The challenges of Globalization on Small Medium Enterprises

The challenges of Globalization on Small Medium Enterprises description on project background. In the context of Tanzania, the majority of SMEs fall under the informal sector and engaging up to 4 people, in most cases family members or employing capital amounting up to Tshs.5.0 million / $3,235.83. (Tanzania chamber of commerce industry and Agriculture, 2007). The SMEs cover non-farm economic activities mainly manufacturing, mining, commerce and services. (Tanzania ministry of industry, trade and marketing, 2007). It is easy to establish SMEs all over the world and in Tanzania in particular, since their requirements in terms of capital, technology, management and even utilities are not as demanding as it is the case for large enterprises. These enterprises are also established in rural settings and thus add value to agro products and at the same time facilitate the dispersal of enterprises. About one third of the GDP originates from SME sector. The sector has more than 1.7 Million businesses, engaging about 3 million people, who occupy about 20% of the total labour force. 92% of the annual school leavers (at all levels) in Tanzania are potentially absorbed by the SME sector. There are about 700,000 new entrants in the SME sector every year. (Saiguran, 2007) Therefore it is reflected already that the SME sector plays a crucial role in the economy. Some of the problems faced by SMEs in Tanzania include; SMEs constitute a higher credit risk because they often lack diversification in their sources of income and/or are concentrated relative to large firms, with the possible exception of SMEs oriented to the consumer segment (niche market). They also suffer from significant uncertainty regarding potential tax liabilities. There is no Opaqueness in balance sheets therefore reflecting weak accounting practices and non-transparent information. (Tanzania chamber of commerce industry and Agriculture, 2007). All this results into banks being reluctant to lend them money as a result of low credit worthiness which leaves SMEs with limited access to finance. A report from the (ministry on industry and trade in Tanzania, 2002) reports the following problems; In addition, Business Development Services, namely services related to entrepreneurship, business training, marketing, technology development and information are underdeveloped and not readily available. There is very weak demand for the products produced by SMEs arising from low and dwindling consumer purchasing power as well as competition that arises with similar imported products. Then again, SME operators lack information as well as appreciation for such services and can hardly manage to pay for to pay for the services. As a result, operators of the sector have rather low skills. Also, there is no umbrella connection for SMEs. Simultaneously, the institutions and associations supporting SMEs are weak, fragmented and uncoordinated partly due to lack of clear guidance and policy for the development of the sector. Distortionary regulations affecting SMEs (Unfavorable legal and regulatory framework). Tanzania is listed among the top 10 difficult countries to build a warehouse, it takes 12 procedures to register a property,  ¾ of Tanzanian businesses complain of taxation administration (local and central), and it takes 13 procedures to start a business and 35 days long, at a cost of 161 percent income per capita. These all add up to high compliance costs which tend to reduce the resources needed for investment and high operational costs which results into high competitiveness of local domestic products both in internal and external markets. Another problem is as far as the infrastructure is concerned, the roads are very bad thus affecting transport in a way that it makes it difficult and costly to move goods from one point to another within the country and adds up to costs. The power is also unreliable and unstable and can disrupt deadlines. Communication is undeveloped and costly. It is difficult to obtain network in rural areas thus affecting the business activities of SMEs and also affecting their cost of production. A heavy cost of compliance resulting from their size is also one of the problems faced by SMEs. This is because they have limited resources (in terms of financial means and manpower). Their spending for market research and market entry take a much higher proportion of their total spending. All in all, this project will be analyzing the importance of SMEs in Tanzania and evaluate their contribution to the country. The problems/ challenges in terms of growth, and their characteristics in relation to Globalization including those mentioned above will be analyzed. Various ways in which SMEs can grow to venture into global markets will be sought for their betterment and future enhancement in their businesses. C. Brief description of project objectives. (i.e. scope of proposal, constructs used, limitations and significance) The objective of this project is to investigate the impact of Globalization on SMEs in Tanzania. These impacts can be both positive and negative. It will also evaluate the importance of SMEs in the Tanzanian economy. Secondly, would be to assess the challenges faced by SMEs due to Globalization. Thirdly, a review on existing Government promotion policies and strategies on the Tanzanian SMEs will be prepared. Lastly but not least, is to determine ways in which the SMEs in Tanzania can grow to become global players. As for the limitations; for the questionnaires sent out, the responses may be limited. It would be very difficult to get the respondents to answer to the questionnaires. Another limitation would be in the selection of the sample. The sampling frame is very vast thus making it quite difficult to get the correct respondents for the interviews and questionnaires. As for the sample size which is about 100 people, the limitation is that the cost is relatively high especially when conducting long distance interviews over the phone. Lastly but not least, this research is limited to SMEs in Dar-es-Salaam so it may not be possible to generalize it to the whole of Tanzania. The significance of this project is to look at the challenges of SMEs in Tanzania and use it as a prototype to other African countries. There is very limited research on SMEs in Tanzania and this project will contribute as a research paper. This project will also open the eyes of SMEs to growth and development in relation to Globalization. D. Brief description of the models/theories/concepts that will be used in this proposal. (i.e. consumer behaviourism model, CSF and etc.) In this project some important internationalization models will be used, they include, eclectic paradigm of international production by Professor John H. Dunning, Porters Diamond and the theory of Marginal Industry Dilation by Professor Kiyoshi Kojima. There are three reasons for the use of the eclectic paradigm. Firstly the paradigm is based on the theories about multinational enterprises. Secondly, the model can be used to explain all types of foreign direct investment (FDI). And lastly, and most importantly, the model embraces all the three ways in which a firm can engage in foreign activities, i.e. foreign direct investment, trade, and contractual resource transfers, e.g. licensing, technical assistance or management and franchising agreements. Moreover, the model makes it possible to predict which route will be preferred. (Bulcke, 2003) According to (Porter, 1998) he designed a diamond shaped basis of a framework to illustrate the determinants of national advantage. This diamond illustrates the national playing field that countries establish for their industries. Porters Diamond will be used to demonstrate the factors of competitive advantage for SMEs in Tanzania. The theory of marginal industry dilation is an important foreign direct investment theory to developing countries. Its connotation fits for the true situation of countries middle and small size enterprises. SMEs could use this theory as a direction thus helping them go abroad bravely and develop multinational management. The expansive environment and ardent competition will develop SMEs and prepare them to face the challenge of the economic globalization. (Free papers, 2006) E. Academic research being carried out and other information, techniques being learnt. (i.e. literature what are the names of books you are going to read / data sets you are going to use) The books used will mostly talk about Globalization, the African economy, Internationalization. Journals, articles, and magazines will also be referred to. Some of the references include the following: Articles Bulcke, 2003, Internationalization towards China after its Accession to the WTO, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Departement Oosterse Slavische Studies, viewed on 1st September 2010, available at; http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:8b2CcFrEHjcJ:www.cemcweb.com/publication_doc/Opportunities%2520for%2520SMEs%2520in%2520China%2520-%2520thesis%2520of%2520Mattias%2520Grillet.doc+Internationalization+towards+China+after+its+Accession+to+the+WTO+Are+There+Opportunities+for+European+SMEs%3Fcd=1hl=enct=clnkgl=my Ministry of Industry, trade and marketing, 2007, SME opportunities, viewed on 1st September 2010, available at; http://www.mitm.go.tz/sme.php?cat=15subcat=37 Porter, 1998, Competitive advantage of nations, Free Press, New York, available at; Saiguran, E, 2007, SME development: Tanzania experience, Small Industries development organisation Tanzania, viewed on 4th September 2010, available at; http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=vq=cache:0jN8a7r-DCsJ:www.waitro.org/files/downloads/Proceedings/sme-steap2007/sido-emmanuel.pdf+how+many+smes+are+there+in+the+tanzaniahl=engl=mypid=blsrcid=ADGEESghp7HJMdzm_ULpMCu59dGnkdxqIEsl7lohW3QCim1T-r7i3o9A2e2nZREV-rzeZHiflUEgS0o6BGlaBeKaiIT-znZTgR6c7uJfyL2qfmmhJlvZTePS8gLx6PAc6KWjejorEj9Qsig=AHIEtbRoLuZ9Z25T1nC3r7Y7Rk4pTScmtQ Books Africa Development bank, OECD, 2005, African Economic Outlook, OECD publishing, France, available at; http://books.google.com.my/books?id=vTWgJJJgYswCpg=PT411lpg=PT411dq=SMEs+classification+in+Tanzaniasource=blots=GvWIHnE-1jsig=rJ8zK7Co_wNNSD5lgemJsqiXmNAhl=enei=ek5-TPX3C4LyvQOp262EDgsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=9ved=0CDoQ6AEwCA#v=onepageq=SMEs%20classification%20in%20Tanzaniaf=false Athanassiou, N. D. Nigh, 2002, The Impact of the Top Management Teams International Business Experience on the Firms Internationalization: Social Networks at Work, Management International Review 42:2,pp.157-181. Bjà ¶rkman, I. M. Forsgren (ed.), The Nature of the International Firm: Nordic Contributions to International Business Research, Handelshojskolens Forlag, Copenhagen, s.d.. Bà ¼rgel, O. A. Fier G. Licht G. Murray E. Nerlinger, 1998, The Internationalisation of British and German Start-Up Companies in High-Technology Industries, Discussion Paper No.98-34, Centre for European Economic Research. Creswell, J, W., 2003, Research design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches, 2nd edition, Sage Publications, Inc, United Kingdom Ghosal, V. L. Prakash, 1999, The Differential Impact of Uncertainty on Investment in Small and Large Businesses, HWWA-Diskussionspapier 81, HWWA-Institut fà ¼r Wirtschaftforschung, Hamburg. Johanson, J. Associates, 1994, Internationalization, Relationships and Networks, Studia Oeconomiae Negotiorum 36, Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis, Uppsala. Johanson, J. J.-E. Vahlne, 1994, The Internationalization Process of the Firm: A Model of Knowledge Development and Increasing Foreign Market Commitments, Journal of International Business Studies 8 (Spring/Summer 1977), pp.23-32, as publicized in Johanson Associates, , pp.50-61. Johanson, J. J.-E. Vahlne, 1994, The Mechanism of Internationalization, International Marketing Review 7 (1990), pp.11-24, as publicized in Johanson Associates, pp.84-95. Johanson, J. F. Wiedersheim-Paul, 1994, Internationalization of the Firm: Four Swedish Cases, Journal of Management Studies 12 (October 1975), pp.305-322 as publicized in Johanson Associates, , pp.34-49. Pedhazur, E, J., Schmelkin, L, P., 1991, Measurement, Design, and Analysis; an Integrated Approach, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc, Hillsdale, New Jersey Peter, J., , 1990, Internationalization of Small Business in a Microeconomic Perspective, International Small Business Series 4, Institute of Small Business, University of Goettingen. F. Brief description of the materials/methodologies needed by the proposal. (i.e. data collection methods, sampling, sample size and target group etc.) As for the data collection methods, there is a need to gather primary data in order to attain the basic information and get viewpoints, it includes; written and online questionnaires, telephone and online interviews and as for secondary data it will be used to get critical and more in-depth information on research that has already been done, it will mostly be used in the literature review. Here various books, journals, and articles will be used. Academic research will also be conducted and it will include scholarly articles by various universities, students or professors. Descriptive research to describe the characteristics of SMEs will be carried out. The research will seek answers to various questions, such as what are the problems faced by SMEs and what ways can be used to correct them. It is based on previous understanding of the problem. The research will be cross-sectional where by a representative subset is studied, at a defined time. The sampling frame will include the top and middle management of SMEs in Tanzania. The sample size will be about 100 people. The sampling methods used for this research would be probability and non-probability sampling because the research is vast. Under probability sampling; Stratified random method will be used thus selecting SMEs from certain demography in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. The simple random sampling will also be used, hence choosing a choice of 100 SMEs from a choice of 500. The names of some of the SMEs include; Tanesco, Alexander Forbes Tanzania Limited, Showerlux Industries, Oryx, Gapco, Copper solution company, Raycom enterprises Ltd, Tanzania cigarette company Ltd, Zain Tanzania Ltd, Precision Air, Celtel Tanzania etc. Under non-probability sampling, snow-ball (referral by primary respondents) and self-selection (invite participation and collect data from those who respond) are methods that will be used. G. Brief description of the evaluation and analysis proposed for this project. (i.e. project deliverables and hypothesis, correlation test etc) This project will be of great use not only to Tanzanian but also to other African countries since it is aimed at finding ways to enhance the development of SMEs in relation to Globalization. Secondly, theories by other SMEs who have succeeded to go Global will be analyzed and will be proposed for application to benefit the SMEs in Tanzania. The expected results for this project include; Firstly; With strengthened SME departments or introduction of the Ministry of small medium enterprises, a lot of time and money will be devoted to the sector thus enhancing the chances of Tanzanian SMEs to become Global players. Secondly; With high brand consciousness, the products of SMEs will be able to stand out in the international markets. Thirdly; With participation in trade exhibitions such as Expolink, India property expo, East Africa International trade exhibition, SMEs can effectively market their products overseas. H. Illustration of how this project will benefit the future employability This thesis will help increase knowledge and understanding on SMEs. It will also help determine what problems are being faced by SMEs in Tanzania and what measurers can be taken to correct them. Lastly but most importantly, this project will help find a match between theory and practice and its application to the real world and will be a basic guide for all SMEs wanting to internationalize towards the economies.

The Transformation of Ishmael in Snow Falling on Cedars :: Snow Falling Cedars Essays

The Transformation of Ishmael in Snow Falling on Cedars What can be said about a novel of such luminance as Snow Falling on Cedars that has not already been said? Certainly it is a work of much vision and insight and speaks volumes about prejudice and race. The wordplay of Guterson creates a world of vivid reality-it surrounds the reader with sights, smells and a clearly defined sense of touch. Perhaps lost amidst the smells of the strawberry fields, the cold of the winter storm, and the deep social statements about the nature and quirkiness of prejudice is the fact that this beautifully crafted story of immense complexity is in reality a very simple story about the identity of one man. Guterson himself says, "Post-modernism is dead because it didn't address human needs. The conventional story endures because it does. I'm interested in themes that endure from generation to generation" (qtd. in Kanner). This book is a conventional story, a simple story about the internal battle of Ishmael Chambers as he struggles with himself. This is made evident in the subtle and not too subtle comparisons made between Ishmael and other characters. Taking all of this into account reveals that the true theme of the book centers on the transformation of Ishmael from weak to strong. First, who is Ishmael Chambers? He is the son of a very well-respected and prominent citizen of San Piedro, Arthur Chambers. When Arthur dies, Ishmael takes over the job as the local news reporter. He is introduced into the story as a journalist in the trial of Kabuo Miyamoto and appears to remain aloof, a passive third person eye that would analyze the information impartially. In addition to being a reporter, Ishmael is also a war veteran with a missing limb as a souvenir to boot. The reader gets the feeling that Ishmael plays a small and minor role in the upcoming plot. This, however, is false. As the book gathers momentum, it becomes increasingly clear that Ishmael ties into the fabric of the outcome of the story-from the childhood and young adult romance between Hatsue and him, to the emotional scene where his arm is amputated, to the final climax where he discovers the evidence that can clear Kabuo's name, Ishmael is the crux on which the storyline hinges.

Onnagata: The Art of Woman in Japanese Kabuki Essay -- Japanese Societ

The grace of a swan, subtle graceful movements, beauty, and finesse, these are all aspects of the Japanese Onnagata 1.The Onnagata (male actors portraying women) in Japan is viewed as the ideal women, according to the revered Misaki Isaka, their conduct â€Å"offstage is made responsible for artistry onstage, such as singing (ka), dancing (bu), and acting (ki)† 2. This is how Japanese society has come to view them over the years, but in reality, the Onnagata is a repressed individual that is not allowed to express their masculinity in any facet in society. This can be seen in a quote, within a short story, written by Yukio Mishima; â€Å" He must live as a woman in his daily life, he is unlikely to be considered an accomplished Onnagata. When he appears on stage, the more he concentrates on performing this or that essentially feminine action the more masculine he will seem†3. The Onnagata, in Japan, is the ideal perfect woman who surpasses all women, but they are the co ntradictory, male representation of the male fantasy. The manner in which, the Onnagata, essentially is in Japanese society has created a new ideal of gender in Japan and a new form of repression. "Kabuki would have died had not increasingly believable, instead of merely pretty, female characters begun to appear in the mature male kabuki that emerged in the 1650s †¦ an open transition from gay theater to Gei Theater, gei being Japanese for art†¦Only actors past their adolescence could do and they were forced by law to cut their physical attractiveness" 4. The dictatorial members of the government at the time felt women and homosexual men had over stepped their bounds in theater, thus banning them. One reason for this is the essential make up of society for; women in the To... ...the protests against this form of life, I never realized that this was the basis of their ideas. 19. Isaka, Misaki, "Box Lunch Etiquette†, Manners and Mischief, 56. (Ayame a famous Onnagata from the Tokugawa period who laid out decorum for Onnagata. He said one should show dedication to their every action including eating and one should never leave their onstage role. They are to become onna in every way and to be beautiful even in old age. Ayame told them to embody real women and to look mischievous with a chaste mind and should never be seen to purposely make the present audience laugh for it is disgraceful, their most important role is to appear chaste). 20. Mishima, Yukio â€Å"Onnagata† Death in Midsummer, 1966, 146 (Onnagata can never capture the complete sense of femininity, for it is a piece of a brief moment in time, simply a fragment of a way of life).

Impact of West Nile Virus on Humans Essay -- Biology Medical Biomedica

The Impact of West Nile Virus on Humans (or Why We Should Worry) West Nile virus can infect humans, but there are more drastic ways that it affects our lives. The virus normally lives in birds and is transmitted among them and other animals by mosquitoes. There is no other definite method of transmission, and people do not have to worry about contracting the virus through contact with infected humans or animals. Hundreds of species of birds and many mammals, including several endangered species, are vulnerable to the virus. Many domestic animals are also susceptible, but the virus does not create any symptoms in most of them. There is no way of getting rid of the virus once an animal has been infected, but a vaccine for horses has recently been approved by the USDA. There are also vaccines for preventing infection in humans being worked on by several companies. West Nile virus can infect humans, but infection is not the only way that it affects our daily lives. Several other animal species can also become infected by the virus, so special care should be taken to protect our wildlife, our livestock, and even our pets. West Nile virus is transmitted from birds to other animals through a vector, one of forty-three species of mosquito. Scientists have also found West Nile virus in ticks in Africa and Asia (Lee, 2003), but there has been no evidence that the ticks can also act as a vector for the virus. People cannot catch West Nile virus from any other animals, so becoming ill from the virus should not be the main concern of humans regarding the virus. However, if a human does become infected with West Nile virus, it is unlikely that it will produce any symptoms. Usually, only people over the age of 50 or very young children are... ...ional Wildlife Health Center Web site: http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/research/west_nile/wnvaffected.html Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2004, August). West Nile Virus: What You Need to Know. Retrieved August 2, 2005, from CDC: West Nile Virus Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/wnv_factsheet.htm Lee, M. C. (2003) West Nile Virus: Overview and Abstracts. New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. (2005, April). NIAID Research on West Nile Virus. Retrieved August 2, 2005, from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Web site: http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/westnile.htm Protecting Horses from West Nile Virus, Breakthrough Technology. (2005, July 24). Retrieved July 28, 2005, from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/ WNV’s Impact on Humans 5 medicalnews.php?newsid=27975&nfid=rssfeeds

Beowulf Questions Essay

1. Realize that this prologue introduces the Danes, not Beowulf or his people the Geats. What was unusual about the way Shield came to be ruler of the Danes? What was his funeral like? What relation is Hrothgar to Shield? Unlike Hrothgar, Shield became king because he had the ability to take down the enemies. Hrothgar became king through wealth. When Shield died the Danes buried him and his treasures in the sea. Hrothgar happens to be Shield’s grandson [Heorot is Attacked] (lines 86-188, pp. 34-36) 1. Grendel, the monster, attached thirty warriors while they were asleep and ran home with their bodies for a couple of nights. This devastated the Danes and the sorrow soon spread overseas. What magnificent work did Hrothgar undertake? Who attacked it, and with what result? How long did the attacks last? What was the response of the Danes? [The Hero Comes to Heorot] (Lines 189-490, pp. 36-42) 1. What does Beowulf do when he hears of Hrothgar’s problems with Grendel? When Beowulf hears of Hrothgar’s problems with Grendel, he immediately rounded up a boat and his bravest men to go were there help was needed. (Denmark) 2. Whom do the Geats first meet when they arrive in Denmark? What does he do, and what do they do? When the Geats first arrive in Denmark, the meet Hrothgar’s lieutenant who was patrolling along the cliffs. He questioned the Geats to figure out why they were there and warned them no one passes without permission or a password/sign. They then replied they were there to save the Danes from the monster. 3. They next meet Hrothgar’s herald. Who is he? What does he tell them? What does he tell Hrothgar? What does Hrothgar respond? Are you surprised that Hrothgar knows Beowulf so well? Hrothgar’s herald interrogates the Geats about where they’ve come from and what they’re doing. He’s impressed by their mighty appearance. Hrothgar is thrilled the men are there to help which is strange because he doesn’t know them to well yet is letting them on the land. 4. What does Beowulf tell Hrothgar when he enters? What did Hrothgar do for Beowulf’s father? Beowulf tells Hrothgar that his men follow Higlac. (King of Geats) Hrothgar knew Beowulf’s father because he was a famous soldier known as a leader of men. [Feast at Heorot] (Lines 491-661, pp. 42-46) 1. What does Unferth accuse Beowulf of? How does Beowulf answer him? How is this episode relevant to the poem as a whole? What does Beowulf accuse Unferth of? Unferth accuses Beowulf of losing a swimming match and will once again have to have defeat with Grendel. Beowulf retaliates by accusing Unferth of drunkenness and describes what happen in the swimming match. This is relevant because Unferth may indeed be correct; Beowulf would have met defeat again if it wasn’t for Wiglaf. 2. What is Queen Wealhtheow doing during the feasting? At the feast she offers drinks to all the men present. She distributes food and drink, and also strives for goodwill and peace. [The Fight with Grendel] (Lines 662-835, pp. 46-49) 1. Heroic poetry normally has a scene in which the hero arms for battle. What is different about Beowulf’s preparations for his fight with Grendel? Beowulf prepares for battle differently than any other heroic poetry scene. He doesn’t do much preparing. He is more anxious to get rid of the monster. He was prepared however to fight without a sword. 2. What happens when Grendel enters Heorot? How does Beowulf fight with him? What happens when Grendel tries to leave? Does Grendel escape? What does he leave behind? When Grendel enters Heorot, he became furious searching for the warriors until he found them and kills one Geat. While fighting the monster, Beowulf uses his bare hands. Grendel does escape, however; he somehow managed to leave behind his arm. [Celebration at Heorot] (Lines 836-1250, pp. 49-60) 1.When the Danes and Geats return from following Grendel’s tracks to the mere, someone sings in Beowulf’s presence, comparing him to Sigemund and saying that he was not like Heremod (lines 883-914). How is Beowulf like Sigemund? How is he not like Heremod? (Be alert for inserted stories such as this one. Beowulf contains many of them, most much more complex that this one.) 2. How does Hrothgar respond to Beowulf’s deed? What does he offer to do for him? What does Unferth have to say now? 3. The singer sings of Finn during the feasting (lines 1070-1158). The exact details of the Finn story are not clear, but in general, what happens? What does it suggest about the wisdom of using a woman as bride to heal enmity between tribes? 4. When the feasting resumes, what does Wealhtheow ask Hrothgar not to do? 5. Wealhtheow gives Beowulf a large, broad necklace. What later happens to it? What does Wealhtheow ask Beowulf to do? 6. Why do so many men remain in the beer hall to sleep? Why is it a mistake? BEOWULF AND GRENDEL’S MOTHER (lines 1251-2199, pp. 60-79) [Another Attack] (lines 1251-1382, pp. 60-62) 1.Why has Grendel’s mother come to Heorot? Is it the same reason Grendel had? Grendel’s mother comes to Heorot to seek revenge and take her sons claw back. 2. What is Hrothgar’s response? Whom has Grendel’s mother killed? Hrothgar was thankful that the Danes grief ended and the arm hanging was proof of victory. He hoped that Beowulf can stop Grendel’s mother from destructing his town again. Grendel’s mother killed Hrothgar’s closest friend 3.What sort of place is the mere? The mere is was under the water. It was full of mud, water, and dark. [Beowulf Fights Grendel’s Mother] (Lines 1383-1650, pp. 63-68) 1. How does Beowulf tell Hrothgar to respond? Beowulf agrees to fight again for the Danes. He feels it is an honor and the last battle made him a bit more confident to do it. 2. What happens at the mere before Beowulf enters it? Before Beowulf enters the mere, he sinks for hours going down in the water. 3. How does Beowulf prepare for the battle? What sword does he take with him? Beowulf prepared for battle by telling Hrothgar what his wishes are if he may die. Beowulf took his ring-marked blade. 4. What happens when Beowulf enters the mere? What is surprising about where Grendel and his mother live in the mere? When he finally lands, Grendel’s mother grabs him, but his armor protects him. To me its not surprising that the monsters live in a dark place, however; it is surprising that it takes half a day to get down there. 5. What happens to the sword Beowulf borrowed from Unferth? Beowulf strikes at Grendel’s mother with the borrowed sword, Hrunting, but the blade has no effect and breaks 6. At one point Beowulf is on the floor, with Grendel’s mother sitting on him and drawing her knife. How does Beowulf escape? Beowulf escapes Grendel’s mother by having the strength and faith to defeat her and using his strength to get off the ground. 7. How does Beowulf kill Grendel’s mother? What weapon does he use? What happens when she dies? What does Beowulf take with him from her home? What happens to the sword he used to kill her? Beowulf drew a sword he seen hanging on her wall to cut right through her neck and break all her bones. After her death the light shone very bright. Beowulf beheaded Grendel and took it with him and half of what was left of the sword. (The other half was in Grendel’s mother) 8. What happens when Beowulf returns to the surface? Did his men expect him to return? When Beowulf returns from the surface nobody is there. They all had suspected that Grendel’s mother had killed him. [Further Celebration at Heorot] (Lines 1651-1798, pp. 68-71) 1. What does Beowulf give to Hrothgar? 2. What message does Hrothgar have for Beowulf? What and why does he tell us about Heremod? Why and how did Heremod die? What lesson does Hrothgar teach with the Heremod example? 3. What does Beowulf give to Unferth as he leaves? [Beowulf Returns Home] (Lines 1799-2199, pp. 71-79) 1. What future does Hrothgar predict for Beowulf? 2. Who is Hygd and why is she not like Modthryth? 3. Beowulf reports to Hygelac that Hrothgar may marry his daughter Freawaru to Ingeld. Why does he plan to do that? What does Beowulf expect the result will be? (Remember the Finn story, lines 1070-1158.) How does Beowulf think the peace will be broken? Is this the type of report we expected from the hero Beowulf, or are we seeing a new side of him? 4. How does Beowulf report about his own adventures? Does he report accurately? 5. What does Beowulf do with the treasure he was given? What does Hygelac give him? BEOWULF AND THE DRAGON (lines 2200-3182, pp. 79-99) [The Dragon Wakes] (lines 2200-2509, pp. 79-86) 1.How much later does Part 2 take place? What kings have died in the meanwhile? What danger now exists? 2. Why is the dragon angry? Why did the man take a cup? How did the treasure come to be there in the first place? (The speech of the lone survivor, the one who put the gold in the barrow, is in a typically Old English elegiac tone. 3. What did the dragon destroy that evening? 4. Why does Beowulf think his home was burnt? Why does he order a new shield? How will he fight this battle? What will happen to him? 5. How did Hygelac die? (The description in lines 2354-2379 begins one of several versions of Geatish history and Hygelac’s death we will get.) What did Beowulf do after Hygelac’s death? What happened when he returned home? Did he accept Hygd’s offer to become king? 6. What happened to Hygelac’s son Heardred? (That’s the story in lines 2380-2390.) How did Beowulf plan to revenge Heardred’s death (lines 2391-2396)? 7. How many men accompany Beowulf as he goes to meet the dragon? Fourteen of Beowulf’s bravest men accompany him to fight the dragon. 8. What happened to Hygelac’s oldest brother Herebeald? Who killed him? What did this do to his father King Hrethel? (This passage, lines 2425-2509, is the second account of Geatish history and of the death of Hygelac.) What happened between the Swedes and Geats after Hrethel’s death? What happened to Haethcyn? How die Beowulf revenge Hygelac’s death? [Beowulf Attacks the Dragon] (Lines 2510-2820, pp. 86-92) 1. What does Beowulf tell his companions to do? Beowulf tells his companions to stay on top of the barrow in safety, observing the fight rather than participating in it. 2. What happens the first time Beowulf and the dragon fight? What do his companions do? How is Wiglaf different? What does he tell the others? What does he then do? The first time Beowulf fights the dragon his â€Å"brave† companions flee the scene. With the exception of Wiglaf. He reminded the men they should have all repaid Beowulf then ran off to go help kill the dragon 3. What happens the second time Beowulf meets the dragon? What happens to Beowulf? Who kills the dragon? Beowulf’s sword fails and makes him humiliated/ afraid for his life. The dragon hits Beowulf with another blast of fire. Beowulf took the final swing but both men, Beowulf and Wiglaf, killed the dragon. 4. What does the dying Beowulf ask Wiglaf to do? What happens when Beowulf sees the gold? How does Beowulf want to be buried? Beowulf asks Wiglaf to get him the treasure so he may see it. Then Beowulf thanks God for getting rid of the dragon. He asks to be burned at the coastal headland and it be known as Beowulf’s Barrow. [Beowulf’s Funeral] (Lines 2821-3182, pp. 92-99) 1. What happens when the companions return? What does Wiglaf say to him? What does he expect will happen in the future? Wiglaf tells them that they will now lead a shameful life, t would be better if they had died. 2. What does the messenger tell the city? (This passage, lines 2900-3027, is the third account of the history of the Geats and the death of Hygelac. These are the enemies that will attack the Geats when they learn of Beowulf’s death.) What happened overnight in Ravenswood after Ongentheow killed Haethcyn? What happened the next morning? What happened to Ongentheow? What does the messenger say to do with the gold? What is the final image (animal) of the messenger’s speech? 3. What does Wiglaf tell the crowd that comes to see the dragon and Beowulf? 4. What happens to the dragon? 5. What happens during and after the funeral celebration? 6. What did the Geats say about Beowulf in the last three lines of the poem? Are these the terms one would expect to be used t o describe a military hero?

eBay: The Global Strategy

Pierre Omidyar, a computer programmer, developed the platform of eBay and introduced it to the World Wide Web in 1995. (Daniels, Radebaugh, & Sullivan, 2007) Omidyar’s goals and objectives in designing the interface of eBay was grounded on his idea of opening the industry of market auctions to wider populations of buyers and sellers that link up through the Internet. Moreover, his idea of an online marketplace for buyers and sellers was based upon his vision of equal competition among sellers, eliminating the discrepancies on how sellers are competing in the real market structure for the purpose of attracting the attention of buyers and overpowering their competitors. For Omidyar, eBay balances the playing field for all sellers and provides equal opportunities of purchase for the buyers. (Gopalkrishnan & Gupta, N. D. ) Although Omidyar was able to eliminate the competition within the virtual sphere of eBay, eBay Inc. was experiencing the surge of competition from other virtual commercial establishments that were designed under the same framework of eBay’s market auction. In addition, eBay, as a business organization, needed to cope with the challenges of the globalization, thus, the development of strong and stable globalization strategy for eBay as supported by its core competency and its configured and coordinated value chain. (Daniels, Radebaugh, & Sullivan, 2007) The core competencies of eBay constitute the unique platform or design of eBay as an online marketplace that sets it apart from other virtual business organizations establishing its competitive advantage in terms of services or offerings, eBay’s valuing of establishing trust among its clients and assuring the safety and security of being involved in online auctions facilitated by the organization, the value or significance that eBay grants market efficiency, and one of the primary goals of eBay to establish partnerships with other organizations to foster network benefits and productivity. Daniels, Radebaugh, & Sullivan, 2007) These core competencies have established some of the strategies that eBay has implemented over the years in order to obtain competitive advantage and fulfill the goals and objectives of the organization. Perhaps the most successful strategy which has helped sustain the growth and development of eBay was its opening of services of an online open market for everyone who needs to tie up with the platform of eBay in order to sell or buy goods or products from different parts of the world. This has widened the client base of eBay, realizing one of its core competencies, that is its uniqueness in being able to establish a marketplace that is open to all despite the distance. (Gopalkrishnan & Gupta, N. D. ) In addition, according to a report released by eBay in 2006 in order to discuss its global strategies for continued growth and development of the business, through its acquisitions of other organizations, such as PayPal (eBay, 2009a), and its development of other virtual services that assist in the facilitation of services provided by eBay. Some of these services include Skype which is a communication tool that buyers and sellers around the world may use to communicate. eBay has also realized that in order to uphold its core competency of market efficiency, it needed to implement a multi-branding strategy to capture a larger market population. This was accomplished through its development of Shopping. om and other Marketplaces such as eBay stores, ProStores, and such. (eBay, 2009b) Reviewing the value chain configuration and coordination of eBay, the decision to structure this particular system was motivated by the platform of eBay considering what drives the business – that is, the buyers and the sellers – and the processes that facilitate business practices and operations. Apparently, the value chain model of eBay constitutes five tiers of factors or features, starting from the legal aspect of the business, to its management of finances, the human capital of the organization, the technical department of the organization which keeps eBay up and running online, and most importantly, the process and operations involved in running eBay. This process starts with marketing, to the transfer of information from sellers to buyers, the process of auctioning products of goods, the payment, and the review of accountability and reliability of eBay and sellers to provide for the needs and demands of buyers. Schmidl, 2006) The configuration and coordination of eBay’s value chain was based on the logical analysis of how eBay will commence operations, especially since the organization is run by the buyers and sellers who are involved in the process of keeping organizational operations. The analysis of eBay’s value chain establishes the fact that it is vir tual and not real since the process of marketing up until peer reviews is completed online. From marketing eBay, to the transfer of information and facilitation of communication between buyers and sellers, the auction and payment process, until the peer reviews regarding accountability and reliability of eBay and sellers, is done through online tools and applications that constitute the platform of eBay. Perhaps this is one of the many reasons why the particular process identified as eBay’s value chain adds value and advantage to eBay, since it is able to provide services virtually to global networks without offering problems and difficulties to buyers and sellers. The analysis of eBay’s core competencies, strategies, and its value chain proves that they are no different from what eBay has implemented ten years ago. Until today, the strategies employed by eBay are based on its mission of providing an online open market for everyone – to buyers and sellers – eliminating competition and the challenges that constitute to the establishment of concrete business establishments that operate in the same manner. eBay has made it easy for individuals to operate a business and purchase specific goods or products. However, eBay has to continue in developing its platform if it hopes to grow in the following years, based on the threats and challenges posed by some issues that eBay clearly needs to addressed as mentioned by Daniels, Radebaugh, and Sullivan (2007). These challenges suggests that eBay should be able to raise its cultural sensitivity, addressing the problem of language barriers, the implementation of legal laws and policies to regulate overall eBay operations, and its modification of its virtual value chain, applying concepts of real value chain in order to address the digital divide.

Children and young people’s development Essay

Learning outcome 2: Understand the kinds of influences that effect children and young people’s development. We can all be influenced by different things through life, a child’s emotional, physical, social, intellectual development can be affected by different influences, bullying, death, divorce and many more. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 1.2 There are many different examples of how different aspects of development can have an affect on one another, here are a few examples. If a child speaks a foreign language as their first and they and their family have just moved to this country to live, this may lead to them having a language barrier, the child may be very shy, find it very hard to communicate with others and isolate themselves and finding it difficult to make friends. All of these can affect the child emotionally, socially, possibly creating behavioural problems and lowering their self-esteem, all having an effect on their development. A child who finds it difficult to interact with other children due to reasons such as bullying, may find it difficult to express how they feel, and unable to tell anyone what is happening to them. This can affect the child, emotionally they may become very upset easily or even aggressive at times, they may be affected socially, thinking that all children are going to bully them and so isolating themselves from others, and losing confidence. These may all affect their ability to concentrate in the classroom and may in turn start affecting their levels. A child who may have a disability may find that not being able to participate with certain lessons for example PE, may leave them feeling that they are being isolated and that they are different to the others, this may affect their social, behavioural and emotional development. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 2.1 Children and young people can be affected by different kinds of influences and these can have an effect on their development. Background We all come from different backgrounds whether it be ethnic, cultural, our  environment or just circumstances. It may be that the child speaks a foreign language and is finding it difficult to communicate with others. A child may have different cultural needs to those children within the school environment. The child may come from a deprived home where there is little money and the child is not getting sufficient nutrients to sustain them during a school day. Causing lack of concentration. Also the child’s parents may be going through a divorce or separation, this can be very traumatic for a child. All of these can have an effect on the development of a child, and their ability to learn. Health Development can be affected if the child suffers with poor health or a physical disability. Low income and not being able to afford the right foods and nutrients will have an effect, physically and intellectually the child may be affected. A child with a physical disability may be emotionally and socially effected because of not being able to participate. It’s important that they are supported and included as much as possible. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 2.2 Recognising and responding to children’s and young people’s development is important, it ensures the child or young person receives the right help and support. As soon as it is recognised that a child has a problem then the right action can be taken to ensure the child gets any help or support with their learning and they can also be monitored. If a child was ignored or the problem was not detected then their development may suffer, causing them to fall behind, or not reach their goals. You may have started to notice that a particular child is quieter than normal and isn’t their normal happy self, this could be a cause of concern, you may feel that you are able to ask the child if there is anything bothering them. They may respond by telling you that their mum and dad are not getting along and dad has left the home. This may affect the emotional behaviour of the child as well as their social as they feel they can’t talk to any of their friends about it. You may feel it’s necessary to speak to their teacher, but it’s important that this is kept as confidential. It would then be necessary to monitor the child’s development and behaviour. Being able to recognise and see a concern with a child can make all the difference to their development in the future. Being able to listen, understand and help is an important role to play as a TA.