treatment. This is when family change started. Men were happy with societies take on women. Men did not want any change to occur. Men felt everything was the way it was suppose to be. Women started to become more involved in other aspects of life besides homemaking. Women wanted what was initialed to them, which was equal... ...out the working family than it does today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The 1950s seem to have less life threatening diseases. For one thing AIDS was not an issue. I know there were diseases but not to an epidemic levels as AIDS. Cancer was not as wide spread as today. It also seems to me people had more respect for the land. People did not litter, and appreciated where they lived more than today. People were also friendlier to each other. People just got along better with their neighbors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some may say that the 1950s were more strict and oppressed than today. It was, but it kept society stable and crime down. There has to be some sort of rules, whether they are societal rules or law. This is what keeps a stable environment. Of course you can never please everybody, and it is of opinion what is the best time in our history. I just feel that things were less problematic during the 1950s era. Works Cited: Scanzoni, John Contemporary Families and Relationships: Reinventing Responsibility New York: McGraw Hill, 1995 P# 4, 7, 102, 103, 104, 107, 111, 114, 120, 123, 130, 132, 139 Skolnick, Arlene, Jerome H. Skolnick Family In Transition: Ten Edition New York: Addison , 1999 P# 21, 44, 51

Indian Army Essay

India has one of the best armies in the world. The Indian Army came in existence with independence and has inherited most of the infrastructure of the British Indian Army. In whichever war they have been presented, victory was always theirs. Apart from conflicts, the army has also been an active participant in the United Nations Peacekeeping missions. The British army was a critical force for the dominance of the British Empire, both in India and across the world. In World War I and II, the Indian Army has served. They have fought in Europe, Africa and the Middle East and won glory for the British Empire. They have served in France and many other countries too. The primary mission of the Indian Army is to ensure the national security and defence of India from the external threats and aggression and maintaining peace and security within its borders. They also conduct rescue operations during natural calamities and other destructions. The army also includes the Indian Air force and the Indian Navy. Since the freedom of India and the formation of Pakistan, the first war was in 1947 itself for the state of Kashmir. From then on there have been several wars that the Indian Army has faced like the Sino-Indian War in 1962, The Indo- Pakistan war in 1965 and again the Indo-Pakistan war in 1971, later Kargil war in 1999 and have returned all with victory. Apart from these wars, they have also been active participants in peace and assistance missions like during the Korean war, the Indian Army was sent to Korea for peace keep and medical assistance in 1953, they were there for the Liberation of Goa in 1961, they have also undertaken numerous Un peace keeping missions. For our Indian soldiers to be well organized, and alert they do follow certain principals in life and the qualities that they follow is what makes them stand apart from the rest of the world in many ways. The main qualities that they posses and cling on till the end are: Firstly Discipline – The Indian Army is well disciplined and trained on a regular basis. Second is the love and respect they build for their country that no conditions could break it. The next is the Do or Die situation. The courage they have cannot be measured in any aspects as they are very much willing to die for their nation. The passion for their nation is something that we as citizens of India should look up and learn. The Indian Army is the most powerful army and they have no failures recorded. With more equipment’s and proper training, India could be more proud of her Jawans in the coming years and we should respect and honour the soldiers who guard us day and night, sacrificing their pleasures for the safety of the nation. India has one of the finest armies in the world. Our soldiers have proved their mettle in all theatres of wars since prehistoric times, hi recent times our soldiers were sent to the Congo, Suez, Indo-China and Korea on missions of peace. During the last two World Wars our soldiers fought in Europe, Africa and the Middle East and won laurels for the British Empire. Our soldiers served in France and other countries also. They helped to bring Hitler and his armies to their knees. Wherever they were sent, victory was theirs. It goes to the credit of the Indian Anny that the first Victoria Cross went to the credit of an Indian soldier. Our soldiers have never surrendered. Their motto has always been â€Å"do or die†. In the India-China war of October-November 1962 and later in the Indo-Pak war of September, 1965 one Indian soldier killed many times his enemy counterparts on various fronts. If India retreated in the India-China war it was not for want of courage but for want of adequate weapons which the Chinese had and we did not. hi fact our soldiers were not even adequately clothed. As an American paper said, our soldiers were fighting on icy tops of the mountains in summer uniforms. If we had fought for the British so heroically, we could certainly fight for defending our freedom. But we have to train our army for the purpose. We are not only short of weapons but also short of trained officers to lead the armies. We will have to fill all the gaps as rapidly as possible. It is a hazardous task to give rapid promotion to junior officers but we are sure they will justify the confidence of the nation placed in them. The Indian Army has three wings-land forces, navy and air force. The Chiefs of the three forces are directly under the President of India, who is the Supreme Commander of our armed forces. The three wings of the Indian Army need to be strengthened. It is a pity that some of the leaders of our country failed to foresee the Chinese threat and slowed down defense production. The India-China war has served a useful purpose. With the aid of  friendly nations we will soon make up the loss. Let every Indian soldier remember the inspiring message of one of the ablest leaders of India, Sardar Patel:- â€Å"The deeds of gallantry you performed in the two Great wars adorn the pages of world history. Even the enemy recognised your merit in war. You proved yourself first-class soldiers, inferior to none in the world. But then you fought for others. Now you have to fight for your own country, your beloved India. â€Å"You should prepare yourself for the responsibility which will continue to increase. We have won the freedom. It is for you to guard it. You have to make an all-round effort to maintain and consolidate it. Let the discharge of your duties be your privilege. You will enhance the reputation of your country and the country will be proud of you.†

Double Indemnity: Love of Manipulation or Manipulation of Love? Essay

â€Å"The basic tool for the manipulation of reality is the manipulation of words. If you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use the words† (Phillip K. Dick). Manipulation in this book can be summed up in one phrase: It takes two to tango. This dance takes total control of the manipulator and the person being manipulated. Beauty and lust are two common methods of manipulating others. This novel successfully portrays the manipulation of two very clever women through their full and utter control of Walter Huff. In the book Double Indemnity, the author James Cain describes women as manipulators and clearly shows their power to negatively affect men. He illustrates this through the characters Phyllis and Lola. In extensively flirting with Mr. Huff, Phyllis was able to manipulate him into killing Mr. Nirdlinger, leaving her free of any punishment linking her to the murder. James Cain proficiently uses Phyllis’ character to emphasize the power of cruel manipulation used effectively by this woman. This is a reoccurring theme throughout the three literary time periods: Classic, Cozy, and Hard Boiled. The women in this story are powerful users of manipulation due to their beauty, which feeds Huff’s most fundamental emotions. These emotions are: being loved, cared for, a sense of belonging, and inflating their sense of self. With Phyllis’ relationship with Huff, â€Å"She is wholly coquettish as she woos Walter into her scheme to kill her husband. She even says she loves her husband, but shortly afterwards the repulsive side of her character reveals itself in her comment that they would be doing her husband a favor by killing him† (Beetz). Mr. Huff is an intelligent man who can plan and scheme a course of action. He hardly shows weakness of emotion and effortlessly completes the murder of Mr. Nirdlinger. Mr. Huff followed his script with ease and serenity. Walter’s downfall was Phyllis’ ability to manipulate him to her ends. Phyllis makes herself look dim and useless in Walter’s eyes in order to get him to take initiative, plan, and execute the murder. Phyllis skillfully has Huff commit the murder and then deceitfully shifts the blame onto him. While she was using him for her final solution, â€Å"Phyllis ferrets out the weakness in Walter’s character–his need to feel superior to others–and proves herself capable of sophisticated manipulation. For example, she fabricates preposterous ideas of how she might do away with Mr. Nirdlinger, like drowning him in the swimming pool and making it look like a diving accident, so that Walter can strut his knowledge and develop an idea that will pass muster with the insurance investigators but will also yield the greatest payout† (Beetz). Phyllis controls Walter shrewdly throughout the book, whether by devious manipulation or self-portrayed, feigned stupidity. Although Walter seemed as if he were the smarter of the two, Phyllis had full control of him for the duration of the entire novel. Women may use their beauty as an ill-hearted power to get what they want with this game of love. Many professional females may secure positions of power by utilizing their flirtatious skills and their sexual attraction as an influence on men’s emotions. Although James Cain portrays Phyllis and Lola as polar opposites, Lola is still able to use her naà ¯vetà ©, youth, and beauty as leverage and exploits the two men in her life: Nino Sachetti, her boyfriend, and Walter Huff, her paramour. Lola uses her innocent beauty as a coercive force to secure her intended goal with Huff. Huff is attracted to her and influenced by her persona of caring, comfort, and beauty. Many believe that, â€Å"The symbolism is in the [checkers] game that Phyllis and Lola play nearby. Lola says she’s going out to meet her girlfriend, denies any intent of meeting her boyfriend, the penniless Nino Sachetti. Yet when Huff leaves the house, he finds the sexy young Lola waiting for him in his coupe†¦ and once again he finds himself being manipulated by a woman. But who is manipulating who? As it develops, Huff’s ambiguous relationship with Lola fits perfectly with Phyllis’ second agenda† (Russell). Walter is a victim of manipulation, for his lust for these two women promotes and decides his actions more than his common sense. One should nott kill for love, as it is uncharacteristic and hypocritical. He’s killing to secure his sense of love, which was not found with Phyllis. Walter tries to abide his conscience when he settles for Lola as a consolation prize. Lola notices his weakness and exploits his emotions with her promiscuous behavior toward him. Lola’s entrapment of her innocent beauty gave her the upper hand in her relationship with Walter, eventually leading to her complete control of him: â€Å"She had made a fool of me. She had used me for a cat’s paw so she could have another man, and she had enough on me to hang me higher than a kite† (Cain, 80). His willing submissiveness verifies the overpowering influence that the emotional and physical attributes of these women use to their own ends. Walter believes that he is meeting his needs with this devil’s bargain. Mr. Huff allowed himself to be easily manipulated by women because he made himself believe that the women had something to give that he so truly desired. Walter killed Nirdlinger not out of hate—Huff did not have anything against him, he killed Nirdlinger out of pure lust for his mistress. Walter Huff kills for love, but he will die without being loved. Phyllis and Lola use the three poisons for love: manipulation, intimidation, and domination. These poisons make the foundation for securing their financial and emotional stability.