International Markets Essay Example for Free

International Markets Essay Once SAB Miller has decided to establish itself in the global market, it becomes necessary for the marketing manager to study and analyze the various options available to enter the international markets and select the most suitable one. The selection of the entry mode is one of the most significant decisions.SAB Miller takes in the process of internationalization, as it involves commitment of resources with long-term financial and structural implications. Mode of entry may be defined as an institutional mechanism by which a firm makes its products or services available to consumer in international markets. Root (1994) defines the market entry for international markets as a comprehensive plan which sets forth the objectives,goals,resources,and policies that guide a company’s international business operations over a future period long enough to achieve sustainable growth in world markets. FACTORS AFFECTING THE SELECTION OF ENTRY MODE EXTERNAL MODES MARKET SIZE:Market size is one of the key factors an international marketer has to develop to keep in mind when selecting an entry strategy.Countries with a large market size justify the modes of entry with investment,such as wholly owned subsiaries or equity participation. MARKET GROWTH:Most of the large,established markets,such US,Europe and Japan,have more or less reached a point of saturation for consumer goods such as automobiles,consumer electronics.Therefore,the growth of markets in these countries is showing a declining trend.For instance,the overall growth in most of the US and European market is about 7% while emerging markets like India and China is over 30% which indicates tremendous market potential in time to come. Therefore,from the perspective of long-term growth potential such as China,India,Thailand,Indonesia etc.These markets are also termed emerging markets. GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS:The selection of market entry modes to a great extent affected by the legislative framework of the overseas market,the government of most of the Gulf countries have made it mandatory for foreign firms to have local partner.For instance,the UAE is a lucrative market for Indian firms but most firms operate there with a local partner. Trade barriers such as ecological regulations and local content requirements also affect the mode of entry.It has been a major reason for  increased foreign investment in Mexico,which is a part of the North American Free Agreement(NAFTA),in order to cater to the US market. LEVEL OF COMPETITION:Presence of competitors and their level of involvement in an overseas market is another crucial factor in deciding on an entry mode so as to effectively respond to competitive market force.This is one of the major reasons behind auto companies setting up their operations in India and other emerging markets so as to effectively respond to global competition. INTERNAL MODES COMPANY OBJECTIVES:Companies operating in domestic markets with limited aspirations generally enter foreign markets as a result of a reactive approach to international marketing oppurtunities.In such cases,companies receive unsoliated orders from acquaintances,firms and relatives based abroad,and they attempt to fulfil these export orders.This casual approach to entering international markets by way of producing in the homemarket and exporting overseas translates into regular exporting if the firm has positive experience in its exports operation. AVAILABILTY OF COMPANY RESOURCES:Venturing into international markts needs substantial commitment of financial and human resources and therefore choice of an entry mode depends upon the financial strength of a firm.It may be observed that Indian firms with good financial strength have entered international markets by way of wholly owned subsidiaries or equity participation. LEVEL OF COMMITMENT:In view of the market potential,the willingness of the company to commit resources in a particular market also determines the entry mode choice.Companies need to evaluate various investment alternatives in a particular market also depends upon the way the company is willing to perceive and respond to competitive forces. INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE:A company well exposed to the dynamics of the international marketing environment would be at ease when making a decision regarding entering into international markets with a highly intensive mode of entry such as joint venture and wholly owned subsidiaries. Below are different modes of market entry and they include: EXPORTING Exporting is the simplest method of entering a foreign market.It is the  process of sending goods or services from country to other countries for use or sale there. By exporting to a foreign country,a company is able to enter this country without actually establishing itself in the country.The company must simply manufacture products that can be shipped to the foreign country.Export activities may take several forms,including indirect exporting,direct exporting,and intracorporate transfers. Direct exports represent the most basic mode of exporting, capitalizing on economies of scale in production concentrated in the home country and affording better control over distribution. Direct export works the best if the volumes are small. Types of direct exporting are: Sales representatives that represent foreign suppliers/manufacturers in their local markets for an established commission on sales. Provide support services to a manufacturer regarding local advertising, local sales presentations, customs clearance formalities, legal requirements. Importing distributors purchase product in their own right and resell it in their local markets to wholesalers, retailers, or both. Indirect Exporting Indirect export is the process of exporting through domestically based export intermediaries. Indirect methods of exporting requires less marketing investment, but, as the exporter has no control over its products in the foreign market, the company lose substantial control over the marketing process. Types or methods of indirect exporting are: Filling orders from domestic buyers who then export the product Seeking out domestic buyers who represent foreign customers Exporting through an Export Management Company (EMC) Exporting through an Export Trading Company (ETC) INTRACORPORATE TRANSFERS A third form of export activity is the intracorporate transfer,which has become more important as the sizes of MNCs have increased.An intracorporate transfer is the sale of goods by a firm in one country to an affiliated firm in another. LICENCING License is a contract to identify what is being licensed: trademarks, patents, designs, copyrights or software. Licensing allows rapidly entering into the chosen foreign market and reduces capital requirements to establish manufacturing facilities overseas. Your contract does not violation of the host countrys existing laws and regulations.a licensor in the home country makes limited rights or resources available to the licensee in the host country. The rights or resources may include patents, trademarks, managerial skills, technology, and others that can make it possible for the licensee to manufacture and sell in the host country a similar product to the one the licensor has already been producing and selling in the home country without requiring the licensor to open a new operation overseas. The licensor earnings usually take forms of one time payments, technical fees and royalty payments usually calculated as a percentage of sales. As in this mode of entry the transference of knowledge between the parental company and the licensee is strongly present, the decision of making an international license agreement depend on the respect the host government show for intellectual property and on the ability of the licensor to choose the right partners and avoid them to compete in each other market. Licensing is a relatively flexible work agreement that can be customized to fit the needs and interests of both, licensor and licensee. Franchising The franchising system can be defined as: â€Å"A system in which semi-independent business owners (franchisees) pay fees and royalties to a parent company (franchiser) in return for the right to become identified with its trademark, to sell its products or services, and often to use its business format and system. Compared to licensing, franchising agreements tends to be longer and the franchisor offers a broader package of rights and resources which usually includes: equipment, managerial systems, operation manual, initial trainings, site approval and all the support necessary for the franchisee to run its business in the same way it is done by the franchisor. In addition to that, while a licensing agreement involves things such as intellectual property, trade secrets and others while in franchising it is limited to trademarks and operating know-how of the business. TYPES OF FRANCHISES There are three available types of franchises.The first type is the dealership,a form commonly found in the automobile industry.Here,the manufacturers use franchises to distribute their product lines.These dealership act as the retail stores for the manufacturer.In some distance,they are required to meet quotas established by the manufacturers,but as is the case for any franchise,they benefit from advertising and management support provided by the franchisor.The most common type of franchise is the type that offers a name,image and method of doing business,such as McDonald’s,KFC,Holiday Inn. There are many of these types of franchises,and their listings,with pertinent information can be found in various sources. A third type of franchise offers services.These include personnel agencies,income tax preparation companies and real estate agencies.These franchises have established names and reputation and methods of doing business.In some distances,such as real estate,the franchisee has actually been operating a business and then applies to become a member of the franchise. CONTRACT MANUFACTURING Contract manufacturing refers to a situation where a business will engage the services of an independent party to perform a specified duty for the business. In terms of manufacturing, contract manufacturing refers to a situation where a manufacturer will engage the services of an independent party to perform a specified job. There are various reasons for this type of engagement by manufacturers, all of which involve the maximization of profit. The process of contract manufacturing also has some negative considerations that include the risk of uncertainty and lack of control over the process. WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIRIES Entering a foreign market with a wholly owned subsidiary involves creating a local firm without the aid of a local partner. There are two ways of doing this. The first is through what is called greenfield development. This involves creating a new organization in the foreign country from the ground up. The second method is what is referred to as brownfield development. This involves purchasing an existing company in a foreign country. Brownfield developments can be beneficial because they offer local expertise, but they can be difficult because there may be resistance from those in the company  to new ownership. JOINT VENTURE A market entry option which the exporter and a domestic company in the target country join together to form a new incorporated company. Both parties provide equity and resources to the JV and share in the management, profits and losses. The JV be limited to the life of a particular project. This option is popular in countries where there are restrictions on foreign ownership, eg. China and Vietnam PIGGYBACKING Piggyback marketing – low cost market entry strategy in which two or more firms represent one another’s complementary (but non-competing) products in their respective market. Or, in other words, it is an arrangement, where two or more companies help each other to market their products, where the products have to be complementary and not competing against each other. LEVEL OF INVOLVEMENT IN INTERNATIONAL MARKETS No direct foreign marketing: A company in this stage does not actively cultivate customers outside national boundaries; however this company’s products may reach foreign markets. Sales may be made to trading companies as well as foreign customers who come directly to the firm. Or products may reach foreign markets via domestic wholesalers or distributors who sell abroad without explicit encouragement or even knowledge of the producer. As companies develop web sites on the internet, many receive orders from international Web surfers. Often an unsolicited order from a foreign is what piques the interest of a company to seek additional international sales. Infrequent Foreign marketing: Temporary surpluses caused by variations in production levels or demand may result in infrequent marketing overseas. The surpluses are characterized by their temporary nature; therefore sales to foreign markets are made as goods are available, with little or no intention of maintaining continuous market representation. As domestic demand increases and absorbs surpluses, foreign sales activity is withdrawn. In this stage, little or no change is seen in company organization or product lines. However, few companies today fit this  model because customers around the world increasingly seek long term commercial relationships. Further, evidence exists that financial returns from initial international expansions are limited. Regular Foreign marketing: At this level, the firm has permanent productive capacity devoted to the production of goods to be marketed in foreign markets. A firm may employ foreign or domestic overseas intermediaries or it may have its own sales force or sales subsidiaries in important markets. The primary focus of operations and production is to service domestic market needs. However, as overseas demand grows, production is allocated for foreign markets, and products may be adapted to meet the needs of individual foreign markets. Profit expectations from foreign markets move from being seen as a bonus to regular domestic profits to a position in which the company becomes dependent on foreign sales and profits to meet its goals. International marketing International marketing is the export, franchising, joint venture or full direct entry of a marketing organization into another country. This can be achieved by exporting a companys product into another location, entry through a joint venture with another firm in the target country, or foreign direct investment into the target country. The development of the marketing mix for that country is then required international marketing. It can be as straightforward as using existing marketing strategies, mix and tools for export on the one side, to a highly complex relationship strategy including localization, local product offerings, pricing, production and distribution with customized promotions, offers, website, social media and leadership. Internationalization and international marketing meets the needs of selected foreign countries where a companys value can be exported and there is inter-firm and firm learning, optimization and efficiency in economies of scale and scope. The firm doe s not need to export or enter all world markets to be considered an international marketer. Global Marketing Global marketing is a firms ability to market to almost all countries on the planet. With extensive reach, the need for a firms product or services is  established. The global firm retains the capability, reach, knowledge, staff, skills, insights, and expertise to deliver value to customers worldwide. The firm understands the requirement to service customers locally with global standard solutions or products, and localizes that product as required to maintain an optimal balance of cost, efficiency, customization and localization in a control-customization continuum to best meet local, national and global requirements to position itself against or with competitors, partners, alliances, substitutes and defend against new global and local market entrants per country, region or city. The firm will price its products appropriately worldwide, nationally and locally, and promote, deliver access and information to its customers in the most cost-effective way. The firm also needs to underst and, research, measure and develop loyalty for its brand and global brand equity (stay on brand) for the long term. b)OULINE ADVANTAGES AND DISAVANTAGES OF EACH STRATEGY. Advantages of direct exporting: -Control over selection of foreign markets and choice of foreign representative companies. -Good information feedback from target market. -Better protection of trademarks, patents, goodwill, and other intangible property. Potentially greater sales than with indirect exporting. Disadvantages of direct exporting: Higher start-up costs and higher risks as opposed to indirect exporting; Greater information requirements; Longer time-to-market as opposed to indirect exporting. Advantages of the international franchising mode: -Low political risk -Low cost -Allows simultaneous expansion into different regions of the world -Well selected partners bring financial investment as well as managerial capabilities to the operation. Advantages of indirect exporting -Its an almost risk-free way to begin. -It demands minimal involvement in the export process. -It allows you to continue to concentrate on your domestic business. -You  have limited liability for product marketing problems theres always someone else to point the finger at! -You learn as you go about international marketing. -Depending on the type of intermediary with which you are dealing, you dont have to concern yourself with shipment and other logistics. Disadvantages of indirect exporting: -Your profits are lower. -You lose control over your foreign sales. -You very rarely know who your customers are, and thus lose the opportunity to tailor your offerings to their evolving needs. -When you visit, you are a step removed from the actual transaction. You feel out of the loop. -The intermediary might also be offering products similar to yours, including directly competitive products, to the same customers instead of providing exclusive representation. -Your long-term outlook and goals for your export program can change rapidly, and if youve put your product in someone elses hands, its hard to redirect your efforts accordingly. Advantages of licensing -Obtain extra income for technical know-how and services -Reach new markets not accessible by export from existing facilities -Quickly expand without much risk and large capital investment -Pave the way for future investments in the market -Retain established markets closed by trade restrictions -Political risk is minimized as the licensee is usually 100% locally owned -Is highly attractive for companies that are new in international business. Disadvantages of licensing -Lower income than in other entry modes -Loss of control of the licensee manufacture and marketing operations and practices leading to loss of quality -Risk of having the trademark and reputation ruined by an incompetent partner -The foreign partner can also become a competitor by selling its production in places where the parental company is already in. -investment to attract prospects and support and manage franchisees. Advanatges of Frachising -Franchising provide knowledge of the local markets. A franchise provides franchisees with a certain level of independence where they can operate their business. A franchise provides an established product or service which may already enjoy widespread brand-name recognition. This gives the franchisee the benefits of a pre-sold customer base which would ordinarily takes years to establish. A franchise increases your chances of business success because you are associating with proven products and methods. Franchises may offer consumers the attraction of a certain level of quality and consistency because it is mandated by the franchise agreement. Disadvantages of franchising: -Franchisees may turn into future competitors. -Demand of franchisees may be scarce when starting to franchise a company, which can lead to making agreements with the wrong candidates -A wrong franchisee may ruin the company’s name and reputation in the market -Dependence on franchisee. -Potential conflicts with franchisee. Advantages of Joint Venture: -Accessing additional financial resources Asset sharing is one of the best advantages about joint venture. Since, you are able to use larger funds to facilitate the production and operation of projects and products, you facilitate growth. In other words, you increase profit margin and increase your revenue potential. -Sharing the economic risk with co-venturer It pays to have someone sharing the responsibility with you in case you end up in deep troubles. This is also true with joint venture. Since you are sharing assets, the risk of losing a great deal of money is divided to both parties. -Widening economic scope fast – Building reputation is often difficult, not to mention time consuming and expansive. At a joint venture, you are able to widen your economic scope without spending too much money and waiting for a long time. Tapping newer methods, technology, and approach you do not have – In order to grow and expand, you need resources in the forms of methods, technology, and approach. For that matter, it would help a lot if you will be able to partner with an entity that presently has the things you don’t and the things you need. Joint venture opens up the venue for such need. -Building relationship with vital contacts – Aside from economic territory, another advantage of joint venture is the ability to give you business relationships with vital contacts. This is just like automatically befriending your partners influential friend that can give you access to lots of things such as business opportunities and a pass to vital information. Disadvantages of Joint Venture: -Shared profit – Since you share assets, you also share the profit. The profit of both parties usually depends on the size of the share to the venture or may be defined on the agreement. -Diminished control over some important matters Operational control and decision making are sometimes compromised in joint ventures. Since there is an agreement that divides which one will take over a particular operation, the other may not be satisfied with how the things are worked out with another. This leads us to another disadvantage of a joint venture. -Undesired outcome of the quality of the product or project – Since one party may not have control on the supervision of the production or the execution of one part of the system, this can happen. This often leads to disputes and lawsuits. To avoid this, both parties agree on specific details about the whole operation process. -Uncontrolled or unmonitored increase in the operating cost – Again, defined control over the operation may lead to this disadvantage. It is important therefore to make sure that all things are clarified on the paper before singing in the joint venture agreement. Advantages of contract manufacturing -Low financial risks contract manufacturing allows companies to save costs by manufacturing a particular item at a cheaper rate than what it would cost them If they decided to undertake the manufacturing process themselves. it allows the company doing the outsourcing to shave some time off the whole process, giving them quicker returns and turnovers. Where a company is less effective than another in manufacturing an item, contract manufacturing will allow it to concentrate on that in which it is the most efficient. Disadvantages of contract manufacturing -Reduced learning potential -Potential public relations problems may need to monitor working conditions. -The company doing the outsourcing faces some degree of risk if it fails to do its research properly. This is because outsourcing the manufacturing to the wrong company could end up costing the company more, rather than less, if the outsourced company fails to deliver as expected. Advantages of wholly owned subsidiaries On the positive side, a wholly-owned subsidiary that does its business in a location different from the parent companys is able to remain in its locale. With the business world spanning so many countries, this can serve as a great advantage in international situations. Name recognition is another positive reason for maintaining a wholly-owned subsidiary. If a particular brand name is well known and popular, the parent company has no reason to absorb the subsidiary entirely. Wholly-owned status allows the subsidiary to retain its name brand, thus avoiding hindering its sales. Diversity for the parent company is another perk created by maintaining a wholly-owned subsidiary. This status allows the parent company to branch out into different products and markets, building strength in diversification. Disadvantages of wholly owned subsidiaries a wholly-owned subsidiary are more business oriented. The holding company runs a definite risk in assuming control of another company while allowing its management to continue to operate independently of the parent companys. The level of investment and allocation of funds and resources required is also very high. A parent company must spend a great deal of time and money to smoothly integrate the new subsidiary.All of these factors require commitment and dedication on the part of the holding company and willingness to form that partnership on the part of the subsidiary. Advantages of piggybacking reduced financial costs limited risk quick, easy access to the market. Generally, the supported company can make immediate profits on the new market. The SME can, thus save time (3-5 years), compared to the normal length of time necessary to establish itself ; reduced logistical and administrative operations ; benefit of the brand image that the supporting company brings to its products ; immediate availability of a sales force structure ; excellent market knowledge of the supporting company. Disadvantages of piggybacking weak motivation of large companies to become supporters ; difficulty in finding partners offering a compatible product and distribution network ; risk of market loss, which can be reduced due to the complementarity of the product, and commercial follow-up between the partners ; occasional difficult relations because of differences in size or culture ; risk of lack of mutual confidence and of lack of involvement ; risk of conflict of interest (e.g. local agents could systematically put the interests of the supporting company before those of the supported company) ; occasional very rigid requirements and conditions of access to the commercial networks of large companies. These conditions can be qualitative (e.g.: product quality) and quantitative (minimum level of annual turnover, high commissions, etc.). Macro Environmental Influences That Can Affect SAB Millers SABMillers origins date back to the foundation of Castle Breweries in 1895 as to serve a growing market of miners and prospectors in and around Johannesburg, South Africa. Two years later, it became the first industrial company to list on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and the year after (1898) it listed on the London Stock Exchange. From the early 1990s onwards, the company increasingly expanded internationally, making several acquisitions in both emerging and developed markets. In 1999, it formed a new UK-based holding company, SAB plc, and moved its primary listing to London. In May 2002, SAB plc acquired Miller Brewing, forming SABMiller plc. It is very important that SAB Miller considers its environment before going into international the market. In fact, environmental analysis should be continuous and feed all aspects of their planning to go international The macro-environment refers to the major external and uncontrollable factors that influence an organizations decision making, and affect its performance and strategies. These factors include the Political (and legal) forces, Economic forces, Sociocultural forces, and Technological forces. These are known as the PEST factors. PEST Analysis Political Factors: The political environment revolves around the current government in a particular country in which SAB Miller manufactures or trades, and also laws/legislation operate or within their home market as well as overseas. If their government is socialist then perhaps there is a policy to tax more and to invest in the public sector. On the other hand if SAB Millers have a more conservative or Republican government then the free-market is left to take control, taxation is less and there is often a smaller public sector. The political arena has a huge influence upon the regulation of the business, and the spending power of consumers and other businesses. SAB Miller must consider issues like: †¢How stable is the political environment in that country? †¢Will government policy of that country influence laws that regulate or tax SAB Miller? †¢What is the governments position on marketing ethics? †¢What is the governments policy on the economy? †¢Does the government have a view on culture and religion? †¢Is the government involved in trading agreements such as EU, NAFTA, ASEAN, or others? Economic Factors The economic environment is a direct influence on all businesses. Obviously if you are studying marketing there is a huge element of economics within the topic itself, and you should be no stranger to the principles of economics. As we saw from our lesson on the marketing environment there is a macro environment, and internal environment and the microenvironment. More specifically youll be at looking elements such as where a business is in terms of the current business cycle, and whether or not they are trading in a recession. SAB Millers marketers need to consider the state of a trading economy in the short and long-terms. This is especially true when planning for international marketing. You need to look at: 1. Interest rates. 2. The level of inflation Employment level per capita. 3. Long-term prospects for the economy Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, and so on. Sociocultural Factors The Sociocultural environment embodies everything which is social and cultural within a nation or society. There are plenty of examples of society and culture on the marketing teacher website, so we recommend that you go to our lesson store and look through some of the consumer behaviour pages. Some notable examples would include the influence of learning, memory, emotion and perception, motivation, lifestyle and attitude and consumer culture. Have a look at the six living generations in America, social environment and class, the impact of your birth order on how you behave as a consumer and take a look at the eight types of online shoppers. In a more general sense consider influences such as the increase in life expectation of Western consumers, and demographics which is the study of populations. The social and cultural influences on business vary from country to country. It is very important that such factors are considered. Factors include: 1. What is the dominant religion? 2. What are attitudes to foreign products and services? 3. Does language impact upon the diffusion of products onto markets? 4. How much time do consumers have for leisure? 5. What are the roles of men and women within society? 6. How long are the population living? Are the older generations wealthy? 7. Do the population have a strong/weak opinion on green issues? Technological Factors Technological factors are a multifaceted influencer. Lets just think about the sorts of technology that you come in touch with almost daily. Smart phones such as Android and iphone are now common – all – garden, and we are used to being able to access information and communication technology instantly no matter where we are. During studies or at work we have access to information on quick PCs and over the Internet, with faster broadband connections arriving in many parts of the world. Technology also surrounds business processes. As we saw from our lesson on the functions within an organisation all departments use information technology or technology in one form or another. Our manufacturing operations will use technology to produce goods and services. Our logistics and warehousing functions use forklifts and Lorries as well as order tracking technology and software. The customer service department will use communication technology to talk to customers but will also have access to internal systems, such as technology to simplify credit control and stock control for example. There are many, many more examples of technology. Technology is vital for competitive advantage, and is a major driver of globalization. Consider the following points: 1. Does technology allow for products and services to be made more cheaply and to a better standard of quality? 2. Do the technologies offer consumers and businesses more innovative products and services such as Internet banking, new generation mobile telephones, etc? 3. How is distribution changed by new technologies e.g. books via the Internet, flight tickets, auctions, etc? 4. Does technology offer companies a new way to communicate with consumers e.g. banners, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), etc?

Lao Yzu :: essays research papers

Lao Tzsu â€Å"Tao Te Ching† Discussion Questions 1. What is the most valuable way to live? Discuss the two examples of this idea.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The most valuable way to live is to live passively. An example of this idea includes being able to ride roughshod over the hardest in the world means one can lasts longer in this competitive world by being passive. And only a few in the world means that not too many realize the way of life is to live passively. 2. Discuss the first three questions in this poem. What is â€Å"that’ in line 7?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first three questions in this poem asks the reader to reflect. That in line 7 can mean the word because. That can also represent the many complexities in life due to value. 3. What is contentment according to this poet? Of what value is this state of mind?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to this poet contentment comes but not holding grudge because it states that excessive meanness is sure to lead to great expense. It tells one to let go because being angry and having things bottled up can only hurt oneself. 4. â€Å"Highest good† or â€Å"the way† indicates a state of perfection in life. What does this poem recommend as a way to approach life?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The poem recommends one to approach life like water because water is an indispensable element that has no conflict in any positions. It is able to adapt and go in area and position that is ideal. 5. What is the author’s point about materialism and excesses? What is his recommendation to the reader about the way to live?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the author’s point about materialism and excesses is not to be greedy. There is no point to be greedy because one can loses as much as it makes and no one can use possess of its wealth after death. The key is to have just enough because wealth can create problem. His recommendation to life is do what you have to do. 6. What paradox is presented in this poem?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The paradox presented in tis poem is that a seemingly weak object water can be as strong as anything. The weak can overcomes the strong and the submissive can overcomes the hard. 7. Which personal qualities are valuable in rulers, according to the poet?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to the poet valuable qualities in rulers should be the ability to admit and held responsible for the wrongs done in its empire.

The Host Chapter 24: Tolerated

It was true that I did not smell good. I'd lost count of how many days I'd spent here-was it more than a week now? more than two?-and all of them sweating into the same clothes I'd worn on my disastrous desert trek. So much salt had dried into my cotton shirt that it was creased into rigid accordion wrinkles. It used to be pale yellow; now it was a splotchy, diseased-looking print in the same dark purple color as the cave floor. My short hair was crunchy and gritty; I could feel it standing out in wild tangles around my head, with a stiff crest on top, like a cockatoo's. I hadn't seen my face recently, but I imagined it in two shades of purple: cave-dirt purple and healing-bruise purple. So I could understand Jeb's point-yes, I needed a bath. And a change of clothes as well, to make the bath worth the effort. Jeb offered me some of Jamie's clothes to wear while mine dried, but I didn't want to ruin Jamie's few things by stretching them. Thankfully, he didn't try to offer me anything of Jared's. I ended up with an old but clean flannel shirt of Jeb's that had the sleeves ripped off, and a pair of faded, holey cutoff sweatpants that had gone unclaimed for months. These were draped over my arm-and a bumpy mound of vile-smelling, loosely molded chunks that Jeb claimed was homemade cactus soap was in my hand-as I followed Jeb to the room with the two rivers. Again we were not alone, and again I was miserably disappointed that this was the case. Three men and one woman-the salt-and-pepper braid-were filling buckets with water from the smaller stream. A loud splashing and laughing echoed from the bathing room. â€Å"We'll just wait our turn,† Jeb told me. He leaned against the wall. I stood stiffly beside him, uncomfortably conscious of the four pairs of eyes on me, though I kept my own on the dark hot spring rushing by underneath the porous floor. After a short wait, three women exited the bathing room, their wet hair dripping down the backs of their shirts-the athletic caramel-skinned woman, a young blonde I didn't remember seeing before, and Melanie's cousin Sharon. Their laughter stopped abruptly as soon as they caught sight of us. â€Å"Afternoon, ladies,† Jeb said, touching his forehead as if it were the brim of a hat. â€Å"Jeb,† the caramel woman acknowledged dryly. Sharon and the other girl ignored us. â€Å"Okay, Wanda,† he said when they'd passed. â€Å"It's all yours.† I gave him a glum look, then made my way carefully into the black room. I tried to remember how the floor went-I was sure I had a few feet before the edge of the water. I took off my shoes first, so that I could feel for the water with my toes. It was just so dark. I remembered the inky appearance of the pool-ripe with suggestions of what might lurk beneath its opaque surface-and shuddered. But the longer I waited, the longer I would have to be here, so I put the clean clothes next to my shoes, kept the smelly soap, and shuffled forward carefully until I found the lip of the pool. The water was cool compared to the steamy air of the outer cavern. It felt nice. That didn't keep me from being terrified, but I could still appreciate the sensation. It had been a long time since anything had been cool. Still fully dressed in my dirty clothes, I waded in waist deep. I could feel the stream's current swirl around my ankles, hugging the rock. I was glad the water was not stagnant-it would be upsetting to sully it, filthy as I was, if that were the case. I crouched down into the ink until I was immersed to my shoulders. I ran the coarse soap over my clothes, thinking this would be the easiest way to make sure they were clean. Where the soap touched my skin, it burned mildly. I took off the soapy clothes and scrubbed them under the water. Then I rinsed them again and again until there was no way any of my sweat or tears could have survived, wrung them out, and laid them on the floor beside where I thought my shoes were. The soap burned more strongly against my bare skin, but the sting was bearable because it meant I could be clean again. When I was done lathering, my skin prickled everywhere and my scalp felt scalded. It seemed as if the places where the bruises had formed were more sensitive than the rest of me-they must still have been there. I was happy to put the acidic soap on the rock floor and rinse my body again and again, the way I had my clothes. It was with a strange mingling of relief and regret that I sloshed my way out of the pool. The water was very pleasant, as was the feeling of clean, if prickling, skin. But I'd had quite enough of the blindness and the things I could imagine into the darkness. I felt around until I found the dry clothes, then I pulled them quickly on and shoved my water-wrinkled feet into my shoes. I carried my wet clothes in one hand and the soap gingerly between two fingers of the other. Jeb laughed when I emerged; his eyes were on the soap in my cautious grasp. â€Å"Smarts a bit, don't it? We're trying to fix that.† He held out his hand, protected by the tail of his shirt, and I placed the soap in it. I didn't answer his question because we weren't alone; there was a line waiting silently behind him-five people, all of them from the field turning. Ian was first in line. â€Å"You look better,† he told me, but I couldn't tell from his tone if he was surprised or annoyed that I did. He raised one arm, extending his long, pale fingers toward my neck. I flinched away, and he dropped his hand quickly. â€Å"Sorry about that,† he muttered. Did he mean for scaring me now or for marking up my neck in the first place? I couldn't imagine that he was apologizing for trying to kill me. Surely he still wanted me dead. But I wasn't going to ask. I started walking, and Jeb fell into step behind me. â€Å"So, today wasn't that bad,† Jeb said as we walked through the dark corridor. â€Å"Not that bad,† I murmured. After all, I hadn't been murdered. That was always a plus. â€Å"Tomorrow will be even better,† he promised. â€Å"I always enjoy planting-seeing the miracle of the little dead-looking seeds having so much life in them. Makes me feel like a withered old guy might have some potential left in him. Even if it's only to be fertilizer.† Jeb laughed at his joke. When we got to the big garden cavern, Jeb took my elbow and steered me east rather than west. â€Å"Don't try to tell me you're not hungry after all that digging,† he said. â€Å"It's not my job to provide room service. You're just going to have to eat where everyone else eats.† I grimaced at the floor but let him lead me to the kitchen. It was a good thing the food was exactly the same thing as always, because if, miraculously, a filet mignon or a bag of Cheetos had materialized, I wouldn't have been able to taste a thing. It took all my concentration just to make myself swallow-I hated to make even that small sound in the dead silence that followed my appearance. The kitchen wasn't crowded, just ten people lounging against the counters, eating their tough rolls and drinking their watery soup. But I killed all conversation again. I wondered how long things could last like this. The answer was exactly four days. It also took me that long to understand what Jeb was up to, what the motivation was behind his switch from the courteous host to the curmudgeonly taskmaster. The day after turning the soil I spent seeding and irrigating the same field. It was a different group of people than the day before; I imagined there was some kind of rotation of the chores here. Maggie was in this group, and the caramel-skinned woman, but I didn't learn her name. Mostly everyone worked in silence. The silence felt unnatural-a protest against my presence. Ian worked with us, when it was clearly not his turn, and this bothered me. I had to eat in the kitchen again. Jamie was there, and he kept the room from total silence. I knew he was too sensitive not to notice the awkward hush, but he deliberately ignored it, seeming to pretend that he and Jeb and I were the only people in the room. He chattered about his day in Sharon's class, bragging a little about some trouble he'd gotten into for speaking out of turn, and complaining about the chores she'd given him as punishment. Jeb chastised him halfheartedly. They both did a very good job of acting normal. I had no acting ability. When Jamie asked me about my day, the best I could do was stare intently at my food and mumble one-word answers. This seemed to make him sad, but he didn't push me. At night it was a different story-he wouldn't let me stop talking until I begged to be allowed to sleep. Jamie had reclaimed his room, taking Jared's side of the bed and insisting that I take his. This was very much as Melanie remembered things, and she approved of the arrangement. Jeb did, too. â€Å"Saves me the trouble of finding someone to play guard. Keep the gun close and don't forget it's there,† he told Jamie. I protested again, but both the man and the boy refused to listen to me. So Jamie slept with the gun on the other side of his body from me, and I fretted and had nightmares about it. The third day of chores, I worked in the kitchen. Jeb taught me how to knead the coarse bread dough, how to lay it out in round lumps and let it rise, and, later on, how to feed the fire in the bottom of the big stone oven when it was dark enough to let the smoke out. In the middle of the afternoon, Jeb left. â€Å"I'm gonna get some more flour,† he muttered, playing with the strap that held the gun to his waist. The three silent women who kneaded alongside us didn't look up. I was up to my elbows in the sticky dough, but I started to scrape it off so I could follow him. Jeb grinned, flashed a look at the unobserving women, and shook his head at me. Then he spun around and dashed out of the room before I could free myself. I froze there, no longer breathing. I stared at the three women-the young blonde from the bathing room, the salt-and-pepper braid, and the heavy-lidded mother-waiting for them to realize that they could kill me now. No Jeb, no gun, my hands trapped in the gluey dough-nothing to stop them. But the women kept on kneading and shaping, not seeming to realize this glaring truth. After a long, breathless moment, I started kneading again, too. My stillness would probably alert them to the situation sooner than if I kept working. Jeb was gone for an eternity. Perhaps he had meant that he needed to grind more flour. That seemed like the only explanation for his endless absence. â€Å"Took you long enough,† the salt-and-pepper-braid woman said when he got back, so I knew it wasn't just my imagination. Jeb dropped a heavy burlap sack to the floor with a deep thud. â€Å"That's a lot of flour there. You try carryin' it, Trudy.† Trudy snorted. â€Å"I imagine it took a lot of rest stops to get it this far.† Jeb grinned at her. â€Å"It sure did.† My heart, which had been thrumming like a bird's for the entire episode, settled into a less frantic rhythm. The next day we were cleaning mirrors in the room that housed the cornfield. Jeb told me this was something they had to do routinely, as the combination of humidity and dust caked the mirrors until the light was too dim to feed the plants. It was Ian, working with us again, who scaled the rickety wooden ladder while Jeb and I tried to keep the base steady. It was a difficult task, given Ian's weight and the homemade ladder's poor balance. By the end of the day, my arms were limp and aching. I didn't even notice until we were done and heading for the kitchen that the improvised holster Jeb always wore was empty. I gasped out loud, my knees locking like a startled colt's. My body tottered to a halt. â€Å"What's wrong, Wanda?† Jeb asked, too innocent. I would have answered if Ian hadn't been right beside him, watching my strange behavior with fascination in his vivid blue eyes. So I just gave Jeb a wide-eyed look of mingled disbelief and reproach, and then slowly began walking beside him again, shaking my head. Jeb chuckled. â€Å"What's that about?† Ian muttered to Jeb, as if I were deaf. â€Å"Beats me,† Jeb said; he lied as only a human could, smooth and guileless. He was a good liar, and I began to wonder if leaving the gun behind today, and leaving me alone yesterday, and all this effort forcing me into human company was his way of getting me killed without doing the job himself. Was the friendship all in my head? Another lie? This was my fourth day eating in the kitchen. Jeb, Ian, and I walked into the long, hot room-into a crowd of humans chatting in low voices about the day's events-and nothing happened. Nothing happened. There was no sudden silence. No one paused to stare daggers at me. No one seemed to notice us at all. Jeb steered me to an empty counter and then went to get enough bread for three. Ian lounged next to me, casually turning to the girl on his other side. It was the young blonde-he called her Paige. â€Å"How are things going? How are you holding up with Andy gone?† he asked her. â€Å"I'd be fine if I weren't so worried,† she told him, biting her lip. â€Å"He'll be home soon,† Ian assured her. â€Å"Jared always brings everyone home. He's got a real talent. We've had no accidents, no problems since he showed up. Andy will be fine.† My interest sparked when he mentioned Jared-and Melanie, so somnolent these days, stirred-but Ian didn't say anything else. He just patted Paige's shoulder and turned to take his food from Jeb. Jeb sat next to me and surveyed the room with a deep sense of satisfaction plain on his face. I looked around the room, too, trying to see what he saw. This must have been what it was usually like here, when I wasn't around. Only today I didn't seem to bother them. They must have been tired of letting me interrupt their lives. â€Å"Things are settling down,† Ian commented to Jeb. â€Å"Knew they would. We're all reasonable folks here.† I frowned to myself. â€Å"That's true, at the moment,† Ian said, laughing. â€Å"My brother's not around.† â€Å"Exactly,† Jeb agreed. It was interesting to me that Ian counted himself among the reasonable folks. Had he noticed that Jeb was unarmed? I was burning with curiosity, but I couldn't risk pointing it out in case he hadn't. The meal continued as it had begun. My novelty had apparently worn off. When the meal was over, Jeb said I deserved a rest. He walked me all the way to my door, playing the gentleman again. â€Å"Afternoon, Wanda,† he said, tipping his imaginary hat. I took a deep breath for bravery. â€Å"Jeb, wait.† â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"Jeb†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I hesitated, trying to find a polite way to put it. â€Å"I†¦ well, maybe it's stupid of me, but I sort of thought we were friends.† I scrutinized his face, looking for any change that might indicate that he was about to lie to me. He only looked kind, but what did I know of a liar's tells? â€Å"Of course we are, Wanda.† â€Å"Then why are you trying to get me killed?† His furry brows pulled together in surprise. â€Å"Now, why would you think that, honey?† I listed my evidence. â€Å"You didn't take the gun today. And yesterday you left me alone.† Jeb grinned. â€Å"I thought you hated that gun.† I waited for an answer. â€Å"Wanda, if I wanted you dead, you wouldn't have lasted that first day.† â€Å"I know,† I muttered, starting to feel embarrassed without understanding why. â€Å"That's why it's all so confusing.† Jeb laughed cheerfully. â€Å"No, I don't want you dead! That's the whole point, kid. I've been getting them all used to seeing you around, getting them to accept the situation without realizing it. It's like boiling a frog.† My forehead creased at the eccentric comparison. Jeb explained. â€Å"If you throw a frog in a pot of boiling water, it will hop right out. But if you put that frog in a pot of tepid water and slowly warm it, the frog doesn't figure out what's going on until it's too late. Boiled frog. It's just a matter of working by slow degrees.† I thought about that for a second-remembered how the humans had ignored me at lunch today. Jeb had gotten them used to me. The realization made me feel strangely hopeful. Hope was a silly thing in my situation, but it seeped into me anyway, coloring my perceptions more brightly than before. â€Å"Jeb?† â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"Am I the frog or the water?† He laughed. â€Å"I'll leave that one for you to puzzle over. Self-examination is good for the soul.† He laughed again, louder this time, as he turned to leave. â€Å"No pun intended.† â€Å"Wait-can I ask one more?† â€Å"Sure. I'd say it's your turn anyway, after all I've asked you.† â€Å"Why are you my friend, Jeb?† He pursed his lips for a second, considering his answer. â€Å"You know I'm a curious man,† he began, and I nodded. â€Å"Well, I get to watch your souls a lot, but I never get to talk with 'em. I've had so many questions just piling up higher and higher†¦ Plus, I've always thought that if a person wants to, he can get along with just about anybody. I like putting my theories to the test. And see, here you are, one of the nicest gals I ever met. It's real interesting to have a soul as a friend, and it makes me feel super special that I've managed it.† He winked at me, bowed from the waist, and walked away. Just because I now understood Jeb's plan, it didn't make things easier when he escalated it. He never took the gun anywhere anymore. I didn't know where it was, but I was grateful that Jamie wasn't sleeping with it, at least. It made me a little nervous to have Jamie with me unprotected, but I decided he was actually in less danger without the gun. No one would feel the need to hurt him when he wasn't a threat. Besides, no one came looking for me anymore. Jeb started sending me on little errands. Run back to the kitchen for another roll, he was still hungry. Go fetch a bucket of water, this corner of the field was dry. Pull Jamie out of his class, Jeb needed to speak with him. Were the spinach sprouts up yet? Go and check. Did I remember my way through the south caves? Jeb had a message for Doc. Every time I had to carry out one of these simple directives, I was in a sweaty haze of fear. I concentrated on being invisible and walked as quickly as I could without running through the big rooms and the dark corridors. I tended to hug the walls and keep my eyes down. Occasionally, I would stop conversation the way I used to, but mostly I was ignored. The only time I felt in immediate danger of death was when I interrupted Sharon's class to get Jamie. The look Sharon gave me seemed designed to be followed by hostile action. But she let Jamie go with a nod after I choked out my whispered request, and when we were alone, he held my shaking hand and told me Sharon looked the same way at anyone who interrupted her class. The very worst was the time I had to find Doc, because Ian insisted on showing me the way. I could have refused, I suppose, but Jeb didn't have a problem with the arrangement, and that meant Jeb trusted Ian not to kill me. I was far from comfortable with testing that theory, but it seemed the test was inevitable. If Jeb was wrong to trust Ian, then Ian would find his opportunity soon enough. So I went with Ian through the long black southern tunnel as if it were a trial by fire. I lived through the first half. Doc got his message. He seemed unsurprised to see Ian tagging along beside me. Perhaps it was my imagination, but I thought they exchanged a significant glance. I half expected them to strap me to one of Doc's gurneys at that point. These rooms continued to make me feel nauseated. But Doc just thanked me and sent me on my way as if he were busy. I couldn't really tell what he was doing-he had several books open and stacks and stacks of papers that seemed to contain nothing but sketches. On the way back, curiosity overcame my fear. â€Å"Ian?† I asked, having a bit of difficulty saying the name for the first time. â€Å"Yes?† He sounded surprised that I'd addressed him. â€Å"Why haven't you killed me yet?† He snorted. â€Å"That's direct.† â€Å"You could, you know. Jeb might be annoyed, but I don't think he'd shoot you.† What was I saying? It sounded like I was trying to convince him. I bit my tongue. â€Å"I know,† he said, his tone complacent. It was quiet for a moment, just the sounds of our footsteps echoing, low and muffled, from the tunnel walls. â€Å"It doesn't seem fair,† Ian finally said. â€Å"I've been thinking about it a lot, and I can't see how killing you would make anything right. It would be like executing a private for a general's war crimes. Now, I don't buy all of Jeb's crazy theories-it would be nice to believe, sure, but just because you want something to be true doesn't make it that way. Whether he's right or wrong, though, you don't appear to mean us any harm. I have to admit, you seem honestly fond of that boy. It's very strange to watch. Anyway, as long as you don't put us in danger, it seems†¦ cruel to kill you. What's one more misfit in this place?† I thought about the word misfit for a moment. It might have been the truest description of me I'd ever heard. Where had I ever fit in? How strange that Ian, of all the humans, should have such a surprisingly gentle interior. I didn't realize that cruelty would seem a negative to him. He waited in silence while I considered all this. â€Å"If you don't want to kill me, then why did you come with me today?† I asked. He paused again before answering. â€Å"I'm not sure that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He hesitated. â€Å"Jeb thinks things have calmed down, but I'm not completely sure about that. There're still a few people†¦ Anyway, Doc and I have been trying to keep an eye on you when we can. Just in case. Sending you down the south tunnel seemed like pushing your luck, to me. But that's what Jeb does best-he pushes luck as far as it will go.† â€Å"You†¦ you and Doc are trying to protect me?† â€Å"Strange world, isn't it?† It was a few seconds before I could answer. â€Å"The strangest,† I finally agreed.

Review Of Blake Standring - 1081 Words

Blake Standring – Outliers Analysis Through a series of different tests, Gladwell concludes that we have all too easily bought into the myth that successful people are self-made. He says people â€Å"are invariably the beneficiaries of hidden advantages and extraordinary opportunities and cultural legacies that allow them to learn and work hard and make sense of the world in ways others cannot.† Gladwell explains an outlier as a person â€Å"who doesn t fit into our normal understanding of achievement.† According to Gladwell, great men and women are beneficiaries of specialization, collaboration, time, and place. An outlier’s recipe for success is not personally achieved through hard work, but through opportunity and time on task. I actually agree with Gladwell’s view of success. People can work their whole life towards a goal and never achieve it, but if they know of an opportunity, a legacy, or a specific way to achieve this goal more efficiently, they can be successful. Examples are children being born in the early months to be better at hockey, working on a specific task for 10,000 hours to become proficient, and proper training and excellent communication while flying an airplane. First, we take a look at the 2007 Medicine Hat Tigers roster. Canadian psychologist, Roger Barnsley first drew attention to the phenomenon of relative age. He was shocked while looking at the roster as he noticed that seventeen of twenty-five kids on the team were born in January, February, March, or