Literature Research Paper Topics and Ideas

Literature Research Paper Topics and Ideas A research paper in literature is an assignment that will not leave you bored and indifferent. Here, you have an opportunity to pick a book that you like and share your opinion and findings of it with others. In your paper, you can focus on various topics, including the development or peculiarities of characters’ personalities, a primary message or theme of the writing or you can even concentrate on the examination of various literary techniques, templates of storytelling, or symbolic essence of the chosen literary piece. Besides, the research paper in literature also allows you to put an author in the first place by conducting your research on studying his or her biography and then correlating it to the topics from their oeuvre. Do not forget, however, that a research paper implies a thorough study of the subject and demands referencing to corresponding credible sources, which are connected directly to the origins of the theme you chose to study. However, you should understand that it can be hard to add something new to researches of already established scholars, but you should also strive to make your point original since your perception of a book you read is unique. In your research paper, you ought to show a mindful insight and interpretation of the literary work. Topics: With this in mind, consider the following topics for your literature research paper: Character’s Code of Life Code of life is something that defines values, beliefs, morals of a character. Choose a book that you like or that is in your curriculum and pick one character for analysis. Try to explain how that character conducts his or her life and how they see themselves in connection to the external world. Keep in mind that you have to provide textual evidence from the source. Artificial Language in Literature Fantasy and science fiction usually present entirely new languages developed by its authors, and this fact can pass for a great topic of your research. However, be sure that you are acquainted with or at least interested in linguistics before building your paper on studying languages. If you do, you can pick, for instance, J. R. R. Tolkien’s books as a source, and examine the elvish language by showing a correlation of it with English or other languages. Feminism in Literature Feminism in literature can be either vividly expressed or hidden between the lines. Think about whether you have ever noticed a tough or eccentric woman in the books you read; recall whether her behavior breaks the rules of the social standards depicted in the text. If yes, then try to explain what is uncommon about her character and why you consider it to be feminist. You should also pay attention to the author’s biography and the period in which the book was published since it can explain a lot. Modern Myth in Literature Actually, ancient myths are the representation of an ancient nation’s values just like the Greek epic is filled with heroic figures. There are also many modern myths that represent the values of today’s people. For instance, the American Dream is one of the modern myths that are common to literature, so you can focus on studying it in, for example, Scott Fitzgerald’s â€Å"The Great Gatsby.† Archetypes in Literature Archetypes are the patterns of behavior and images that are rooted in the human unconscious and travel through centuries. For instance, the mother figure is a carrying, protective and selfless character that can be either actual mother to the protagonist or just a person who meets these qualities. There are many similar archetypes that you can find online and then distinguish and analyze them. Be sure, however, to support your research by referring to Carl Jung’s studies, since he was the particular scientist to develop this theory. Tricksters in Literature Trickster is a universal figure in literature, which will make your task interesting and entertaining. He is the one who breaks social conventions and disobeys standards of behavior. You can notice such character by his craving for pranks, cunning, and eccentricity. For instance, a king’s jester is in most cases a trickster. You should refer to credible sources when analyzing a figure of Trickster, such as Carl Jung and his study of the Trickster archetype. Hero’s Journey The hero’s journey is a common template used in literature, which is applied in fantasy quite often. It includes several stages of plot development, such as when the protagonist is called to adventures, faces challenges, experiences an inner transformation, and returns to the initial point. You can notice this template in â€Å"Harry Potter† books and many others of the same genre. In your research paper, try to compare each stage to the parts of the chosen book by bringing textual pieces of evidence. Metaphors in Literature Every successful writer ought to create unique ways of describing the surrounding world in his or her books, so they usually create unique metaphors that were never used before. Pick a book you like and try to find such parts in the text. You can analyze how accurately they are used, and how well they express the author’s thought. Dystopian Literature Dystopian literature is aimed at exploring the darkest parts of political and social structures. Frequently, in such book authors tend to allude to the existing but hyperbolized version of nations all over the world. George Orwell’s â€Å"1984† can serve as a perfect basis for your research. In your paper, try to draw connections between the fiction and the real world. Mythology in Literature Not only do writers create unique languages, but they also make up worlds and their mythologies. In fact, since in most cases authors are inspired by real-world history, they usually mix or transform existing mythologies. For instance, in this research paper, you can show a correlation between Celtic and J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth mythologies. Philosophy in Literature Frequently, you can notice that famous philosophers such as Plato, Friedrich Nietzsche, Rene Descartes, and many others speak through the characters in the books you read, and this fact opens an opportunity for research. This topic, however, demands thorough knowledge of the subject and a lot of research. At first, you should pick a character or characters that tend to fall into philosophical ponders, and then strive to find the source of the paraphrased expression, if there is such. Psychological Disorders in Literature While trying to provide their characters with unique personalities, many authors tend to grace their personalities with various psychological disorders. The most used ones are post-traumatic stress disorder, the delusion of grandeur, and bipolar disorder. In your research, you can analyze how accurately a character’s behavior corresponds to the clinical manifestation of the disorder; you can take â€Å"Fight Club† by Chuck Palahniuk as an example. Satire in Literature In literature, satire is usually used to ridicule the regime of a government, as it did George Orwell in â€Å"Animal Farm.† In this book, the author criticized the Soviet Union by using the animal personification of political figures and illustrated events from that time. If you decide to write a literature research paper on this topic, then you should define the target of satire and draw connections between real events and people, and the author’s creation. Iceberg Theory This theory was coined by Ernest Hemingway and implies that a story should have a hidden deeper meaning. You can choose, for instance, one or several Hemingway’s works, such as â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† or â€Å"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place,† and strive to give meaning to the text that from the first sight can be seen to be plain. You should provide quotes from the book and explain how you have understood it. War in Literature The first and second World Wars had a critical impact on the writers of Lost Generation. The events of that time have significantly affected their worldview, and therefore their creations. Describe how the war is depicted in the book you choose, and strive to understand whether the author appeals to war or whether he or she stood against it. The most famous names of the Lost Generation are Erich Maria Remarque and Ernest Hemingway, the works of whom might be vital for your research. Holy Grail in Literature Holy Grail is a motif that came from a legend about King Arthur, and that symbolizes endless and pointless searches for the unworthy. In a story built on this template, a character or characters strive to achieve or find something, and it is either they experience inner changes and prove to be worthy, or they fail. In your research paper, you should describe the search for â€Å"Holy Grail† and, by refereeing to stories about the fellowship of the King Arthur, explain why the characters from your chosen book succeed or fail. Arthurian Melancholy Arthurian Melancholy is another template borrowed from legends about the King. This method of bookending implies both happy and tragic end of a story and thus creates the feeling of melancholy. J. R. R. Tolkien masterfully incorporated this template in his â€Å"The Lord of the Rings† trilogy, since its ending was relieving and sad at the same time. For such a topic, you have to be acquainted with a credible source about King Arthur, like Thomas Malory’s â€Å"Le Morte dArthur,† to be able to compare it with a book you want to choose. Racism in Literature In their works, authors often argue against racism, present its nonsense through the prism of fantastic images, or even accidentally offend a certain group of people. For this topic, it is important to pay attention to the author’s biography and historical period in which the writing was published. Only after this, you will be able to explain what was the author’s true message and what were the prerequisites of his or her claims. Transformation of Human Personality The environment can have a huge impact on a character’s personality. In some cases, a hero can cross the horizon of despair and turn into completely another person or even a villain. Try to follow each step of a character’s development and comment of them. Explain what the reasons for a change were. â€Å"The Heart of Darkness† by Joseph Conrad, where the protagonist experienced an inner breakdown, might put you on the right track. Divine Intervention Divine intervention or â€Å"Deus ex-machine† is a tradition of unexpected and mysterious resolution of a particular problem that was started in ancient Greek drama. In fact, writers use it even nowadays, if there is no other way to resolve a conflict. However, it transformed and gained different manifestations. In your research paper, try to analyze moments from a book or books where the characters are saved or assisted by divine or supernatural forces. Explain how the tradition has changed through ages. You can also write whether this method is still valuable for writers or appreciated by readers. Conclusion As you might have mentioned, although a research paper in literature gives you a wide specter of choice and creative freedom, it also demands a thorough study of the subject under discussion. You have to both – read the chosen book attentively, as well as to be familiar with everything that your topic includes. For instance, if you want to analyze the relation of a character to a particular archetype, then you would better examine the studies of Carl Jung and reference them accordingly to provide credibility to your claims. Similarly, while exploring the similarities between an emotional ambivalence of the book-ending and the Arthurian melancholy, then you ought to be familiar with the literature devoted to this legendary British leader and cite your sources with due attention. Otherwise, it is likely that your claims will seem superficial or even inappropriate, and your research paper will fail to match the required instruction. That is why, to consider every critical point f rom the reading, you have to prepare your mind by studying theory and only then take on practice.

Blindness in Samson Agonistes

Blindness in Samson Agonistes In John Milton’s play Samson Agonistes, eyesight is a recurring motif and blindness used frequently as a metaphor to define the status of a character’s journey. Milton uses the presence or lack of clarity in vision, both physically and spiritually, to indicate characters’ direction. Although several characters experience blindness to differing degrees, Samson epitomizes the dynamic states and stages of blindness. All of these are necessary components of his pilgrimage of personal redemption, where his loss of physical eyesight becomes essential to mitigate the more serious condition of internal, spiritual blindness. Manoah’s paternal connection to his son hinders his ability to see that the blindness Samson must endure as a result of his failures is actually necessary to restore Samson’s inner eyes. Manoah attempts to convince Samson that his predicament can be reversed and that there is a way out: â€Å"But God who caus’d a fountain at thy prayer From the dry ground to spring, thy thirst to allay After the brunt of battel, can as easie Cause light again within thy eies to spring.† (581-84) Manoah’s eyes are indeed veiled from reality, for he is unable to analyze the situation apart from his disposition and concepts which persuade him to believe that Samson is, in fact, ascetical. Manoah has the full assurance that the retrieval and homeward return of his son would cause the present problems to dissipate. However, Samson realizes that his escaping will not assist him along his destined path and will not accomplish the purpose of his existence. Surely God did not intend for Samson to single-handedly liberate Israel, but as the tribe’s sole recipient of the divine instruction, Samson is regarded as the man who will free Israel and her people from captivity. The awe and wonder that his strength elicits became an obstruction in the eyes of the Hebrews and of their faith. It does not occur to them that perhaps they too, as a people, have a role in fulfilling God’s plan. Their eyes are so fixed on the idea that Samson will be their savior that in a sense their faith in God is lessened. Samson’s strength is a mere manifestation of God’s strengthening him from within; the Israelites, however, regard his gift of strength as his sole qualification for the mission’s assignment. By so doing, they deny any accountability themselves. The Israelites should have learned from Solomon’s mistakes after his fall and taken the initiative to fulfill the promise. Instead, like Samson, his people lose sight of their faith and its source. It becomes apparent that Samson has become an idol to his people, and they have lost God as their focus by fixing their collective sight upon Samson’s God-like figure, which his strength and pride afford. Therefore, Samson is not the only one who has lost sight of his calling, but the Hebrews have fallen to the point where they â€Å"love bondage more than liberty, / Bondage with ease than strenuous liberty† (270-1). Samson, as well as his people, initially fail to see that his strength lies not within the seven locks of unshaven hair, but that his hair is a mere symbol of his heritage and of his vow to God. A footnote in Numbers, explaining the significance of the Nazarite vow, says, â€Å"Not shaving the head signifies not rejecting but being absolutely subject to the headship of the Lord as well as to all deputy authorities appointed by God.† The Nazarite vow was not developed solely for Samson, but it was a voluntary time of consecration where the Israelites declared their separation unto God: â€Å"All the days of his vow of separation no razor shall pass over his head. He shall be holy until the days are fulfilled for which he separated himself from Jehovah; he shall let the locks on his head grow long.† (Numbers 6:5) This general custom proves that, contrary to the belief of Samson and Dalila, that his hair is not the source of his super natural strength. Samson’s â€Å"heav’n- gifted strength† (36) is accompanied by a mission whose accomplishment relies entirely on his faithfulness to the vow. Gradually Samson becomes distracted by the fame and admiration that his strength elicits. A purpose that initially originated from a divinely assigned mission slowly digresses into a self-glorifying talent which makes Samson â€Å"fearless of danger, like made a petty God, walk’d about admir’d of all† (529-30). Samson himself admits that he had reached a point where he was â€Å"swollen with pride† and fell â€Å"into the snare† (532). As this egotistical outlook begins to take precedence in Samson’s life, he simultaneously begins to lose sight of the goals in and purpose of his life, leaving him inwardly blind, prior to the dramatic gouging out of his eyes. During the first three temptations of Dalila, Samson’s faith still remains true as he maintains his loyalty and covenant with God, just as he sustains the portion of his vow which requires him to abstain from â€Å"all delicious drinks†¦ [to] repress† (541-43). However, upon Dalila’s fourth attempt to trick her husband, â€Å"this high gift of strength†¦how easily [bereaves] [him], / Under the seal of Silence could not keep, / But weakly to a woman [does] reveal it† (47-50). Once Samson recognizes his weakness, despite his outward strength, he begins the journey of ascent towards self- reconstruction, where Samson comes to realize how he came to be in such a predicament: â€Å"God sent her to debase me, And aggravate my folly who committed To such a viper his most sacred trust Of secresie, my safety, and my life† (999-1002) Samson realizes too late that he was â€Å"impoten[t] of mind, in body strong!† (52). Before his upward journey, Samson is required to be completely broken, blinded and chained, â€Å"inferior to†¦ worm† (73-74). The man that was once admired and worshipped is now â€Å"dark in light expos’d / to daily fraud, contempt, abuse and wrong† (75-76), made powerless, in order for him to begin the long, dark journey into his self and back to his calling. Milton repeatedly utilizes the metaphor of blindness to take his characters on a progression from a point of darkness into light, to illustrate the growth and dynamic development of each character on their own, specific path to destiny. Milton’s entire tragedy depicts the treacherous journey of the hero whose â€Å"breeding [is] ordered and prescrib’d / As of a person separated to God† (30-31). In order for Samson’s purpose to be fulfilled and for God’s plan to be carried out, Samson’s physical strength has to be reduced to nothing. It is only possible in this moment of desperation following complete failure that the hero is able to prove his true strength, as he re-climbs from the heap of collapse. Not only does this journey entail the reconstruction of his strength, but Samson is forced to endure this journey in complete darkness in order to redefine his view of the world and to relinquish his confidence in his own ability, and to ultimatel y refine and strengthen his faith in God. The Hebrews, like Samson, are also in need of restoration of sight to see again who their God is. Their faith falters simultaneously with the breaking of Samson’s vow; not one of them takes any form of action in attempt to accomplish God’s plan. Their sole concern is the preservation of Samson’s sight and strength, for this is where their faith resides. Manoah also fails to see that the restoration of Samson’s sight is not of utmost importance, but that much more, his inward eyes would be reopened to realize his purpose, to see why God twice appeared to his parents to announce the importance of his birth. Samson is both weakened and inwardly blinded by his wife’s beauty and temptations, but it is not until his eyes are gouged out that he acknowledges that he has been â€Å"entangled with a poysnous bosom snake.† When Samson’s faith is lost, he is in â€Å"double darkness†, both outwardl y and inwardly blind. It is not until his final moments that his inward eyes are opened; he regains his lost faith, and truly realizes and accomplishes his purpose in his very last breath.

Leading Change through Integrated Product Development Assignment

Leading Change through Integrated Product Development - Assignment Example The success or failure of a product purely depends on the customers. A product would retain its market if only if it meets the expectations of the customer. This clearly reveals that a product’s lifetime is in the hands of the users. Some products fail, even if they are manufactured by considering the requirements of the customer. The reason is that it might not be usable for the specific user group to which it was intended to be. The target group must be decided well in advance to ensure that the product is developed particularly for that user group. The goal of a product manufacturing company must be to prepare products that are suitable for the intended user group. This goal can be achieved by implementing certain unique techniques which makes the process easier. These techniques, in turn, specify the ways in which a product can be developed to suit the target group. This will ensure that the product serves the intended purpose. Instead of changing the way in which a product is developed, the companies can implement these techniques after which they can be sure of achieving their mission. An organization generally creates and develops a product based on the customer’s requirements. Once the client’s requirements are received the product is developed. A product cannot be developed without a well-defined set of principles. (Rainey, 2005) This is accomplished using product management and its techniques. Product management is a complete set of techniques and principles that define the way in which a product should be developed. Implementing these principles eases the process of product development and marketing. These principles are implemented to manage initial requirements, costs of the product, allocation of resources and managing risks that may arise in the product development process. Management defines the way in which a product must be developed and proposes certain strategies and planning procedures.

Canada's looming retirement challenge Speech or Presentation

Canada's looming retirement challenge - Speech or Presentation Example In this particular research, LifePaths has been used to address these concerns. LifePaths is essentially a sophisticated tool for simulation which has been created by Statistics Canada. LifePaths functions by integrating data collected from the experiences related to the socio-economic conditions and project consumption of the Canadians who are yet to approach the age of retirement, both before and after they retire. LifePaths does not only take into account the income generated from the programs of public pension, but it also integrates the income and savings made from the registered retirement savings plans (RRSPs) as well as the registered pension plans (RPPs). In addition to that, LifePaths also pays due consideration to the housing equity that is accumulated, and tracks how it helps in the consumption made in the later years of life. LifePaths particularly derives its importance and value from the fact that it can model the socio-economic and demographic patterns that vary with time over the representative yet diversified population belonging to different ages over the course of time. In the study, the focus of the researchers has been the ability of future retirees to sustain the consumption patterns they have had before retirement once they stop to work. This is achieved by benchmarking every person’s standards of living after he/she retires and comparing them to what they had been before the retirement occurred. While doing so, the researchers take into account the diversity and change that occurs in the individuals’ lifetime with respect to such variables as income, savings, tax payment, employment record, and other family conditions that keep varying from time to time. What is quite important to note is that such a calculation provides the researchers with an insight into the individuals’ preparedness for the conditions that would occur after their retirement both within and across the various income groups. Like many other resear ches investigating the very subject concluded, this particular research verified that the system for retirement that has conventionally been in place in Canada has been conducive for healthy consumption rates in the period that follows the retirement of individuals. For individuals belonging to the low income zone in particular, the retirement system has offered great support after completion of their services. In the last two decades, people that have reached the age of retirement experienced significant support from the retirement system in Canada. However, it is important to note that in case the present economic and behavioral circumstances in Canada continue to persist over an indefinite period of time, a vast majority of Canadians are susceptible to experience difficulties in sustaining the same consumption after retirement that they enjoy during the period of their working life. Presently, no more than 16 per cent of the total population of retirees happens to be in such circ umstances which are likely to result in a considerable minimization of the consumption after the retirement, the number would increase manifolds if the present trends persist indefinitely. As many as 44 per cent of the t

Short stories Essays -- essays research papers

Essay   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The short stories â€Å"The Snows of Kilimanjaro† and â€Å"The Short Happy Life of Francis Mocomber† were both written by world renowned author Ernest Hemingway. The two stories are written completely unrelated to each other; however, both stories have vast similarities in the time and place in which they take place. Hemingway is a writer that is very methodical in his word choices. When reading these two stories a second time the reader finds considerable differences in the writing style the author uses in each story. To demonstrate, three sentences from each story will be compared and contrasted to show the differences in word usage, word connotation, and to find which story is written better. The initial pair of these sentences to be looked at are, â€Å"A fourth planed down, to run quick-legged and then waddle slowly toward the others,† from the short story â€Å"The Snows of Kilimanjaro,† and â€Å"On the far bank of the stream M acomber could see, above the trees, vultures circling and plummeting down,† from the story â€Å"The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber.† The subsequent couple of sentences are â€Å"’You Bitch,’ he said,† from the â€Å"Snows of Kilimanjaro† and â€Å"’Why not let up on the bitchery just a little, Margot,’ Macomber said, cutting the eland steak and putting some mashed potato, gravy and carrot on the down-turned fork that tined through the piece of meat.† Finally, the third set of sentences are â€Å"She shot very well this good, rich bitch, this kindly destroyer of his talent,† from the story â€Å"Snows of Kilimanjaro† and â€Å"’That was a good shot,’ Wilson said,† from the story, â€Å"A Short Happy Life.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first sentence to be analyzed is, â€Å"A fourth planed down, to run quick-legged and then waddle slowly toward the others,† from the short story â€Å"The Snows of Kilimanjaro.† In this sentence Hemingway is describing the actions of a vulture landing. When compared with its corresponding sentence from the short story â€Å"The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber,† â€Å"On the far bank of the stream Macomber could see, above the trees, vultures circling and plummeting down,† the reader can see similarities in the two sentences. Both sentences have to do with vultures flying and landing. However, there is a significant difference in the author’s word usage in each. In the first sentence, the word â€Å"planed† describes the vultures dec... ...† is an adjective, describing the noun â€Å"shot.† Notice that the word â€Å"shot† is used in different manners. In the first sentence, â€Å"shot† is an action, a verb, where in the second sentence â€Å"shot† is a noun. The second sentence is the better than the first. The first sentence is cluttered with descriptive words leaving each word with less value. In the second sentence the word â€Å"good† is the focus of the sentence making it a better defined and more coherent sentence. When compared these two sentences are alike only in their differences, for example the meaning of the word â€Å"shot† in the first sentence and the word â€Å"shot† in the second sentence are the same words with different perspectives. In conclusion the short story, â€Å"The Short Happy Life of Francis Mocomber† is the better written of the two short stories by Ernest Hemingway. The author’s word usage, and connotation in this story, however similar to those in â€Å"The Snows of Kilimanjaro,† makes the reader clearly visualize the images he is trying to illustrate. The three sentences from â€Å"The Short Happy Life of Francis Mocomber† are all around better written, use better words, and better help the reader imagine the author’s intentions.

International and Intercultural Communication Essay

International and Intercultural Communications have been of great interest to the Hofstede Centre for many years. In fact Geert Hofstede’s dimensions of culture have been the most widely disseminated of all theories. Hofstede’s five cultural dimensions are, â€Å"1) Power Distance, 2) Individualism or Collectivism, 3) Masculinity-Femininity, 4) Uncertainty Avoidance, and 5) Short or Long Term Orientation.† (Donald Baack, 2012, Chapter 2.4). â€Å"Professor Geert Hofstede conducted one of the most comprehensive studies of how values in the workplace are influenced by culture. He analyzed a large database of employee value scores collected within IBM between 1967 and 1973. The data covered more than 70 countries, from which Hofstede first used the 40 countries with the largest groups of respondents and afterwards extended the analysis to 50 countries and 3 regions.† (The Hofstede Center, n.d.). In the next few pages I will compare the similarities and differences in scores between the countries of Croatia and Slovenia in relation to Hofstede’s five cultural dimensions as well as provide a scenario involving two organizations, one located in each country and their business practices relating to the different cultural perspectives. In the dimension of Power-Distance Croatia scores high with a score of 73 which means the people accept a hierarchical order in which everybody has a place and which needs no further justification. In this type of society people expect to be told what to do and this is accepted as the norm. (Hofstede Centre, n.d.). Slovenia also scored high in the dimension of Power-Distance with a score of 71. What this displays is two of the former eastern European countries, are very similar in their societal beliefs in hierarchal order and the populace was still routed in a culture where subordinates do as they are told by the boss and the boss is an aut ocrat in the bigger sense. In the second of the  five cultural dimensions Individualism or Collectivism, Croatia scored 33 which are considered a collectivistic society. â€Å"This is manifest in a close long-term commitment to the member ‘group’, be that a family, extended family, or extended relationships. Loyalty in a collectivist culture is paramount, and over-rides most other societal rules and regulations. The society fosters strong relationships where everyone takes responsibility for fellow members of their group. In collectivist societies offence leads to shame and loss of face, employer/employee relationships are perceived in moral terms (like a family link); hiring and promotion decisions take account of the employee’s in-group, management is the management of groups.† (The Hofstede Centre, n.d.). Slovenia, had a score of 27 is also considered a collectivistic society just like we saw in Croatia. Once again the two bordering countries are nearly identical in their collec tivist societies. Our third dimension of Masculinity-Femininity resulted in a score of 40. With this score they are considered a relatively feminine society. Feminine societies focus on the theory of work to live. In a feminine society it is also common for managers to seek consensus. Even with such a disparity in scores and Slovenia’s’ score of 19 on this dimension, they too are considered more of a feminine society. Like the culture of Croatia they work to live and the people value things like equality, solidarity and pleasure in their working lives. â€Å"Conflicts are resolved by compromise and negotiation. Incentives such as free time and flexibility are favored. Focus is on well-being, status is not shown.† (The Hofstede Centre, n.d.). The fourth dimension of Uncertainty Avoidance resulted in a score of 80 signifying a very high preference for avoiding uncertainty. As stated in the Hofstede report, â€Å"Countries exhibiting high uncertainty avoidance maintain rigid codes o f belief and behavior and are intolerant of unorthodox behavior and ideas. In these cultures there is an emotional need for rules (even if the rules never seem to work) time is money, people have an inner urge to be busy and work hard, precision and punctuality are the norm, innovation may be resisted, security is an important element in individual motivation.† (The Hofstede Centre, n.d.). Slovenia also scored quite high with an 88 signifying they too choose to avoid uncertainty and need rules regardless of the effectiveness of them. Our final dimension is the dimension of Short or Long Term Orientation. In the comparison statistics this is referred to as  pragmatism and indulgence. Croatia achieved scores of 58 and 33 respectively. These figures indicate that the Croatian society believe truth is dependent on situations, context of what is said and the time. â€Å"They show an ability to adapt traditions easily to changed conditions, a strong propensity to save and invest thriftiness, and perseverance in achieving results.† (The Hofstede Cen tre, n.d.). The 33 score received for indulgence is an indication of a restrained country. â€Å"Societies with a low score in this dimension have a tendency to cynicism and pessimism. Also, in contrast to indulgent societies, restrained societies do not put much emphasis on leisure time and control the gratification of their desires. People with this orientation have the perception that their actions are restrained by social norms and feel that indulging themselves is somewhat wrong.† (The Hofstede Centre, n.d.). Slovenia had scores of 49 in pragmatism and 48 in indulgence. These scores both result in no clear preference for one or the other. As I have demonstrated by comparing the results for these two countries, bordering countries can be quite similar in some aspects of International and Intercultural Communications but quite different in others. As an example if I opened a car repair business or franchise in these two countries and expected them to work together some of the things I could expect is, they both would struggle with working together since they both prefer autocratic leaders and operate under the concept of being told what to do. What this means to me is that regardless if I am physically there with them or providing communication from afar they will execute all actions to benefit the business in a positive manner. These societies rely on face and losing face through failure is not an option they accept easily. In contrast to this is they both enjoy the benefits of family time, strong ties to immediate and extended family (the organization), managers often seek consensus and conflict is resolved through compromise and negotiation. This later part about conflict resolution is because both societies are feministic in nature and as we all know, women are often times more level headed and less apt to fly off the hand le over little issues that can be resolved in an agreeable manner when thought out and discussed properly. This could be beneficial or difficult since us Americans believe in more time at work than time with family in today’s working environment. I believe this is an instance where I would need to adjust my work ethic in order to  gain more from these two countries in keeping with their societal beliefs and standards. From my perception of Hofstede’s five cultural dimensions is that two companies in these two countries of Croatia and Slovenia would work very well together and in fact complement one another nicely, leading to great success for the organization. What I have done in the past few pages is to demonstrate the similarities and differences in scores between the countries of Croatia and Slovenia in relation to Hofstede’s five cultural dimensions as well as provided you with the scenario involving two organizations, one located in each country and their business practices relating to the different cultural perspectives. I believe Hofstede’s five dimens ions were quite relevant when originally complied and are still quite relevant today. References Baack, D., Management Communication, 2012. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/books/AUBUS600.12.1 Mind Tools Ltd, 1996-2014. Retrieved from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_66.htm The Hofstede Centre, National Cultural Dimensions, n.d. Retrieved from http://geert-hofstede.com/national-culture.html The Hofstede Centre, National Cultural Dimensions, n.d. Retrieved from http://geert-hofstede.com/croatia.html

Analysis Of The Ford Motor Company Is A Good Investment Essay

LP5 Assignment: Final Project Porchia Green National American University – Online Founded by Henry Ford in 1903, the Ford company is the world’s fifth largest automaker in the world. Publicly traded and held on the New York Stock Exchange, Ford uses the symbol of â€Å"F† to identify itself (Motorsport.com, 2001). The purpose of this document is to investigate and determine if the Ford Motor Company is a good investment. I will further cover a financial analysis of Ford Motor Company, evaluate the businesses consolidated statements of income, balance sheet, statement of stockholders equity, and statement of cash flows, which this will confirm if my conclusion is correct (Investopedia, 2004b) . Ford Motor Company is one of the largest United States automotive corporation company. The success of Ford Motor Company can be measured by analyzing and computing the three different valuation ratios, three different profitability ratios, and three financial strength ratios for three consecutive years. The outcome of the results can determine if the Ford Motor Company is a good investment (Investopedia, 2004b). To enable investors and creditors to analyze these goals, Ford Motor Company distributes annual financial statements. With these financial statements, liquidity of Ford Motor Company is measured by analyzing factors such as the market value, market book value, price earnings ratio, enterprise value ratio, which provides the valuation ratios.Show MoreRelatedFord Motor Company Is A Good Investment Essay1448 Words   |  6 PagesStudent’s Name Professor’s Name Course 8 September 2016 Ford Motor Corporation Founded by Henry Ford in 1903, the Ford company is the world’s fifth largest automaker in the world. 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Throughout its history, Ford Motor Company has developed effective strategic plans to adapt the business to the changing economy while addressing the needs of their customers and employees. By analyzing the company’s strategic planning, along with itsRead MoreFord Motor Company Case Study1124 Words   |  5 Pages Introduction Ford Motor Company is the fifth biggest automobile manufacturing companies in the world and they offer a wide range of products and services for consumers. Ford Motor Company offers automobile products that are cars, crossovers, SUV’s, trucks, vans, and Lincolns. Ford Motor Company has recently celebrated their 100th anniversary of the moving assembly line invented under Henry Ford. Ford Motor Company has built on its legacy of innovation by expanding advanced manufacturing and ground