Invoking Joyce, Avoiding Imitation: Junot Díaz’s Portrait of Nerds in The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

There are several hints in The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (2007) that Junot Díaz has been more influenced by the Irish modernist James Joyce than he declares. As a modernist, Joyce emphasized the importance of detachment and disobedience in imagining the ethos of a modern artist. For Joyce, it is significant for an artist to innovate his own language not only because it invites new aesthetic styles but it engenders political resistance to a dominant culture. Joyce’s 1916 novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man provides an exposition of how an aesthetic pursuit coincides with a political rebellion against British imperialism. This study argues that Joyce remains a formidable precursor for Díaz due to the above reasons. Reading Díaz’s 2007 novel alongside Joyce’s 1916 fiction, this study offers textual sites which imply the precursor’s influence on Díaz. In doing so, I seek to demonstrate that Díaz values and inherits literary expectations of Joyce while he modifies certain modes of the precursor. Focusing on the link between Díaz and Joyce can expand our awareness of Díaz, placing a new emphasis on Díaz’s drive for creativity to be acquired through receiving and challenging the precursor

On the resistance of the instrument

I examine the role that the musical instrument plays in shaping a performer's expressive activity and emotional state. I argue that the historical development of the musical instrument has fluctuated between two key values: that of sharing with other musicians, and that of creatively exploring new possibilities. I introduce 'the mood organ'- a sensor-based computer instrument that automatically turns signals of the wearer's emotional state into expressive music

An evaluation of the stimulants and impediments to innovation within PFI/PPP projects

This paper identifies the theoretical stimulants and impediments associated with the implementation of PFI/PPP (Private Finance Initiative/Public Private Partnership) projects. A current defect of this procurement approach is the unintentional constraint upon the innovations incorporated into the development of PFI projects. A critical evaluation of the published literature has been utilized to synthesize a theoretical model. The paper proposes a theoretical model for the identification of potential innovation stimulants and impediments within this type of procurement. This theoretical model is then utilised to evaluate four previously completed PFI projects. These project case-studies have been examined in detail. The evaluation demonstrates how ineffective current procedures are. The application of this model before project letting could eliminate unintentional constraints and stimulate improved innovation within the process. The implementation of the model could improve the successful delivery of innovation within the entire PFI/PPP procurement process

A model for innovation in higher education

An extensive research and awareness about the role of innovation at education exist, but insight is missing regarding an individual frame of innovation of how to empower an individual towards life-long innovation activities. There is no adequate model that provides a holistic approach to innovation in academic institutions.This paper explores multiple innovation issues culminating in the development of a model for innovation from an individual perspective.This paper argues that awareness and the dynamics of individual innovation is missing in academic environments. Academics’ engagements in innovation endeavours are scarce; there are visible symptoms of deeply embedded social, institutional, cultural and individual factors of innovation. This requires a holistic approach in innovation research.Awareness of an individual’s potential and his/her innovation development cycles, external and internal dynamics can contribute to multiple innovation sustainability. These are pillars of the ORED model (observation, revelation, exploration, design) and ever expanding cycles for innovation

TO AVOID STARTUP BUSINESS FAILURE THROUGH ENTREPRENEURSHIP, CUSTOMER DEVELOPMENT, AND DESIGN THINKING APPROACH

This study is based on the phenomenon which is that many entrepreneurs, either new or existing, of either small, medium, or large-sized level, experience business failure. Many new entrepreneurs slowly realize that their business is wasting money and leads to bankruptcy. Ministry of Communication and Informatics of Republic of Indonesia has launched a program called Gerakan Nasional 1.000 Startup Digital. The program launced on 17 June 2016 is expected to result in 1,000 startup businesses in Indonesia in 2020. Since its launching, there are 16,500 registered participants who are from six cities in Indonesia. In the first stage were 2,267 participants selected to continue to the next stage. After assessment on ideas and formulated problems to solve, only 41 participants were successfully chosen as prospective startup business. It indicates that most of startup businesses have not been able to both formulate creative and innovative ideas and find required business solutions. The objective of this study is to explain how a startup business does not fail while operating. Besides, it is also aimed to explain the importance of entrepreneurship approach, customer development approach, and design thinking approach for providing a guideline, skills, and effective belief to particularly new entrepreneurs to make their business successful

The testosterone paradox: how sex hormones shape the academic mind

In my work I argue that sexual differences in the brain seem to shape the ideological gulf between the respective social groups each side represents. And most significantly, it is the male sex hormone testosterone that is the primary hormone affecting our sexual evolution. Not only does testosterone fuel the passion for reproduction and play a critical role in the length of human lives, it is an integral component to the mechanism of human civilization—its triumphs and its tragedies. In order to understand the forces that drive the life cycles of human cultures and form the engine of history, it is important to look at the most fundamental building blocks of human neuroscience. Our hormones are the impetus for our history. Hormones regulate and control the way the human mind perceives the world and forms social organizations and political order accordingly. Hormones drive waves of social mood, shaping the evolution of our social life, the fluctuations of religious doctrines, cultural crusades, and sexual norms