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     The United States is often times referred to as the Land of Opportunity. Many people have taken that opportunity, and with personal initiative and drive, created successful products that built ultra-successful corporations that have become American institutions. People like Carnegie, Vanderbilt, Rockefeller and Ford are a few examples of American ingenuity, resourcefulness and hard work. Carnegie built US Steel, Vanderbilt had New York Central Railroad, Rockefeller started Standard Oil and Ford had a small car company named after him.

     Business is more than a man and his idea. Businesses employ people. Over time, people want more pay, more time off, safer conditions. Those things cost money. Business owners, typically, want to keep as much money as possible. Interests of the company have to be weighed against the interests of the workers. Workers organized into labor unions, went on strikes, rioted in order to win better pay, safer conditions, less work hours.

     Over time, government has also played a role in the effectiveness and profits of business. The power and greed of private business and entrepreneurs can only be checked by the intervention of government regulation into its proceedings. Government has broken up monopolies throughout different industries. Government has changed trade policies with other countries to allow more trade to be pursued. Government has saved corporations from failing and going into bankruptcy in order to save millions of jobs thus creating a depression.

     The general narrative above describes the history of American business in the last 125 years, particularly the 20^th Century. What about tomorrow? What about ten years from now? Is it possible for you to create a successful business in the 21^st Century? It’s a nasty world out there, grab the bull by the horns and make something of yourself.

Entry Document.docx

Project Description

The Big 3 Research Wiki

1.  The Rise
1.  Background Information

                                                   i.      Who created this company?

                                                   ii.      Where was this company based? Where was the manufacturing center located?

               ii. Competitive Advantage- What helped this company get ahead

                                                   i.      What technology advances helped this company to grow?

                                                   ii.      What led to this company’s cars becoming so popular or desired?

                                                   iii.      Describe the relationship between management and labor.

               iii. Products

                                                   i.      What models of automobiles is this company known for, historically and today?

                                                   ii.      Show sales figures throughout the 20^th Century.

1.  The Fall
1.  Competitive (Dis)Advantage

                                                   i.      What technology advances did this company fail to embrace that its competitors did embrace?

                                                   ii.      Why did this company’s popularity and sales figures decline?

1.  Global Markets

                                                   i.      Who specifically became global competitors?

                                                   ii.      Why were consumers selecting those cars over American made cars?

1.  How did labor requests/demands contribute to the fall of this company?

1.  The Future
1.  Auto Industry Bailout

                                                    i.      Did this company receive bailout funds from the government?

                                                    ii.      If so, what has been the effect of those funds on the company?

                                                    iii.      If not, why?

1.  Technology

                                                    i.      Does this company currently have car models that using new sources of energy and fuel?

                                                    ii.      Electric cars, hybrids, ethanol, etc?

                                                    iii.      If not, are they planning on joining that market soon?

1.  How is the “Land of Opportunity” different for these groups of people at different social levels?

The Big 3 Wiki.docx  

The Big 3 Wiki Requirements

In addition to the above content requirements, each component (The Rise, The Fall, The Future) should include the following

MINIMUM Required Components of the Finished WIKI

1. Links back to the homepage and the Big 3 Page must be established. 
2. Each heading must be separated from the content text
3. Highlighted links to names, dates, and places contained within your written text (Wikipedia style)
4. 3 total maps, charts, or graphs (1 per section)
5. 9 total pictures (3 per section) 

Additional note, please include a Table of Contents at the top of your company wiki and a full References Page at the bottom of your company wiki.

Of Mice and Men Wiki Component

1.  How is the “Land of Opportunity” different for these groups of people at different social levels? (Each group member will work on a category below)

1. People in Power:

                                                           i.      Define what power means in the book.

                                                           ii.      Which characters have the most power in the book?

                                                           iii.      What symbolizes their power?

                                                           iv.      How do you know that they have power? Explain.

                                                           v.      Where do they get that power from and do they take advantage of it?

                                                           vi.      Tie this idea back into the ideas of labor unions, The Big 3 and the “Land of Opportunity”.

1. Women’s Roles:

                                                           i.      Who are the women in the book?

                                                           ii.      What are their relationships to the other male characters?

                                                           iii.      Is life meaningful to the women in the novel? Explain.

                                                           iv.      How are women represented in the novel?

                                                           v.      Tie this theme back into the idea of labor unions,  The Big 3 and the “Land of Opportunity”.

1. People with Disabilities:

                                                            i.      How are people with disabilities represented in the novel?

                                                            ii.      How do others treat those with disabilities in the book?

                                                            iii.      Where do you see symbolism of the disabled in the book? What does the symbolism suggest?

                                                            iv.      Do the disabled have any special qualities that make them less vulnerable to those in power?

                                                            vi.      What are they and why?

                                                            vii.      Tie this theme back into the idea of labor unions, The Big 3 and the “Land of Opportunity”.

1. The Elderly

                                                            i.       How are the elderly portrayed in the novel?

                                                            ii.      How do others treat those who are elderly?

                                                            iii.     What traits do the elderly have in the book? Are these traits realistic? Why or why not?

                                                            iv.      Do the elderly have any special qualities that make them less vulnerable to those in power?                                                 v.       What are those traits and why?

                                                             vi.      Tie this theme back into the ideas of labor unions, The Big 3 and the “Land of Opportunity”.

Of Mice and Men Wiki Component.docx  

Class Wikis

Period 1-2

Period 4-5

Period 7-9

Period 10

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