Information Sharing in Supply Chain

Information Sharing in Supply Chain Introduction Supply chain management refers to â€Å"the management of a network of interconnected businesses involved in the ultimate provision of product and service packages required by end customers†. It involves movement, as well as, storage of materials, stock of work-in-progress and final goods. Consequently, supply chain management involves several actors which include suppliers, retailers, and transporters among others.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Information Sharing in Supply Chain specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The effectiveness of the supply chain is contingent on the extent to which the businesses involved in it are able to plan and coordinate their activities. Coordination of supply chain activities is enhanced through effective and efficient flow of information. This means that participants in the supply chain must be able to share all the relevant information in order to enhance the competitiveness of the supply chain. Thus, a lot of technologies have been developed in the last two decades to enhance the flow of information in supply chain systems. Effective sharing of information in supply chain will be the focus of the proposed study. Purpose The proposed study will focus on the use of information technology in supply chain management. In particular, the broad objective of the study is to investigate the use of modern information technology to enhance effective and efficient sharing of information within a supply chain. The specific objectives of the study include the following. The first objective is to identify the technologies, currently, being used to enhance flow of information. The second objective is to investigate the factors that determine the use of modern technology to enhance sharing of information. The last objective is to analyze the benefits of using information technology in supply chain. The expected practical outcome of the study is to i nform policy formulation. In this context, the result, hopefully, will help organizations to formulate policies that will enable them to use modern technologies to share information. Additionally, the findings will advance knowledge by contributing to the literature on the use of information technology to share information in supply chain systems. Background The main objective of supply chain management is to enable an organization to offer the best customer services in targeted markets. Customers not only demand high quality goods, but also require such goods to be manufactured and delivered in time. Thus, organizations must effectively coordinate the receipt of raw materials, manufacturing of goods and dispatch of final goods.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In some cases, the quality of the goods can be compromised during transportation. This necessitat es effective sharing of information between the producers and the transporters about the quality of the goods. The customer service requirements in any given market are the basis for setting performance targets for the supply chain. In order to realize the expected level of customer service, all activities that do not add value should be eliminated from the supply chain. Thus, proper planning and synchronization of supply chain activities become apparent. Additionally, effective supply chain management facilitates optimization of supply chain investments and costs. It should enable organizations to deliver goods to the end customers at the least cost possible. Globally, most markets are characterized with intense competition and limited growth. Consequently, firms are focusing on cost cutting measures to enhance their effectiveness. Empirical studies reveal that adopting the right communication technology can help to reduce information costs significantly. Delivery of products often involves complex movements among several firms that make up the supply chain. Thus, inefficiency at any point in the chain translates into failure of the entire supply chain. All links within the supply chain are important since each link contributes to value addition and profitability. Due to lack of proper coordination or adequate resources, supply chain functions have traditionally been executed in isolation. This has always led to failures within supply chains. Consequently, it is important to recognize that the supply chain as â€Å"a whole is greater than the sum of its constituent parts†. The implication of this perspective is that all activities within the supply chain must be integrated through effective sharing of information. Thus, information management is the most important supply chain activity. This is because the movement of goods and money (payment for goods) is often initiated and facilitated by the relevant information. In this context, information technol ogy as a facilitator of information flow becomes an enabler of supply chain management.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Information Sharing in Supply Chain specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The importance of information in supply chain management has often been ignored. This is attributed to the fact that many agents in the supply chain lack a clear understanding of the value of information. The advancement in information and communication technology in the last two decades has led to a shift from paper based flow of information to electronic sharing of information. However, the factors that determine adoption of the modern information and communication technologies in supply chain management are still not well understood in academia and business cycles. Some empirical studies reveal that businesses are not likely to adopt a given technology if they do not understand its benefits. Constraints in technologica l transfer have been identified as one of the major factors contributing to poor understanding of the benefits of information technology in supply chain. In conclusion, three observations can be identified. First, effective and efficient sharing of information is necessary for improving supply chain management. Second, the factors that determine adoption of technologies that enhance sharing of information in supply chains are not well understood. Finally, the benefits associated with modern information technologies are not known to many firms. These observations justify the need for research on the use of information technology in supply chain management. Scope Given the objectives of the proposed study, a significant amount of time will be devoted to data collection and analysis. This is because data must be collected from participants who are located in different places. The study is expected to take three months. The fieldwork is expected to commence after the proposal is approve d. Prior to the fieldwork, two weeks will be spent on designing the data collection instrument. This will involve formulating the interview questions to be used during data collection. An additional two weeks will be spent on booking appointments with the participants. Data collection will be done in six weeks. Data analysis and preparation of the final report will be done in the remaining two weeks. Thirty managers in charge of supply chain activities will be recruited to participate in the study. The participants will be drawn from ten companies operating in different industries. Thus, a total of thirty interviews will be conducted to collect the required data.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Theoretical Framework Resource Based View (RBV) RBV is a theory used to identify a firm’s strategic resources and how such resources can be used to achieve competitive advantages. The RBV theory asserts that the competitive advantage of an organization is determined by the allocation of the organization’s valuable resources. A firm’s short run competitive advantage can be turned into a sustainable competitive advantage if the firm’s bundle of resources is heterogeneous and imperfectly mobile. Resources that meet the heterogeneity and imperfect mobility criteria are considered valuable. This is because such resources can not be imitated or sustained without great effort. Valuable resources can help a firm to consistently realize above average returns. In the context of supply chain management, information technology can be considered a resource. Thus, the RBV theory can be used to investigate the use of information technology in supply chain management in the following ways. First, a resource is valuable if it can enable a firm to formulate a strategy that creates value by minimizing the firm’s weaknesses or overcoming competition. Thus, the cost of investing in the resource should not exceed the expected returns. Determining the value of information technology will help in identifying its benefits in enhancing sharing of information in supply chain management. Second, a valuable resource should be rare. This means that the resource should not be available to majority of firms within an industry. Thus, this requirement is a basis for investigating the factors that determine access or use of information technology in supply chain management. Third, valuable resources should be in-imitable. A resource is expected to create competitive advantage if it is controlled by one or a few firms. Thus, this condition forms a basis for investigating determinants of access to information technology. Finally, a valuable resource should not b e substitutable. The implication of this requirement is that the benefits of information technology will no longer be a source of competitive advantage if competitors are able to counter its benefits using substitute technologies. Supply Chai n Integration Theory Supply chain integration describes the process of synchronizing all supply chain activities and linkages in order to achieve efficiency and effectiveness. Supply chain integration depends on two factors namely, linkage and alignment. Alignment illustrates the extent to which visions, goals and objectives are shared by participants in the supply chain. It ensures consistency in planning and decision making in supply chain management. Linkage describes the extent to which information can be shared and the level of interaction that planers and decision makers can engage in. linkage enhances the availability of information for decision making and the use of the same data throughout the supply chain. Linkage and alignment are ac hieved through the following factors. First, linkage and alignment can be achieved through communication and e-systems. Communication and e-systems include the technology used to gather and share information, as well as, the means of facilitating communication between decision makers. The e-system ensures â€Å"data availability, accuracy and timeliness†. Communication on the other hand enhances the use of information in decision making initiatives. Second, alignment and linkage can be achieved through organization and people. Organizational structures determine how individuals interact and share information in an organization. Important resources and relevant stakeholders can be excluded from the decision making process if the right organizational structure is not put in place. In this context, the employees’ skills and capabilities are central to achieving integration under the existing organizational structure. Third, alignment and linkage can be enhanced through tr ust. Trust affects people’s willingness to share information. In this case, the main concern is security over the given information. Finally, alignment and linkage can be achieved through metrics. This refers to the metrics and rewards that employees respond to in order to achieve the objectives of the supply chain. In conclusion, both RBV theory and supply chain integration theory emphasize the importance of sharing information in supply chain. Using these theories forms the basis for investigating the benefits and factors determining the use of information technology to share information in supply chain management. In particular, the theories help in formulating hypothesis for the study. For example, using the supply chain integration theory, we can hypothesize that information technology enhances timelines and accuracy of information. Method Research Design The proposed study will adopt a qualitative research design. Qualitative research is based on interpretative paradigm . According to the â€Å"interpretative paradigm, social reality is created and sustained through the subjective experience of people involved in communication†. The factors underpinning the choice of a qualitative design include the following. First, a qualitative research will facilitate a holistic study of the use of information technology in supply chain management. Second, it will facilitate the use of primary data. Through data collection methods such as interviews, the researcher is able to get first hand information on the research topic. Thus, the conclusions drawn from the data is likely to be reliable and accurate. Third, qualitative research enhances flexibility in the research activities such as data collection, analysis, as well as, interpretation. Flexibility will be needed in the proposed study to cater for unforeseeable risks that might limit the use of any of the proposed methods. Finally, qualitative research will facilitate an in-depth understanding of the research topic by allowing the researcher to interact with the participants. Variables and Measures The proposed study will focus on three variables namely, types of information technology, determinants of access/ use of information technology and benefits of information technology in supply chain management. Each of these variables has specific indicators that can be conceptualized as follows: Types of information technology: software, hardware and communication equipment Determinants of access or use of information technology: cost, skills, technology transfer, patents, research and development Benefits of information technology: cost benefits, timeliness of information, accuracy of information, performance of the supply chain Sampling Sampling refers to the process of identifying and recruiting the individuals who will participate in the study. The study will be conducted in ten companies based in New York. Three managers will be selected from each of the ten companies to part icipate in the study. Consequently, the total number of participants will be thirty. The stratified random sampling method will be used to recruit the participants. The companies will first be classified according to their industries. The list of companies will be obtained from industry databases. The industries to be considered in the study include retail, automobile, pharmaceutical, hospitality and food processing industry. Two companies will then be chosen randomly from each industry. Three managers will then be randomly chosen from each company to participate in the study. Choosing the companies through a stratified random method will help in achieving heterogeneity or representativeness. Consequently, it will be possible to use the conclusions of the study to make reliable generalization. Using a random method to select the companies and the participants also reduces bias in the recruitment process. This is because a random approach gives an equal opportunity to every participa nt or company to be selected. Data Collection Data collection refers to the process of gathering the data that is required for the study. Qualitative data will be collected through interviews. Structured questions will be used to guide the study. Unstructured questions that transpire during the interview will be used to obtain more information and to seek clarifications on answers. Additionally, probes will be used to seek more information from the participants. The interviews will be audio-taped to enhance data analysis. The choice of interviews is justified by the fact that interviews enable the researcher to clarify any question that might be ambiguous or seek clarifications on any answer that might be ambiguous. Additionally, interviews are easy to use and facilitate access to first hand information. Data Analysis The analysis will begin with transcribing the collected. The transcribed data will then be coded into themes. In this context, coding involves identifying and labeling similar words, as well as, phrases mentioned by the participants. Appropriate themes will be used in the labeling process. The themes will be used to make generalization about the research topic. Finally, interpretations will be made based on existing literature about the research topic and the adopted theoretical framework. Simple descriptive statistics will also be used in the analysis process. The final results and conclusions will be presented in the form of a report. Limitations The ability to complete the study or to make reliable conclusions will be limited under the following circumstances. First, the subjective nature of qualitative research is likely to compromise the reliability of the conclusions if the participants fail to give correct information. It is usually very difficult to authenticate the information collected through interviews. Thus, if the interviewees fail to give correct information, the findings of the research will not be reliable. Second, replicating th e study will require collecting data from the same respondents and companies. Thus, replication will not be possible if any of the respondents or companies refuse to participate in subsequent studies. Third, the in-depth analysis associated with qualitative research limits the scope of the study in terms of the number of participants that can be interviewed. Finally, lack of adequate resources will make it impossible to carryout or complete the study. For instance, interviewing the participants is expensive due to the travelling costs associated with it. Thus, lack of enough financial resources will negatively impact data collection. Conclusion The proposed study aims at investigating the use of information technology to enhance sharing of information in supply chain management. The objectives of the study include identifying the information technologies, currently, being used, the factors determining the use of information technology and the benefits of information technology in su pply chain management. The study will adopt the resource based view and the supply chain integration theoretical underpinnings to investigate the research topic. Additionally, the research will adopt a qualitative design, and data will be collected through interviews. The results of the study are expected to inform policy formulation and to advance knowledge by contributing to the literature on the use of information technology in supply chain management. References Blanchard, D., 2007. Supply Chain Management. New York: John Wiley and Sons. Larsen, T., 2005. Supply Chain Management. New York: CBS Press. McBurney, D., 2009. Research Methods. New York: Cengage Learning. McNeil, P., 2005. Research Methods. New York: Routledge. Mentzer, J., 2001. Supply Chain Management. New York: Sage Publishers

Making Small Talk for English Learners

Making Small Talk for English Learners The ability to make small talk is highly valued. In fact, many English students are more interested in making effective small talk than knowing correct grammar structures - and rightly so! Small talk gets friendships started and breaks the ice before important business meetings and other events. What Is Small Talk? Small talk is pleasant conversation about common interests. Why Is Small Talk Difficult for Some English Learners? First of all, making small talk is not difficult only for English learners, but also for many native speakers of English. However, small talk can be especially difficult for some learners because making small talk means talking about almost anything - and that means having a wide vocabulary that can cover most topics. Most English learners have excellent vocabulary in specific areas, but may have difficulties discussing topics they are unfamiliar with because of a lack of appropriate vocabulary. This lack of vocabulary leads to some students blocking. They slow down or stop speaking completely because of a lack of self-confidence. How to Improve Small Talk Skills Now that we understand the problem, the next step is to improve the situation. Here are some tips to improve small talk skills. Of course, making effective small talk means lots of practice, but keeping these tips in mind should improve overall conversational skills. Do Some Research​ Spend time on the internet, reading magazines, or watching TV specials about the type of people you are going to meet. For example, if you are taking a class with students from other countries, take time after the first few days of class to do some research. They will appreciate your effort and your conversations will be much more interesting. Stay Away From Religion or Strong Political Beliefs While you may believe in something very strongly, beginning conversations and making small talk about your own personal convictions may abruptly end the conversation. Keep it light, dont try to convince the other person that you have the correct information about a higher being, political system, or other belief system. Use the Internet to Gain Specific Vocabulary​ This is related to doing research about other people. If you have a business gathering  or are meeting people who share a common interest (a basketball team, a tour group interested in art, etc.), take advantage of the internet to learn specific vocabulary. Almost all businesses and interest groups have glossaries on the internet explaining the most important jargon related to their business or activity. Ask Yourself About Your Culture​ Take time to make a list of common interests that are discussed when making small talk in your own culture. You can do this in your own language, but check to make sure that you have the English vocabulary to make small talk about those subjects. Find Common Interests​ Once you have a subject that interests both of you, keep to it! You can do this in a number of ways: talking about travel, talking about the school or friend you have in common, talking about the differences between your culture and the new culture (just be careful to make comparisons and not judgments, e.g., The food in our country is better than the food here in England). Listen This is very important. Dont get so worried about being able to communicate that you dont listen. Listening carefully will help you understand and encourage those speaking to you. You might be nervous, but letting others state their opinions will improve the quality of the discussion - and give you time to think of an answer! Common Small Talk Subjects Here is a list of common small talk subjects. If you have difficulties speaking about any of these topics, try to improve your vocabulary by using the resources available to you (Internet, magazines, teachers at school, etc.) Sports - current matches or games, favorite teams, etc.HobbiesWeather - boring, but can get the ball rolling!Family - general questions, not questions about private mattersMedia - films, books, magazines, etc.Holidays - where, when, etc. but NOT how much!Home town - where do you come from, how is it different/similar to this townJob - once again, general questions not too specificLatest fashion and trendsCelebrities - any gossip you may have! Here is a list of topics that probably arent very good for small talk. Of course, if you are meeting a close friend these topics may be excellent. Just remember that small talk is generally discussion with people you dont know very well. Salary - how much do you make? - Thats none of your business!Politics - wait until you get to know the person betterIntimate relationships - only for you and your partner, or maybe your best friendReligion - tolerance is the key!Death - we need to face it, but not the first time we meet someone newFinancial - related to salary above, most people prefer to keep financial information to themselvesSales - Dont try to sell something to someone you have just met.

Is it5 a good argument critical thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Is it5 a good argument critical thinking - Essay Example Analyzing a shorter argument involves numbering their premises and the conclusion and lastly representing their relationship with arrows. On the other hand, an arrow is used to represent a statement that gives logical support for another statement. However, if there are multiple statements, which give relationship for one another, the relationship is represented by a plus and an arrow. Therefore, there are two types of support, the independent and dependent support. Independent support does not depend on another statement while dependent support depends on another statement. When it comes to longer arguments, there is a need to summarize than to diagram them. Diagramming longer arguments is tiresome than summarizing them. Diagramming an argument has several factors connected. In diagramming, a conclusion is first identified, and then attention is paid to the premise and the conclusion. Sentences are neither broken up nor numbered since sentences don’t represent a single statement (Barnet, 1999). Another aspect of critical thinking is evaluation of arguments and truth claims. When evaluating an argument, there are two questions to be asked. Is the argument a good argument? And secondly, are the premises acceptable? For an argument to be rated as a good argument, it must have several characteristics. For example, the argument must be precise and clear. This means that somebody must understand the argument for it to be a good argument. Additionally, the premises must be relevant with the topic. The argument must be consistency and additionally, it must be fair. On the general knowledge, a good argument highlights out all bodies that surrounds critical thinking (Ruggiero, 2004). It is obvious that arguments have premises and conclusions. But when is it necessary to accept premises. There is the use of the principle of rational acceptance. This means that a claim is accepted if the claim does not occur in a conflicting side with the personal

When does compensation time start under the fair labor standards act Assignment

When does compensation time start under the fair labor standards act - Assignment Example Clemens, 328 U.S 680. However, there was some amendments into the Act in 1949 which allowed that compensability of the changing clothes or washing clothes at the beginning of each workday should be the subject of appropriately committed to the collective bargaining. Though the policy was fair to the workers, the policy was best handled in the collective bargaining of the employees. Secondly, the term clothe is a general meaning. Clothes can denote anything worn by a person such as dress, shirt o pants. It has no other special meaning which means when someone says that need to be compensated for wearing clothes, the court cannot hold that decision as it is absurd to compensated a person for just wearing the clothes. Protective clothing is both integral and indispensable part of the main activities which clearly indicate the employee as covered and hence can attract compensation. In the Sandifer V. United states steel corp., the item under discussion was never distinguished as protective clothing. Despite the fact that the term â€Å"changing† clothes was given a broader meaning during the amendment to include changing one clothes to wear working clothes or putting over another layer of cloth; whether one chooses to change the clothes when in reporting to job or when on arrival at the workplace is a purely personal choice. One can only choose to do such things. For instance, a worker may opt to wear the working clothes while still at home while the other would wear it when one report to the job. In the two scenarios, it is a matter of personal choice. In such a scenario, it becomes hard to allow for compensation for time spent in â€Å"changing clothes†. Applying the principle as discussed above, donning and doffing off clothing as presented by the plaintiff can only be interpreted as â€Å"changing clothes†. Out of the twelve items under the suit brought forward by Sandifer as

Qualitative Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Qualitative Studies - Essay Example Therefore, the discussions and observations are structured loosely, thus allowing for the expression of a "full range of beliefs, feelings, and behaviours" (Polit and Beck, 2007, 57). However, in contrast to quantitative studies, analysis and interpretation are ongoing and concurrent activities that will continue to guide choices about the next sample with concurrent modifications of the types of questions or necessary observations. Thus with the goal of clustering together of related types of narrative information into a coherent scheme of time consuming and intensive data analysis, the sample needs to be determined. The aim of most qualitative studies is to discover meaning and to uncover multiple realities, and so generalizability is not a guiding criterion as in quantitative studies. Thus probability sampling is not necessary. Randomly selected population may not necessarily be good informants, and thus the sampling method must be one of nonprobability methods. These include: extreme or deviant case sampling, typical case sampling, and snowball sampling (Cochran, 1977, 13-47). This means, there must be a purpose for any particular sampling method. In probability sampling, elements are selected by nonrandom methods. ... These are convenience, quota, and purposive (Polit and Beck, 2007, 292). Convenience Sampling A convenience sample can be defined as a sample in which research subjects are recruited based on their ease of availability, or in other words, the sample comprises of the most conveniently available subjects. Essentially, individuals who are the most ready, willing, and able to participate in the study are the ones who are selected to participate. In qualitative research, it may be helpful to use a convenience sample to test the appropriateness of interview questions. This is an inexpensive and quick way to test the design of the study by approaching an interested group of people first before embarking on a larger, longer, and more expensive study (Diekmann & Smith, 1989, 418-430). The main problem with such sampling is that the available subjects might be atypical of the population of interest with regard to critical variables. It has been argued that convenience samples can lack transferability or external validity in qualitative research. Thus although this is simple and more co st-effective, it is important to remember that the participants recruited are not necessarily reflective of the population being studied, and they may not necessarily be reflective of all view points, and thus the research may be criticized to be biased (Polit and Beck, 2007, 292). Quota Sampling (Stratified Purposeful) This is also known as quota sampling in which the researcher identifies population strata and also determines the number of participants needed from each stratum. To be able to determine this, the information about the population characteristics is necessary, since it should represent diverse segments preferable in a representative

Bring Fate Upon Himself Essay Example for Free

Bring Fate Upon Himself Essay Arthur Aster Miller, born in New York in 1915, is a playwright of many successful works. When he was young, his father was a shopkeeper that was financially destroyed by the Great Depression of the 1930s, which prompted the Millers to move to Brooklyn. He grew up playing football and baseball and did not seem to display characteristics of genius. He graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in 1932. In 1956, Miller, recently divorced, married model and actress Marilyn Monroe. He wrote a screenplay entitled Misfits, mainly to have his wife star in it. Often late on set and under the influence of drugs, Marilyn caused great strain on their marriage. The marriage fell apart in 1961. In 1964, he remarried, this time to photographer Inge Morath. Arthur Millers play A View from the Bridge centers round an ongoing problem, illegal immigration, and then deals with problems related to people trying to live together and coming into conflict with their individual desires and motivations. The topics raised are never easy to deal with and Miller shows how skillfully he can write about difficult issues, whilst enhancing the English language. The actors whose American accents are clear and convincing deliver the words with perfect pronunciation. This is a great view of life, which Arthur Miller is able to translate into a superb play. The cast all gives fine performances and bring out each characters innermost feelings with great skill. America is known as rich, wealthy and merchandised land. America warm-welcomes the outsiders. Many people migrated to America, and dreamt that there would be a better life for them, were excitement, enthusiasm, and adorability and thought someone will care for them. Jobs are easy to get, highly paid, yeah, but in America, there is more money, more problems. This is ironic as the Statue of Liberty stands over them, which promised wealth, happiness and the American dream, but failed to deliver. A View From the Bridge is a play set in the 1950s in Brooklyn, New York. Miller uses a lot of the places in the play A View From The Bridge symbolically. The first is in the title; it represents the fact that this play is only one view from the Brooklyn Bridge. It shows that there are many other lives being lived out around that bridge and maybe there are similar incidents occurring. It also gives the reader a sense of being a spectator, as Alfieri is, who can see what is happening but is powerless to stop it. The viewpoint is one of a middle-class person looking down on this inferior scene from a remote and distant place. From this place the practices on the waterfront would have seemed alien and unreal. That is why it is important the play was so named. This story is about a family who take the risk of welcoming illegal immigrants, Marco and Rodolpho, from Italy to stay in their home. Eddie, the father of Catherine was murdered. Some say he was the victim and was just a hardworking, honest man who was protecting his daughter. Others say his behaviour was unacceptable and he was a judgmental, scheming, selfish man who had to realise that Catherine was not still his little girl, and brought his fate upon himself. Heres what I think. Eddie Carbone didnt deserve to die, which I agree with, however the facts prove that if Eddie had not done what he did he wouldnt have died. Alfieri is the symbolic bridge between American law and tribal Italian law. Alfieri, himself the son of an Italian immigrant, acts as a chorus in the play. He gives his perspective from his position on the bridge or meeting ground between Italian and American cultures. Alfieri attempts to portray the characters objectively, but, especially in the case of Eddie Carbone, narrates the play as if it were a great legend. Alfieri positions himself as the great scribe or teller of an epic tale: the flat air in my office suddenly washes in with the green scent of the sea the thought comes that in some Caesars year another lawyer set there as powerless as I, and watched it run its bloody course. Alfieri adds grandeur to the story and transforms the story of a Longshoreman into a larger than life tragic tale. Alfieri was a lawyer who Eddie turned to when he needed help in the situation. Alfieris opening speech of Eddie describes him as a hard and honest man who worked hard for a living. He was a good man as he had to be in a life that was hard and even This quote is interesting as it shows how Eddie was from before meeting the immigrants to when Catherine and Rodolpho started dating. Eddie Carbone is a hard working longshoreman; he lives in America and lives with his wife Beatrice, and Catherine, who is Beatrices niece. One of Eddies problems was that he was too overprotective of Catherine and still treated her as his little girl. In act one Catherine was offered a job, however Eddie did not approve of his little girl going out into the big wide world on her own. I want you to be with a different kind of people. I want you to be in a nice office In this quote Eddie is saying she is too good for that job and should stay at school. Eventually after a lot of persistent persuasion from Beatrice and Catherine he lets her take the job. Eddies protectiveness was a good but it had reached a stage that was too protective.

Richard Wrights The Man Who Was Almost a Man Essay -- Richard Wright

Richard Wright's The Man Who Was Almost a Man The Man Who Was Almost a Man is a fictitious short story about an uneducated black boy's quest to become a man. Growing up in the early 1900's was a very hard task for most black people. The lack of education was one of the hardest hills they had to overcome to make it in a world dominated by whites. The story centers upon one 17-year boy who has very low self-esteem caused by his peers. He believes that owning a gun will gain him respect with others and thus make him a man. The title of this short story has several different ways of being interpreted because the time and atmosphere in which it was written. The short story was written in first person narrative, which gives a graphic account of the personality of the character Dave. The short story is also written in a dialect of an uneducated black boy which gives the reader the feel of what is was like to be that young man back in the early 1900's. The stories title The Man Who Was Almost a Man holds many different meanings to how Dave must have felt back in those times. Dave's struggle was man versus society in an era where his skin color meant more than his actions. He was unable to interact with the white society and was outcast by his peers because of his age. He believed at this time in his life that being a man was the more important than life itself. Buying a gun and learning to shoot was his solution to becoming a man. This was not the case though. The first time he fired the gun it numbed his hands and fell to the ground. He also shot Mr. Hawkin's mule, which he was unable to cover up. Now everyone would know what he had done which would give his peers a bad impression of him. He would not gain their respect, nor... ... a man. Life was hard back then and being accepted played a big role in all blacks searching for that one thing that would make them accepted within their society. Works Cited Blau, Eleanor. "The Works of Richard Wright, This Time Published as Written." The New York Times 28 Aug. 1991, final ed., sec. B: 1-2. Brignano, Russell Carl. An Introduction to the Man and His Works. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1970. Fabre, Michel. The World of Richard Wright. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1985. Hannon, Charles. "Teaching the conflicts as a temporary Instructor." College Literature 6 (1997): 126-141. Joyce, Joyce Ann. Richard Wright's Art of Tragedy. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 1986. Walker, Margaret. Richard Wright, Daemonic Genius: A Portrait of the Man, a Critical Look at His Work. New York: Warner Books, 1988.