Global Project Management

Similarities and Differences between Domestic and Global Project Management. Global business practices are becoming increasingly common both for large multi-national organizations as well as small domestic businesses. Many businesses outsource work to other countries or contract people of organizations globally to complete project work or provide offshore services (Eberlein, 2008, p. 27). A better understanding of how to manage global projects is important to the body of knowledge about project management. The purpose of this study is to explore the similarities and differences between domestic and global project management. The research questions used to guide this study are 1. In what ways are domestic and global projects similar and different? 2. What are some mediating variables that contribute to global project failure or success? Domestic Project Management In the United States the Project Management Institute (PMI) project management body of knowledge (PMBOK) and the Association of Project Manager’s (APM) body of knowledge (bok) are used as guides for planning and controlling projects (Burke, 2001). According to the PMBOK a project is â€Å"a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or service. Temporary means that every project has a definite end. Unique means that the product or service is different in some distinguishing way from all similar products or services† (PMBOK as cited in Burke, 2001, p. ). All projects share the same basic components: (a) a project manager or single individual responsible for the outcome of the project, (b) a beginning and an end, (c) distinct phases, budget of allocated financial and physical resources, (d) unique set of activities specific to the project, (e) fast tracking to getting product or process completed before the competition, and (f) identification of team member roles and responsibilities (Burke, 2001). The role of the project manager is â€Å"to set up a management structure which not only meets the needs of the project, but the needs of the organization, the needs of the stakeholders and the needs of the individuals working on the project† (Burke, 2001, p. 1). Projects range in size and scope from small domestic projects to large multi-national global projects. The first, and often critical task of the project manager is to identify the stakeholders of the project and what their needs and expectations are in relation to the urpose and the scope of the project (Kerzner, 2003). According to the PMBOK, there are nine components that the project manager must consider: (a) integration, (b) time, (c) quality, (d) scope, (e) cost, (f) human resource management, (g) communication, (h) procurement, and (i) risk. This involves the project manager articulating what has to be completed in order for the project to be a success. This includes outlining how long the project will take, how much it will cost, what resources are needed, and what technical or subject matter experts are needed. Prior to implementation, the project manager works with others on the project team to develop a plan and how it will be implemented. Throughout the planning, implementation, and completion phases, the project manager is responsible for managing techniques and tools used as well as integrating, monitoring and maintaining the process and personnel from concept to completion of project objectives (Burke, 2001). Project integration involves the planning, execution, and control of the project and how the inputs from different knowledge and technical experts will be coordinated (Kerzner, 2003). Project scope management involves ensuring that all the tasks required for the project are defined, the resources required are identified, and controlling processes are in place (DeLone et al. , 2005). Project cost management includes understanding budget allocation and restrictions and planning how resources will be used, cost estimates and budgeting, cash-flow and control. Project quality management involves indentifying and maintaining the necessary conditions to ensure quality assurance and control during all phases of the project life cycle. Management of project personnel is also an important responsibility of the project manager. Project human resource management involves identifying, recruiting, and maintaining a project team with the right mix of technical and knowledge experts (Kerzner, 2003). Project communication management involves creating a work environment that facilitates the proper communication channels for the collection and dissemination of information related to planning, implementation, and completion of the project. Project risk management involves identifying risks and incorporating processes and procedures to mitigate against risks to the completion of the project. Finally project procurement management involves identification and implementation of processes that facilitate the planning and procurement of resources and necessary documentation for completion of the project (Burke, 2001, pp. 8-9). During the project life-cycle, project managers are responsible for oversight of such tasks or processes as work breakdown structure, critical path methods (calculation of all the activities from start to finish to determine the duration of the project), resource smoothing, earned value, and configuration control (Burke, 2001). Many organizations are turning to management-by-projects approach because it provides flexibility, decentralized management responsibility, a more holistic or global way of conceptualizing problems and solutions, and problem solution processes that are goal oriented (Burke, 2001, p. ). One benefit of management by project is that it allows for the inclusion of temporary, part-time or full-time workers as team members. Another is that this approach has been endorsed by the International Project Management Assoc iation (IPMA) (Burke, 2001). This is important for global project management scenarios. Global Project Management Global project management often involv es program management in which a project office is designated to mange a large capital project that is subdivided into smaller project teams each with a specific goal to achieve as part of a larger plan. Often the project manager will be involved with one or more of the following, either personally or through designated representatives: (a) recruitment of project team personnel, (b) human resources and personnel issues, (c) identification of economic factors related to the project, (d) computer or other technical systems to be used, (e) legal contracts or other required documentations, (f) sales and marketing issues if applicable, (g) and costs (purchasing, sales, and employee) (Burke, 2001, p. 5). Finally, the project manager either serves as the technical expert or identifies and includes on the project team the necessary technical and knowledge experts required to complete the project. The project manager is key to the success of any project. The project manager sets the overall tone and creates the environment in which the work is to be completed (Delone et al. , 2005). The project manager must contend with and integrate the different expectations of outside forces that influence the project development, implementation, and completion. This includes stakeholder goals and expectations as well as the immediate client or sponsor requirements for the project (Delone et al. , 2005). It also includes understanding how the project fits within the economic cycle, market requirement, and the competition. In addition, the project manager must complete the project within the culture and structure of the organization or organizations while adhering to any rules and regulations governing the industry (Espinosa et al. , 2003). Finally, and sometimes neglected, the project manager must be mindful of the political forces that can affect the completion of the project, both internal to the organization as well as the external environment (Burke, 2001, p. 6). These factors are static and the manager must be able to deal with uncertainty, change, and risk within the project environment. In a growing global business environment, projects often involve international partner and project teams composed of members from different geographical and cultural areas (Eberlein. 008). Global project managers are faced with a different set of challenges than faced by the domestic project manager. â€Å"Conducting projects in different countries, with their unique legal and political environment, security issues, economic factors, and infrastructure limitations and requirements, increases complexity far beyond that of projects executed in domestic settings† (Freedman & Katz, 2007, p. 1). Many of the issues discussed in relation to domestic project management are applicable to global project management. However, in addition to the PMI and PMBOK in the United States, there are others organizations that provide project management guidelines such as the Association of Project Managers (AMP bok) in the United Kingdom, The AIPM Competency Standards for Project Management in Australia, the ISO 10006 Guideline to Quality in Project Management, South African unit standards, and the International Association of Project Managers (IPMA’s BOK) (Burke, 2001, p. ). The purpose of these resources is to provide a body of common knowledge that can be used in domestic as well as international projects Compared to the PMBOK used in the United States, the APM bok from the United Kingdom employs a broader approach to project management, utilizing 55 knowledge areas compared to the nine knowledge areas of PMBOK. The APM bok: Incorporates not only inward focused project management topics (such as planning and control techniques), but also broader topics in which the project is being managed (such as social and ecological environment), as well as specific areas (such as technology, economics, finance, organization, procurement and people as well as general management). (Burke, 2001, p. 8) Global project management involves an understanding of the industries and types of projects that are used in the countries involved in the project (Burke, 2001). When involved in global project management, a key issue is ensuring a common understanding and competence of project managers who come from different project management certification of licensure programs Delone et al. , 2005). Project managers and team members will have to work out a common business language and set of common practices and procedures that will be adhered to during the planning, implementation, and completion of the project. This is especially important when dealing with different legal systems and requirements of the countries involved in the project (Burke, 2001, p. 10). The Influence of Culture to the Success of a Project Global project managers must effectively deal with differences in language that could be barriers to communication and understanding. Cross-cultural differences can also pose challenges when cultural conventions are violated. This lack of attention to language and cultural will show up at any point in the life cycle from planning to the completion stage in the form of differences in quality standards adhered to by technical and knowledge experts as well as misunderstandings over goals and task requirements (Henri & Sousa-Poza, 2005). Differences in labor relations, governmental agency involvement must also be addressed when forming a project team and setting the project deadline (Freedman & Katz, 2007). A critical mistake a project manager can make in working with an international team is neglecting cultural variables than can pose a risk to planning and execution. For example, assigning a high-risk project to a team composed of members from a risk-averse culture (e. g. Germany, Japan, and China) may result in excessive time spent in the planning and risk assessment phase of the project life cycle, changing processes, procedures, and performance aspects to mitigate against low probability risks that results the wasting of time and resources, and negative attitudes about the success of the project (Freedman & Katz, 2007, p. 2). In countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, and some African nations, the successful completion of time-intensive and time critical projects can be jeopardized by a culture that places an emp hasis on being patient and bending to the will of fate. It is therefore vital to review such cultural characteristics in the context of a project’s priorities, considering alternatives where appropriate† (Freedman & Katz, 2007, p. 2). Who the stakeholders are in a global project are also important considerations. While this is often neglected in domestic projects, the negative repercussions pose a greater threat to global projects (Freedman & Katz, 2007). To mitigate against the negative risks associated with a global partnership, it is important to establish shared goals and objectives from the start. This is often a difficult process because of cultural differences between the countries involved. While all cultural differences cannot be eliminated, identifying and mutually acknowledging these differences can help decrease misunderstandings and insults that could threatened the completion of the project (Freedman & Katz, 2007). Therefore, a project manager involved in any international partnership would take into consideration several factors that start with an assessment of the cultural values of the country and organization from which some of the team members would be recruited. Questions that the project manager would ask include: 1. How complex is the project? 2. How complex is the project infrastructure? 3. What are the key risk areas of the project? 4. How time-critical is the project? 5. What are your long-term objectives? 6. Which cultural barriers will you have to address? (Freedman & Katz, 2007, p. 3) Once the team has been established, time should be taken to clarify and align the technical and knowledge competencies required by team members as well as the intentions and expectations from both the domestic and globally based team members for how the project will proceed. Since communication may be more difficult when working with a global partner, it is incumbent on the project manager to take the extra time to clarify and confirm information shared between project team members and key stakeholders in the project (Delone, 2005). This process will help the project manager identify and deal with differences in values that might threatened effective collaboration (Freedman & Katz, 2007). Project team leadership can be influenced differently in domestic and global project management. Approaches to leadership that work well in domestic projects may fail when working with culturally diverse team. For example, there is a hierarchy of communication between workers, supervisors, and leadership that are strictly adhered to in some countries (e. g. , India and Japan) that is not a part of the organizational culture in the U. S. Ignoring these cultural conventions could lead to project delay or even failure (Freedman & Katz, 2007). In addition, some cultures are highly authoritarian, group-oriented, and use indirect communication; these cultural practices are different from U. S. practices that tend to be more egalitarian, individualist, and use direction communication. This can result in situations where project team members are confused about how to interact with others and how to approach project tasks, often leading to delay or project failure (Freedman & Katz, 2007). If problems or conflict does occur, a project manager who understands the cultural differences at play, can work with team members to develop strategies that help adapting behaviors to accommodate differences in expectations about leadership, decision-making procedures, work styles, and rule/tactics of negotiation (Freedman & Katz, 2007). Some cultures expect their leaders to be more egalitarian than is common among US leaders (e. g. , Scandanavia, Israel, Australia, and New Zealand). When leaders are perceived as too autocratic, team members often will resent the leader’s actions and ignore a leader they consider arrogant and overbearing. On the other hand, some cultures expect the leader to be more directive and autocratic (e. g. , most countries south of the US, Russia, China, India, Mid East, and Far Eastern countries) (Freedman & Katz, 2007, p. ). When a leader is perceived to be too friendly or casual with subordinates, team members will react to the project manager with confusion and distrust (Freedman & Katz, 2007). It cannot be understated the importance of project managers to accommodate their behaviors to the cultural and organizational expectations. â€Å"It is entirely possible to behave in a way that will be viewed as weak and ineffective in one culture and viewed as boorish and ineffective in an other† (Freedman & Katz, 2007, p. 4). Palvia and Vemuri (2002) stress the key role that trust plays in the successful completion of a project. This is especially relevant to global project management were trust is built and strengthened by a project manager who recognizes the language, culture, local customs of the international partners and teams members in addition to knowledge about legal or regulatory requirements (Kliem, 2004). Project managers also must be prepared to work with leaders in other countries who are not familiar with working in cross-cultural teams and are unaware of how to interact in these situations. Project managers facile at â€Å"influencing, negotiating, and adapting their behavior to different people and contexts† (Freedman & Katz, 2007, p. 5) are best suited from global projects. These managers are able to build relationships and understand the important role that these relationship are to the success of a global project. These managers are able to tap into relationships formed with partner organizations to help resolve issues or expedite solutions. Project managers who have difficulty in the following areas would be poor choices for leading a global project: (a) building relationships, (c) knowingly or unknowingly ignores or insults foreign team members, (d) have poor communication skills, (e) views foreigners as lazy, stupid, or unable/unwilling to adapt, (f) unwilling to adapt his/her own behaviors, (g) takes for granted the importance of coming to consensus on issues related to project tasks, times, and quality (Freedman & Katz, 2007, p. 6). On the other hand, Freedman and Katz (2007) outlined several behaviors of the â€Å"uninformed† superior working for a foreign company that could threaten the collaboration, functioning, and success of a project. These disruptive behaviors include: ? Delegates completely, doesn’t see any reason to get involved. ?â€Å"They work for us—you make that clear to them! † ?Asks if the project manager is keeping â€Å"banker’s hours† when he/she comes in later after being on the phone from 11-3 the night before. ?Sees no reason to be selective (except technically) in placing people on an international project. Selects high risk/high collaboration projects for international work. ?Assumes the time required is the same for international and domestic projects. ?Is unwilling or unable to change leadership style to meet cultural expectations. (Freedman & Katz, 2007, p. 5) Another factor that is different from domestic projects is that members on a global project team often are geographically and sometimes organizationally dispersed (Orlikowski, 2002). It is not uncommon for these project members to meet in â€Å"virtual teams† using telecommunications and information technology (Eberlein, 2008, p. 9). Bell and Kozlowski (2002) point out that the use of virtual teams add an additional layer of complexity to any program. The lack of personal contact hinders team development and constrains performance management. At present, â€Å"there have been few efforts to include the culture variable in the theoretical frameworks† (Gurung & Prater, 2006, p. 24). Conclusion Being the manager of a globally based project can be exciting and rewarding with the project manager has the knowledge and skills to deal with culturally diverse work situations. In order to increase leadership effectiveness and the management of risk, uncertainty, and complexity, the project manager must become familiar with the guidelines for the project process that is common in the country where the project will be completed. In addition, cultural awareness and the ability to engage members of the team in effective communication that considers and respects cultural customs of the hosting country is critical to project success. Different countries respond differently to peers and those in positions of authority. A little â€Å"homework† about the culture and customs of the host country will serve the project manager well. References Bell, B. S. , & Kozlowski, S. W. J. (2002). A typology of virtual teams: Implications for effective leadership. New York: Cornell University, Faculty Publications: Human Resource Studies Burke, R. (2001). Project management: Planning and control techniques (3rd ed. ). New York: John Wiley & Sons. DeLone, W. , Espinosa, J. A. , Lee, G. , & Carmel, E. (2005). Bridging global boundaries for IS project success. Proceedings of the 38th Hawaii International Conference on Systems Science, Big Island Hawaii, IEEE. Eberlein, M. (2008). Culture as a critical success factor for successful global project management in multi-national IT service projects. Journal of Information Technology Management, 19(3), 27-42. Espinosa, J. A. , Cummings, J. N. , Wilson, J. M. , and Pearce, B. M. (2003). Team boundary issues across multiple global firms. Journal of Management Information Systems, 19(4), 157-190) Freedman, S. , & Katz, L. (2007). Critical success factors for international projects. PM World Today, 9(10), 1-8. Retrieved April 18, 2010 from http://www. pmworldtoday. net Gurung, A. , & Prater, E. (2006). A research framework for the impact of cultural differences on IT outsourcing. Journal of Global Information Technology Management, 9(1), 24-43. Henri, M. , & Sousa-Poza, A. (2005). Project management: A cultural literary review. Project Management Journal, 36(1), 5-14. Kerzner, H. (2003). Project management: A systems approach to planning, scheduling and controlling. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Kliem, R. L. (2004). Managing the risks of offshore IT development projects. Information Systems Management Journal, Summer, 22-28. Orlikowski,, W. (2002). Knowing in practice: Enacting a collective capability in distributed organizing. Organization Science, 13, 249-273. Palvia, S. C. , & Vemuri, V. K. (2002). Global e-commerce: An examination of issues related to advertising and intermediation in Palvia, P. C. , Palvia, S. C. J. , & Roche, E. M. (eds. ) Global information technology and electronic commerce: Issues for the new millennium. New York: Ivey League Publishing.

Antigone Study Guide

Antigone Study Guide 1) Antigone – Daughter of Oedipus, very forward, she goes out to bury her brother even though it was breaking the law of King Creon and gets caught for it and killed, also betrothed to Haemon. Ismene – Another daughter of Oedipus, timid, doesn’t want to disobey Creon. Ismene gets up to speak her mind for her sister when Antigone is faced with the crime of moving their brother body. King Creon – Brother of Jocasta (whom committed suicide. ) Was a captain/general of army and the next ruler of Thebes, very righteous, wants to be obeyed by everyone or results in death for them. Haemon – Son of Creon, betrothed to Antigone, and has a romantic relationship with her. Haemon get very angry when he finds out about the loss of his bride and then kills himself and dies holding her dead body. Tiresias – A seer, comes to Creon and tells him that he needs to release Antigone or more people will die and he will be in a very sorrowful position, Creon doesn’t head his words in enough time and ends up in despair. Eurydice – Wife of Creon; kills herself with a sharp dagger to the heart when she finds out about the death of her son Haemon. A Sentinel – Just informs Creon of happenings around Thebes; and helps him to find Antigone when they are looking for the law breaker. 2) The dramatic effect to show how all of the rest of their family have horribly perished by murder or their own hands, kind of foreshadowing what will happen to these last two children. Ismene’s view of the difference between men and women is that women are born women they aren’t meant to rule they are to be below men, and to be obedient. 3) She will lay with him for as long as needed no matter what. â€Å"The powers of earth will not be as good as the powers of the Gods. She willingly to do anything for her dead brother to bury him, â€Å"do holy things criminally,† is an oxymoron because holy is meant be good and righteous but doing it criminally which is a ‘conflict of values’ between good, holy and bad, criminal. 4) There is a law set by Creon not to bury or touch the body of Antigone’s dead brothe r, but Antigone wants to bury him no matter at what cost. People today want things that are illegal for them to do, for example, when a divorced parent kidnaps their own child from the custodial parent, law says it’s not their child but they do anything for their child they love. ) The Chorus is a group of Thesbian Senators; the use of emotion pulled the reader into the writing and the amazing flow with writing rhyming and tempo made it easy to get more absorbed in the passage, feeling how people listening to this play would feel. 6) He is apologetic for all the trouble people had while they were ruled by Oedipus, uses the comparison to a ship and stormy seas again, tells them they can get a secure footing now. He says that death awaits anyone that goes against him or touches that body. Their beliefs are similar because they are both out for love of something and are not letting anyone get in their way. ) The 1 Senator, suggested, â€Å"This must be something more than natur al,† as to say that it could be something out of the ordinary and abstract. We see that the body is sprinkled with a dust given a ritual then buried, and that disappearing bodies was just crazy. 8) He is describing sin and temptation when he says that it ruins cities, removes/runs men out from their families and homes, leads them on the wrong path, and sets humans on not righteous actions the gods want but just what a human wants and their instincts. 9) He acts a little amazed, then asks her if she will admit to it or not. He questions her without much other conversation and with the answers Antigone gives, Creon gets more angry seeing that she sees him as not high enough rank, and that she will only listen to laws made by the gods, and Creon does not want to be ordered around by a women. 10) I feel that Antigone choice was a foolish religious zealotry. There were laws set by her ruler and she disobeyed them because she felt like only laws created by gods truly mattered, and that disobeying a ruler would have no effect or punishment for her with anyone but Creon. 1) Ismene wants to die with her sister, she does not want to watch her sister die then have to live without her. Even though she was timid and didn’t actually breath the law and touch the body or be involved in its transportation. She tells Creon she was involved and become defiant and stiff wanting what she wants. 12) They tell how the history of family continues down the whole line and one mistake will ruin their heirs forever. They a lso say how much wrong Antigone’s family has created and all after them of their children will be damned as well. The sickle murderous, of the rulers of the dead, and the wild words beyond control, and the frenzy of her own soul, again mow down the shoot. † Explains of what all her family had done and that it needs to end. 13) Haemon goes from simply agreeing with his father to questioning Ceron’s right to do this to his betrothed. Then the two start to quarrel over Creon believing Haemon is following a women rather than him, when he is really just bringing up logical questions. Haemon is just trying to prove that it wasn’t trying to go against Creon’s law when she took her brother, but was just looking out for him because she loved her brother. 14) He changes it so that the blood of her death cannot be traced back to anyone, when she dies alone in a cave with some food provisions. Also to symbolizes that the dead should not be disturbed to be buried like she attempted to do with her brother, and to prove that she is, â€Å"A lost labour to revere the dead. † 15) We see a sad side of Antigone, were she says it will be her last time seeing light and she never had a wedding or a wedding song. The chorus kind of says, ‘be happy, don’t be sad, you did not go to the grave with a plague, or stabbed with a sword, you’re going to the grave alive! ’ 16) When Creon sees Tiresias, Tiresias asks him if he will follow what he says, Creon says he always does, but Tiresias start to scare Creon when he starts to speak. That adds to the dramatic effect, wanting to know what Tiresias will say. He says that it was right to bury the body and that no one should be punished for it. Also that if she isn’t released there will be more deaths then just Antigone’s. 7) Initially Creon is surprised and does not want to do what Tiresias is suggesting. It follows his character and his not wanted to be wrong and his want for power. Creon learns that the laws of the gods are more important than his own, even though he doesn’t want to accept it. 18) Creon went to check for the voice of his son Haemon in the cave before opening the cave, to release Antigone . Doing so caused the deaths of, Haemon, Polynices, and Antigone. If Creon had saved Antigone first it would have most likely saved Haemon when he saw his betrothed. Doing what Creon did proves how much his pride comes before anyone else. 19) Antigone – Hung herself with linen rope in the grave where she was left to die. Haemon – Stabbed himself through the chest with a sword after seeing Antigone’s dead body and holding her in his arms. Eurydice – Dead at the altar of Creon’s house, slain dead with a sharp edged dagger to her hear with her own hands. Polynices – Found dead at the top of a hill, on the hillside with wild dogs all around him taking their shares. 20) Creon learns that by condemning others he condemned his family and they ll tragically saw their fate because he couldn’t let Antigone burry her brother, that many more people close to Creon died. 21) Antigone is a ‘Tragic Figure’ because she dies in the story and makes the audience feel bad for her because she was punished severely for trying to do right by her brother and bury him. While King Creon is the true ‘Tragic Hero’ because he sees his wrong after pride and power set him off course and down the wrong path, and after he saw the light, it was too late to fix what had already begun, and many more people died when no one had to suffer or die at all.

Leadership Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 3

Leadership - Assignment Example The actions of every person should mind the effect they have to other people. Utilitarianism emphasizes on equality for there to be a state of understanding. All people in an organization should ensure that their actions produce happiness to most people (Trevino & Weaver, 1994). However, it is sometimes difficult to please all people and at time, what is right tends not to please people. The theory, therefore, has to accompany by other theories for it to be sufficient. According to this theory, actions of people are only good if they respect the rights of other individuals (Hasnas, 2008). It requires that every employee mind the rights of other employees in the work environment. The organization itself should also ensure that its actions do not violate the rights of the public. The actions of one person should not hinder the other people from performing their duties comfortably. Applying this theory ensures that all people are comfortable in the work environment, and it fosters teamwork (Hasnas, 2008). However, it is possible for the rights of people to conflict and hence creating an unavoidable violation of the duty and rights ethics theory. It is difficult for an action to be according to rights of all people in a workplace with diversified people. A virtue is what is morally accepted as good or bad in a certain society or an organization. Every organization has a unique culture, which has specific virtues that facilitate the achievement of goals and good relationship of people. This theory requires that the actions of every individual should respect the ethics of the organization (Derry & Green, 2009). It also requires that an organization should respect the value-system of the society in which it operates. Virtue ethics determines the image of an organization, and it helps in maintaining an organizational culture. Acting according to this theory ensure that all employees are virtuous, and their actions are goo and

The role realism plays in the Novel farewell to arms Research Paper

The role realism plays in the Novel farewell to arms - Research Paper Example He uses plain language that can clearly describe how real the actions in the novel were. Ernest’s novel resolves around the real happening of the world war. He brings in the real actions in a narration style. This style ensures that all the scenes and occurrence are described in clear and simple manner that makes it easier for the readers to understand them. The simple language used ensures that the description of the novel can have similar description from different readers since the narration in clear and does not need deep thinking, which bring make readers understand it differently (Halliday, 214). The theme of love, war, friendship, individualism, identity and patriotism are all described in a plain language that shows bow real were the occurrences. However, realism has played a big role in creating these themes and also characters. In the novel, war is has been glamorized. It has been described in a real way that shows clearly how the war was. War is described in a horri fied way according to how the ambulance driver views. War is a game where only the poor people are one who suffers. This is true even in the reality. In most cases, the poor are the one who are affected by war. This is evidenced in the novel where Henry eats the macaroni that was hit by the mortar. War is not a patriotic action but is a very tiresome activity. Rinaldi refers war as a disease. This is because he suffered from gonorrhea that he thought everyone has the diseases. However, from is view, war is great but when it is too much I can make pleasurable thing to be tiresome. Like a disease, wars spreads until people wish there could a cure for it (Halliday, 219). Therefore, cure will allow people to breath well before the next outbreak is realized. The novel also describes the real brutality that was taking place the war. It gives the real happenings of war. Some people like Henry removed themselves of the war while others who were naive still embraced the war. The novel descri bes how the Italian army caused violent chaos and destruction. Henry shot an innocent engineer who refused to free the car from the mud. This killing showed that war has inevitable occurrences. From the author’s suggestion, war is dark and murderous activity that refuses to preserve or protect the true love (Lehan, 67). Realism has been used to build the theme of games and divertissement. People are tired of war. They are trying to do other activities to deviate themselves from it. They want to avoid thinking about the war by engaging in other activities. This is realistic in a way that when one wants to avoid other things, he or she has to engage in other activities that bring diversion (Phillips, 29). Many characters in the novel try to diversify themselves from the horrors of were. They involve themselves with pleasurable activities. Henry and Catherine deviate themselves from war by flirting to forget their personal troubles. This flirting helps henry to forget about the war and enables Catherine to forget thinking about her fiancee she lost in the war. They involve themselves in horse races to ensure that their minds are far ways from the war troubles. Henry’s relationship with Catherine has caused him some suffering. To avoid thinking about that, he involves himself in pooling game with Count Greffi (Halliday, 224). Realism has also been used to

Enabling children to address issues of addiction and self-harm Essay

Enabling children to address issues of addiction and self-harm effectively - Essay Example 3). There are seven steps of attachment that play a part in healthy human development: If a child is lacking these intimate levels of attachment, the child will place their trust in substances or rituals as substitutes for the intimacy and trust that was lost during the attachment period. To the contrary, when the individual who has experienced normal attachment during childhood engages in such activities such as alcohol, drugs, shopping, and dining, etc, these activities do not become an addiction because there is no unmet need for these behaviours to fill. For the unattached child, the use of chemical substances or obsessive behavior may begin as a way for the child to ease the pain they are experiencing, leaving them fulfilled and satisfied. However, this intermittent activity quickly turns into an addiction, as the child begins to believe their emotional needs are being met by the drug use or negative obsessive behaviour. People around such addicts begin to be seen as objects, which begins to mirror the relationship the child has with the substance or the behaviour. This is also the way the child was treated by his or her primary cargiver, as the child was ignored and many times exposed to rage and anger. This destructive behaviour then continues a pattern the child have become accustomed to in their dysfunctional upbringing. Additionally, children who lack these seven steps of attachment to a primary caregiver do not have a normal experience with shame. If the child’s original carer is abusive, neglectful, or addictive, this results in a caregiver who is unattached and withdrawn. The child then feels constant or random shame, either due to the withdrawal of the carer, or the shame showered on the child by the carer. According to Karen Cairns: Signs that a child may have had inadequate attachment as a child resulting in

None Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

None - Assignment Example If any of the students is found hurting emotionally for several days because of a failure, a rejection, a bad mood, or any other reason, it means the student has got a psychological wound. And, it needs to be treated with emotional-first-aid techniques. Therefore, the method for emotional first aid is required to improve the teaching practices because it helps to analyze and treat the emotional pain of the students (Lunenburg & Ornstein, 2011). 3. Being an educator it is necessary that before giving emotional first aid to the students the technique should be practices for personal emotional hygiene. In order to improve the personal emotional hygiene, few steps can be taken for the emotional hygiene. These steps include: Attention towards the emotional pain, protection of the self-esteem, control over the negative thoughts, control over emotional bleeding, and knowledge about the impacts of physical wounds. Teaching also gives experience and ideas about the wide range of emotions and emotional pain. Thus, after personal emotional hygiene the steps should be practiced during teaching (Blase & Kirby, 1992). 1. A health-care professional Nadine Burke Harris stated childhood trauma and its impacts on life in long term. Herein, it should be noted that this is an important thing that must be considered by an early childhood educator. The reason is that the incidents that happen with any child in early age leave its footprints on the mind. These impacts are stronger than it could be in any age group. It is the reason due to which it is suggested that the childhood traumas should be handled and taken seriously to avoid the possible attitude problems in children. These childhood traumas impact on the cognitive approach to the children and it changes the behavior of the children. Therefore, the idealistic approach or practice for an early childhood educator is that these children who have been through any

Cybersecurity threat posed by a terrorist group Essay

Cybersecurity threat posed by a terrorist group - Essay Example Though sparse cyber attacks only cause annoyance, the present situation is that Australia is facing considerable degree of such attacks that create fear in the minds of people, and evidently, the government is startled by the pace at which these miscreants get access to nation’s secrets breaking the barriers erected by the government and various companies. Considering the fact that nations like China and US have already taken stringent steps to prevent any cyber attacks on them, and also to utilize cyber attack as a positive warfare, it is highly necessary to adopt policies at the earliest to prevent such further attacks on Australia, especially when there is a rise in the attacks. The solution to the problem can be identified in the steps taken by America and Japan on the face of cyber terrorism. One step is to have a separate department of defense that is solely responsible for protecting categorized government departments, defense installations, and nuclear technology from cyber attacks. The second step is to have an agency that monitors the cyber activities of nationally important sectors and companies using sensors in the networks. This will help identify cyber attacks and take effective steps before the systems are attacked and information is stolen. Thirdly and most importantly, there should be a national program that works in collaboration with all the ISPs. It should be made mandatory for the ISPs to identify the already compromised computers and direct such customers to the agency for removal of the malware. This is very necessary as most of the time, the compromised computers are used by attackers to commit crimes. Identifying such remotely controlled computers is the first step in preventing cyber attacks. Background Nations throughout the world including US are struggling to save their cyber sphere from the cyber attacks. The factor that makes things worse in the cyber world is that the terrorists get a chance to operate from other nations o r geographic areas, thus making the arrest and punishment of terrorists a difficult task. According to Taipei Times (31 May 2011) records, Australia is one of the most targeted nations in the world. The companies, government departments, and persons that came under cyber attack in the recent past range from the Australian parliament, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Australian Defense Minister Stephen Smith, Japanese conglomerate Sony, Woodside petroleum of Australia, to mention but a few. Ironically, Chinese intelligence agencies are suspected by many nations and companies for such attacks. Anyway, according to McClelland, the Australian Attorney general, â€Å"it is better to deal with the threat, to address the vulnerability.† (Taipei Times, 31 May 2011). According to reports, there were 400 cyber attacks on the Australian government networks in the past year; a number too high to ignore. In addition, the Director General of the Australian Security Intelligence Org anization David Irvine (cited Staff Writers, Energy Daily, 30 May 2011), points out that Australia experiences constant cyber efforts to steal the nation’s secrets. In the opinion of Irvine, the cyber terrorists not only try to steal the nation’s secrets, but they also aim critical national industries and infrastructures. This claim is substantiated by the fact that Australian miners are vehemently targeted by terrorists. Thus, it becomes evident that it is high time to address the issue. In fact, Australian government has already taken a few steps in this regard, though not so effective. One such step is the

Analysis a relationship about economic Statistics Project

Analysis a relationship about economic - Statistics Project Example The money in supply and inflation rate is always interconnected because a high amount of money in supply usually devalues demand for money. For instance, in a small town if all residents were to get $50 raise in their salary each month, if they were paying about $14 on their gas, then with the rise they will likely not mind paying $15 given the fact that it is relatively less than what they normally spent on gasoline per week. In most cases, this is normally how the relationship between inflation and money often starts, when the market is able to bear high prices due to increase in the money supply (Mishkin, 40). Therefore, most customers will most likely opt out of buying a product at the same price it was before the inflation occurred simply because the buying power of the currency has been worn out. The graph above shows the estimated value of the relationship between inflation and money growth. The rate of inflation depends on the amount of money in supply. When one takes into consideration the classical theory, money does not affect real variables but has an effect on nominal variables such as inflation. This, therefore, means that when plotting the graph, the rate of inflation will be plotted on the y-axis while the supply of money will be plotted on the x-axis. The blue dots are the actual values while the red line shows the fitted values. In the long run, the correlation between money and inflation is rather high and can be estimated to almost one. However, when the short term period is taken into consideration, the relationship between money and inflation is rather weak which could be an attributing factor as to why the curve showing the relationship between money and inflation is not straight. Several economic theories can be applied in order to try to explain the relationship between money supply and inflation. If one were to use the quantity supply theory, also refers to as monetarism, the relation between money in supply and

Slavery and Human Trafficking Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Slavery and Human Trafficking - Research Paper Example Basically, individuals are trafficked between countries or within borders of a state and in most cases, those trafficked are subjected to sexual or labor exploitation. Human trafficking is one of the most common problems affecting counties and families on every continent. Mostly, human trafficking is associated with sexual exploitation but about a third of all trafficked individuals are exclusively subjected to labor exploitation such as domestic work, packing and processing, and agricultural work among others.   Normally, the victims of human trafficking are illegally relocated to another country where they are forced into slavery conditions so to enable the traffickers can benefit financially (Healey 1). Human trafficking is a form of slavery in the modern society and it is considered a form of slavery because it involves transporting individuals to another country against their will to benefit others. Human trafficking is a global problem and it does not only occur in poor areas but also in developed places. Human trafficking is mainly for sexual abuse, elimination of organs, forced labor, or forced marriage among others. It is a crime against an individual since it violates the victim’s rights of movement via coercion and so it is strongly condemned as a violation of human rights by international conventions. The most people trafficked are migrant workers who in most cases seek to escape from poverty and improve their lives and also be able to support their families. They are dece ived that they will get well-paying jobs abroad but when they rich there, the promised job does not exist and as a result, they are forced to work in worse conditions or they find a job that they do not agree with.

State and Society in 20th Century China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

State and Society in 20th Century China - Essay Example s made it possible â€Å"to fight corruption, remove superfluous political intrusion in the economy and launch the rule of law, democratic culture and democratic institutions† (Li, 2003). Deng’s policy made a great emphasis on correct organizational line. His ideas made policy of China well-structured and coherent. He took into account experiences of previous years under guidance of Mao. Deng insisted that this politician had a lot of achievements and though he had mistakes in his policy, the first and foremost were his advances. Thus Deng was guided by concept of socialism: â€Å"The ends justify the means.† Further on Deng made out a perfect unification of Communist Party strategies and Chinese cultural issues. â€Å"Socialism with Chinese characteristics† was of his primary concern (Gittings, 2005). An open policy, integration of Four Cardinal principles (following path of socialism, support of the dictatorship of the proletariat, guidance by the Communist Party and Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought) political and economic reforms signified Deng’s policy (Gittings, 2005). His policy had two basic poles: socialist democracy development and intensification of socialist legal system (Gittings, 2005). A holistic approach to changes made Deng-era a landmark in Chinese history. On the basis of crucial role of leadership and through strategic directions of economic reforms led to totalitarian regime of the country. If to sum up his political reforms, they were as follows: innovations of state apparatus, development of incentives among working class people. He claimed on delegation of power from governmental level to lower levels and further cooperation on all power levels. Deng’s policy made a great emphasis on correct organizational line. His ideas made policy of China well-structured and coherent. Of course, his political incentives were hard to be embodied to the fullest extent, thus it required a complex political approach. Economic system has also

Where I Will Be in 10 Years Essay Example for Free

Where I Will Be in 10 Years Essay Ten years from now, I see myself settled down in my career, married to the man of my dreams, and having four kids†¦.. not! These are things an average girl might say. As you get to know me, you will see that I am far from average. My name is Amyaa Brown, I am 24 years old. I am a full time mom, full time student, and I work part time. I currently attend Texas Southern University majoring in Aviation Science Management. I have set many goals for myself and plan to achieve them one by one. My goals don’t stop at becoming an aviator. In addition to flying B-2s for the Air National Guard, I also want to fly for the airlines, own an airline, start my own business building aircraft for the military, and most importantly be the best single parent mother I can be. When I think about ten years from now, I look back ten years ago. I have grown so much, learned even more, and accomplished many things. It is only logical that I will continue to grow, learn, and accomplish more things in the next ten years. My first big step is completing school as well as finishing my private pilot license, instrument license, and multi-engine license. Everyone wants to be an aviator but not everyone achieves that goal. The competition is tough and because I am a double minority, i. e. African American female, I am forced to work harder than the average person. Currently I am a member of the Civil Air Patrol, Bronze Eagle Flying club, and Women in Aviation. Each membership provides me with numerous opportunities to network and get myself known. The aviation industry is more about who you know rather than what you know. I am also working on my private pilot licenses; this will set me apart from most people pursuing a military career in aviation. My next step is graduating with a degree in Aviation Science Management. In order for someone to even consider giving me a pilot slot, I have to have a degree. After graduation, it will be time for me to join the Air National Guard. The primary purpose of the Air National Guard is to fly cargo airplanes and gain my ATP ratings necessary for me to enter into the airlines. Once I have completed my training in Cargo aircraft, I plan to also be flying for the airlines and going for my master’s in business. Because I will be flying cargo aircraft and working for the airlines, I will have reached the requirements to fly B-2s and plan to be there shortly after. When I am all â€Å"flied out†, I will begin to settle down, consider marriage and more kids and begin work on my business plans in terms of my airline and military aircraft construction. My number one goal above everything is to raise my daughter to be the best person that she could possibly be. I constantly read about parenting. Being a young single parent is unbearable sometimes, but it’s important that I give her the tools she needs to succeed. I do so by making sure she is on top of her class. Every night she is studying something whether she has homework or not and I make that learning experience fun. Her dream is to one day become an aviator, so I drag her out to all of the aviation events. Ten years from her dream will become reality. In ten years from now, I will be exactly where I strived to be with everything I strived to get. All because I had a plan for my future, I came, I saw, and I will conquer.

Internationalization Strategies: European Car Makers

Internationalization Strategies: European Car Makers The Automobile industry is one of the truly most global industries in the world today. The automobile has changed the lives, culture, and economy of the people and nations that manufacture and demand them. Ever since the late 1800s when the first modern car was invented by Benz and Daimler in Germany, the industry has grown into a billion dollar industry affecting so many aspects of our lives. It covers a global community catering needs which may be common among the entire community or specific to a particular community. Its challenging for the Managers and their companies to develop a strategy that outrun their competitors and serve their global customer base. Automotive Industry in Europe at a Glance The automotive industry is a major industry in the European economy involving a few vehicle manufacturing firms and about 2/3 of the production is outsourced to a substantial number of independent suppliers. The produce includes cars, light trucks and vans, buses and coaches, medium and heavy trucks, motorcycles and agricultural and forestry tractors. A lot of mergers and acquisitions have been the routine of the automotive industry. Currently DaimlerChrysler, Volkswagen (VW), BMW, Ford Europe, General Motors (GM) Europe, Renault, PSA (Peugeot-Citroà «n), Fiat and Porsche comprise the main EU car industry. Beside them, there are a good number of small manufacturers apart from some Japanese manufacturers production facilities in the EU. The Internationalization strategies by European car makers The car industry as a whole is much internationalised as it is easy to do business in different parts of the world. To an extent, a lot of multinational corporations of the industry are heavily based in their domestic markets for several reasons, such as cheaper labour and creating jobs for the local inhabitants. When it comes to sales, the industry is perhaps more global, for example in the USA, one of the top three leading cars Toyota is a Japanese company that has much of its production facilities and technical development in Japan but according to Data monitor- industry profile. The internationalisation of the industry has a long history as the car industry itself is old and prolific. The American car industry is said to date back to 1908 when the first automobile was built. Internationalisation is slightly older and has been linked with the ending of world war two for the majority of developed countries; however it is a fairly newer concept in emerging markets. Institutional differences are apparent as many companies entered emerging markets, such as Ford, an American manufacturer, entered many emerging markets such as the Japanese and Chinese. There are still trade barriers in many parts of the world but not many affect the selling of cars. The speed of internationalisation depends on the country where the car originates. In more economically developed countries it makes sense that the speed of internalisation is fast and furious, for example many countries aspire to live life in the American lifestyle, therefore the sale of American cars in emerging markets occurs at a faster rate than the other way round. Although recent events suggest this is no longer true, as now Japanese cars are outselling American cars in the USA industry. Japanese internationalisation occurred at a slower rate at first but then it took off as soon as other continents industries slowed and so Japan were able to capitalise. Volkswagen- volume and diversity model (Boyer and Freyssenet, 1999) Toyota- Profit Strategy (Keeping the total cost low, no matter in what market they are operating) Honda practiced Profit Strategy based on innovation and flexibility. Producing models with distinct features and launching them quickly before the competitors could copy them Companies such as GM and Fiat have reactivated a strategy based on volume and diversity by increasing the commonalisation of platforms; by re-engineering their equipment-making subsidiaries in such a way as to regain control over the value chain; and by developing employee polyvalence. PSA tried to implement a strategy based on the permanent reduction, irrespective of output, of costs, but the French group had to abandon this orientation when its employees took industrial action, and it has reverted to its previous emphasis on volume and diversity. Ford, which had pursued the same line, shifted towards a volume based strategy, and tried to design and sell world cars, each of which with its own platform. Chrysler was at first unclear about the direction to take, but then made the decision to modify its profit strategy so as to emphasise innovation and flexibility .For Renault and Rover, quality became the top priority and each firm has tried to upgrade its market presence, repositioning itself in its segments top half. Renault subsequently focused on innovation, but has progressively discovered that such an approach would require the complete re-organisation of its corporate structures. (Boyer and Freyssenet, 1999) Geographical characteristics of Internationalisation About 20 yrs back one can argue that the automobile industry was just concentrated in U.S, Europe and Japan. But Due Globalisation and aggressive Internationalisation strategies used the manufactures, the market is moving towards the developing the economies. Due to recession and saturated market in U.S and Japan the more sales are happening in the developing economies. Within the EU the top five Automobile producing countries are Germany, France, Italy, Spain and U.K and in the world the top five are Japan, U.S, China, Germany and France. The European market is the largest markets in terms of production (33%) followed by Japan (20%). Though ACEA 2010 reports states that China will soon overtake Japan and the U.S in terms of Production and sales of Automobiles. The stats also shows that big markets that once accounted for most of the production and sales are now saturated and diminishing. Manufactures has now moved into the emerging economies to reap the high growth rate and economic conditions prevailing in many of these economies. An e.g. for this is the growing number of production and assembly plants in countries like Brazil, China, India, Mexico, South- Korea, Poland. Entry strategies by European carmakers The European drive into central Europe has been spearheaded by Volkswagen and Fiat, both of whom see the region as a vital part of their global strategies, even if managerial resources are being strained in an effort to obtain a return on investment. Eastern Europes market can be split into two distinct areas: the Central European Free Trade Area (CEFTA) consisting of Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia and Slovakia and the rest. Naturally, it is the former that is attracting Western attention, especially as sales in the CEFTA are running at around 600,000 per annum and are likely to rise at 10 per cent a year for several years to come, with VW and Fiat each commanding 25 per cent of the market. Fiats main interest lies in Fiat Auto Poland which it acquired in 1992 through its purchase of Fabryka Samochodow Malolitrazowich (FSM) and since then has exported 50 per cent of output to Western European markets. At the time of purchase FSM was riddled with the inefficiencies comm only found in state-owned automakers in Central and Eastern Europe, but Fiat pledged to invest $2 billion in Poland by the year 2000, and part of this at the time of writing is being used to finance production of its Palio models which it hopes to sell worldwide. Turning to Russia, Fiat in 1997 embarked on an $850 million project with ZAO Nizhegorod Motors, owned by GAZ of Nizhy Novgorod to produce 150,000 Palio units a year. Fiat and ZAO each have 40 per cent of the equity with the remaining 20 per cent funded by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (JustAuto.co. 2000; Automotive News, 1996b). Volkswagen holdings in the East are due to its acquisition of Skoda and the taking over of former Trabant plants in the former East Germany. VW has already diversified and modernised Skodas model range and will use these to drive into emerging markets in the area, including Russia, Poland and Belarus. Despite the workforce being well educated and skilled, VW did not always find it easy to persuade Eastern workers to adapt to Western production methods and this is best illustrated in its former Trabant plant at Zwickau. The plant was modernised to produce the Polo and Golf models, but workers experienced severe cultural difficulties in adjusting to modern production methods despite being given extensive training. Building a Trabant involved considerable physical effort just to get the body parts to fit together and this gave a sense of achievement for the workers. Though modern technology and lean production methods removed the physical effort, it also took away the sense of pride and it took VW a considerable time to persuade the workforce of the virtues of modern technology. Nevertheless, both Fiat and VW are firmly installed in Eastern Europe and are about to be joined by Renault which has signed an agreement joining forces with the Moscow City Authorities to build cars in an old Moskvich plant. Of the European producers, VW and Fiat are clearly the most dominant in Eastern Europe and, provided resources are not overstretched, will probably gather a considerable harvest in the future compared to their rivals. But the European arms of both Ford and GM are moving in the same direction, too. Besides being established in Belarus and Poland, Ford has formed a joint venture with Bankirski Dom, near St Petersburg and GM have entered into a similar arrangement with AvtoVAZ at Togliatti, 1,000 kilometres south east of Moscow (Automotive News, 1996b). Finally, stretching beyond the frontiers of Eastern Europe, European firms are currently attempting to establish themselves in China. It was Peugeot that made the initial running when, in the early 1980s, it formed a joint venture in Guangzhou to produce its 404 and 505 models. Neither vehicle was suited to the Chinese market. They were too large, unsuitable for the roads and considered old fashioned by the Chinese when compared to other Western models. In the end, no more than 20,000 units were produced in any one year, and in 1998 Peugeot were forced to withdraw from the market. As Peugeot withered in the market, its other arm, Citroen, prospered in a new joint venture at Wuhan where a stripped down version of the ZX is produced in approximately 15,000 to 20,000 units per annum, a figure that will rise sharply in the coming years (Donnelly and Morris, 1997). Volkswagen by contrast have been far more successful in its joint ventures with the Shanghai Automobile Industrial Corporatio n and the First Auto Works at Changchun in Jilinn Province in the north east of the country. Since the mid-1980s, VW has produced its Santana model in China with frequent updating and has recently introduced its more modern Jetta, Passat and Bora models. These ventures have proved successful in that VW have roughly 50 per cent of the taxi market in China, but have yet to obtain any return on their capital as they, like other multinationals in other countries, have discovered the Chinese market is no crock of gold (Donnelly and Morris, 1997, JustAuto.co., 2000c). While other European firms such as Mercedes and Renault have signed declarations of intent with the Chinese and are waiting to see how the market develops, both Ford and GM have moved further down the road and have begun production at Changan and Guangzhou respectively. Similarly, Chinese hostility to Japanese producers has waned and both Suzuki and Toyota have begun to compete in the market. Current opinion is that the Chin ese market will grow steadily in the coming century and that it is better to enter this market in its infancy than to hesitate. The ball is firmly in the European court and firms must either gamble now on the prospects of return in the future or they might be too late. An outline of the main foreign market entry modes and An overview of the enterprise structures and controls used by firms Ford of Europe was founded in 1967 on a merger between the British and German divisions of the Ford Motor company. Founded in Detroit, Mich., in 1903 by Henry Ford and a group of investors, the company introduced the hugely successful Model T in 1908 and by 1923 was producing more than half of all U.S. automotive vehicles. Through the Lincoln Motor Co. (acquired in 1922), Ford produced luxury Lincolns and Continentals. After years of declining sales, the Model T was succeeded by the Model A in 1927; other companies such as General Motors took the opportunity to make serious inroads into Fords dominance. The company was reincorporated in 1919, with Ford and his family acquiring full ownership. Later acquisitions included Aston Martin and the Land Rover brand of sport utility vehicles. Ford also owns a significant share of the Mazda Motor Corp. Because of financial struggles at the beginning of the 21st century, the company sold off Aston Martin in 2007 and both Jaguar and Land Rover i n 2008. However, Ford occasionally outsells Toyota in shorter periods (most recently, during the summer months of 2009). As of 2008, Ford has become the second largest automaker in Europe (only behind Volkswagen), with sales that occasionally exceed those in the United States and large markets in Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. ( PaddockTalk). Ford Motor Co bought into China as a quick and low-cost way of entering the market. In contrast to Chrysler and GMs JV approach in China, Ford chose to acquire 20% of Jiangling Motor, a relatively small local auto producer. This helped in establishing their presence much quicker than their competitors and removed most of the barriers their competitors were facing such as management control and conflict. The European drive into central Europe has been spearheaded by Volkswagen and Fiat, both of whom see the region as a vital part of their global strategies, even if managerial resources are being strained in an effort to obtain a return on investment. Eastern Europes market can be split into two distinct areas: the Central European Free Trade Area (CEFTA) consisting of Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia and Slovakia and the rest. Naturally, it is the former that is attracting Western attention, especially as sales in the CEFTA are running at around 600,000 per annum and are likely to rise at 10 per cent a year for several years to come, with VW and Fiat each commanding 25 per cent of the market. Fiats main interest lies in Fiat Auto Poland which it acquired in 1992 through its purchase of Fabryka Samochodow Malolitrazowich (FSM) and since then has exported 50 per cent of output to Western European markets. At the time of purchase FSM was riddled with the inefficiencies comm only found in state-owned automakers in Central and Eastern Europe, but Fiat pledged to invest $2 billion in Poland by the year 2000, and part of this at the time of writing is being used to finance production of its Palio models which it hopes to sell worldwide. Turning to Russia, Fiat in 1997 embarked on an $850 million project with ZAO Nizhegorod Motors, owned by GAZ of Nizhy Novgorod to produce 150,000 Palio units a year. Fiat and ZAO each have 40 per cent of the equity with the remaining 20 per cent funded by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (JustAuto.co. 2000; Automotive News, 1996b). Volkswagen holdings in the East are due to its acquisition of Skoda and the taking over of former Trabant plants in the former East Germany. VW has already diversified and modernised Skodas model range and will use these to drive into emerging markets in the area, including Russia, Poland and Belarus. Despite the workforce being well educated and skilled, VW did not always find it easy to persuade Eastern workers to adapt to Western production methods and this is best illustrated in its former Trabant plant at Zwickau. The plant was modernised to produce the Polo and Golf models, but workers experienced severe cultural difficulties in adjusting to modern production methods despite being given extensive training. Building a Trabant involved considerable physical effort just to get the body parts to fit together and this gave a sense of achievement for the workers. Though modern technology and lean production methods removed the physical effort, it also took away the sense of pride and it took VW a considerable time to persuade the workforce of the virtues of modern technology. Nevertheless, both Fiat and VW are firmly installed in Eastern Europe and are about to be joined by Renault which has signed an agreement joining forces with the Moscow City Authorities to build cars in an old Moskvich plant. Of the European producers, VW and Fiat are clearly the most dominant in Eastern Europe and, provided resources are not overstretched, will probably gather a considerable harvest in the future compared to their rivals. But the European arms of both Ford and GM are moving in the same direction, too. Besides being established in Belarus and Poland, Ford has formed a joint venture with Bankirski Dom, near St Petersburg and GM have entered into a similar arrangement with AvtoVAZ at Togliatti, 1,000 kilometres south east of Moscow (Automotive News, 1996b). Finally, stretching beyond the frontiers of Eastern Europe, European firms are currently attempting to establish themselves in China. It was Peugeot that made the initial running when, in the early 1980s, it formed a joint venture in Guangzhou to produce its 404 and 505 models. Neither vehicle was suited to the Chinese market. They were too large, unsuitable for the roads and considered old fashioned by the Chinese when compared to other Western models. In the end, no more than 20,000 units were produced in any one year, and in 1998 Peugeot were forced to withdraw from the market. As Peugeot withered in the market, its other arm, Citroen, prospered in a new joint venture at Wuhan where a stripped down version of the ZX is produced in approximately 15,000 to 20,000 units per annum, a figure that will rise sharply in the coming years (Donnelly and Morris, 1997). Volkswagen by contrast have been far more successful in its joint ventures with the Shanghai Automobile Industrial Corporatio n and the First Auto Works at Changchun in Jilinn Province in the north east of the country. Since the mid-1980s, VW has produced its Santana model in China with frequent updating and has recently introduced its more modern Jetta, Passat and Bora models. These ventures have proved successful in that VW have roughly 50 per cent of the taxi market in China, but have yet to obtain any return on their capital as they, like other multinationals in other countries, have discovered the Chinese market is no crock of gold (Donnelly and Morris, 1997, JustAuto.co., 2000c). While other European firms such as Mercedes and Renault have signed declarations of intent with the Chinese and are waiting to see how the market develops, both Ford and GM have moved further down the road and have begun production at Changan and Guangzhou respectively. Similarly, Chinese hostility to Japanese producers has waned and both Suzuki and Toyota have begun to compete in the market. Current opinion is that the Chin ese market will grow steadily in the coming century and that it is better to enter this market in its infancy than to hesitate. The ball is firmly in the European court and firms must either gamble now on the prospects of return in the future or they might be too late.

The limitations of economists’ idea of a perfect capital market

The limitations of economists’ idea of a perfect capital market Introduction This brief study assesses the limitations of economists idea of a perfect capital market as a basis for theorising modern global capital markets. Todays global capital markets have undergone a global tectonic transformation from the erstwhile discrete and largely controlled capital markets. This transformation has led economists to propound various theories to explain the aggressive and changing global economic landscape. However, economists globally still struggle with the continuously evolving environment across trade boundaries and capital market regimes. It is unfortunate that, like most other branches of economics, contemporary developments of knowledge and technology have not trickled back to further develop the fundamental models that most economists deploy to manage their thinking in respect of the global economy (Blecker, 2001, p 1-3). Economic analysis today has been reduced to forecasting. Forecasting has now become the staple work of professional economists. It is impracticable to forecast econometrically in relation to a situation wherein new institutions will function, on the basis of factors forecasted under old institutions. The economic and political outcomes of new institutions need to be assessed as institutions, and not just as variables (Toporowski, 2003, p4-8). This essay critiques the inadequacies of economists view of a perfect capital market. The study also assesses the same being a constraint for hypothesising contemporary global capital markets. Analysis Background There is a distinct relationship between political economy and finance. Arguably, in an era of finance, political economy is liable to be marginalised due to the evident financial sector dynamism that guides economic development during such an era (Toporowski, 2003, p1). Political economy here is used in the conventional sense of the debate of the function of the state in the economy as well as the economic institutions, as also their impact on the key functions of production and distribution (Toporowski, 2003, p1). The above opinion can be demonstrated considering that the classical political economy, (contending in favour of a laissez-faire state), was pushed to the limits of serious economic discussion during the latter half of the nineteenth century. This is because the increased international finance in the gold standard generated a sense of laissez-faire dynamism (Toporowski, 2003, p1). The collapse of that financial boom culminated in the restoration of political economy of the Keynesian revolution. The financial inflation of the concluding decades of the twentieth century subsequently marginalised political economy again. Consequently, economists are looking forward to the restoration of political economy being ushered in primarily due to the deflation of financial systems throughout the advanced capitalist economies (Toporowski, 2003, p1). The latter part of the twentieth century was acknowledged as witnessing the rise of finance. This broke the fragile Keynesian consensus for active state intercession to steady capitalist market economies. So long as the consensus was maintained, political economy was upheld by the apparent debate regarding the limits of state intervention (Toporowski, 2003, p4-8). From the 1970s onwards, the financial markets saw the revival of activity. This activity along with the ensuing inflation of those markets resulted in the scope for political economy being reduced. Complacent certainties relating to the first neo-classical upheaval returned. The economy functions naturally in equilibrium. It is agitated only by imprudent monetary policies or wage rigidities. Also, keen re-financing is equal to comprehensive economic enterprise. This enterprise then, on the back of vigorous financial markets, requires no state support or overt social direction (Toporowski, 2003, p4-8). This becomes obviously true since financial markets are so vigorous. The monetarist counter-revolution, on attaining consensus during the 1980s, ousted political economy. The new political economy during that time was founded by writers like James Buchanan. It offered a natural political economy of social and individual choice, from which the real economic and state institutions were detached, or reduced to merely choice-making mechanisms (Toporowski, 2003, p4-8). Yet, political economy retained its vitality in newly industrialised and developing countries, where the economic volatility accompanying financial inflation has been most obvious. In fact, the re-emergence of such economic volatility within the more financially advanced economies is now laying the foundations for revitalisation of the political economy (Toporowski, 2003, p4-8). Toporowski (2000, p1) in his book The End of Finance, propounds the theory of an era of finance as a period of history in which finance prospers with such brilliance that it takes over from the industrial entrepreneur the leading role in capitalist development. In such an era, Finance becomes the most important political constituency, and is held to be a proper guide to the conduct of business, social and economic policy, and even our personal lives (Toporowski 2003, p4-8). Moreover, financial volatility causes the finanzangst that troubles the ever-increasing population influenced by advancements in the financial markets. That then turns, as argued by Toporowski (2002), into a cause for the concern of the economics profession with predicting economic variables (Toporowski 2003, p4-8). Historical perspective of Global Capital Markets The significance that Bryer (2000a, 2000b, 2004) attaches to Marxs idea of total social capital has deep implications. Many such implications are yet to be explored. Bryer (1994, 1999, 2004) contends that Marx regarded capital as a social disciplining power working on workers, capitalists and managers. Scholars of contemporary business and society employ the term globalisation for a wide description of business trends (Owen, 2005). Bryers work, argues Owen (2005), lays the groundwork for inferring Marxs idea of capital as an expectation of global capital markets. Building on this argument a little further, it may be argued that the schemes of contemporary capital markets can be comprehended as the recognition of Marxs vision. Evidence of this can be found in the close association among stock markets worldwide as also among exchange rates and interest rates within different countries. This implies that capital can be considered to be a solitary fund of money which is indistinguishable by industry or country or legal form search for a return on capital (Owen, 2005). The true test lies in the degree to which global capital markets have realised the potential that Marx predicted. If Marx is understood as expecting global capital markets the real test is the degree to which contemporary capital markets demonstrate the disposition of total social capital (Owen, 2005). Good economic theory A well-defined and enduring economic policy has characteristics that: (1) are based on concepts which are operational and well defined (2) explain behaviour in a lucid manner (3) are general and simple (4) are valuable for scholars and managers (5) are logically coherent and also (6) fit the facts (Owen, 2010). Economic theory is also commonly criticised. The universal criticism is largely directed on the basis that it is based on intangible concepts that can not be operationalised (i.e. where values cannot be ascribed), that it is contradicted by facts, that it has no relevance to contemporary business and also that it lacks internal coherence (Owen, 2010). There have been economists who have propounded numerous theories for example Simons (1959) theory that bounded rationality satisficing rather than maximizing, Watts and Zimmerman (1978) theory that highlighted managerial self interest as a component of the principal agent relationship and Bryers theory of political economy of accounting (Owen, 2010). Yet, all these theories have, over time, also been over-shadowed by the perfect market approach which also suffers from weaknesses (Owen, 2010). Perfect capital markets A perfect market can be defined as one that bears one price that balances demand and supply, and where buyers and sellers are satisfied with such a price. It is a market where one price rules over the whole market and there are no special deals or offers (Owen, 2009a). Further, a perfect capital market, according to the oft quoted definition, is a market without any arbitrage opportunities. The main characteristics of a perfect capital market would comprise of: one price that clears the market, one interest rate, one rate of return on capital, and also a single price for risk (Owen, 2009a). However, the apparent weaknesses in the economists perfect market model emanate primarily from too much importance being given to individual decision-making and the associated assumptions being unrealistic (Owen, 2009a). The weaknesses in the stakeholder approach, on the other hand, stem from too much importance lent to firm level thinking, the need for stakeholders to be prioritised, underestimating the usefulness of accounting and the separation of finance from accounting. These weaknesses in both the approaches highlight the need for developing another diametrically opposite approach to understand the contemporary markets (Owen, 2009a). Contemporary Markets International economists braved the contemporary world of financial and capital market globalisation along with continually floating exchange rates. They organised this with analytical tools and apparatus that was inherited from the past which rendered them incapable to predict what that contemporary world evolve into (Blecker, 2001, p 1-3). This contemporary era is mainly characterised by severe volatility of exchange rates, unrelenting breaches of purchasing power parity, persistent trade imbalances, recurring financial crises, and todays globally interrelated business cycles for instance the recent global downturn of 2000-01. These characteristics were not really what the advocates of the new order had promised or expected (Blecker, 2001, p 1-3). Primarily, mainstream global economists have endorsed the liberalisation of commodity trade as well as capital markets. They have also promoted the move towards flexible exchange rates. However, there have been a few noteworthy conventional dissenters regarding the last point that support permanently set nominal exchange rate parities (Blecker, 2001, p 1-3). Limitations of economists views Since the 1970s global economists have been busy developing novel theoretical and econometric models to attempt to understand the new realities of international finance. Such models are exemplified right from Dornbuschs (1976) pioneering exchange rate overshooting model through to the latest work regarding self-fulfilling speculative attacks, panics and bubbles Through their pioneering effort, international economists have endeavoured to elucidate the exchange rates volatility which was not forecasted by the earlier generations of models (Blecker, 2001, p 1-3). Frequent econometric tests have found certain original stylised facts regarding the global financial system. These facts comprise fairly forceful findings. One finding is regarding the covered interest parity that holds amongst nations permitting liberalised capital flows, whereas uncovered interest parity as well as real interest parity do not hold. Another finding establishes that relative purchasing power parity (PPP) is usually broken at least in the medium and short term, and perhaps also in the long term. A further finding corroborates that no exchange-rates model which is fundamentals-based can forecast their short-term movements time after time better than the supposition of a random walk. Also, current account imbalances have only enlarged and more unrelentingly since the 1980s (Blecker, 2001, p 1-3). Nevertheless, despite these real intellectual advances, the fundamental investigative framework of nearly all international economists stays mired in past intellectual habits. The core theoretical models relating to international economics are still based on suppositions that refute the current realities of global financial markets (Blecker, 2001, p 1-3). Previous ideas for example PPP, the law of comparative advantage, mechanical balance of 3-payments adjustment and also expected exchange rates continue as benchmarks for research. They also dictate both policy advice and pedagogy. As in numerous other spheres of economics, developments at the knowledge frontiers have not percolated back to transform the fundamental models that nearly all economists deploy to manage their thoughts regarding the global economy (Blecker, 2001, p 1-3). Europes Dilemna After years of economic austerity and stringent monetary policies, economies across Europe have definitely reached a turning point in their economic development regarding downsizing of the public sector, sluggish growth of per capita incomes, mounting unemployment, job insecurity along with the surfacing of disadvantaged economic subcultures in many such economies (McNutt, 1996). There is an acknowledged requirement to make heavy investments in a wide range of social sector programmes. This is needed to exploit the cluster economies entrenched in many economies. Economic theory does offer a few guidelines on the modus-operandi of the distribution of the proposed expenditure (McNutt, 1996). Endowment theories recommend that the expenditure be apportioned to the more prolific regions. Further, altruism theories advise that the expenditure be apportioned to the more underprivileged regions, whereas rent-seeking theories direct the flow of expenditures to groups that generate the maximum private benefit. On the other hand, unemployment subsists in European countries possibly because of the linkage of real wages to the cost of living. In such a case, trade liberalisation may offer a considerable stimulus to output and employment through lowering of living costs as also the reduced costs to the transnational corporation of employing labour (McNutt, 1996). Challenges for economists theorising of global capital markets The recent financial crisis compelled both economic policymakers and economists to reassess various basic issues. These issues present numerous challenges, of which the major three are as discussed below. The first challenge is to properly understand the root causes that led to the financial crisis and how to avert their recurrence. The next challenge is to fix the damage caused to the public finances by the crisis. The third challenge concerns the necessity to draw the correct conclusions to enable economic analysis (Liikanen, 2010, p3-5). Accordingly, the primary challenge is to avert similar future crises. The financial crisis enlightened policymakers with many things. Possibly the most important were the holes in the knowledge base relating to systemic risks. The theory of systemic risk is not unknown as such, although the crisis exposed several fresh dimensions of systemic risk. Prior to the crisis, it was not comprehended how complex the links are amongst the global financial markets. It was also not known that a sufficiently extensive disruption could freeze the markets. Although the global financial markets did not give way in October-November 2008, yet it was so close that a similar risk could not be accepted any longer (Liikanen, 2010, p3-5). A fundamental dilemma in the present debate is the inability of economics to offer lucid guidance as to the kinds of instruments that could be deployed to execute this kind of stability policy. The conventional toolkit of monetary policy viz. money supply analysis and interest rate policy is well-established at the centre of the economics discipline. Yet, the integration of financial intermediation and financial markets with the consequent macroeconomic analysis is even today in its infancy. The appropriate approaches are yet to be established and this provides a distinct challenge for the economics discipline in the future years (Liikanen, 2010, p3-5). The second main economic policy challenge lies in the restoration of the crisis damages to public finances. Subsequent to the financial crisis and the consequential economic crisis, public finances have by and large deteriorated along with increased unemployment, which in some countries has risen quite sharply. The deterioration of general government finances partially reveals the results of various stimulus measures, financial system support and automatic stabilizers. Perhaps even more revealing is the fact that the fall in GDP levels has resulted in clear erosion in the public revenue base. The revenue base is estimated to stay smaller than earlier predicted for many countries. The reason for the smaller revenue base is the estimated reduction of their output potential due to the crisis (Liikanen, 2010, p3-5). The third challenge concerns fundamental issues in economics. Paul Krugman, the acknowledged economist, queried last year appropriately in his already admired column: How did economists get it so wrong? Krugmans fundamental argument lay in the economics profession having gone astray. The fascination for analytical elegance and mathematical acrobatics had locked economics into an ivory tower of frictionless markets and rational economic agents while marginalising attempts to understand the economy as it actually is(Liikanen, 2010, p3-5). Globalisation, Technological Revolution, and the Restructuring of Capitalism Globalisation encompasses both capitalist markets as well as sets of social relations. It also involves flows of capital, commodities, technology, forms of culture, ideas and people across geographical national boundaries through a global networked society. The metamorphosis of both capital and technology functioning together now continues to construct a new interrelated and globalised world (Kellner, 2009, p2-3). A technological revolution concerning the formation of a computerised network of transportation, communication and exchange is the premise of a globalized economy. This co-exists with the expansion of a global capitalist market system which is attracting ever more areas of the world along with different spheres of production, consumption and exchange into its orbit. The technological revolution presumes global computerised networks along with the open movement of information, goods, people and services across national boundaries (Kellner, 2009, p2-3). From this viewpoint, globalisation cannot be comprehended without appreciating the technological and scientific revolutions as also the global capital restructuring which form the matrix and motor of globalisation. Many globalisation theorists, nonetheless, fail on either of the following two counts. They either fail to detect the basic importance of technological and scientific revolution along with the novel technologies that help initiate globalization; else they infer the process via a technological determinist structure that blocks the economic aspects of the institutions and imperatives of capitalism (Kellner, 2009, p2-3). Such biased economists fail to appreciate the co-evolution of capitalism, science and technology. They also fail to appreciate the highly ambiguous and complex system of globalisation that unites capitalism with democracy as well as technological mutations with a further turbulent mix of costs, losses, gains and benefits (Kellner, 2009, p2-3). In this context, economists can be considered to be singularly unqualified to assess the theorising of modern global capital markets based on the above paradigm and evolutionary shifts in the deployment of economic resources. Conclusions It is evident from the foregoing discussion that the vigorous current debate on the global capital markets and its attendant crises cycles has again provoked a reassessment of the prevalent economic theories and their weaknesses. The global capital markets have transformed radically during the twentieth century, especially in the last four decades. To address this transformation, economists have propounded various theories, largely unsuccessfully, to rationalise and explain the tectonic changes. It is evident that contemporary developments concerning capital, technology, knowledge, science and other economic resources deployment have not percolated back to improve the weak economic models that are used to fashion a large part of contemporary economic thinking. Economic analysis has now been reduced to forecasting. It is apparent that the economic profession has failed in its primary function of assessing and managing the integrated and globalised capital market economies, primarily due to inherent limitations in its economic theories. To understand todays integrated and seamless global capital markets, economists need to take a holistic global view on the evolution across all economic, political, scientific and technological advancements worldwide. Economic theories will need to address all the relevant challenges to avert future capital market crises. This analysis has particularly exposed that it is impossible to foretell econometrically regarding circumstances wherein current institutions will operate, based on reasons that are predicted under old institutions. Therefore, economists ideas of perfect capital markets are unable to aid the theorising of contemporary global capital markets. References Blecker, R.A., 2001. Financial globalization, exchange rates and international trade, Paper prepared for the conference on Financialization of the Global Economy, Political Economy Research Institute (PERI), University of Massachusetts, Available at: http://www.peri.umass.edu/fileadmin/pdf/financial/fin_Blecker.pdf (accessed November 16, 2010). Bryer, R.A., 1994. Why Marxs Labour Theory is Superior to the Marginalist Theory of Value: The Case From Modern Financial Reporting, Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 5(4), 313-340. Bryer, R.A., 1999. A Marxist Critique of the FASBs Conceptual Framework, Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 10(5), 551-589. Bryer, R.A., 2000a. The History of Accounting and the Transition to Capitalism in England- Part One: Theory, Accounting Organizations and Society, 25(2), 131- 162. Bryer, R.A., 2000b. The History of Accounting and the Transition to Capitalism England Part Two: The Evidence, Accounting Organizations and Society, 25(4/5), 327-381. Bryer, R.A., 2004. The roots of modern capitalism: a Marxist accounting history of the origins and consequences of capitalist Landlords in England, The Accounting HistoriansJournal (Vol.31, No.1, June 2004), pp.1-56. Kellner, D., 2009. Theorizing Globalization, Available at: http://gseis.ucla.edu/faculty/kellner/essays/theorizingglobalization.pdf (accessed November 17, 2010). Liikanen, E., 2010. Economic policy and economic theory facing challenges after the financial crisis, Speech by Mr Erkki Liikanen, Governor of the Bank of Finland, at the Finnish Economic Association annual meeting, Tampere University, Tampere, 5 February 2010, BIS Review 23/2010. McNutt, P.,1996. The essence of global political economy, European Business Review Volume 96 Number 5 1996, pp. 4-12. Owen, A.S., 2005. Literature review on political economy of accounting. Owen, A. S., 2009. Bryers investor capitalism approach. Ppt presentation of Bryers (1993) The Late Nineteenth-Century Revolution in Financial Reporting: Accounting for the Rise of Investor or Managerial Capitalism? Published in Accounting, Organizations and Society Vol.18 No.78 p.649-690. Owen, A.S.2009a. The law of one price in finance. Owen, A.S., 2010. Classical mode of theorising: methodology for business, management finance. Toporowski, J., 2000. The End of Finance: The Theory of Capital Market Inflation, Financial Derivavtives and Pension Fund Capitalism, London: Routledge. Toporowski, J., 2002. Mathematics as Natural Law: An Epistemological Critique of Formalism in Economics, in S.C. Dow, M. Desai and P. Arestis (eds.) Methodology, Macroeconomics and Keynes, Essays in Honour of Victoria Chick Volume Two London: Routledge. Toporowski, J., 2003. Finance and Political Economy, Paper presented at the Economics for the Future Conference, Cambridge 17-19 September 2003.

Civilization vs. Savagery in Lord of the Flies Essay -- Literary Analy

The Lord of the Flies is a story about a stranded group of boys on a deserted island after their plane crashes. It is about an adventure at the start of a new World War. The boys try to create a society by selecting a leader and doing everything they can to survive. It is all a game without adult supervision until the island becomes a nightmare and their imaginations come to life. Everything becomes more realistic when the twins, Sam and Eric, find the body of the dead parachutist hanging from a tree on the island. Then the boys declare that there is some type of beast on the island and they must kill it to stay alive. Soon the boys turn on each other and kill Simon because he is mistaken for the beast. Jack then, takes over the group of boys and hunts down Piggy and Ralph. Then Roger pushes a boulder off the cliff and kills Piggy. The boys follow Ralph, which is the main character and the boys began to set the jungle on fire in attempt to smoke Ralph out. Ralph then discovers that h e is back on the beach after collapsing from exhaustion. After looking up, he then finds a Naval officer standing over him. The officer saw the raging fire in the jungle from his ship at sea. Overwhelmingly Ralph explains what happened to the officer. He and the boys begin to cry because they realize that they are finally being rescued and are going home. Symbolism is shown throughout the story, by the little things like the conch shell and Piggy’s glasses. The pig’s head is a huge symbol, showing that the boys believe in a power of evil. In this book the main theme is civilization vs. savagery. The boys lose their civilized being and innocence ways as they become savages and kill Simon and Piggy. In The Lord of The Flies, Golding analyzes characters, ... ...Cathy Falk. Vol. 58. Detroit: Gale Research, 1990. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 19 Jan. 2012. Slayton, Paul. "Teaching Rationale for William Golding's Lord of the Flies." Censored Books: Critical Viewpoints. Ed. Nicholas J. Karolides, Lee Burress, and John M. Kean. The Scarecrow Press, Inc, 1993. 351-357. Rpt. in Novels for Students. Ed. Diane Telgen. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 19 Jan. 2012. SparkNotes. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb 2012. 98. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 19 Jan. 2012. Townsend, R. C. "Lord of the Flies': Fool's Gold." The Journal of General Education. Vol. 16. University Park, Pa.: The Pennsylvania State University Press, 1964. 153-160. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Roger Matuz and Cathy Falk. Vol. 58. Detroit: Gale Research, 1990. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 19 Jan. 2012.