US Economic Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

US Economic - Research Paper Example In the past, people used to undertake transaction using barter trade, but currently it is done by various mediums of exchange. The achievement of economic stability is not an easy task as it is usually influenced by internal and external factors. This paper seeks to give an in-depth analysis of the current USA economic situation taking into account analysis of labor, marketing, growth, and investing. Economy In the United States of America, numerous changes have been achieved in the economic system. In the year 2008, the recession threatened the economy which has since then been recovering until this year when the European region crises affected various economies across the globe. The reason for the impact to be felt in the United States of America is that there is not a single economy in the world that is entirely independent. This is mainly because economic activities, such as international trade, involve different countries which usually have differences in their economic capacity . In the achievement of the improved overall American economy, the following factors have played a significant part. (A).Technological Evolution It is evident that technological advancements have had great impact on the society, as well as the country as a whole. One of the biggest technological advancement made is the invention of computers and the internet. Through the internet, communication between various persons have been greatly improved which has generally affected the conduction of business transactions. Moreover, the internet provides a platform at which US traders can advertise and sell to various persons across the globe. This has been very rewarding and is evident in the ever-increasing number of organizations conducting both online and offline businesses, with a preference to online transactions. In the industrial sector, the technological advancement has led to the development of more efficient and high capacity machinery, which has significantly reduced the input cos ts and increased production. This directly translates to increased returns, which are currently achieved by many companies. The National security is very essential in ensuring that the economic activities run smoothly in the United States of America. In this regard, the technological advancement has ensured continuous improvement of the security system. This has helped to control various threats from our enemies, as no American citizen would wish to observe our economy being affected by terrorist activities, as in the case of September 11 attack. As for the consumers, technology has ensured that the products availed to them are fit for consumption and they have been provided with various means of payment, such as the use of debit card. (B). Geography The location of United States of America in the geographical map is good to its economic development. The country has a large stretch of it national boundary along the sea. This is equipped with numerous harbors, which have ensured that exports are made timely and effectively. In achieving this, improvements in the ports have been conducted in the twenty first century. A good example is the renovation conducted after the destruction caused by Katrina in 2005. (c). Social Organization The interaction between the American in their daily activities is very essential in the achievement of national success. Major revolutions in these issues were achieved in mid twentieth century with the passage of the Civic rights bill of 1964. Currently, the government has enforced laws that have ensured that discrimination by race, gender

Commercial Law Assignment Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Commercial Law Assignment - Case Study Example In fact, he speaks very little English. This means that Nathan may not be able to make an informed bargain or decision, if he engages in a contract where the other party speaks English due to the limitation in language. On the other hand, John works as a sales representative with a telephone company known as Dubious Connections Pty Ltd. He sells telephone contracts. John was aware that Nathan knew nothing about telephone contracts and that he did not understand most of the matters that are discussed in English. Nathan was influenced to enter into a contract by John, as the latter told the former that there was a special promotion just for that day and that if the former signed that day, he was entitled to a free iOS7.1 telephone. Therefore, Nathan was under undue influence to enter into this contract, given that he did not understand much English to have the capacity of making an informed decision. In addition, John explained the main features of the contract, but he knew that Nathan did not understand most of the details. John did not offer to get an interpreter to explain the terms and conditions of the contract to Nathan, who thought he could terminate the contract any time and simply return the phone. Nathan was not aware that the contract was to run for three years, and terminating the contract at any time during this period, Nathan would have to pay the full contract price of $3,120, plus $ 800, which is the price of the iOS7.1 telephone. However, after two months into the contract, Nathan found out that the additional expense of the monthly phone bill was difficult to manage, given that he received a meager allowance from Red Cross. Nathan now wants to terminate the contract and return the phone. From the aforementioned issues, a determination whether there was a valid contract between Nathan and Dubious Connections Pty Ltd is made. Also, the remedies available to Natha n are outlined and discussed. Unconscionable conduct

Analysis of Curriculum Perspectives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Analysis of Curriculum Perspectives - Essay Example He did research on implementation of the curriculum and found that schools spend about sixty seven percent of their time focusing on hidden aspects of the curriculum yet they were not aware of this. Eisner (1979) asserts that those subjects that receive more attention are determined by the hidden curriculum. The latter is also responsible for the teaching styles adopted in classrooms and methods of delivering subject content. In relation to this argument, many philosophers and educationists came up with theories explaining the nature of the hidden curriculum. The proponents, critics and content of these perspectives will be examined in detail in the subsequent portions of the essay. These will incorporate five main perspectives. Psychology is one of the most important disciplines in education because rot was responsible for the creation of the experiential theory of the curriculum. It should be noted that before experiential approaches most theories of education revolved around reductionist views. However, with the passage of time, more and more psychologists realized that there was more to learning that reduction. This formed the background fro the experiential theory. The main proponents of the theory were Freire and Kolb. The proponents believed that learning occurred in a cycle. It first starts with experience, this is then followed by reflection where there is perception and processing, thereafter action takes place. For example, teachers may be faced with the task of awarding grades for a particular exam. The fact that they are undergoing that challenge denotes the fact that they are experiencing it; i.e. the first phase of experiential learning. Thereafter, teachers have to think about other circumstances where they have had to do the same. This will constitute the reflective part of the learning process. Thereafter, they are expected to consider all the angles to the issue. They may decide to consult with other teachers on the issue and this will cause further reflection. This reflective aspect is made of two major concepts. These are abstract conceptualization and active experimentation. In the latter part, one has to apply logic in the formation of ideas; feelings are not considered here. While in the active experimentation stage, learning occurs through experimentation with changing scenarios. Kolb therefore came up with four stages that help to identify learning styles depending on the earlier elements of the learning process. The stages are; activists, pragmatists, theorizers and reflectors. Those who focus on one stage more than another will fall into that respective learning style. Knox (1986) asserts that these stages can be applied in the classroom when students are trying to learn something. This is because they can relate to subject content on a cognitive level and can therefore internalize the learning process. Besides that, experiential theory can also be applied by teachers. Teachers can present information in bits or in phase so that they can allow learners to 'experience' it. Brookfield (1990) asserts that teachers should realize that curriculum ideas are tested through the experiences acquired from their lives.

Master of International Business Essay Example for Free

Master of International Business Essay What is inventory turnover? How can a high inventory turnover ratio be detrimental to a firm? Inventory turnover refers to the number of times that inventory is sold in a one year period. It can be calculated by dividing the cost of goods sold for a particular period by the average inventory for that period. High inventory turnover may signal a low level of inventories, which can increase the chance of product stockouts. 2. Distinguish among cycle, safety, pipeline, and speculative stock. Cycle (base) stock refers to inventory that is needed to satisfy normal demand during the course of an order cycle. Safety (buffer) stock refers to inventory that is held in addition to cycle stock to guard against uncertainty in demand and/or lead time. Pipeline (in-transit) stock is inventory that is en route between various nodes in a logistics system, while speculative stock is inventory that is held for several reasons to include seasonal demand, projected price increases, and potential product shortages. 3. Define what is meant by inventory carrying costs. What are some of its main components? Inventory carrying costs refer to the costs associated with holding inventory. Inventory carrying costs consist of a number of different components, and their importance can vary from product to product. These components include obsolescence costs, shrinkage costs, storage costs, taxes, and interest costs. 4. Discuss the concept of stockout costs. How can a stockout cost be calculated? Stockouts refer to situations where customers demand items that are not immediately available and stockout costs refer to the costs associated with not having items available. Calculation of a stockout cost first requires a company to classify potential customer responses to a stockout (e. g. , delays the purchase, lost sale, lost customer). Next, the company needs to assign probabilities to the various responses as well as to assign monetary losses to the various responses. The respective probabilities and losses are multiplied together and then all costs are summed to yield an average cost of stockout. 5. Distinguish between a fixed order quantity and fixed order interval system. Which one generally requires more safety stock? Why? In a fixed order quantity system, the order size stays constant (although the time interval between orders may vary); in a fixed order interval system, the time interval is constant (although the order size may vary). The infrequency of inventory monitoring makes a fixed order interval system more susceptible to stockouts and thus there is likely to be higher levels of safety stock in a fixed order interval system. 6. Explain the logic of the EOQ model. The logic of the EOQ model is as follows: determining an order quantity requires a company to balance two costs; the costs of carrying the inventory and the costs of ordering it. Inventory carrying costs are in direct proportion to order size; that is, the larger the order, the greater the inventory carrying costs. Ordering costs, by contrast, tend to decline with order size but not in a linear fashion. The EOQ attempts to find the point (quantity) at which ordering costs equals carrying costs. 7. How can inventory flow diagrams be useful to a logistics manager? They present a visual depiction of additions to, and subtractions from, inventory. This could be helpful in identifying any patterns that might be occurring. In addition, inventory flow examples illustrate how safety stock can offset an increased rate of demand as well as longer than normal replenishment cycles. 8. Discuss what is meant by ABC analysis of inventory. What are several measures that can be used to determine ABC status? ABC analysis is an approach that recognizes all inventories are not of equal value to a firm and, as a result, all inventory should not be managed in the same way. Measures that can be used to determine ABC status include sales volume in dollars, sales volume in units, the fastest selling items, item profitability, or item importance. . What are implications of the JIT approach for supply chain management? The consequences of JIT actually go far beyond inventory management and JIT has important implications for supply chain efficiency. One implication is that suppliers must deliver high quality materials to the production line, in part because of JIT’s emphasis on low (no) safety stock. Moreover, because customers in a JIT system tend to place smaller, more frequent orders, it is imperative that suppliers’ order systems are capable of handling an increased number of orders in an error-free fashion. Smaller, more frequent orders, coupled with close supplier location, tend to favor truck as a mode of transportation and this means that production and distribution facilities should be designed to support truck shipments. 10. How does vendor-managed inventory differ from traditional inventory management? In â€Å"traditional† inventory management, the size and timing of replenishment orders are the responsibility of the party using the inventory. Under vendor-managed inventory, by contrast, the size and timing of replenishment orders are the responsibility of the manufacturer. This represents a huge philosophical shift for some organizations in the sense that they are allowing another party to have control over their inventories and this requires a great deal of trust among the various parties. 11. Do substitute items or complementary items present the greater managerial challenge? Support your answer. Either answer would be acceptable. Students should recognize that both substitute items and complementary items present managerial challenges, but the nature of these challenges is different. For instance, one challenge with substitute items might be the amount of product to hold; a challenge with complementary items might be product placement in a retail outlet. 12. Define what it meant by dead inventory. What are several ways to manage it? Dead inventory refers to product for which there is no demand—at least under current marketing practices. Because dead inventory has often been associated with overproduction of items that customers do not want (or need), one suggestion would be make to order as opposed to make to stock. Having said this, an increasing source of dead stock in recent years involves special, highly customized orders that never end up with the customer. Suggestions for dealing with this situation include partial (or full) prepayment as well as a no-return policy. Another suggestion is for companies to more aggressively market their dead stock, and companies might also sell dead inventory via auctions. Another possibility is to donate the dead inventory to charitable causes. A last resort is to simply throw away the dead inventory in order to free up storage space. 13. Explain how an SKU might have different meanings, depending on one’s position in the supply chain. A retailer, for example, might keep records in terms of individual items or case lots, while the warehouse that supplies the retailer may deal only with case lots or pallets loads of a product. In turn, the distributor that sells to warehouses may deal with only pallet loads or vehicle loads, and may only accept orders only for pallet loads or vehicle loads—and not case lots or individual items. 14. Why is it important for a manager to understand informal considerations with respect to inventory management? One reason is that the increasing quest for customer service and customer satisfaction is leading many companies to engage in informal considerations. Even though â€Å"formal† inventory analysis should not be ignored, they should not be applied without taking into account informal arrangements. The informal arrangements may not fit any â€Å"formal† inventory tenets, but many informal considerations tend to do an excellent job of satisfying customers. And, without customers, businesses are not going to be very successful. 15. Discuss some of the challenges that are associated with managing repair and replacement parts. One challenge is the difficulty in forecasting the demand for these products—when will products break down or fail? As such, it becomes challenging with respect to which parts to carry as well as the appropriate stocking levels for them. Another challenge involves the number of warehousing facilities to be used: Should the parts be more decentralized or more centralized? These and other challenges have caused some companies to outsource their repair/replacement parts business. 16. Which presents the greater reverse logistics challenge: (1) Returned items or (2) Refurbished and recycled products? Support your answer. As was the case with question 11, either answer is acceptable. Again, it is important to recognize that both present reverse logistics challenges—but the nature of the challenges is different. For example, there is unpredictability with respect to returned items, in terms of return rates and product content. Refurbishing and recycling, by contrast, are predicated on sufficient product volumes, which require adequate storage space. 17. What are substitute items and how might they affect safety stock policies? Substitute items refer to products that customers view as being able to fill the same need or want. With respect to safety stock policies, if a consumer has little hesitation in substituting another item for one that is out of stock, there would appear to be minimal penalties for a stockout. It is also important that companies understand substitution patterns in the sense that Product A may be a substitute for Product B, but the reverse may not be true. In such a situation, safety stock policies would need to reflect the appropriate relationships. 18. Which supply chain participant(s) should be responsible for managing inventory levels? Why? The key to this question is the word â€Å"managing. Although various inventory approaches may require certain select participants to maintain the inventory, supply-chain effectiveness and efficiency would argue that all supply chain participants should be involved with managing inventory levels. Because the supply chain is a system, one company’s inventory policies and practices can impact the other members of the supply chain. Failure to consider these other participants when setting inventory policies and practices could lead to dysfunctional consequences. 19. Should inventories be considered investments? Why? The text suggests that inventories should be considered investments. Carrying costs for inventories can be significant; the return on investment to a firm for its funds tied up in inventory should be as high as the return it can obtain from other, equally risky uses of the same funds. 20. Since the mid-1990s, many beer and soft-drink cans and bottles have contained a freshness date stamped on them to indicate the latest date that the product should be consumed. What problems might such a system cause for the people responsible for managing such inventories? Discuss. There are a variety of possible answers to this question. One consideration is that product needs to be in places where it can be bought prior to the expiration date. At a minimum, this means that companies need to be able to identify individual products, locate the products, and move the products to the appropriate place(s). The oldest inventory should be â€Å"turned† before other inventory. Another consideration involves what to do with expired product, a situation that brings into play reverse logistics considerations.

Impact of Directly Observed Treatment on Tuberculosis

Impact of Directly Observed Treatment on Tuberculosis Description of the condition Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) is defined as Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains with in vitro resistance to at least both isoniazid (INH) and rifampicin (RFP) (Johnston 2009;WHO;WHO 2013). Emergence of this strain since the 1980s has represented a major barrier towards successful TB control (Johnston 2009;WHO 2013). Among the newly diagnosed TB patients in 2012, 3.6% had MDR TB while the percentage was approximately six times higher among those previously treated cases (20.2%) (WHO 2013).In 2012, it was estimated that 450000 incident cases and 170000 mortality cases of MDR TB occurred globally (WHO 2013). Compared with drug-susceptible strains, treatment of MDR TB is much more complex. According to the WHO guidelines, MDR TB treatment regimen requires a minimum duration of 18 months with two treatment phases, the intensive and the continuation phase (WHO). The first six months of treatment is usually considered the intensive phase since a patient needs to receive both oral and injectable drugs (WHO). After this period, the injectable agent is discontinued and patients receive the oral drugs for another 12-18 months (termed as the continuation phase) (WHO). Management of MDR TB is challenging for that patients are normally in advanced stages of disease with thick-walled cavities and chronic lung lesions which are hard for the drugs to penetrate (Orenstein 2009). Also, the longer treatment duration, high out-of-pocket cost, together with the more frequent adverse reactions that are associated with second line drugs are all contribution factors to poor treatment adherence (Bassili 2013;Toczek 2012;Volmink 2007). As a result, treatment success rate of MDR TB was much lower compared to drug sensitive strains. According to the WHO, the pooled treatment success rate of MDR TB patients diagnosed in 2009 was about 48%, whereas it exceeded 85% among non-MDR TB patients (Johnston 2009). Description of the intervention Directly observed treatment (DOT) refers to the use of an appointed agent (a professional health worker, a community volunteer, or a family member) to directly monitor people taking their anti-tuberculosis drugs (Mukherjee 2004). Initially, this concept was proposed as a key component of Directly Observed Therapy, Short Course (DOTS) by the WHO in 1994 to ensure cure of TB (WHO). In addition to the provision of standardized 6-8 months short-course directly observed chemotherapy regimen, other components of DOTS include: political commitment, case detection through quality-assured bacteriology, maintenance of an effective drug supply and management system, and evaluation of performance and impact (WHO). Implementation of DOTS in non-MDR TB treatment demonstrates significant effectiveness, as the strategy has helped to treat 37 million TB cases and cured more than 80% of them by 2007(WHO 2013). However, the standardized short-course chemotherapy is usually not applicable to cases of MD R TB. To improve patients’ adherence to MDR TB treatment, in 2000, WHO and its international partners further developed DOTS-Plus strategy by adding the components of MDR-TB diagnosis, treatment and management into the DOTS (WHO 2008;WHO 2011). In this DOTS-Plus strategy, DOT is highly recommended by the WHO to be delivered to all MDR-TB patients (WHO 2008;WHO 2011). However, treatment of MDR-TB patients requires at least 18 months, therefore, delievering DOT to MDR-TB patients would be more challenge than for drug-suspectible TB patients. There are two types of DOT according to its implementation length. In full DOT, anti-TB drugs were administered under direct observation throughout the treatment duration (including both the intensive and continuation phase) whereas it is directly observed only during the intensive phase for partial DOT (WHO 2008;WHO 2011). Effectiveness of DOT is commonly demonstrated through comparison with SAT, a traditional management modality in which anti-TB drugs were self-administered by patients without any observation (WHO 2008;WHO 2011). Currently, many countries have incorporated full DOT into their national TB control programs (NTPs) according to suggestions from the WHO guidelines (Bassili 2013). However, there are still countries that adopt partial DOT or even self-administrated treatment (SAT) as the management modality in their NTPs. How the intervention might work A better understanding of how DOT improves treatment outcomes of MDR TB could have important management implications. First, knowing the type(s) of DOT provider and location that is associated with a higher treatment success rate could allow one to make evidence-based decisions when designing DOT for MDR TB treatment. Second, studying the influence of other characteristics on successful treatment outcomes of MDR TB could provide a conservative yet more objective conclusion of the effectiveness of DOT. Third, comparing DOT with other strategies for the improvement of treatment adherence could advise policy makers to balance resources between DOT and these other strategies so that treatment could be delivered in a more cost-effective way. Why it is important to do this review Impact of DOT on successful TB treatment has been controversial throughout the years. Previous observational studies suggested that DOT ensured timely adherence management as well as day-to-day monitoring of adverse effects (Orenstein 2009). One meta-analysis revealed that treatment completion rate among pulmonary TB patients could exceed 90% when DOT was implemented throughout the treatment course(Bassili 2013). However, results from a recent meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials showed no significant difference in treatment success rate between DOT and SAT among drug-susceptible TB cases(Mukherjee 2004). Moreover, previous meta-analyses almost exclusively focused on the role of DOT in the treatment of non-MDR TB; little has been examined systematically regarding its role in effective MDR TB treatment.

david souter :: essays research papers

Birth, Residence, and Family Born September 17, 1939 in Melrose, Massachusetts, son of Joseph Alexander and Helen Adams Hackett Souter. Education Harvard College, A.B. 1961, Phi Beta Kappa, selected Rhodes Scholar; Magdalen College, Oxford, 1963, A.B. in Jurisprudence 1989, M.A. 1989; Harvard Law School, LL.B. 1966. Law Practice Associate, Orr and Reno, Concord, NH, 1966-1968. Government Service Assistant Attorney General of New Hampshire, 1968-1971; Deputy Attorney General of New Hampshire, 1971-1976; Attorney General of New Hampshire, 1976-1978. Judicial Offices Associate Justice, New Hampshire Superior Court, 1978-1983; Associate Justice, New Hampshire Supreme Court, 1983-1990; Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, 1990; Associate Justice, Supreme Court of the United States, 1990. Other Assignments Maine-New Hampshire Interstate Boundary Commission, 1971-1975; New Hampshire Police Standards and Training Council, 1976-1978; New Hampshire Governor's Commission on Crime and Delinquency, 1976-1978, 1979-1983; New Hampshire Judicial Council, 1976-1978. Civic Activities Trustee, Concord Hospital, Concord, New Hampshire, 1972-1985, President 1978-1984; Trustee, New Hampshire Historical Society, 1976-1985; Vice President, 1970-1985, Overseer, Dartmouth Medical School, 1981-1987. Affiliations with Professional Organizations and Academic Institutions Merrimack County Bar Association; New Hampshire Bar Association; American Bar Association; Honorary Fellow, American Bar Foundation; National Association of Attorneys General; Honorary Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers; Honorary Master of the Bench, Gray's Inn, London; Honorary Fellow, Magdalen College, Oxford; Associate, Lowell House, Harvard College. David H. Souter was born in Melrose, Massachusetts, on September 17, 1939. He graduated from Harvard University in 1961. The following year he studied at Magdalen College in Oxford, England, as a Rhodes Scholar. He graduated from Harvard Law School in 1966. Souter was admitted to the bar and joined a law firm in Concord, New Hampshire. In 1968, he became an Assistant Attorney General of New Hampshire. In 1971, Souter became Deputy Attorney General and in 1976 Attorney General of the State of New Hampshire. During these years Souter also served on the New Hampshire Governor's Commission on Crime and Delinquency, the New Hampshire Judicial Council, the Maine-New Hampshire Interstate Boundary Commission, and the New Hampshire Policy Standards and Training Council.

Milan Kundera’s The Unbearable Lightness of Being Essay

In Milan Kundera’s novel, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, the author uses plenty of literary elements to tie together his points in an effort to help readers understand the basic premise behind the work. Though there are plenty of literary themes that can be found throughout the work, the most important ones are the themes that Kundera uses, as well as the characters in the novel. By creatively using these things in his work, Kundera helps explain what might have otherwise been a fairly complex ideal. In addition, the author is able to tie these things together to create a measure of clarity for readers as they progress through the work.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Theme is used in the novel to get across the basic ideas that the author is set on impressing into the reader. Since the novel relies mostly on ambiguous ideas to get across hard to find points, the utilization of different themes are critically important to the development of the story. As one might expect from the title of the work, Kundera uses lightness and the idea of weight as one of the primary themes throughout the book. Even in the title, one can see the dichotomy that exists. Lightness in itself is not something that should be too heavy to bear. Yet, the author is able to masterfully intertwine these two ideas to convey the point of his story. Through the entire work, the characters of the book are searching hard within themselves to find a solution to the primary question presented in the title. Their search for the important things in life is done in order to both find meaning and relieve themselves of some of the heaviness that their being light creates.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another important theme that the author uses is politics. Though the characters carry on with their lives throughout the work, they are constantly linked to both each other and to their collective pasts by their underlying political beliefs. A good example of this can be found on page 123 of the novel, when Sabina receives word that the political situation in Prague has cost Tomas and Tereza their lives. The book reads, â€Å"She could not get over the news. The link to her past had been broken† (123). English expert Jay Braiman describes a literary theme as, â€Å"The main idea or message conveyed by the piece† (Braiman). It is clear in the story that the author uses both politics and the idea of weight as the main idea in the work. The desire to escape from the weight of life was something that drove each of the characters, while politics served as a main idea in trying all of the characters together.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Characters were the second literary element used by the author to create the work. Not only do the characters power the action, but they shed a little bit of light into the what the other characters were thinking. Simply having characters is not enough to establish something as an important literary element. As the author clearly understood, the characters must be used in the most efficient, useless way possible in order to help push the idea of the story forward. The characters in this novel are not just there for an arbitrary reason. Instead, they play an active role in the story in establishing the primary aspects of plot development. A Eugene Knight book review of the work talks to the importance of the characters by saying, â€Å"The very fact that they stay together and seem to find some degree of happiness illustrates that an acceptance of a relationship that falls well short of satisfying and fulfilling hopes, is possible† (Knight). One can easily see that the author used the literary element of characters to tie in the many themes that he utilized and help the reader understand the underlying conflict in Czechoslovakia at the time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Overall, the book is a commentary on the reasons why people need people so much. This is a complex idea to establish, especially when one considers the fact that it is set against such a tough background. Kundera established his excellent work on the basis that his characters would do the talking for him. Instead of having to explain things to readers to get them to buy in to the main point of the book, he had characters live out their real life experiences to get across the points. Even more importantly than that, he was able to bring the characters closer to the themes that were so important to the author in this book. No one literary theme overtook the book or overpowered it. They all worked together in a sanctimonious harmony that not only told a story, but helped the reader interpret the story. The idea that a person who is too light could not bear that weight is a ridiculous one at first, but as the reader further understands the things that the characters are going through, they can begin to see how such a dichotomy can become quite a conundrum. Works Cited Braiman, Jay. Literary Devices. 2007. < http://mrbraiman.home.att.net/lit.htm> Knight, Eugene. The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Review. < http://bookreviews.nabou.com/reviews/unbearable_lightness_kundera.html> Kundera, Milan. The Unbearable Lightness of Being. 4 May 2004. HarperCollins Publishing. Raudino, Guiseppe. Socialism and Arts. August 2007.