Eli Lilly in India Essay

Eli Lilly and Company was started Mr. Colonel Eli Lilly in 1876. During 1940-1985 it performed as one of the leading players in the US market. From the beginning the business has remained committed to scientific and management excellence. For the past several years the business has continuously expanded in the health care and agricultural sector. During 1950s the business became export oriented and in 1980s the corporation was performing as a successful international pharmaceutical company. In 1992 the firm has its own manufacturing plants in 25 countries and its products were sold in more than 130 different countries. During the same period several countries in Asia specifically India opted for liberalization policies where tax breaks were given and FDI was highly promoted. The business considered it as an opportunity and decided to perform clinical testing where it R&D (research and development) functional unit has contributed a lot. Ranbaxy Laboratories: The business was started during the decade of 1960s in India. It has consistently performed as serious research-oriented company which evolved as one of the leading pharmaceutical firm. During 1977 the business was transformed into a global corporation with its broader scope, vision and leadership capabilities. For decades it has emphasized on the solitary principle of effective marketing research both indigenously as well as internationally. Throughout 1990s it performed as the largest player in generic drugs in India. The competitive edge exists in the aptitude for chemical synthesis. The capital cost was also immensely lower as compare to that of USA. In USA there exists a strict quality control requirement therefore the business specifically relied on exporting its products in 47 different countries. The firm assumes to spend large amount on R&D in the nearest future. Eli Lilly in India: Rethinking the Joint Venture Strategy Q. 1 drawing on relevant academic sources, discuss the critical factors which lie behind the success of the Eli Lilly Ranbaxy international joint venture (ELR IJV). Ans. Critical Success factors for Eli Lilly Ranbaxy International JV (Joint Venture): It all started in 1992 when Ranbaxy approached Eli Lilly in order to go into an agreement for supplying low cost pharmaceutical ingredients. Although Eli Lilly had suppliers India but it could not create fruitful relationship with them. During that period Ranbaxy was the largest exporter from India and the second largest exporter of Pharmaceutical products lagging behind Glaxo SmithKline. Basically strategic thinkers at Ranbaxy analyzed that it Eli Lilly is the only pharmaceutical company which do not exist in India and Ranbaxy can facilitate them by supply low cost material while manufacturing some of the Eli Lilly products locally in India. It was a fine decision where Ranbaxy opted for packaging and selling and distributing products for Eli Lilly in India. Research findings depict that it started successfully and top management believed that there were lots of commonalities between both the companies. Mutually they were in favor of ethical standards, technological advancements, innovative ideas and distributing patented products in India. The act of kindness revealed strong candid about their employees and affirmed on continuously performing for sustainable development and green provisions. Finally the JV (joint venture) was signed in November 1992 and reflected the successful accomplishments from both the parts. Beyond doubt Eli Lilly wanted to extend its name in Asia especially in India. It started with massive investment of $ 7. 1 million as authorized capital and $3 million as equity capital. During 1995 Eli Lilly decided to expand in generic products and went into an agreement with Ranbaxy unfortunately the business founded that it is an erroneous decision hence terminated agreement. Both the businesses resemble to each other in terms of leadership, vision, values and many more but generic requires strong learning curve and was considered different from the core business of operation. Mutual consensus during the initial phase: The top management thought that it was the right decision and forecasted that about 200-300 million people dwelling in India belongs to the middle class and will be going to determine the future of India. The key question remained that why Eli Lilly gave more importance to India rather than Russia or China where it could have further expanded and established its business presence. Moreover due to the lack of intellectual property rights and patent protection in India, most of the products of Eli Lilly were being manufactured and sold illegally. It required strategic thinking to come up with a new product which can grasp the attention of the majority of the population. Furthermore most of the specialists and experts were unaware of the name therefore management decided to name the JV as Eli Lilly Ranbaxy JV which reflects the foreign taste. Most interesting fact revealed that both the businesses started from the scratch and worked for improving the infrastructure of the business where Ranbaxy helped the business whenever they were faced with some sort of issues. The group worked 24/7 and expanded the workforce with key professionals. It had a very limited budget therefore Eli Lilly excellently operated on economies of scale and made the most from Ranbaxy distribution system. In the 1993, the business had more than 200 people working on systematically performing and expanding its real essence in India. It took assistance from one its office located in Geneva and established a creative recruiting theme in order to ascertain long-term employment relationship. Furthermore the business assured new sales graduates that they will be going to be promoted in the company and customized training programs were formulated in accordance with India. The business also developed a ‘Red Book’ and put up with its values of ethical code of conduct. They communicated both the positive and negative aspects of specific drugs and later on it helped them in building trust, faith and confidence of doctors in the company. Both the firms strictly focused on the JV and on building personal relationships with each other rather than indulging in conflicts or politics. Both the businesses specialized in their core business with an upward moving learning curve. Ranbaxy gained expertise in generic products and meanwhile Eli Lilly focused on innovation, creativity and discovery. The initial product that resulted through joint venture was human insulin but it faced major confrontations from formal institutions and government regulations and there were financial constraints as well. There were regulatory issues and Indian government imposed substantial import duty. The government imposed price limitations and profits margin got shaken. Rather than opting for the localize strategy as it was adopted by Glaxo and Pfizer, the business went for niche marketing. Furthermore it could not launch some of its most valuable drugs in India because of the threats of poor intellectual property rights. It requires huge production capacity whereas profit ratio was low. During the initial period Eli Lilly deployed its marketing capabilities around two major groups. The business added momentous value to one of the off-patented drugs and emphasize on two world-class drugs where barriers to entry were high. The JV surpassed break-even in the end of 1996 and started earning profit. Chief organizational changes: During mid 1990s several changes were brought. It was one of the fastest growing organizations and a separate model was structured to instill stability. A proper SOP was formulated and the 50-50 partnership continued. Both sales and marketing functions were streamlined. The corporation hired McKinsey for management consultancy and identifies growth opportunities in India and showed consistency with the immense growth rate of 8% on annual basis. In order to transform into a major organization the business established a separate medical and regulatory function which operates in collaboration with the government to assess and give approval for specific drugs and the entire manufacturing process. The beginning of a new dimension: It has been said that during 2001 the business outshined the overall Indian pharmaceutical industry growth rate. Some of the achievements are as follows: †¢ Due to the JV Ranbaxy got famous worldwide and Eli Lilly established itself in India. It had a unique culture where employees of both the organizations never got cannibalized with each other. The growth rate further increased to 10% and major pharmaceutical corporations got further strengthened due to mergers and acquisitions. Major firms focused on more profitable core businesses and divested non-core set of functions and operations. †¢ Eli Lilly achieved 12th position in the pharmaceutical industry however one its successful drugs got off-patented in 2001 and it started working on its potential products. †¢ Major changes took place in India and China and the business came up with new strategies with proper evaluation and control system to overcome major issues. During the same period the management of Ranbaxy decided to transform into an international pharmaceutical company with the strong research-based platform. It went into JV with other firms in Canada, United States and Ireland. Ranbaxy further considered China, Russia, United Kingdom and USA as major foreign markets. Due to quick expansion throughout the globe it faced financial issues and the business found sudden decline in its cash flows and it started thinking for dissolving its JV with Eli Lilly. Ranbaxy considered itself as a global firm and said that it has participated at its utmost to create value for Eli Lilly in India. †¢ The JV revealed that it has attained world-class sales management process. They further penetrated into valuable directions and key areas like diabetes, oncology, and expertise in clinical trials in accordance with international standards. Moreover the entire workforce performs with high caliber and confidence. Numerous changes in Ranbaxy after JV: Ranbaxy (2010) instigated that the business experienced major changes after the JV and explored new market in different dimensions of NCS (new chemical entities) and NDDS (novel drug delivery system) mainly related to Urology, respiratory problems and formulated a plan for further expansion in developed countries specifically in UK and USA till 2012. It further went into mergers, acquisitions, JV and alliances in Brazil, China, South America, Germany, Spain, and Canada with MNCs like Bayer, Glaxo SmithKline, Ohm, Aventis and many more. It was successful in establishing global presence. Some of the learning factors were as follows: †¢ Major attempts were made to increase the productivity and the business came up with breakthrough advancements and minimized R&D cost. It brand image was further promoted when it introduced important drugs to contest against malaria. †¢ It achieved economies of scale and successfully produced effective drugs at low cost and developing economies could purchase them in an affordable manner. It remained adaptive to the industry pattern, invested heavily in R&D. It mostly got benefited due to low material and labor cost in India and patented several chemical compounds in developed countries. †¢ The business attained technological expertise, successful culture and further diversified into laboratory testing business and conducted clinical trials in Mumbai, Bangalore and many more. It established 2000 centers throughout South Asia. It further entered into service business and facilitated companies by testing a new product and provided approval for ingredients, manufacturing processes and the entire products. †¢ The business gained competitive edge in generic products. It was considered as the 7th largest growing corporation in the world. It gained expertise in distribution network, finance and different processes in the pharmaceutical industry. Q. 2 assesses the alternative options open to senior management on the future of the ELR IJV and recommend how you think they should proceed. Ans. Alternative Strategic options: In order to further enhance the collaborative performance between both the companies, the top management came up with the strategic thinking option. The business must formulate a task force which can look inside the future direction. However it must include top management from both the firms rather than involving key personnel from the JV so that day-to-day operations can be performed. In this way important scenarios can be developed and implemented. More importantly it was assumed that Ranbaxy was going to divest its JV with Eli Lilly. It was also highlighted that Ranbaxy favored to sell-out the business and it will generate funds to further expand the portfolio of Ranbaxy but Eli Lilly considered it as a negative option. The business further decides to invest a lot in R&D. More importantly the expanding and research work will specifically focus on cancer, infectious diseases, diabetes and cardiovascular problems. The clinical trials will be further assisted by the ministry o health. More importantly the business might go public in the nearest future. Key Analyses: Eli Lilly faced difficulties and barriers to entry while expanding in South Asia especially in India. It could not understand the culture, socio-economic factors, and political influences in the country. Despite of being known among the largest pharmaceutical companies in USA, it was considered as a mere business in India. Therefore the business opted for joint venture with any domestic company. Major Challenges: There were numerous challenges being faced by the business: †¢ The business has continuously faced intellectual property rights †¢ Eli Lilly faced lots of difficulties while establishing a positive relationship with the government of India. Indian government imposed price limitations and heavy import duty was imposed. †¢ The R&D cost was increasing day by day †¢ Competition was getting intensive and more organizations were entering in the industry †¢ It took huge time for new product approval which further increased the development time †¢ India joined WTO and from 2005 onwards it further strengthened the patent protection rights specifically pertaining to pharmaceutical products and FDI (foreign direct investment) was also highly promoted. Gradually due to intensive competition and due to increase in number of major players in the pharmaceutical industry, the growth rate decreased and lots of mergers and acquisitions took place. During 2004-2005 it further implied stern control on patent protection. India flourished as an emerging economy which can greatly add value to pharmaceutical products. These all forced both the companies to reconsider the JV and individual strategies. Recommendation: It seemed that both the sides looked for win situation. Eli Lilly tried to establish its authoritative style over Ranbaxy. The business focused in gaining its presence in India. On the other hand Ranbaxy purely focused on generating more profits and further expanding itself globally and becoming an international corporation. It seems that both were looking for their own benefits and they were not concerned about the other party. It seemed that Ranbaxy was more egotistical and wanted to undergo a transactional relationship with Eli Lilly for a certain period of time and decided to negate its agreements once reaching the pinnacle. In order to maintain mutual consent and undergo successful joint venture, several recommendations have been provided: †¢ First of all both the parties must share the benefits and have the authority to control different tasks. †¢ Rather than relying on core business the business must diversify into strategic areas and functions. †¢ The JV must counteract the shortening product life cycle due to advancement in technology and competition. †¢ It must transform threats in opportunities while destroying barriers and speeding-up the process of product introduction. †¢ The business strategy must be integrated with the corporate strategy to accomplish goals through shared values. †¢ There must be high commitment and cross-cultural understanding between both the parties. †¢ Eli Lilly must invest in establishing strict control due to poor intellectual rights. The formal institutions in India lack the concept of liberal education and technological advancements. Therefore the business must set benchmark and promote sustainable development while contributing into technological advancements. †¢ Indian government has always ruled over MNCs and global corporations. If MNCs and global corporations opt for FDI then India impose the sanction that that the MNC must share 50:30 ratio in profit. It is really difficult for international firms to enter into India and Eli Lilly need to compromise if they want to under-go market access in India. They need to invest in infrastructure and must contribute to the national exchequer in terms of tax. The business must emphasize on CSR and opt equal opportunity among both the genders and must respect the integrity of individuals. Successful joint venture results into long-term relationships. In order to transform into a successful long-term joint venture between two massive organizations they need to adapt to the above recommendations. Conclusion: It can be concluded that it was not a holistic loom. Rather than a proactive approach it was a reactive approach. They had not adopted the principle centered paradigm. Nevertheless both the businesses performed successfully in their core business. Ranbaxy advanced itself in generic products and gained competitive advantage and Eli Lilly prospered in the direction of innovation, technological advancement and adopted vigilant strategic thinking scheme. In order to further transform in the long-term development both the businesses must aid each other, surface key issues, formulate effective solutions and come up strategic direction where both can perform and move hand in hand. References: Sage Pulication. (2005). Negotiating and Designing an Alliance. Retrieved July 18, 2010, from http://www. sagepub. com/upm-data/12290_Chapter_3. pdf – Powered by Google Docs Ranbaxy. (2010). Ranbaxy World. Retrieved July 18, 2010, from http://docs. google. com/viewer? a=v&q=cache:Nrn9UEPrl5AJ:www. ranbaxy. com/annualreports/newsletter-2010-ranbaxy-world. pdf+assessing+alternatives+to+Eli+Lilly+Rabaxy+Joint+Venture&hl=en&gl=pk&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShyidoDL1vRW7be29h-Qph0U-59nuHIR-_IrhUW1sJ-ZyblNqb-AzBDUg27j4SU_J_GISMExbHLQN0D1HB5VQCBhlroFuaSFxVIojVhRQWLT8pFXWx9qHuMfbAa92fpncoQ7oO_&sig=AHIEtbTU-0Tw2vxYx8AwIHR4SjOtdhXgEA

Words Are Mightier Than the Sword

Ayoub Awadalla Prof. Brumfield October 9, 2012 Words Are Mightier Than The Sword The story â€Å"By Any Other Name,† by Santha Rau, explains the memory of the writer’s first and last week as a student at an Anglo-Indian school. Santha Rau speaks about the happy, sad, and embarrassing moments she had in school. She also speaks about how earning a â€Å"valid† education, in western terms, is difficult to achieve in India. When someone is in an environment where it is typical to hear insensitive and irresponsible language, s/he will likely become insensitive and irresponsible.Insensitive and irresponsible speech typically becomes a chain reaction. Once someone speaks or says an insensitive or irresponsible thing, the other person will follow with being insensitive and irresponsible. An example was when Permila, Santha’s older sister, was getting ready to take a test, but the teacher made her and the other Indian kids sit in the back with a desk in between eac h other. The teacher said, â€Å"It was because Indians cheat. Once Permila heard this insensitive statement, she stormed out of her class, marched into Santha’s class and told her â€Å"get up, were going home. † When she got to Santha’s class, the teacher smiled at her in a kindly and encouraging way and said â€Å"now, you’re little Cynthia’s sister? † Permila wore a poker face that did not betray a single emotion. Treating Santha’s teacher with an insensitive way, just like her teacher treated her. Changing a name of a child is a confusing matter for the child to understand.A child is a stranger when it comes down to lying. Most children, from ages of 3-6, are innocent and do not know how to lie. The head mistress changed Permila’s name to Pamela, and Santha’s name to Cynthia. Santha was too young to understand and was okay with the name changing. Permila kept a â€Å"stubborn silence† while Santha replied, à ¢â‚¬Å"thanks you. † And when the teacher asked Santha for her name, she replied, â€Å"I don’t know. † She was confused; thus, did not know if she should say her real name, or the new name she received from the head mistress.This act by the head mistress was very irresponsible. She was too lazy to call Santha, her real name, so she gave her an artificial name. Being rude, insensitive, or speaking irresponsibly to someone will most likely cause him or her to be rude, insensitive, or speak irresponsibly to you too. One must be carful of what s/he speaks, because what comes around, goes around. Just like the head mistress spoke to the girls insensitively and irresponsibly, they both left the school and never went back.

Human Resource Management (HRM) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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A Comparison of Pericles' Speech and that of Martin Luther King Junior Essay

A Comparison of Pericles' Speech and that of Martin Luther King Junior - Essay Example It is evident from the study that the speech made by Pericles at a funeral in 431 BC is one of the greatest speeches that have ever been made in human history. During this time, long speeches were specifically meant to encourage warriors who were going to the battlefield. The speeches could also be used to encourage families left behind when their sons, husbands or fathers went to war. Among the Greeks, there were burial ceremonies where speech would be made to appreciate the deceased for his or her contributions society. Pericles’s speech was one of them. The two speeches compare closely in terms of the level of emotion they raise. Pericles started his speech in a casual manner by informing the gathering about the importance of speech, as well as how it came into existence. However, he went ahead to explain that the ceremony was established by their ancestors. Like the speech made by Martin Luther King, Pericles acknowledged the role played by ancestors in deliberation of Gre ece. â€Å"I shall begin with our ancestors †¦they dwelt in the country without break†¦Ã¢â‚¬  . This section evoked the past deeds of the previous generations that Pericles believed should be emulated by the current generation. This is very similar to what Martin Luther used in his speech. He said, â€Å"When the architects of this country†¦ they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . This approach of delivering speech has proven to very effective as far as unity is concerned. Pericles was telling the gathering that their ancestors never gave up the fight to protect the country and therefore the current generation was to follow their footsteps. Similarly, Martin Luther reminded all Americans, both blacks and whites, of the fact that when ancestors were fighting for freedom, they did so as a single unit while perceiving each other as brothers. The same should apply in the current American society. Both speeches share a great deal in sentence structure. Pericles said: â€Å"And yet if with habits not of labor but of ease, and courage not of art but of nature, we are still willing to encounter danger†¦ Yet, of course, the doer of the favor is the firmer friend of the two†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Rusten 45) This sentence structure compares closely with that used in the speech â€Å"I Have a Dream.† Martin Luther said, â€Å"†¦ knowing that somehow this situation can and will change†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Echols 14). From the two speeches, it is evident that the current American society and other democracies across the world borrowed much from the Athenian ideals. They realized the importance of using the power of speech to make people take

Personal Experience at Alcoholics Anonumous Term Paper

Personal Experience at Alcoholics Anonumous - Term Paper Example This was accomplished by having the attendees share their unique stories about how alcoholism had affected their lives, opening the door for other group participants to offer either condolences or shared sympathy. Throughout the meeting, elements of altruism were present, which is giving members a sense of self esteem by allowing others to offer their help and/or opinion for those who were obviously troubled by alcoholism and how it had caused dishonor at the personal or family level (hanbleceya.com, n.d.). Individuals shared stories about being put before the court system in front of their peers and felt indignity or how they had lashed out at their children while under the influence of alcohol. This shared forum seemed to give the more troubled participants a sense of honor and self-respect rather than embarrassment. Development of socializing techniques were also part of the group curriculum, which was apparent by drawing out discussion from those that were more reserved about sharing their stories. This technique involves â€Å"creating an environment that fosters adaptive and effective communication† (agpa.org, 2007, para.5). There were at least two people that the researcher could recognize, through body language and more reserved behaviors, that they did not want to be attending the group meeting. The leader forced social discussion from these individuals and remind them that the goal of the meeting was to promote inclusion rather than segregation. Imitative behavior was part of this philosophy by finding confidence to share openly by modeling support from their peers. With this also came cohesiveness as on several occasions the leader reminded the group that they were accepted and their value justified as worthwhile human beings. Several individuals showed signs of catharsis, relief of their own feelings of guilt regarding how alcoholism had

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Alternative Courses of Action - Essay Example An example one has gone through in gathering and evaluating information from a number of sources prior to making a decision would thereby be presented as follows: As one was pursuing a Business Management Degree from 2007 to 2011, it was deemed crucial that to assist in supporting one’s academic requirements, there is a need to find employment where one’s knowledge, abilities, and skills would be appropriately used and developed. Finding the preferred job according to one’s academic background, competencies and skills that would fit the requirements of the position is an example of a situation that necessitates gathering and evaluating different options and where ones decision would actually depend on the organizations which would relay a positive response to one’s job application. After two years of studying, one sought possible employment in fields seeking positions that do not require specific educational qualifications but where minimum criteria could be immediately met. There were positions open for Care Assistants or for Customer Service Representatives. Since these two positions were preferred, these became one’s alternative courses of action: to choose applying for a Care Assistant job or to select a Customer Service Representative Job. To gather pertinent information needed to analyze these options, one searched online sources of job descriptions, average annual income, locations of employer, the skills and educational requirements. Both positions offer basically the same salary ranges ( £15,000 per annum) but the job descriptions and responsibilities are contrasting. Care assistants focus on â€Å"provides help and support to people with limited mobility or other care needs.

In general Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

In general - Essay Example In the original work, an author tends to own the writing by mentioning his name in it. The writer is responsible for the authenticity of information and is liable for consequences in case, the information is invalid. On the other hand, a plagiarized work lacks ownership. A reader can not believe that the writer had faith in the information he/she has included while plagiarizing in the paper. Originality in writing shows the author’s individualistic contribution in widening and deepening the sea of knowledge, whereas an individual who plagiarizes creates whirlpools in this sea. The most fundamental difference between originality and plagiarism is that the former gives birth to knowledge whereas the latter is a literary theft. Moreover, originality is clear whereas plagiarism often gets too blurred a concept to be put into black and white (â€Å"Types of Plagiarism†). For example, many times, the same old ideas have to be repeated in a new paper. If the language is suffic iently changed so as to remove the originality but the meaning is kept unchanged, would it not be a theft of idea? Different people have different answers to this question. Difference between description and analysis: Description is a straight mention of facts about a thing, matter, incident or anything.

Essays on Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard Essay Example for Free

Essays on Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard Essay At first filled with shame, his officious father soon realizes just how profitable his son’s supposed spirituality can be. His mother, meanwhile, finds in the orchard relief from traditional Indian family life and middle-class respectability by devoting herself to creating increasingly exotic curries. All goes well until the local monkeys start to drink. Plans to rid the orchard of their unwanted hullabaloo multiply and eventually go completely awry, but not before Sampath is released from the endless cycle of demands. Transformed into a guava, he is last seen being carried towards the sacred Himalayas by the hungry monkeys. This story, by the daughter of novelist Anita Desai, works best when the pacing is as fast as the author’s touch is light, as it surely is in the final thirty or so pages. When it drags, stylistic tics become annoyingly apparent, the narrative too slender to support even a novel this short, and this talented author’s indebtedness to other writers, from Narayan and Salman Rushdie to Italo Calvino, Jerzy Kosinski and Gabriel Garcia Marquez the sign not of postmodern play but of youthful derivativeness.

How do you respond to Shakespeares presentation Essay Example for Free

How do you respond to Shakespeares presentation Essay The theme of fathers and sons, and responsibilities and obligations placed on sons, by fathers, is arguably one of the more important themes in the play. Shakespeare puts forward three main interpretations of father and son relationships, and each brings out interesting viewpoints about responsibilities and obligations for the reader. The first father and son relationship that Shakespeare presents is that of Hamlet and his father, old Hamlet. In the encounter between Hamlet and the ghost of his father, Hamlet has the responsibility of revenge thrust upon him, and he cannot reject it, List, list, O, list! If thou didst ever thy dear father love If thou hast nature in thee, bear it not. Shakespeare presents old Hamlet as being pathetic and incapable of avenging himself. The ghost, therefore, does not incite Hamlets initiative by instilling fear in him, but rather through putting him in a guilt-trap, making Hamlet feel that he is somehow obliged to carry out the vengeful murder in place of his father, as the ghost cannot attend to it himself. In my opinion, this action, on the part of the ghost, was the final push that caused Hamlet to fall into his apparent madness. Hamlet was obviously moved by the ghosts words. And thy commandment all alone shall live Within the book and volume of my brain, Unmixed with baser matter. This was very largely unfair of the ghost of his father, on Hamlet, enthusiastic though he seemed at first. It placed an unnaturally large amount of pressure on Hamlet, having to commit such a daunting act, however justified it may have seemed. Shakespeare emphasizes the effect of this action in Hamlets life, in the many incidences and soliloquys where Hamlet just muses, thinks the situation out and talks about it, but can never bring himself to actually do anything about the revenge. In the relationship of Laertes and Polonius, there is not so much responsibility placed on Laertes by Polonius, as there is nagging and nitpicking about the way that Laertes should present himself and the way he should live his life when he is overseas. In this sense, the responsibilities being placed on Laertes are those of keeping in his fathers will and rule, and maintaining a good name for himself. At the point in the play, in act I. 3, Polonius is displayed by Shakespeare as just another normal father, or maybe more appropriately, a mother, who is proud of his son, but needs to remind him to keep a good image all the same. This bestowing of responsibility can be considered to be only natural for any father to do. However, in act II. 1, we see that Polonius is actually quite obsessed with the idea that his son might bring shame to Polonius, and goes to the extents of sending a spy keep a watch on Laertes, and even muddy his name, so that he does not get too comfortable. But breath his faults so quaintly that they may seem The taints of liberty, the flash and outbreak of a fiery Mind I saw him enter a house of sale, Videlicet, a brothel, or so forth. Polonius even goes to extents of dishonouring so that he may retain his own honour, which is a rather strange sense of logic. In this sense, it can be said that Polonius places responsibility on his son just to save himself any possible shame. This is rather selfish on the part of Polonius, but it is in accordance with Shakespeares illustration of Poloniuss character as being that of a conniving, scheming, slightly evil old man that you might feel sorry for. In the relationship of young Fortinbras and his foster-father, or father-figure, old Norway, we see, again, a normal attitude of a parent toward their child. When Fortinbrass plans for an attack on Claudiuss realm are found out by Norway, he immediately admonishes the impetuous firebrand of a youth and prevents him from doing so. When Fortinbras indicates that he doesnt actually want to go along with the attack, Norway forgives him and even allows him to come to Denmark on peaceful terms. In this sense, old Norway is teaching Fortinbras the responsibility of thinking clearly and not acting rashly or whimsically. On the whole, Shakespeare presents the responsibilities and obligations placed on the sons, by their fathers, in Hamlet, as ways for the fathers to get what they want. In the case of Hamlet and the ghost, it is for the ghosts want of revenge and justice for a murder most foul, without much thought as to the effects of the deed, and even the contemplation of the deed, in the case of Hamlet, on him. In the case of Laertes and Polonius, it is a selfish and unwarranted want to save his own face from any shame that Laertes need not necessarily have caused in the first place. In the case of Norway and Fortinbras, it is the want to maintain good diplomatic relations and the prevention of unnecessary quarrels. In all cases except the diplomatic one, the fathers in question were rather selfish and self-centered in thinking of ways to get their sons to do their bidding. In the case of Norway and Fortinbras, it was done for diplomatic reasons, but it was still to save the bed-ridden Norways old skin. This gives a rather negative impression of father figures and what they tell their children to do. Possibly, Shakespeare chose to illustrate these aspects of fatherhood the way that he did because it was his own interpretation of responsibilities and obligations set down by fathers, maybe drawn from his own bad experiences with his own father during his younger days. Hamlet, as a play, could be then seen to be a Shakespearean self-help guide on How to know what is right to do as a father by knowing what is wrong to do as a father, and it could have been a lesson to all the bad fathers out there who use manipulate their sons as they would a mindless henchman.

English as a Universal Language

English as a Universal Language Language is an important tool of understanding and communicating between any members of a community in all fields of life. For the process of communications and understanding to go smoothly, one must know and be aware of signs, symbols and meanings associated with each language, as well as the cultural side behind each symbol and sign. Learning a foreign language especially English can help felicitate an individual and community ways of understanding what is going on and help to integrate and benefit from achievements as well as increase innovation. Although English is regarded as the number one spoken language in the world. one out of every five people on the entire Earth can speak English to some extent [englishenglish.com] which means fifth of the world which is not enough as those speakers come from different parts of the world and they come with different background, culture, value and beliefs. The English spoken in the UK is not the same English spoken in USA or Australia. The importance of finding a universal language due to increased movement of people and the availability of different types of communication such as the internet and other means in economic, scientific fields and the expansion of economic transactions between countries and international companies to facilitate communication in meetings between representatives of the companies. The openness of the labor market which is a result of globalization made it easier for people to travel around and look for jobs in all parts of the world which led to the pursuit of employers and major companies to take advantage of this and search for employment that reduces cost and maximizes profits, but, there is a challenge that comes along with it, the world is diverse, people come from different characters, cultures, traditions and languages. Language is not just words that are put together and structured into a sentence; it is awareness of cultures, customs and values. Therefore, the language exchanged in many companies especially international ones has a huge importance, because it means the easy exchange of information and data relating to the job among the staff as well as instructions issued by the managers, it brings employees closer together if they can understand each other and understand any technical terms that relate to the job. Religion, language and cultures are all factors that need to be taken into considerations when doing business. Each person is shaped by their own culture, where they realize it or now. Our very own opinions, beliefs and actions are dependent on the background we come from. We only realize our differences when we are faced with another culture and a different way of doing things. It is important to understand a culture to be able to communicate so that everything goes smoothly without facing problems. A worker speaking little English might have a hard time communicating and speaking up and feeling frustrated whenever having to speak the language, I personally felt this way when I was in France and just started to learn French. It is the fear of being judged and lack of confidence in knowledge which can lead them to be closed in their personal space or even worse thing would be not understanding what they have to do exactly and doing the job wrong because they were afraid to ask for help. There are different types of language that are not just expressed by words and language the is used differently between females and males and they all affect how people deal with each other in a multicultural business/work environment. Despite the many differences in defining the concept of language, I think it is ok to agree that it is the tongue of a culture; it is the channel where information travels in a nation and from a nation to another. Language is a pulse that interacts with feelings and sensations and affects them. Language is a profound mental logic that gives suggestions and gestures. Body Language Body language is communicating with people without any words spoken that are used in all aspects of dealing with others. Movements by individuals, using their hands, facial expressions, tone of voice and headshaking so that the addressee understands the message better and often used by someone unable to express what they want to say in words and wanting to clarify by making hand movements. Body language is an essential mean of communication with others that is used on daily basis. Non verbal communication is extremely important in every culture, as communication is not always with the use of words. Therefore, understanding body language and using it in a an effective manner , can improve relationships with others and may also help overcome and deal with different situations which one can be exposed to when doing business. Problems can occur from the misunderstanding of hand gestures or any other type of physical signals, because they can mean one thing in on culture and have a completely different meaning in another. You can change your body language in the workplace and the way you are looked at work, what your non-verbal communication and body language sends different messages to people you work with in an intercultural environment depending on where they come from. Despite the fact that smiling is a form of welcome in many cultures, it can be viewed as a form of embarrassment in some Asian cultures. Working with different nationalities and understanding body language is a value to the employees. In certain places the right body language can help others see your openness, flexibility and honesty. Especially in American cultures as they are all about business and getting things right therefore, sitting upright in a chair during a meeting says that you are open and alert. But it can change completely once you put your hands behind you head or cross arms in front of chest, suddenly you are expressing boredom and superiority and puts you in a defensive position. Clenching fists that is related to a nxiety or tension, scratching nose, forming a bridge with hands, reflects on lack of interest can probably make the people around you feel uncomfortable. Maintaining eye contact translate into honesty, but it is ok to look away at times as it can be seen as starring or being intense or in some Asian culture it can be looked as threatening. Respecting personal space of others is a good way to express body language in a workplace. Personal space varies to individuals from different races. (ad example for the British here) Determining the appropriate body language in a workplace in relation to touching might be a bit sensitive. A firm handshake is welcoming but touching someone on the arm, tapping on the back maybe not be. Some find it normal and some others maybe feel uncomfortable with it. In India the constant shaking of the head from side to side can be misunderstood as a non verbal way of saying no but is the contrary as it is a way to show that they understand what you are saying or a sign of agreement. Where in America shaking your head is a sign of disagreeing and saying no while people from some countries raise their chins. British people are said to be more reserved and formal. Americans are considered more open and outgoing, while Australians are seen as casual and relaxed. Gender language Different interests and tendencies between the two genders might be a reason why they speak differently. Even though woman and men live in the same environment or have the same education and lever of profession growing up there were things that were acceptable for boys to do or say and were considered to be inappropriate for girls which is maybe a reason why they communicate differently. A man has his own way of expression, he uses words that correspond with the meaning of what he wants to say exactly and briefly using specific terms that he really means while maintaining sequence. A woman may speak with simpler words and phrases. Even though they speak the same language, they do not talk in similar context. Men glorify power, efficiency and achievement. They do things to prove themselves, develop skills and strengths they have, define themselves by their ability to achieve results. Giving advice to a man without him asking for it might make him feel like he does not know what he is doing. Woman are quite the contrary, they appreciate communication, beauty and relationships. Their ideas of themselves are determined b their feelings and quality of the relationships, they feel fulfilled by participation, communicating and staying in touch. Which can maybe lead to woman getting more jobs in the service sector as they involve being chatty, social and having to face and d eal with customers. The different way of seeing things in a professional environment can lead to major miscommunication between the two genders. men and women approach communication with different interpretive frames. Where one may expect direct explicit statement, the other maybe expecting indirect expression. Not meaning men are direct and women are indirect when one expects directness and the other uses indirectness wrong interpretations and miscommunications will be the result. In a work environment if a boss who is male asks a worker who is female to finish a report he might be very direct and straight to the point while if it was a female boss she might choose her words more carefully and try not to be very pressuring if the job she asked for is not urgent. Paralanguage Sigmund Freud said He that has eyes to see and ears to hear may convince himself that no mortal can keep a secret. If his lips are silent, he chatters with his fingertips; betrayal oozes out of him at every pore. The definition of paralanguage is non verbal means of communication such as one of voice, laughter and sometimes gestures and facial expressions that accompany speech and convey meaning. Silence can also be considered as a type of paralanguage, even when we say nothing we mean something. For example, when a teacher decides to stop speaking during a lecture because of the noise in the room waiting for the students to become conscious of the silence and start paying attention. In intercultural communication, paralanguage can be a bit puzzling. For example, Europeans interpret the loudness of Americans to aggressive behavior, while Americans might think the British are secretive because they talk quietly. Talking speed and the amount of silence in conversations also differ among cultures. The Japanese are comfortable having several pauses in their conversations, while Americans and many Arabic people are uncomfortable with any silence. Knowing this can help the work flow in a company go well without having workers and staff being offended and tense because you cannot change people and how they act you just have to adapt to the environment and accept change. Learning and understanding the language used between the staff and administration is very important as it reflects the strength and depth of the relationship between the administration and the teams that belong to it. Which can be shaken or changed by the interpretation or misinterpretation of that language, especially when the administrations exercises its power on employees. Knowing the meanings of words and sentences without knowing the meaning and cultural contextual use of each word is incomplete knowledge and the allegation that the foreign language learner does not need to know the cultural aspects contrasts with many goals of learning a foreign language.

Needless Boundaries in Frosts Mending Wall Essay -- Frost Mending Wa

Needless Boundaries in Frost's Mending Wall As long as man has existed, territories and boundaries have been a part of life. Everyone finds a need to have a part of this earth that he can call his own. As soon as one finds his own space, he begins to set boundaries sometimes in the form of walls or fences. This creation of a wall raises the question with the poet, Robert Frost, as to what they are â€Å"walling in or walling out.† In his poem â€Å"Mending Wall,† Frost as the narrator participates in the repairing of a wall that he finds little purpose in. Frost suggests that besides himself there is â€Å"something† mysterious that doesn’t like walls. For example, the frozen ground swells to make gaps big enough to walk through and hunters with their dogs perhaps hav...

Mary, Queen of Scots by Gordon Donaldson Essay -- Mary, Queen of Scots

The biography that is being reviewed is Mary, Queen of Scots by Gordon Donaldson. Mary Stuart, was born at Linlithge Palace on December 8, 1542, sixs days later she became Queen of Scotland. Mary became Queen of France and soon her greediness grew and she wanted to take over England. Mary was unwilling to stay in France, so she went back to Scotland. There her second husband died and she was imprisoned in England for the suspicion of the murder. Mary had a bad ending to her life. Mary got caught in attempting an assassination of Queen Elizabeth for which she was beheaded on February 8, 1587. In conclusion, Mary had a hard life trying to keep her thrones. The first chapter in the book discusses the reign of King James V, father of Mary Stuart. He became King of Scotland at the age of one after his father’s death at the Battle of Flodden. His marriage to princess Madeleine ended after her sudden death, and James then married Mary of Guise-Lorraine in 1538. This marriage cemented the Alliance between Scotland and France but worsened relations with England leading to the war with Henry VIII, which ended in Scottish defeat in 1542. James V died in Falkland Palace, on December 14, 1542, â€Å"As a worn-out, desperate man, at the age of thirty years†. His daughter Mary, just six days old, was his successor.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In chapter two Mary, Queen of Scots was being educated in France, where she was sheltered from the danger of Scotland, England and France and their constant bloodshed. During Mary’s childhood, France, England, and Scotland fought over religious decisions and particularly over who should control the church. At the end of the chapter, the â€Å"Book of Discipline†, comes into effect on setting up a regional organization for the Church. In the beginning of chapter three, Mary is eighteen years old, married and then widowed, and she is Queen of Scotland and France. The King of England, Francis, is dying, and Mary has the thirst for more power by trying to become Queen of England. Mary’s sister-in-law, Elizabeth, also finds the idea of being Queen tempting but by being illegitimate by birth, Mary feels she has the upper hand. She marries Lord Darnley, her English cousin, and is infatuated with him in the beginning, but she soon starts to dislike him and refuses his demands for crown matrimonial. Darnley becomes jealous of Mary’s most trusted fri... ...itness the execution of Sir John Gordon in 1562, faced her own end with calm, courage, and dignity†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The strengths of the book are very apparent. The book provides an in depth description of Mary Stuart from her appearance, to the sports in which she liked to play. Also, the book shows pictures of the castles in which Mary stayed in and also of Mary and her first husband, Francis II. In addition, this book can creatively make you visualize specific events that occurred in Mary’s life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The one major weakness of the book was that it was a to informative for the average reader. By describing the many ruling families of England, France, and Scotland, this book proved to be quite confusing in recognizing which family belonged to which country. Also, the author seemed to jump from one time period to the next without any flowing text.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I feel that this book should mainly be read by above-average reading level students in high school/ college or by people interested in that particular time period. I enjoyed reading about Mary Stuart and her troubled life. It was sometimes hard to grasp the content, however, when I did comprehend the material, it was quite interesting.