Globalization and Technology Essay

Friedman explains how 10 ingredients, he calls â€Å"flatteners† which has inadvertently brought about a new global business environment. The 1st flattener is the â€Å"Fall of the Berlin Wall†, where Friedman explains how on 11/09/89 the Berlin Wall came down and exposed the continents into one globalize trading world. Friedman explains about six months after the â€Å"Berlin Wall Falling† the â€Å"Windows Operating System† computer chip exploded and launched the beginning era of internet PC revolution. He calls this era â€Å"The Fall of The Walls and the Rise of The Windows†. Explaining how the â€Å"Wall† stood in the way of globalization. Six months after the Wall Fell the Windows Operating System 3.0 shifted and created a single graphical interface. The 2nd flattener was the date 08/09/95 having an immense impact which I believe is a milestone in the history of our technology growth and its repercussions was when Netscape, a internet b rowser (which is a drop box that is illustrated on computer screens giving a outburst of availability to the internet’s world wide web of information and created an open highway with no speed limits), went public. As Netscape became available to all people at their finger tips it played a key roll empowering individuals with massive amounts of information and helped commercialize and set open standards, equally facilitating all of the world’s people with virtually the same chance of opportunities for growth. This phenomenon is greatly indicative to the remaining of Thomas Friedman’s flatteners and their implications, good and bad, on human kind essentially defining what he meant with the statement: â€Å"The World Is Flat†. The Netscape browser brought the internet to life and gave us the .com boom creating a bubble of wild crazy investments which facilitated the fiber optic boom. Friedman explains how an overinvestment of 1 trillion dollars in five years into fiber optic cable inadvertently connected the world through the internet. Which lead us to the â€Å"Workflow Software†, the 3rd flattener where all the software programs and standards that connect PCs with ba nds of cable to allow work to flow, such as Microsoft Word. These events fountain a technology revolution, which virtually connected everyone’s application to everyone else’s application. Creating a new global platform where Friedman describes this era as a collaboration of platforms, flattening the world. This platform marks the end of a new beginning as Freidman describes â€Å"The Genesis Moment†. Freidman explains how this Genesis moment fueled a network connecting  Ã¢â‚¬Å"people to people†, â€Å"companies with companies†, â€Å"people with companies† and â€Å"more people with more different places† and so. Thus, starts the emergence of Freidman’s theory â€Å"The World Is Flat†. This new platform is based on a collaboration of the following six flatteners. Starting with the 4th flattener in which Friedman labels as â€Å"Outsourcing† was built around the â€Å"Y2K† fade. Outsourcing was the product of collaboration which allows departments of large companies to work out of State, and more so, to work out of our country. This collaboration aided companies to disaggregate a good proportion of their business processes and source it out to anywhere around the world at a lesser cost than it would have otherwise cost here in the US. Outsourcing gave way for companies to take advantage of high skilled laborers with low-cost wages, utilizing them as vehicles for companies to gain profits and develop an exponential boost of effective efficiency by tremendously improving their overall production and operations increasing profit margins. Although, many American companies probably did not stop to analyze the repercussions of their gains. The 5th flattener is â€Å"Off Shoring†, which is built around China joining the World Trade Organization. Off-shoring is taking an entire factory and physically moving it from the U.S. to a foreign country and integrating into global production operations. The 6th flattener is â€Å"Open-Sourcing† where the writing of â€Å"Linux† was created. Linux is a computer operating system program and is the biggest competitor’s to Microsoft’s operating system program. This new operating system â€Å"Linux† was created by a collaboration of computer sc ientists on the internet who demanded no money for their efforts allowing this free program to be downloaded by anyone who seeks it out. Linux is the biggest competitor to Microsoft whereby under cutting Microsoft, Friedman emphasis, how it would be hard to bet â€Å"zero†. â€Å"Supply Chain† is the 7th flattener which is built around Wal-Mart, as Freidman stated, represents the construction of a hyper-efficient, down to the last atom of efficiency global supply chain of operations. Wal-Mart successfully capitalized on MIT (management information technology). An example is where as you take an item off a Wal-Mart shelf in one city, that item will immediately be in production in China. Surprisingly, Wal-Mart doesn’t manufacture anything, but has successfully held itself as the biggest American retail company by innovation of a global supply chain to the last atom of efficiency. â€Å"In-Sourcing† is the 8th  flattener. UPS, an express package delivery service company capitalized on in-sourcing by taking over internal logistics of companies such as Toshiba. This way of business is not an e asy situation but can successfully be done by normal standardization company set-up where UPS will repair a broken item of Toshiba products. UPS virtually creates and operates a replication of Toshiba’s repair center. Toshiba agrees to pay UPS to operate this repair services for their customers in which UPS delivers the repaired product back to the original customer where Toshiba never touch their own products. The 9th flattener is where Friedman describes as â€Å"Informing† examples are Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft search engines. These informing tools allow you to collaborate yourself with unlimited amounts of data, information and resources. Informing is a way where we as individuals can collaborate ourselves with information. The 10th flattener is what Friedman calls â€Å"Steroids†. This is wireless technology, voice over the IP, and advances in computer microchips and storage capacity. He explains how Steroids basically turbo charge all nine of these new forms of collaboration and make it so you can now use anyone of these advances from anywhere through any device. These ten flatteners complement each other and converged into a single global web enabled platform. Without plan these events of convergence overlapped and complemented each other, working together with multiple forms, melting any world’s gaps and virtually bringing all people together closer than ever before. Friedman summarizes the flatteners by explaining how â€Å"three convergence of technology† makeup the 10 flatteners are as followed: †¢ 1st Convergence: Globalization 1.0: where the world changed from â€Å"Large? to Medium† and the agent of this global change were through countries. Globalization 2.0: where the world changed from â€Å"Medium? to Small† and the agent of this global change were through companies, markets and laborers. Globalization 3.0: where the world changed from â€Å"Small? to Tiny† and the agent of this global change were not countries or companies but individuals and small groups. Where individuals world wide, now have access and the ability to facilitate, embrace, and empower themselves individuality with any advancements they may desire. This global change has flattened the economic playing field geographically through time, distance and language providing the opportunities of capitalism and its byproduct is competition world wide for all people of the world. Essentially, this defines Thomas  Friedman’s meaning of â€Å"The World Is Flat†. †¢ 2nd Convergence: The need for adaptation of our new flat world habits where resources, rather it be natural or synthetic, are more evenly distributed among all living people of the world therefore resulting in a negative amount of resources allocated for each American’s average income level. Friedman tells a detailed personal story when he experienced the flatten world describing how he once lacked new information and therefore failed to take advantage of attaining his airplane flight boardin g pass the night before starting at 12:01am. Other passengers took advantage and utilized their resource tool of new technology where customer service provided by Southwest Airline’s internet we2 site. Even thought other passengers on the same airline flight as Thomas Friedman was able to receive their airline-boarding pass the night before the flight. Allowing the other passengers more free time before having to arrive at the airport and not having to stand in a waiting line. According the Friedman’s writing, we as Americans would have to learn to view the world from a different perspective, understanding and accepting competition will increase and we may get less for our dollar in the near future. Friedman called this process where people will have to horizontalize themselves. He explains when the world goes flat the value increasing is not created vertically, in single sections or companies, but is increasingly created horizontally by who is collaborated with what companies, inside and outside your company and/or companies you buy from as consumers. People having to horizontalize them selves and to think very different about how we collaborate within firms and with other firms in order to reach new value creation. An example is when computers became available to the average consumer and businesses, people had to adapt to a very different workplace and work habits in order to collaborate with the new technology. †¢ 3rd Convergence: Freidman states the last convergence is since all of this globalize collaboration been accruing there was a massive quite perfect storm was being created â€Å"3-billion† people who were out of the game walked onto the playing field of trade and consumerism from China, India and the former Soviet Union. Freidman recognizes that approximately only 5% of those three billion people can plug in and play after calculating the numbers it turns outs to 150 million people, which equal the size of the American workforce today. Freidman’s main argument of his book is the triple convergence of the ten  flatteners that are flattening the world, the convergence of a whole new way of doing business is much more horizontal rather vertical including three billio n new players. In general, Thomas Friedman finalized his argument by emphasizing â€Å"the world is flat and I’m here to tell you that everything we called IT revolution these last 20 years, was just the warm-up act that has been the sharpening and the distribution of the tools of collaboration. Now you are going to see several billion people increasing quickly learn how to use and apply those tools across a whole new range and forms of collaboration†. I agree with much of Friedman’s theories and the flatteners he chose to describe the extreme important impacts that affect our IT revolution world to at which the state it is in today. Freidman chose these events as milestone, where I would add emphasis on the importance of the sequential pattern of the flatteners’ events in which they transpired. Much through pure chance the sequence of events our technology growth and it processes just fell into action, rather for better or for worst, it was bound to happen. And if you ask most Americans if they think we should have not had the opportunity in attaining these advance technology leaps, I would prognosticate that most people would not forgo these gains for anything less regardless of the repercussions. I believe the most important flattener is 08/09/95 when Netscape went public because it opened an express highway of doors of opportunities with no speed limits, in my opinion, having one of the greatest technological improved impacts on human kind by immediately and direct changing our standard ways of living and increasingly potential capabilities. When Netscape became public it gave us a huge stepping-stone of advancement connecting the people of the entire world to each other. This change gave way for all of the other leaps of events to unfold without such a change Friedman’s other collaboration could not have taken place in the matter in which it did. This technology metamorphosis has allowed people to work from their homes, communicate to family members that are out of the country, and educate themselves with tons of information. I agree with Friedman in that â€Å"learning to love learning† are important elements missing from our culture’s view of education today. People must know that learning is never ending. There is always some skill or fact that is unknown that can be learned, but only if that person has a desire to learn. Even though children have the greatest opportunity to gain knowledge,  many children do not take advantage of it. They should realize that learning is constant and that educat ion is very powerful. Although I do not agree with Friedman in that â€Å"learning to love learning† is â€Å"most† important elements our society is missing from our culture’s view of education. I believe first and foremost public schools from 1st grade all the way to BA degree with in a university should be facilitated and paid for all American children with governmental taxes. National health care and wage insurance can help people survive while they are unemployed. Basically, we Americans should go back to the basics in that our society should enforce (good old fashion morals) basic conduct that reflects morals and respect utilizing integrity anything we do. The opposite is true in which we allow the media and forms of other public exposure to report stories with exaggerated facts and/or information that adversely affects our children’s view of themselves and everything around them. Should we go back to basic traditional teaching where in the beginning of child’s education building a strong foundation in our children’s life incorporating strong work ethics including a strong sense of pride in the all work and accomplishments attain. I believe if these foundations are bestowed within our children’s lives, the results will give them empowerment, enabling and encouraging our children in the right direction so that, when needed they can educate, empower, enable, and encourage themselves in becoming the most efficient individual collaboration. Understanding this way of life and incorporating these values within our daily lives utilization of fewer resources. Americans must acknowledge that we may have to learn to live with fewer luxuries and learn to be more conservative with natural resources but not necessary having to accept a weaker economy for the sake of it. There is a limited amount of natural resources available at any given time on earth and after these natural resources are evenly divided out per individual, the amount per individual is very small in size. Therefore, I do believe Americans should start adapting to new ways of living and consume fewer resources per individual. Many people may agree with my belief that Thomas Friedman failed to emphasis, what I call â€Å"individual re-shapers† where Americans should re-evaluate (re-shaping) their morals, integrity, honor and trust and try to incorporate these ideas within the intra-structure of American families, public schools, public facilities,  communities, cities, states, agencies, government, services, products and companies of the United States. If Americans would utilizes the same amount of time and investments, monetary and non-monetary, within our society moral values as whole and start new policies that will complement our global changes. These changes can initiate with my extremely important idea of â€Å"individual re-shapers† by developing and morally growing in a positive direction for the better good of all people around the world as a whole. Some â€Å"individual re-shapers† are technological advancements within public schools, which is essential for success and may have exponentially increasing our standard of living and helped improved most Americans everyday life by starting with our children. Another â€Å"individual re-shapers† is restricting the media to mislead or avoid the real truth of WORLD NEWS and not allow political groups or public positions and agencies to utilize law suites and avoid addressing real society moral problems of the American people. This can facilitate our country to be effective in a continuous society that morally develops at a rate parallel to the repercussions of technologies developments. The most important knowledge I have acquired from Thomas Friedman’s book â€Å"The World Is Flat† is the confirmation of my own personal beliefs as well as my personal career plans and professional development that incorporates and utilizes my code of honor and integrity in whatever I do in my life, rather it be a branch manager overseeing many employees, and/or a wife and mother (in which I believe is one of the hardest but important jobs a person can hold) raising children that reflecting the same, if not better, code of conduct in the ir life.

Stakeholders of Tourism in Thailand

Stakeholders of Tourism in Thailand Thailand will achieve Long term social, cultural and environmental development when sustainable tourism development is attained by the stakeholders in tourism industry. This can be realized through reducing or reversing negative impact of unplanned programmes and overdevelopment on tourism sites.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Stakeholders of Tourism in Thailand specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Sustainable development in tourism ensures that present needs are met without compromising the ability of future generations to cater for their needs (Scripun, 2008). This article will examine the steps that stakeholders in tourism industry are taking to ensure that sustainable development is achieved fast to enable all stakeholders to enjoy long term social, environmental, economic and cultural benefits. Traditional mass tourism in Thailand can contribute less to sustainable tourism development. This is because it lacks nece ssary concern for socio-cultural environment. This objective can only be achieved when there is enough goodwill from the local community, the government and other stakeholders towards the initiation of sustainable tourism development. Stakeholders in tourism industry can be divided into five categories that include the policy makers, locals, hospitality employees, owners and investors. Policy makers refer to individuals or state organs who formulate national policies, laws and regulations. A good example of this would be the Tourism Authority of Thailand and government officials. Tourism in Thailand directly impacts on rural-urban migration, social dynamics and does cause some illegal activities such as drug abuse and sex tourism involving minors. Hospitality employees or staffs get affected by tourist demands, compensation laws, policies etc. The final categories of stakeholders who directly interact with tourist are the investors and owners.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Tourism Authority of Thailand or TAT undertook a joint initiative with three other key stakeholders namely Skal Thailand, Pacific Asia Travel Association or PATA and Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand or JFCCT to help establish a plan that will ensure sustainable development of tourism in Thailand (Ranee, 2007). The details of this plan were thoroughly discussed at an interactive forum called â€Å"mapping the Future† that took place last year. The essence of this forum was to find ways of ensuring sustainable tourism development that will meet the needs of tourists, locals and the tourism industry in general. The success of the joint forum is pegged on the level of stakeholder involvement in the implementation of the strategies that were discussed. The practitioners from the industry possess requisite experience that can help solve problems in Th ai travel and tourism industry to ensure positive development and growth in future. The stake holders who took part in â€Å"Mapping the Future† forum resolved to refurbish Thailand’s tourism marketing strategies (Nash, 1998). These included creating a better and stronger brand image for Thailand, managing reputation for the countries tourism, promoting sustainable tourism and promote extensive use of e-marketing and social media. Due to increase in involvement of Chinese tourists in Thai tourism industry, the forum members suggested that TAT should accord the professor from China Tourism Academy Dr. Xu Chen an opportunity to provide crucial address on â€Å"The Role of Chinese Outbound Travelers in the Future of Thai Tourism and the Tourism Satisfaction Index† (Dearden, 1991). Another stakeholder member Mr. Tim Riches, from Asia Pacific of Future Brand was charged with the mandate of handling the Brand Image of Thailand. The issue of e-marketing and Social Medi a was given to Mr. Tiwa York of Omnicom Media Group to handle. The management of reputation was given to Dr David Beirman, a Sydney professor of tourism from the University of Technology. His work was to address issues arising in hospitality and tourism business given his background in crisis and issue management.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Stakeholders of Tourism in Thailand specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More References Dearden, P. (1991) Tourism and Sustainable Development in Northern Thailand. The  Geographical review, 19(20), 5-9. Nash, D. (I998). Tourism as a Form of Imperialism, in V.L. Smith (ed.). The  Geographical Review, 11(13), 12-14. Ranee, T. (2007). The Case for Government Involvement in human Resource  Development: A study of the Thai Hotel Industry. Tourism Management, 9(40), 5-13. Scripun, M., (2008).Total Quality Management and tourism and Hospitality Education.  The Case Study of Thaila nd. 5(9), 7-11

Analysis Of Sherry Turkle s The Flight From Conversation Essay

Turkle lacks any success in her rhetorical appeal to ethos and does nothing to gain the trust of her audience without citing her quotes or properly identify herself as an expert in the field of social media and human interaction. The audience without her identify herself as an expert doesn’t know whether or not to trust what she is saying or if it is just a paper full of emotion with no proof. Not properly identifying how she is related to the subject matter anywhere in the paper makes the audience feel misguided by any information given which leads to mistrust her as a reliable source of information. This mistrust leads the audience to turn away from Turkle and not to believe her throughout the remainder of the article. She attempts to show that she has done some research by saying â€Å"during the years I have spent researching people and their relationships with technology†¦ listening to me† (Turkle). Turkle wants the audience to trust her that she has done her research, and therefor is an expert in this subject matter and throughout the article is t... ... middle of paper ... ...ticle in The New York Times â€Å"The Flight From Conversation†, she unsuccessfully argues that society needs to drop the habit of using social media as an out for face to face conversation, through her emotionally charged pathos that disrupts her from making valuable arguments that turn into a rant filled paper and the lack of properly assuring the audience that she is an expert in the field of human interactions. Though I do believe that more and more people have relied on technology for interaction with their peers, I don’t believe it has become an epidemic as describe in Turkle’s paper. Social media allows us to be able to connect with each other all around the country and is an effective means of quick communication. People still bond with each other and build meaningful relationships that are not just reliant on a piece of technology like describe so in the article.

Fords marketing strategy The Way Forward Case Study - 1

Fords marketing strategy The Way Forward - Case Study Example This research will begin with the statement that Ford is one of the top ten leading global brands in terms of revenue.   In 2008 to 2009 however, Ford and the automotive industry, in general, experienced difficulty. Its competitors Chrysler and General Motors declared bankruptcy and the company itself is in danger experiencing a substantial decline in sales of 23.4 percent in 2008 to 2009. In an attempt to jump-start sales and save the company, Ford’s new CEO, Man Mulally the former EVP of Boeing (who incidentally helped saved the company’s declining sales after 9/11 attack) implemented a marketing strategy dubbed â€Å"The Way Forward† which served as the company’s blueprint to overcome the 2008-2009 crisis. There are several marketing issues in Ford’s marketing strategy â€Å"The Way Forward†. These are market segmentation, refocused marketing effort and pricing in addition to cutting costs. Perhaps what saved Ford from bankruptcy during the very difficult time of 2008-2009 crisis was its decision to refocus its marketing efforts towards emerging markets. Not only did the company experienced an increase in sales during this difficult time but it also saved on cost when it sold its Volvo subsidiary to leave its maturing market in Europe. As it turned out, it had to keep up with the challenge of the increasing demand rather than get anxious about declining sales.  

Critical Issue Paper Two Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Critical Issue Paper Two - Essay Example ted States homefront had a controlled economy wherein all aspects of the industrial and agricultural sector are managed for the interest of the national security. Production of houses, new automobiles and new appliances were stopped creating a shortage within the consumer market. Housing shortages, especially in the munitions center (industrial sections) of the country forced married couples to live with parents or any makeshift facilities. And since little housing was done during the Great Depression years prior to World War II, the home shortage problem grew worse till 1948. Incidentally, the â€Å"wartime efforts were focused on aircraft engines, army trucks and tanks.† Mass production for aircrafts, where the requirement was to build a thousand planes a day needed new methods and a larger less skilled workforce (composed of women workers), were implemented. Basic goods and commodities like meat, sugar, butter, coffee, gasoline, tires, shoes and clothing were rationed. Purchase of any desired item requires three (3) things, which are: 1) the store keeper must have the items; 2) the purchaser must have cash, and 3) the purchaser must have ration coupons. In general, the rationing activity was supported by the civilians, although black marketing activities existed. Black marketeers were usually hunted down and prosecuted for engaging in such activities that was considered illegal at that time. Rationing was necessary during the World War II at the United States homefront, because the needs of men and women who are serving abroad must be met and considered. Conservation of the aforementioned commodities and other basic items were significant factors for the overall success of the war efforts, since shipping capabilities were limited due to the conversion of public cargo ships to military use in order to aid the war efforts. Good paying jobs were available for anyone who liked to work, although salaries and wages were also controlled. Women joined the

Leadership in the Movies Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Leadership in the Movies - Coursework Example This paper presents an analytical paradigm of leadership approaches. A typical illustration of how this paradigm functions is shown in the film Twelve O’Clock High. The 1949 movie is about the Second World War and how an unsuccessful bomber troop was made triumphant by Brigadier General Savage. Plot Summary General Frank Savage, in this narrative of the first phase of bombing attacks over Germany, is ordered to lead a disastrous bomber team after a commanding officer is dismissed. A great deal of the narrative focuses on Savage’s great effort to make the team highly disciplined despite of several and major losses. Real battle footage is included in this vividly told war story. The American 918th Bomber Group has recently accomplished another assignment. The performance of the 918th is depressing. The group is enduring major crew fatalities and aircraft damages. The poor performance of the 918th stands in contrast with the achievements of other bomber units. Consequently , the 918th experiences weak motivation and a status as ‘The Hard Luck Unit† (Lay & Bartlett, 1980, 19); thus starts the archetypal film about the Second World War. Savage, after reaching the 918th Bomber Group, observes that there are weak levels of obedience and discipline. The soldiers show almost no concern for military civility and are frequently intoxicated. Savage promptly evaluates the records of assistant leaders. He finds out that Air Executive Officer Lieutenant Colonel Ben Gately has a good record. But Savage is forced to order an arrest of Gately because he is missing from his position. When Gately is arrested, Savage criticizes him for abandoning his assignment and for being personally accountable for the failure of the prior commanding officer. Savage dismisses Gately from the position but refuses to recommend his reassignment. Rather, Savage proclaims, â€Å"I’m not going to pass the buck†¦ I’m going to keep you right here† (Lay & Bartlett, 1980, 14). Savage afterward relocates all of the nonconformists of the 918th unit. Even though the decisions of Savage may seem to be humiliating, he is going on the right direction. His charismatic leadership style is usually aggressive, drastic, and transformative, often working as a change catalyst. Savage exhibits a supernatural intuition. He recognizes Gately can be a very effective leader, but one who requires motivation. The aspiration of Savage is for Gately to turn out to be a self-actualized individual, to emerge from a self-centered to altruistic character and be instilled with well-formed work principles. Savage displays transformational inclinations of a charismatic leader. By granting Gately the opportunity to regain his good reputation as a leader, Savage finally guides him to a deep empowerment position. Gately in time realizes his decisions and attitudes strongly influence the group’s capacity to effectively complete its assignment. Charismatic Le adership’s Transformational Traits Future leaders will confront numerous circumstances where in they will have to adopt transformational traits of a charismatic leader. Numerous leaders of the future will come to believe that

Analysis Study Of Colonial Discourse In Literature

Analysis Study Of Colonial Discourse In Literature Colonial discourse has been defined by many writers such as Diniz (1996:126) who points out hat Colonial discourse usually refers to the writing which runs from five hundred years, through the days of European mercantile expansion, to our own time (1996:126). This definition suggests that the era of Colonialism in literature began in the 17th C. with the publication of Shakespeares The Tempest (1611-12). In this paper, however, the term is used to refer to the literature written in English, but confined to the century of British Colonialism and the decades of anti- or post colonial activity which followed. Saids Orientalism (1978) uses the concept of colonial discourse to re-order the study of colonialism. So it can be said to inaugurate a new kind of study of colonialism. Saids Orientalism examines how the East, including the Middle East, is represented in the history and the literature written by the West. The West always looks at the East as inferior people without religion or morals. Saids projecttries to show how knowledge about the non-Europeans was part of the process of maintaining power over them. In short, Orientalism is primarily concerned with how the Orient was constructed by Western Literature and not with how such construction was received by colonial subjects. It examines the Western attitudes toward the East. Said concludes that the Western writers depict the Orient as irrational, week and feminised other. This depiction can be contrasted with the depiction of the West as rational, strong and masculine. Saids Culture and Imperialism (1994) Colonial discourse is a concept popularized by Edward Said. In this paper, it refers also to the knowledge of Africa constructed by the West (colonial writers: as Defoe and Conrad) to bolster its colonizing interests, and the reaction of the East (colonized writers as: Achebe). Colonial discourse has not been the product of a certain age and it has attracted the attention of several writers and critics. Those celebrated authors as Conrad and Defoe created remarkable works out of the subject of Colonialism. Nowadays, Colonial discourse is one of the most current issues in literary criticism. 1.2. Life and Works of Defoe, Conrad and Achebe 1.2.1. Life and Works of Defoe: Danial Defoe was born about 1660 in London. His father, James Foe, was poor but hard working butcher. Defoe was not able to attend traditional institutions like Oxford and Cambridge because of his fathers opposition. Defoe is often considered the father of English novel. He is a master of simple prose and powerful narrative with a love of realistic detail. He is a great imaginative writer who creates one of the most familiar resonant myths of modern literature. He is influenced by the writings of Addison, Steel and Swift. Defoes important works are: Robinson Crusoe (1719), Moll Flanders (1722), Capitan Singleton (1720) and The History of Peter the Great and Colonel Jack (1722). Defoe died in London on April 24, 1731. 1.2.2. Life and Works of Conrad Joseph Conrad was born in December 3, 1857. His childhood was affected by his homelands struggle for independence. He is a Polish novelist and short story writer. Conrad is one of the English languages greatest stylists. He becomes one of the greatest writers in the world. His major works include Heart of Darkness (1902), Lord Jim (1900), The Secret Agent (1907), Under the Western Eyes (1911) and Nostrome (1904). He died of heart failure on August 3, 1924. 1.2.3. Life and Works of Achebe Chinua Achebe was born in Ogidi in eastern Nigeria on November 16, 1930. His parents instill in him many of the values of their traditional culture. He is one of most well-known post colonial writers. He has become renewed as a father of modern African literature. After publishing Things Fall Apart, he became one of the founders of the new Nigerian literature. Achebes important novels are: Things fall Apart (1959), No Longer at Ease (1960), Arrow of God (1964) and A Man of people (1966). His novels are primarily directed to an African audience, but their psychological insights have gained them universal acceptance. His education in English allows him to capture both the European and the African perspectives on colonial expansion, race, religion and culture. 1.3. The Relevance of the Study There are many writers who have tackled the concept of colonialism in their works. It is customary to read Shakespeares The Tempest as the first important major work to present colonial discourse: the way the colonizer and the colonized portrayed in the characters of Prospero and Caliban. In The Tempest, Shakespeares major addition to the story is to make the island inhabited before Prosperos arrived. That single addition turns the adventure story into an allegory of the colonial encounter. There are two ways of representing colonialism in literature. The first one is represented by the colonizers point of view; the European writers. Those colonial writers are Shakespeare, Defoe, Conard and J.M. Cotezee. Those writers have written plays and novels which deal with the theme of colonialism as Defoes with the them of colonialism as Defoes Robinson Crusoe (1719), Corads Heart of Darkness (1902), Carys Mister Johnson ( ) and Cotezees Foe (1986). Those writers give a negative picture of Africa in particular and the East in general. Africans are depicted as primitrue, savages, uncivilized, inferior and ignorant. As a result of this negative representation of Africa in particular and the East, including the Middle East, which is seen as sub-human in general several critics criticized this subject. Among the critics who criticized this subject are Edward Said, Achebe and other African critics like Ngugiwa, Chinwerza and Nkruma. Those African critics provide a theoritcal frame work to examine the representation of the colonized in the literature produced by the writers belonging to the countries of the colonizer. They have re-written the representation of the colonized from non-Euro. centric perspective. So their writing is a mean of re-writing the history, the culture from their cultural perspective which is called Afro-centric point of view. Saids Orientalism(1978) one of the first works which examines how the East, including the Middle East, is represented in the history and the literature written by the West. The West always looks at the East as an inferior people without religion or morals. Saids projects tries to show how knowledge about the non-European was part of the process of maintaining power over them. It also examines the Western attitudes toward the East. In short, Orientalism is primarily concerned with how the Orient was constructed by Western literature and not how such construction was received by colonial subjects. Said concludes that the Western writers depict the Orient as irrational, weak and feminized other. This depiction can be contrasted with the depiction of the West as rational, strong and masculine. Saids Culture and Imperialism (1994) is another work to explain the complex and the ongoing relationships between the East and the West, the colonizer and the colonized, the white and the black. Said specifically addresses the way in which subjugated people are represented within literature and how it has affected not only these people but also the cultures in which they live. Achebes Things Fall Apart (1959) is one of the first books to represent the African image from an Afro-centric perspective. This novel is always seen as a response to the image created by Conrad and Cary. In this novel, Achebe writes the story of colonization of the Ibo society from an African point of view. In his essay An Image of Africa: Racism in Heart of Darkness, Achebe views that Conrads treatment of native Africans in Heart of Darkness as racist. Achebe focuses on Conrads treatment of Africa as an other world, an antithesis at Europe and therefore at civilization (9th. In Achebe, 3). Achebe specifically criticizes Conrads racism which is expressed through the choice of words, ignorance, fiction, comparison and imagery of the writer. Achebe argues that the choice of words Conrad uses is very limited. He repeats words like inscrutable and frenzy too many times and at several occasions. Conrad changes these for their synonyms. (Ibid). According to him, the image of darkness pointed in the book is just the stereotyped view of Europeans towards African as whole. Achebe believes that Conrad is just pleasing the readers by telling them what they want to hear. In his conclusion, Achebe calls Conrad a bloody racist who mock both African land and African people. 1.4. The Method of the Study This term paper is based on an analytical method. The analysis includes the themes, the characters and the techniques of each novel. Chapter II: 2.1. The Purpose of the Study The principle aims of this research are as follows: To examine the them of colonialism and how its consequences are reflected through Defoes Robinson Crusoe, Conrads Heart of Darkness and Achebes Things fall Apart. To examine how three different writers of two different cultures, races, countries and religions represent the colonizer and the colonized in these three novels. To compare and contrast literary pieces written from the point of view of European imperialists and the African/colonized perspectives. To compare and contrast these two negative and positive representations of the colonized (Africa) [both as land and people] as it was presented in these three novels. 2.2. The Significance/ Importance of the Study Chapter III: section 1 (Defoes Robinson Crusoe) 3.1.1. Plot Summary of Defoes Robinson Crusoe from the perspective of Colonial Discourse Defoes Robinson Crusoe (1719) takes place in the second half of the 17thC. when European companies vied for control and exploitation of colonized lands around the world. Crusoe, the central character, appears to represent his imperialist spirit: first when he goes to Guniea, next when he travels to Brazil and opens plantation, and finally when he becomes king of an island. Crusoe colonizes the island by building houses, taking Friday as his servant after meeting him and refereeing to the mountaineers as his subjects. 3.1.2. Understanding Colonialism in Defoes Robinson Crusoe: Analysis of the Theme and the Characters Defoes Robinson Crusoe (1719) was written when the people of the 18thC. were traveling abroad, discovering new lands and spreading Christianity. They were colonizing lands and imposing their culture and language there. The powerful nation controls the economy, and the territory of a week country. Africa was one of the main colonies of the British Empire and the British were at the centre of power whereas the Other were at the margin of power. In other words, the colonizer suppressed the Other, his language and his culture too. Robinson Crusoe is the second important work to present colonial discourse; the way the colonizer and the colonized are portrayed in the figures/ characters of Crusoe, Friday, non whiteman, and Xury, a servant of Crusoe. The roles of Crusoe, Friday, Xury and the mountaineers have been discussed in terms of rules and subjects in close connection to the treatment of those people by Crusoe. Defoes Robinson Crusoe is often read in modern times as an allegory of colonialism, and there is much in the last chapters to defend this view. Fridays subjection, servitude and submission to Crusoe reflects colonial race relations (Defoe: 185). This is clear when Crusoe thinks that he is helping Friday by making him his servant. Moreover, Colonial terms appear when dealing with the host he mountaineers. Crusoe and the Captain terrify them by referring to a fictional governor of the island who will punish Hem severely. This fiction of governor for shadows the very governor who will no doubt be installed on the island eventually. Because Crusoe has claimed the territory for England. Indeed, Crusoe refers to this community as my colony in the island, which makes us, the readers, wander whether he really consider it his own or it is officially a colony or figuratively so. As the novel sheds light upon the theme of colonialism, the reader observes the way the colonizer and the colonized are portrayed in it. In the novel, Crusoe, the central character, is the representative of colonialism whereas Friday is the symbol of the subjects races. Friday is instructed, given language and converted to Christianity, Crusoes religion. Crusoes instructions on Friday are examples of his attitudes towards human beings who he trained to do his work. As a colonizer, Crusoe wants to spread his religion. He refers to Christianity and to the Bible in order to convert Friday to Christianity. Crusoe teaches Friday the word master even before teaching him yes or no and lets him know that was to be Crusoes name (Defoe:185). Crusoe refers to himself as king over the natives and Europeans, who are his subjects. Moreover, Friday is an example of the self and the other. Crusoe instructs him, gives him language, in order to help him to run his Empire on the island. He is an example of the Other because he is only servant. Pennycook suggest that Colonialism is probably the context without equal of contractions of Self and Other (2002:10). We can observe the process of this construction in the dialogues between Crusoe and Friday: Master: Well, Friday, and what does your nation do with the men they take? Do they carry them a way and eat them, as these did? Friday: yes, my nation eat mans up too; eat all up. (Defoe: P.192). In such dialogues, we can see the relationship not only between Self and Other as constructed by colonialism but also between these and English. Friday has been given a very particular, colonizing English words to expenses his cultural background, besides his speaking in Crusoes own language. Phillispsons discussion (1992) of Crusoes lessons to Friday is one of the earliest instances of English linguistic imperialism which he calls as the locus-classical of the start of English linguistic imperialism to Crusoe, and he has no right to disobey him. Phillipson states that Crusoes-Fridays relationship reflects the racial structure of Western society at the hey day of slavery (P.109). Phillipson sees Crusoe as the epitome of imperialist slavery, i.e. a key figure in the European attempt to gain political and economic mastery over the large areas of the world. According to Brantlinger, what Crusoe cants master- or get to call him master- he sees only as savagery and desert island. (1990:P.2). Crusoes relationship with Friday comes in several layers. At one point in the novel, Crusoe refers to Fridays people as blinded, ignorant pagans (Defoe:170). The relationship between them is like that between Crusoe and Xury. Earlier, Crusoe has told Xury that if he will be faithful to him, he will make him a great man. As soon as the Captain offers 60 pieces of gold for Exury, Crusoe accepts it and sells him for the sake of economic gain. Crusoe stands for the colonizer who occupies the other countries under the pretext that he educates and develops the nation. Crusoe, as a colonizer, changes Fridays language, religion, habits, culture and even his name. This is how the colonizer imposes his own language, religion, culture and identity on the occupied nations. The banishment of Fridays religions beliefs emphasizes the colonization theme. Crusoes attitude towards Friday is reflected in his description. His attitude is that of a master-servant. He requires a complete subservience and faith fullness from Friday. Crusoe looks upon Friday as a creature when he will care for, giving him water, food and clothing. Crusoe does not even try to learn Friday actual name which shows the European supremacy theme in the novel. Crusoe gives Friday his name as he has done with his parrot, Poll. Regarding the Euro-centric attitude of the time, Defoe ensures that Friday is not Crusoes equal in the novel. Friday is clearly a servant and inferior in rank, power and respect. Crusoes vocabulary reveals much about how he imagines his role on the island. He starts to describe himself as generalissimo of an army with Friday as his lieutenant-general. At the very opening of the novel, he is a mere castaway but towards the end, he openly refers to himself as a national leader of military forces. We sense how deeply ingrained Crusoes imagined national role as a king of this island when he refers to his new guests as his subjects. Friday is probably the first non white character to be given a realistic, individualized and human portrayal in the English novel. Friday has a huge literary and cultural importance. If Crusoe represents the first colonial mind in fiction, then Friday represents not only a Caribbean tribes man but also all the natives of Asia, Africa, and America who would later be oppressed in the age of European colonialism. When Crusoe teaches Friday to call him master, Friday becomes an enduring political symbol of racial injustice in modern world and critical of imperialist expansion. Recent rewritings of the story of Crusoe, like Cotezees Foe and Tourniers Friday, emphasize the consequences of Crusoes failure to understand Friday and suggest how the tales might be told very different from the natives perspective. In any case, Crusoe has turned his story of one mans survival into a political tale replete with its own ideas about imperialism. In short, it is not surprising that contemporary readers regard Defoes novel as the prototypical colonial novel of the 18thC. if not in all of English literature. To conclude, this novel is not only a reflection of colonialist practices, but part of large discourse concerned with the colonial customs of the British Empire. 3.1.3. Analysis of the Narrative Techniques in Defoes Robinson Crusoe Defoe combines many narrative methods in Robinson Crusoe to make the novel authentic and realistic. These techniques are narration (point of view), the use of irony, attention to details, symbols and the use of dates and names of places. Robinson Crusoe is both the narrator and the main character of the novel. He narrates the story in both the first and the third person, presenting only what he himself observes. He describes his feelings occasionally but only when they are over whelming. He usually favors a more factual narrative style focused on actions and events. Another important narrative device is the use of symbols and irony. As for the symbols, the author uses three symbols like the foot print, the cross and the bower. The foot print stands for Crusoes conflicted feelings about human companionship in whole he interprets it negatively as the print of all the devil. The cross symbolizes Crusoes new existence on the island and the power stands for the radical improvement in Crusoes attitude toward his time on the island. As for the irony, it is a literary device for Defoe. There are several examples of its use in the novel, but the best example are the discovery of the foot print and the warning of Crusoes father. First, Crusoe ignores his fathers advice; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦if he goes abroad, he will be the most miserable wretch that was ever born, (Defoe. P.4) Second, Crusoe wishes for human beings to come because he was alone, but when he sees the foot print of a naked man, he is afraid. Crusoe comments on this irony: How strange a checker work of providence is the life of a manà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Today we love what tomorrow we hate; today we seek what tomorrow we shun; today we desire what tomorrow we fear. (Defoe: P140). The third narrative technique is the use of a circumstantial method which tells us not only what Crusoe did but how he did it. There are numerous examples of the uses of details such as Crusoes project in raising of the crops of barley and rice on the island, killing the gouts and making a sieve, and the description of the ship wrecks and Crusoes adventures. Such details produce the effect of realism. The last method is the use of dates and geographical place-names. All of these devices add to the realistic effect of the novel. Chapter Three: Section Three: Achebes Things Fall Apart 3.3.1. Plot Summary of Things Fall Apart from the perspective of Colonial Discourse. Achebes Things Fall Apart (1959) traces the life in the Ibo village of Umuofia just before and after its initial contact with European colonialists and their Christian religion. The novel is divided into three parts: the first part deals with the life of the Ibo people before the arrival of the while man, illustrating various aspects of Ibos way of life. The second part deals with Okonkwos exile and the arrival of the missionaries and the effect of their arrival, including the conversation of Nwoye to Christianity. The third part deals with the effects of the white mans religion, education, power, laws and economics on the tribes culture. The first signs of colonization come to Abame when the first white man appears. He is killed by the people of Abame on the order of the Oracle who tells them that the white man would be soon followed by others and he would destroy their way of life. As a result, the village has been destroyed by other white men. During Okonkwos exile, the white man comes to both Umuofia and Mbanta and wins many converts. When Okonkwo returns to Umuofia, he finds that life begins to change. Therefore, he stands up to the colonizers in an attempt to protect his culture. When he kills a British messenger, Okonkwo realizes that he stands alone, and he hangs himself. 3.3.2. Understanding Colonialism in Things Fall Apart: Analysis of the Theme and the Characters Achebes Things Fall Apart relates the story of disintegration falling apart of an African society that came in contact with Western values as a result of the colonization. The novel explores the coming of the white man and its effects on the culture of the people of Umuofia. The coming of the white man brought about culture conflict which affects the people of Umuofias religion, their agriculture, their judicial system and their social life. The collapse of a society that was strongly united is told through the story of Okonkwo and the village Umuofia. The novel shows the general disintegration of this culture when it is attacked by another culture. The incursion of the colonizer is changing every aspect of the Ibo society such as religion, family structure, gender roles, relations and trade. The colonizers bring language, religion, education, commerce, government and law to Umuofia which are unquestionably disruptive. Okonkwo, the representative of the Ibo culture, realizes that the white man has been too successful in his ways to change the tribes ways. He grieves the loss of his tribe and the life he once knew. Okonkwo feels betrayed by his son who joins the white missionaries and his à ©lan who have not stood up against the white intruders. The arrival of the white man and his culture heralds the death of the Ibo culture. The while man does not honor the tribes customs and strives to convince the tribes men that their ways are better. As a result of colonialism, the tribe is split, pitting brother against brother and father against son. Many of the tribes leaders have joined the missionaries and the tribal beliefs and customs are being ignored. Okonkwos final act of resistance exemplifies how Africans and other colonized people have courageously resisted colonialism instead of passively accepting it. In Things Fall Apart, the representatives of the colonizer are Mr. Brown, Mr. Smith and the District commissioner and the colonized are Okonkwo and the entire Ibo society. Achebe gives the reader a dramatic contrast between the first white missionary Mr. Brown and Mr. Smith who replaces him. As his name suggests, Mr. Brown is able to navigate successfully the racial division between the colonizer and the colonized. Mr. Brown appears reasonable, respectful, kind, patient and an open-minded man who is willing to make effort to respect and understand the Ibo beliefs. Mr. Brown succeeds in winning a large number of converts because he listens to the villagers stories, beliefs, and opinions. He be friends many great men of the à ©lan and discusses religious beliefs with them. He accepts the converts unconditionally. Mr. Brown is the most influential character in the novel who does not encourage the conflict between the old and the new faith. Mr. Brown realizes that the direct attack with Ibo is useless. Therefore, he adapts a very clever policy by building a school, hospital and finally a church. Achebe states: In this way Mr. Brown learnt a good deal about the religion of the à ©lan and he came to the conclusion that a fro natal attack on it would not success. (Achebe: 163). Then he asks the people to send their children to the school and argues that the leaders of Umuofia will be men and women who can read and write. It is Mr. Brown who warns them that strangers like the District commissioner will come from other places to rule them. Actually, Mr. Brown is a man who loves peace and respects the traditional culture. So there was no conflict between the Ibo culture and the Western culture during his period. He has a real interest in the welfare of the Ibo people. As an individual, he is a good representative of his society. Mr. Brown stands for the bright side of the colonizer. Another representative of the colonizer is Reverend Smith who replaces Mr. Brown as the new head of the Christian Church. Mr. Smith is strict and uncompromising, the opposite of Mr. Brown who was kind and compassionate. Unlike Mr. brown, Mr. Smith encourages people to hate the traditional people and their religion. Mr. Smith is the stereotypical white colonist. He has no respect for the culture or the traditions of the Ibo. Mr. Smith remains ignorant of all the traditions and therefore has no hope of being respected enough. Mr. Smith thinks he is superior and others are inferior. Mr. Smith sees things as black and white and black [is] evil. (Achebe: 166). Smiths black and white thinking leads to the destruction of the church and the clash between both cultures. As a result of this new missionary, the Christians attack the Ibo belief and culture and insult the tribes traditional customs. One of their victims Okonkwo, whose return co-insides with the arrival of Mr. Smith, the new faith divide father from son. Smiths policy and treatment of the Ibo people show that the colonialist system is more primitive than the Ibo system. The District Commissioner is another figure of the colonizer. He seems more inhuman because he takes interest in Okonkwos suicide only because it will give him a new material for his book. He decides to title his book The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger. This decision demonstrates his knowledge about African as primitive and his inability to recognize how he has brought violence instead of peace to the Lower Niger. By concluding his novel with the District Commissioners misinterpretation and misinterpretation writing of the scene of colonial encounter, Achebe suggests that his novel is not simply about the colonial encounter between two different cultures. By drawing the attention to the District Commissioners erroneous sense of history. Achebe reminds the realer that the Western descriptions of Africa have largely been written by men like the District Commissioner. Consequently, Things Fall Apart seek to correct such erroneous historical records by retelling African history from an African perspective. In brief, Achebes Things Fall Apart illustrates what happened to the Ibo society at the time of its colonization by the British and how the colonialism affects the Ibo in many different ways; their religion, family, children and their dead. Achebe describes what happens when different cultures works against each other. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Now he [the white man] has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us tpgether and we have Fallen apart. (Achebe: 160). In this lines Oberika seems to voice Achebes own thought on colonialism. Okonkwos suicide at the end of the novel represents the end of the Clans ancient way of life because he represents the clansman. 3.3.3. Analysis of the Narrative Techniques in Achebes Things Fall Apart Achebe uses a number of techniques un Things Fall Apart such as the mixture between English language and Ibo vocabularies, use of proverbs and folk tales, symbolism, use of similes and metaphors, comparisons and contrasts and the shift from present tense to past and again to present. The first method that Achebe uses is to develop a hybrid language that mixes Ibo and English words by introducing numerous African terms thought the novel like Chie (personal God-Fate), Obi (hut), Agbala (a man without title) and Osu (outcast). Achebe uses English language as a model of communication between people and to convince the Europeans that Nigeria is a nation with great potential. Achebe uses his language to draw the readers attention to his own language. Another important method is the use if Ibo proverbs as well as traditional folk tales which bring to life the oral culture of Ibo and indicate their intelligence, knowledge, morals, the strong religion and the culture of the country. Early in the novel, Achebe says: if a child washed his hands, he could eat with the kings. Referring to Okonkwo (Achebe:8). This implies that if Nigerians washed their hands, the country could be just as important as Britian. The third method is Achebes use of similes and metaphors to bring the narrative to life and his use of different kinds of comparisons that are related to the Ibo experience as proverbs are the palm oil with which words are eaten. (Achebe: 6). The novel is developed in terms of comparison and contrast between the characters like the comparisons between father and son; Unoka and Okonkwo and between friends like Nwoye and Ikemefuna, Unoka and Okoye Oberika and Okonkwo. Fourth, Achebe provides considerable detail about many aspects of traditional African life like family and clan relation, ceremonies and rituals, social structure (gender relations), political and religions practices and the role of nature in their world. This digression helps the reader to understand the daily activities and religious beliefs of the Ibo people. Achebe shifts from present to past then to present while describing the events and the characters. The best method is the narrative voice. May critics see Things fall Apart as a book with two narrative voices: the traditional which dominates the first two/third of the book, and the modern which takes over the last third. Other critics see the book as narrated by a single narrator, whose tone changes and adopts overtime. The narrator mediates between the individual and the community, between the present and the past. All the previous devices make the novel authentic and realistic. 3.3.4. Comparisons and Contrasts between these three texts Conrads Heart of Darkness, Defoes Robinson Crusoe and Acheb