Why there are Few Women in Telecommunications Industry in Europe and Middle East

Why there are Few Women in Telecommunications Industry in Europe and Middle East Introduction A decade into the 21st century, women in nearly all progressive countries across the world continue to be disadvantaged in their careers relative to men. Despite sustained efforts by governments and industry to promote gender equality in the workplace, women persist to experience occupational segregation, wage disparities, fewer promotions, and less significant wage increases (Schweitzer et al., 2011).Advertising We will write a custom dissertation sample on Why there are Few Women in Telecommunications Industry in Europe and Middle East specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This view is reinforced by Schreuders et al. (2009), who observes that occupational segregation, particularly in science and engineering fields, has been a matter of concern for governments and scholars worldwide. Available statistics demonstrate that in spite of their talent, ability, and opportunity, women continue to be underrepresented in these critica l sectors of the economy (Schweitzer et al, 2011), with Bhatia Amati (2010) suggesting that the segregation is the direct consequence of social, political, and economic systems that continue to reinforce gender stereotyping and role expectations. On her part, Bystydzienski (2004) posits that it is the lack of encouragement, mentorship, support and appropriate socialization to enter and remain in the sciences, engineering, or technology-related fields that is entirely to blame for the few number of women exhibiting interest in these fields. Although many research studies (e.g., Baron Cobb-Clark, 2010; Coder et al., 2009; Franzway et al., 2009; Morganson et al., 2010) have been initiated in a focused attempt to understand the reasons behind the noted occupational segregation of women in science and engineering fields, only a handful (e.g., Kotsilieri Marshall, 2004) have attempted to evaluate the trajectories of these dynamics from an industry-specific perspective. Furthermore, the se studies do not attempt to place the findings in a broader, historical, and institutional context, not mentioning that they lack the comparators necessary to understand the problem within a wider social and geographical context. It is these gaps in knowledge that provide the impetus to undertake the present study, which aims to understand why there are few women in the telecommunications sector in Europe and the Middle East.Advertising Looking for dissertation on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Background of the Study Schreuders et al. (2009) observe that â€Å"†¦unlike other historically male-dominated occupations that have seen gains in achieving gender equity, many sciences, math, and engineering fields have remained peculiarly unbalanced in terms of gender† (p. 97). Other research studies (e.g., Kusku et al.; 2007; Coder et al., 2009; Kotsilieri Marshall, 2004) demonstrate that underrepresentation of women in engineering and technology-related fields continue to widen as women engineers and technicians find themselves swimming against the tide of prejudice intrinsically reinforced by the social, cultural, psychological and economic realities of life. These assertions are supported by well-documented data. A survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor and cited in Coder et al (2009) indicates that while women made up an estimated 43% of the information technology (I.T.) workforce in 1983, the female percentage dropped to a paltry 26 % in 2008 in spite of the fact that the total I.T. workforce had more than doubled for the indicated period. Of course many research studies have been progressed to understand the dynamics involved in this type of occupational segregation, but it still remains unclear exactly why women remain a minority in engineering and technology-related fields (Coder et al, 2009). Indeed, extant literature demonstrates that many women hold the necessary educational background and resources to venture into these technical fields, but end experiencing impediments for reasons not fully under their control (Kotsilieri Marshall, 2004). This notwithstanding, various theoretical orientations have been advanced to explain the perceived lack of gender representation in engineering and technical fields, and what could be done to contain the situation from further deterioration. The present paper will heavily rely on two of such theoretical conceptions, namely the social constructionist theory and the pipeline theory. In considering how women view their abilities and position themselves in relation to their male counterparts, this Research is profoundly influenced by social constructionist doctrines as the experiences and characteristics accredited to women, portrayed by academia and industry as contributing to their current occupational segregation in engineering and technology-related fields, are not timeless and universal b ut are socially, historically, psychologically, and politically located (Kotsilieri Marshall, 2004).Advertising We will write a custom dissertation sample on Why there are Few Women in Telecommunications Industry in Europe and Middle East specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More To deduce that all women judge, think, or relate in distinctive and universal ways when making career choices, particularly in fields traditionally considered as male-dominated, inarguably denies the contextuality that frames behavior (Benson Yukongdi, 2005). Consequently, this study attempts to understand the reasons why there are few women in telecommunication industry by comparing experiences of women in two continents, Europe and the Middle East, with a view to comprehensively cover the differences that may arise from the diverse contextual and geographical backgrounds. The present study will also draw upon the pipeline theory to analyze why women are yet to ac hieve equal representation in engineering and technology-related fields, with specific reference to the telecommunications industry in Europe and the Middle East. As highlighted by Schweitzer et al. (2011), â€Å"†¦the pipeline theory suggests that increasing the number of women in male-dominated fields should lead to more equality in the labor market†¦ This presumes that women and men in the pipeline expect comparable career outcomes† (p. 422). However, as has been demonstrated in a number of research studies concerned with evaluating the reasons behind gender-based underrepresentation in the labor market, the movement of more women into the pipeline has not resulted in enviable treads for women careers, particularly when it comes to engineering and technology-related disciplines (Schweitzer et al, 2011; Coder Rosenbloom, 2009). Much attention will, therefore, be focused on understanding why women are yet to achieve comparable career outcomes with their male count erparts in the telecommunications sector, and the various alternatives that could be implemented to remedy the disparity.Advertising Looking for dissertation on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Issues of meritocracy and social-cultural orientations will be comprehensively discussed and evaluated with a view to synthesizing the obstacles that come into play to hamper more women representation in the telecommunications sector in Europe and the Middle East. Advocates of meritocracy are of the opinion that â€Å"†¦in true meritocratic systems everyone has an equal chance to advance and obtain rewards based on their individual merits and efforts, regardless of their gender, race, class, or other non-merit factors† (Castilla Bernard, 2010 p. 543). Inside organizations, a fundamental strand of this study will concern how organizational policies and strategies affect employees’ opportunities and careers, particularly those policies and strategies designed to reduce discrepancies for women working in technical-oriented disciplines. In equal measure, previous studies have identified aspects of entrenched masculine culture, social-cultural dynamics, and weak copin g mechanisms as major reasons for lower representation of women in technical disciplines such as telecommunications engineering (Kotsilieri Marshall, 2004; Morganson et al., 2010). Indeed, Franzway et al (2009) posit that â€Å"†¦although women are as competent as their male colleagues in the technical dimensions of engineering, the gendered expectations and processes within engineering organizations are an entrenched problem for women’s careers† (p. 91). The rationale of the Research This study arises from the need for organizations and governments to develop policies, plans, and strategies that can be used to inform effective policy-making with regard to inclusion of more women into career fields traditionally considered as male-dominated. The paucity of statistical data on the underrepresentation of women in technical fields in other countries, with the exception of the United States (Blau Kahn, 2007), have often served as a reinforcing agent for ineffective and undirected policies that continue to be developed by organizations and governments in their bid to reverse the gendered disadvantage. Second, the study is informed by the need to develop tangible alternatives that can be used by organizations to not only encourage more women into engineering and technical fields but also to retain them. Extant Research demonstrates that women have unique capabilities and talents that could be used by organizations to attain optimal productivity and competitiveness (Kotsilieri Marshall, 2004). Equally, evidence has been adduced to the fact that more women than men are likely to leave employment in technology field (Franzway et al, 2009), due to a myriad of reasons which will be covered comprehensively in this study. Moreover, the results of this study can be used by educational institutions to develop academic and career paradigms that will encourage more women into the technical disciplines, with the hope that a high uptake of women will transl ate into equal representation in the labor market. Aim Objectives of the Study The general aim of this study is to critically evaluate the reasons why there are few women in the telecommunications industry in Europe and the Middle East. The following forms the specific objectives of the study: To critically analyze how women are impacted negatively as a result of employment discrimination in the telecommunications industry; To critically evaluate the interplay between meritocracy and social-cultural and psychological variables in entrenching occupation discrimination along with gender, and; To analyze and report on probable alternatives that could be used to alleviate gendered occupation discrimination in the telecommunications industry in Europe and the Middle East. Research Questions Based on the above objectives, this study aims to address the following research questions: What are the current practices and polices used by telecommunications firms in Europe and the Middle Eas t to ensure gendered occupation equality in the field? What issues within the meritocratic and social-cultural, psychological, geographical and political contexts could be serving as obstacles to gendered occupation equality for telecommunications firms in Europe and the Middle East? What are the current trends in occupation discrimination in telecommunications organizations in Europe and the Middle East? What are the alternatives being sought by organizations and governments in the two continents towards addressing the women underrepresentation in telecommunications industry? Scope of the Study Although the study makes frequent mention of women in science, engineering and technology-related fields, its analysis excludes all the other women working in the above-mentioned fields apart from those specifically working in telecommunications and information technology (I.T.) fields. The study does not deal with the position of the management of the selected organizations regarding occup ational segregation but focuses attention to understanding the dynamics involved from the female worker’s perspective and the official policies and strategies relating to occupational segregation of women in telecommunications industry within a wider continental context. This implies that the results gravitate more towards attempting to understand why there are few women in the field within a specific social, geographical and political context. Structure of the Dissertation The above forms the introduction section of this study, which has laid the groundwork for the subsequent sections. This section, among other things, have demonstrated the direction that this study takes by discussing the problem, stating the research aim and objectives, and discussing the rationale of the study. The following section will revolve around critically discussing the available literature on occupational segregation of women in science and engineering fields, with particular reference accorded t o Europe and the Middle East. The methodology, the third section, focuses on discussing the study design, population and sample, data collection techniques, and how the data for this study has been analyzed. The results are presented in section four, under findings, analysis and discussion. This study concludes by outlining some conclusions, recommendations and future research areas in section five. Conclusion The present study aims to analyze why there are few women in the telecommunications industry in Europe and the Middle East. Towards this purpose, the study relies on two theoretical conceptions, namely the social constructionist perspective and the pipeline theory, to evaluate the impact of occupational segregation in this critical sector, and the alternatives that could be developed to reverse the trend. Consequently, the deliverables include, but not limited to: understanding how women in the telecommunications sector in Europe and the Middle East view their abilities and p osition themselves in relation to men; understanding why women are yet to achieve equal representation in technology-related fields; understanding how issues of meritocracy and social-cultural, political, psychological, and geographical orientations impacts women representation in these fields, understanding how organizational policies and strategies within the wider continental context could be modified to encourage more women into science, engineering and technical-related fields. List of References Baron, J.D., Cobb-Clark, D.A (2010). Occupational Segregation and the Gender Wage Gap in Private- and Public-Sector Employment: A Distributional Analysis. Economic Record, 86 (273), pp. 227-246. Benson, J., Yukongdi, V (2005). Asian Women Managers: Participation, Barriers and Future Prospects. Asian Pacific Business Review, 11 (2), pp. 283-291. Bhatia, S., Amati, J (2010). ‘If these Women can do it, I can do it, Too’: Building Women Engineering Leaders through Graduate Peer Mentoring. Leadership Management in Engineering, 10 (4), pp. 174-184. Blau, F.D., Kahn, L.M (2007). The Gender Pay Gap: Have Women gone as Far as they Can? Academy of Management Perspectives, 11 (2), pp. 283-291. Bystydzienski, J.M (2004). (Re)Gendering Science Fields: Transforming Academic Science and Engineering. NWSA Journal, 16 (1), pp. 8-12. Castilla, E.J., Bernard, S (2010). The Paradox of Meritocracy in Organizations. Administrative Science Quarterly, 55 (4), pp. 543-576. Coder, L., Rosenbloom, J.L., Ash, R.A., DuPont, B.R. (2009). Economic and Business Dimensions: Increasing Gender Diversity in the I.T. Workforce. Communications of the ACM, 52 (5), pp. 25-27. Franzway, S., Sharp, R., Mills, J.E., Gill, J (2009). Engineering Ignorance. Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies, 30 (1), pp. 89-106. Kotsilieri, F., Marshall, J (2004). Hellenic Women Managers in the Telecommunications Sector: Living in Transition. New Technology, Work Employment, 19 (3), pp. 177-191. Mo rganson, V.J., Jones, M.P., Major, D.A (2010). Understanding Women’s Underrepresentation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics: The Role of Social Coping. Career Development Quarterly, 59 (2), pp. 169-179. Schreuders, P. D., Mannon, S.E., Rutherford, B (2009). Pipeline or Personal Preference: Women in Engineering. European Journal of Engineering Education, 34 (1), pp. 97-112. Schweitzer, L., Ng, E., Lyons, S., Kuron, L (2011). Exploring the Career Pipeline: Gender Differences in Pre-Career Expectations. Industrial Relations, 66 (3), pp. 422-444.

Cross Cultural Human Resources Management Essay

Cross Cultural Human Resources Management - Essay Example After spending valuable time at the Resort as the trouble shooter and discussing various dimensions of resort work and its improvement, with the employees and other members of the staff, listening to all complaints of customers of the once-well-run resort, Patrick Dowd came to the conclusion that the problem plaguing the resort is that of inadequate and inefficient application of International Human Resource Management. In his Report to Jim Johnson, Patrick Dowd would make suggestions in the following mode, depending on his knowledge of International Human Resource Management and application of pertinent theories to the present case. International Human Resource management focuses on Human Resource Management practices across the countries mainly in multinational firms, or in organisations where people of different cultures work. There is very little difference between Internal Human Resource Management and Cross Cultural Human Resource management as both deal with the problems posed by employees drawn from various cultures. There is no definite criterion or stringent guidelines for cross cultural management. It alters according to the cultures involved and the requirements under given circumstances, as the circumstances and situations decide the rules. Here cultural diversities are accepted and honoured, not defied, and an attempt is made not only to avoid cultural clashes, but also to find a suitable way of functioning without challenging the cultures involved. Here exists no desire to see all cultures look identical and the 'lesser' cultures adopt the ways of the 'better' culture. Today the context of human resource management is constantly changing with the new and persistent demands of globalisation. Human resource management of today has a global sense based on the new trend of global business. Businesses like the West Indies Yacht Club Resort, even though not a particularly overwhelming international business house in the accepted sense, welcomes guests from all parts of the world and employs people from different background and age group. When the Resort came under clouds, both the General Manager Jim Johnson and Patrick Dowd, the chosen consultant felt that this was a case of cross cultural human resources mismanagement. British Virgin Islands are not really called 'happening' places, but quiet places where resorts were built for people who need relaxation. Local people still are living in a cocooned culture hardly being exposed to international ways of living. It is difficult to find employees with exemplary educational background and efficient motivity in the islands. Efficient staff had to be drawn from different cultures and places, mainly from United States main land. British Virgin Islands, so remotely placed and lacking all diverse academic facilities for growing up children, and entertainment or business facilities for grown ups, people usually either got bored, or felt inadequately equipped for the future, frequently resigned in search of better pastures and none of the employees stayed for a long time. This created an impossible situation for the Resort of perpetually training new people; getting adjusted to them and getting them adjusted to the Islands. When the management heaves a sigh of relief that the new unfamiliar staff is trained enough to handle the situations, the well-trained staff decides to move and management had been frustrated on this issue for a long time. The resort was famous

An analysis of the financial crisis and collapse of Lehman Bros Essay

An analysis of the financial crisis and collapse of Lehman Bros - Essay Example An analysis of the financial crisis and collapse of Lehman Bros. Many of the investment strategies designed to improve the liquidity position of major banks and ensure asset growth had lost the majority of their value and companies such as Lehman Bros. were unable to find appropriate buyers for many derivatives that were backed by the high volume of home mortgages granted to higher-risk consumer segments prior to 2007. As aforesaid, the inter-dependency within the international banking system led to a crisis when asset values on certain derivatives plummeted, when major banking institutions could no longer successfully meet their debt obligations, and even sizeable financial bailouts both internal and from government were insufficient in sustaining banking operations. The main contributors to the financial crisis of 2007-2010 was not largely attributable to improper or lax regulatory forces, it was a product of poor banking leadership and inappropriate investment strategies within the financial institutions’ business models. This essay describes the catalysts for what drove the financial crisis, focusing specifically on the role of Lehman Bros. in facilitating the problem. Research has identified that the mechanisms creating the financial disaster included the derivatives market, investor and executive-level behaviour in the financial markets, poor auditing systems responding proactively to observable or quantitatively-supported market trends, and the growing consumer adoption of adjustable rate mortgages being offered by major banking institutions. ... The main contributors to the financial crisis of 2007-2010 was not largely attributable to improper or lax regulatory forces, it was a product of poor banking leadership and inappropriate investment strategies within the financial institutions’ business models. This essay describes the catalysts for what drove the financial crisis, focusing specifically on the role of Lehman Bros. in facilitating the problem. Research has identified that the mechanisms creating the financial disaster included the derivatives market, investor and executive-level behaviour in the financial markets, poor auditing systems responding proactively to observable or quantitatively-supported market trends, and the growing consumer adoption of adjustable rate mortgages being offered by major banking institutions. The Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) Consecutive and recurring drops in the national interest rate in the United States and the United Kingdom occurring between 2001 and 2006 in an effort to stave off a perceived, impeding economic recession created a favourable environment for home ownership. When the Federal interest rate is lowered, it affects the published prime rate by which financial lenders establish an appropriate interest rate on home mortgages. In 1982, the prime rate in the United States was set at a record of 19 percent (Fedprimerate.com 2013), a period where the country was emerging from a period of intense inflation increases and previous economic recession. Home mortgages generated between 1982 and 2000, therefore, were significantly profitable for lending institutions as they were able to justify loan generation to diverse consumer

Developtment of Cvsu Rosario Scheduling System Essay Example for Free

Developtment of Cvsu Rosario Scheduling System Essay INTRODUCTION Statement of the Problem The schedules in CVSU-R are always a problem in every first week of the semester. The most common problem is the conflict between the schedules of the subject. Thus, how the system would find solution for the problem? Basically this system is intended to create schedules for the student. Before it gave the student’s schedule, the system would check if there were other subjects done in the same time and day to avoid the conflict. The location of the room is also a problem especially for the freshmen. Thus, how the system would find solution for the problem? This scheduling system has a mini map of the whole campus; you could now find the location of the room. The room is being occupied by other section. Thus, how the system would find solution for the problem? Before the system is done we make sure that there  would be no conflict between room availability. The system would check the availability of the room before putting a schedule on it. Scope and Limitations This system has a capability of giving the students their schedule for the whole semester every school year. Definition of Terms

My Philosophy of Teaching Essay -- Philosophy of Education Teachers Es

My Philosophy of Teaching Teaching is a daunting task that I do not intend to take lightly. Becoming a teacher has been a dream of mine for several years. I always knew that teaching would be the career for me, especially when I began working in the school system as a substitute secretary. I loved working in the school environment; coming in contact with children everyday made me realize how much I would enjoy teaching a classroom full of students. Teachers play such an important role in a child’s life, sometimes being their only source of encouragement and support. As a teacher, I want to know my students – their personality, learning style, and academic level, so I can meet their needs and create the best learning environment possible. The definition of the word â€Å"educate† is: â€Å"to develop the faculties and powers of (a person) by instruction or schooling.† I believe the key word in this definition is â€Å"power.† As a teacher, I must find several ways to unleash that power in a child’s mind; I must motivate, inspire, and encourage my students. â€Å"Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.† (William B. Yeats) The purpose of education is to teach the basics of knowledge and to challenge each individual to learn. The realization that I will have the power to make a difference in a child’s life is sometimes overwhelming. This remarkable fact gives me a stronger purpose – to be a positive role model for my students. Being an effective teacher is truly an awesome responsibility. Instead of seeing students as partially full vessels waiting to be filled, teachers should conceive their work as creating learning situations where students can build their own knowledge through an a... ... and the world of the child. I plan to graduate from Concord College in the Spring of 2004. After graduation, I hope to begin teaching for the Wyoming County Board of Education. While teaching, I will pursue my Master's Degree at Concord. I am so excited about one day teaching our children. My goal is to be a positive influence on a child and I cannot imagine anything more important to do with my life than helping children. A quote from Herbert Kohl sums up my feelings of becoming an educator: â€Å"I believe the impulse to teach is fundamentally altruistic and represents a desire to share what you value and to empower others. I am not talking about the job of teaching so much as the calling to teach. Most teachers I know have felt that calling at some time in their lives.† My dream is to someday soon fulfill my calling.

Woolf and Mcewan: How the Modern Became Postmodern

Ian McEwan’s Atonement draws inspiration from and alludes to a vast number of 20th century modernist authors and works, both stylistically and thematically. For a novel to be considered a successful culmination to the reading of a large body of works, however, it must not be content with merely echoing the themes, styles, and forms of the past. Rather, it must extend them, add to them creatively, and attempt to pull them into contemporary readership.While his thematic and stylistic allusions to 20th century greats such as Virginia Woolf show his intellectual knowledge of and debt to 20th century modernist writing, it is McEwan’s ability to transform these stylistic and thematic elements and mold them into a postmodern classic that makes Atonement a more than adequate culmination to the readings of a 20th century British Literature course. Stylistically, McEwan draws most heavily from the works of Virginia Woolf for the opening portion of Atonement.The slow pace of the o pening, allowing for the painstakingly detailed description of nearly every scene, in addition to the examination of the psychological motives of multiple main characters, closely mirrors the style of Virginia Woolf, which she incorporates into the majority of her works. To quote a characteristically slow paced, though psychologically enriched, passage from the opening of Woolf’s Between the Acts, â€Å"Mrs. Manresa bubbled up, enjoying her own capacity to surmount, without turning a hair, this minor social crisis—this laying on of two more plates.For had she not complete faith in flesh and blood? and aren’t we all flesh and blood? and how silly to make bones of trifles when we’re all flesh and blood under the skin† (Woolf 39). The passage, to one unfamiliar with the stylistically innovative style of Woolf, seems to meander under the weight of an overly descriptive narrative and, more prominently, under the psychological musings of a character that , until a few pages previous, was nonexistent to the reader. The majority of Between the Acts contains passages of a similar style, of which this is only one randomly chosen example.As is true of many of the passages that can be found in any Woolfian novel, advancing the storyline is secondary to fleshing out the motives, thoughts, and feelings of the characters. With the plot safely set behind in-depth psychological examination in rank of importance, Woolf is free to experiment with a stream-of-consciousness style narrative in which psychological elements of the story feature more prominently than physical elements. In addition to the stream-of-consciousness for which she is well known, there are other characteristics common to much of Woolf’s work.For example, she has the tendency to describe a scene, more often than not, a natural scene, in painstaking detail, reluctant to add action that would too quickly further the narrative. Another passage from Between the Acts provid es and adequate example of this, reading, â€Å"Here came the sun—an illimitable rapture of joy, embracing every flower, every leaf. Then in compassion it withdrew, covering its face, as if it forebore to look on human suffering. There was a fecklessness, a lack of symmetry and order in the clouds as they thinned and thicked.Was it their law, or no law they obeyed? † (Woolf 23). This description of nature essentially is of no consequence to the narrative yet the full passage describing the weather proceeds for almost a full page. The flowing, exceptionally detailed descriptions coinciding with an apparently lacking story line and an in-depth psychological view that the reader is privy to as a result of the stream-of-consciousness style, are all aspects of Woolfian literature that McEwan attempts to draw from and mold to his own postmodernist designs.While McEwan draws inspiration from Woolf in a way that would be just as simple for an author of less talent to do, his a ims are far deeper reaching than an author who simply wishes to garner a comparison to Virginia Woolf. McEwan does borrow quite clearly from the stylings of Woolf, even commenting it upon it himself, writing, â€Å"we wondered if it owed a little too much to the techniques of Mrs. Woolf† (McEwan 294). Rather than be content with merely keeping her modernist conventions intact, however, he completely alters their meaning within the context of his own novel.In the opening portions of Atonement, for example, McEwan, in quite a similar way as Woolf, attempts to gain entry to the psychological depths of his characters. With the exception of a few broad passages required to move the story forward through dialogue or action, the majority of the opening is devoted to the internal monologues of the characters and an examination of their needs, desires, and feelings. This is clearly defined in the earliest pages as the ovel provides passages such as, â€Å"She wanted to leave, she wan ted to lie alone, facedown on her bed and savor the vile piquancy of the moment, and go back down the lines of branching consequence to the point before the destruction began† (McEwan 14). This passage, one of many in a similar style throughout Atonement, attempts, in a stream-of-consciousness in the classic Woolfian sense, to examine the inner psyche of the character rather than force any sort physical, tangible action to occur. In this way, the story’s narrative may seem slow paced while the characters’ motives become more well known to the reader.This borrowing stylistically from Woolf is not necessarily important or groundbreaking, and is certainly no deciding factor in whether this novel should be viewed as a classic in coming decades. There have been many authors who have devoted the entirety of their works to the stream-of-consciousness fiction that Woolf helped to pioneer. As mentioned above, what makes McEwan an author deserving of longevity in his works is that the allusions are not merely presented, but are completely altered from their original meaning by the context of Atonement.He takes deeply alluded to modernist conventions and makes them Briony’s primary source of inspiration, seen most clearly when she ponders the new school of authors and realizes, â€Å"She no longer really believed in characters. They were quaint devices that belonged to the nineteenth century†¦Plots too were like rusted machinery whose wheels would no longer turn†¦It was thought, perception, and sensations that interested he, the conscious mind and how to represent its onward roll† (McEwan 265).There is a certain depth and complexity in the fact that McEwan represents these modernist conventions not as his own, but as those of a thirteen year old girl, the central character of his metanarrative. What McEwan does next with these modernist principles of writing is attempt to show that they too are vestiges of the past, doomed to f all in the face of a more ethical and moral fiction. Just as Briony rejects the realism of the authors of the nineteenth century, McEwan is rejecting the modernism of the 20th century in favor of a postmodernism.One of Briony’s internal monologues to which the reader is privy, begins, â€Å"The interminable pages about light and stone and water, a narrative split between three points of view, the hovering stillness of nothing much seeming to happen—none of this could conceal her cowardice† (McEwan 302). These characteristics, all of which have been shown to influence Woolfian literature, have all failed Briony’s attempt to hide what she knows she has done.The monologue continues in a similar vein with, â€Å"Did she really think she could hide behind some borrowed notions of modern writing, and drown her guilt in a stream—three streams! —of consciousness? †(McEwan 302). Her guilt and the moral and ethical implications of what she has done cannot be fixed through some outdated ideas of modernist fiction, which has no ethical consequences. There are allusions from dozens of modernists authors sprinkled throughout the length of Atonement. Unfortunately, the scope of this paper can give only one of the most prominent.In a similar fashion as with the Woolf example, however, McEwan nearly always thoughtfully engages the text to which he is alluding, but is not content to merely allow these allusions to sit idly in the novel with no sense of purpose. Rather, each of his numerous allusions has some greater purpose in Atonement as McEwan artfully transforms them into something that fits the overall scope of what he attempts to accomplish. Still, the question remains whether or not this book is an adequate culmination of all the readings in a 20th century British literature course.The fact that Atonement not only draws from modernist writers, many of whom are the focus of the aforementioned course, but attempts to extend them creatively and transform them from the 20th century modern to the 21st century postmodern makes Atonement an excellent novel and a fine culmination of a semester of 20th century British literature. Works Cited McEwan, Ian. Atonement. New York: Anchor Books, 2001. Woolf, Virginia. Between the Acts. New York: Harcourt, 2001.

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