Saturday, August 31, 2019

In the Lake of the Woods: Hypothesis Chapters

This chapter briefly states about the disappearance of Kathy, and what she could have been thinking of when In her â€Å"dermatome† phase. It also briefly outlines possible roads she could have taken, let it be with another man or simply Just fed up of her own life with John. This hypothesis demonstrates how profoundly hurt she was by politics and Johns selfish ways. Hypothesis Chapter 2: In this chapter the truth about John in Vietnam has come out, and Kathy is wondering what is with all of these secrets? And she really is starting to reevaluate their marriage o see if it could work. UT as she keeps thinking she starts to realize that they together for all the wrong reasons. This chapter also indicates the severity of their marriage as In a sense John blackmails Kathy Into not bringing up past events, which then seems to the reader as a way of him standing over her and having power over her. The point of the hypothesis chapter Is to Illustrate key reasons for Kitty's disappea rance and to see how inauthentic their marriage was. Hypothesis Chapter 3: This chapter describes the possibility that Kathy took a boat ride to clear her mind, ND during that ride, hit a sandbar and drowned.This is a key chapter as it hypothesis Kathy taking mental notes of what she felt needed to change, indicating she was ready to reform her relationship with John. Hypothesis Chapter 4: Chapter 18 suggests that Kathy disappearance Is one of human error. By miscalculating her trajectory, Kathy has lost hope of returning In the correct direction. It Is In this chapter that we discover more about Kathy sense of self- reliance as well as her affair with Harmon, her dentist, and the deep-seated guilt she till feels.Hypothesis Chapter 5: Lost within the wilderness, Kathy travels on a boat away from the burning cottage. It is alluded to that she has set â€Å"the fire† alight and left to simply escape the life she has with John. Furthermore, inside the â€Å"glittery' â€Å"lux ury and bliss† of a casino, this chapter conveys Kathy prior experiences with Tony and her innermost feelings at that particular moment In time. It adds to our understanding of John and Kathy relationship, and the depth of Tony's character and attitude. Hypothesis Chapter 6:By illustrating Kitty's personal conflicts, O'Brien explores her potential suicide. This values and â€Å"withheld intimacies†. Within her â€Å"decayed marriage† â€Å"the idea of happiness† is Kathy ultimate desire, as her suicide is expressed to be â€Å"a dark calm† from â€Å"the waning of energy'. Hypothesis Chapter 7: In chapter 27 it is hypothesized that John burnt Kathy with boiling water and then took her out on the boat on the lake and dumped her body in the lake. John then decides to â€Å"Join her for a while† as he feels â€Å"an underwater rush in his ears. He sakes up in bed and reaches â€Å"out for Kathy' but she â€Å"wasn't there. † Hypothesis Chapter 8: In this chapter, it questions all the hypothesis and states that no one â€Å"will ever know. † When John is mentioned, he switches out from John to Sorcerer and then back again. John does not know his true identity and he never did. Paragraph: O'Brien illustrates the inauthentic relationship of John and Kathy through his need for â€Å"absolute, unconditional love†. Their lack of communication led to the couple's mistrust towards each other because â€Å"they never communicated, never made love†.This was due to the fact John â€Å"was a dreamer† and constantly withdrawn from emotional situations. We see actions like these taken by John being attributed to this persona which demonstrates how separated John truly is from his physical presence in the world. His experiences with gliding and the â€Å"sorcerer† identity stay with him just like the mirror and the magic from his childhood and continue to shape his experiences with the world. Just like John's mirrors, Kathy disappearances prove to be her way of escaping the controlling ways of John, as Kathy â€Å"†¦ Get[s] this creepy leaning, like [his] always there†.O'Brien does this as a way of displaying John's uncanny need for affection. When John feels able enough to tell Kathy of his plans for the future, Kathy tells him that his plans feel calculated and manipulative, John is â€Å"assailed by the sudden fear of losing her, of bungling thing. † John still views his relationship as things to be rigged rather than nurtured. This is how he attempts to retain power and control of the situation. Riddled with doubts and insecurities on the outside, strangled with shame and secrets on the inside, John was incapable of expressing himself to others.O'Brien purposely added the scene where Kathy has an abortion as a metaphor for John denying Kathy needs throughout the course of the relationship. This is seen in parallel with John's desire to be something more than he already is; a better lover and a more courageous man. When the illusion is shattered and he has lost everything, including his wife, John actually begins to find some clarity. He realizes that inventing a new self was impossible, that he â€Å"never should have given the bucking show in the first place. †

Friday, August 30, 2019

Culture Within Organizations: Southwest Airlines

A culture is a set of values that are adopted by people who co-habit any place. It consists of shared traits and lifestyles. Within an organization, culture refers to values and norms that are prevalent throughout the workplace and amongst the employees. This includes their mannerisms, attitudes, and work ethic. Culture within an organization exerts control over the behavior of people. Growth and success of a company depends largely on the type of culture which is prevalent within an organization. Many different types of culture exist in businesses today.Certain cultures encourage employees to work and grow together as a family—thereby creating unity. Others may place emphasis on higher ranking employees, which leaves those at the bottom of the hierarchy bitter or resentful, creating a workplace which may not be friendly or comfortable. Some companies may opt to stick to what they know, thereby stifling creativity and growth by eliminating experimentation. On the other hand, a company may be overly innovative and always looking for new ideas and taking new risks.Although this sounds good in theory, it may lead to an unstable work environment. Culture can either make or break an organization. Culture is not a tangible object. It is the result of management’s beliefs and values and employees’ implementation of those beliefs and values. It exists within all organizations and can be determined, for example, by looking at the dress code within the workplace. It can also be seen by observing employee interaction and behavior. One can also get an idea of an organization’s culture by taking note of its dealings with those outside of the company (i. . customer service). Culture makes up the personality of an organization. It is crucial that a positive organizational culture is created, taught and adhered to. It can be used to improve the efficiency and work ethic of employees in an organization. It also has a powerful influence over the behav ior of individuals and drives performance of the workforce. A strong personality adds character to an individual. Likewise, organizational culture gives a business its own special identity. It creates unity among employees and embeds in them the spirit of teamwork.An example of an organization which has a strong culture that has helped it thrive in the aviation industry is Southwest Airlines. Southwest Airlines (SWA) was founded by Rollin King, M. Lamar Muse and Herb Kelleher in 1966. They began servicing Dallas, Houston and San Antonio in 1971, after winning a legal battle fought in the U. S. Supreme Court. The airline started off by offering six daily roundtrip flights between Dallas and San Antonio, and 12 daily roundtrip flights between Dallas and Houston.They began with one simple notion: â€Å"If you get your passengers to their destinations when they want to get there, on time, at the lowest possible fares, and make darn sure they have a good time doing it, people will fly y our airline† (www. southwest. com). This notion has led to a very unique culture at SWA—one that puts customer service at its center. This can be seen through their mission statement, as per their website: â€Å"dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and Company Spirit†.Their exemplary form of customer service comes as a direct result of how employees at SWA are treated. â€Å"We are committed to provide our Employees a stable work environment with equal opportunity for learning and personal growth. Creativity and innovation are encouraged for improving the effectiveness of Southwest Airlines. Above all, Employees will be provided the same concern, respect, and caring attitude within the organization that they are expected to share externally with every Southwest Customer† (Freiberg and Freiberg).SWA management has created a culture where employees are treated as the companyâ €™s number one asset. There is limited emphasis on formal organizational structure and the work environment combines humor with responsibility. Their happy workforce creates maximum productivity—willingly. Trust and respect between the workers and management is an integral part of the company’s success. SWA has exemplified that culture starts from within. Passion shown on the inside will reflect outwards and customers will see it. SWA has been able to do this consistently.Customers see the passion exerted by SWA employees and it makes them want to travel with them. The uplifting, spirited personalities of employees keep customers coming back for more. This can be seen in the fact that SWA has consecutively recorded profits for the last 40 years (www. southwest. com). The positive attitudes exerted by SWA employees are contagious and trickle down to its customers. As reported on the company website, â€Å"Southwest Airlines has consistently received the lowest rati o of complaints per passengers boarded of all Major U. S. arriers that have been reporting statistics to the Department of Transportation since September 1987. † The spirit that exists throughout SWA empowers its employees to believe in themselves, the service they are providing, the business as a whole, and the customers that they serve. The unique culture keeps employee morale high. All employees, including flight attendants, customer service reps, and baggage handlers, are encouraged to take whatever action they deem necessary to meet customer needs or help fellow workers (Milliman). This has led to both employee and customer loyalty.Employees feel needed which results in a devotion to the company. In turn, customers experience exceptional service where they truly are put first, creating a sense of belonging. Much of SWA’s success is due to the willingness of its leadership to be innovative. Founder Herb Kelleher studied California-based Pacific Southwest Airlines ex tensively and used many of the airline’s ideas to form the corporate culture at Southwest. Early on, they adopted the â€Å"Long Legs and Short Nights† theme for stewardesses on board typical Southwest Airlines flights.They selected beautiful flight attendants with unique personalities and dressed them in hot pants and go-go boots to ensure a fun and one-of-a-kind traveler’s experience (http://avstop. com). Operating out of Love Field, â€Å"love† became their promotional theme. Flight attendants would serve â€Å"love potions† and â€Å"love bites† (otherwise known as drinks and peanuts) to the company's clientele of mostly male business fliers (Pederson). Many decisions made by Kelleher have produced positive outcomes for SWA. For example, since its inception, SWA chose to buy its commercial airplanes from one manufacturer.This decision has allowed them to decrease operational expenses, as well as reduce maintenance and repair costs for th eir large fleet. By choosing a single supplier, the need for customer support, maintenance, monitoring, training, etc. has been reduced, thereby reducing costs for the company. They have also trimmed the time it takes to perform ground duties, once their airplanes land. This has led to a quicker turnaround time for the next flight to take off, thereby leading to profits for the company.Another move by SWA which keeps competitors at bay is their reservation system. Reservations are taken only through the internet, thereby reducing costs of using ticket counter employees. This method saves both the customer and the airline time and money. Kelleher’s paradigm for success starts with the core of the company—its employees. Hiring motivated people and allowing them to incorporate their creativity in day-to-day activities is key. By giving employees decision making abilities, they are made to feel important.A sense of pride takes root within each employee, which positively im pacts the customers that they deal with. This is reflected in their work output and creates greater efficiency, which leads to profitability for the company. Additionally, happier employees are able to provide better customer service, in turn making the experience an all around positive one. As Amy Marhoffer, Culture Communications and Planning specialist at SWA puts it, â€Å"Happy Employees=Happy Customers=Increased Business/Profits=Happy Shareholders. Although compensation is often viewed as the number one motivator, Kelleher understands the importance that employee morale plays. A little bit of fun can translate into a lot of productivity. Bailey explains how positive morale can produce more efficiency: â€Å"SWA, after pay cuts at other airlines, has the industry’s highest wages. But because of efficient work habits, measured in how much it spends to fly a passenger a given distance, its costs are the lowest among big airlines† (Bailey).It is important to note th at the success of SWA is due not only to the culture but also its ability to adapt to the industry’s needs. The airline industry in particular, is one that is heavily dependent on customer service; the happier customers are, the more positive their experience will be. Unfortunately, there is plenty of untapped productivity among corporations stuck in the old ways of oppression and tyranny. Kelleher’s approach shows that he understands people; he allows them to be themselves, which creates a positive work environment and a desire to be the best.He has successfully created a culture that has the properties of fun, entertainment and genuine care at its core. When Southwest started in 1971 they were just a small regional carrier flying from Houston to Dallas. Over the course of the last 40+ years, they have successfully expanded into a major airline carrier. SWA is now America's largest low-fare carrier, serving more customers domestically than any other airline. They are comprised of nearly 46,000 employees and serve more than 100 million customers each year.SWA operates more than 3,000 flights a day, with its subsidiary AirTran operating an additional 520 flights a day (www. southwest. com). They would not be where they are today without the innovative thinking of its leaders and the strong culture they created. Although corporate culture is not a tangible object, the results of a successful culture will produce tangible success. SWA has positioned itself for competitive advantage by creating a work environment which permits people to be their best selves and consistently outperform their competitors.It has been able to create and sustain a strong, positive culture which attracts not only the best talent, but a loyal customer base as well. The tremendous growth and profit of SWA brings to light how corporate culture, employee morale and customer service can play an integral part in the overall success of a corporation. These intangible elements are what make SWA an excellent example of a successful corporate culture. Works Cited AvStop Aviation News and Resource Online Magazine. â€Å"History of Southwest Airlines† http://avstop. om/history/historyofairlines/southwest. html) Bailey, Jeff (2008) â€Å"Southwest. Way Southwest† The New York Times Freiberg, K. & Freiberg, J. (1996) Nuts! Southwest Airlines' Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success. New York: Broadway Marhoffer, Amy. (2011) â€Å"Southwest Airlines â€Å"Gets It† With Our Culture† http://www. blogsouthwest. com/blog/southwest-airlines-â€Å"gets-it†-our-culture Pederson, Jay P. (2005) International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 71. St. James Press Southwest Airlines Co. (2013) †Southwest Airlines† http://www. southwest. com/

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Iron Hans (Children literature) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Iron Hans (Children literature) - Essay Example Due to the story’s narrative style and visual development, it is classified as a children’s story. The story reflects a clear pattern of attitude towards children during the time and the literary methods have been markedly shaped by the social and cultural trends of the time. Most of the tales by the Grimm brothers have been influenced by German folklores and have been creatively transformed into fairy tales. An analysis of the population studies in Germany during the 19th century shows a high infant mortality rate during the time (Gehrmann, 839). Today infant mortality rates are regarded as central indicators of the standards of living and the state of a particular society’s development. During late 19th century, high infant mortality rates in Germany started being acknowledged as a social issue and hence several studies were carried out in order to find the reasons for high mortality rates. Hygiene, food, female labor, living conditions and climatic conditions were identified as important factors affecting infant mortality rates (Gehrmann, 840). Female workload was also a critical factor in infant mortality and attitude towards children during the time. The family context has also been incorporated in order to assess the impact of family structures on attitude towards children. ... The collection spurred a completely novel notion of considering fairy tales as children’s literature. Belonging to the German Romantic Movement, the Grimm brothers pioneered in the creation of literary fairy tales. An exemplary attempt was made by the Grimm brothers so as to retain and preserve the original essence of German folk tales and by transforming them into creative fairy tales for children they were able to circumvent the loss of German folk lore literature. The fame of the Grimm’s fairy tales as children’s literature was supported by the 1679 publication of The Tales of Mother Goose by Charles Perrault (Susina, n.pag.). Perrault had successfully collected 80 fairy tales in his work with moralistic principles and ingenious story lines. This work started being recognized as children’s stories due to its graphic illustration of the title which characterized an old lady reading out stories to children (Susina, n.pag.). This introduced a concept of fa iry tales as children’s stories as narrated by older individuals. Subsequently the Grimm’s tales provided an adroit collection of stories that were suitable to be read by or out to children. Hence, the publication by Perrault supported the popularity of the Grimm’s fairy tales as children’s literature. Irons Hans, among the many fairy tales written the in the collection by Grimm brothers demonstrates a certain socio-cultural pattern towards children during the time. This story, along with other fairy tales in the collection, has had a thoughtful impact on children since the 19th century. However, writers today have been examining Grimm brothers’ writings and have concluded that these writings contain false apprehension and augment a

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Teaching Plan against Smoking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Teaching Plan against Smoking - Essay Example I could notice that she was very eager to read the pamphlet and become familiar with the health hazards of second-hand smoke. She told me that she wanted to do everything that was in the benefit of the young baby, and wanted to prove herself as the best mother in the world. I asked her how often she and James smoked, especially when the baby was around. She told that the baby was around all the time as the house was a small apartment, and they never left the baby alone. So, whenever they smoked, the baby was the victim of second-hand smoke. She told that both of them were aware of the health hazards of smoking, yet they had never given it a serious thought as the birth of the baby had been a serious event in their lives which had taken a toll on their peace of mind, so much so that they had started smoking more than before. She stated that she kept the exhaust fans of the washroom and kitchen turned on all the time so as to ensure proper ventilation of air inside the rooms.   c. Anna was quite receptive to the information I gave her. I told Anna that second-hand smoke poses great risks to young children because they have very low immunity against diseases as compared to adults. According to Associated Press (2006, para.1), â€Å"over one in five children are exposed to secondhand smoke at home, where workplace bans don’t reach. Those children are at increased risk of SIDS, sudden infant death syndrome; lung infections such as pneumonia; ear infections; and more severe asthma.† I further told her that the 2006 U.S. Surgeon General’s report also states that second-hand smoke is a major cause of sudden death in children, and chances of SIDS is greater for children who are exposed to second-hand smoke either at homes or in public (American Cancer Society, Inc., 2010). Anna understood that toxic gases in the polluted air weigh heavily on the poor immune systems of young kids thus making them ill quite rapidly.   

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Trategic Marketing Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Trategic Marketing Plan - Essay Example Today, thi form of global marketing i referred to a the hybrid trategic approach, or "glocalization." The trategic intent i to ue a centralized trategic "footprint" to build global brand identity, while allowing country-pecific flexibility in the executional or tactical and communication mix deciion. When determining what the trategic implication are for global interactive advertiing under thi form of marketing, one find that the concept of global marketing and global interactive advertiing are no longer utilizing an ethnocentric perpective. Intead, global marketing hould be conidered polycentric or geocentric (outward looking). Global marketing acknowledge and ue trategic intent to coordinate the combination of centralized corporate or brand directive with more localized adaptation in interactive advertiing placement and executional deciion-making. Thu, global marketing doe ugget that reaching global conumer i a trategically intended outcome of a hybrid trategic approach. In more de tail, four main factor included in the above-mentioned approach are product, price, place, and promotion. In other word, when marketing their product, whether locally or globally, firm need to create a ucceful mix of: A product i defined a: "Anything that i capable of atifying cutomer need". Then the product i the central point on which marketing energy mut focu. Finding out how to make the product, etting up the production line, providing the finance and manufacturing the product are not the reponibility of the only marketing function. However, it i alo concerned with what the product mean to the cutomer. Marketing therefore play a key role in determining uch apect a: * the appearance of the product - in line with the requirement of the market * the function of the product - product mut addre the need of cutomer a identified through market reearch. Buinee need to regularly develop new product and market for future growth. A ueful way of looking at growth opportunitie i the Anoff Growth Matrix which ugget that there are four main way in which growth can be achieved through a product trategy: (1) Market penetration - Increae ale of an exiting product in an exiting market (2) Product development - Improve preent product and/or develop new product for the current market (3) Market development - ell exiting product into new market (e.g. developing export ale) (4) Diverification - Develop new product for new market Analyi and Interpretation One thing hould be pointed out i how a product appear in relation to other product in the market, or how importance the brand of a product i. Brand i a mixture of tangible and intangible attribute ymbolized in a trademark, which, if properly managed, permit a buine to differentiate it product and ervice from thoe of it competitor, add extra value for conumer who value the brand and improve profitability. Profeor David Jober identifie even main factor in building ucceful brand: Quality Quality i a vital ingredient of a good brand. Remember the "core benefit" - the thing conumer expect. Thee mut be delivered well, conitently, etc... Reearch confirm that, tatitically, higher quality brand achieve a higher market hare and higher profitability than their inferior competitor. Poitioning Poitioning i about the poition a brand occupie in a

Monday, August 26, 2019

Discuss how international management is different from domestic Essay

Discuss how international management is different from domestic management - Essay Example It is also noted that the involved countries have widespread variations in the currencies (Brooke, 1996). This paper seeks to discuss the factors that set aside international management from domestic management. International management, as used in this context, refers to the process of carrying out business activities and operations on the international setting (Mordern, 2004). As such the management is concerned with the establishment of good relations with other countries. As noted, management takes into consideration the diversity in cultural aspects often associated with transactions with other international business organizations. International management is asked with a responsibility to perform supervisory services on the practices involved in the business, as well as operation in foreign countries. This happens because of the partnerships, mergers, as well as out sourcing of the workforce (Mordern, 2004). Such operations and practices help the company to achieve its targets. Moreover, international management is brought by the changing trends in the operations of business which challenges the capability of the organization in handling the changes (Mordern, 2004). This implies that international management incorporates some of the traditional management practices and techniques in order to achieve its primary goal. The traditional management techniques are altered in a manner to fit the standards of global management. It should be noted that international standards take in consideration of legal and ethical issues as well as the multicultural aspects in order to avail the services to expanded population (Rodriques, 2009). Furthermore, international management oversees the operations in a number of facilities within the foreign land, this is normally seen as a move to woo the international population (Goodertham and Nordhaug, 2003). Domestic management, on the other hand, refers to the traditional type of management that is normally carried out in a part icular region or a country (Thomas, 2002). It should be noted that the primary target for domestic management is slightly different from international management. With domestic management involving a single country, international management, involves operations between two or more countries (Thomas, 2002). By examining the primary target for the international and domestic management, it can be established that international management might be said to be inclusive of the larger market population in different regions across the world, while domestic management covers only a small population within the country of operation. However, when international management is examined in relation to the global management, it can be established that the target market appears as an average population (Brooke, 1996). Following that, it becomes evident that international management appears to be more demanding in the context of operation techniques and strategies as well as the necessary resources d ue to the wider scope. In terms of human resource management, it can be pointed out that international human resource management focuses on the diverse cultural differences as well as legal and ethical issues relating to the cultural settings (Rodrigues, 2009). On the other hand, domestic human resource management is guided by state laws and the ethical issues as such, such that little change can be done in their management strategies and

Sunday, August 25, 2019

A proposed exploritory study on the physiological effects of kangaroo Essay

A proposed exploritory study on the physiological effects of kangaroo care (skin-to-skin) on the neonate - Essay Example Compared with conventional care, KMC was found to reduce severe illness, infection, breastfeeding problems, and maternal dissatisfaction with method of care and improve some outcomes of mother-baby bonding. There was no difference in infant mortality. However, serious concerns about the methodological quality of the included trials weaken credibility in these findings. More research is needed. The focus of the kangaroo mother care initiative was to introduce KMC in all health care facilities in South Africa, starting with hospitals that provide newborn care, followed by home-based KMC in the community. KMC, the method of choice for hospitals caring for stable immature infants is an alternative to conventional incubator and bassinet care. The infant is positioned skin-to-skin between the mothers breasts and secured firmly. KMC programmes also include the promotion of breastfeeding and the ambulatory support of mothers after discharge. The advantages and practice of KMC, even for unstable low birth-weight infants and healthy newborns, have been well documented and described in the literature. In the proposed study, mothers in a KMC group practicing 24-hour-a-day skin-to-skin contact will be compared with mothers in a traditional care group (TC). Furthermore, infants in the TC group will be kept in incubators at the minimal care unit until they met standard discharge criteria. The approach is qualitative research with the focus on the physiological factors of the infant. The research would be carried forward by doing sampling of the available population and then recording the outcome. The outcome would be assessed after obtaining the data of the research done. The hospitals would be contacted and would be explained the significance and the objective of the study. After obtaining consent from hospital to conduct this study in

Issues Related to Bilingual Education in the United States Case Study

Issues Related to Bilingual Education in the United States - Case Study Example As the report stresses the United States bilingualism means English and any other language such as Spanish that is used by the citizens. Again, it is documented that there are more than 300 languages being spoken in America. The schools in America have witnessed diversity in the past twenty five years. Educators are now experiencing a big challenge since majority of the students can no longer be predominantly speaking English. Immigrants like the Blacks, Asians, Hispanics and others are growing in population. This calls for adjustments in instructional programs to serve better these interest groups. This paper declares that bilingual education in the United States is reported to have been contested and redesigned within varied historical, economic, social and political contexts. Also, language professionals argue that the changing political, economic and social forces have designed the nation’s responses to diversity in language. Language ideology in America has been shifting depending on historical events and the lack of a consistent language ideology which has propagated political resentments especially on treatment for the minority groups of the population. It is reported that long before European colonizers came to the North American continent with their own languages and culture, the land was occupied by indigenous languages. Despite the rich cultural and language diversity in ancient days, the United States had a vision of a common language.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Autism College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Autism College - Essay Example Autism is the best recognized and most frequently occurring form of a group of disorders collectively known as the pervasive developmental disorders (PDD). "It is diagnosed on the basis of abnormal social development, abnormal communicative development, and the presence of narrow, restricted interests, and repetitive activity, along with limited imaginative ability" (Baron-Cohen 1999). Autism is the result of an abnormality in the structure and function of the brain. Although technology still does not allow researchers to see much of how nerve cells grow or come together in the brain, or how information is passed from nerve to nerve, there is increasing evidence that the problems associated with autism and the other forms of PDD are the result of structural differences in the brain that arise during pregnancy--either due to something that injures the brain or due to a genetic factor that interferes with typical brain growth (Frith 1993). The capacity to understand that others think the same way you do is a capacity called "theory of mind". Autistic children are very slow to develop even a partial theory of mind, and many never really develop it at all. Hand-leading is also used by other language-handicapped children, and by deaf children, but when they hand-lead, they combine gaze between the parent and the object with the hand-leading, making it a more social activity. Closely related to the observation that autistic children do not point or develop a theory of mind at the usual time is the observation that autistic children lack social referencing. Social referencing is an early form of social behavior that every parent recognizes: Usually social referencing first appears when the baby is about six to eight months old. "The theory of mind suggests that the key social, communicative and imaginative impairments which characterize this disorder result from an inability to represent mental states" (Frith et al 1994, p . 108). In thinking about the nonverbal communication of an autistic child, it is important to distinguish between nonverbal cues that the responsive parent just knows how to read (like a little boy who keeps playing, but holds the front of his pants when he has to go potty) versus intentional messages that the child is sending to the adult (like a little boy who looks at his mom with a pained expression and wiggles up and down while holding the front of his pants). True nonverbal communication involves a type of "mind-reading"--knowing that what you're thinking is somehow going to be conveyed to someone else through you facial expressions or gestures, and without the use of words. The main limitation of this theory is that simply put, a theory of mind is the belief or "theory" you hold that others have a "mind" capable of understanding things the same way your mind does. A lack of theory of mind results in unawareness of others' thoughts and feelings, and so contributes to the lack of interest on the part of autistic children in sharing their triumphs and failures with significant adults (Frith and Happe, 1994). Another theory of autism is the extreme male brain theory. "The model depends on the notion of there being a "male brain", defined psychometrically" (Baron-Cohen 1999, p. 24). Researchers suppose that females and males and differ in cognition: "females are show faster levels