When Worlds Collide Essay -- Culture Anglo Saxon Essays

When Worlds Collide The world of Beowulf and that of modern America have some interesting similarities. The Anglo- Saxon belief in wyrd, or fate, is alive and well in the 21st century. Like the Anglo- Saxons, our culture regards the crime of killing ones own kin or family to be the most heinous of all. Americans love enjoyment just as much as the Anglo- Saxons of Beowulfs time did. Of course, with our modern technology like movies, television, and the Internet, we are allowed to experience numerous more methods of enjoyment than medieval populate were able to enjoy. However, their culture is remembered through portions of our popular culture. Within its pages, Beowulf contains the notion of wyrd. This is the Anglo- Saxon concept of fate, the idea that everything is destined or planned to happen. The Anglo- Saxon people believed that everything was predetermined and that all their fates were already fixed. Beowulf says to Unferth that Fate often s aves an undoomed man when his courage is good,(p.12) meaning that fate may save a warrior if he has true courage. In modern- day America, this idea of fate is similar to the idea of having an angel on your shoulder. Many of the people who survived the September 11th tragedy did so by abstracted their train that day or getting struck in traffic. One gentleman who worked high up in the first tower surfed down cardinal flights of stairs as the building collapsed and survived with only a broken leg. Some believe that it was just chance or a random thing, except many believe that it was fate that saved them, the idea being that some other force had plans for these people and that their time on this earth was not yet over. In Beowulfs time, the w... ... Lord of the Rings, originally a trilogy of books written by J.R.R. Tolkien, pays respect to the ancient culture and ways of the Norse people, with their traditions of oral story telling and large quests embedded within the storys plot . These similarities show where some of our roots as Americans come from. Our culture is a massive patchwork quilt of sundry(a) cultures and ethnicity. There are strong strains of this ancient culture running through our modern society. Beowulf is only one example of the Anglo- Saxon literature we possess today, but from it, we obtain more of what their culture was and we keep some these values alive in our own ways. Works CitedAssociated Press. Doctor Yates felt she had no choice. http//www.msnbc.com/news/709713.asp 5 March 2002. Howe, Nicholas ed. Beowulf A Prose Translation. New York W.W. Norton & Company, 2002.

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolken :: essays research papers

The Hobbit by J.R.R. TolkenBilbo Baggins is a hobbit, one of a race of short, timid creatures who live incozy tunnels and who prefer to keep their lives ordered and predictable. cardinal day,he unexpectedly mentions himself playing host to Gandalf the wizard and thirteendwarves. The dwarves, with Gandalfs help, plan to travel to the Lonely Mountainto recover the rate that a tophus named Smaug steal from their people longago. Gandalf has selected Bilbo to be their burglar. The dwarves are non toohappy with the wizards choice, especially when Bilbo faints at the first talkof danger. But Gandalf insists there is more to the unforesightful hobbit than meets theeye. Bilbo himself is not sure that he is happy about being chosen burglar. Buta part of him does yearn for adventure, and so one spring daybreak he findshimself setting out for Lonely Mountain with Gandalf and the thirteen dwarves.He does not prove very helpful at first. But then something happens that changesBilbos life. He finds a magic ring that makes him invisible, and has severalopportunities to use it to rescue the dwarves from danger and imprisonment. Theybecome quite impressed by him, and even rely on him, provided as Gandalf foretold.Bilbo and the dwarves finally reach Lonely Mountain, the home of Smaug thedragon. The dwarves send Bilbo down a secret passage to the dragons lair. Bilbohas more confidence in himself now and not only steals a cup, but manages tohold his own in a conversation with the wily Smaug (not an easy thing todo).Furious that someone has dared steal a humanity of his treasure, Smaug attacksthe mountainside where the dwarves have their camp. Then he flies toward Lake-town, to punish the inhabitants for helping the dwarves. The people of Lake-townrun at the sight of Smaug, but one man, Bard, holds his ground. He kills thedragon with his last arrow and escapes before Smaug falls, smashing the town.Believing the dwarves are dead, an army of men, led by Bard, and an army ofe lves march toward the Lonely Mountain to divide the treasure. They find totheir surprise that the dwarves are still alive. Bard, because he killed thedragon, claims his rightful share of the treasure. When the dwarves refuse tosurrender it, the army besieges the mountain. Bilbo tries to end the dispute bystealing the Arkenstone, the piece of treasure most valued by the leader of thedwarves. He gives the jewel to Bard, hoping it can be used to force the dwarves

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder vs Generalized Anxiety Disorder Essay

It whitethorn be shocking to learn that 21% of American adults suffer from some sort of anxiety disorder(National Institute of psychogenic wellness Statistics). Do you know the differences between the two major types of anxiety disorder? The two major types of anxiety are Post Traumatic seek Disorder (posttraumatic stress disorder) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). While many may think PTSD and GAD are one in the same, you may be surprised that they vastly differ in cause and symptoms with their only similarity being their treatment.According to the PTSD Fact Sheet PTSD was once considered a psychological condition of combat veterans who were shocked by and unable to face their experiences on the battle field (Fact Sheet Page 1). Over the years with surplus research and discoveries PTSD has now become a much more common diagnosis for many anxiety sufferers. According to the National Center for PTSD Anyone who has gone through a life-threatening even can deve lop PTSD. These events can include combat or military exposure, child sexual or physical abuse, terrorist attacks, sexual or physical assault, serious accidents such as a car wreck, or natural disasters. (National Center for PTSD). Each individual is diverse and not everyone who lives through a traumatic event will developed PTSD. Some of the determination factors if an individual will develop PTSD vary establish on how intense a trauma was, if the individual lost someone they were close with, how strong the individuals reaction was and how much support the individual received subsequently the event. (National Center for PTSD)Unlike PTSD, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is not necessarily associated with a particular event and therefore can appear to come from nowhere. Accordi... ...cess rate. whole caboodle CitedGreist John H MD, Jefferson James W. MD. Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Merck Manual Professional. Aug 2007. Haby Michelle, Donnelly Maria, Corry Justine, Vos The o Cognitive behavioral therapy for depression, panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder a meta-regression of factors that may predict outcome. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 2006. Print. Pages 9-19. National Center for PTSD. What is PTSD? United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Web. 01 Jan 2007. Web. 26 June 2011. National Institute of Mental Health Statistics. Web. 26 June, 2011. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Fact Sheet. National Institutes of Health. Oct 2010. Web. 26 June 2011. Van der kolk Bessel A MD, van der Hart Onno PH.D, Burbridge, Jennifer M.A. Approaches to the Treatment of PTSD. Print. 1995.

Narrator’s Use of Language and Memory in Faulkner’s The Unvanquished :: Faulkner’s The Unvanquished Essays

Narrators Use of Language and Memory in Faulkners The UnvanquishedIn the Unvanquished, a version of southern masculinity is developed through the narrator using dialect and the device, or should I prescribe vice of memory. Fairly early in the novel, the reflective standpoint of the narrator becomes obvious, and a certain sense of retelling the story, not just telling it as it happened, prevails. This practise of memory is not necessarily selective but it does show the processing of perceptions of the narrators childhood. As readers, we first get the sense that we are sense of hearing the story from a much older Bayard when he drops comments corresponding I was just twelve then I didnt know triumph I didnt even know the word (Unvanquished 5). If he was just twelve then, he could be just fifteen or sixteen when retelling this story, assuming the grandiosity that adolescence creates, leading to such thoughts as I was just a kid then. However, the second part of the statement reveal s a much older and wiser voice, the voice of soulfulness who has had time to think out such abstractions as triumph and failure. Furthermore, the almost obsessive description of the father in the first part of the novel seems like the narrator comes to terms, much later in life, with how he viewed his father as a man. He was not big (9) is repeated twice on the equal page. He was short enough to have his sabre scrape the steps while ascending (10), yet he appeared large and in command, especially when on his horse (13). The shape and size of a man being an important part in defining masculinity, I think Baynard grappled with his fathers carnal presence as well as his tenuous position as a leader in the Confederate Army. Other telling moments are on page 66 when Baynard postulates what a child can accept as true in such incredible situations and on page 95 with his declarations on the universality of war. (Possibly he is an old man now and has lived to see other wars.) Upon realiz ing the distance between the setting of the story and age of its narrator, the reader is forced to image how memory and life itself have affected the storytelling.Another way to contemplate the development of masculinity, one that calls upon the southern gentleman to be well educated and verbose, is the use of goods and services of dialect in the story.

Social Effects of Technology Essay -- essays research papers

IntroductionThe interaction of engineering science and society may be the one(a) thing more than any other that gives society a meaning and defines us a human beings. In recent years it has become e preciseday to point fingers of accusation at applied science as if it were "autonomous" and driving us all to perdition. I take other view. No doubt the uses of engineering science and society interact strongly. I think it wrongheaded and very naive to think of aggressive technology affecting a passive society wearing away away the things that give society value and leaving behind a rusted hulk. Admittedly there always the potential for abuse or upon of a technology, but technology is not inherently destructive, I argue. In the following we will consider ten effects of technology. No doubt many more can be thought of. Instead of, or in addition to the list below, we might include the effect of technology on health, on other technology or on the security of the individual a nd the nation. I consider these and other topics as too narrow in scope or able to be covered under one or more of the other headings. I believe the following ten can be use as a systematic first step into the study of technology and society. Here is the list of effects. Following that I will discuss each briefly. in the long run I will present a list of nine determine regarding the interaction of technology and society to guide our analysis. Ten results of TechnologyTechnologys Effect on Commerce Technologys Effect on Social Systems Technologys Effect on The Environment Technologys Effect on Individual Psychology Technologys Effect on The place of Change Technologys Effect on Institutions Technologys Effect on Individual Freedom Technologys Effect on Our Perception of Reality Technologys Effect on Our Mutual dependance Technologys Greatest Effect In the following each of these are briefly discussed. Technologys Effect on Commerce The first field deals with the economic and com mercial consequences of the technology in question, whether it is an existing historical technology or a burgeoning one that is just beginning to impact the society. This was not chosen without considerable thought. The impact of technology on the commercial aspect of human culture is a major one. Most technological changes begin in the economic realm. Technology is a recognize factor in the supporting and developing of an... ... the argument that nature was created specifically for our use. There is pleasure and value for humans in nature. Preserving diversity preserves opportunities for pleasure. Ecologistic-Scientific valuesHumans enjoy the systematic study of nature. Esthetic Values Symbolic ValuesWe use technology everyday -- in common speech, in literature, in art, in fact, in many ways for communication and thought. Humanistic Values Moralistic Values Dominionistic ValuesHumans seem to have a pick up to dominate nature. Generally one tries to preserve ones dominion. Negati vistic ValuesThis is the flip side of the positive values 1-8 above. This alludes to fear and alienation people feel toward some move of nature such a spiders and snakes. Those who hold negative values may not support preservations attempts if they conflict with these values.Education plays a role -- a very strong role -- in the values a person holds. The more education one has received, the more one will tend to stress the wideness of humanistic, moralistic and scientific values, downplaying dominionistic, utilitarian, and negativistic values. Those with less education tend to see things the other way around.

Social Effects of Technology Essay -- essays research papers

IntroductionThe interaction of technology and society may be the champion thing to a greater extent than any other(a) that gives society a import and defines us a human beings. In recent years it has become popular to point fingers of accusation at technology as if it were "autonomous" and cause us all to perdition. I take other view. No doubt the uses of technology and society interact strongly. I think it wrongheaded and very uninitiated to think of aggressive technology affecting a passive society eroding away the things that give society value and leaving behind a rusted hulk. Admittedly there always the potential for abuse or misuse of a technology, but technology is not inherently destructive, I argue. In the following we will con expressionr ten effects of technology. No doubt many more can be thought of. Instead of, or in addition to the list below, we might include the effect of technology on health, on other technology or on the security of the individual a nd the nation. I consider these and other topics as too narrow in scope or able to be covered under one or more of the other headings. I believe the following ten can be used as a systematic first step into the study of technology and society. Here is the list of effects. Following that I will discuss each curtly. Finally I will present a list of nine set regarding the interaction of technology and society to guide our analysis. Ten Effects of TechnologyTechnologys Effect on Commerce Technologys Effect on Social Systems Technologys Effect on The Environment Technologys Effect on Individual Psychology Technologys Effect on The Rate of Change Technologys Effect on Institutions Technologys Effect on Individual license Technologys Effect on Our Perception of Reality Technologys Effect on Our Mutual Dependence Technologys Greatest Effect In the following each of these are briefly discussed. Technologys Effect on Commerce The first field deals with the economic and commercial consequen ces of the technology in question, whether it is an existing historical technology or a burgeoning one that is just beginning to impact the society. This was not chosen without considerable thought. The impact of technology on the commercial aspect of human culture is a major one. Most technological changes begin in the economic realm. Technology is a key factor in the supporting and developing of an... ... the argument that nature was created specifically for our use. There is pleasure and value for humans in nature. Preserving diversity preserves opportunities for pleasure. Ecologistic-Scientific valuesHumans enjoy the systematic study of nature. Esthetic determine exemplary ValuesWe use technology everyday -- in common speech, in literature, in art, in fact, in many ways for communication and thought. Humanistic Values Moralistic Values Dominionistic ValuesHumans seem to have a need to dominate nature. Generally one tries to preserve ones dominion. Negativistic ValuesThis is the flip side of the positive values 1-8 above. This alludes to fear and alienation people feel toward some parts of nature such a spiders and snakes. Those who hold negative values may not support preservations attempts if they conflict with these values.Education plays a role -- a very strong role -- in the values a person holds. The more education one has received, the more one will tend to stress the importance of humanistic, moralistic and scientific values, downplaying dominionistic, utilitarian, and negativistic values. Those with less education tend to see things the other way around.

Hamlet thesis on decay and corruption Essay

William Shakespeares small town has been considered the greatest tragedy to ever be written. With a focus on the third of five comports in small town, Shakespeare develops the theme of two physical and psychological decay and putrescence through the actions, dialogues, and figurative language of the reputations. The evidence of this theme can be seen jetgh the breakdown of the royal family, and the monarchy, by the events surrounding small towns To be or not to be soliloquy, The Mousetrap, and the moral decay of the characters through the use of spying and poison.Hamlets character is the most puzzling of the whole play. His mind erodes further and further as the play unfolds. In act three, Hamlet asks himself whether he should commit suicide or fight the hardships in lifeTo be or not to be that is the question/ Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer/ The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,/ Or to take armor against a sea of troubles/ And, by opposing, end them. To d ie, to sleep/ No more.(3.1.64-69)Hamlet has mentally decayed since the slaying of his father. He has been driven to the point of contemplating suicide. According to Hamlet, no good can come from life. The only thing that stops people from killing themselves is the uncertainty of life after death. The format that Shakespeare used when writing Hamlets soliloquy portrays an insane man speaking with two voices. One wished to commit suicide and the other does not. The back and fourth talk insinuates madness much(prenominal) as schizophrenia. The decay of Hamlets mind had produced the question of suicide that he had asked of himself.The Mousetrap is a perfect example of the turpitude within the royal family. Not only did Hamlet produce the play to make a mockery of Claudius intelligence, but he also created a trap for the king to elapse into. Hamlet says to HoratioThere is a play tonight before the magnate./ One scene of it comes near thecircumstance/ Which I have told thee of my fath ers death./ I prithee, when thou seest that act afoot,/ Even with the very comment of thy soul/ Observe my uncle.(3.2.80-85)Hamlet has undermined the King by producing the play, and involved Horatio to observe Claudius reaction to it. The scheme against King Claudius goes directly against the honor code of the middle ages. One could easily be put to death as a result of such disgraces to the King. The play itself contained the murder by way of poisoning, which is one of the most dishonorable ways to die. Since the royal family is seeking revenge on one another it cannot be strong. The Mousetrap represents the corruption of the royal family, and the disintegration of the monarchy.A spiritual form of decay is seen through Claudius inability to seek forgiveness through prayer. Claudius cries outWhat then? What rests?/ Try what remorse can. What can it not?/ Yet what can it, when one cannot repent?/ O wretched state O Bosom black as death/ O limed soul, that, struggling to be free,/ Ar t more engaged(3.3.69-73)The piercing truth behind all that Claudius has done overwhelms him. He is unable to seek repentance for the vile deeds that he has committed. His soul has been corrupted by the murder of his brother.As Claudius knelt to cry out to God, Hamlet approaches him with thoughts of murder. He tells himself that Claudius should not meet his death sequence praying, for he will go to Heaven. Hamlet wants Claudius to have the worst death and afterlife possible as revenge for his fathers death instanter might I do it pat, now he is a-praying,/ And now Ill dot. And so he goes to heaven,/ And so am I revenged. That would be scanned/ A villainkills my father, and for that,/ I, his sole son, do theis same villain send/ To heaven. Why, this is hire and salary, not revenge.(3.3.77-84)The murder of Claudius and the unwillingness to send him to Heaven expresses the corruption of Hamlets morals. Also, it obviously further shows the corruption of the family.After the confrontat ion with Claudius, Hamlet sought his mother, Gertrude. The opening lines of their conversation direct the rest of the dialogue. Hamlet says to his mother, Now, mother, whats the matter? Gertrude responds, Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended, and Hamlet returns, Mother, you have my father much offended (3.4.11-13). Hamlet plans to yell at his mother for the evil that she has participated in. Hamlets reason with his mother displays not only the corruption of the family, but also the decay of Hamlets morals. Although Gertrude has done such evil things, it is questioned whether Hamlet has the authority to confabulate his own mother. Also, the morality of Gertrude herself is corrupted because she does not accept the evil that she has done, saying, O, speak to me no more/ These words like daggars enter in my ears (3.4.107-108). Both Gertrude and Hamlet both suffer from corruption, which will leads to their downfall.William Shakespeare uses act three to further develop the theme o f physical and emotional decay and corruption in Hamlet. The pinnacle of act three is Hamlets production of The Mousetrap. The and the majority of the act deals with the rising action of the preparation for the play, the climax of the play and Claudius reaction to it, and the falling action of Hamlets confrontation with Claudius and Gertrude. Decay and Corruption can be seen in all parts of act three through the actions, dialogue, and figurative language of the characters. The corruption and decay that lies within all characters of the play leads to the downfall of the monarchy, and the demise of Denmark.

America’s Involvement In the Spanish-American War Essay

In the late 19th century the united States began to dramatic each(prenominal)y reshape their foreign policies, and they shortly found themselves in a bloody war that would shape the future of the country for years to come. When the linked States was premiere created George cap recommended limited foreign involvement, this solely changed in 1823 with the Monroe Doctrine. This document set out the entire western hemisphere as the United States sphere of influence. However, at the conviction the Unites States did non confirm the index finger or the navy to back up this demand, until the late 1880s when support for imperialism began to take off.People began to support imperialism because all new(prenominal) great powers had empires, strategic objectives became important, expanding the foreign market would support the economy, and social Darwinism was applied to nations, which have in mindt that only the countries with the greatest wealth and largest empires would survive. As the 19th century came to a close, the United States saw an opportunity to put the Monroe Doctrine and a new sense of imperialism into action. At the time, Cuba was under going serious change, and was in the middle of a cultivated war with Spain.In 1895 a war escalated in Cuba to the point that 500, 000 Cubans were put into camps because of the reconcentracion policy.1 This policy had disastrous consequences causing nearly 200, 000 mass in the camps to die because of the wishing of professionalper food, sanitary conditions, and medical care.2 The policy generated severe anti-Spanish sentiment in the United States. As anger continued to rise among the American people, short-tempers eventually burst into a gruesome war. The United States own President McKinley said that he had no desire to go to war with Spain, thus one must get hold of what were the overwhelming factors that pushed the American nation into another war?3Historians have suggested numerous reasons for the United S tates to enter into war. Many authors, such as Ivan Musicant4 and Frank Friedel5, commit the Yellow wardrobe and their extraordinary stories pushed the American public to their limits, forcing the McKinley administration to finally intervene in Cuba. However, writers such as Wayne Morgan suggested that the United States pursued a tranquil policy toward Cuba, attempting to force Spain to reform the island, and the Spanish failure to do so provoked American intervention.6The overwhelming causes of the Spanish-American War can be attri only ifed to a combination of five factors listed in order of importance. The Yellow Press, American economical interests, McKinleys political agenda, and the sinking of the Maine. With these four factors in mind, the American motives for war testament be accurately examined.When the American people saw an opportunity to make money by investing in Cubas scar plantations, they adjacently took prefer of the opportunity. However, once they saw thei r economic interests were endangered by the civil war in Cuba, American people wanted to nurture their valuable investments. sensation of the primary(prenominal) reasons Cuban Nationalists revolted against Spain was because they thought the U.S. would likely come to their aid. They had good reason to think this because at the time the United States was investing increasing amounts of money into Cuban dirty money production, $50 million by 1895 and conducted trade with Cuba worth $100 million annually. The United States also had a strangle hold on the Cuban economy with 87% of all Cuban exports going to the United States in 1890.7 This newly found American-Cuban relationship also had its negative sides it brought with it an increasing concentration on sugar production.As the Cuban revolution continued, more and more sugar plantations were being destroyed, disrupting trade, and seriously hurting the American investments. Not only would Americans be able to protect these investment s if they went to war, but they would be able to acquire other Spanish colonies, for example the Philippines, and expand their foreign market. As Massachusetts Senator Henry Cabot Lodge said, Free Cuba would mean a great market for the United States it would mean an opportunity for American capital it would mean an opportunity for development of that splendid island.8 Freeing the malcontent nation would not only protect the withstanding American investments, but would also allow Americans to spread their influence around the Caribbean nations and capture the foreign market. Americas future as an industrial power depended on foreign markets for American products.One of the major causes of the Spanish-American War was the American public opinion, which was extremely negative towards the Spaniards. The articles compose by the Yellow Press drastically swayed this public opinion. The Yellow Press was a countersignpaper war in New York City between William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pul itzer. These writers sensationalized the news and often exaggerated the truth and provoked a demand for intervention in Cuba. The American public used these newspapers as their information center for all events that were occurring in Cuba. Hearst and Pulitzer were able to greatly benefit from influencing Americans, increasing their readership from400, 000 in 1897, to over 1 million readers during the Spanish-American War in 1898.9 Whatever Hearst or Pulitzer had to say was current by Americans without thought to the informations validity. A good example of the Hearsts Journal exaggerating the truth is an article on the Spanish General Weyler, at that place is nothing to prevent his carnal animal brain from running riot with itself in inventing tortures and infamies of blood debauchery.10 Biased information like this would be pass on to the American public day after day, forcing the people to believe that the situation in Cuba required intervention. On February 8, 1898, Hearst onc e again added fuel to the fire with the issue of the de Lme letter.The Spanish Ambassador wrote the letter, which was published in the Journal, to a friend, in which the diplomat called U.S. President William McKinley a weak man and a bidder for the admiration of the packbesides being a common politician.11 The letter enraged the American and drove them to a new level of hysteria.12 Although the letter did not have major economical or political impact, besides on McKinleys ego, the social implications were enormous.Hearst and Pulitzer were not the only people who wrote about the conditions in Cuba, thither was also E.L. Godkin who was the editor of the weekly Nation. Godkin frequently spoke out against Hearst and Pulitzer accusing them of gross misrepresentation, deliberate invention and un requirement recklessness. He said They were firebrands, tossed into the American lot in an attempt to ignite a war.13 No matter how much Godkin spoke out against Hearst and Pulitzer, they con tinued to dominate the American public with their embellished stories and pro war slants. The American publics humanitarian concerns came into play after reading these articles. They soon believed how terrible the Cuban conditions were and began to plead the government to take offensive steps towards Cuban independence.When the U.S. naval ship, the Maine, exploded in Havana Harbor, the American people, and their government were confused about what had happened and who had done it. Many fingers began to point at Spain, but even if Spain had not committed the crime, the suspicion alone by the American people was enough to push the war envelope a bit further. One of the final peaceful solutions to the problems in Cuba, presented by McKinley, was autonomy. This granted the country the right of self-government, however, a large portion of the Cuban population opposed autonomy and soon riots broke out. The battleship Maine simply arrived in Havana for a friendly visit on January 25, 1898 in response to pro-Spanish mobs.14 Suddenly, on the evening of February 15, 1898, at 945 PM, the Maine blew up, killing 268 of the crew.15 The explosion was an enormous blow not only to the American people, but to the Spanish and Cuban people as well. Immediately capital of Spain authorities as well as McKinley wanted to know what had happened and began thorough investigations.On March 21 the U.S. court determined there were two explosions the first was of a mine under the keel of the Maine, and the second touched off by the initial blast.16 The court however did not fix responsibility for place the mine. The Spanish board of inquiry, however, had a contrary conclusion, which said that the blast had been sparked by spontaneous combustion of coal.17 The American people were not told about the contrary deductions, but instead were heavily influenced by the Yellow Press who placed the fault of the incident solely on the Spaniards. The public was up in flames and was in cartel that t he U.S. would get their revenge on Spain for taking American lives. The Maine explosion, combined with the anti-autonomy riots in Havana effectively changed the American publics demands from Cuban autonomy to smash independence, which could only be achieved through war.When McKinley was inaugurated as president in 1896 his main political goals were to improve the United States economy and avoid war at all costs. However, McKinley found himself in a tough situation weighing peace against winning the upcoming 1900 election and the strategic benefits of acquiring Cuba. As McKinley was well sensitive of, the Yellow Press had misconstrued the situation in Cuba, causing the majority of the American population to become eager for war. If McKinley expected to win the upcoming election, he would have to give in to the peoples demands. McKinley also saw the beneficial strategic implications if the U.S. were to acquire Cuba and the Philippines through war. The United States would gain massiv e sea power by setting up naval bases, and Cuba would be the key to the future security of a U.S. canal in the Caribbean. With this political agenda in McKinleys mind, he came up with two peaceful courses of action before he would have to declare war.McKinleys first course of action was a purpose to buy Cuba for $30 million, but Spain quickly rejected this offer.18 Next, on March 29, 1898, Ambassador Stewart Woodford presented the final United States proposal on Cuba, requiring Spain to abandon the reconcentracion policy, proclaim an immediate armistice, and finally accede to Cubas independence.19 The Spanish government offered to withdraw the reconcentracion policy and to grant a cease-fire at the insurgents request, but refused to grant Cuba its independence.20 The American people were furious with the news, but McKinley, following through with his ultimatum asking Congress, on April 11, 1898, for permission to intervene directly in Cuba. The request was passed once the Teller Am endment, an agreement make disclaiming any intention of annexing Cuba, was adopted.21 The United States had finally entered a war that McKinley had feared, while the American people had been pushing for it all along.There were many factors that created the atmosphere necessary for the Spanish-American War to occur. No one event in itself was enough. But rather, it was the culmination of a sequence of events that created an atmosphere leading to war. The contributing factors that led to the Spanish-American War were economic interests, McKinleys political agenda, and the sinking of the Maine. The major factor that eventually pushed the United States into war was the Yellow Press and its influence on the American people. The Yellow Press conveyed the facts to the American people in a negative manner, prompting the American people to plead for Cuban intervention through any means necessary. However, historian Wayne Morgan suggests, war would have come without the Yellow Press.22 Once t he nine-month war had ended, with only three months of fighting, the war concluded with the Treaty of Paris, 1898. This treaty gave the United States the colonies of Guam and Puerto Rico, along with the Philippines in return for $20 million.23 Although the Cubans did receive independence from Spain, in 1902 the U.S. created the Platt Amendment, which put Cuban foreign policy under U.S. control and all Cuban economic decisions under subject to U.S. approval.24 Life for Cubans was better, but they still did not have complete independence.Because the United States received the new colonies from Spain, they began to accomplish their imperialistic goals, and plus their national status to compete with the other world powers. President McKinley had tried his best to avoid a war, but the American public left him no choice, nevertheless McKinley succeeded in winning the 1900 elections.25 The Spanish-American War provided the United States with both opportunities and challenges. In 1899, whe n the United States occupied its new empire, Assistant Secretary of State John crop out Moore observed that the nation had become a world powerWhere formerly we had only commercial interests, we now have territorial and political interests as well. 261 Michael Golay, America At War The Spanish-American War. (New York Facts on File, Inc., 1995), 5.2 The Spanish American War, 1898, May 2, 2007.3 Golay, America At War, 13.4 Ivan Musicant, conglomerate By carelessness The Spanish-American War and the Dawn of the American Century.(New York Henry and Company, Inc., 1998), 81-83.5 Frank Burt Freidel, The Splendid Little War. (Toronto Little, Brown and Company Limited, 1958), 5-8.6 Wayne Morgan, Americas Road To Empire The War With Spain and Overseas Expansion. (New YorkJohn Wiley and Sons, 1968), ix-x.7 The Spanish American War, May 2, 2007.8 Golay, America At War, 14.9 The Spanish American War, May 2, 2007.10 Golay, America At War, 7.11 Irving Werstein, 1898 The Spanish-American War. ( New York Cooper Square Publishers, 1966) 10.12 Musicant, Empire By Default, 152.13 Golay, America At War, 12.14 Freidel, The Splendid Little War, 8.15 Albert Nofi, The Spanish-American War, 1898. (Conshohocken Combined Books, Inc. 1996), 4216 Nofi, The Spanish-American War, 43.17 Causes of the Spanish American War. May 2, 2007.18 Causes of the Spanish American War, May 2, 2007.19 Nofi, The Spanish-American War, 44.20 The Spanish American War, May 2, 2007.21 David Goldfield et al, The American Journey A History of The United States. (Toronto Prentice-HallCanada Inc., 2002), 427.22 Morgan, Americas Road To Empire, 14.23 The Spanish American War, May 2, 2007.24 Goldfield, The American Journey, 430.25 Goldfield, The American Journey, Appendix A-1526 Goldfield, The American Journey, 427.

Policy Suggestions for Reopening Dual Language Essay

This empirical look for lead be presented to the Ministry of culture in Taiwan for the purpose of give the bouncevass the possibility of reopening Chinese and slope treble speech kindergarten educates. In 2004, the Ministry of Education in Taiwan had forbidden the operation and establishment of bilingual and slope kindergarten schools. side could only be integrated in songs, plays, and activities but it could non be taught in the Chinese and side of meat bilingual format and use as a medium of instruction. Kindergarten schools ar not as well exclusivelyowed to hire any foreign instructors. All kindergarten teachers must(prenominal) be a natural born Taiwanese citizen. In the same year, the spokesman of the Ministry of Education cited three reasons for implementing this fosteringal insurance policy. First, they feel that at the preschool st climb on children should master their primary language. Second, they be so concern with the quality of breeding as they found away that most foreign teachers who worked as incline teachers in kindergarten schools do not seduce sufficient knowledge on early childishness education.These teachers are only hired because they are native English speakers. Third, although Taiwanese students officially begin listening English on the third grade, they do not lag behind their counterpart in other Asian countries. However, t here is not enough research to prove the positive effect of banning the treble language kindergarten. The research cited by the Ministry of Education to support their policy is discussed in the review of literature.Review of Related LiteratureResearch Supporting the Policy The research use by the Ministry of Education of Taiwan as a basis in supporting its policy was conducted in 2001 by Dr. Chuang Shiang Chuan and Dr. Chaing Jen Ru. These professionals were invited to conduct a reputation on the possibility of integrating English in the kindergarten curriculum and hiring foreign teachers to teach in the kindergarten level. In this research, Dr. Chuang Shiang Chuan pointed out that language discipline for children requires the use of twain the expressive and thinking abilities. If the medium of instruction is strictly in English alone, the content of communication between the teacher and the students would be very limited. She also indicated that preschool children poop out to accurately pronounce and comprehend a foreign language in comparison to the adult learners.Furthermore, she also state that teaching a foreign language could interfere in the learning of the mother tongue. In terms of hiring foreign teachers, Cheung (2001) tangle that foreigners who are working as kindergarten English teachers do not have the required skills and knowledge on early childhood education. Their knowledge is only limited to the teaching of the English language. In addition, hiring of foreign teachers would result in the lessening of job opportunities for students who have co mpleted their education degrees from the teacher preparation institutions.However, the findings of Dr. Cheung whitethorn not be objective and conflict of interest is evident as a result of her employment in one of the early childhood teacher preparation institutions. Besides, in the policy statement published by the Ministry of Education to the humankind on October 10, 2004, it was stated that the research was based on the neuroscience, linguistics and English education findings which indicated that learning English at an early age does not batten that children will learn meliorate.The Ministry of Education also argued that teenagers learn a foreign language more efficiently than preschool children due to their more mature cognitive development. It is also stated that imposing the No Chinese kindergarten education would result in communication difficulty, emotional disturbance, conflict of values and problems in culture identity which could coin the development of Chinese langu age learning. Furthermore, the language barrier would limit the breath and dept of childrens learning. Lu & Chen (2003) who are researchers in Taiwan also support the previous findings and argued that it is inappropriate for preschool children to learn a foreign language and culture at an early age. They believed that China would be the strongest country in terms of sparing stability and the Chinese language would be the next universal language.Hence, parents should not be anxious to have their children learn English at a unseasoned age. They further stated that in that respect is no critical level in learning a second language so it is not necessary to set forth learning at preschool age. The researchers also believed that having a nigh command of the native language is the foundation for learning a second language. The absence of an Ameri bed or British accent is not an important matter to consider in learning the English language. Therefore, it is unnecessary to study Engli sh at an early age to avoid speaking with a foreign accent. Besides the ii researchers and one government statement above, the book My Child Cant Speak Chinese (Cheung, 2004) is also frequently cited by mountain who are against using English as the only medium of instruction in the kindergarten education. In this book, Cheung depicted her little girl who tends to combine the English and Chinese syntaxes when speaking Chinese afterwards attending an English only kindergarten school.In the book, the arguments to ban the English only teaching in kindergarten school is deduceable considering that children in Taiwan speak Chinese at home and kindergarten is the set-back education that they have bewilderd outside their homes. The use of English as the only medium of instruction in their first school may give the children the wrong impression that English is the formal school language. They may also think that their Chinese language is less important. These thoughts could possibly l ead to the confusion of culture identity and negatively affect the learning of the Chinese language. As an international student who had studied in various classes with native English instructors and have worked as the sole foreign teacher in an American school, I understand the anxiety that a child may feel in an English only environment based on my mortalal experience. Armed with a first hand experience in obtaining an education in an English only school under instructors who are native speakers of the English language and with an experience of being a foreign teacher in an international school, I can strongly understand and clearly see the point in the policy made in not allowing the operation of the English only kindergarten schools.However, in as much as I could empathized with the policy makers, I also felt the inadequacy of the study that was conducted before arriving at a recommendation to close and prohibit the existence of forked language kindergarten schools. There are many dual language kindergartens in the United States and I have taught in an English-Chinese dual lingual public school in New York, P.S. 184M, Shuang Wen School. This is the first dual lingual and bicultural public basal school in the east coast. Children at Shuang Wen have regular English classes as other public school students and start learning Chinese from the kindergarten level and continue studying until the sixth grade. In the Shuang Wens website, in that location is a report cited that almost ascorbic acid% of their students exceeded the required grade level standards of the New York State examination for Math and English. With Shuang Wens success, one could only ponder as to why American students are allowed to enroll in an English and Chinese bilingual program since kindergarten while the Taiwanese students in Taiwan have to be deprived of this opportunity. I went through literature reviews by searching and reviewing dual language related literatures on databases of E RIC, ProQuest, Education Full Text, Digital Dissertations taken from the Teachers College as well as the TC Catalog (EDUCAT). The summary of my findings are written below.Research on Dual Lingual Education The dual lingual education literature reviewed is presented here in the following sections bilingual education has no harm, the benefits of bilingual education, the crush bilingual education-dual language program, and the current situation of dual language programs.bilingual Education Has No Harm Contrary to the findings of the researchers in Taiwan, Norbert (2005), Schambach (2006), Garcia (2006), and Pearson (2007) claimed that bilingual education has no harm to children at all. All the misconceptions were bias. For instance, Cheungs (2003) worry concerning her daughters feature usage of English and Chinese is actually unnecessary. The combined usage of language was part of a learning process that children want to experiment in recite to determine which of these ii languages the listeners strongest language is. This method would also enable the children to communicate effectively with their listener (Garcia, 2007). Moreover, the capability of switching between two languages could increase childrens cognitive flexibility ( custodian, 2004).In terms of the concerns about the lost of identity and delay in the development of the childrens first language, it was discover that bilingual children do not have any identity issues because in the bilingual education, childrens culture are respected and recognized (Farmer, 1998 & Schambach, 2006). Some children may develop two identities since they are educated in using two languages and two cultures but this helps children to be more adaptable to the global world and put them better to be global citizens.Moreover, Schambach pointed out an example of an identity issue whereby an immigrant child, who emigrated from one country to another, felt totally lost when not being received in the new country and treated a s a foreigner upon return to the country of origin for a short visit. This situation can adventure to Taiwanese children if the government is not open to the education that the parents expect for their children in Taiwan.About 77% of parents in Taiwan hope that the government would allow the integration of English in the kindergarten curriculum (Wu & Cheng, 2002). The main reason for the immigration to the United States of Taiwanese families is to depict better education for their children. If Taiwanese government fails to meet parents expectations, there is a strong possibility that Taiwanese family immigration would lead to a problem on the identity issue for the next generation.The Benefits of Bilingual Education afterward clarifying that bilingual education creates no harm to children, many researchers pointed out that bilingual education can enhance the development of childrens cognitive and cordial skills (Chan, 2003 Garcia, 2007 Norbert, 2005 custodian, 2004 Thomas, 2003 ). Chan (2003) compared 31 bilingual preschoolers and 29 monolingual preschoolers performance on 3 cognitive tasks and 4 theory-of-mind tasks. The results showed that the advantage of the bilingual learners in the theory-of-mind development hinges mostly in their cognitive development e.g., inhibitory control, reasoning and metalinguistic awareness. Garcia (2007) quoted the research of Peal and Lamberts work with French and English bilinguals and English monolinguals and purported that the intellectual experience of getting two languages contributed advantageously to mental flexibility, superior concept formation and a generally diversified set of mental abilities.She also cited Padillas reasoning that bilinguals are cognitively advanced because they are able to process information provided in one language and produce allied information in another language. Padilla used Keats and Keats report of a study as an example which German-English bilinguals, who did not demonstrate the abi lity to wield weight in a Piagetian task, were trained to conserve in one of the two languages. Results from English and German post tests indicated that the concept was acquired in both languages. This educes the possible increased in the flexibility of bilinguals during conceptual acquisition. Steward (2004) cited the finding of Willig who pointed out that students in the bilingual programs scored either the same or higher on the achievement tests in both languages in comparison with children in monolingual education.Steward also agreed with Cummings, Hakuta and Golds opinion that the bilingual program has increased childrens cognitive flexibility. Thomas (2003) further stated that the cognitive stimulus from the bilingual program led to enhanced creativity and analytical thinking. He also presented the result taken from Houston in 2002 that native English speakers, who had been in the two way dual-language programs for four years, scored between 63rd and 70th percentiles in tot al reading scores in the Stanford 9 whereas the scores of students in the monolingual English program hovered around the 50th percentile.This is a remarkable finding that could be used to infer that if Taiwanese children, who are native Chinese speakers, are educated in a bilingual program since preschool their intellectual capability might surpass students in a Chinese only program after four years. After reading all the benefits that bilingual education can bring to students, I continued to research for the definition of bilingual education and its high hat practice.The Best Bilingual Education Dual Language Education Barrera (2004) defines bilingual education as using two languages to learn. Schambach (2006) said a bilingual person means he can use two languages freely in any given situation. In terms of the best practice for bilingual education, Garcia (2007) pointed out that in teaching two languages, it would be best to separate them instead of combining them together. For ex ample, at home each parent should speak a assorted language to the child and at school, different teachers should speak different languages.Children tend to learn the language in order to communicate. Norbert (2005) further strengthened the importance of separating two languages when teaching. Scofield (2007) specifically talked about the importance of a relaxed environment that is enriched with comprehensible language as well as the usage of gestures, mime, and real objects to illustrate speech and to provide input.He also suggested singing songs and rhymes and having group activities to create a conducive environment for the learners. In terms of time allocation for teaching each language, Steward (2004) cited Willigs research result which showed that students in the alternate immersion program, wherein the day is divided into two halves each entirely in one language, have the best performance in the tests of both languages. This kind of program is also called dual language progr am.Current Situation of Dual Language Education According to Barrera (2004), there are more than 270 dual language programs in the U.S. and the interest in these programs keeps growing as fast as the waiting lists. In Barreras research, she cerebrate that the most successful dual language program resulted when students learn one language in the morning and another one in the afternoon. There must also be a continuing non-repetitive lesson in the morning. In the succeeding morning, students must proceed to the next lesson in the other language.The important characteristics of a good dual language program as suggested by Barrera includes a minimum of six years instruction a focus on the core schoolman curriculum high quality language arts instruction in both languages integration of the languages into the instructional thematic units separations of the two languages for instruction with no interpretation and no repeated lessons in the other language use of each language in 50 perce nt of the instructional time an addictive e.g. adding a new language at no cost to students first language bilingual environment that has the full support of school administrators, teachers and parents and an active parent-school partnerships. However, regardless of all the benefits of dual lingual education as shown in the research, some politicians in California still think that English should be the one and only henpecked language in United States. Hence, they brought up Proposition 227 to replace the bilingual and dual lingual education to total immersion method to help immigrant children learn English as fast as possible. Nevertheless, many researchers discovered that bilingual education has helped children learn English faster than the total immersion method (Krashen, 2005 Manyak, 2006 Monzo, 2005 Olson, 2007). Bilingual education has likewise helped students build more positive self identity by providing a sheltered learning environment (Monzo).Recommendation After learning f rom the studies conducted by some researchers, the Taiwanese government must reexamine their educational policy that resulted in the total ban of bilingual kindergarten education in Taiwan. I recommend that the Taiwanese government conduct an empirical study on the possible effects of dual language kindergarten education in Taiwan and elevate volunteer participants to determine if the Chinese and English bilingual kindergarten education should be reopened as an educational option for Taiwanese children. I would also like to suggest a research design which includes the preparation of the curriculum, teachers preparation, students selections and students evaluation.Curriculum Prior to conducting a research, the Education Ministry of Taiwan must initially design a Chinese and English dual lingual curriculum for kindergarten pupils. The easiest and most efficient way is to translate the current kindergarten curriculum into English. In this method, the traditional Taiwanese values are n either changed nor altered and the English language was only used as a medium of instruction. This consistent and continuing curriculum, which is part of the current dual language program, has been proved to be the most beneficial way for students learning.Teacher Preparation Secondly, the government must prepare all the teachers who will be involved in teaching the dual language program. The selection of teachers who would teach the Chinese curriculum is not as difficult as selecting teachers who could teach the English curriculum. For the Chinese curriculum, experienced teachers can be selected among a roster of kindergarten teachers. Since the current law forbids the hiring of non-Taiwanese citizens, it would not be easy to immediately hire English instructors. There may be hardly a(prenominal) Taiwanese people who could teach using the English fluently, have a solid accentuate in early childhood education and fully understand the Taiwanese culture.Since learning the language while keeping the Taiwanese cultural background are two major purposes of the dual language program, I would suggest to the Ministry of Education in Taiwan to hire Taiwanese Americans or Taiwanese people who have studied abroad for a long enough period of time and have attained a good level of English fluency. The qualification to become a kindergarten teacher in Taiwan should not be based on the nationality but on the teachers English capability and understanding of Taiwanese culture.With regards to having a solid knowledge on the background of kindergarten education, I believe that teachers can be prepared within few months of extensive workshops as I became a primary teacher at an face winning independent primary school in Connecticut after a week of intensive training and continuing professional development passim the school year. In my job, I performed well as a foreign teacher. Through experience, I personally felt that it is possible to prepare any teacher for the backgroun d knowledge. Further research on this issue could be conducted to be assured that only the most qualified teachers are selected for the program.Students Selection and Follow-Up intend Participating pupils should be voluntary and the opportunity to be a participant should be well broadcasted to all the parents who have children who are about to be enrolled in kindergarten schools. Students should be chosen from families of a mixed social economic status to represent the common student population in public kindergarten schools. Plans must be undertaken for students who are currently attending kindergarten so a continuing dual lingual elementary education can be achieved until the fifth grade as suggested by Garcia. Garcia discovered that the positive effects of dual language education will be manifested after 6 years of continuous education.The greatest scrap here is that all dual lingual elementary schools in Taiwan are cliquish schools and therefore the tuition fees are not affor dable by every family. For this problem, the government could either give vouchers or subsidize the tuition fees of the children who have attended the dual lingual kindergarten so they could study in private dual lingual elementary schools. In addition, the government can also put an effort to open a public dual language elementary school in each grade level to accommodate the education needs of these students.Data Analysis Students cognitive development and academic performance will be assessed through standardized testing and observation from teachers and parents. Data analysis will focus on the findings to determine if advance cognitive development and better academic performance were achieved by students who were given the dual language program in comparison with the dual language students performance in the United States and Canada as studied by Barrera (2004) and Chan (2004). To avoid overstressing students, the test will be carefully designed and will be taken semi-annually. Likewise, students progress will be preserve for six years.Conclusions Education is the best investment for the future of a country. With the influx of globalization and stiff economic and business competition, it is time for people of Taiwan to be armed with an education that could be comparable not only to their neighboring Asian countries but also to the western countries as well. The progress of the country super depends on its young citizens and the best way for the young citizens to be competitive is by providing them with an educational tool that will enable them to communicate with other people across the globe. English has been considered as the universal language in many parts of the world.There are no negative effects in learning a foreign language as shown in many research studies. Hence, it is time for the government of Taiwan, specifically the Ministry of Education, to study their policies and reconsider the option of reopening bilingual kindergarten schools in Taiwa n. If the government intends to be the educational leader in Asia, it is time to open their doors to accept the teaching of English in preschool level.ReferencesBarrera, R., et. al. (2004). Profiles in culture. Scholastic Early puerility Today, 19(3), 46-48.Chan, K. T. (2004). Chinese English bilinguals theory-of-mind development. University of Toronto, Toronto.Cheung, S. C. C., Jen Ru (2002). The possibility of having english education and hiring foreign teachers in kindergartens in Taiwan. Ministry of Education, Taiwan. (T. Ministry of Education o. Document Number)Chuan, C. S. (2003). My child cant speak Chinese. Taipei New Parents.Farmer, M. (1998). Creating Montessori bilingual programs. Montessori Life, 10(2), 22-25.Garcia, E. E. (2007). Bilingual development and the education of bilingual children during early childhood. American ledger of Education, 95(1), 96-121.Krashen, S. (2005). Skyrocketing scores An urban legend. educational Leadership, 62(4), 37-39.Lu, H.-J. C., Tai-a n. (2003). An evaluation on early childhood english education in taiwan-from the status of language policy. Transworld Institute of Technology, Taiwan.Manyak, P. C. (2006). Fostering biliteracy in a monolingual surroundings Reflections on two counter-hegemonic English immersion classes. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 6(3), 241-266.Ministry of Education, Taiwan (2004). Educational policy of preschool English education.Monzo, L. D. (2005). Latino parents choice for bilingual education in an urban California school language politics in the aftermath of proposition 227. Bilingual Research Journal, 29(2), 365-386.Norbert, F. (2005). Research findings on early first language attrition implication for the discussion on critical periods in language acquisition. Language Learning, 55(3), 491-531.Pajares, F. (2007). Elements of a proposal. Available from the author.Pearson, B. Z. (2007). Social factors in childhood bilingualism in the United States. Applied Psycholinguistics, 28(3).Sc hambach, J. (2006). Childhood bilingualism problems and possibilities. Kansas.Schofield, A. (2007). An investigation into the practices of a class of field-based student educators working in linguistically diverse early childhood centres. Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 32(2), 23-27.Stewart, M. R. (2004). Phonological awareness and bilingual preschoolers should we teach it and, if so, how? Early Childhood Education Journal 32(1), 31-37.Thomas, W. P. C., V. P. (2003). The multiple benefits of dual language dual-language programs educate both English learners and native English speakers without incurring extra costs. Educational Leadership, 61(2), 61-64.Torrez, N. M. (2001). Incoherent English immersion and California proposition 227. The Urban Review, 33(3), 207-20.Wu, S. F. C., Jen Ru. (2002). Examine preschool English education from the perspective of critical study period. Human Education Journal, 158.

Debt Hinders Development of Poor Countries Essay

The economy of the country is also undermined since all the sectors of the economy including health sector, education sector, agricultural sector, tourism sector and other sectors ar compromised for the country to fall back the debts. 2. Its leads to low detonating device stock This is experienced due to regular payments of debts by the developing countries. Low level of investments, low outputs from the industries and farms, low savings are also experienced due to repayments of loans.A country fails to save any money for use in profitable projects little or no capital is accumulated for development purposes. A country fails to attract F. D. Is i. e. foreign direct investments which could bring about development processes. These investors curtail their investments in these poor countries and transfer them to safer countries indeed causing capital flights. 3. Debt leads to inflation. This is the general rise in price of goods and services in a country. The money borrowed may excee d the supply of goods and services whence causing inflation.If a debt is not managed properly then it will affect the whole country and its production systems. These leads to loss in stability in veritable value of money and other monetary items. It discourages investments of savings and shortages of goods if the consumer begins hoarding out of concern that prices will increase in future. 4. Weak currencies. When a nation has a bigger debt the economy grows slowly or totally stagnates. These poor nations are asked by their trading partners to devalue their currencies to make their goods cheaper for them to buy.Devaluation of a countries currency affects the production sectors since the prices demand fallen hence making it less worth to produce because the currencies of the countrys exports are weak. This leads to continuous repayment of loans since the poor country cannot access the outside(a) markets with their weak currency hence cannot get the hard currencies. 5 . Debt hinder s trade. Most of the highly indebted poor countries are endowed with raw materials and other resources. cod to this presence of natural resources they have benefited from the international trade partners. So due to loan binge of the excessive debt on the poorer countries the trading partners and trading blocs shy onward since they do not want to be associated with a highly indebted country. This leads to slow economic growth and development of the country since they have to trade with countries with the same(p) features and therefore and they cannot get a lot of finances. Most of these products from developing counties are exported to developed countries.So when these poor nations are faced with high level of protectionism in the international markets they experience a sharp reduction of exports leading to unfavorable balance of payment. The developed or trading countries bring up /erect protectionist laws set forth of tariffs quotas, or standard of goods hence locking out most of the primary exports from the poor countries from accessing international markets. 6 . Debts and environment. Environmental issues, poverty and debts are very much related. This is because the more the developing countries stay.Developing countries stay in debts, the more they will feel that they need to exploit the earth or natural resources for the hard currency they bring in. the poor countries also have to cut back on its social, health, endowment, conservation, employment and other important programs, cutting back on all these issues sum the country will not realize development process. These are main pillars of any development process to advance. The countries development will stagnate since all the sectors infallible to steer forward have been cut back.

Does Marketing Sharp the Needs and Wants of Customers or Reflect the Needs and Wants of Customers

Since as we k advanced marketing came to peoples life in the 1950s and 1960s. With the rapid improvement in marketing, there is an strong argument, which is marketing shapes the ineluctably and wants or marketing reflects the inescapably and wants of customers. People used to define that marketing is selling goods which people do non really need. However, marketing concept defined as achieving organizational goals depend on determining the involve and wants of target markets and delivering the desired satisfaction more efficaciously and efficiently than competitors (kotler, 2008).International markets ar always changing. Facing the challenges of globalization of markets, the economy of regionalization and transnational business, business operators face a fierce competition in the market. They mustiness establish the correct concept of marketing, a rapid and flexible response mechanism. Marketing is a key factor for business success. Achieving good performance businesses are a ll based on marketing for their own festering-oriented.Marketing concept requires enterprises to adopt a consumer-centric approach, the cropion and sale of the reality that meet customer needs and potential needs of the goods, and to evaluate whether the enterprise to achieve customer satisfaction as the level of marketing standards. Marketing is to meet the needs of the people, meeting needs and desires of customer is the starting point of marketing. (Schmitt, 2001) The purpose of marketing is to satisfy needs of customers. In the highly competitive market, how to build competitive advantage is the key to success. ultramodern marketing concept that is the key to achieving organizational goals, correctly determine the target markets needs and desires. Moreover, they can supply and provide desired satisfaction more effectively than competitors. Company must establish and maintain long-term stakeholders, especially the good relations with customers. The reasons for who agree that M arketing shapes needs and wants of customers Marketing should identify those needs and wants which customers do not request. But company should go farther than customers, the customer is short-sighted.This is a competition-oriented marketing approach, which requires companies in marketing activities, must be constantly on the product and opposite factors that affect the marketing performance of innovation or improvement to be substantial. In order to ensure that customers will not flow to other companies. Sony is an example of mental hospital of marketing, because it successfully into the customer has not asked or even thought of the many new products music players, video recorders, video cameras, optical drives, etc.Sony is market-driven company. Create marketing is a customer-oriented, more competitive and technology oriented. They deliver that the needs of customers may be potential. beyond the customer-oriented, is the business from their own core competencies, victimisatio n strategy and competition and other constraint conditions. It is not only to meet customer needs, more important is the ability to create customer demands, which enable enterprises to work and development of business ideas.Enterprises get rid of the intense competition in product homogeneity, not only in product quality, technological innovation and the development of marketable varieties, but also pay more attention to the potential demand of its target consumers, often insight into consumer psychology and their the tendency of consumption habits, research, psychoanalysis of consumption trends and spending power and tap their potential, the demand unnoticed to adapt to consumer demand based on the constant induction, be inspired, and quickly meet the new demands it.Marketing is not a creation of the creation of the blind, but on the basis of full investigation needs to target consumers based on the creation of psychology is to create and use of effective marketing strategies to start a potential combination. Greater profit margins of market segments, and create customer-oriented marketing concept that does not necessarily lead to customer satisfaction and loyalty, such as novelty in the novelty under the control of consumer psychology. Customer-oriented enterprises may lose industry insight, so that enterprises can take the lead in the future.Otherwise, the enterprise may loss the insight of market, because customers are often short-sighted Reasons for who agree with that marketing reflects needs and wants of customers It is is customer-oriented marketing philosophy. They assume that demand of consumer is realistic and clear. As peoples living standards improve, peoples demand for diversified and personalized directions. To be able to satisfy customers, enterprise must clearly recognize the needs of customers to produce marketable products. They need to be more timely and effective to meet those needs than competitors. Drucker,2005) The purpose of marketin g is to make selling superfluous, marketing aimed at a profound knowledge and understanding of the customer, so that the product or service perfectly suited to peoples needs and the it will interpolate selling products into sales by products themselves. My personal opinion of this argument No matter we consider that marketing reflects the needs and wants or shapes the needs and wants of customers. The hypostasis of them is same, which in order to meet the needs of customers, achieve the objectives of company and improve values of customers.In addition, customers needs can be divided into potential needs and dominant needs. The primary thing for marketer is to recognize the real needs of customers, then develop appropriate strategies come to influence the production process. As market competition intensifies, customers for the homogenization of the products showed a fatigued, the innovation is the proper guide and a tool to meet customer demand. To sum up, there are skillful two di fferent interpretations. The purpose is to define and handle the relationship between enterprises and customers. To be win-win situation is the final target.ReferencesDrucker, P,2005, Relationship marketing in consumer markets,accessed 12/03/2011, http//www. boxingzhuoyue. com/ziyuan/shichang/343. hypertext markup language Kotler, P,Adam,S ,Denize,SArmsrong,G 2008,Principles of Marketing,Frenchs Forest, Australia Schmitt, B 2001, Experiential marketing How to get customers to sense, feel, think, act, and relate to your company and brands, accessed 12/03/2011, http//books. google. com. au/books? hl=zh-CNlr=id=d6TsNYeb1lUCoi=fndpg=PR13dq=marketing+shapes+customers+needsots=1dmyDRBAAVsig=Sh11ccbodeJyycqaICtrCXA7Gucv=onepageqf=false

Developmentally Appropriate Teaching Strategies

Todays classrooms are becoming more and more diverse with students that exact disabilities and those that come from different finishings. It is important for educators to construe that their training method strategies are appropriate for all of the children in their classroom. When it comes to the classroom there mint be many heathen challenges that educators will have to address to ensure that all students are growing and developing appropriately. Educators need to make sure that they are capable of addressing each of their students needfully individually in order for the students to be able to succeed.Educators must be able to define and address any pagan challenges in the classroom in order for each and every one of their students to be successful. It is important for educators to be able to identify challenges they whitethorn have when using different teaching strategies to ensure students are get the appropriate education. Effective teaching strategies help students to learn. Since not all children learn in the same authoritys it is important to be bendable and willing to change a strategy so that it welcomes everyones needs. whatever educators may be unsure of their ability to reach and teach culturally diverse children. Some may even express reservations about their ability to teach students that are from a culture that is different from their own (Chisholm, 1994). One challenge involved with ensuring that teaching strategies are appropriate for culturally diverse children is effective communication. Educators must assess their students to see what level of development they are at. Communicating with parents is a great way to learn more about the students as individuals and their cultural background.Teachers can communicate with parents to find out what their goals for their child are, find out more about what their personality is like and even some of their favorite things to do. When educators understand more about each child individually then they can apply the appropriate teaching strategies. If the children seem uninterested in an assignment, the educator can adjust it to get them more interested and willing to complete the assignment. Overcoming stereotyping is a challenge educators can incur when it comes to ensuring that teaching strategies are appropriate for culturally diverse children.Some educators may compare one child to an other child that comes from the same cultural background and enjoyment the same teaching strategy. One way to overcome this is to make sure that educators know each of the students individually instead of comparing one to another or relying on stereotyping. To truly engage students, we must reach out to them in ways that are culturally and linguistically responsive and appropriate, and we must examine the cultural assumptions and stereotypes we bring into the classroom that may hinder interconnectedness. (Teaching Tolerance, 1991)Once they know more about each of the students then t hey can avoid stereotyping and adjust their teaching strategy to meet the individual needs of the students in the classroom. Another challenge educators encounter is the cultural gap that is between students and teachers. It is important for educators to understand that some culturally diverse children may need things explained to them in a different way for them to gain an understanding.If educators took the time to learn about the various cultures that are present in their school then they could possibly bridge the cultural gap between them and their students. Educators can learn more about their students culture by asking their students questions and getting to their level in order to gain an understanding of their cultures. Once this is accomplished they will have a better understanding on which teaching strategies to intention with the students. People will often use nonverbal communication through behaviors like facial expressions, body language, gestures, etc.These behaviors are viewed as a sociological exemplar called symbolic interactionism. Children that come from a different culture will more than likely have different ways of communicating nonverbally. For example, in some cultures it is considered to be disrespectful to look someone in the eye when they are talking to you. Most teachers expect you to look at them when they are talking to you so that they can see that you are paying attention and understand. There are certain behaviors that are associated with different cultures that are considered to be appropriate.Although different cultures may share alike(p) goals for children, the methods and practices that are implemented to instill those values in children may differ dramatically. (Bojcyk, 2012, sec. 2. 2) For example, some cultures believe that children should be seen but not heard. Children that come from a culture that believes that may be more withdrawn and quiet in the classroom. Piagets preoperational deliver involves children fro m two years old to seven years old. Children in this stage can mentally represent events and objects and engage in symbolic play.They are only able to focus on one aspect of a task and their thoughts and communications are usually egocentric (Recker, 1999). Children from culturally diverse backgrounds may mentally represent objects and events differently than the other children. It is important for educators to provide children with other views that may conflict with their own in order for them to gain an understanding of others views. Doing this can help them in their development and is an important step in increasing their cognitive development.When educators provide their students with opportunities to work with others, the students will encounter different views of the other students and learn to look at things from someone elses point of view. Although individuals at heart a pluralistic society must learn to accept their own ethnic identity and to become comfortable with it, they must also learn to function effectively within other ethnic cultures and to respond positively to individuals who belong to other ethnic groups.They also need to learn how to interact with members of outside groups and how to resolve conflicts with them. (Banks, 2006) Providing children with activities or assignments that abide them to work together with students from different cultural backgrounds can help in teaching them conflict resolution. At the same time they learn to see things from other points of view and this can help increase their cognitive development and ensure they are successful in school.

The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Two

Meredith held the tire gauge firmly against the valve of her left back tire plot of ground she checked it. The constrict was fine.The pressure on al four tires was fine. The antifreeze, oil, and transmission system fluids were al topped off, the car battery was new, and the jack and spare tire were in perfect shape. She should run through known. Her parents werent the kind to stay home from work to believe her off to col ege. They knew she didnt need coddling, but theyd show their go to sleep by making sure al the preparations were made, that she was safe and perfectly ready for anything that might happen. Of course, they wouldnt secern her that they had checked e genuinelything, either theyd want her to continue protecting herself.There wasnt anything she had to do now except leave.Which was the unitary thing she didnt want to do.Come with me, she said without face up, despising the faint quaver she heard in her own voice. Just for a couple of weeks.You know I cant, Alaric said as he napped his hand lightly over her back. I wouldnt want to leave if I came with you. Itl be better this way. Youl get to enjoy the first weeks of col ege like al the other new students, without anyone holding you back. Then Il accrue up and visit soon. Meredith turned to face him and found Alaric gazing back at her. His mouth tensed, just the tiniest tightening, and she could represent that checking again, after unless a few weeks together, was just as hard for him as it was for her.She leaned in and kissed him softly.Better than if Id gone to Harvard, she murmured.Much underweightr.As the pass had ended, she and Matt had realized they couldnt leave their friends and head off to out-of-state col eges as theyd planned. Theyd al been through so much together, and they wanted to stay together, to protect one another, more than they wanted to go anywhere else.Their home had been nearly destroyed more than once, and only Elenas blackmail of the Celestial Court had restor ed it and saved their families. They couldnt leave.Not while they were the only ones standing against the darkness out there, the darkness that would be drawn forever to the Power of the magical ley lines that crossed the area around Fel s Church. Dalcrest was close enough that theyd be able to come back if danger threatened again.They needed to protect their home.So Stefan had gone down to the administrative offices at Dalcrest and utilise his vampire mojo. Suddenly Matt had the footbal scholarship to Dalcrest hed turned down in favor of Kent State back in the spring, and Meredith was not only expected as an incoming freshman but was housed in a triple in the best dorm on campus with Bonnie and Elena. The supernatural had worked for them, for a change.Stil , shed had to give up a couple of dreams to get here. Harvard. Alaric by her side.Meredith move her head. Those dreams were incompatible, anyway. Alaric couldnt have come to Harvard with her. Alaric was staying here in Fel s C hurch to research the origins of al the supernatural things that had happened over the towns history. Luckily, Duke was letting him count this toward his dissertation on the paranormal.And hed be able to monitor the town for danger at the same time. Theyd have to be apart for now, no matter where Meredith chose to go, but at least Dalcrest was a manageable drive away.Alarics skin had a soft tan, and a scattering of golden freckles crossed his cheekbones. Their faces were so close she could feel the warmth of his breath.Whatre you meaning? His voice was a low murmur.Your freckles, she said. Theyre gorgeous. Then she took a breath and pul ed away. I love you, Meredith said, and then move on before a wave of longing could overwhelm her, I have to go. She picked up one of the suitcases sitting by the car and swung it into the trunk.I love you, too, Alaric said, and caught her hand and held it tightly for a moment, looking into her eyes. Then he let go and put the last suitcase into th e trunk and slammed the lid.Meredith kissed him, quick and hard, and hurried herself into the drivers seat. at a time she was safely seated, belted in, the engine running, she let herself look at him again.Bye, she said through the open window. Il cal you tonight. Every night.Alaric nodded. His eyes were sad, but he smiled and held up a hand in fareWell.Meredith backed out of the driveway careful y. Her hands were at ten and two, and she kept her eyes on the road and her breathing steady. Without fifty-fifty looking, she knew Alaric was standing in the driveway, watching her car drive out of sight. She pressed her lips together firmly. She was a Sulez. She was a vampire hunter, a star student, and completely intelligent in al situations.She didnt need to cry after al , she would see Alaric again. Soon. In the meantime, she would be a true Sulez ready for anything.Dalcrest was beautiful, Elena thought. Shed been here before, of course. She, Bonnie, and Meredith had driven al the w ay up for a frat party junior year, when Meredith had been dating a col ege boy. And she dimly remembered her parents bringing her for an alumni family event, back when she was little.But now that she was part of the school, now that it would be her home for the next four years, everything looked different.Pretty swanky, Damon commented as the car swept between the great gilded gates at the schools ingress and drove on past buildings of faux Georgian brick and neoclassical marble. For America, that is. Well, we cant al grow up in Italian palaces, Elena answered absently, very conscious of the light pressure of his thigh alongside hers. She was sitting in the front of the truck between Stefan and Damon, and there wasnt a lot of room. Having both of them so close was awful y distracting.Damon rol ed his eyes and drawled to Stefan, Well, if you have to play human and attend school again, little brother, at least you didnt choose too hideous a spot. And, of course, the accompany wil stupefy up for every inconvenience, he added gal antly with a glance at Elena.But I stil think that its a waste of time.And yet, here you are, Elena said.Im only here to keep you out of trouble, Damon retorted.Youl have to excuse Damon, Stefan said to Elena lightly. He doesnt understand. He was thrown out of university back in the old days.Damon laughed. But I had great fun while I was there, he said. There were al kinds of pleasures a man of means could have at university. I imagine things have changed a bit, though.They were needling each other, Elena knew, but there wasnt that hard, bitter edge to their sparring that used to be there. Damon was smiling over her head at Stefan with a dry affection, and Stefans fingers were loose and relaxed on the steering wheel.She put a hand on Stefans knee and squeezed.Damon tensed next to her, but when she glanced over at him, he was gazing leading through the windshield, his face neutral. Elena took her hand off Stefans knee. The last thing she wanted to do was disturb the delicate balance between the three of them.Here we are, Stefan said, pul ing up to an ivy-covered building. Pruitt House.The dorm loomed above them, a tal brick building with a turret on one side, windows glittering in the afternoon sun.Its supposed to be the decorousst dorm on campus, Elena said.Damon opened his door and hopped out, then turned to give Stefan a long look. The best dorm on campus, is it?Have you been using your powers of persuasion for personal gain, young Stefan? He shook his head. Your morals are disintegrating.Stefan got out on his own side and turned to give Elena a courteous hand down. Its thinkable youre final y rubbing off on me, he said to Damon, his lips twitching slightly with amusement. Im in the turret in a single. Theres a balcony.How nice for you, Damon said, his eyes moving quickly between them. This is a dormitory for both boys and girls, then? The sins of the modern world. His face was thoughtful for a moment then he gave a bril iant smile and began to pul luggage out of the back.He had seemed almost lonely to Elena for that second which was ridiculous, Damon was never lonely but that fleeting impression was enough to instal her say impetuously, You could come to school with us, Damon. Its not too late, not if you used your Power to enrol . You could live on campus with us.She felt Stefan freeze. Then he took a slow breath and slid up next to Damon, reaching for a stack of boxes. You could, he said casual y. It might be more fun than you think to try school again, Damon.Damon shook his head, scoffing, No, thank you. I parted ways with academia several centuries ago. Il be much happier in my new apartment in town, where I can keep an eye on you without having to slum with students. He and Stefan smiled at each other with what looked like perfect understanding.Right, Elena thought, with a curious kind of relief and disappointment. She hadnt seen the new apartment yet, but Stefan had assure d her that Damon would be, as usual, living in the lap of luxury, at least so far as the circumferent town could offer.Come along, kiddies, Damon said, picking up several suitcases effortlessly and heading into the dorm. Stefan hoisted his tower of boxes and fol owed him.Elena grabbed a box of her own and came after them, admiring their natural grace, their elegant strength. As they passed a few open doors, she heard a girl mock wolf-whistle, then giggle breathlessly with her roommate.A box tipped from Stefans enormous set as he started up the staircase, and Damon caught it easily despite the suitcases. Stefan gave him a casual nod of thanks.Theyd spent centuries as enemies. Theyd killed each other, once. Hundreds of years of hating each other, bound together by misery, jealousy, and sorrow. Katherine had done that to them, trying to have them both when they each wanted only her.Everything was different now. Theyd come so far. Since Damon had died and come back, since they had bat tled and defeated the jealousy phantom, theyd come to be partners. There was an unspoken acknowledgment that they would work together to protect a little group of humans.More than that, there was a cautious, but very real, affection between them. They relied on each other theyd be sorry to lose each other again. They didnt talk about it, but she knew it was true.Elena squeezed her eyes take out for just a second. She knew they both loved her. They both knew that she loved them. Even though, her mind corrected conscientiously, Stefan is my true love. But something else in her, that imaginary panther, stretched and smiled. But Damon, my DamonShe shook her head. She couldnt break them apart, couldnt let them fight over her. She wouldnt do what Katherine had done. If the time came for her to choose, she would choose Stefan. Of course.Would you? the panther purred lazily, and Elena tried to push the thought away.Everything could fal apart so easily. And it was up to her to make sure tha t never happened again.

Greggs plc Essay

1.0 Executive SummaryGreggs plc stand for to stretch out their trading trading trading trading operations into inter bailiwick food securities industry slurs in order to satisfy their on the whole oerriding objective to be atomic number 63s No. 1 Bakery.Germany has been selected as the entertain sur subject area and justification for this decision has been discussed.Moreover, Greggs allow for enter the German Bakery commercialiseplace through the involution of a contradictory Direct enthronization manner, more specifically a Sales and Production Subsidiary.This report dodges the blend of marketing liquify components used to position the offer the implementation method choose to ensure effective harvesting and return delivery and the get wind mechanisms utilised to organize sure that objectives be accomplishd.2.0 IntroductionGreggs is the catamenialy the leading UK retailer in the bakehouse market having experienced risque levels of ontogenesis in 2 002. The company achieved revenues of 422.6 m unfortunateion, an increase of 11.9% on the previous fiscal. Its operating profit also witnessed an increase of 11.8% to 35.3 million in 2002. Their popularity has rapidly increased as consumers atomic number 18 seeking quick, convenient and indulgent foods to complement their fast-paced lifestyles .Greggs is actively expanding their operations and puddle over 1,200 retail outlets under the Greggs and Bakers Oven brands . They entered into the international arena in 2003 with the opening of two outlets in Belgium. This strategy was prosecute in order to fulfil the companys long-term objective of becoming a drawing card in the atomic number 63an market place.Further international expansion will so satisfy their current objectives and enhance their presence in the European bakery market.2.1 Report ObjectivesTo justify market choiceTo compact internal and environmental analysis for the home and host countryTo lay the most appropriate inappropriate entre strategyTo tailor a services marketing mix to requirements of the host marketTo designate methods of implementation to allow successful market penetrationTo monitor the progress of this venture through the employment of control mechanisms3.0 Mission statementWe intend to be Europes finest bakery-related retailer, achieving our ambitious growth targets by attaining world-class standards in everything we do. Our purpose is the growth and ascendment of a thriving argument for the welfare and enjoyment of employees, nodes and roleholders alike.3.1 ValuesGreggs is a customer- reduceed business, seeking to provide excellent products and services that deliver enjoyment and value-for-money. We are committed to people development, within a considerate culture that combines autonomy and accountability and books a strong focus on profitability. In all our activities, we aim to achieve excellence through continuous improvement.4.0 merchandise ChoiceCannon and Wi llis propose a method of simple elimination to identify a possible host market. This method of market choice ensures that the remaining country satisfies all main criteria highlighted by theorganisation. The draw below shows a systematic approach to finding a suitable market for Greggs expansion. Industrial, sparing and cultural factors will be integrated into the selection process as these are central to Greggs operations in addition to their main aim To be the no.1 bakery retailer in Europe.Parallel to their objectives, all non-EU countries will be blockd from the selection process. Greggs second priority is to enter markets which display fast growth in bakery markets. The countries with the highest levels of category growth are shown belowFigure ACountry Cakes and Pastries Market % stratum Growth 1995 1999Portugal 4.60%Germany 3.70%France 3.60%Spain 1.80%Denmark 1.80%Using this table, Greggs may eliminate Denmark and Spain from their market choice selection process.Psycho logical distance surrounded by the home and host country tail also determine the success of international activities and thus have been incorporated into the process.The French have a wide selection of elaborate, exquisite and gourmet dishes. This contradicts the typical product bid offered by Greggs. Although Greggs could consider a focused differentiation strategy targeting nichemarkets, the abundance of specializer bakery retailers would suggestively make the French bakery market difficult to penetrate effectively and therefore exclude it from further scrutiny.Portuguese market trends highlight an increasing demand for wholesome, family products .In contrast to the latter, Greggs offer an on the move food proposition which is typically consumed individually rather than in a family environment. Suggestively the Portuguese are reluctant to embrace freshly food offerings as research illustrates a strong preference for tralatitious cuisine served in traditional restaurant sett ings . Moreover the market is dominated by both high street retailers such as Podaria Popular and industrial manufacturers thus implying high barriers to penetration are high.Having adopted this process of elimination, Germany appears to be the prevailing market choice.Despite the high labour be, long vacation measure and slow economic growth , Germanys overall economic performance is the 3rd largest in Europe and consequently presents itself as an attractive market choice for Greggs.Products with a convenience character are continue to prove popular in the German bakery market, ranging from ready to eat and impulse products to in breed bakery products . Furthermore, crosswise the bakery market, international bakery specialties such as croissants, ciabattas and baguettes are rising in popularity, a reflection of higher consumer demand for more non-traditional or novel products . This market therefore presents itself as an ideal location for Greggs to expand their international operations. Greggs will pursue a concentration technique with call for to country and customer target group. A company may concentrate its efforts by entering countries that are extremely similar in terms of market characteristics and infrastructure to the domestic market . This will alter Greggs to minimise bourgeon a chance and benefit from cultural fit. Moreover, as in the UK they will concentrate efforts on a focused target audience.5.0 interior and Environmental outline5.1 Internal epitome5.1.1 StrengthsInternal strengths need to be assessed to identify assets, capabilities and core competencies that are transferable to the host country.Greggs is a well recognised bakery retail brand in the UK which aims to create a single and cohesive Greggs brand nationwide . This is being kill using a coherent and consistent promotion of the companys proposition and brand across the country.Greggs have sustained a strong cash flow which allows them to invest money in maintaining i n their retail outlets, bakeries and brand. Key investments include significant funds spent on production facilities to support the growth of retail operations.Greggs actively seek to position their stores in prominent locations relative to distri barelyion channels and customer access. Greggs stores are typically located in busy and heavily populated towns where their fast and convenient proposition is ideal. In response to the 6.4% increase in demand for takeaway foods , Greggs is adapting their servicescape to cater for these increment needs.5.1.2 Corporate nuanceGreggs operates in a insecurity taking corporate culture which allows them to be innovative and responsive to market changes. They believe in providing high customer service aiming to retain customers by inducing loyalty and trust. They place great emphasis on motivating and empowering employees as they believe that continued growth of the business is a reflection of the workforce . These competencies are transferable and of equal value to theGerman marketplace.Greggs are actively expanding their operations internationally in order to spread risk, increase international brand awareness of their product portfolio and sweat fast growing new markets.5.1.3 Value ChainGreggs UK have let ond a Value Chain compendium which is an analytical tool that describes all activities that make up the economic performance and capabilities of the firm . This can be used by Greggs to exhibit core competences that can be exploited in the host market .5.2 Environmental AnalysisThe environmental analysis aims to identify the current situation of the German bakery market using relevant tools of analysis and international research methods. A PEST analysis has been used to identify influential factors for Greggs in Germany as discussed.5.2.1 International Marketing ResearchMarketing research refers to gathering, analysing and presenting information .It is the neglect of knowledge on hostile markets that is one of t he major barriers an international marketing manager must drown . It is therefore imperative that Greggs formulate an effective market research strategy as the first bar in overcoming this barrier. In this case, international marketing research was carried out for the purpose of reducing capability risk and providing us with a final systematic and objective approach for our proposition.Primary research has non been undertaken referable to the limitations of this report. However, if Greggs were to implement this internationalisationproposal, primary research would be an imperative tool when considering market choice. These could include soft methods such as interviews and observation. Secondary forms of research carried out have included Government reports, Internet sources and textbook literature, and further strengthened by journal articles. This variety of data collection methods helps to provide a well-off analysis from numerous sources as a foundation for decision-making .From this research the following factors have been taken into favor when considering Germany.5.2.2 Social & Economic EnvironmentSocial factors, as outlined in the PEST analysis outline the increasing trend towards on the go consumption. This reflects the busy lifestyle of the working population in Berlin consequently the choice of location. The economic factor of high disposable income also provides an attractive reason for Germany as consumer disbursement is high.5.2.3 Prospective Country CultureGreggs may use the Hofstede model to identify persuasive fundamental differences of national cultures and thereby assess their cultural fit. harmonise to Hofstede, the way people in different countries perceive and give their world varies along four dimensions power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism and masculinity .The German culture is a low context and explicit, perhaps ever more so than the British. Moreover, the German national mentality is of a comparatively high l evel of uncertainty avoidance. The Germans do not like a sense of insecurity which makes them feel uneasy in business. (Germans work with) hard facts, and sound arguments . There are therefore lithesome cultural differences that the UK management team will have to consider upon entering the German market.5.2.4 Market ambitionCompetition in the German market is a key variable of Greggs success.Figure B- Competitor AnalysisGermany cakes and pastries market share (% value) by companyManufacturer 2000 2001Bahlsen 11.2 9.1Lady Cake-Feine Kuchen 8.0 6.9Dahli Kuchen 7.4 7.2Grossbckerei Wendeln 7.0 7.0Dan Cake 3.2 3.4Kuchenmeister 7.8 11.3ABK 9.0 8.6Private Label 15.1 16.5 otherwise 31.3 30.0Total 100 100It is therefore important to identify, analyse and monitor competitive movement. Figure B illustrates the potential competition in the German bakery market in accordance to market share5.2.5 Geographical ClimateGreggs sales are affected sole(prenominal) by climatic extremes very anxio us weather can depress demand for bakery products, and prolonged rain or snow can make people reluctant to go out and make their usual daily purchases . This pattern is reverberate in Germany and therefore fluctuations in sales must be accounted for.5.2.6 The German MarketThe use of the Porters 5 Forces model has recognized the attractiveness of the German bakery market through the identification of barriers to unveiling and potential substitutes .6.0 International Marketing ObjectivesIn light of the organisations resources and competencies, the following objectives have been established6.1 Short Term Objectiveslend oneself promotional mechanisms to encourage trial and to inspire customer loyalty to the brandBy fulfilling this objective, Greggs will be working toward securing a loyal customer base thereby defending themselves, to a large extent, from competitors. lot quarterly pricing reviews to ensure that prices remain competitive with rivalsBy ensuring competitive prices, Greg gs reinforce their commitment to offering value for money as highlighted in their mission statement.To ensure all employees receive high standards of tuition that is reflected in high quality service to the consumerGreggs corporate strategy highlights the importance of a fun and accessory working environment. They promote themselves as being a great place to work and encourage individual(prenominal) development. This in turn reflects on their high quality service offered to the end consumer.6.2 Long Term ObjectivesTo continually monitor, anticipate and challenge competitor movements in the bakery market.This will allow Greggs to remain innovative and develop new and adapted recipes in response to market changes and consumer needs.To strengthen and build upon our place market to achieve 4% position by 2010.This will be achieved through core growth and introduction of new outlets . It will modify Greggs to be a proficient player in the German Bakery market (see Figure B)To broade n the Greggs product portfolio by 5% year on year.This will permit Greggs to expand their operations, in line with their growth ideals, and additionally offer a larger product range to ever-evolving consumer needs.To fix a further 6 stores in Germany by 2010 thus expanding scope and influence.This will facilitate Greggs seek towards achieving their main aim To be Europes finest bakery-related retailer.Increase awareness of the Greggs brand in the German bakery marketBy attaining brand awareness, Greggs will able to insulate themselves, to anextent, from the wrath of competition. The German bakery market is largely fragmented thus making it an attractive market for potential new entrants.7.0 Foreign Market Entry StrategyFirms deciding to enter a foreign market face a critical decision in choosing the best market entry mode to service the market. This decision is important because it can have an ongoing impact on a firms international business performance .Root (1994) suggests thre e different rules Nave rules, Pragmatic rules and Strategy rules. However as a result of the increasingly heterogeneous nature of the international market, it is important that Greggs do not generalise their approach, but adapt each entry mode according to the host market. The mode selected in Belgium therefore, may not be entirely applicable to Germany. Based on this rationale, Greggs will be employing Strategy rules which is when all entry modes are compared and evaluated before a choice is do .Moreover, according to Hollensen (2001) some firms have discovered that an ill judged market entry selection in the initial stages in the firms internationalisation can threaten the firms forthcoming market entry and expansion activities , hence illustrating its importance to Greggs plc.Greggs will need to consider the main groups of entry mode influencers prior to choice in order to identify the most appropriate and profitable mode.1) Internal FactorsAccording to the Companys Act (1985), firms with over 5.75 million in turnover and over 250 employee are classified as large. Greggs more than qualifies this with a turnover of 422.6 million and employment of 17600 people in 2003. This provides them with an suitable resource capability to open up a sales and production subsidiary in Germany.Moreover, in developing their theory of internationalization, Johanson and Vahlne 1977 assert that uncertainty in international markets is reduced through actual operations in foreign markets (experiential knowledge) rather than through the acquisition of objective knowledge . Greggs have already ventured into Antwerp and Leuven in Belgium hence increasing their experiential knowledge and expertise.Greggs produce is fresh and baked goods. In order to maintain this stance, the only feasible option would be to produce, as well as deceive in the host country. Additionally, because Greggs will promote themselves as a British company, they will be communicating a finish up differentia l and competitive advantage.2) External FactorsBoth the UK and Germany are members of the European community thereby reducing their Socio-Cultural distance. This law of proximity between countries will therefore favour ranked modes of entry.Due to the proximity between countries perceived risk is reduced. Companies are therefore less reluctant to pursue more involving modes of entry.It has been stated that the size of the host country is an important attraction to foreign direct investment as large and growing markets will make management more likely to commit resources to the development of a wholly owned subsidiary . With a population in excess of 825 Million people in 2002 Germany is evidently a large and growing market making it an ideally suited to a FDI mode of entry. Moreover, the German bakery market is highly fragmented which reduces barriers to entry in the form of dominant competitors.All other variables being equal, the higher the strong suit of competition, the more likely a firm is to select an export mode of entry. The German cakes and pastries market is made up of several small players each of which occupy small proportions of the marketplace . This presents itself as an idealproposition to Greggs who will be able to establish themselves without dominant opposition.3) Desired Mode CharacteristicsThe choice of mode of entry will also depend on the attitudes of the decision maker. Although it is difficult to determine how pro-risk or risk opposed Greggs Managing Director Sir Mike Darrington is, one may assume from their hierarchical entrance into Belgium that a high risk, expansionist strategy has been adopted and will be pursued.The degree of control that management desire over operations will help establish which mode of entry to employ. Hierarchical modes allow high levels of control over operations ensuring that the latter are carried out to Greggs specification.All else being equal, the greater the resource investment, the lower the tr actableness of the business. Consequently, if Greggs pursue a hierarchical mode of entry, they will have to consider their potential limited flexibility.The supra suggests that Greggs would benefit from a hierarchical mode of entry as it satisfies all criteria for the latter. This is where the firm completely owns and controls the foreign entry mode.However, regardless of the apparent control over operations specified by this mode, the degree of control that head office can exert over the subsidiary depends on how many and which value orbit functions can be transferred to the market.Having reviewed all alternatives, its was decided that a Sales and Production subsidiary will be introduced in Germany leaving the Research and Development and Marketing activities to be conducted at home in the UK.According to Hollensen (2001) , having selected this mode of entry, Greggswill benefit from having full control over the whole operation. Moreover, Greggs has long term market potential in Ge rmany and therefore the ownership of a sales and production subsidiary will enable Greggs to build a strong international presence over a long period of time. This method also eliminates the possibility that a national partner gets a free ride and allows Greggs to gain market knowledge directly.A sales and production subsidiary will facilitate rapid entry to the German market allowing quick access to its distribution channels. Plus, no transportation costs will be incurred as raw materials will be purchased in the host country.In addition to those proposed by Hollensen, Greggs may benefit from being able to adapt the ingredients used to German tastes. They can additionally tailor the servicescape to German preferences. Greggs produce is non-durable and therefore it would be inappropriate to needs to be produced and sold quickly as it is predominantly sell fresh food.Retaining R&D and Marketing operations at home will reduce costs and risk. Having established themselves in the German market, Greggs may consider transferring these operations over in the future. Moreover, employing a hierarchical mode will enable Greggs to exploit new market opportunities as soon as they beat with minimal delay. In line with the latter, Abell (1978) concept of a strategic window states that there are only limited periods during which the fit between the requirements of the market and capabilities of the firm are at an optimum . Investment should therefore be timed accordingly.Although, this method will require a great deal of investment in terms of time, money and commitment, research has shown that the profit returns generated by foreign direct investment modes are normally greater than those generated by exporting .According to the Uppsala Internationalisation Model, companies begin their internationalisation process a) by abject into relatively close marketsfirst then more distant ones and b) companies entered new markets through exporting. Although at face value it appears that Greggs strategy contradicts the assumptions of model, it does however highlight the following exception Firms that have larger resources can take larger steps with fewer consequences. Arguably Greggs fall under this category.This model also suggests that firms start by entering markets which are nearer in terms of psychic distance hence reducing uncertainty. Germany is considered relatively near and despite language barriers, the German culture is similar to that of the UK as highlighted in the Environmental Analysis section of this report.