Decision Based Modeling Case Study - 876 Words

Decision Based Modeling The purpose of this paper is to review a business case presented by a laboratory services company and make recommendations on how best to incorporate required changes and the impact it will have on current and future operations. Prior to making any recommendation, a review of the company’s existing business operations is required. This assessment will afford the decision maker various tools in which informed decisions can be made. More times than not, multiple options are available and can prove successful, even dealing with situations that require complex decisions. There are several decision based modeling schemes out there, but for this paper three models were compared against the business case to determine which afforded the greatest supportability. Graham Allison published The Essence of Decision in 1971; Allison suggested that there are three perspectives that one might use to analyze a major decision: (1) the rational model, (2) the organizational process model, a nd (3) the governmental politics model which will be referred to as the collaborative model (Nahavandi,A., Denhardt, R., Denhardt, J., Aristigueta, M., 2015). These models will be discussed in detail and compared against the business case presented by the laboratory services company. Also, there are several techniques and skills that can be incorporated into these models to increase the chance of success. This paper will compare some of the options available to managementShow MoreRelatedEssay On Road Deterioration Analysis1462 Words   |  6 Pages 3.7 Modeling techniques used for road deterioration analysis (Madanat et al., 1997) in their research exhibit incremental facility deterioration model on bridge deck sample. Since infrastructure moves from one transitional state to another with a set probability associated with the transition process, with the help of explanatory variables predicts the changes in condition of infrastructure over a period using the incremental models. The data used in this case is panel data. The previous researchRead MoreWhat Is The Role Of Bridge As Anchor Point Model771 Words   |  4 PagesLITERATURE OVERVIEW This report gives a summary of the role of bridges as anchor points in route choice modeling. This work expands upon the prospect that people dispense more substantial amounts of significance to some specific highlights of the route, so-called anchor points. By this report, we contend that the thought of both route level attributes and anchor points would upgrade the behavioral part of route choice models and additionally their estimation and forecast capacities would be of greatRead MoreHuman Behavior Simulation For Complex Scenarios Involving Coalition Operations1566 Words   |  7 PagesModeling and simulation as a body of knowledge provide a basis to build and execute approximations of a real world system. Being termed as an efficient decision support system, modeling and simulation is able to understand and provide better solutions to the problems in various domains. It is also capable to predict and plan the future, mitigate risks, enhance the system performance and so on. Pri marily, this modeling and simulation has emerged beyond manual methods of construction and executionRead MoreSystem Analysis and Design1287 Words   |  6 Pagesinformation – small case study. Module 2: Systems Analysis and Design Life Cycle (3) Requirements determination – requirements specifications – feasibility analysis – final specifications – hardware and software study – system design – system implementation – system evaluation – system modification. Role of systems analyst – attributes of a systems analyst – tools used in system analysis Module 3: Information gathering (3) Strategies – methods – case study – documenting study – system requirementsRead MoreApplication Of A Business Process Modeling743 Words   |  3 PagesAbstract— BPM is typically performed by business analysts, who provide expertise in the modeling discipline. Every business requires some form o f investment and enough customers to whom its output can be sold on a consistent basis in order to make a profit. A series of action or steps to be taken in order to achieve a particular end. Business process modeling enables a common understanding and analysis of a business process. A process model can provide a comprehensive understanding of a processRead MoreScenario Analysis : The Gap Between Science And Decision Making877 Words   |  4 Pagesdescriptions of how the future may develop based on a coherent and internally consistent set of assumptions about driving forces and key relationships’’ (Houghton et al. 2001:796). Scenario analysis enables an exploration of the potential impacts, risks, benefits, and management opportunities stemming from a variety of plausible future conditions. When used in conjunction with modeling, scenario analysis can help bridge the gap between science and decision making, throwing light on how land use changesRead MorePredictive Analytics And E Commerce And Internet Based Services Industry1722 Words   |  7 Pages INTRODUCTION TO DATA MINING I – CIS 508 â€Æ' Predictive Analytics in E-Commerce and Internet Based Services Industry Having data is not valuable but using data is. Analytic insights are changing the way corporates strategize and also redefining customer expectations. Analytics is the new differentiator between success and failure in the cut throat e-commerce and internet services based industry. The huge proportions of data generated from the increasing number of smart phones, the social networks andRead MoreBenefits Of Using Ppps Delivery Method886 Words   |  4 Pagesadvantages in the other payment mechanisms. 2.0 Research Questions or Hypothesis Addressed in This Research Study †¢ How beneficial to have new payment mechanisms in PPPs projects? Since every payment mechanism is associated with some risks, how would both the private and the public entities utilize these new options better than what is available now. †¢ What best practice has been identified in the study to select the payment mechanisms for PPPs project in the future? After developing new payment mechanismsRead MoreCase Study : Partners Healthcare Systems1460 Words   |  6 PagesCase Study: Partners HealthCare Systems Angela Cisco, Talia Green, Amy Mc Kinnon Glun, Morgan Rodenbaugh, and Marla Bernal Baker College Online Case Study: Partners HealthCare Systems Partners HealthCare is a non-profit, health system located in Boston that created a data based transformation (Davenport, 2013). It integrated a new system that aligned the participating organizations to cohesively run as one and to help shape the future of the organization. The system didn’t stop there as it was responsibleRead MoreAnchor modeling - Agile information modeling in evolving data environments (Rà ¶nnbà ¤ck and Regardt et1100 Words   |  5 PagesAnchor modeling - Agile information modeling in evolving data environments (Rà ¶nnbà ¤ck and Regardt et al., 2010, pp. 1229--1253) Anchor modeling is suggested in the article as an agile graphical modeling technique that allows for fast adaption through extensions, and yields in older versions to be available as subset of the newest version. Even though this technique originates from data warehouse domain requirements it is to be considered as a â€Å"generic modeling approach†. The basic components defined

Socrates Stand on Democracy - 1834 Words

Reusi 1 Raye Reusi D. Ryals Writing 1 November 14, 2012 Socrates’ Stand on Democracy Having emphasized upon me the advantages of democracy, I have always believed that it is the best system to implement in a country. Ignoring the flaws and weaknesses of this type of system, I thought that the benefits outweigh all costs. I assume that giving the power to the people is better than having one person rule the state. However, in Plato’s account on the life of his mentor Socrates, we are able to see both sides of the spectrum: the pros and cons of democracy which are accounted in Plato’s dialogues, the Apology and the Crito. Socrates, having been accused of impiety, is brought to trial in front of the jury of Athens. In his defense, he points†¦show more content†¦Yet, he implies that the people would not favor anyone that opposes injustice which seems to be the common dealings in politics. He believes that he would â€Å"have died long ago† (34), altho ugh this is not his ultimate concern. What he truly cares about is â€Å"not to do anything unjust or impious† (32). Despite his criticisms on politics, Socrates is essentially reminding the people, especially those in authority, to serve a just and virtuous life. Outwardly stating the current situation of the government, he aims to provide the people a portrait of the shallow kind of democracy that they have come to maintain. Socrates seeks to prompt the majority to uphold the true sense of democracy, of fighting for justice and living life accordingly. Furthermore, Socrates uses his dialectical approach with his friend Crito in examining the contrast between the knowledge of â€Å"the one† and the pseudo-knowledge of â€Å"the many†. He uses an analogy of a man involved in physical activities, whom must listen to the advice of the true expert in his training, rather than the opinions thrown by other people who barely know anything about these activities. Anyon e who places a higher regard to the thoughts of the majority, rather than to the knowledge of the one who possess it, puts himself on greater â€Å"harm† (47). Socrates adds that if we disobey the one who seeks toShow MoreRelatedSocrates As A Martyr And Socrates927 Words   |  4 PagesIn philosophy class this semester we spoke a lot about Socrates and his trial. We were required to read the dialogue ‘Apology’ by Plato. The ‘Apology’ Dialogue is what Plato recorded during the speech Socrates gave to the court defending himself against the charges of corrupting the young, and by not believing in the gods in whom the city believes† these two were the main charges, but underneath that there were also other significant charges such as being considered an antidemocratic or pro-SpartanRead MoreIdeals of Democratic Citizenship in Funeral Oration by Pericles1264 Words   |  6 PagesIdeals of Democratic Citizenship in Funeral Oration by Pericles When dealing with the extent to which Socrates is a good example for following the ideals of democratic citizenship, a good source to use as a point of comparison to his life is the principles laid out about that citizenship by Pericles in his Funeral Oration. In the Oration, Pericles brought forth certain ideas about Athenian democracy and how its citizens should live their lives in accordance with it. He held these views to be paramountRead MoreEssay about War in Iraq713 Words   |  3 Pagesphilosophy class we talked about a very smart philosopher named Socrates. Socrates had different ideas for democracy and different presidents. He talked about who and how should rule the country, for it to be a kind of a utopia. Socrates tried to make everybody feel good and live even greater, but it did not worked out very nice for him. You probably ask me why? Of course I can tell! His own people killed him. The â€Å"presidents† or princes whom Socrates wanted to rule and how they should behave were a littleRead MoreThe Emergence Of Greek City, The Apology, And The Parthenon928 Words   |  4 Pagesof a democracy from them. Although back then, it was a system of direct, rather than representative democracy, meaning that every adult, male Athenian citizen had the right to participate in deliberations and voting in the law-making decision (Ramon 1). But today, a democracy in the United States involves everyone’s opinions. Women are allowed to vote and run for office if they would like, males aren’t the only ones’ in charge. The Apology is a speech that Socrates made at his trial. Socrates wasRead MoreThe Potential Of Persuasion By Phaedrus And Life Of Demosthenes1585 Words   |  7 Pagesskill of persuasion due to lack of knowledge and morality. Good orators can also have flaws, like Demosthenes and his susceptibility to bribery. The negative potential can be reduced if the rhetoricians are philosophers and knowledgeable of ethics. Socrates and Phaedrus’s discussion shows how truth is relative to whoever is most persuasive. While Plutarch does not state any solutions to reducing negative potential in rhetorical speeches, Plato’s method for giving a persuasive speech worthy of praiseRead MoreHow Did Ancient Greece Influence Western Civilization951 Words   |  4 Pagesancient Greeks. The Greeks changed the way the world looks at art, math, architecture, philosophy, sports, and drama. Without the ancient Greeks, the modern world would not be the same. Men such as Socrates, Plato, and Arist otle changed the way we look at philosophy. The Athenians created the first known democracy, setting the stage for future governments. The Euclidian Theorem and the Pythagorean Theorem among others made mathematics easier and more developed. Even current architecture can be traced backRead MoreIs Socrates Innocent or Guilty? Essay1379 Words   |  6 PagesIs Socrates Innocent or Guilty? Living in a democracy, everyone is exposed through television and other various forms of media everyday to numerous trials by jury. Usually they are rarely given a second thought, but every once in a while along comes a specific trial which captures the attention of the entire country. This goes the same for trials throughout centuries in our past. Although they did not have the same forms of media as in this, modern era, there were still specific trials inRead MoreThe Importance Of Politics In Ancient Greek And Roman Society859 Words   |  4 PagesGreeks can be found in The Apology of Socrates, which was written by Plato describing Socrates trial, in which he was charged for corrupting the youth. Due to the very public nature of Greek life, Socrates would spread his teachings in public squares and many of Athens’s young men would sit and listen to him. Although this document is called and apology it is much more like a defense by Socrates to try and prove himself innoce nt. In one part of this apology Socrates is allowed to cross interrogate hisRead MoreThe Greek Era880 Words   |  4 Pagescomedy, modern philosophy, democracy, and the beginning of modern science. While the extravagant temples only exaggerate the magnificent and sturdy buildings the Greeks built and filled with incredible sculptures displaying arete at its finest. 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Ethics in the Workplace Free Essays

string(123) " make individuals think before they conduct illegal and unethical activities which harm stockholders and the organization\." Bee and Buckley (2001) state that over the past few decades, corporate codes of ethics have proliferated. These codes have proved useful In Informing employees about legal requirements of the firm, addressing specific concerns and serving as guidelines for accepted practice within the organization. However, unethical acts continue to occur, as Is evidenced by the recent recall of Firestone tires and the 103 deaths that forced It. We will write a custom essay sample on Ethics in the Workplace or any similar topic only for you Order Now (p. 73) It does not matter if corporate executives are told millions of times of codes of ethical conduct as some still will conduct illegal activities. These individuals are looking to make themselves rich while other ethical individuals are looking out for the good of the organization and its stockholders. This paper will discuss the purpose statement, problem statement, topic background, necessity of study, importance of topic to the field of education as well as the potential significance of the study to scholarly literature with regard to my research study entitled Employees’ Perspectives of Ethics in the Workplace. Purpose Statement The purpose of this study Is to determine whether employees demonstrate ethical behavior In the workplace Problem Statement Research is needed to explore the experiences of employees with regard to ethics or the lack thereof in the workplace today. The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences of employees in the workplace and to examine the differences and similarities of their experiences with regard to ethics in the workplace. The methodology and design of this study were derived by using the structure to establish â€Å"goodness† advocated by Armenia and Haltered (2002). Topic Background Pain’s (1994) statement that the ethical composition of the individual defines the ethical composition of the organization Is described In his article entitled â€Å"Managing for Organizational Integrity. † Therefore, who you are will Influence the values of the organization due to the following reasons. First, Individuals’ personal values become part of the organization. Second, the supervisors’ influence over the employees’ actions. Third, senior management influence over lower management and employees. Fourth, internal drive of the individual to succeed. Fifth, performance pressures within the organization. Sixth, lack of punishment within the organization. Seventh, friends and/or coworker influence over other employees. Furthermore, the organization’s culture influences the values of the organization as the culture of an organization defines the ethical behavior of this particular organization by defining what is right and wrong. In order to reconcile Inconsistencies between your own values and the values of the organization, an Individual must choose whether to advance his/her own interests, the organizations, or the Interests of others. For example, bribes or personal payments, gifts, or special favors Intended to Influence decision making. Individuals should report other employees for such acts as lying to supervisors, entertainment receipt in violation of company policy. These acts are violations against the organizations Code of Ethics which is a formal statement of what an organization expects in the way of ethical behavior (what behaviors are acceptable or unacceptable) and reflects senior management’s organizational values, rules, and policies. However, many individuals do not report fellow co-workers for fear of not being considered a team player, do not think corrective action would be taken, fear of retribution (from management) as well as not trusting the organizational to keep the report confidential. Based on the literature, Beams, et al. (2003) experiment found that â€Å"guilt had the greatest effect on intent to trade based on insider information. Expected gain, cynicism, and perceptions of the fairness of laws were also significantly associated with the intent to trade based on insider information† (p. 320). The study also found that individuals do not necessarily engage in insider trading to gain money but to avoid a possible loss. Furthermore, the study found that insider trading was not necessarily acceptable by society as well as likely to be caught and punished for the crime. Bee and Buckley (2001) state that over the past few decades, corporate codes of ethics have proliferated. These codes have proved useful in informing employees about legal requirements of the firm, addressing specific concerns and serving as guidelines for accepted practice within the organization. However, unethical acts continue to occur, as is evidenced by the recent recall of Firestone tires and the 103 deaths that forced it. (p. 73) It does not matter if corporate executives are told millions of times of codes of ethical conduct as some still will conduct illegal activities. These individuals are looking to make themselves rich while other ethical individuals are looking out for the good of the organization and its stockholders. Dungaree and Jeep’s studied six individuals who engaged in criminal and unethical activities in the corporate business world. Dungaree and Speedup’s findings as related to these six individuals definitely support the Beams, et. Al. Experiment as these individuals knew that their activities were illegal as well as unethical. Furthermore, these activities were definitely not viewed favorably by society. Dungaree and Jeep’s (2001) state that â€Å"all six certainly knew that they were reeking the law and most went to extra-ordinary lengths to cover up what they were doing† (p. 51). These individuals were also in high level positions, which caused individuals who knew about the criminal activities to look the other way. These individuals engaged in these activities because they were greedy and definitely not working toward organizational goals. Fell (2001) states that evidence shows that firms with ethics programs have a lower percentage of inside directors on their compensation committees than do firms without ethics programs. Firms in which boards are actively involved in the programs have more independent roads (higher percentage of independent directors and lower percentage of inside directors and are more likely to compensate outside directors with equity than are firms in which boards are not actively involved in the programs. Taken together, the evidence indicates that a board actively involved in an ethics program, and not the simple existence of an ethics program is related to the incidence of potential conflicts employees must adhere to. Maybe these ethical standards will make individuals think before they conduct illegal and unethical activities which harm stockholders and the organization. You read "Ethics in the Workplace" in category "Papers" McCall (2002) states that there should be an â€Å"alternative model for adjudicating between stakeholders’ conflicting claims of rights and it applies that method to determine what responsibilities corporate management might have to employees and how management might be held accountable for discharging those responsibilities† (p. 133). Management certainly has responsibilities to the organization, the stockholders and the employees. They are supposed to conduct business in the best interest of all. Whetstone (2003) states that (1) virtue ethics and virtue language is fluently used by practicing managers, (2) virtue engage is important to understanding managerial excellence, and (3) whereas the set of virtues defining the excellent manager can be expected to be dependent on the societal, industry, and organizational context, such a set of manager virtues can be identified and prioritize within a particular organizational milieu. The implication is that, once an organization’s management better understands the meaning of the excellent manager in terms of the virtue language already used by its own employees, it is better equipped to implement a practical ethic of virtues, one helpful toward recognizing and developing excellent managers. Ethics researchers are challenged to increase their understanding of extant virtue language as the basis for a renewed development of virtue ethics theory and applications (p. 343). All organizations should train and retain managers as well as requiring all employees to attend ethical seminars and conferences on a yearly basis. This will ensure that these individuals understand the code of ethics and their responsibilities to adhere to this code of ethics. Study of Topic Importance to the Field of Education The topic of ethics is important to the field of education as well as all other fields as well as the business world. Bà ©chamel and Bowie (2004) identify three primary arguments on the practice of preferential treatment: (a) It is Just, (b) it is unjust, and (c) it is not Just but it is still permissible. The argument that is the most consistent with typical American business practices is (c) it is not Just but it is still permissible. In other words, executives and employees in the business world today take the position that unethical behavior on their part is Just the way business is conducted today. Bà ©chamel (2004) â€Å"argues that even some forms of reverse discrimination can be Justified as a means to the end of a nondiscriminatory society† (p. 27). This type of behavior is illegal and known by the executives and employees to be wrong but individuals tend to lend a blind eye when this type of behavior is noticed in the corporate world. For example, At the heart of the Enron scandal is a failure of corporate governance. Senior executives who permitted or encouraged misleading accounting treatment. An audit committee that signed off on misleading accounts. Individuals enriched by transactions with the company that employed them. A board that was ineffective in supervising senior managers’ actions. Weightlessness’ complaints that was ignored r whitewashed. (http://www. Uncharacteristically. Com/cars/try. CGI? Articled=1679) the Board of Directors which led to its failure and bankruptcy. I believe that these individuals were only out to make themselves rich and did not care in the least about the stockholders. If the weightlessness were not disregarded, maybe Enron could have been saved before it turned into one of the largest corporate scandals in the history of the United States. The major theory that underlies workplace ethics is the stakeholder theory. According to this theory, management has an obligation to the stakeholders to make profit for the stakeholders as well as conducting business ethically. Furthermore, management must answer to the stakeholders for any wrongdoing and unethical behavior. For example, Enron executives had to answer to the stockholders as they lost their investments when the company declared bankruptcy. It is difficult for corporations to be ethical because some managers and executives are looking to profit themselves instead of what is in the best interest of the stakeholders. The trends with regard to ethical issues in the workplace are those of employees and management who are acting unethically. For example, stealing supplies, reaching the internet during work hours, leaving early and arriving late as well as management profiting for their own best interest. As time progresses, this type of behavior will grow worse as individuals in the workplace will have less morals than they do today. Potential Significance of Study to Scholarly Literature Developing theory from the data without preconceived ideas is an appropriate technique for this study on ethics in the workplace. Since studies examining the affect of ethical experiences are not documented in current literature, the data collected will be use to generate an original theory. The data obtained in this study Anton verify preexisting theory because this is not a relevant preexisting theory on this topic to be verified. This fact further substantiates a grounded theory methodology is an appropriate methodology for this study. Necessity of Study I believe that this is an important subject as ethics is lacking in individuals, groups, workplaces and the world today. I believe that most leaders, managers and employees act unethically in the workplace. Bà ©chamel and Bowie (2004) identify three primary arguments on the practice of preferential treatment: (a) It is Just, (b) it is unjust, and (c) it is not Just but it is still permissible. The argument that is the most consistent with typical American business practices is (c) it is not Just but it is still permissible. In other words, executives and employees in the business world today take the position that unethical behavior on their part is Just the way business is conducted today. Bà ©chamel (2004) â€Å"argues that even some forms of reverse discrimination can be Justified as a means to the end of a nondiscriminatory society† (p. 327). This type of behavior is illegal and known by the executives and employees to be wrong but individuals tend to lend a blind eye when this type of behavior is noticed in the corporate world. I am currently employed at The Travelers Companies as a Senior Paralegal in its Special Liability Group where I handle large commercial claims. I make my own decisions on the files that I handle including setting the reserves on a claim and supervising outside counsel until the for fifteen years. Travelers is a large company with offices all over the world so there is high growth potential as well as advancement opportunities within the Company. My department at work consists of seven claim attorneys, two secretaries and myself (the senior paralegal). My secretary, in particular, comes to work late everyday, calls in sick frequently, surfs the internet all day long, gets her hair done during work hours every four weeks, attends a weekly doctor’s appointment during work hours and socializes with coworkers for long amounts of time. Furthermore, we enter our own time into our human resources database, and I know for a fact that this secretary does not account for all the time she takes off, etc. In other words, she is getting more days off then she is allowed as I kept track of when she took off last year. All of these actions are a violation of my company’s honesty and ethics policies. Han Cheesy Koch, El Tree H Y Boo (2004) states that organizational ethics is positively associated with not only financial performance but also employee attitudes. While it is obvious that organizational ethics are intended to guide and influence employee behavior (e. G. , in dealing with ethical dilemma and avoiding unethical situations), it is not obvious what relationship exists between organizational ethics and employee attitudes. (p. 77) Furthermore, I know that my secretary could care less about her job or the company as she has told me so on several occasions. She does not really ant to work but has to because her husband does not make much money. She would much rather sit at home and watch television. In fact, that is all she does when she is not at work. I would say that she does not have a high level of Job satisfaction and is not motivated toward company goals. I Just do not understand her lack of motivation as my company is a great place to work and we get very competitive raises each year. I believe that the situation that I have described is both an ethical decision and a moral decision. First, my secretary is not behaving to the standard which I was taught to act and behave. I have a conscious and was raised to be an honest person. My father always said that taking even a pen from work was stealing. Second, my secretary actions are morally incorrect as they go against every value that I was ever taught. When we go to work, we should be productive and work toward the goals of the organization. We should adhere to the standards of the organization as well as our own standards. My secretary is clearly not adhering to any standards whatsoever. She is taking up space and collecting a paycheck she does not deserve. Furthermore, my secretary actions since I have been with this department (for he past five years) are causing me a high level of dissonance because I believe that a person’s work ethic should be of the highest degree. I wish every day that I was her supervisor so I could terminate her employment. I Just cannot believe that our supervisor does not see what she does everyday and those human resources do not scrutinize the time entries more closely. I have thought about saying something to my supervisor but what this secretary does or does not do at work is none of my business. Furthermore, my secretary’s actions makes me want to come in late, surf he internet instead of working, take long lunches everyday and cheat on my time also. If she can do it, so can l. However, I cannot be unethical as I was raised to be honest. Also, I have a high regard for my organization’s success. However, my hotlist which you can call reporting any violations of its ethics and honestly policies. It is an 800 number and you need not give your name. I reported my secretary using this hotlist. This report is forwarded to her direct supervisor as well as human resources and an investigation is conducted. I Just could not let this activity continue as it does against every belief and value that I have. I do not feel that this type of behavior in the workplace or anywhere else for that matter should be allowed to occur. I was raised to be an honest person who worked to achieve what I desire as well as the goals of the organization. Frankly, I hope she is terminated even through she has been with my organization for twenty-five years. I do not think she adds any productive resources to my organization and is Just taking up. Conclusion In conclusion, this paper discussed the purpose statement, problem statement, topic background, necessity of study, importance of topic to the field of education as ell as the potential significance of the study to scholarly literature with regard to my research study entitled Employees’ Perspectives of Ethics in the Workplace. I believe this topic is important because if individuals and the world around us continues in its current state, there will not be an ethics whatsoever when my children grow up. How to cite Ethics in the Workplace, Papers

The Quiet American by Graham Greene free essay sample

The Quiet American, is more than a political statement about whether or not America or any other country for that matter should become involved in the affairs of another country; Greene makes the question human and personal. The novel can be read as a political and moral reflection on the opening stages of the United States’ involvement in Southeast Asia. Therefore, Greene’s novel becomes a commentary on the pointlessness of the United States’ later investment of men and material in a political action that could only end, as it did for the French, in defeat. The Quiet American is considered one of Graham Greene’s major achievements. The story is told with excellent characterization and sophisticated irony. The plot bears a resemblance to that of a mystery story. A crime has been committed. Who is the murderer? As in most mystery stories, as much needs to be learned about the victim as about the villain. Yet what is learned takes on political, moral, and religious significance. The story ends in mystery as well. Who exactly killed Pyle is not revealed, but the burden of the crime, like the burden of telling the story, is Fowler’s. The large-scale political thesis of the novel is that American interference in the internal affairs of another country can only result in suffering, death, and defeat, and is not morally justifiable because of abstract idealism. This is not the only meaning of consequence in the novel, and given the course of later events, its importance may be blown out of proportion. The lesson, however, is clearly explained by a French aviator with â€Å"orders to shoot anything in sight. Captain Trouin confides to Fowler that he detests napalm bombing: â€Å"We all get involved in a moment of emotion, and then we cannot get out,† he explains. Trouin understands that the French cannot win the war in Indochina: â€Å"But we are professionals; we have to go on fighting till the politicians tell us to stop,† he says with bitter resignation. â€Å"Probably they will get together and agree to the same peace that we could have had at the beginning, making nonsense of all these years. Gre ene’s political objective is clearly to make a mockery the notion of a â€Å"Third Force† in Asian politics, countering the threat of Communism and replacing the rationale of colonialism as an explanation for Western involvement. Because of Greene’s apparent anti-American bias, the novel was not popular in the United States. It is no wonder then that Greene’s warning about Vietnam was not taken seriously, even though later events tended to validate the wisdom f his political analysis. Thus Graham Greene summarizes the lesson of Vietnam fully ten years before the American government expanded its military commitment to fill the vacuum left by the defeated French. The Quiet American is a shocking novel of political prophecy. Its mystery story characteristics perhaps better define its interest to the average reader, as Greene’s unreliable narrator gradually provides the details leading up to Pyle’s death. The dramatic focus concerns the conflict between Fowler and Pyle over love and the politics of war, the contest between Fowler and Vigot, who knows that Fowler was responsible for Pyle’s death but cannot prove it, and, finally, Fowler’s internal conflict, his beliefs of noninvolvement transformed by circumstances and emotion to a position of murderous intervention. â€Å"Sooner or later,† the Communist Heng tells Fowler, â€Å"one has to take sides if one is to remain human. Perhaps Fowler finally â€Å"takes sides† because he understands how dangerous Pyle’s blind idealism can be, but his motives are not entirely clear because of his dependence on Phuong. Fowler does not idolize her, as does the more romantic Pyle, who sincerely cares for Phuong but is absolutely unfeeling about the rest of the native population. Pyle believes in the political theory of York Harding (a name that links a less-than-stunning American president with a patriotic war he ro) and the need for a â€Å"Third Force† (American intervention) in Vietnam. Yet Pyle’s naiveness is not entirely consistent with his intelligence, his training, and his Harvard degree. He is hopelessly innocent. In one of his strongest metaphors, Greene likens innocence to â€Å"a dumb leper who has lost his bell, wandering the world, meaning no harm,† but obviously bearing contamination and corruption with him. Fowler is a fascinating character and narrator because he simultaneously reveals and conceals so much about himself and his involvement in the story. On the one hand, he is openly contemptuous of Pyle. Like other Americans, Pyle is so obsessed with his mission to save the world that he does not register the reality around him. It is ridiculous for him to think that Phuong is an innocent he must rescue. She has stayed with Fowler because he offers her security. She leaves Fowler for Pyle because he offers her even more wealth and protection. Pyle is shocked because Fowler says he is merely using Phuong for his own pleasure and because of his need to have a woman beside him to stave off loneliness. It never occurs to Pyle that Phuong has acted just as selfishly or that Pyle imself is using people. On the other hand, Fowler is not entirely honest with himself. He claims to be disengaged, not only from politics but also from the sentiments of love Pyle professes. Yet Fowler’s passionate rejection of Pyle’s worldview and his defense of the Vietnamese, who he believes should be allowed to work out their own destiny, free of the French, the Americans, and any other intruding power, surely reveal anything but dishonesty. In this respect, Pyle is right to see good in a man who claims to be without sense of right and wrong. In fact, Pyle loses his life because of Fowler’s moral outrage. Fowler is so appalled by the bombing atrocity at the cafe that he determines to put a stop to Pyle’s activities. Fowler’s passion is hardly consistent with his habit of staying reserved. Actually, he cares deeply about Phuong and about the Vietnamese. He believes in self-determination, which ironically is the ideology that Americans claim to support. Americans think they are supporting freedom by allying themselves with the anticommunists. Thus, there are multiple ironies in The Quiet American. Fowler says he is a pessimist, but he acts like a wounded idealist. Pyle says he is an idealist, but his involvement with anticommunist thugs places him in disparaging and brutal situations. Phuong looks like a delicate, easily manipulated, and passive victim, and yet like many other Vietnamese she is a survivor who plays one side against the other and changes according to the current political issues. Fowler declares to Vigot that he is not guilty, then retells the story of his involvement with Fowler to clear his name, yet concludes by realizing that he is guilty. The novel’s title is also ironic. In one sense, Pyle is quiet—even unassuming. He patiently questions Fowler about his tie to Phuong and even declares his love for her to Fowler before he marries her. Pyle is the opposite of loud, vulgar Americans such as his boss Joe, or the noisy American journalist Granger. In another sense, however, Pyle is anything but quiet. He stirs up Saigon with explosions and he turns Fowler’s life into turmoil. An even greater irony is that for all their differences, Fowler and Pyle are alike in their moral earnestness. Fowler is the sophisticated European who has learned not to wear his heart on his sleeve. He denies any form of selfless behavior. Pyle is the naive American who is openhearted and believes he acts for the good of others. Yet both men cause great damage because they care about others. They are caught up in the evil that Fowler thinks he can avoid and that Pyle thinks he can remove. The political and moral divide between Fowler and Pyle is not as great as Fowler has supposed. His narrative ironically binds him to Pyle—a fate Fowler has consistently tried to avoid. The novel dramatizes Fowler’s fate in the scene where he refuses to call Pyle by his first name. He also refuses to let Pyle call him Tom and insists on being called Thomas. No formalities can really separate the two men however. Fowler’s own narrative shows them to strongly connected. The Quiet American is concerned with the effect the superpowers have when they intervene in the politics of the developing nations, in this case, Vietnam during the last days of French colonial rule. Greene himself is in an interesting position in that England, once a major colonial power, has increasingly surrendered that position to the United States since World War II. This weakened position makes Greene, like Fowler, something of an observer of the more active Americans. Fowler observes the covert actions of Pyle and finds them wrong. He thinks Americans are politically naive, dangerously idealistic, and too willing to hurt other people if they get in the way of their political goals. Greene has been accused of being anti-American but the novel and Fowlers judgment of Pyle were obviously very relevant. The novel was especially popular during the war in Vietnam, when many Americans came to share Fowlers opinions. Although the war and the controversies surrounding it still plague the memories of many Americans, the war and the novel itself are not quite so topical as they were in the 1960s and early 1970s. Still it might be worth stressing that the novel was written well before America became deeply involved in Vietnam. In fact, America is now involved as a â€Å"Third Force† in Iraq, where the political concerns of the novel are still quite applicable.