Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been Versus Smooth Talk

The saying goes the only difference between a tragedy and a comedy is the ending. Meaning no matter how tragic or comedic a story begins, the ending is what determines what type of story was told (thus what genre it falls in). This concept of endings is greatly exemplified through the comparison of the short story Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been by Joyce Carol Oates and the film the story was based on called Smooth Talk. Both works contain an abundance of similarities but, due to slight yet critical changes made, the two stories become very different in their underlying themes/genre.The two stories differ in aspects such as (obviously) the title, character traits (i. e. June), certain plot details and most importantly the endings. They differ completely. The difference in endings change a horror story inspired by a real serial killer to a coming of age film for the American teenage girl. The short story Where Are You Going Where Have You Been like all short stories is short The short story is a total of twelve pages long and begins with roughly a two page description on Connie and her family.The short yet informational background helps the reader realize Connie is the typical fifteen year old girl whose main priorities are the same as most fifteen year old girls: need for attention, boys, and looks.. One day she doesn’t listen to her family and decides to stay home instead of bonding with her family at a relative’s barbeque.Connie’s fate begins its dark and bleak road when, like most horror stories, is home alone and a stranger comes to the house. The strangers name is Arnold Friend and his intentions though unclear at first, become more and more evident as the conversation between him and Connie unravels.Arnold talks in a tone that is both alluring and vicious, he tells Connie information about herself that just seems impossible for him to know giving him the characteristic of a hellish creature that sees all ( like the devil). Ar nold appears to have put Connie in a Dracula like dazed charm which makes her eventually get in his car where the story comes to an abrupt end. Though the ending is ambiguous, Connie is raped and killed by the monster Arnold Friend, or an old fiend (if one removes all the letter r’s in his name).Though the ending is vague, it is still haunting and horrific in the way that an evil creature posing as a teenager targets/abducts a young girl, violates her then kills her. This story is every parent’s nightmare and the scariest part about it is how achievable a heinous act like this is. The definition of horror is an overwhelming and painful feeling caused by something frightfully shocking, terrifying, or revolting; the ending of Oates’ short story does just that. The ending is gloomy, sad, and horrific which makes this story a horror story.Like most horror stories a lesson is taught, if one lies to their parents and act naughty, they’ll will eventually meet th e devil. The Film Smooth Talk starring Laura Dern, revolves around the same characters from the story Joyce Carol Oates wrote about, but takes a different approach. Smooth Talk is a ninety minute film based on a twelve page short story so it’s a no brainer that scenes were prolonged and added. The scenes that were prolonged/added do not focus on Oates’ Arnold Friend, but rather takes a more in-depth look at Connie’s family life.In the short story we are told certain characteristics of Connie’s family but, nothing more than that; nothing to make the mother, father or her sister June significant characters in the story. The story by Oates breifly touches on the subject of Connie and her mother not getting along, while the film constantly revolves around this mother-daughter conflict. Smooth Talk chooses to focus and explore more on the dysfunction between Connie and her family (especially the one with her mother) rather than for example finding out more abo ut the character Arnold Friend.After about an hour and ten minutes watching Connie’s naive adolescent persona constantly creating turmoil in her house, are we then introduced to the film’s antagonist, Arnold Friend. The confrontation between Arnold and Connie go exactly as they do in the short story, with one big exception, the story doesn’t end once Connie gets in the car. In Smooth talk, much like the short story, Arnold does indeed rape Connie, however, afterwards he returns her home alive. Once returned home, Connie’s naà ¯ve self centered take on life seems to have been left in the field Arnold molested her at.Connie walks toward the house where she is lovingly greeted by her remorseful mother apologizing for slapping her in an earlier scene. She has experienced the horrors of the outside world and realizes the good life and safety her family provides for her. The last scene in Smooth talk ends with Connie sitting in her room, not looking outside bu t, looking in. Then her sister June walks in, and instead of the two butting heads like they did throughout the entire film, Connie embraces her and they start dancing.What this nding shows is that the Connie from Smooth Talk, is no longer wishing to ‘be old enough to drive so she can leave her home’. She experienced the ‘harsh cruel world’ that Eddie from the earlier diner scene was talking about.Most importantly is this ending is not sad or monotonic, it is happy and hopeful, the complete opposite of the story it is based on What Smooth talk ends up being isn’t a horror story like Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been but, a story of a typical all knowing teenager who learns the hard way just how important family after she gets in a situation she can’t smooth talk her way out of.Although Smooth Talk is based on Oates’ short story, by the end of each story and because of the end, what one has is two completely different stories. One story is for a parent to scare their daughter straight, the other is to remind them that in life no matter what, one will always have family.

Critical Thinking and Ethics Essay

Critical thinking is a concept that is derived from the application of the cognition toward the separation of the most likely when one is presented with a set of possibilities, while ethics is used in reference to the perception of what is right or wrong in a defined situation (wisegeek.com). A relationship between critical thinking and ethics can be seen in the sense that the individual will have to think of several methods for approaching the issue of ethics, eliminating the most likely approach until he or she settles on that which will be the most acceptable for the situation. Another way of viewing the issue of the link between critical thinking and ethics is by considering the manner in which an individual can differentiate between his or her own personal ethical concepts and that of the organization. That is to say that people have their own ethical foundations that they must be able to categorize in a separate compartment from that of the organization (wisegeek.com). The principles and rules of critical thinking are applicable to ethical reasoning. One reason is because ethical reasoning is also culturally and religiously influenced and may at times suffer from misreading the environment or the desired accomplishments of actions. In addition, there are certain rules and guidelines of logic. If everyone followed the rules and guidelines of logic, there would still be a need for ethical decision-making. The reason is because morals and beliefs, such as religion or nonreligious beliefs, play a role in rules and guidelines of logic. In conclusion, critical thinking and ethics play a significant role in an individual’s critical thinking, morals and beliefs. Although the relationship between the two have many similarities, it is important that we have a clear understanding of the differences as well. References Ruggiero, V. R. (2012). Thinking critically about ethical issues. (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: McGraw-Hill Education. Retrieved from

Beer Game

The Beer Game Copyright by Professor John Sterman, MIT October 1984 Sources:http://www. sol-ne. org/pra/tool/beer. html The Fifth Discipline: Pg 27-54 Why play the ‘Beer Game’? Instructions for running the game Steps of the Game Outline for post-game discussion and tasks Supplies Checklist & Mock-up of the Game Board Bibliography CHARTS AND TABLES TO PRINT OUT: [only issue Table 1 and 2 at the onset of the game. Chart 1-3 to be distributed at the end of the game and before post-game discussion. ] Table 1:Record Sheet: Cost of Inventory and Backlog Table 2:Computation of cumulative inventory backlogGraph 1:Inventory and Backlog Graph 2:Orders Graph 3:Perceived order by Customers Slide 1:Facilitator Slides Slide 2:Facilitator Slides Slide 3:Facilitator Slides Slide 4:Facilitator Slides Slide 5:Facilitator Slides Slide 6:Facilitator Slides Slide 7:Facilitator Slides Slide 8:Facilitator Slides Contact Point for loan of Beer Game Set: If you or your unit is interested in play ing this game and need assistance, please contact any of the 1Y LO participants, including the webmaster: Ms Sheila Damodaran at [email  protected] gov. sg. The game sets are kept at TRACOM's Resource Centre (SIRC, TRACOM).Contact: 3594241. Why play the Beer Game? The Fifth Discipline, pg 27 [Prisoners of the System, or Prisoners of our Thinking] This game was developed by Professor John Sterman of MIT to introduce people to fundamental concepts of systems dynamics. Participants experience the pressure of playing a role in a complex system, and come to understand first hand a key principle of systems thinking that structure produces behavior. The Beer Game is a simulation exercise – like a laboratory experiment, where one is able to see: ? The consequences of your decisions play out more clearly in real organisations; In effect it presents a microcosm of how a real organization functions. ? Shift in prevailing assumption of what is required of us for creating fundamentally different organisations; from a perspective of â€Å"the system we are trying to change is out there and we (as change agents) are trying to fix it† to â€Å"we and the system are inextricably linked together†. It was first developed in the 1960s at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management. Because it is a â€Å"laboratory replica† of a real setting (rather than reality itself), we can: Isolate the disabilities, and; ? Their causes more sharply than is possible in real organisations. Often this reveals that the problems originate in basic ways of thinking and interacting, more than in peculiarities of organisations and policy. Instructions for Running The Beer Distribution Game John Sterman October 1984 This document outlines the protocol for the beer distribution game developed to introduce people to concepts of system dynamics. The game can be played by as few as four and as many as 60 people (assistance is required for lar ger groups).The only prerequisite, besides basic math skills, is that none of the participants have played the game before, or else agree not to reveal the â€Å"trick† of the game. 1. State purpose of Game: a) Introduce people to the key principle â€Å"structure produces behavior† b) Experience the pressures of playing a role in a complex system 2. Provide overview of production-distribution system: a) The game is played on a board, which portrays the production and distribution of beer (show board game). [pic] b) Orders for and cases of beer are represented by chips, which are manipulated by the players.The players at each position are completely free to make any decision that seems prudent. Their only goal is to manage their positions as best as they can to maximise profits. c) Each brewery consists of four sectors: retailer, wholesaler, distributor and factory. One person manages each sector. d) A deck of cards represents customer demand. Each week, customers dema nd beer from the retailer, who ships the beer requested out of inventory. The retailer in turn orders beer from the wholesaler, who ships the beer requested out of the wholesaler's inventory.Likewise, the wholesaler orders and receives beer from the distributor, who in turn orders and receives beer from the factory. The factory produces the beer. At each stage there are shipping delays and order receiving delays. These represent the time required to receive, process, ship and deliver orders, and as well be seen play a crucial role in the dynamics. e) If your participants are not familiar with the concept of manufacturing, shipping, and distribution, consider presenting these concepts initially before proceeding. Call the participants together at one board and demonstrate each step of the way carefully.Often it is the lack of this information that causes the initial confusion of the game. You could say something like: â€Å"The Beer Game immerses us in a type of organization that is widely prevalent in all industrial countries: a system for producing and distributing a single brand of beer. There are four main characters in the story – a retailer, a wholesaler, a distributor and the Marketing Director of a brewery †¦ f) The players at each position are completely free to make any decision that seems prudent. All they have to do is meet customer demand and order enough from your own supplier while avoiding costly backlogs.They should manage their positions as best as they can to maximise profits. 3. State Basic rules: a) Have each team pick a name for their brewery (e. g. the name of a real beer). Have them label their record sheets with the name of their brewery and their position, e. g. retailer, wholesaler, etc. b) Have each person ante up $1. 00, or an appropriate amount, which will go to the winning team, winner take all (optional). c) The object of the game is to minimize total costs for your team. The team with the lowest total costs wins. Co sts are computed in the following way: ? The carrying costs of inventory are $. 0 per case per week ? Out-of-stock costs, or backlog costs, are $1. 00 per case per week ? The costs of each stage (retailer, wholesaler, distributor, factory) for each week, added up for the total length of the game, determine the total cost. d) No communication between sectors. Retailers should not talk to anyone else, same for wholesalers, distributors, and factories. The reason for this is that in real life there may be five factories, several dozen distributors, thousands of wholesalers, and tens of thousands of retailers, and each one cannot find out what the total activity of all the others is.The only communication between sectors should be through the passing of orders and the receiving of beer. e) Retailers are the only ones who know what the customers actually order. They should not reveal this information to anyone else. f) All incoming orders must be filled. If your inventory is insufficient to fill incoming orders plus backlog, fill as many orders as you can and add the remaining orders to your backlog. 4. Steps of the Game. a) Issue only Table 1 and Table 2 to all the participants. b) The game Facilitator should call out the steps as the game progresses. ) The first few times when the system is still in equilibrium the facilitator should go through the steps very slowly to make sure people have the mechanics down. d) Notice that of the six steps of the game, only the fifth, placing orders, involves a decision. e) The remaining five steps only involve moving inventory of beer or order slips or recording your position, and are purely mechanical. For the first few weeks the facilitator should tell everyone to order four units to keep the system in equilibrium. 5. Initialization of the boards: ) There should be twelve pennies or chips representing twelve cases of beer in each inventory. Each chip or penny represents one case. There should be four pennies in each shipping box and production delay. b) There should be order slips with â€Å"4† written on them, face down in each incoming and outgoing order box (orders and production requests). A supply of blank order slips should be available at each sector, as well as a supply of pennies or chips. c) The deck of cards with the customer demand should not be revealed in advance.The pattern of customer demand that is most effective for first-time players is a pattern of (†¦. To be revealed after the game/debrief by the Game Leader). d) Each order deck should have fifty weeks' worth of cards, and the players should be told that the game will be fifty weeks long. Typically it's only necessary to run the game thirty-five weeks or so in order to see the pattern of fluctuation, but telling the players it will be fifty weeks prevents horizon effects, where they run their inventories down because they feel the end of the game is coming. 6. Tips for Facilitators: ) It's very helpful if the game facil itator makes sure that each team stays in step so that you can quickly glance around the room and see that everyone is at the right place. Remind the participants to follow the steps in order to keep pace of the game. b) The game facilitator should write the current week on the blackboard as the steps for that week are called out. c) In about the eighth or ninth week the retailer will run out of inventory and have a backlog for the first time. People do not understand the meaning of backlogs, or the cumulative nature of the backlog.It is necessary to stop the game at this point, ask everyone to pay attention, and explain how backlog accounting works. Explain that: The backlog represents orders you've received, but have not yet filled, and which you must fill in the future, and d) The backlog is cumulative. â€Å"Next week you have to fulfill the incoming orders that you receive, plus whatever is in your backlog, if possible. If it not possible to fulfill the incoming orders, then t he amount left over is added to the existing backlog and must be filled in later weeks. † (see Table 2). ) Emphasize at this point that backlog costs twice as much as inventory. You may need to do this one or two more times, and should be careful to check and be sure that they do in fact fill their backlog. It is helpful to write the following equation on the blackboard to help with backlog accounting (see below). Orders to fill = New orders + Backlog this week + last week + †¦ f) The game can be played in as little as one and a half hours if the facilitator maintains a very brisk pace. The debriefing usually requires at least 40 minutes and can be expanded substantially. g) Consider having 2 persons to play each role.One person is responsible for taking the decision and advancing the chips and order slips and the other person to maintain the figures and filling up Tables 1 and 2. The pair may switch their roles mid-way during the game. 7. End of game a) Halt the game aft er about 36 weeks (but play the game, up to that point as if it is going on to 50 weeks, to avoid unusual end-of-game moves). b) Ask each position on each team to calculate their total cost: c) Cost = Total inventory x $0. 50 + Total Backlog x $1 and to mark the total cost on the Record Sheet for the position d) Pass out Orders graph sheets – one to each position.Ask each position to graph their own orders, week by week. Clarify to Factory that they will graph their Production Requests. e) Pass out Effective Inventory graph sheets – one to each position. Ask each position to graph the inventory week by week, showing any backlog as negative inventory. f) Team name and position must be indicated on all sheets. Once the graph is complete, have the players connect the dots with a bold magic marker (colour coded – Retailer = black, Wholesaler = blue, Distributor = green and Factory = red – to the board) for ease of viewing by the group. ) Pass out the Customer Order graph sheets to everyone except Retailers. Ask each person to sketch what he or she thinks the customer order rate looked like over time. Ask each to indicate a simple scale or maximum value. ? Ask retailers not to discuss anything about customer orders until after the debrief of the game. h) Collect all the sheets, and send players off for a break. i) During break: ? Calculate team costs to determine the winner and compute the average team cost. ? Tape sheets together (as shown below) and hang up team graphs.Effective Inventory Team 1Team 2Team 3 |Retailer | |Retailer | |Retailer | | |Wholesaler | |Wholesaler | |Wholesaler | | |Distributor | |Distributor | |Distributor | | |Factory | |Factory | |Factory | |Orders/Production Requests Team 1Team 2Team 3 |Retailer | |Retailer | |Retailer | | |Wholesaler | |Wholesaler | |Wholesaler | | |Distributor | |Distributor | |Distributor | | |Factory | |Factory | |Factory | |STEPS OF THE GAME (Adapted) |Step # |General instructions |Speci fic Instruction to players playing the roles| | | |of Factory/ Retailer | | |Receive inventory (move chips from shipping delay 2 into current |Factory advance from production delay 1 to | | |inventory) and advance the shipping (from shipping delay 1 to |production delay 2. | |shipping delay 2). | | | |Use both hands to slide the chips over from respective boxes. | | | |Caution players not to move all chips into one box]. | | | |Look at incoming orders (check the order slip placed in your |Retailer draws consumer card. Follow | | |inbox) |instructions as in adjacent set. ] | | |Fulfill orders from your stock (your current inventory only). | | | |Move chips out into shipping delay 1 of the player downstream. | | | |All incoming orders must be filled. Facilitator to re-mention | | | |this step when the team has entered week 6/8) If your inventory | | | |is insufficient to fill incoming orders plus backlog, fill as | | | |many orders as you can and add the remaining orders to your | | | |backlog (use Table 2 to work out your cumulative backlog). | | |Record your balance inventory and/or cumulative backlog (in the | | | |latter case your balance inventory would have been reduced to | | | |zero) on Table 1. | | | |Advance the rder slips that you placed in the previous week from|Factory introduces production requests from | | |your outbox into the inbox of the player upstream. |previous week into production delay 1. | | |Take decision on the orders you wish to place for the upcoming | | | |week. Place your order slips in your outbox. | | | |Record your orders on Table 1. | FOLLOW-UP TASKS AND OUTLINE FOR POST-GAME DISCUSSION (Adapted) |Step # |Tasks and outline |Group Task | | |Remind participants of the objective |Emphasize that although they played the game to minimize cost, that's | | |of the game. |not the real purpose of the game. | | | | | | |The game is designed to: | | | |give players an experience of playing a role in a system | | | |show them how â€Å"st ructure produces behavior† | | |Request players tabulate total current|None. | |inventory, cumulative inventory on | | | |Table 1. | | | |Accounting: |None. | | |Record penalty of $0. 50 per item in | | | |inventory (at each stage). | | | |Record penalty of $1. 0 per item | | | |ordered but not filled. | | | |Plot inventory versus time (Chart 1) |Place charts at front of classroom for everyone to see (see typical | | |and unfilled orders (on Chart 1 also) |chart below). | | |versus time for your stage and for | | | |your company overall. | | | | | | |Plot order versus time (Chart 2) for |Place charts at front of classroom for everyone to see (see typical | | |your stage and for your company |chart below). | | |overall. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Ask participants: |Each of the players had the best possible intentions: to serve his | | |What’s going through the minds of the |customers well, to keep the product moving smoothly through the system, | | |p layers? |and to avoid penalties. Each participant made well-motivated, clearly | | |What problems arose during the game |defensible judgments based on reasonable guesses about what might | | |playing? |happen.Still there was a crisis- built into the structure of the | | | |system. | | | | | | | |Most people try to explain reality by showing how one set of events | | | |cause another or, if they've studied a problem in more depth, by showing| | | |how a particular set of events are part of a longer term historical | | | |process. | | | | | | |Have the participants illustrate this for themselves by looking at their| | | |own â€Å"explanations† for events during the game. | | | | | | | |Take a particular incident in the game, for example a large surge in | | | |production requests at the factory, and ask the person responsible why | | | |they did that. | | | | | | |Their answer will invariably relate their decision to some prior | | | |decision of the person they supply or who supplies them. Then turn to | | | |that person and ask them why they did that. Continue this until people | | | |see that one can continue to relate one event to earlier events | | | |indefinitely. | | | | | | |Wholesaler/Distributor may say: â€Å"I am ordering four/fives times my usual| | | |order. Maybe the retailer is ordering so much because they can’t get | | | |any of the beer from me. Either way I have to keep up. I am dismayed | | | |the brewery had just stepped up production. How could they be slow? | | | |What if I can’t get any of the beer and they go to one my competitors? | | |The backlog costs due. I am afraid to tell the accountant what to | | | |expect. † | | | | | | | |Retailer may say: â€Å"I ordered more just to be safe and to keep up with | | | |the sales. I don’t want to get a reputation for being out of stock of | | | |popular beers.By the time I call my backlogged customers, I am sold | | | |out before I can sell a single new cas e. What is that wholesaler doing | | | |to me? Doesn’t he know what a ravenous market we have down here? I | | | |think of all the lost potato chip sales† | | | | | | | |Brewery may say: â€Å"Even after Week 14 I had not caught up with the | | | |backlogs.At Week 16 I have finally caught up but the distributors had | | | |not asked for any more beer at all? Why did the order mushroom and then| | | |die? † | | | | | | | |â€Å"The orders have finally arrived but what’s wrong with the retailers? | | | |Why have they stopped ordering? † | | | | | |Briefly describe what strategy you |After a few minutes (about 10) of discussion, look at the graphs of the | | |developed during the game for making |results. Ask them, â€Å"What commonalities do you see in the graphs for the| | |ordering decisions. |different teams? † | | | | | | | |Participants should see common pattern of overshoot and oscillation. | | | |This should be most evident in the effect ive inventory graph. | | | | | | |Get them to really see for themselves that different people in the same | | | |structure produce qualitatively similar results. Even though they acted | | | |very differently as individuals in ordering inventory result (there was | | | |free will), still the overall patterns (qualitative pattern) of behavior| | | |are similar. | | | | | | |This is a very important point–take as long as necessary to have them | | | |see it for themselves. | | | | | | | |Obviously at the factory, the Marketing Director will be blamed for any | | | |layoffs or plant closings that come out of this crisis – just as the | | | |wholesaler blamed the retailer and the retailer blamed the wholesaler | | | |and oth wanted to blame the factory. | | | | | | | |You might reflect at this point on what happens in the real world when | | | |such performance target oscillations are generated. The typical | | | |organizational response is to find the â€Å"person respon sible† (the guy | | | |placing the orders or the inventory manager) and blame him. | | | | | | |The game clearly demonstrates how inappropriate this response | | | |is–different people following different decision rules for ordering a | | | |generated oscillation. | | |Plot what you think was the customer |After having had them all see the extent to which different people | | |order over time (Chart 3) during the |produce similar results in a common structure, you then need to move on | | |game. |to what is usually the most powerful point made by the game: that | | | |internal structure not external events cause system behavior. | | | | | | |The way to make this point is to ask the following question: | | | | | | | |†All of you who were not retailers, or who otherwise have not found out | | | |what the pattern of customer orders was, what do you think the customers| | | |were doing? † | | | | | | | |Most people usually believe that customer demand was fluctu ating because| | | |they believe that the system fluctuations must have been externally | | | |driven. Most draw a curve which rises and falls, just as their orders | | | |rose and fell. | | | | | | |Get each of them (other than retailers) to see that they assumed | | | |fluctuating customer orders. | | |Retailer in your team to plot actual |Draw in each order rate graph the actual customer ordering pattern. The| | |customer order on the same chart. |small step from 4 to 8 orders should make a strong visual impression in | | | |contrast to the order rate fluctuations which often have amplitude of | | | |20- to 40-orders per week.Moreover, the sustained oscillations | | | |generated by the system contrast sharply to the absolutely flat customer| | | |order rate after the step at week 5. | | | | | | | |The Retailer may respond with: â€Å"The demand never mushroomed. And it | | | |never died out. We still sell eight cases of beer – week after week. | | | |But you didn’t send us the beer we wanted. So we had to keep ordering, | | | |just to make sure we had enough to keep up with our customers†. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |This simple exercise of getting them to see how, contrary to their | | | |expectations, the internal system structure is completely capable of | | | |generating fluctuating behavior is the most profound lesson they can | | |Are the oscillations due to external |learn from the game. | | |or internal reasons? | | | |It is important that they see this for themselves, as a demonstration or| | | |an experimental result, which they did, not as an idea of which you're | | | |trying to convince them. In fact, the game is an experiment in very true| | | |sense. The result of oscillating behavior was not predetermined. | | | | | | | |The assumption that the system's problems are caused by the customer | | | |stems from our deeply felt need to find someone or something to blame | | | |where there are problems. | | | | | | |Initially after the game is over, many believe that the culprits are the| | | |players in the other positions. This belief is shattered by seeing that| | | |the same problems arise in all plays of the game, regardless of who is | | | |manning the different positio ns. Many then direct their search for a | | | |scapegoat toward the consumer. | | | | | | |But when their guesses are compared with the flat customer orders, this | | | |theory is shot down too. This has a devastating effect on some players. | | |In the last 20 years, the beer game |If literally thousands of players all generate the same qualitative | | |has been played thousands of times in |behaviour pattern the causes of the behaviour must lie beyond the | | |classes and management training |individuals. The causes of the behaviour must lie in the structure of | | |seminars. It has been played on five |the game itself. | |continents, among people of all ages, | | | |nationalities, cultural origins and |When placed in the same sy stem, people however different, tend to | | |vastly varied business backgrounds. |produce similar results. | | |Some had never heard of a production/ | | | |distribution system before; others had|In system dynamics we take an alternative viewpoint—that the internal | | |spent a good portion of their lives |structure of a system is more important than external events in | | |working in such businesses. |generating qualitative patterns of behavior. | | | |A system causes its own behaviour. In the game.The structure that | | |Yet every time the game is played the |caused wild swings involved the multi-stage supply chain and the delays | | |same crises ensue. First there is |intervening between different stages (refer Tools on ST), the limited | | |growing demand that can’t be met. |information available (refer Tools on TL) at each stage in the system, | | |Orders build throughout the system. |and the goals, costs, perceptions and fears (refer Tools on MM) that | | |Invent ories are depleted. Backlogs |influenced individuals’ orders for beer. | | |grow. Then the beers arrive enmasse | | | |while incoming orders decline. |These an be illustrated by this diagram: | | | | | | |By the end of the experiment, almost | | | |all players are sitting with large |Events | | |inventories they cannot unload –e. g. |(e. g. inventory backlogs and surges) | | |it is not unusual to find brewery and | | | |distribution inventory levels in the | | | |hundreds over hanging orders from | | | |wholesalers for 8-12 cases per week. Patterns | | | |(Panic behaviours / oscillations) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Structure | | | |(only form of communication is through order slips, the use performance | | | |measures by inventory and order sizes and the effect of delays – from | | | |upstream) | | | | | | | |But also remember the nature of structure in a human system is subtle | | | |because we are a part of it and this means we often have the power to | | | |alter structures, which we are operating. | | | | | | | |How can such controlling structures be recognised? | | | | | | | |Characteristic pattern of order buildup and decline at each position, | | | |amplified in intensity as you move upstream from retailers to breweries. | | | | | | |Each position goes through an inventory-backlog cycle: first there is | | | |insufficient inventory and then there is too much. | | | | | | | |Assumptions of an external cause (e. g. the other players or the | | |Think of examples in your |customer) are characteristics of non-systemic thinking. | |organisations where you can apply | | | |these principles. When we feel: |How would such knowledge help us to be more successful in a complex | | |Too much work? |system – redefining your scope of influence? | | |Not enough information? | | | |Too many changes? |Each player adopts the simplest ordering policy possible – simply place | | |Not able to manage changes? |new orders equal to ord ers he received. When this strategy is followed | | |Someone is unfair to you? unswervingly by all the players, all positions settle into stability by | | |Customers are demanding? |Week 11. The strategy may generate persistent backlogs (may not be | | | |practical in real life as it invites competitors to enter the market) | | | |but it eliminates the buildup and collapse in ordering and the | | | |associated wild-swings in inventories. In 75% of teams that play the | | | |game, the â€Å"no strategy† position have a lower total cost. | | |Most players see their job as â€Å"managing their position† in isolation | | | |from the rest of the system. What is required is to see how their | | | |position interacts with the larger system – your influence is broader | | | |than simply of your own position. | | | |You pay close attention to own inventory, costs, backlog, orders, etc. | | | |(events).You respond to new orders by shipping out beer. What this | | | |view misses, is the ways that your order influences your supplier’s | | | |behaviour. Which in turn might influence yet another supplier’s | | | |behaviour. For example, if they place a large number of orders, they | | | |can wipe out their supplier’s inventory, thereby causing their | | | |supplier’s delivery delay to increase.If they then respond by placing | | | |still more orders, they create a â€Å"vicious cycle† that increases problems| | | |throughout the system (see below). Players that share the systems | | | |viewpoint tends to win – in order for you to succeed others must succeed| | | |as well. | | | | | | | |Causal Diagram of effect of systemic structure downstream & delays | | | |upstream | | | | | | | | | | |(see overleaf) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |What do you believe to be the causes |This is a good point to introduce learning disabilities and our ways of | | |of these problems? thinking in an organization: | | | | | | | |Fixation on events – Each player focuses on events giving very little | | | |power to alter the course of events at a structural or strategic levels. | | | |I am my position – because they â€Å"became their positions†, people do not | | | |see how their own actions affect the other positions. | | |The enemy is out there – The game reveals the problems originate in | | | |basic ways of our thinking and interacting, more than in peculiarities | | | |of organisations and policy. Often when problems arise, people quickly | | | |blame each other – â€Å"the enemy† becomes the players at the other | | | |positions, or even the organization structure and polices and/or | | | |customers. | | |The illusion of taking charge – when they get â€Å"proactive† and place more| | | |orders, they make matters worse. | | | |The pa rable of the boiled frog – because their overordering builds up | | | |gradually, they don’t realise the direness of their situation until its | | | |too late. | | | |Delusion of learning from experience – by and large they don’t learn | | | |from their experiences because the most important consequences of their | | |actions occur elsewhere in the system, eventually coming back to create | | | |the very problems they blame on others. | | | |The Myth of the Management Team – the teams running the different | | | |positions become consumed with blaming the other players for their | | | |problems, precluding any opportunity to learn from each others’ | | | |experience. | | |What could we do to potentially change|Analysis using Levels of Perspective tool: | | |the behaviour observed in the game? Espoused Vision: Everybody working as a team | | | |Vision-in-Use: I am my position | | |Check-up the Vision-Deployment Matrix. |Systemic Structure-in -use: No communications, minimising losses for | | | |one’s position and overanticipating the orders | | | |Patterns-in-use: Are not able to meet orders in time and having to deal | | | |with delayed productions and over-doers in the long-run. | | | |Events: Is constantly reacting leading to frustrations and burnouts in | | | |the long-run. | | |Desired Systemic Structure: First, wait patiently for the beer that you | | | |have ordered but because of the delay, it has not yet arrived. Second, | | | |don’t panic. It takes discipline to contain the overwhelming urge to | | | |order more when backlogs are building and your customers are screaming. | | | |Without the discipline, you and everyone will suffer. Third, assume a | | | |†No strategy† approach can actually work. | | |Shift in prevailing assumption of what is required of us for creating | | | |fundamentally different organisations; from: | | | |Firstly, a perspective of â€Å"the system we are trying to change is out | | | |there and we (as change agents) are trying to fix it† to â€Å"we and the | | | |system are inextricably linked together†. | | | |Secondly, a perspective of serving the team rather than the â€Å"individual†| | | |is who counts here; watch out for Number One! | SUPPLIES CHECKLIST PER TEAM: |3 TEAMS |4 TEAMS |5 TEAMS |6 TEAMS | |Game Board |3 |4 |5 |6 | |Single Chips |600 |840 |960 |1200 | |Ten Chips |90 |120 |150 |150 | |Customer Deck (1) |3 |4 |5 |6 | |Order Slips (200) |600 |800 |1000 |1200 | |Graphs (4) |12 |16 |20 |25 | |Record Sheets (4) |12 |16 |20 |25 | |Pencils (4) |12 |16 |20 |25 | |Calculators (4) |12 |16 |20 |24 | |PER SESSION: |Masking Tape | |Four-color markers per team | |Magic Markers | |Debriefing Book | |Flip Charts | |Either white board to hold charts for each organization or space on a blank wall | |Previous game graphs | |Table set ups | [B]- Items are not available with the game set. Please provide required sets. [I] - Items are not available with the game set. Please make required number of copies. MOCK GAME BOARD [pic] Table 1: Cost of Inventory and Backlog Team Name: _______________________ Circle your position:WholesalerRetailerDistributorFactory Wk | | |INV 1 = | |This week's order from customer: _____ |This week's order from customer: _____ | |last week's backlog: + _____ |last week's backlog: + _____ | |total orders to ship: = _____ |total orders to ship: = _____ |this week's shipments: – _____ |this week's shipments: – _____ | |this week's backlog: = _____ |this week's backlog: = _____ | |This week's order from customer: _____ |This week's order from customer: _____ | |last week's backlog: + _____ |last week's backlog: + _____ | |total orders to ship: = _____ |total orders to ship: = _____ | |this week's shipments: – _____ |this week's shipments: – _____ | |this week's backlog: = _____ |this week's backlog: = _____ | |This week's order from customer: _____ |This week's order from customer: _____ | |last week's backlog: + _____ |last week's backlog: + _____ | |total orders to ship: = _____ |total orders to ship: = _____ | |this week's shipments: – _____ |this week's shipments: – _____ | |this week's backlog: = _____ |this week's backlog: = _____ | |This week's order from customer: _____ |This week's order from customer: _____ | |last week's backlog: + _____ |last week's backlog: + _____ | |total orders to ship: = _____ |total orders to ship: = _____ | |this week's shipments: – _____ |this week's shipments: – _____ | |this week's backlog: = _____ |this week's backlog: = _____ | Graph 1: My Inventory (including Backlog) Team Name: _______________________ [pic] Graph 2: My Orders Team Name: _______________________ [pic] Graph 3: My perception of orders by customer Team Name: _______________________ [pic] The Beer Distribution Game An Annotated Bibliography Covering its History and Use in Education and Research Prepared by John D. Sterman Sloan School of Management Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA 02139 (617) 253-1951 (voice); (617) 253-6466 (fax); [email  protected] edu (email) April 1992; revised July 1992 The Beer Distribution Game dates to the earliest days of system dynamics.The game has been used for three decades as an introduction to systems thinking, dynamics, cumputer simulation, and management. It has been played by thousands of people, all over the world, from high-school students to CEOs of major corporations. The references below provide useful information for those who want to follow up the experience of the game. These works describe the history of the game, the equations for simulating the game on a computer, the success of organizational change efforts based on the original model embodied in the game, the psychological processes people use when playing, and even how these processes can produce chaos. * ? Forrester, J. W. (1958) Industria l Dynamics: A Major Breakthrough for Decision Makers.Harvard Business Review, 36(4), July/August, 37-66. The first asrticle in the field of system dynamics. Presents the production-distribution system as an example of dymanic analysis of a business problem. Reprinted in Roberts (1978). ? Forrester, J. W. (1961) Industrial Dynamics. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Contains a description of an early version of the Beer Distribution Game ? MacNeil-Lehrer Report, (1989) Risky Business – Business Cycles, Video, Public Broadcasting System, aired 23 October 1989. Videotape showing students in John Sterman's Systems Dymanics course at MIT playing and discussing the Beer Game. Relates the game to boom and bust cycles in the real world.Excellent in debriefing the game, and helpful to those seeking to learn how to run the game. Copies available from System Dynamics Group, E60-383, MIT, Cambridge MA 02139. ? Mosekilde, E. , E. R. Larsen & J. D. Sterman (1991). Coping with complexity: Determini stic Choas in human decision making bahavior. In J. L. Casti & A. Karlqvist (Eds. ), Beyond Belief: Randomness, Prediction, and Explanation in Science, 199-229. Boston:CRC Press Shows how simple and reasonable decision rules for playing the Beer Game may produce strange nonlinear phenomena, including deterministic chaos. ? Radzicki, M. (1991). Computer-based beer game boards. Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Dept. f Soc Sci and Policy Studies, Worcester, Ma 01609-2280 Beer game boards in PICT format for Macintosh computers available on disk for $5. 00; all proceeds go to the System Dynamics Society. ? Thomsen, J. S. , E. Mosekilde, & J. D. Sterman (1992). Hyperchaotic Phenomena in Dynamic Decision Making. Systems Analysis and Modelling Simulation, forthcoming. Extends earlier papers by Moskilde, Sterman, et al. to examine hyperchaotic modes in which the behavior of the beer distribution system may switch chaotically among several different chaotic attractors (for afficionados, †Å"hyperchaos† exists when a dynamical system contains multiple positive Lyapunov exponents). ? Roberts, E. B. , ed. (1978) Managerial Applications of System Dynamics.Cambridge, MA: Productivity Press. Excellent anthology of early-applied system dynamics work in organizations, including analysis of efforts to implement the results of the model which led to the Beer Game. ? Senge, P. (1990) The Fifth Discipline. New York: Doubleday. Excellent non-technical discussion of the Beer Game, and systems thinking principles generally. ? Sterman, J. D. (1984). Instructions for Running the Beer Distribution Game. D-3679, System Dynamics Group, MIT, E60-383, Cambridge, MA 02139. Explains how to run and debrief the Beer Game, including layout of boards, set up, play, and discussion. Incorporates debriefing notes by Peter Senge.Some people have found this document, in conjunction with the MacNeil/Lehrer video and plenty of practice, is sufficient to enable them to lead the game successfully. ? Sterman, J. D. (1988). Modeling Managerial Behavior: Misperceptions of Feedback in a Dynamic Decision Making Experiemnt. Management Science, 35(3), 321-339. Detailed analysis of Beer Game results. Examines why people do so poorly in the Beer Game. Proposes and tests a model of the decision making processes people use when playing the game and shows why they do so badly. Additional information on systems dynamics, including publications, simulation games, management flight simulators, journals, etc. is available from John Sterman at the address above. *If you know of additional publications which discuss aspects of the game not ncluded in this bibliography please send a copy to John Sterman at the address above so they can be incorporated in future releases of this bibliography. ———————– [1] Order fulfilled Cost Storage] Total Inventory Balance(w=t) = Inventory Balance(w=t-1) + New Inventory Received(w=t) [2] Balance Inventor y After fulfilling Order(w=t) = Total Inventory Balance (w=t) – Order Fulfilled (w=t) [3] Cumm Backlog (w=t) = New Backlog (w=t) + Unfulfilled Cumm Backlog(w=t-1) ———————– Reta

International Trade Operations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

International Trade Operations - Essay Example ed many individual countries lowering the customs tariffs and other trade barriers resulting in the opening of new market opportunities for the operations of the trade. This opens new business prospects for the organizations dealing in the international business operations as it might prove favorable for Content Cow Dairy, Inc as well. Along with this, WTO always intends to implement the trade rules, policies and regulations in an appropriate manner based on the specifications of the countries thereby maintaining the transparency in the operations of the business. Along with this, WTO also tries to resolve the disputes associated amid trade relationships with the help of its varied rules and policies so as to ensure the free flowing of the business processes. This in turn enhances the satisfaction level and the reliability of the people over WTO. Apart from this, WTO also enhances and sustains the trading opportunities thereby improving the revenue of the countries (World Trade Organ ization, 2012). Hence, as WTO plays an essential part in trade related functions, these details are mandatory for you, in order to expand the business functions. Disputes are referred to as disregarding promises according to WTO. A dispute mainly arises when a country accepts a particular trade policy or acquires certain actions which are considered to be inappropriate by one or more fellow WTO members on the basis of the agreements. The procedure of settling the disputes in WTO is the responsibility of the Dispute Settlement Body, which comprises of all its expert members. WTO’s Dispute Settlement Body also includes certain stages which include consultation comprising of at least 60 days. Prior taking any actions, both the countries are asked to make mutual settlement of the dispute... The conclusion from this review states that the news of international expansion of Content Cow Dairy, Inc in order to enhance its reputation and brand image is one of the significant ideas which is highly appreciable. Notably, before expansion of the business dealing in dairy products in the market of Egypt, it is essential to obtain brief details about World Trade Organization (WTO) and its operations in the current structure of global markets. This is mandatory because many organizations dealing in the agricultural products are also highly penalized by WTO, thereby, increasing the tariffs, which rather proved detrimental for the business. The World Trade Organization (WTO) intends to manage and ease the global trade operations. The WTO is the only worldwide international association dealing with the policies and the rules of trade relationships existing amid two or more nations. At the heart are the accords of WTO, discussed and signed by the entire mass of the world’s tradi ng nations. Thus, WTO is an organization where the associated members of the government attempt to solve the global trade related issues so as to ease the operations. Industrialization is the procedure of social and economic alteration that transforms the trade relations of the country. As a result of the development of new expertise, skills and techniques, the knowledge of the human beings are also improving resulting in the augmentation of the international trade operations.

Gender and the Workforce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Gender and the Workforce - Essay Example Gender and the Workforce In the following paragraphs an attempt has been made to analyze the unequal distribution of labor between the genders associated with unemployment, wage gaps and workplace discrimination that are at a much aggravated level in UK than in US, though the socio-economic implications are more or less the same. Workplace discrimination is more pronounced in UK than in the US, where gender segregation in profession is attributed to the preferences of women for more flexible female dominated sectors. In US occupational segregation is somewhat countered by gender crossovers in professions, which is not a common trend in UK. Thus, the origins for such gender based disparity are evidently distinct due to the subtle socio-cultural differences between the workforces of two countries. This interplay between gender and the workforce largely regulates the fulcrum of the eternal demand - supply balance in the labor market, thereby assisting in the economic growth of a country. An unequal distribution of workforces due to differences in gender issues is liable to create disparity in employment standards leading to professional inactivity in the society. This does have serious implications in the demand aspect of the contemporary labor market, which can further be aggravated under the present recessionary conditions. The paper aims to focus on this grave situation resulting from a widespread economic inequality due to gender bias.The participation and wage gap based on gender differences are seen to adverse effects on the overall socio-economic balance of US and UK that are prone to inflict projected imbalances in a global scale. In view of the present job market perturbations, there is indeed a need for making a firm stand on a much stabler platform with newer princip les, rectified vision and modern outlook through legislation, organization, litigation and proper evaluation to generate employments based on the facets of equality. The question of gender is an important aspect of any structured analysis determined to feature the socio-economic condition of a system. By system we indicate the interdependent circle of people and institutions defining a state, or a commune, or even the existing global setting. The social distinction based on class, gender, race and other pertinent strata are regulated as per the directives of the system ultimately defining its manifesto leading to far fetched effects having socio-economic implications. Differences in gender result in a disparity in the levels of socio-economic utilization and employment benefits in a functional system. As a matter of fact, the question of gender gap on the state of employment has been dealt in a number of popular literary sources. The main issues that need to be addressed are the effects of the division of labor between sexes, the implication of gender based discrimination on wages and the consequences occupational segregation based on gender dist inction. But the effect of gender bias on unemployment is an issue that has been singled out in most contemporary arguments. Let us start our argument with a hard fact - the Labor Statistics Bureau in US created more than 8.3 million allocations for employment since August 2003 out of which almost 1.5 million jobs created over the next one year ceased to exist. (Associated Content, 2008) The picture has not much improved since then and more jobs are going into oblivion with each passing day.

Multi National Companies- Boon or bane of globalization PowerPoint Presentation

Multi National Companies- Boon or bane of globalization - PowerPoint Presentation Example On one hand poverty remains as it is and on the other global corporate giants make their way commercially into poor nations. The second and third pictures show the outcome of Vogue photo shoot in India where the luxury brands are put on the poor people on the streets of New Delhi who perhaps strive to arrange for two square meals a day. The concept behind the advertisement is that the expensive fashion brands might wish to make this section of people their customers some day. This would be a far-fetched idea to come true and more than that it is ethically incorrect to put such contrasting scenarios in the photos. The photos also capture the attempt at forced westernization in the fashion industry. This is not only concerning the textiles segment but also other industries like sports and machineries. A burning question thus emerges whether multi-national corporations that is to globalization as white pigeon to peace is a boon or curse to the world? In what ways MNCs have affected glob alization? The multi-national corporations might be considered as the harbinger of globalization. A multi-national corporation is a firm that has its assets spread over many other countries along with its country of origin. In terms of the size; these firms are huge and some of them has turnover that might overshadow the GDP of a developing or less developed country. Ironically much like its parental body globalization; multi-national corporations are surrounded with much debate. In what ways do MNCs affect national governments? The classical and new classical economists consider globalization as a boon to society and votes against government intervention. As multi-national corporations are the direct product of globalization that consider the world as a borderless playing field and strongly depend on market force; hence an indirect support towards multi-national corporations can be drawn from the classical and neo classical economists. On the other hand the radical economists from Marxist clan always referred globalization and free market mechanism biased towards the haves and hence for a just social allocation supported government intervention. Little or no support can be found from the Marxist and Keynesians regarding multi-national corporations. If a national government becomes heavily dependent upon the FDI then inefficiency might creep up into its revenue accumulation system. All its development expenditure might then become dependent on FDI and if the MNC decides not to invest in the concerned nation all might collapse rapidly. Again at the worst a nexus of bribery might form between the government official and the multi national corporation that will again result in inefficient allocation of resources. As many MNCs have higher level of revenue than the GDP of developing and less developed countries hence if it withdraws its fund invested in a country and other MNCs follow suit then in no time it will bring a catastrophe to the concerned countryi. What are some of the potential positive consequences of this rising power of MNCs? The arguments favoring multi-national corporation stresses on its huge capital power that a country may take advantage if that multi-national corporation invest in that country. This is especially important if that country belongs to the developing or less developed clan. Since unemployment is a huge problem in those countries, hence fresh investments by the multi-national

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Leaders, History and Political Science - Article Example This paper outlines that the world is shifting from gigantic entity where every part was seen as separate to the other into a more interlinked entity through economic globalization and through the influence of transnational political organization and growth of population. Liberation on the other hand is actually the contrast of realism in that it sees both state and non-state actors as significant. It also views the international associations’ implications to define the performance not only of great powers but also of minimal powers. According to liberalism, states are disaggregated into entities where some of them functions trans-nationally.  This study declares that  women are still mistreated in different societies in the world today.   Distinctions between individuals with any given state or culture are much superior to differences between groups. Social standing, education, personality, past experience, belief structure, affection shown in the home and countless of other factors will influence human behavior and culture. For example in African cultures, women must stay home and perform all the house chores. There was also a belief that if the husband do not beat his wife, then he does not love her that much. This means that women were frequently beaten and mistreated without any form of defense because people believed that it was a sign of love therefore, there was no need of intervention. India has the men marrying women but   it is interesting to note that it is women who pay dowry instead of men.... A good example of such is the US policy toward Venezuela. The Venezuela President Chavez was bitter with US due to their denial to include Venezuela and other countries in America into United States (Restrepo 33). In fact, the whole of Venezuela was bitter and resentful with the US and that contributed to Venezuela president Chavez to make democracy in the country an intimidating influence to other people. He begun harassing the citizens of the country as a why to show his anger. However, US had to come in, its policy towards Venezuela was that democracy, and the leaders of the country should practice equitability (Shifter 71). In other words, every citizen in the country deserved equitability and democracy not harassment and enslavement. Therefore, it was individual leader; President Chavez who determined the content of US foreign policy to Venezuela (Restrepo 64). The same happened to Syria where US policy towards Syria was elimination of Assad from power due to his dictatorship an d unusual elimination of citizens particularly the University students who protested for murder of their colleague. However, this case was different in that the citizens of Syria supported United States’ policy over President Assad while in Venezuela; the citizens supported President Chavez although he denied them democracy (Shifter 82). 2. Compare and contrast the traditional Realist view of National Security and the Liberal view of Human Security. Are these two views always in contradiction to each other or could they be complimentary? In your opinion, which view of security should be paramount? The traditional realist view of national security is that the state is the main actor

Threats Of Electronic Money Transfer Research Paper

Threats Of Electronic Money Transfer - Research Paper Example To attain their objectives, terrorist require financial resources and easy fund transfer transactions to carry out their acts of terror. In this regard, the terrorist has found the Internet the most convenient way for the purpose of communication and coordination with their partners locating in other parts of the world; additionally, they send and receive their funds via using electronic means. This challenge can be minimized to a considerable extent but it can never be wished away totally. In this regard, the role of Central Banks is of critical importance. In the subsequent part of this paper, first, electronic money transfer is defined and is followed by a threat of misuse of this channel by terrorist and international criminal groups. Before conclusion, some suggestions are accounted for to minimize this illegal use of the Internet.An electronic payment system involves the services of many elements. A payment system is identified as the interactions between various subjects and i s made of numerous elements. Among these various elements, system participants, the infrastructure of the system, and the instruments facilitating the transfer of monetary value between different users are the significant elements.Traditionally, we had two parties facilitating fund transfer from one place to another- sender and receiver. Most of the time, funds were transferred with the use of non-electronic means. Paper-based money transfer transactions were common from one financial to another financial institution.... For that purpose, they can go to any extent. To attain their objectives, terrorist require financial resources and easy fund transfer transactions to carry out their acts of terror. In this regard, terrorist have found the Internet the most convenient way for the purpose of communication and coordination with their partners locating in other parts of the world; additionally, they send and receive their funds via using electronic means. This challenge can be minimized to a considerable extent but it can never be wished away totally. In this regard, the role of Central Banks is of critical importance. In the subsequent part of this paper, first, electronic money transfer is defined and is followed by a threat of misuse of this channel by terrorist and international criminal groups. Before conclusion, some suggestions are accounted for to minimize this illegal use of the Internet. An electronic payment system involves the services of many elements. A payment system is identified as the interactions between various subjects and is made of numerous elements. Among these various elements, system participants, the infrastructure of system, and the instruments facilitating the transfer of monetary value between different users are the significant elements(Merlonghi, 2010). Traditionally, we had two parties facilitating fund transfer from one place to another- sender and receiver. Most of the time, funds were transferred with the use of non-electronic means. For that purpose, paper based money transfer transactions were common from one financial to another financial institution. Besides, in paper based transaction time and cost were comparatively more than the costs involved via using electronic way of fund transfer. Due to these facts, the entire system

International management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 2

International management - Essay Example The organizations worldwide face a number of challenges when they decide to go global. This is a common problem that they face since they do not have any prior knowledge or understanding of the new territory that they will do their business from. However, what best they can do is to find out and research the strengths and weaknesses of this area and hence upon getting the much-needed knowledge, base their theories and strategies in a much more effective and efficient manner. This will help one and all to better understand what the new territory, region or country offers the business and the people associated with it. The best thing is that the benefits and disadvantages are determined even before the organization goes the global way and thus it saves itself from embarrassment which it might face without having the proper knowledge and adequate research within it. The ways and means that are usually taken care of whilst managing a business are aplenty and it is only up to the top mana gement within a company that the same can be handled in several different methods. They are the ones to decide as to what is the real manner in which the firm’s operations would be handled as well as who will head the respective departments, lead the business strategic units and act as legal and media representatives of the said business.

Environmental politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Environmental politics - Essay Example â€Å"Environmental politics examines the evolution of environmental movements and parties, it provides analysis of the making and implementation of public policy in the area of the environment at international, national and local levels† (Environmental Politics) There are so many different laws agreed between different countries to protect environment. Kyoto protocol and Montreal protocol are international agreements signed by most of the countries. At the same time the sincerity of these countries in implementing Kyoto protocol and Montreal protocol is suspicious. Most of the countries are blaming others for their own failures in implementing the environmental protection treaties. Implementation of these environmental protection treaties may result in some economic losses to a country. In short, â€Å"The lack of progress on tackling climate change internationally is due to states economic interests†. This paper analyzes environment politics and the commitments and sincerity of the countries in tackling the climate change problems. According to Sprinz, & Vaahtoranta (1994), â€Å"States are not equally affected by atmospheric pollution†(Sprinz, & Vaahtoranta, p. 79). One of the major problems associated with environmental pollution is the fact that some countries were victimized by other countries. We can fix boundaries for our country with respect to the land, we can conserve our land properties from any kind of intrusions; however, it is difficult to block the intrusion of toxic gases from other countries. In other words, even if we are sincere in protecting our environment, it is not necessary that our efforts would be completely successful because of the intrusion of polluted air from our neighboring countries. It is quite possible that those countries which are more responsible for environmental problems may escape from the consequences whereas their neighbors may suffer from that. â€Å"A victim country A, that is, a country that is

Outsourcing or Exporting America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Outsourcing or Exporting America - Essay Example The continued heated debate on outsourcing’s pros and cons have affected one of the pillars of American journalism, a CNN host and anchor, Lou Dobbs, on his strong contention that America has been embarking on selling jobs to other countries at the detriment of the American people. In an article written by Dobbs entitled â€Å"Exporting America: false choices† published in the CNNMoney on the 10th of March 2004, he openly countered the criticisms allegedly directed at him by his colleagues in the media industry. Several known and prominent journalists and media men were revealed to attack Dobbs’ views on exporting American jobs: â€Å"Gerard Baker of the Financial Times, An editorial in the Economist magazine, Daniel Henninger of the Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post columnist James Glassman† (Dobbs pars. 1-4). The detractors argued that Dobbs views that â€Å"outsourcing American jobs is neither sound, smart, humane nor in the national interestâ⠂¬  were preposterous, absurd, extremely protectionist and highly sensationalist. In support of Dobbs arguments, the most viable and credible contentions were the information that acknowledged the continued reflection of trade deficits in the country for more than three decades, actually, starting in 1980 (Crooks). This fact, in conjunction with information provided by Torrance who reviewed the ill-effects of outsourcing, to wit: â€Å"income levels are frozen and cannot compete with inflation. Workers lose leverage to negotiate fair wage increases or promotion. Foreign employment policies, such as minimum wage, and working conditions differ. Businesses who are outsourcing can set a minimum wage in developing countries that would never be accepted as a minimum wage in America† (Torrance par. 6). At the same token, Davidson, a guest columnist for FinalCall.com News, wrote in an article entitled â€Å"The outsourcing of America’s jobs†, one year before Dobbs†™ article was published, that the controversial nature of outsourcing jobs has been eminent and his citing another written discourse revealed that: â€Å"In an article that appeared in the August 1, 2003 edition of the Kansas City Star, Shashank Bengali suggested that the goal of a growing number of American companies is to outsource customer-service work to India, as a result of India’s low wages, thriving high-tech sector and annual output of two million English-speaking college graduates. A study by Forrester Research, a technology consulting group, estimates that 3.3 million white-collar service jobs will be outsourced to places like China, Russia and the Philippines—but more than half will go to India† (Davidson par. 7). The U.S. Census Bureau has divulged statistics that reveal continued greater imports of the U.S. of Indian goods, as compared to exports of American goods, which could be traced consistently with the outsourcing data abovementioned (U.S. Census Bureau). More alarming are the statistics cited by Otterman in her discourse that indicates the following facts: â€Å"Boston-based consultancy Forrester estimates that 400,000 service jobs have been lost to offshoring since 2000, with jobs leaving at a rate of 12,000 to 15,000 per month†¦By 2015, Forrester predicts, roughly 3.3 million service jobs will have moved offshore, including 1.7 million "back office" jobs such as payroll processing and accounting, and 473,000 jobs in

Motivation Project Essay Example for Free

Motivation Project Essay The drive to achieve goals is being motivated. Motivational theories are the processes to reach those goals. Being a new student in Caitlin’s situation is difficult. Catlin seems like she could be doing better. She isn’t pushing herself to her fullest. She lacks the desire to. Caitlin lacks a few of the things required for self-actualization; per her situation she is in she lacks a lot of motivation. She needs to find something worth achieving the grade for. She hasn’t achieved all the spots on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs; achievement motivation and neither intrinsic nor extrinsic motivation apply. Caitlin seems to have only hit a few points on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs chart. She lacks self-actualization, esteem and love/belonging. She doesn’t seem to know herself. She seems to be distracted given her situation. Physiological and safety she appears to have. She has to have physiological and safety she seems to have achieved. She lacks three out of five levels on the hierarchy of needs given her current situation. She lacks achievement motivation. There is nothing motivating her to achieve her goals in her world history class. Her life situation has her down regarding everything It is causing her to be distracted and she doesn’t have a way to be motivated to achieve her goals. She isn’t intrinsic motivated because she doesn’t seem to realize that there is a reason to achieve better than a c. She also doesn’t have extrinsic motivation because she is living a rough life. She doesn’t feel like she can achieve anything better. There is nothing either outside or inside of her that could push her to do better at his moment. I would say try and help her. Caitlin needs a friend. She is living in the next to impossible situation no that no one going to school wants to live. She is a new student and her parents are divorced. Her world has exploded for the average school age girl. She needs to know that she can trust you as her teacher. She needs to feel that you’re there and willing to help her with her both outside and inside academic issues. If she knows you’re willing to help with both then maybe she’ll better motivated to achieve higher grades. She needs a friend. Everybody needs to know they can trust their teacher. A healthy learning environment is the best thing that could be created for children.

Cartoon Saloon Organisational Structure

Cartoon Saloon Organisational Structure 1.a. History Cartoon Saloon is an animation studio, based in Kilkenny city, Ireland, formed in 1999 by three college friends Paul Young, Tomm Moore and Nora Twomey. They produce shorts, feature films and TV series that are very popular in Ireland and worldwide. Cartoon Saloon became internationally famous after their two Academy Awards, BAFTA and Oscar nominations for their feature films The Secret of Kells and Song of the Sea. Their award winning show Puffin Rock is currently being broadcast around the world: UK (NickJr), Ireland (RTE), Australia, Sweden, Iceland, Norway and Denmark, and has exclusively premiered on Netflix globally including the U.S. and Canada. Cartoon Saloon partner with a lot of international artists and companies to tell new unique stories on the screen. Recently they have joined forces with the Canadian company Mercury Filmworks to create a new full service animation studio that will be based in Kilkenny, Ireland and will create 140 new jobs in the region. Company type  Animation studio Industry  Media Entertainment Products  Animated feature films TV series Commercials Short films Illustration Design Size  around 70 permanent employees AddressThe Maltings, Tilbury Place, James Street, Kilkenny, Ireland. Webwww.cartoonsaloon.ie     Ã‚   Cartoon Saloon is a Private Sector Organisation. It has three officially registered companies under its name: The Cartoon Saloon LTD (set up in 2000, 4 shareholders), Cartoon Saloon Production LTD (set up in 2013) and Cartoon Saloon Brand Development LTD (set up in 2015). All are Private Limited Companies By Shares. 1.b. Description of 4 departments in Cartoon Saloon Companys department structure can be divided into two main sectors: PRODUCTION and MANAGEMENT. Management sector include all departments that support the work of the Production Department. Production Department Production department in the animation studio has the prevalent numbers of employees and is in charge of the whole process of creating visual products (films, series, commercials, illustrations etc.) and include: Pre-production, Production and Post-production processes. Pre-production is a stage when the team comes up with a concept and genre, develops a story, creates a storyboard and sketches layouts, chooses camera angles and prepares all pieces to start the Production process. Production itself include such activities as drawing, creating illustrations, texturing, colouring, shading, lighting, voice and music recording, sound effects etc. based on the guidelines established in the Pre-production stage. And the final Post-production step of film creation is when everything is being brought together: music and voice combined with the graphics, scenes being cut and the whole film being edited. Main functions of Production Department: Creating an idea for a future product Writing a script Drawing a storyboard Developing Layouts Voice and music recording Drawing/illustrating/colouring/shading/lighting Direction and coordination of all processes mentioned above Administration Department Administration department links all sectors in the organization together, maintain the smooth flow of information from one part to another and supports activity and processes happening in the office so the work to be fast, efficient and professional. Main functions of Administration Department: Reception duties Purchasing office supplies and machines, maintaining it in working order Storage control Dealing with incoming and outgoing correspondence Meetings organisation Record keeping, filing, processing data Business trips organisation Marketing department Marketing department in the company carries out essential market analysis and promotional support for the product. To get and stay on the top in such a variable sphere where its hard sometimes to predict people preferences and market flows, to come up with new and unique ideas that will meet and elicit the right public response, marketing team should be extremely sensitive to media trends and constantly study social media channels. Main functions of Marketing Department: Market research Media and PR Product licensing Promotion and Sales coordination Search for investors IT Department IT department is responsible for the technical support of the office. These are a lot of special software, cameras and workstation computers being used in the Production department of the animation studio that need specific knowledge from the IT team. Main functions of IT Department: Technical support and problem solutions Software research and development Network security Data storage management 1.c. Organisational chart and typical duties for 2 selected jobs Cartoons Saloons company structure consists of 5 main levels: Shareholders, Board of Directors, Managing Director, Departments and their Employees. *See the next page for Organisational Chart Picture. Among the large number of team members, there are following workers: CARTOONIST (PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT) a visual artist who specialises in drawing animation (cartoons). Knows how to operate special computer software, can work in many formats and basic duties include creation of: Animation Short films Booklets Graphic design Illustrations Posters Advertisements Motion pictures or computer animated films PR MEDIA MANAGER (MARKETING AND PR DEPARTMENT) is responsible for external communication activity of the company and duties include: Press communication activity Social media activity Building and maintaining the good image of the company Planning publicity campaigns Writing presentations and press releases Organising press conferences, exhibitions, open days and visits Speaking publicly at interviews, presentations and press conferences Media coverage analysis Relevant market research 2. Administration functions of an office and 3 pieces of equipment used to carry out these functions. Office of the studio is a big living organism that needs all processes inside to be synchronised, linked and maintained. To organise this and progress as a business administrative work is very important. Administration functions of an office include: Financial planning Record keeping, filing and billing Collection and storage of the data Personnel supervision Physical distribution and logistics Holidays calendar planning Storage control Purchase Supervision of support staff Office equipment maintenance Meeting the clients Phone calls and direct mail handling Dealing with complaints and solving problems Equipment that helps to do these duties: Computers modern computers allow employees to do much more tasks than before: to insert, edit and store the data, to plan and organise work using dairies and other helpful software, to faster communicate via e-mail, corporate chats etc., produce complicated documents, charts, presentations and so on. Smart phones gadgets that combine phone and computer functions, so worker can do most of the office tasks being away: check the calendar or e-mail, take photos at the factory and send them to the head office straight away, to take notes and see stock changes, simple videoconferencing etc. Copiers new machines allow you to copy, enlarge and scan the documents, along with the functions of a fax, network printer, can produce black or color copies. 3. Key aims and objectives of 3 pieces of workplace legislation. EQUALITY ACT 2004 This act regulates relationship between people in terms of prevention of discrimination by race, age, religion, gender and sexual orientation, marital and family status, disability or being a member of Traveller community at the work place. Replaced the version of year 1998. For example, this act forbids publishing job offers that specify particular gender and age. As well as person cant be refused on the job position only by reason being a member of the Traveller community or a certain church. PROTECTION OF EMPLOYMENT ACT 2012 (TEMPORARY AGENCY WORK) This act regulates equal treatment of temporary agency workers and directly hired personnel in organisations by working times and rest periods, night work, public holidays, annual leaves and wages. Though the right for equal salary came in action in the end of the 2011. For example, being hired by Cartoon Salloon temporary from the agency for a specific project going cant oblige you to work weekends or public holidays, or restrict you from having annual leave. NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE ACT 2000 Regulates National Minimum Wage level. Since January 2017 the National Minimum Wage is  ¬9.25 per hour for an experienced adult worker. The rate is lower if employee is under 18 or in the first two years of work straight after turning 18 years, also minimum level is lower for workers in a course of study or training. All employees, including part time, full time and temporary are covered by this act with the exception of close relatives of the employer and certain apprentices. Not following these legal acts is a criminal offence. Cartoon Saloon Company employs staff from all over the world and constantly hires people for different projects on the temporary basis. So knowing and following these acts is especially essential for the company. REFERENCES Cartoon Saloon Official Web Site http://www.cartoonsaloon.ie/ Company Summary http://www.solocheck.ie/Irish-Company/The-Cartoon-Saloon-Limited-318348 Article http://www.merrionstreet.ie/en/allaboutjobs/Features-Articles/How_they_did_it_Cartoon_Saloon.html Interview with CEO http://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/drawing-new-inspiration-at-cartoon-saloon-1.2347507 Interview with managing director http://www.merrionstreet.ie/en/allaboutjobs/Features-Articles/How_they_did_it_Cartoon_Saloon.html Interview with CS 2005 http://totallydublin.ie/arts-culture/festival-features/offset-2015-interview-cartoon-saloon/ Business article http://www.irishexaminer.com/business/profits-rise-at-oscar-nominated-cartoon-saloon-434495.html Minimum Wage Rates in Ireland-the Minimalist Guide to the National Minimum Wage Act, 2000 http://employmentrightsireland.com/tag/national-minimum-wage-act-2000/

Sites Overview And Comparison Tourism Essay

Sites Overview And Comparison Tourism Essay 1: site A (Old Colliery ) its a disused site due to the wards acute and depravation, it requires considerable sterilisation of the premises and clean up the site before making any moves which will cost extra found to be invest out of the initial budget and also the site was used as a dump chemical site, transportation fluidity is extremely poor in this location when coming from Western District zone going toward the Eastern site of the district, and also the image of the site is likely to be seen as low restrict living environment and if considering the diminishment of green space in this locality where people are not willing to be staying in this low class environment where suitable housing accommodation are nowhere to be found. Now when highlighting the dump chemical on this site if taking an example of Fukushima in the recent year nuclear accident when focusing on the radio activity, we could easily underpin that radioactivity diminishes in time, so waste material is general insul ated and be stored for a time period until they no longer constitutes a danger, but might also depends on the kind of waste. For wastes at low level of instance having low levels of radiation per mass unit might have being stored for within hours or days while the advanced level must be retained for a year or longer. However its environmental problems could be numerous. Now going back in the time when taking this scenario of us compare to Landfills issue we could come across two distinct major issues about the dump chemical waste concerning the environment and these are the atmospheric effects and hydrological effects. Where most often the household cleaning chemicals thrown by the surrounding people of site, along with the old industrial sites in this area get accumulate and mix over the time, the mixture of chemicals like bleach from the surrounding household of the site produce toxic gases that can significantly impact the quality of air. A more immediate concern is for the welfa re of wildlife that comes in contact with these chemicals and it is not unusual to allow them to suffer being incredibly painful deaths from the chemical contamination. In conclusion we could tell that the environmental issues this District is not the appropriate place on where to build an NHS Hospital where physical treatment will be held, and over factor regarding the environment is that this site lacks of green space where the availability of green space is easy to be found on Dams Nature Reserve District. Aside from the various types of gases that can be created, formation of non-chemical contamination along with the dust may cause the atmosphere having impact in the air quality issue. http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Environmental_Problems:_Landfills 2: Site B (Dams Nature Reserve) has much opportunities as it is described in the report compare to the others site due to the fact that it gives way to the nearest railway station, buses service are available to be used on the site and can lead you travel from the Middle district site toward the Western site of the district, where the people around the site are well intellectual and professional which mushes the requirements of NHS entry careers portfolio which demands t to study for a recognised qualification for these professional staff member even though you can join NHS along with good GCSE and / or work experience in several of lower rank roles, as receptionist or porter from where you can build up qualifications and experience until you reach a senior role career, such as a laundry services supervisor. However the emplacement of Dams Nature Reserve meets the construction requirement, where the aim is to build a hospital in the Mid Southern District side which comes closer to th is district along with the golf park viewed as an attractive activity could draw the attention of people in the site. All the more its a well prestige site compared to the others districts. It will attract more visitors on the site for those coming to pay for the health service if the NHS is built on this site or any other activities around the site that could attract investor, these could be the non-clinical support services such as catering, cleaning, laundry and pottering all of these could be run with less educating people from the other district that will come working at Dams Nature Reserve, where return revenue can boost the economical density in the area. History revealed that in the 1900s Great Britain also allowed workers from foreign places to come due to the fact that Britain was short of labour force and this encourage economic growth for the country which could also be the case for Dams Nature Reserve to call up for the less skilled population in the others District. No w with the existence of green space around the hospital shore will be viewed as a positive mind set for the environment, because spaces provide habitat for a wide range of birds, fish, animals, insects and other organisms, while avoid soil erosion and absorbing the rain water, thereby improving the drainage. It enables recreational use, somewhere to play meditating collect, or rest. Green provides a sense of social location it possible to obtain social recognition reinforce the feeling of the relationship and family solidarity, can teach and lead others, the opportunity to thinking about the personal values and social support and the link between residents and the natural environment that surrounds it. permit the city more bearable which is crucial for a community to be sustainable. In every walk of life, green space draws people on the outside and promotes social interaction. Provides spaces in which people can get together and possibilities for positive social interaction and envi ronments. Studies have revealed that the residents in the vicinity of common green spaces had more social activities and more visitors, community gardens are beneficial to the specific health issues affecting the low-income communities in urban areas. Exhibition in green space reduces stress and increases a sense of well-being and belonging, as the buses pollute the air, where the use of green space is shown to absorb pollution from cars driven miles away per day it has also been shown to reduce the urban heat island effect, directly by shading heat absorbent surfaces, and indirectly through cooling evapotranspiration. It also helps reduce noise, by shields dense in trees and bushesand may even clean up partially treated waste water. Finally, a green area is an indicator of overall ecological health of the ecosystem. It comes to a significant step in assessing the ecological viability in the community of Dams Nature Reserve, which is found to be the most prosperous parts of all dist ricts. Why Protect Urban Green Space? 3: when taking into account the profile of district C (Derelict Woolen Mill Complex ), we come to understand that this part of the district also have good attribute on which its well considerable place to leave on. it location gives access to motorway and buses ride from middle woollen town, but as we are recommended to build an hospital that will best serve demands for people, especially in the Mid Southern District, where enough space for car park would not really be possible to build in the zone, is the traffic issue were when considering transportation connexion from the hospital to be and the link between the districts for the good functioning of the traffic within the district itself and its boundaries in order to increase the traffic in this area but will cost up to a quarter of any budget as its mentioned on the district profile while we are trying to focus on the NHS Trust Hospital budget rather than having extra found to be raised in the contract . we could extremely say th at its necessary to have much more roads to easily transfer people from one place to the others in case of emergency situation, while district B is more reliable and profitable for cars owners, public transport and others transportation facilities to move around compare to the rest of the districts . Now as every organisation or business fields we all aim to gain a positive return profit to satisfy our needs along with to meet the patients and visitors needs and requirement, however, there is not a competitive advantage opportunity of the economy in this area due to the fact that people are going jobless and also the others aspect that worries the team is the fact Derelict Woolen Mill Complex District is also seen as a depravation site. Justification and suggestion: When reading article about the three sites Old Colliery, Dams Nature Reserve and Derelict Woolen Mill Complex, weve understand that Old Colliery District in the past was use as a dumping site for chemical experiences where taking into account the radio activities in this area will not be suitable to establish an NHS Trust Hospital due to the fact of the air pollution and also the image of the site when it cannot attract investor to come establish themselves in this particular area of the district, moving on Derelict Woolen Mill Complex we deliberately see that the site has access to public transport with others good aspect but because its also hold the similar attribute of Old Colliery District when it comes to depravation and also because if having the NHS hospital in this locality it will be difficult for visitors to have access to car park. However, when analysing Dams Nature Reserve we came to conclude that its the suitable site on which we should invest on. our choice in that pa rticular site comes when comparing the three districts and their overall overview Dams Nature Reserve met the requirement needed to build the NHS Hospital on due to the fact that it has access to public transport and having a green space in itself which is highly important as a place where having a business activities and hospital around, Dams Nature Reserve District also leads you travel from the Middle district toward the Western district, where the NHS Trust Hospital is proposed to be in this particular map of the District SWOT PEST Analyses Strength: the strength of Dams Nature Reserve is that, its hold a green space environment as a park recreation for people to be coming and have a fresh moment of rest, while the district itself is the most prosperous site compare the rest of them, it has access to public transport and the reputation of the district comes with intellectual and professional people as with a good living environment compared to Derelict Woolen Mill Complex. Weakness: thinking of the weakness of Dams Nature Reserve comes with the Specialist Scientific Interest and the absence of water and also the wildlife activist. Opportunity: the opportunity of building the NHS Trust Hospital will again come to reinforce the economical aspect of the district itself and also permit the workforce from the others district to get themselves a job opportunity, while the Hospital itself will also meets the demand for the local and surrounding population. Threats: in this scenario we could see the threats as the wildlife group and environmental opposition to come into an accord on how to cope with this issue in order to establish the NHS Hospital in the District. Political In the political aspect of this task we understand that Hilary Thompson ought to push forward the coming of this NHS Hospital in order to raise her profile due to the coming of the next election. It could have been important for her to use her statue as a member of the parliament to help solve the issue with the activist by having an accord with Dams Nature Reserve District in order to establish the NHS which will at first place reinforce the health service in her district and also promote job for her local community by having some percentage of workforce labour. Economic The economic factors is seen to be a professional place to live on where private hospital have already establish themselves and if focus on the return revenue, after solving the conflict between wild activist and others joint group will certainty comes to be a positive choice in regard of investment as it is also demonstrated by a bank representative concerning this site. Social Lifestyle factors such as wild activists and the opposed citizen that are not willing to let PFI financing the Hospital project. Technological Looking at the technological aspect the people living at Dams Nature Reserve are highly professional and can fluently work in the hospital including the technological aspect with in it Environment: Having the Hospital built in Dams Nature Reserve will come to be an ideal place due to the fact that it fits the ecological view of the people and the site never been used as dump chemical experience, along with its green space for the wellbeing of people around life style view is mentioned to be a professional place to live on Legal:

Comparing the Work of Arundhati Roy and Seamus Heaney :: Comparison Compare Contrast Essays

Comparing the Work of Arundhati Roy and Seamus Heaney Arundhati Roy writes a provocative story of growing up in India in his book entitled, The God of Small Things. The novel is placed in two different time periods about 23 years apart and moves smoothly from one time period to another. Roy’s predominate story is of Estha and Rahel who are â€Å"two-egg twins†¦born from separate but simultaneously fertilized eggs† (Roy 4), but along with their story are several other stories that spotlight members of immediate Ipe family members and persons living nearby. Woven into Roy’s novel are his views of life in India. Also examined here is Seamus Heaney’s book of selected poems, Opened Ground. The poet laureate of Ireland portrays in his writings his views Ireland, from his life as a child to the troubles Northern Ireland has faced because of England in the last century. These two countries are different in cultures and traditions and are located at opposite ends of the global yardstick. But common to both are pr oblems of unrest; in India those associated with English influence and domination; in Northern Ireland problems concerning English sympathizers and those opposed to English rule. These similarities and differences will be examined here. Roy begins by speaking in the present time focusing on Rahel return to India after a long absence. The author includes a careful description of the desolateness that currently envelopes the once active house, a house filled with activity but little happiness. After Ammu, the twin’s mother, is divorced, she returns to the house and fills it with her young and active twins. Rahel and Estha lived guarded lives as children, finding happiness for the most part only in their relationship with a neighbor of a lesser class, Velutha, a carpenter who became involved romantically with Ammu. Eventually, Estha was separated from his twin and sent to live with his father. In years past, her grandmother, Mammachi, spent unnamed hours on the front veranda, fleeing from her brutal husband, the Reverend Ipe and playing her violin. When Sophie Mol, Chacko’s daughter arrives from England for a visit, she is received on the veranda and served cake. And the property near the house also once held a factory of Mammachi’s named â€Å"Paradise Pickles and Preserves† and employed several people. The house held a bustle of activity. But when Rahel returns, all the activity that occurs outside involves rodents running in overgrown gardens and frogs swimming in scummy ponds.