Human Geography And Development Studies - 1611 Words

Both people and the Earth’s natural landscape shape the world; geography helps people understand its effects in the past, present and near future. This essay will examine how both concepts, human geography and development studies and how they share similarities and differences. Human geography is the study of how people interact with their surrounding environment and the impact they have on that specific environment (Murray 2015). Development studies is the process, which involves focusing on improving the quality of human lives and reducing global risks (Amedeo and Harvey). I will examine how these two concepts particularly in the Asian Pacific region. Geography is the study of the physical features of the earth’s surface and its atmosphere, and how human interaction affects or is affected by these concepts. The essential link between physical and human geography is interaction and how this is achieved sustainably (Amedeo and Harvey). Human geography uses number geographic concepts such as place, scale and space. Human geography can be integrative, as it is divided into many subfields. Human geography’s primary concern, involves spatial differentiation and the organization in relation to human activity through economic, cultural and social divisions (Stupples). Hence human geographers study how the distribution of people and their culture alter and change the environment and the specific location of this process. In order to understand the distribution of people andShow MoreRelatedHuman Geography And Development Studies1622 Words   |  7 Pagesconstantly changing. Both natural and human created events, shape the wor ld and create strong relationships between the environment and society. Human geography and development studies are two fields seeking to analyse these interrelationships and answer key questions about major issues in the world such as poverty, inequality and conflict. Human geography is largely about studying the spatial aspects of relationships between people and society whereas development studies focusses more on the way societiesRead MoreGeography as a Science Essay examples1235 Words   |  5 PagesGeography as a Science Science, by definition, is: ‘†¦the systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 1 Geography is divided into physical and human dimensions; in the past, physical geography had taken pre-eminence over the latter due to the need of geographers to establish their discipline as an actual educational subject in colleges and universities. They therefore needed to impressRead MoreHuman Geography : The Way People Interact With Each Other And Their Environment844 Words   |  4 PagesHuman Geography is the way people interact with each other and their environment. Here are a few ways people interact with each other. People from countries in Africa and the Middle East migrate illegally to Europe through boat rides and walking by foot from country to country. Due to the war and poverty in their countries, people migrate to other countries. This causes separation of families, increased border control in European countries, and resentment against people of color in European countriesRead MoreThe Historical Development of Geography774 Words   |  3 PagesHistorical Development of Geography The study of geography is a phenomenon that has been in existence for a significant number of years and the study goes back way into history of the earth, trying to uncover the several aspects that deal with the earth and naturally found physical matter. The study of geographical features began more than four thousand years ago, with the mapping of the physical features and places being the prime focus of such early studies. This was the duration when theRead MoreAp Human Geography - Essay1398 Words   |  6 PagesWelcome to AP Human Geography Ms. Anderson Phone: 548-4051 room 112 E-mail: panderso@hs.spotsylvania.k12.va.us Course Description: The new college-level social studies course provides students with the opportunity to identify and analyze contemporary concerns and problems from local, national, and global perspectives in Human Geography. Using geographical tools and skills, we will explore issues such as population distribution and composition, cultural patterns and processes, political organizationRead MoreGeography Study Notes890 Words   |  4 PagesGeography – Unit One Notes What is Geography? Geography is the study of the world, how it works, and how people use and change the world as they live in it. Origins The word â€Å"Geography† comes from the Greek word â€Å"Geo.† Meaning earth and â€Å"graph† meaning writing. Definitions Population Denisty – Figure calculated by dividing the population of a region by the region’s area. Staristical Analysis – Studying collected data for the purposes of summarizing information to make it more usable andRead MoreThe Five Differences Between Physical And Human Geography1618 Words   |  7 PagesPhysical Geography and Human Geography Physical geography looks at the ordinary course of the Earth, such as weather and plate tectonics. Human geography looks at the impact and behavior of people and how they relate to the physical world. Location Location pinpoints different positions, people, and places on the earth surface. It is defined for geography using two terms, absolute and relative. Absolute location -vs- relative location â€Å"Absolute location answers the question â€Å"where is it†Ã¢â‚¬ (TheRead MoreWhat is geography? Author Alastair Bonnett attempts to answer this question in the book titled the700 Words   |  3 Pages What is geography? Author Alastair Bonnett attempts to answer this question in the book titled the same. He states that geography is a â€Å"human enterprise...[that] is an attempt to find and impose order.†1 He explores the many facets of geography that include history, political power, climate, and the humans that live throughout the world. The first two chapters explain in more detail about how geography is knowing the world through both political order and nature. The first chapter of Bonnett’sRead MoreSociological Analysis Of Dr. Mayer s Article The Integration Of Power Into The Understanding Of Disease 888 Words   |  4 Pagesthose consequences that alter human–environment relations (Mayer, 2006. Appendix C). Dr. Mayer also notes in his article the integration of power into the understanding of disease dynamic has thus been neglected from several dimensions, and the article represents and attempt at developing a framework for such integration (Mayer, 1996. p. 443). Dr. Mayer mentions that the traditional approaches of medical geography comprise studies of health service delivery and studies of disease patterns (MayerRead MoreExpanded Application of Gis/Gps778 Words   |  4 Pagesquite unsure exactly what we would be talking about. First thing that came to mind was maps, then it was on different areas in the world, then how different cultures survive and adapt to different areas etc. So my mind began wondering down this Geography journey. So once I got the first assignment about the Expanded Application if GIS and GPS, I was stomped. So of course thats exactly where I started my research. First thing I looked up was what is GIS or Graphic Information Systems. A GIS combines

Conflict Resolution Essay - 1017 Words

Throughout one’s life, one establishes many relationships. Some are built upon, and become strong and unshakable, some are broken and left to dissolve. While some are paved slowly and with love, blossoming to become something wonderful, others are blown apart - the pieces scattered, never to be put back together again. Though these relationships vary, from professional to personal, they are all prone to encountering some form of conflict. John Dewey has designed a problem solving sequence with 6 (six) steps, listed and explained below, to facilitate resolution of these conflicts. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Since the way one deals with conflict within the relationship will affect how the relationship progresses, it is vital that one†¦show more content†¦Example: George, a co-owner of a small coffee shop has noticed that there are fewer customers coming in to his store. He is worried about his profit, and is reluctant to change anything about the store due to the cost. Max, the other owner, is more concerned with the quality of the food they provide, and is willing to make any changes necessary to avoid failure on this project. At the meeting, they define the problem in a clear open-ended question and they limit the problem to time period that is reasonable. How can we improve our shop’s sales within the next three months? 2. Establish criteria for evaluating solutions. The solution can be either a practical one, which would affect material gains or losses, or one based on value, which would fallow a goal that reflects image or purpose. Max and George have decided to incorporate both types, and each solution that they come up with must meet the established criteria. The solution must cause a 5% increase in sales, must be cost effective, and can not affect the quality of the products. 3. Identify possible solutions This is where the parties (in this case Max and George) â€Å"Brainstorm†, or state as many solutions as they can think of. It is important to keep in mind, however, that these solutions must conform to the criteria mentioned above. On Fridays and Saturdays there could be popular music playingShow MoreRelated Conflict Resolution Essay1288 Words   |  6 Pages Major conflict that is not dealt with can devastate a team or organization (Make Conflict Work, 2008). In some situations, conflict can be more constructive than destructive. Recognizing the difference between conflict that is constructive to the team and conflict that is destructive to the team is important. Trying to prevent the conflict is not always the best way to manage conflict when working within a team setting. Understanding conflict, what causes it, and how to resolve conflict effectivelyRead MoreConflict Resolution : Conflicts Resolution988 Words   |  4 PagesWhen it comes to conflict resolution there are several ways to handle this. There’ve been several times that I’ve had to deal with conflict resolution. Conflict resolution also has several tips that you can learn to be able to handle a conflict. A conflict resolution can b e handled in a positive way or a negative way. What is conflict resolution? In Community Tool Box it states â€Å"Conflict resolution is a way for two or more parties to find a peaceful solution to a disagreement among them. The disagreementRead More Conflict Resolution Essay614 Words   |  3 Pages Conflict Resolution nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;What does conflict resolution mean to me? Conflict resolution is when an impartial or neutral person puts a plan into action to resolve and settle issues within an organization or a team. In the business world today a great amount of focus is being placed on employees working as team unit to increase new ideas, distribute more job responsibilities among a larger group, and most important create a unified front and camaraderie. Along with advantagesRead MoreThe Family Mediation And Conflict Resolution Process4320 Words   |  18 Pagesmediation and conflict resolution process and techniques. The student endeavored on an educational journey to study mediation within the context of families as a means of resolving conflicts without resort to adversarial means such as litigation. Focus and attention was given to family dynamics, child development, the Texas Family Code, family violence, and facilitating of communication and dispute resolution. The components and benefits of family mediation and conflict resolution were introducedRead MoreConflict Resolution934 Words   |  4 Pagesto them she has licence and authority to watch them as she is their supervisor and they have to obey her commands. This statmemt of her escalted the whole issue and continued for a long time. This situation turned in to a big arguments and conflict that it had a great imapct on the productivity of work. There was a big loss of components as they were not able to process in a timely manner. Next day the staff meeting was called on by Manager and all the night staff were called to attendRead MoreConflict Resolution Strategies Essay1444 Words   |  6 PagesConflict Resolution Strategies Conflict has long been viewed as negative, and is usually associated with things as trivial as an argument to something as extreme as war, and is seldom seen as beneficial. In the team environment however, conflict can be very beneficial if recognized early and managed properly and can enhance team performance as well as relationships between team members. Conflict is inevitable as humans interact, because not everyone shares the same beliefs, values, opinions, levelRead MoreInterpersonal Communication And Conflict Resolution1439 Words   |  6 Pagesresearch resources that helped me understand my interpersonal communication topic, Conflict Management, and how theories, relevant skills and strategies can play a big role throughout the resolution and frequency of conflict among my peers. Personality Types and Development of Adolescents’ Conflict with Friends This study aimed to examine the developmental pattern of adolescents’ conflict frequency and conflict resolution with their best friends, and differences in these developmental changes betweenRead MoreConflict Resolution1281 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Everyone faces conflict in their lives on a daily basis. It is an accepted and expected part of life. Conflict is not a problem in itself - it is what we do with it that counts. You cant avoid conflict in your life, at home, at work, and even at play. Wherever people interact, there is a potential for conflict. That is not bad news because good things can arise, and relationships can improve through conflict, provided conflict is managed with thought and attention. The bad newsRead MoreThird Party Conflict Resolution2113 Words   |  9 PagesThird Party Conflict Resolution MGT/445 Organizational Negotiations March 11, 2013 | | | | Third Party Conflict Resolution Read MoreConflict Resolution2221 Words   |  9 Pages| | |Lesson 3 | |Win-Win Conflict Resolution | |Introduction | |In Lesson 3 you will learn another communication skill that in conjunction with Empathic Listening and

Pch International Free Essays

CASE: GS-61 DATE: 04/01/08 PCH INTERNATIONAL: MANAGING THE FLOWS OF INFORMATION, GOODS, AND FINANCE Liam Casey, CEO of PCH International Limited (PCH), was in every way an adventurer. Born and having spent most of his youth in Cork, Ireland, Casey had never lived in China until he started traveling and working in the country in his late twenties. Yet, without speaking much Chinese, Casey managed to establish an innovative supply chain solutions company in China’s factory city of Shenzhen and grew it to almost 700 employees in just ten years. We will write a custom essay sample on Pch International or any similar topic only for you Order Now By 2007, PCH had become a global company; it had customers in Western Europe and North America and its IT operations, manufacturing and warehousing support was located in Ireland, China, Singapore, Taiwan, South Africa and Brazil. In fact, so successful was Casey’s business that the â€Å"mildmannered and extremely diligent entrepreneur won the Ireland 2007 Ernst Young Entrepreneur of the year award. †1 Collecting business competition accolades was not what Casey had in mind when he first started PCH. When Casey went to Taiwan in 1996 to attend a computer and electronics fair, he saw an opportunity to help global technology companies take advantage of Asia and China’s low-cost supplier base and manufacturing capabilities. Although PCH started out in the mid-1990s as a sourcing agent of low-priced electronic components from Taiwan and China to the Western world, by 2007 it had evolved into a provider of comprehensive supply chain solutions to global technology companies. PCH was designed to address the needs of a complex global technology supply chain landscape. Arthur Beesley, â€Å"Casey Picks Up Overall Award,† Irish Times, October 26, 2007, p. 12 Jennie Tung prepared this case under the supervision of Professor Hau Lee as the basis for class discussion rather than to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of an administrative situation. Copyright  © 2008 by the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. All rights reserved. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, e-mail the Case Writing Office at: cwo@gsb. stanford. du or write: Case Writing Office, Stanford Graduate School of Business, 518 Memorial Way, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5015. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means –– electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise –– without the permission of the Stanford Graduate School of Business. PCH International: Managing Goods, Information and Financial Flows GS-61 p. 2 STATE OF THE TECHNOLOGY SUPPLY CHAIN The Maturing Supply Chain By the twenty-first century, technology products of all sorts became ubiquitous and profoundly transformed the way people lived and worked. However, in the 1990s, in comparison to other global supply chains such as garments and toys, which had over some 50 years of outsourcing experience, the technology supply chain was still in its early development. For example, by the mid-1990s, the digital camera, the mobile phone, and the laptop computer had only just become a mainstream consumer category. As such, in addition to focusing on designing cutting edge products, technology companies were trying figure out the most efficient ways to deliver their products to end consumers. On the consumer technology supply chain timeline, the 1970s and 1980s showed only a small number of global brands, such as the large technology conglomerates Sony and Siemens, who were industry leaders in many product categories. These industry leaders relied on their vertically integrated supply chains and their ability to lock in suppliers to keep new competitors from entering the market. However, as venture capital funding became more available in the 1990s, the technology market saw continuous waves of innovation, shorter product lifecycles, new products and brands. At the same time, the 1990s also saw a drastic increase in independent manufacturers and suppliers, particularly in Asia. These businesses had developed sophisticated technical capabilities after serving the global brands for a number of ye ars. The confluence of these factors changed what it took to win in the technology space. Vertically integrated players of the past were replaced with engineering-savvy, asset-light marketing and design companies. As such, both large and small technology companies had the opportunity to bring products to market through the use of sub-contracting. By the late 1990s, consumers not only had more product choices but also multiple channels to buy from, including online stores, which were becoming popular. Within the world of technology products, the supply chain systems for the wide-ranging product types were not uniform. For example, the more complex large systems, such as telecom base stations, had a different supply chain model from the smaller consumer electronics products, such as personal MP3 players and laptop computers. This case focuses on the small consumer electronics supply chain, whose characteristics included having many component suppliers, with assembly sites doing the final assembly and testing. The modular structure of technology products meant that the brand owners had to manage a large network of suppliers. To stay competitive, large and small technology companies began to outsource a significant part of their supply chain to third party vendors in order to focus their resources on brand differentiating activities, such as product design and marketing. This outsourcing trend in the 2 3 PCH International Limited (PCH), â€Å"Information Memorandum for Potential Investors,† November 2007, pp. 3-5. Ibid. 4 www. Alibaba. com was an online directory of suppliers in China 5 PCH, op. cit. pp. 3-5. PCH International: Managing Goods, Information and Financial Flows GS-61 p. 3 1980s created a new industry known as Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS). By the 1990s, the EMS industry had a number of global scale players, notably Hon Hai Precision Industries (Foxconn), Flextronics, Celestica, Sanmina-SCI, Jabil, Elcoteq, and a few dozen others. In addition, several thousand smaller companies continued to occupy EMS niches and served a wide range of consumer electronics brands. The business model for the EMS industry was based on large economies of scale in manufacturing, raw materials procurement, pooling of resources, and industrial design expertise, in addition to other value-added services such as warranty and repairs. Products manufactured by EMS companies were labeled with the brand owner’s brand and corporate identity. As price competition intensified in the consumer electronics industry in the late 1990s, EMS players gradually shifted their manufacturing assets to lower cost areas, such as cities in Southern China. While the leaner overhead structure provided numerous operational and financial benefits, the technology companies faced enormously complex challenges in dealing with procurement, manufacturing, and logistics vendors. Fragmented Supplier Base Many technology companies looked to Asia as an outsourcing location, given the number of low- cost manufacturing and component suppliers in the region. By 2007, China became a major sourcing and production hub for many technology companies. However, to take full advantage of China’s low cost supplier base was not always straightforward. As China was rapidly developing into the factory of the world, many companies strove to achieve low cost while maintaining quality. Low cost technology goods suppliers were abundantly available in the coastal regions of China, in particular in the southern city of Shenzhen, just a 50-minute train ride from Hong Kong. As a procurement officer for a technology company, trying to identify the most suitable supplier could be a huge headache. For example, for every cable connector, printer circuit board, and MP3 player accessory item, there were literally hundreds of suppliers to choose from in China. 4 For many technology companies, many of these components were not core or strategic. However, poor management of component parts could impact every aspect of the supply chain, leaving behind many unsatisfied customers. Therefore, to take full advantage of China’s wealth of suppliers, technology companies needed to filter through numerous vendors to find ones that optimized cost, speed to market, and quality. Working Capital Constraints While independent manufacturers and component suppliers benefited from global outsourcing trends in the late 1990s, they also had to face increasing financing challenges. Casey, who had worked with hundreds of factory owners, learned of the challenges in raising working capital: [In the earlier days of outsourcing,] suppliers were able to take a purchase order of a guaranteed volume from a well-known company to the bank and, upon verification, would be able to obtain working capital inancing. Letters of Credit (LCs) were issued by the purchaser. However, guaranteed longer term product volumes have been replaced by rolling short term product guidelines forecasts. The reason is as a technology company faces tough competition and declining PCH International: Managing Goods, Information and Financial Flows GS-61 p. 4 margins, it needs to manage costs aggressively by minimizing inventory build-up. This is necessary given the need to match the ebb and flow of cu stomer taste and requirements. They in turn demand ‘just-in-time’ delivery from their suppliers— which shifted some of the inventory holding costs upstream to its vendors, further increasing its need for working capital. In addition, sometimes the purchasing company may not be one of the blue-chip globally recognizable brands; banks sometimes perceived this as an additional credit risk. This trend resulted in substantial volatility and pressure on some suppliers as banks were not as willing to provide trade financing given the perceived increased risk levels. This meant some suppliers found it tremendously difficult, if not extremely expensive to obtain financing. Increasingly Demanding Customers Consumer technology products of the twenty-first century were about superior functionalities, seamless ordering process (both in-store and online), timely and accurate product delivery, and a memorable out-of-box experience—referring to how consumers felt when they opened the box and reacted to the overall product presentation. Of course, it was critical that the products themselves be â€Å"trendy† and â€Å"cool,† and accompanied by a whole host of accessories to jazz up the products. For many consumers, technology products were perceived in the same vein as fashion goods. Brands, therefore, needed to meet constantly changing tastes and extremely short and tight product development cycles. While professional technology products generally placed more emphasis on product functionalities, they still required support services, such as regional configuration (e. g. , language differences and pre-loaded software) and just-in-time delivery of products, in order to minimize inventory costs. Finally, technology companies needed to provide their customers these highly customized products and purchasing experiences at a competitive price, while achieving all of the above. These were just some of the characteristics that made the technology supply chain much more challenging than the supply chain of more traditional industries. EMS companies, as discussed above, while able to deliver manufacturing savings to brand owners, were unable to adequately address these pain points, g iven that their business model focused on large scale production. The end consumer’s increasing demand for low price and customized products made it challenging for EMS companies to address these evolving market trends. TECHNOLOGY SUPPLY CHAIN FLOWS AND CHALLENGES An insightful entrepreneur, Casey saw the pain points described above as opportunities. Over the years, Casey had thought a comprehensive solution addressing the market and customer challenges would provide extraordinary value for technology companies. In PCH’s menu of services, the over-arching theme was to help clients better manage the three distinctive flows in the technology supply chain: information, goods, and financial. These flows essentially addressed every element required to take a product from concept to being retail ready, including the key steps of manufacturing, packaging, product customization, logistics and supplier financing. (See Exhibit 1 for an overview of the three flows in the technology supply chain. ) PCH International: Managing Goods, Information and Financial Flows GS-61 p. 5 The Virtual Supply Chain The virtual supply chain referred to information flow that occurred in the supply chain as goods moved through the various stages. The information requirement might be for a unique customer, such as, â€Å"when will my goods arrive at my door step;† or for the planning department in a company, â€Å"how much inventory should I order given existing inventory levels in different parts of the supply chain? † When a company outsourced each portion of the supply chain to different vendors, disbursing and piecing information back together from disparate sources could be extremely challenging. The Physical Supply Chain The physical supply chain referred to he steps by which physical goods went from product concept to their final customers; it dealt with the movement of goods from various physical locations, such as procurement of components, manufacturing, and logistics. 6 As discussed in the section on challenges facing the technology supply chain, the large number of suppliers and manufacturers in Asia made it extremely cumbersome for companies to identify the most appropriate vendors for their needs. I n addition to price negotiation, service quality also required significant due diligence. For example, incidences of delinquent delivery and product quality issues were commonplace. Given the myriad of choices that consumers had for any given technology product, the margin of error allowed was very small. Another challenge in the physical supply chain was customization of products. A question often asked by supply chain executives at technology companies was, â€Å"how should I best take advantage of economies of scale by producing in volume while achieving the customization for each local market, and sometimes for each individual customer? This question highlighted the challenge of managing market-level customization since most technology products needed to reach multiple countries around the world. The challenge could be as simple as placing different language labels on products, to more complex tasks such as first consolidating product shipments from different manufacturing sites and then assembling various units for unique customer orders. Finally, logistics and ship ment also needed to be managed in an efficient and cost effective manner. The Financial Supply Chain Tied very closely to the physical flow of goods, the financial supply chain referred to the financing required for each step of the supply chain. For example, a manufacturing contractor would need financing to buy components and pay its workers to make the products, before shipping them to the technology company to collect the revenue. Established vendors may have had enough cash to last through a collection cycle but smaller or newer vendors could be strapped for cash when a large order came through. While commercial banks could provide financing for some vendors, new or smaller vendors ended up paying extremely high interest First Capital Presentation at the Zhejiang University Innovation Institute’s Supply Chain Forum, Zhejiang, China, November 13-14, 2007. 6 PCH International: Managing Goods, Information and Financial Flows GS-61 p. 6 costs, at least in the initial years of operations—until they had developed a stronger track record to borrow at more favorable rates from banks. THE PCH SOLUTION By 2007, PCH counted a number of global clients as customers. Among its clients were three of the top five personal computer companies, three of the top five telecom and networking companies, and the top five leading contract electronics manufacturers. 7 According to Casey, â€Å"PCH offers customized solutions for each client. PCH helps to manage the various communication, culture and geographic barriers that often create operational friction between the [technology company] and its suppliers in the supply chain. In Casey’s framework, each PCH solution could be mapped to the various challenges in the three flows of the supply chain, thereby addressing the various gaps in coordinating these flows. For example, PCH manufacturing services addressed the needs in the flow of goods, while PCH Capital addressed the needs in the financial flow in the supply chain (See Exhibit 2 on PCH services categories). Like PCH’s technology customers, Casey believed an asset-light approac h in managing his business worked the best and, therefore, he had no ownership in any of the vendors that PCH worked with. PCH was neither a supplier of goods nor an importer for global technology companies. PCH was a service provider—a coordinator that helped orchestrate and maximize the benefits of an outsourced supply chain for all parties involved. Addressing the Needs of the Virtual Supply Chain Information transparency was a highly valued feature for technology companies given the many moving pieces involved. Casey explained why its software services division was core to PCH’s offering to clients and why developing these tools was important to PCH in the long term: Transparency of process is a central PCH offering. This is why we’ve developed a series of online software tools that drive internal PCH activities and to provide a portal for clients to oversee and participate in the process. These systems enabled PCH, customers and third-party suppliers to view and share the same data. [As all parties] are working with the same data on the same platform, confusion is reduced, the need for status communication is reduced and clients can have full visibility to PCH’s activities even [though] they may be half a world away. By 2007, PCH had developed a set of software visibility tools that consolidated relevant information for each individual customer. Examples included StatusFlo, which showed inventory levels of goods in the various locations of the supply chain; and TransFlo, which housed all information relevant to billing and shipping documents in one central location for each order. Given the myriad of suppliers, ChinaFlo provided a database of background data on over 900 factories evaluated by PCH. Each factory profile contained detailed information ranging from basic background information, to factory qualification reports, and to capabilities case studies. Customers also had the ability to view pictures of their products and even search 7 Beesley, loc. it. PCH International: Managing Goods, Information and Financial Flows GS-61 p. 7 for hotels in the vicinity of the factories, as the factory profiles had GPS coordinates associated with them. Resolving the chaos and lack of data transparency in the virtual supply chain was one key value-add that PCH offered. (See Exhibit 3 for a screenshot of different sections of PCHâ€℠¢s information portal. ) Addressing the Needs of the Physical Supply Chain Casey reflected on the path that PCH took: The historical success of PCH was in manufacturing services where goods were sourced and manufactured for our clients. This was how the company got started. Over time, PCH had moved deeper into the product life cycle where solutions were replacing entire distribution systems; for some of our clients, [PCH] took over warehousing, inventory management, and retail preparation functions. We wanted to move to higher value services as opposed to being just a sourcing agent. With this strategy, PCH developed three core services that addressed the complexity and confusion of sourcing and manufacturing in Asia, in particular in China. As of 2007, these services were manufacturing, postponement, and fulfillment services. Manufacturing Services PCH offered its manufacturing services to clients as early as the product development phase. Technology companies would approach PCH with ideas for products and PCH’s design team then developed prototypes for manufacturing. Casey proudly mentioned how PCH’s differentiated services created benefits for the entire supply chain. Even if our clients just ask for product quotes, we would put the product through industrial design optimization that yields the best cost for the customer while minimizing potential quality issues. Many of our clients did not expect this but this is the level of services that we aim for. We do not tie [the product design] to the capabilities of any specific factory group but act independently on behalf of our clients†¦This level of services also compares favorably to just a [company to outsource manufacturer] relationship where the focus is on landing the contract and meeting minimum quantities; [this also meant] final product quality and the end user experience being far down the outsource manufactures’ list of priorities. The other part of PCH manufacturing services entailed factory identification, qualification, and ongoing monitoring. For this set of services, PCH also leveraged its software services (see information supply chain in previous section) to differentiate itself from other competitors. Casey said, â€Å"Rather than just identifying the factories for manufacturing, we would map out the locations of the various potential manufacturing sites and how that would fit in the overall supply chain. This strategy ensured that the entire supply chain was optimized, taking into consideration the later steps in the process, such as warehousing and shipment consolidation. PCH International: Managing Goods, Information and Financial Flows GS-61 p. 8 Postponement and Fulfillment Services Traditionally, once the technology products were produced and quality checked in the approved outsourced factories, they were shipped to warehouse facilities before going to the various retail destinations. A potential downside to this model was that when the bulk shipment arrived at the retail destination, which might be in a high cost country such as the U. S. or Europe, the products still needed to be further customized for each local market; whether it was adding country appropriate labeling or putting on UPC labels. This meant that even though a company had saved by manufacturing its goods in Asia, this last mile customization could bring the total product costs back up. The other downside was that a technology company also needed to pay for inventory holding costs. And, this inventory had limited flexibility; a company could not move it to other geographies, even if a particular product was running a shortage in other locations. To address these challenges, PCH offered postponement services—the act of holding goods in the supply chain (often in bulk format pending final assembly or packaging) for delivery to a warehouse, retail store or the end consumer. 8 In Casey’s words, â€Å"What we are doing is bringing a vanilla product to a stage in a process and then flavor in the last minute. So you’re postponing the flavoring. The final steps would only be carried out once the demand was clearly visible. Most of PCH’s clients’ products were manufactured around the coastal areas of China, so PCH strategically located its postponement processing facilities in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, and in Singapore. These locations were selected for their relatively low labor costs (some of the final packaging was qui te labor intensive) and the availability of favorable tax-free trade zones. For example, one of PCH’s clients was a global personal computer (PC) company. When its PCs arrived in Shenzhen’s postponement processing facility in bulk, the machines had no software. Given these computers could be destined for different locations around the world, PCH would wait for the final order before it preloaded the different language operating systems into these computers for the various markets. These computers were held in Shenzhen’s Futian Tax Free Trade zone; which yielded lower inventory holding costs, as compared to having them sit at the warehouses in a higher cost country location. As PCH’s goal was to help customers fully manage the physical supply chain, its fulfillment services addressed the â€Å"handling of product orders from clients, their distribution chains or directly from end consumers over the Internet. †9 This meant that after products had gone through final assembly and packaging in the postponement phase, PCH could have them delivered directly to retail stores, ready for sale or to the end consumers’ doorstep. Working with third party logistics providers, PCH had several options for pickup and shipment to overseas locations. Even though PCH provided postponement in China, technology products were often transported by air, so this did not mean PCH’s response time was much worse than the conventional approach of having postponement at the retail distribution center in the U. S. Casey explained why the combination of postponement and fulfillment services worked well for PCH’s technology clients and how it addressed challenges in the broader market environment: 8 9 PCH, op. cit. pp. 9-13 Ibid. PCH International: Managing Goods, Information and Financial Flows GS-61 p. 9 The constantly shifting consumer tastes and trends make forecast volume for any [technology] product difficult. When Internet sales direct to a customer’s home are added into the array of distribution possibilities, the processing needs become even more complex. With postponement and fulfillment services located close to the manufacturing sites, it drastically shortens time to market. By offering a variety of packaging and shipment options, PCH is able to both manage fast and slow moving inventory in a manner that reduces the overall supply chain costs to [technology companies]. This approach provides clients with substantial leverage in their operations: total factory commitments remain somewhat unchanged, product inventory quantities shrink, warehouse networks shrink, if not disappearing all together, and the cost of operating the supply chain falls. PCH’s Unique Position In summarizing PCH’s value proposition, Casey believed PCH’s role as the coordinator in the supply chain was beneficial for all parties involved: Our purpose as a company is developing partnerships, delivering peace of mind. None of our customers have ever gone direct to a factory. Some customers have made phone calls to factories, but the factories will call us immediately because [those factories also made products for five of our other clients. ] So we bring a very big book of business to these component suppliers and that’s why they like to work with us. The factories are getting a steady flow of business through our volume consolidation. At the same time our customers also benefit from economies of scale by consolidating their orders with their competitors, which are nonproprietary stuff. Casey believed that in the 1990s, global companies operating in China were all about the knowledge challenge and everyone was just trying to learn about the landscape. By 2000, â€Å"it was all about the execution challenge; that is, how do you actually do it and benefit from what China has to offer,† said Casey. Client Case Example10: Managing the Physical and Information Supply Chain PCH worked with a wide range of technology clients; but perhaps its partnership with one global consumer technology company provided the best example to illustrate the principles behind technology supply chain outsourcing. Situation The client was a global consumer electronics company and, since the early 2000s, had produced a number of blockbuster products that were sold worldwide. Sales revenue was growing rapidly and most of its products were manufactured in Taiwan and China. These products were sold over the Internet, in addition to a variety of retail outlets, and were often sold with accessories such as protective carrying cases, spare parts, and alternative configurations of the products. PCH operated under a confidentiality agreement with most of its clients; hence, actual client names have been disguised. Some of the company data provided was fictitious to preserve anonymity. 10 PCH International: Managing Goods, Information and Financial Flows GS-61 p. 10 Playing in the extremely competitive consumer technology space, this client had introduced new products every year or so—sometimes with an entirely new product line and sometimes with upgrades to existing models. Complication In the initial years, this client worked with a global logistics provider to operate its more than five North American and European warehouse facilities; inventories from Asia arrived in bulk and were stored in these locations. Its products were delivered to end consumers or retail locations upon ordering. Its accessory parts were produced by different factories in Asia and were then shipped separately to various destination markets. For example, when customers ordered four accessories, they might receive four different shipments on four different dates, leaving them sometimes confused and unable to track the status of their orders. This arrangement was also expensive for the technology company, given the high cost of inventory storage and the multiple airfreight bills for each customer. More importantly, the client promised its end consumers more than just beautifully designed products, it also promised a superior consumer experience—from placing the order on the Internet to actually receiving the product. The order status had to be available real-time and visible to consumers at each stage of execution; the delivery commitment to its end consumers was two to three days to the doorstep, which was often half a world away from where the goods were produced. Finally, considerable care and attention were given to the packaging and presentation of the products to ensure that end consumers were truly delighted when opening the box. Solution In serving this client, PCH set up an on-site real-time data transfer between client’s and PCH’s system in Shenzhen, China. As customers place orders in North America, the orders were consolidated and fed live to PCH’s processing facilities. PCH had already stored bulk inventories of various accessory parts in its facilities; once information for each orders were received, the PCH teams in Shenzhen then go and grab the various parts and assemble them into one single package for each customer order. Customized and country appropriate packaging, including items such as usual manuals and in-country product support, were added to these parts. Finally, product codes were added to products in case the consumer wanted to a return or obtain customer services in their local customer service centers. This solution brought all product handling (post manufacturing) into China and all orders were shipped directly from one location to the final destination. This translated into savings on logistics as customers were now receiving only one shipment as opposed to multiple shipments. Addressing the Needs of the Financial Supply Chain As discussed in the state of the technology supply chain section, component suppliers and factories sometimes ran into a working capital crunch when unable to obtain feasible financing from commercial banks. On the opposite side of the table, the commercial banks generally appreciated the opportunity to help finance the components suppliers and factories, thereby gaining more visibility into the operations of these small to medium size operations. Casey drew insights from observing these challenges and decided that PCH was actually in a great position to help de-risk the entire supply chain—for the technology companies, banks, and the factories. Casey described how PCH’s services were different from those of other global PCH International: Managing Goods, Information and Financial Flows GS-61 . 11 logistics providers: â€Å"The FedExes and DHLs know where the boxes are, but PCH knows what’s inside the boxes. † Given its span of participation in the supply chain, PCH gained a wealth of knowledge about the factories, the products, and the ultimate client. This knowledge became extremely valuable in doing risk assessment. For example, PCH staff (including Casey) had personally visited the factories and had worked with the owners and the technology companies for months. This level of understanding far exceeded what could be accomplished by lending officers. This unique position enabled PCH to effectively play the trade finance role in the supply chain cycle. By 2008, Casey envisioned the ways in which PCH could play a broader role in the financial supply chain as it saw pain points in the retailer to factory relationship. In the past, U. S. retailers (customers of PCH) placed purchase orders (POs) with outsourcing factories in China. The U. S. retailers would then apply for a Letter of Credit (LC) with a bank that would provide the required financing to the factory. Once the orders had been manufactured, the factories would then ship the goods directly to the retailers. As the consumer electronics industry evolved, retailers were no longer willing to place large purchase orders, given the uncertainty of the market. In order to protect their margins and to minimize inventory costs, retailers changed payment terms on the factories. The factories were required to obtain financing on their own and would only be paid 90 days after the retailers received the products. This put a tremendous amount of pressure on the factories. PCH saw this as an opportunity for another value-added service. Casey envisioned that PCH could play the role of an intermediary to facilitate the financial flow from the moment the retailers placed their orders to the delivery of goods. The new model was such that retailers would place orders with PCH and PCH would then place the orders with the factories. Given PCH’s size and its relationship with global technology firms, banks would be willing to lend funds to PCH. At the same time, PCH could then lend funds back to its factories and suppliers at a higher interest rate, but still lower than what the factories and suppliers would have gotten on their own. PCH effectively made the interest spread between the banks and the factories and suppliers. JOURNEY TO-DATE AND PATH GOING FORWARD Casey, the business adventurer from Ireland seemed to have demystified the often chaotic Chinese manufacturing landscape. Casey recalled the tremendous difficulty in initially setting up the business in 1996: I found companies in Ireland that were buying cables, connectors and audio accessories through British distributors†¦ who were actually sourcing them from Asia anyway. It took a long time to convince these Irish companies to go source directly from Asia because their perception was that you couldn’t get quality or the right products in Asia, plus they were worried about dealing with the time difference. With only $20,000 in start-up capital and unable to afford staff, Casey worked alone for two years, getting to know factories in China, opportunities, and the business. Just ten years into the PCH International: Managing Goods, Information and Financial Flows GS-61 p. 12 ame, Casey disclosed that by 2007, PCH generated over $100 million in annual revenue, not a small feat for someone who still claimed to â€Å"not speak much Mandarin. † As the company grew into a much larger company since its start-up days, Casey believed one of the most important things to preserve in the company culture was the sense of urgency. In the initial years, he remembered that every single customer contract determined the survival of the company. â€Å"That sense of urgency, to get things done, to exceed customer expectation continued to stay in the company even after all these years. This sense of urgency was a trait of PCH—the speed and the can-do attitude,† said Casey. (See Exhibit 4 and 5 for revenue breakdown. ) A long-time customer of PCH was Better Energy Systems (BES), the brand owner of Solio portable solar power. PCH had been managing BES’s end-to-end supply chain. â€Å"Put simply, PCH understands the business and quality requirements of the West, while at the same time can effectively manage the day to day complexities of a Chinese supply chain,† said Christopher Hornor, chief executive of BES. 1 While Casey believed PCH’s end-to-end solution provided a unique value proposition to technology companies, he also humbly admitted: â€Å"there’s nothing that would prevent our customers from going directly to the suppliers in the future. † In trying to chart out the growth plan for his company in the years to come, he was contemplating several options: expanding service options or obtaining strategic investors. Regardless of the growth strategy, Casey had always believed in â€Å"building PCH one client at a time. You do a good job, they give you more work,† he said. It’s all about service—making sure they get what they want, when they want it. â€Å"12 And such was the truism in operating any supply chain. 11 12 Clifford Coonan, â€Å"Understanding the Rules Is Key to Success in China,† Irish Times, September 25, 2006. Anna Healy Fenton, â€Å"Irish Rover Now Fluent in Solutions-Speak,† South China Morning Post, March 26, 2005. PCH International: Managing Goods, Information and Financial Flows GS-61 p. 13 Exhibit 1: PCH Integrated Supply Chain Approach Technol ogy Suppl y Chain Sol uti on V i rtual Supply Chai n †¢ Flow of inf ormation Physi cal Suppl y Chain †¢ Fl ow of products Fi nancial Supply Chai n †¢ Fl ow of f unds Source: Company Internal Information Exhibit 2: PCH Services Categories PCH International: Managing Goods, Information and Financial Flows GS-61 p. 14 Exhibit 3: PCH Information Portal Source: Company Internal Document Exhibit 4: Revenue Breakdown by Category 2005 49% 19% 13% 10% 10% 2006 42% 32% 12% 6% 7% 2007 45% 29% 14% 5% 6% Electronics Telecom Medical PC Other Source: Company Internal Document Exhibit 5: Revenue Breakdown by Geography 2005 51% 23% 9% 17% 0% 2006 46% 26. 5% 0. 4% 27% 0. 1% 2007 48% 22% 3% 25% 1% USA Ireland Europe Asia Brazil Source: Company Internal Document How to cite Pch International, Papers

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time free essay sample

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time BY dbsw12073 Students Study Guide for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Like all well-written books, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon, generates many questions and ideas from many different angles. The purpose of this study guide is to expose you to as many of these questions, ideas, and angles as possible, in order to stimulate your interest, encourage you to re-read passages, and engage you in the books complexity as you examine it by yourself or discuss it with others. By reading the book this summer, and by using this study guide, you will be amply prepared for the Discussion Event on August 27th! How to Use This Study Guide This is a study guide, not an examination or test! As you read through this guide, take note of the questions and ideas that pique your curiosity and that encourage you to explore your interests more fully. We will write a custom essay sample on The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Spend 10 minutes reading through the entire study guide, not Just part of it, before looking at the questions in more detail. Each section of questions takes you through major aspects of the book and through passages and chapters that are memorable. Then, once youVe familiarized yourself with this guide, go back to each section in the guide. Recommended time spent on this study guide: 1 hour. As you read the book and use this study guide, share your experience and ideas with others. Bring the study guide with you, along with any notes you may have taken, to the Discussion Event on August 27. You are not required to take notes on the book prior to this Discussion Event, but you are guaranteed to have a better grasp of the book if you do Jot down some notes before you arrive on campus. And because youll be taking lots of notes during your niversity years for all of your classes, you might get into the habit of doing this now, with this book! ) First: An important, 5-minute task Christopher Boone, the narrator of The Curious Incident, is unique. Everything about the novel its plot, pacing, dialogue, characterization, perspectives, ideas, format, style, themes, and motifs[l] takes its cues from this unusual and engaging narrator. Because Christopher is autistic, the very first thing that you will want to do is to spend 5 minutes on-line, looking up Autism and a related cognitive condition, Aspergers Syndrome, on the web. Knowing something about these conditions will nable you to appreciate Christophers take on life and to understand more fully how and why he sees things the way he does. General Questions about your Reading Experience subjective response to the novel. These questions also ask you to explore how this book may or may not be different from other stories that you have read. Read the six questions listed here, attempting to formulate answers, in your mind, to as many as you can. 1 . What was your first impression upon reading the first few pages of this novel? 2. In what ways did your first impression about the book change, as you continued to read the story? Why did it change? If your first impressions did not change, why is this the case? 3. What made reading this book an unusual, engaging, and sometimes challenging experience? 4. It is safe to say that most of you have not read a book such as this one before. Because you havent, the novel will strike you as different in many ways. In what ways is this novel different from many of the other novels or short stories that you have read? Examine everything about the novel, from its style (word choice, voice, sentence structure, and sentence length) and characterization, to its plot and formatting (e. g. chapter numbers, use of italics, boldfacing, etc. ) and make a list in your mind, or on paper, of all the ways in which this novel does NOT fit your usual idea of a novel. 5. Despite the novels many oddities, the author of the work, Mark Haddon, has still told you a story that has a beginning, a middle, and an end. In other words, The Curious Incident makes use of literary conventions common to many, if not all, works of fiction or similar genres. [2] What aspects of The Curious Incident remind you of other stories that you have read, or even films that you have watched? What conventions of all novels are also followed nd developed in this story? 6. Generally speaking, what did you appreciate the most about this story? The least? And why? Questions about the Narrator Describe anything and everything about Christopher John Francis Boone that you can remember (and if you cant remember certain things, then take a few minutes to re- read portions of the story that strike your fancy, so that you can get a feel for this narrator). Since the whole story is filtered through his gaze, the more you try to see the world through his eyes, the more youll come to appreciate the special way in which he tells his story. Questions about the Narrator, continued: 1 . What does Christopher like? What does he not like? Does he offer any rationalization for his likes and dislikes? 2. What does Christopher eat? 3. Where does he live? With whom? 4. What kind of school does Christopher attend? Who are his teachers? 5. What does Christopher see in the world around him? What details and things in this world does he share with his readers? What information about the world does he omit? Why does he include information about some things but omit information about other things? 6. How does he see the world around him? What might be his attitude toward the world around him: other people, animals, his mother and father, his 7. How does Christopher make sense of his environment? What makes sense to him and what confuses him, and why? 8. To what extent does Christopher change or grow during the narrative? 9. In what ways would you describe Christopher as a static, 2-dimentional character or a dynamic, 3-dimensional character? Offer some explanations for your answers. 10. Regardless of whether or not Christopher is autistic, in what ways are Christophers viewpoints, attitude, and behavior the same as some of our own? Play devils advocate for a moment, as ask yourselves how Christopher is more like than unlike us. What do you learn about yourselves when you compare yourselves to Christopher? What do you learn about your world when you see the world through Christophers eyes? 11. How would this story change if we didnt have a first-person narrator but had instead, say, a third-person omniscient narrator? Other Characters 1 . Who are the other characters whom Christopher discusses or describes? Scan through the book, listing as many persons as you can. 2. How do others respond to Christopher? 3. What function do these persons play in Christophers life? 4. Does Christopher seem to have a favorite person in his life? Does he treat all persons the same throughout the book? 5. To what extent is Christophers world peopled by other people? If people do not occupy a central part in his life or thinking, then what does occupy him? Questions about the Plot A storys plot involves the chronological sequencing of events within the story. Talking about the plot of a story, as well, often cannot take place without talking about the characters in the story that give the plot its shape or without discussing the narrator ho tells us the story. Finally, we can have plots and sub-plots, the latter of which may be revealed as the primary plot unfolds. 1 . What is the plot of this story? What happens first, second, third, and so on? 2. What is the plot of this story, condensed into a few sentences? 3. What are a few examples of Christophers digressions from the plot? When he digresses, what does he talk about? Examine the digressions as a group. When does Christopher digress? Is there any rhyme or reason to the timing of his digressions? Is there a pattern to the digressions? How might the digressions relate to the plot in some fashion, or help us nderstand Christopher better? 4. If the primary plot of the story involves Christophers discovery and solving of the neighbor dogs violent death, what might the novels sub-plots be? How do these sub-plots get revealed through the course of the story? How do the sub-plots relate to the storys major plot? 5. Take the major plot of the story the murder mystery and re-tell the story from a non-autistic persons point of view. How might the plot change? 23 questions about the story follow below. They take you from page 1 of the novel to the very end. These questions focus your attention on key events in the plot, on ertain digressions in the story, on certain characters (especially Christopher), on the books style, on some of the books dialogue, and on important interactions between Christopher and others. Read through all of the questions, if possible, circling several eight to ten questions that interest you. How might you answer some of these questions? 1. Read the first paragraph of the novel (p. 1). What do you learn about Christopher by reading this passage? What do you learn about what is important to him? How does he see things? How might he be different from you, or even the same? What ind of narrative style characterizes this passage? 2. Why does Christopher tear up the piece of paper that Siobhan[3] has drawn for him (p. 3)? 3. Examine the footnote on p. 5 of the book. When does Christopher use footnotes? Page 8 also has an example of numbered lists, and page 53 has an example of boldface. When does Christopher resort to such additions or flourishes in his storytelling? What do these font changes, lists, and so on, tell us about this narrator? . Christopher provides insight into his behavior on p. 7 when he begins to press his forehead on the ground, ignoring the policeman. However, the policeman does not have the vantage point that we have. If we were ignorant about Christopher in the way that the policeman is, what would we think of Christopher? If the policeman had known what we know about this narrator, how might he have approac hed Christopher differently? 5. Chapter 19 (p. 11) provides us with a digression on prime numbers. What do we learn, factually speaking, about such numbers as we read this chapter? What do we learn about this digression on prime numbers vis-a-vis the chapter that precedes it? In other words, how does Chapter 19 shed light on the subject matter of the previous chapter? What philosophy does Christopher extract from his digression on prime numbers (read the end of Chapter 19 for an answer to this question. ) 6. How would you characterize the relationship that Christopher has with his father? Re-read chapter 41 (pp. 20-21). Try to see the relationship through Christophers eyes, through his fathers eyes, and through your own eyes. . When Christopher is told that his mother has died, what is his response (pp. 26-28, chapter 53). In this chapter, as in many other chapters, he intersperses short sentences into his narrative. In fact, some of his paragraphs in this chapter are only 1 sentence long. What kind of information is conveyed in these short paragraphs? What is significant about the beginning of chapter 59, the very next chapter? Where has the discussion of his mother gone, and why? 8. Everybody processes the ideas of death and dying differently. Christopher, on pp. 3-34, discusses his rabbits death, his mothers death, and the idea of dying. In what ways does Christophers scientific, factual interpretation also end up being a kind of consolation for him or for us? 9. Chapter 67 gives us a wonderful glimpse into the world of non-autistic persons, through the eyes of an autistic person. Examine, for example, the tee-shirt slogan that of p. 40. When you see bits and pieces of your own world isolated and discussed, in the way that Christopher isolates and discusses them, how does your own world appear to you now? Discuss other pieces of our non-autistic world that Christopher points out for us throughout the novel. (See also p. 184 and lots of other pages! ) 10. Christopher lists his behavioral problems on pp. 46-7. What do we learn about our own behavioral problems by reading Christophers list? What do we learn about his parents difficulties as well? 11. Mrs. Alexander, a neighbor, ends up being quite onversant with Christopher. Describe their relationship (and check out pp. 56-61 as well). What does Christopher learn not merely about the dogs murder but about his mother and father as well, from this neighbor? 12. Christopher describes the Monty Hall math problem on pp. 64-5 and he provides us with a description of clouds on pp. 67-9. To what extent are these digressions unrelated to the story? What do these digressions tell us about Christopher? Find other digressions that are interesting to you and/or that may be relevant to the rest of the story (pp. 86, 88, etc. ). 13. My memory is like film, says Christopher (p. 6). He continues to say that he never forgets anything, and from this he derives a great deal of confidence. What other tools does Christopher have to deal with problems, conflicts, uncertainty, and ambiguity? 14. l looked at the letter and thought really hard. It was a mystery and I couldnt figure it out (99, referring to a letter from his mother that he finds in his dads room). When do Christophers tools fail him? When does the world shake up Christopher? Examine the passage on 113 (l dont know what happened then because there is a gap in my memory, like a bit of the tape had been erased ) and he passage on 120 (l killed Wellington, Christopher) and Christophers response to these two frightening situations. 15. To what extent does Christopher develop new tools for being in the world, other than the ones he already has, in order to solve problems that his usual behavior does not permit him to solve? In other words, can you locate a passage or chapters that indicate that Christopher is c hanging in his own way to meet the demands of his life? The mind is Just a complicated machine, says Christopher (p. 116). How does Christopher adjust to the complicated world around him by also adjusting the complicated machine of his mind? 6. The truth is very important to Christopher. When he shares information with us about Orien and other constellations, he says, And that is the truth (126). How does Christopher react when the truth becomes grey or fuzzy? 17. Pages 129 to the end of the book chronicle Christophers Journey to see his mother in London. How does Christopher survive on this Journey? What characterizes this Journey? Whom does he meet? How does he cope? What does he learn? What skills does he use in order to arrive safely at his mothers? 18. Why does Christopher say that he doesnt like new places (140)? See p. 143 as well. 9. This novel contains a great deal of gentle humor much, or most, of it unintentional. Take, for example, the dialogue on p. 150 or Mrs. Alexanders dog pod (p. 56). Locate other passages that are humorous and share them with others. What makes them funny? 20. What does Christopher learn once he arrives at his mothers house? 21 . While at his mothers house Christopher has one of his favorite dreams (pp. 198-200). What makes it his favorite? And would this dream be a favorite of yours? Why or why not? 22. How would you describe better? How has the mother changed, and how has the father changed? 3. To what extent does the book conclude on a note that ties up all loose ends? Or are there some loose ends still dangling? Themes, Ideas, Issues, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time free essay sample The curious Incident of the dog in the night-time by Mark Haddam, is a kid named Christopher who is born with Eggbeaters syndrome, and therefore he narrates the novel from his point of view which is very interesting because he sees things in a much simpler way than people who do not suffer this mental birth defect. Christopher shows the otherness in society because he is living in a social environment that unconsciously discriminates and excludes people that are different.A moment where we can see how Christopher is treated differently is in school. He goes to a school for kids that have mental problems that need special cares. Even though Christopher has this mental dementia, he is a genius In mathematics and physics, and as his school does not count with A math classes, Christopher requested them. The school wanted to deprive this kind of education to him because they thought he was not going to endure it and that it was not necessary. We will write a custom essay sample on The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page But finally, Christopher father complained and he was allowed to take those classes. Also, he Is discriminated when the police comes to Mrs.. Shears house and sees him with the dead dog In his arms. The policeman acted alert from he beginning, when he realized that Christopher had a mental problem. He was quickly Judged and considered guilty, and any move that he made played against him (the policeman touched him, and as Christopher does not Like to be touched, hit him and was accused for attacking the police).He was taken to the police station and ended up with a mark on his personal register. Finally Christopher father saved him from being accused as the murderer of Mrs.. Shearers dog. In conclusion, Christopher lives unconscious of how differently he Is treated and passes through them without caring. However, many people love him and take care of him.