Why Beowulf is a True Epic Hero Essay Example

Why Beowulf is a True Epic Hero Paper It seems as though humanity is fixed on one form of what and how a hero ought to be. The epic hero is the central figure in a long narrative that reflects the values and heroic ideals of a particular society. Beowulf is an illustration of this in most aspects because he fought for the common good, had a superhuman trait of strength in his hands, and showed tremendous courage and bravery when entering a battle despite death might win in the end. Beowulf shows throughout the poem that his actions are in no way selfish. John D. Niles states in The Fatal Contradiction in Beowulf (94), Before the fight he declares himself willing to accept whatever outcome the lord see fit to grant. This shows that Beowulf does not fight to win personal glory; he did it for his people. A quality an epic hero should acquire. Beowulf was proud to know he pleased his people by defeating Greened and later on Grenades mother. He goes on to show throughout the poem that he will defend the Gears at all costs. Bernard F. Happen suggests that Beowulf is in fact far from a true hero. We will write a custom essay sample on Why Beowulf is a True Epic Hero specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Why Beowulf is a True Epic Hero specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Why Beowulf is a True Epic Hero specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer He states In The Failure of the Heroic Ideal (82), Beowulf behavior from beginning to end Is governed by the ethic of vengeance and the desire for glory. Its apparent that this Is not exact because its proven that Beowulf chose to fight alone so the fight would be equal. He knew the potential outcome, death. Epic heroes dont naturally fight with an army or side by side a friend, they take on their challenger alone. Beowulf chose to conquer a number of villains by his own hand to ensure the Seats would remain In peace. When we think of heroes, we automatically think of superpowers and extravagant Holon suits with capes and gadgets. Like Superman and Spenserian, modern day examples of heroes, Beowulf contained an almost superhuman Like quality. He had an ultimate strength In his hands. In his battle with Greened, Beowulf fought with no weapons to equal the fight and to show the meaning of true defeat without It being all for his glory. He killed Greened and put Warthogs and his people at ease. They saw Beowulf as a true hero as well. Beowulf Is definitely an epic hero. He fought for his people to the death and defeated numerous monsters. He was aware of his responsibility as a king to do whatever It took to protect the Seats. Beowulf Is a ferocious warrior with no tragic flaws who died for his people. Like John D. Niles states, If the behavior of anyone In the poem Is to be considered Irresponsible and Impractical, It Is that of the Gears, whoso failure to live by the heroic Ideal proves to be Impractical In the extreme, even to the point of leading to their ruin as soon as they no longer have a hero to protect them. This Is a Ideal example of why Beowulf Is a true epic hero. BY earner 991 be. The epic hero is the central figure in a long narrative that reflects the values and Niles states in The Fatal Contradiction in Beowulf (94), Before the fight he declares Beowulf does not fight to win personal glory; he did it for his people. A quality an epic that he will defend the Seats at all costs. Bernard F. Happen suggests that Beowulf is in fact far f rom a true hero. He states in The Failure of the Heroic Ideal (82), Beowulf behavior from beginning to end is governed by the ethic of vengeance and the desire for glory. Its apparent that this is equal. He knew the potential outcome, death. Epic heroes dont naturally fight with an conquer a number of villains by his own hand to ensure the Seats would remain in examples of heroes, Beowulf contained an almost superhuman like quality. He had an ultimate strength in his hands. In his battle with Greened, Beowulf fought with no weapons to equal the fight and to show the meaning of true defeat without it being Beowulf is definitely an epic hero. He fought for his people to the death and defeated numerous monsters. He was aware of his responsibility as a king to do whatever it took to protect the Seats. Beowulf is a ferocious warrior with no tragic flaws who died for his people. Like John D. Niles states, If the behavior of anyone in the poem is to be considered irresponsible and impractical, it is that of the Seats, whos failure to live by the heroic ideal proves to be impractical in the extreme, even to the point of leading to their ruin as soon as they no longer have a hero to protect them. This is a ideal example of why Beowulf is a true epic hero.

History of the Non

History of the Non Introduction Non profit organizations have always been considered as voluntary organizations that are officiated by private contributions. They are also regarded as silent contributors to the welfare of the public as well as the personal interests of individuals in society.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on History of the Non-Profit Sector specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The main difference between non-profit and profit organizations is that profit organizations core obligation is to gross income and reallocate assessable wealth to the workforce as well as the shareholders while non-profit organizations core obligation is to provide self-beneficial and self preservation programs and services. Consequently it is common to find volunteer human resources as well as volunteer executives who perform various roles without receiving any form of reparation. Charitable organizations, trade unions, public arts organizations as well as several other governments and government agencies all form examples of non-profit organizations which are sometimes referred as not-for-profit organizations. Due to the self-interest goals perpetuated by these organizations as well as their role in society, most nations choose to exempt NPOs from revenue and property duty since the governments fail to execute or enforce policies proposed by the NPOs. In essence, non-profit organizations are able to make a profit which is referred to as surplus and calculated at the end of every fiscal year; these earnings are retained as working capital for the internal mechanisms of the organization as well as further expansion plans rather than being distributed as dividend, shares or debentures. In most cases, NPOs use the surplus funds to hire new staff, reward the internal corporate leadership through bonuses and benefits. The mid- level management staff along with the entire human resource of the NPOs also receive incentives at the end of the year through the surplus funds. This essay aims at discussing the history of non profit organizations as well as the transformations that have taken place in the organizations over the years. A history of Non profit organizations According to Kranshinsky (1996), the non profit sector has existed in Europe and the United States since the eighteenth century though the organizations have only recently become prominent and a widely accepted aspect of the western society. The organizations’ initial operation system was strictly for charitable reasons meaning the non profit organizations in the 18th and 19th centuries never carried out business transactions. The non profit organizations of the early period depended entirely on funds donated by the financiers (Morris, 2000).Advertising Looking for essay on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A survey in America revealed that there were slig htly more than 12,000 charitable tax-exempt organizations that had no religious support while currently more than half a million of such organizations exist in America alone(Hammack, 2002). The department of trade was initially responsible for authorizing non profit organizations on behalf of the government though congress and state legislatures were later given that mandate as well as the power to establish which sort of non-profit organizations meet the requirements to be excused from paying taxes. In the 1960s, there was a rise in the number of non profit organizations in third world countries as an increasing number of communities were identified as needy either through education, food, clothing or shelter (Hammack, 2002). As a consequence, the number of NPOs in South America, Africa and Asia almost doubled in a span of less than ten years (Kranshinsky, 1996). In addition, the discovery of fatal untreatable diseases such as AIDS, Ebola, and cancer among other diseases acted as a catalyst for the augmentation of NPOs that sought to research on specific diseases and provide a cure or disease management programs (Morris, 2000). Affluent members of the public were encouraged to provide support and promote several other non profit organizations (Powell Steinberg, 2006). The responsibility of NPOs is basically to provide social services and attend to the requirements of a community such poverty, unemployment, and relief. Therefore the increasing number of non profit organizations is an indicator that the number of people that depend on non-profit organizations for aid and relief is greater than before (Morris, 2000). With reference to Morris (2000), the management and governance of non profit organizations has undergone constant transformation since their inception. Initially, NPOs were not allowed to have members and hence were made up of a self governing board that controlled all the operations of the organizations. The NPOs were permitted to function as trus ts hence activities such decision-making by the management, conflicts of interest and self-dealing were strictly prohibited (Kranshinsky, 1996). The implementation of the American Bar Associations Model Nonstock Corporation Statute by the United States in the late 20th century expanded the jurisdiction of NPOs as far as permissible activities were concerned. According to Hammack (2002), the most notable change during this period was the modification of the fiduciary standard from one of trust to a business standard, and hence non profit organizations were permitted to have members basically function similar to for-profit organizations (Powell Steinberg, 2006).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on History of the Non-Profit Sector specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The change in standard was significant since in actual fact made dissimilarities between nonprofit and for-profit institutions vague enough for the two types of organizations to have almost similar operational systems. Consequently, the legal description of a nonprofit organization has also been stretched out to consist of any activity or entity that does not entail the sharing of surplus profit in the form of dividends (Morris, 2000). Legislatures have been instrumental in altering the definition as well as the roles, tasks, and authority of nonprofit organizations in an attempt by the government to settle legal expansions with existing social and economic activities (Kranshinsky, 1996). The late twentieth century brought about fresh perspectives and ideologies that were viewed to have the potential to facilitate NPOs in realizing their corporate objectives more successfully through the application of various structures that were intended for profit organizations (Salamon Anheier, 1996). Some of the proposed changes are effective internal management, enhanced accountability for all levels of the organization and performance screen of the various departments or tasks so as to utilize the human and financial resources available(Powell Steinberg, 2006). Such transformational changes necessitate a change in management and the general operation of the organization leading to the running of NPOs as for-profit organizations (Morris, 2000). Non profit organization Values The Non profit organizations have operated under different value systems since their inception though there are two values which seem to stand out through out the history of nonprofits and have been found to be also applicable in the current situation (Morris, 2000). These values are: Justification of public good and utility, and public representation. Discussing the values; will give insight to the historical transition NPOs have undergone as well as understand the fundamental responsibilities of NPOs (Salamon Anheier, 1996). Justification of public good and utility This value according to Drucker deals with providing an outline to the correlation of non profit organizations to the requirements and principles of the society (Drucker, 1990). Basically the value entails offering transparency in relation to the functions of the organization, the responsibility of the organization to community in addition to the way the needs of society have changed over time (Hammack, 2002). In addition, the value directs the leadership of the organization on how to endorse the excellence of the organization to the public as well as the level of association required when relating to sponsors, administration units as well as other influential bodies in order to evenly distribute clout (Salamon Anheier, 1996). This value essentially provokes the organizational leadership to work as guides to society in order to easily identify and resolve pertinent issues.Advertising Looking for essay on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The value of public representation This value is concerned with the subject of diversity and stakeholder management. In addition this value also deals with the individuals and the means liable of classifying relations between nonprofit organizations and the society (Drucker, 1990). The identity of stakeholders also comes into focus under this value where the individuality and the different perspectives of the stakeholders have to be clear in order to provide guidance and direction to the NPOs (Salamon Anheier, 1996). Public representation is not the same as factual representation by stakeholders neither is it a representative structure, despite the fact that both positions may be applied by a particular organization (Drucker, 1990). This value was put in place to provoke the leadership; to insure that the different points of view that exemplify the organizations community are accessible by the organization and exploration of the perceptions also takes place. Hammack (2002) asserts that the organization should seek to nurture evocative diversity among its members and subjects rather than have an analogous discernment from its members. Theories regarding the establishment of nonprofit organizations The theories about the creation of NPOs are based on the conventional perception of a rational choice where commonly available goods and services are the most prominent factor. There are several different theories that attempt to explain the history of non-profit organizations as well as their ability to meet the society’s demand for public goods. The theory of the (Market / State) Failure is the most outstanding theory and the naissance requirement of this theory is the supposition that the operation of market is imperfect since performing markets have several deficits which prevent the saturation of all the needs in society(Kranshinsky, 1996). In addition, societies prefer to acquire public goods for free hence the production of public goods is not profitabl e and consequently there is a shortage of market subjects. Usually the state or the public administration in democratic systems intervene by paying for the goods through the public budget as long as the majority of voters agree to the production of particular public goods(Powell Steinberg, 2006). Whereas only a minority agrees, production of public goods ceases leading to the prevalence of numerous unsaturated needs and demands on public goods. Consequently, NPOs start being established to provide services and goods that neither state nor market is able to provide to society. Theory of Confidence is another hypothesis that argues that the establishment of NPOs is due to failures of the market in creating reliable environment for implementing trade (Morris, 2000). According to Salamon Anheier (1996), the low circulation of information regarding the quality of goods and services from the supplier breeds mistrust and low confidence on the goods and services leading to contractual fai lure. According to Powell Steinberg (2006), the consumer as a result tends to go for NPOs since they do not operate with the aim of making excessive profit and therefore it is improbable they would try to deceive the consumer. The final supposition is the Welfare State Theory which according to Kranshinsky (1996) significantly alters the scholarly view regarding the importance of NPOs in society. This theory classifies NPOs as pre-modern systems vital for resolving social problems (Drucker, 1990). NPOs under such circumstances normally arise in conventional society sine its inception, where there is no public administration or the administration is not yet completely developed to function effectively (Powell Steinberg, 2006). The industrialization and state social policy, however, brought about several changes that greatly reduced the significance of NPOs since the state and government took on most of the responsibilities previously held by NPOs. It is this development that led sc holars to assume that NPOs might gradually fade away especially after the improvement of the public administration. Deeper scrutiny of this theory by Powell Steinberg (2006) reveals the implications as well as the reasons of the establishment and incessant subsistence of NPOs in the contemporary modern environment is mainly a common practice rather than the failure of state to perform accordingly through the imperfections identified in the services provided by the state (Morris, 2000). To the contrast, it is to a certain extent the deficiency of state or else the fact that the duties of the state are still not yet fully effective that has led to the emergence and continuous existence of NPOs (Kranshinsky, 1996). The final view is that in the fields where the state has already taken a fundamental role, it succeeds in providing for communities and is even more effective than NPOs in affording services (Salamon Anheier, 1996). Consequently, the expansion of the supporting role of the state and the effectiveness of the state in dispensing its duties is likely to place the state ahead of other organizations in the public eye and hence slowly NPOs will be replaced by the state in the community and public support fields. Conclusion The global nonprofit sector altogether has a wide historical facet that has played a critical role in establishing the mandate of NPOs currently in operation. The state and federal laws have changed over time and the amendment of these laws has constantly identified the roles to be played by both nonprofit firms as well as nonprofit organizations and the laws have also determined the type of leadership and membership the organizations will have. The laws on the other hand have been influenced by factors such as conflicts of individual freedom, the position of the government on NPOs, the position of different religious groups, races, social customs, income groups, gender, as well as the availability and demand of public goods and services . The clear position however is that the number of NPOs have increased through out history with the total number of nonprofit employees in the U.S. workforce for instance having grown from 0.7% to 1.4% in the early 20th century and from 3% in the mid 20th century to 9% at the turn of the 21st century. The main reason for such an increase in the staff and capacity of NPOs has been the emerging and expanding public needs through out the world. For instance, education in the early 1900 was not a priority and hence no NPOs were involved in providing education to the community. In addition, the gradual increase in the government’s financial support to the sector, increase in consumer wealth as well as the amendments done on individual rights have helped the NPO sector to secure its role in the society. References Drucker, P. (1990). Managing the Non-Profit Organization: Practices and Principles. New York: HarperCollins. Hammack, D. (2002). Nonprofit Organizations in American Histo ry. American Behavioral Scientist, Vol. 45, No. 11, 1638-1674. Kranshinsky, M. (1996). Transaction Costs and a Theory of the Nonprofit Organization. In: Rose-Ackerman Susan. The Economics of Nonprofit Institutions. New York: Oxford University Press. Morris, S. (2000). Defining the Nonprofit Sector: Some Lessons from History. International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, Vol.11, No. 1, pp. 25-43. Powell, W. and Steinberg, R. (2006). The nonprofit sector: a research handbook. Web. Salamon, L. and Anheier, H. (1996). Social origins of civil society: Explaining the nonprofit sector cross-nationally. Web.

A Marketing analysis of Italian wine in the Chinese market Dissertation

A Marketing analysis of Italian wine in the Chinese market - Dissertation Example Political Political factors play an important role in the performance of businesses in the long run. In China, political risk is relatively low compared to other emerging economies in the world. This is because China follows a one party policy, which reduces chances of political parties among opponents. The central government of China has recently revised its taxation policy in order to help it encourage wine business in the country. The government has taken the initiative to provide funds for the infrastructural projects that would help the wineries in their process of production (Daft, Kendrick and Vershinina, 2010). In case of a political framework, in which there is the existence of more than one party, as the ruling party changes, it leads to the change of ideologies and policies. The one party policy in China acts as a favourable factor for any business operation in the country. Therefore, the wine industry faces positive thrust in China. Import of bottled wine has increased be tween 2004 and 2009 as shown in the graph below. It can be seen from the figure that imports from Italy have increased considerably after 2006. Figure: Imports of bottled wine by China (Source: DPI, 2013) However, there is little transparency in the political system of the country. There are wide assortments of different rules encompassing the businesses in all industries in the country. Such regulations increases challenges for the investors that are currently investing in the country or are willing to invest in the near future (Collins, 2013). Economic China is the largest economy in the world in terms of population and the ranks third in the world in terms of purchasing power parity (CIA, 2013). According to 2012 estimate, the real growth rate of the nation is 7.8 percent and per capita GDP is $9300 (CIA, 2013). There is a rising middle class in China that possesses high purchasing power. This middle income group in China makes very high demand for luxury goods in the internation al market (Zhou, 2010). With rising income of the people belonging to the middle class in China, their exposure to the international market is increasing and they are becoming more accustomed to the western culture. This develops taste among the population for luxury products, such as high quality refined wine. This provides positive incentive for the wine manufacturers to increase their operations in China. According to comments by experts, in years to come, the Chinese â€Å"middle class† would become one of the greatest stakeholders for the wine firms. With evolution of the Chinese economy the society is also advancing. A greater proportion of the population is entering the middle class (Okonkwo, 2007). They are having high average earning and are influenced by the western culture to a greater extent. These people are becoming loyal customers of wine. Besides, increasing price differentials in the international market is a major factor that brings about growth in the Chine se wine market. Social China has a long history of brewing wine and there is a tradition of wine consumption in the country. Research shows that the consumption of wine by the Chinese population has been increasing over the last decade. Researchers have claimed that consumption of wine in China would double by 2014 (UPENN, 2012). The reason behind this change

Western Civilization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Western Civilization - Essay Example Only by examining the facts can one make a decision on right or wrong. Although not one of the actual assassins, Cicero makes the argument that some members of the conspiracy had brought up what he referred to as â€Å"petty crimes† (one of the instances was fraudulent buying and selling). His viewpoint was that made little sense when the emperor’s real crime was the simple fact that he declared himself king and that in itself justified the Emperor’s death. Indeed, Cicero goes so far to state that such views are that of an insane person (and â€Å"immoral†) and those that followed him were just as mad as Caesar. In his case, he states that the Empire was once a free state with free people and that removing somebody like Caesar (either by force or peaceful means) was not only reasonable but in fact warranted. Cassius Dio on the other hand, makes an entirely different viewpoint in that killing Caesar was perhaps not totally justified and only brought unnecessary war and sedition to Rome. Granted, it could be argued that unlike Cicero, Cassius lived close to three hundred years after the event and was writing history as based upon the documents available to him. Yet historians such as Cassius often provide valuable insight many years after the fact, maybe unprejudiced, whereas those like Cicero were inflamed and caught up in the moment. Cassius does make a valid point in that the senators and other leaders courted Caesar like he was a king, such as riding into the city on horseback in full regalia and naming him Father of His Country. True Caesar’s ego made him giddily accept such â€Å"honors† and the man truly believed he was deserving of those favors. So why then use this as a later excuse to later kill him? Cassius points out that they hoped to convince Caesar that he was a mere mortal and when that failed (the Emperor actually believd himself otherwise!), the conspiracy took

Explain links between economic development and destruction of forests Essay

Explain links between economic development and destruction of forests in the Third World. Explain how development can be designed to protect forests. Describe - Essay Example The research on the ecological situation of the world clearly shows that the largest and most significant causes of pollution are the industrial and commercial activities of humans. These activities are taking place at an accelerating rate in countries which are seeking to develop themselves into economic powers such as India and China. Whenever fossil fuels are used to drive automobiles, run industries or provide energy to offices and homes, a significant amount of harmful gasses are created which are released into the atmosphere. While a certain amount of atmospheric pollution can be controlled and nature has the magnificent ability to manage excess carbon dioxide (CO2), the present rate of creation of these compounds in developing countries is simply too much for nature to handle (Quammen, 1998). The deforestation of the world is certainly adding to the problem since different locations around the world in LDCs and MDCs are suffering from humans encroaching on forest regions. As India develops into the back office of the world, its Gir forest is being destroyed to make room for mango farms, peanut groves and lime quarries for the cement that is to be used in multistory offices in Mumbai and Bangalore. The UN reports that the rate of deforestation has only increased in the world since 15.4 million hectares per annum are being taken away from our forests. In South America alone, every year 6.2 million hectares of forest land is destroyed to make room for the population (Quammen, 1998). The situation has come to a point where 95% of the forest land of Brazil is gone and 92% of the forests of the Philippines are gone. Costa Rica was a country known for its biodiversity but she has also lost more than 90% of her forests. If the situation continues as it has in the past, by the middle of the present century, there would be no forests left in these developing countries except in

National competitive advantage of technology

National competitive advantage of technology Is technology the basis of long-term national competitive advantage? Compare the differences in the innovation systems of leading economies, industries and firms? Kay (1993) describes â€Å"innovation† as a ‘distinctive capability that can help provide the foundation for competitive advantage. Technology has been shaping the world since the start of the human era. Even in the business world it has changed the way businesses works, it has changed the manner we perceive and even the way we manage business. There are three major forms of innovating; RD, imported technology and technological transfers.   So, to argue we will use porter and chandlers theories with comparing the three different tires of the Nation level, the Industry level and the Firm level to understand whether technology on itself or with factors leads to a National competitive advantage. And we will focus over the major five economies, which are USA, UK, Germany, Japan and China. Technological development and innovation is a quite vital for long-term national competitiveness and success. Porter (1998) defined the national competitive advantage as the capacity of nation to attract local and foreign firms to use a platform for conducting business and attaining economic success. Therefore, with better technology will bring in more options for business and will be more attractive. Porter stresses the importance of technological change as â€Å"The determinants of national innovative capacity†, 2002, by referring this as one of the principal drivers of competition, which is at the heart of economic growth and development. The major reasons which supports the argument of it being vital to competitive advantage is because of the way it leads to differentiation or lower costs from the competitors in product and service designs. Firms must broaden and extend the basis of their competitive advantage by innovation through technology development and update (Fitzge rald, 1994). Innovation through technological development can also lead to national comparative advantage. Even though technology is one of the primary determinants of national competitiveness, they are other factors. Moreover, distinguishing the â€Å"Invention† from â€Å"Innovation† is must and has been done by Schumpeter, in which the invention is just a scientific breakthrough and not necessarily a business one cause of the commercial viability, being unknown. However, the job of the research and development is more to bring in the commercial viability, which may turn out to be a competitive advantage. The phrase deemed â€Å"technological change† has altered the society and increased the national wealth through success of various governments, since the 19th century. One of the major contributors in the development of economies and technology are the large industrial enterprises, which earlier with their super-normal profits and evolving competition, embodied innovation in their processes and products. So the major factors that led to these technological enterprises were lower costs, better human resources inclusive of management, smooth flow of material and information with well-built distributing networks and a primary driver of technological advances, (Chandler, 1995) Metcalfe, (1995) defines National innovation systems as â€Å"set of distinct institutions which jointly and individually contribute to the development and diffusion of new technologies and which provides the framework within which governments form and implement policies to influence the innovation process. As such it is a system of interconnected institutions to create, store and transfer the knowledge, skills and arti facts which define new technologies.† As stated above, the major five economies have been analysed at the macro level amongst their National Innovation Systems. The resources for Japanese innovation are mostly through private firms, public research institutions and educational institutions; for the USA are mostly non-US firms and educational institutions (Buiges, 2009). While the UK, Germany and China share similar resources, which is mainly the government. So, to start we analyse the RD expenditure to the economic output of the countries. The USA has a stable expenditure share between 2.5 to 3% since 1996 (Dicken, 2003). While, Japan on the contrary has the highest share of expenditure for RD which has been more than 3% of the countrys output since 2007 and the percentage is increasing (Abe and Fitzgerald, 1995). U.K. and Germany have been steady with their RD expenditure ranging from 1.5 to 2% since 1996. The Chinese increased their input by 1% from 1996 to 2006. The second major consideration is the pool of scientists and engineers in which Japan overtakes the USA. Even though USA has a mighty infrastructure of education and research. One of the major origins of innovation in the USA is non-US firms, mostly related to Japan. Hence, Wright (1992) stated â€Å"following World War 2, USA was the worlds most productive economy by virtually any measure; however, this is no longer.† Students in Germany are not trained in school, while Chinese students are now trained occupationally in school to fill in the gap of the lacking of skilled and experienced work force in china mentioned by Buiges (2009). Hence we can see that to build innovation, the other investments like in financial, information, educational systems are required with government supporting policies and sometimes industry collectivity. The first industry we opt for in the pharmaceutical industry, as it has high relevance to innovation and RD, to contrast the national systems at an industry level. The â€Å"first mover† explained by (Chandler 1992), as a crucial role was done by Germany in the pharmaceutical industry for a stronger position. This national innovation system helps in explaining why German companies like Bayer and Salvesan are able to be at the upper hand. These companies R D investment started as early as in 1870s, which help them innovating aspirin and anti-syphilis drug. Sustaining the competitive advantage over first is not possible until it is cyclical (repetitive), after world war one, Germans lost to the Americans and the British. This happened after the US and UK were forced producing substitutes to those drugs from Germany, to which they lost supply, hence started focusing on developing the domestic industry (Owen 1999). The companies were like Burroughs welcome and May Baker in the UK and Eli Lilly in the US. Loosing out in the first mover, the dependencies of the UK had increased but to counter the affect and to create a national advantage, the National Health Service (NHS) was established in 1984. The NHS is referred as the â€Å"ultimate paymaster for the bulk of the industry sales.† (Owen 1999:371). Another exposure that the British gained for responding to the Germans was the presence of major multinationals which brought in mass capital from countries like US, Switzerland and France which acted as a stimulus rather than being a threat. Finally, government intervention as a supporter gave a platform to companies like SmithKline and Pfizer. As a result the British with its strong innovation index and its regulatory options attracted Research and development. To support this argument Nelson (1993:279), states, â€Å"Competitive success in pharmaceuticals depends on a domestic environment which encourages firms to invest in costly research and development programs.† The Ec onomist shows after the Nelson argument, expenditure on RD in the UK increased by a staggering 6% since 1995, (The Economist, March 2005). The major difference in NIS of US and the UK has been the government support, which was majorly lacking in the USA and enforced the pharmaceutical industry to heavily rely on the Market networks, to support stands Glaxo and La Roche as examples. Even the statistics show the dramatic rise of expenditure on marketing to 33% in comparison to the 19% investment on RD by Novartis. (The Economist, March 2005). Americas large domestic market has always been the excuse for super normal profits and then innovation and further by competitive advantage but there is a reason for the European counterparts to outsmart them even with lesser finances and resources was cause of the government support and culture. Even Owen supports the argument of having a domestic market is not the utmost reason for being more competitive. Due to lack of resources and government regulations about the usage of resources the Japanese were far behind in developing a NIS in the pharmaceutical industry and tend to follow the path of mergers and acquisitions to be competitive. A relevant instance was the takeover of La Roche over Chugai, a major innovator in Japans pharmaceutical industry. The second industry we opted for analysis is the semi-conductor industry. To start with USA the most competitive in this industry, where clusters have been the key to its NIS. Porter defines clusters, as a system of inter-related firms that are connected vertically and horizontally, with a value greater than its parts sum of its parts. The two major constituents of the American NIS are Route 128 and the â€Å"Silicon Valley†, which is the present core, (Dicken, 2004). The clusters have led to easier and much faster knowledge sharing which leads to an advantage. The use of clusters has also led to development of American FDI into Malaysia as another cluster for less expensive labour. The semi-conductor business being highly technical, educational system especially universities have been vital. The USA and Germany have provided with a better university network with close relationships between the firms and universities, facilitating with a stream of scientists and engineers with the skills to innovate, (Nelson 1993). The University of Stanford location around the Silicon Valley stands for a reason. This competitive NIS was firstly sheltered and supported by the government. A similar form of cluster evolved in Japan wit the five major semi-conductor producers, which are NEC, Fujitsu, Hitachi, Toshiba and Mitsubishi. The group was called MITI collaboration for research. The group was 40 % funded by the Japanese government leading the Japanese government to be a virtual part, (Dicken, 2004). As mentioned above the Americans protected the semi conductor industry, was because of Japans government support and restrictions on American semi-conductors with the supply of cheaper semi-conductors known as â€Å"Dump Chips† in the US. The Chinese followed the Japanese in making a hold in the international semi-conductor market, even though with their â€Å"open door policy†, they had generated FDI before like merging with Taiwanese company ACER Ltd. The major difference in innovation systems of the two late industrializing nations i.e. China and Japan and the rest three is that instead of being pioneers in the semi-conductor industry they choose innovation through â€Å"imitation.† In most cases the learned technology was diffused and made it into an easier adaptable version, following innovating the technology. The only price for them to pay was the license fee. Well, now the Asian countries have started to invest more in research and development for creating their own innovations. Japan is quite successful in implementing it and has been considered as the â€Å"powerhouse† in RD like the US. China is on the path and is using a techno hybrid technology, with FDI, technology transfer in it, they are evolving as a key player in the semi-conductor industry. (Fitzgerald Cirvagena, 2009) To conclude, Technology is important for a countrys national competitive advantage, but as this discussion has shown, technology is not the only factor that can stimulate a leading position in a particular industry and for the economy. As Dicken (2004) highlights â€Å"In an intensely competitive environment, the introduction of a continuous stream of new products is essential to a firms profitability and indeed survival†, which referred earlier a repetitive or cyclical innovation is must.   Furthermore, by analyzing the NIS of the todays five leading economies, we have seen that the role of the state, clusters, and corporate governance, education systems, culture, have been vital components. This discussion possibly asks us to consider which is the best NIS to gain a national competitive advantage. In reflection of the two industries that have been looked at, a blend of different factors can be identified and have been justified.   The challenging nature of the US pharmaceutical industry could be improved by following the UK NIS, which recently the Obama Administration in the USA had approved. The fact that the UK semiconductor industry is such a small player in this market could be due to a lack of RD investment, which its US counterparts achieved through clustering. It is clear that one single approach in NIS is not the key to a countrys national competitive advantage or industry. References Buiges, P Sekkat, K (2009). Industrial Policy in Europe, Japan and the USA. UK: Macmillan Publishers. p.180-220. Chandler, A, ‘Managerial Enterprise and Competitive Capabilities in Jones, G and Harvey, C. (1992) Organisational Capability and Competitive Advantage. London: Frank Cass. Chandler, A.D (1995). Strategy and structure: chapters in the history of the industrial enterprise. USA: MIT. p.1-20. Dicken, P. (2004) ‘Global Shift: Reshaping the Global Economic Map in the 21st Century London: Sage Dicken, P. (2003) Global Shift: Transforming the World Economy. E, Abe and R, Fitzgerald (1995) ‘Japanese Economic Success: timing, culture and organizational capability Fitzgerald, R Ciravgena, L. (2009) ‘Technological Innovation, MN 330 Lecture 10 Fitzgerald, R (1994). The Competitive Advantages of Far Eastern Business. Great Britain: Frank Cass Ltd. p. 1-16. Kay, J (1993). Innovation, technology and competitive strategy . USA: Economic and Social Research Council. 1-16. Metcalfe, S. (1995), â€Å"The Economic Foundations of Technology Policy: Equilibrium and Evolutionary Perspectives†, in P. Stoneman (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Innovation and Technological Change, Blackwell Publishers, Oxford (UK)/Cambridge (US) Nelson, R.R (1993) ‘National Innovation Systems: A Comparative Context, Oxford: Oxford University Press Nelson, R.R.   Wright, G. (1992) ‘The rise and fall of American technological leadership: the post-war era in historical perspective, Journal of Economic Literature, Vol. 30. Owen, G. 1999. From empire to Europe. London: Harper Collins Porter, M. (1998). The competitive advantage of nations: with a new introduction. USA: Harvard Business Review. p.73-90 Porter, M. (2002). The determinants of national innovative capacity. Research Policy. 31 (6), p.899-933. Finefacts Team (2005) ‘RD scorecard Global top 1,000 Companies: US firms dominate, 86% of total RD comes from just 6 countries out of 36, Oct 24, 2005 The Economist (2005) ‘Prescriptions for change, A Survey of Pharmaceuticals, June 18th, 2005

Argument in the Apology Essay -- Plato Socrates

The main argument in The Apology by famous ancient Greek philosopher Plato is whether, notorious speaker and philosopher Socrates is corrupting the youth by preaching ungodly theories and teaching them unlawful ideas that do harm to individuals and society. In his words Socrates quoted the prosecution’s accusation against him: â€Å"Socrates is guilty of corrupting the minds of the young, and of believing in supernatural things of his own invention instead of the gods recognized by the state.† 1 Further Socrates consistently introduces tediously compiled number of examples to provide valid and sound arguments to prove that he is innocent of the charges brought up against him to the court. The first approach that Socrates uses to prove his innocence’s is he uses a practical comparison between horses and all living and artifical things â€Å"Take the case of horses; do you believe that those who improve them make up the whole of the mankind and that there is only one person who has a bad effect on them? Or is the truth just the opposite that the ability to improve them belongs to one person or to very few persons, who are horse-trainers, whereas most people, if they have to do with horses and make use of them, do them harm.† 2 The premises in this quote are: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Horse trainers do improve horses. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Those who use the horses do not enhance them. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are more horse owners than the horse trainers. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Therefore, the improvements come from a small group of specia...