Summary of Beowulf Attacks Grendels Mother :: Anglo Saxon English Literature Essays

Summary of Beowulf Attacks Grendel's Mother The epic story of Beowulf is about a young hero who fights in battles against the monster Grendel and his mother and later concerns Beowulf's final fight with a dragon. Beowulf is the prince of the Geats. He is also the son of Ecgtheow, who travels to Heorot where the great mead hall of Hrothgar king of the Danes, is located. Hrothgar, is the great grandson of Scyld Scefing. In this passage Beowulf goes underwater and fights with Grendel's mother in a cave. During his descent to her lair, Beowulf is attacked by Grendel's mother and dragged to her cave. He tries to hit her with his sword but he does not succeed in piercing her skin. In rage and frustration Beowulf attacks her with his bare hands. He manages to knock down Grendel's mother, however, she is swift and manages to fight back and ends up sitting on top of him. With her dagger she desperately tries to kill Beowulf, but his armor protects him from her attacks. Beowulf then spots a large sword made by giants on the wall of the cave and throws Grendel's mother off him and grabs the sword. The sword Beowulf finds is amazing. It has a very ornamented handle called a hilt and the blade is bigger than the average sword. Beowulf strikes Grendel's mother with the sword slicing her in two and splitting her collarbones. After the attack, a light illuminates the cave, "just as from the sky heaven's candle shines clear." (Norton 47) Beowulf notices Grendel's body and he instantaneously cuts off the monster's head to present it to Hrothgar. The blade of Beowulf's new sword then begins to melt because the blood is too hot and poisonous for it. Beowulf notices all the great treasures in the cave but he does not take any of them. He swims to shore with Grendel's head in one hand and holding the hilt with the other. He is then received by his fellow warriors who are waiting in hope to see Beowulf again. Four warriors carry Grendel's head to Heorot where the victory will be celebrated. The head is carried around as a trophy for all to view in the great mead hall of Hrothgar. Summary of Beowulf Attacks Grendel's Mother :: Anglo Saxon English Literature Essays Summary of Beowulf Attacks Grendel's Mother The epic story of Beowulf is about a young hero who fights in battles against the monster Grendel and his mother and later concerns Beowulf's final fight with a dragon. Beowulf is the prince of the Geats. He is also the son of Ecgtheow, who travels to Heorot where the great mead hall of Hrothgar king of the Danes, is located. Hrothgar, is the great grandson of Scyld Scefing. In this passage Beowulf goes underwater and fights with Grendel's mother in a cave. During his descent to her lair, Beowulf is attacked by Grendel's mother and dragged to her cave. He tries to hit her with his sword but he does not succeed in piercing her skin. In rage and frustration Beowulf attacks her with his bare hands. He manages to knock down Grendel's mother, however, she is swift and manages to fight back and ends up sitting on top of him. With her dagger she desperately tries to kill Beowulf, but his armor protects him from her attacks. Beowulf then spots a large sword made by giants on the wall of the cave and throws Grendel's mother off him and grabs the sword. The sword Beowulf finds is amazing. It has a very ornamented handle called a hilt and the blade is bigger than the average sword. Beowulf strikes Grendel's mother with the sword slicing her in two and splitting her collarbones. After the attack, a light illuminates the cave, "just as from the sky heaven's candle shines clear." (Norton 47) Beowulf notices Grendel's body and he instantaneously cuts off the monster's head to present it to Hrothgar. The blade of Beowulf's new sword then begins to melt because the blood is too hot and poisonous for it. Beowulf notices all the great treasures in the cave but he does not take any of them. He swims to shore with Grendel's head in one hand and holding the hilt with the other. He is then received by his fellow warriors who are waiting in hope to see Beowulf again. Four warriors carry Grendel's head to Heorot where the victory will be celebrated. The head is carried around as a trophy for all to view in the great mead hall of Hrothgar.

Poetry Analysis- A Litany In The Time Of Plague Essay

Context Nashe is most famous as a pamphleteer. an odd career that now would see him working for some Chinese restaurant or another. In Elizabethan times a pamphleteer was a bit more prominent as pamphlets were one of the most effective ways to spread ideas or news across the country. Nashe’s pamphlets were apparently pretty controversial in theme and his poetry also caused a bit of a stir, see if you can work out why!: And make me happie, stealing by degrees. First bare hir legs, then creepe up to her knees †¦ â€Å"Unhappyie me,† quoth she, â€Å"and wilt not stand? Com, let me rubb and chafe it with my hand!† Do you really need to know this? No, but has it made you smile? No? Well, on with the relevant stuff then! So, we’ve established he was a naughty boy and in no way deserving of salvation, now let’s talk about the Black Death. It was a plague that swept around Europe for hundreds of years and is estimated to have killed 200 million people. At the time people were particularly put out by it because they had no idea what was causing it and there was seemingly no cure and people from all reaches of life were effected equally: Queen Elizabeth I was really scared of the plague and devised various quarantine measures to protect herself. You can imagine how an unexplained fatal disease killing everyone around you would make you a little terrified for your own life, feeling like the sword of Damocles is hanging over you head and making you seriously contemplate what happens next. Themes The big one here is obviously mortality, but it closely associated with salvations and therefore religious faith could be considered here too. Content Right, it’s six stanzas and it’ll take forever to do if I go through in too much detail so you’re going to have to be satisfied with an overview. Let’s start with the title. The word litany is now quite commonly used, but at the time was derived from and focused on a service in a church. We can take a litany to be a series of prayers or the whole service, which aims to convey a message to a congregation listening to the priest or preacher delivering it. The first stanza gives us an overview of what’s on Nashe’s mind; he’s a bit fixated on what he sees as the certainty of his approaching death. He mentions how much fun and joy there is in the world, but sees them as being overshadowed and made to seem inconsequential by the shadow of death (‘Death proves them [our joys] all but toys’) and our mortality. He tells us that ‘none from his darts can fly’ indicating the inevitability of death; we all know we’ll die, but he seems to be implying that none can escape from death from the plague as he says ‘I am sick, I must die’ as one inevitably leads to the other. The following four stanzas effectively say the same thing: no one is safe from the plague and nothing will protect you. He starts off by addressing the wealthy and assures them ‘Gold cannot buy your health’. He’s a little bit wrong here as wealth probably would ensure a bit of distance from the plague and the wealthy wouldn’t live in the crowded, filthy and rat infested confines of the cities, so would probably be less likely. However, this is besides the point, he’s telling them their money won’t keep them safe. Stanza 3 next addresses the beautiful and warns them that ‘wrinkles will devour’ them and their looks and that even beautiful Queens have died young. He uses a classical allusion in Helen (the face that launched a thousand ships†¦ because she was so pretty the Greeks went to rescue her from her Trojan captors) as well to convey the idea of beauties dying young and thus telling the young that even they are not safe from the plague. Strength and intelligence (‘wit’) are the next two subjects. Even the most powerful will eventually ‘feed’ for the worms, or rotting in the grave, again demonstrated with a classical allusion, this time to Hector (the Trojan hero). The intelligent are unable to argue their way out of their fate as ‘Hell’s executioner’, or the plague, has ‘no ears’ for them to appeal to. So basically he’s saying that everyone is screwed and there is nothing you can do to avoid the plague. That should give you an impression of people felt at the time; this plague was almost like a sign of judgement day as they didn’t know what caused it, it punished everyone equally and it a particularly unpleasant way to die. But hang on! There is one way we can be saved†¦ unfortunately it still requires us to die. Our only salvation is in heaven and Nashe is telling us to embrace our death, but make sure we have lived our lives in a way that will mean we can ‘mount†¦ unto the sky’ and head off to heaven. Lovely†¦ Hmm†¦ Language and techniques Hundreds of things to talk about, so don’t feel confined to the few examples I’ve chosen to zoom in on. First of all I’d analyse the language used to describe the plague. We are told that ‘none’ can escape its ‘darts’ making our death seem like a certainty; it travels ‘full swift by’ as if it is an unstoppable wind; and once we’re sick, we die confirming that once affected there is no hope. These associations suggest that humanity has no chance of survival against this mysterious and unexplained disease. Then we have the really disturbing imagery about how people die. There is certainly no glory in death as we might believe as ‘wrinkles devour’ beauty or consumed and distort it, while the strong are reduced to pathetic  weaknesses as ‘worms feed’ upon their flesh with them unable to fight back. These images both have a literal association with the plague as huge blisters often formed on victims making them quite repulsive, while victims were reduced to extremely frail conditions thanks to fever and sickness (also suggested by the fact the strong ‘stoop to the grave’, almost unable to stand). However, these images are meant to shock us and make us scared of the disease and for our mortality. I’d also mention how fatalistic the poet is. The plague did not effect everyone and yet we have an almost apocalyptic expression of the certainty of death that recurs throughout the poem again and again and again. Each stanza repeats the final two lines that link sickness absolutely with death and then beg for divine mercy, but we also get a unique element of the certainty of demise in each stanza: 1st – ‘None from his darts can fly’ – no one can escape from death/the plague. 2nd – ‘All things to end are made’ – everything dies! 3rd – ‘wrinkles will devour’ – no uncertainty about decay. 4th – ‘Swords may not fight with fate’ – you cannot fight fate, death is inevitable. 5th – the first two lines†¦ less convincing here – intelligence certain to be overcome by the bitterness of death. Then you’ve got that last stanza and the last line of each stanza. ‘Lord, have mercy on us!’ is a desperate plea to a higher power to make things better the next place they go, a plea for salvation and against being damned to hell. The whole of this stanza seems to indicate the importance of faith as we’re told ‘To welcome destiny’ presumably by being morally good to please the lord, and that earth is just ‘a player’s stage’ meaning that it is sort of a rehearsal or an audition for the real deal of life in either heaven ‘our heritage’ or hell. Structure Well, the first thing to say is that this is a litany. It is set out as a prayer and deliberately sounds like one of those religious fables telling us how to live our lives – ultimately with God and faith at the centre. We get the opening stanza setting the scene for the devastating impact of the  plague as if it is actually destroying the whole world, as if it is beckoning judgement day. The middle stanzas show us things that people rely on while on earth, but proves how useless these things are against death/the plague. Finally, we are given the message about how we can defeat this certain death†¦ by dying as good Christians and going to heaven. I’ve already mentioned it above, but you could also discuss why the last two lines repeat in each stanza. Yes, it makes it like a prayer, but also it emphasises the certainty of death and the poet cannot escape this preoccupation with the end being nigh! Tone Pretty sombre as at every turn this guy wants to remind us and himself that he is certain to die†¦ and in a pretty gruesome and debilitating way. However, there is also an element on preaching here as he is trying to tell us what we have to do – be good and die horrible, but live on in heaven.

Same-Sex Marriage Must Remain Legal Essay examples

Over the past five years same-sex marriage has become one of the most controversial issues in the United States, many social activist strive to aid homosexuals and their fight to legalize same-sex marriage. Marriage is a fundamental right not a privilege. Gay men and women should not be discriminated against based on their sexuality. Marriage is a sacred bond between two people that love each other no matter the sex, race, or religion. Everyday homosexuals are treated unfairly; most were born gay and cannot help their feelings. Being gay in America today is very difficult, you have to hide who you are just to be accepted. All homosexual’s really want is to be treat fairly and to get all the right they deserve, like†¦show more content†¦Terry McAuliffe was at first against same-sex marriage but, over time he realized that it is unfair to take a human right away from a group of people. If we all follow in his footsteps and learn more about this issue then we can final ly approve a law to legalize it. Some Politicians really don’t like to announce if they are for or against same-sex marriage because they are afraid of what some Americans would think of them. However a interview with ABC’s Robin Roberts President Obama announced that he is all for same-sex marriage. â€Å"At a certain point, I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married.† Some people applauded him for this statement but of course people resented the President because of this. Having the President publicly announced that he promotes same-sex marriage is a great milestone for the gay community. Same-sex marriage is one of the most controversial issues in American. If same-sex marriage is legalized there still will be abundance of people who will be distraught, however it will be a step forward in the gay rights movement. As legislators look more into same -sex marriage and relies that it would be better for America to legalize it activist just have to make sure that they keep this topic in the publics eye. Having laws in place helps, but understanding why everyoneShow MoreRelatedGay Marriage Should Remain Legal in California998 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Demographic information gleaned from the registered licenses also shows the newlywed same-sex couples were older and better educated than the average American household. More than 74 percent were over age 35, while 69 percent had at least one college degree† (Murphy). Although marriage between same-sex marriages interferes with the traditional purpose of marriage, procreation; gay marriage should remain legal in California because it justifies equality by allowing them to be socially accepted inRead MoreRawls Original Position And Veil Of Ignorance1646 Words   |  7 PagesRawls’ Original Position and Veil of Ignorance Pertaining to Same Sex Unions Charnise Bonhomme University of Central Florida Rawls’ Original Position and Veil of Ignorance Pertaining to Same Sex Unions The in class Rawls assignment focused on justice, and the fairness of how people are treated throughout society. The class, after being broken down into groups, tackled the subjects of why people disagree about what is right, and what is not, and how morals and ethics guides a person’s interest asRead MoreEssay On Same Sex Marriage1118 Words   |  5 PagesMarriage is an institution governed by societal values. Traditionally, it was defined as a union between individuals of the opposite sex, but this definition has changed over the years. Marriage between people of the same sex used to be regarded as unacceptable because it violated family values. However, this perception changed over time, and people became more open to same-sex marriage. On June 27, 2015, BBC News reported that same-sex marriage had gained legal recognition in all U.S. states. TheRead MoreBenefits Of Same Sex Marriage1697 Words   |  7 PagesIndividuals slowly realize, as well as companies that it is a su itable to instate same-sex benefits to same-sex spouses; in the same way, traditional marriages are receiving benefits. Several of the employment benefits that our federal government provides to its employees and their families remain tied to a person’s marital status. Employers who offer benefits for domestic partners support an employee of culture, diversity, and social acceptance, which can be used as a marketing tool for the companyRead MoreMarriage Is The Voluntary Union Of One Man And One Woman1662 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Marriage is the voluntary union of one man and one woman†, which has been recognised by law and ceremony essentially in every society for centuries. However, throughout history marriages have taken many dissimilar forms. The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 was passed by Parliament which introduced civil marriage for same-sex couples in England and Wales. The legislation authorised religious institutions to be able to marry same-sex couples at their discretion, safeguarding religious institutionsRead MoreMarriage Law : The Legal Union Of A Couple As Spouses1642 Words   |  7 PagesMarriage is defined as the legal union of a couple as spouses. The elements of marriage include: (1) the parties legal ability to marry each other, (2) mutual consent of the parties and (3) a marriage contract as required by law. (Legal Information Institute, 2014, n.d.). In the United States, marriage law is regulated by the individual state. Standards such as age, residency, relation, mental capacity, and gender are requirements regulated on a state-by-state basis. Until recent changes, the DefenseRead MoreEssay on Marriage Equailty for the LGBT Community1554 Words   |  7 Pagescommunity, as it pertains to human rights, equality, and particularly, marriage equality. Each individual has their own perception on marriage equality, whether it is based on moral basis, or on a humanistic (humane) basis, which is the belief of not denying anyone the right to be who they are, and therefore love who they love. However, as a society, we must examine the facts, as well as ourselves, as we address the debate for marriage equality for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender communityRead More Social and Legal Obstacles of Gay and Lesbian Parenting Essay1677 Words   |  7 PagesSocial and Legal Obstacles of Gay and Lesbian Parenting In the last decade there has been a rise in the number of lesbians and gay men forming their own families. Many do this through adoption, foster care, artificial insemination, and other means. Today, researchers have estimated that the number of children living with one gay or lesbian parent is six to fourteen million. Some have described this current period as a lesbian and gay â€Å"baby boom†. However, lesbian and gay parents face many socialRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal1309 Words   |  6 PagesSame-sex marriage; why is it even an issue in this era? To put it into perspective, almost 9 million Americans are identified as a homosexual, meaning this is not just a minor issue. Also, with our society making significant movements toward equality in recent decades both in gender and racial issues, one has to think about sexual equality in the United States. I will explain to the reader why we should legalize same-sex marriage, especially in terms of justice and t he benefits our society receivesRead MoreThe Constitutional History II On The United States1544 Words   |  7 Pagesgay marriage in the United States were a minority group for quite some time. (Green, 2015) The topic of homosexuality and same sex marriage is one that probes the primary question of whether or not same sex marriages are ones fundamental right under both the Due Process Clause and Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. (Lempert, 2015) The case of Obergefell v. Hodges was a case that held that the Fourteenth Amendment requires all states to recognize and grant same sex marriage licenses

Max Weber s Theories About Status And Social Stratification

Baseball in the 19th century was both an extracurricular activity and a cathartic activity for American society that suffered from the demands of industrialism. In order to better understand the sociological perspective of baseball in relation to the social context of its’ origination, this paper will consider baseball in the context of Max Weber’s theories about status and social stratification. Although his theories are seemingly similar to Karl Marx, their theories are essentially different. Marx primarily believes that economics and class are distinguishing factors of society; whereas, Weber believes that status and social stratification are the distinguishing factors of society. When applying a sociological perspective of Max Weber†¦show more content†¦An empirical example of the prestige associated with baseball in the 19th century was the elusive Knickerbocker Club, an example of a new social stratification, fraternities. â€Å"Among the clubs, highly r itualized relationships helped preserve the integrity of the early fraternity.† (Rader 14). These rituals were extensions of the highly ritualized rules of the game of baseball. And in a tertiary fashion, thus mimicked the highly organized bureaucratic rationalization of society. The Knickerbocker Club also went against societal norms by hosting raucous parties with lewd and baseless activities. These activities were aberrant in day-to-day existence, yet the Knickerbockers were able to get away with this kind of behavior. Additionally, one aspired to be a Knickerbocker, or at least like them. Possibly, the start of these lewd clubs was the catalyst for the changes in modesty during the 1920’s. Baseball, for Weber, gives the 19th century working class an opportunity to assimilate outside of their working affiliations, or Marxian-like class associations. Weber would have analyzed baseball by simultaneously reaffirming community interactions and involvement, which provided opportunity for exclusion and inclusion. Weber asserts that conflict is the most important element in society. The conflict

The Role Of Nature Within Ernest Hemingway s The

The Role of Nature Within A Farewell to Arms Ernest Hemingway’s grandson, Sean, refers to his grandfather’s writing style in his introduction to this edition of A Farewell to Arms. This writing style was dubbed â€Å"the iceberg method†. This theory is best described as the omission of unnecessary, superlative language. This may be a minor omission, such as the words â€Å"he said† at the end of dialogue, to major information in the character’s motivations. â€Å"Hemingway believed the true meaning of a piece of writing should not be evident from the surface story, rather, the crux of the story lies below the surface and should be allowed to shine through†(Hemingway XIX). In Death in the Afternoon, Hemingway explains that if an author â€Å"knows enough of what his is writing about he may omit the things that he knows and the reader †¦ will have a feeling of those things as strongly as though the writer has stated them† (web page). It has been suggested that this omission allows Hemingway to be detached from the characters that he creates. For me this detachment bleeds through to the reader as well. There is a two dimensional quality to the characters within this book. Each seem to be clubbed together by a series of clichà ©s and stereotypes. This clubbing together of the characters, leads to the non- interest in what is happening to them, and what road they are taking. In fact, there are times that some of the lead characters lack of growth actually have me wishing that a mortar round wouldShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Cat In The Rain By Ernest Hemingway1244 Words   |  5 Pagesvaried across the world in the 1920’s, with certain c ountries embracing women within society, yet other countries saw women as nothing more than homemakers. In his time in Europe, Ernest Hemingway witnessed the utmost respect men had towards women. Yet when Hemingway arrived back in America he saw the misogynistic attitudes towards women and their movement for suffrage. Ernest Hemingway’s â€Å"Cat in the rain† is the adventure of American women seeking suffrage in the 1920’s, alongside portraying the juxtapositionRead MoreHemingway s The World War I, Lost Generation, By Ernest Hemingway1460 Words   |  6 Pagesthere has been no American writer like Ernest Hemingway. A member of the World War I â€Å"lost generation,† Hemingway was in many ways his own best character. Whether as his childhood nickname of â€Å"Champ† or as the older â€Å"Papa,† Ernest Hemingway became a legend of his own lifetime. Although the drama and romance of his life sometimes seem to overshadow the quality of his wo rk, Hemingway was first and foremost a literary scholar, a writer and reader of books. Hemingway enjoyed being famous, and delightedRead MoreHills Like White Elephants, By Ernest Hemingway1673 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Hills Like White Elephants,† by Ernest Hemingway: The Morality Within the Operation Ernest Hemingway created the iceberg theory, by which he expects the reader to know a great deal of information from the little he expresses in his work. This style is evident in his short story, â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants,† because the information the reader must obtain is hidden underneath the surface. This writing style often confuses the reader, but when the short story is read multiple times, the reader canRead MoreThe Merchant Of The Old Man And The Sea1096 Words   |  5 PagesWhat is the role of the sea in The Old Man and the Sea? The rich waters of the Gulf Stream provides many animals/figures that the old man observes and greets. Through Santiago’s interactions with these figures, his character emerges. In fact, Santiago is so connected to these waters, which he thinks is cheerful as a sometimes fickle lover, that the sea acts almost like a lens through which the reader views his character. Santiago’s interaction with the weary warbler, for instance, shows not onlyRead MoreEssay on Biographical References in and Hemingways Male Characters3950 Words   |  16 Pagesdominant male figures, Ernest Hemingway teases the reader by drawing biographical parallels to his own life. That is, he uses characters such as Nick Adams throughout many of his literary works in order to play off of his own strengths as well as weaknesses: Nick, like Hemingway, is perceptive and bright but also insecure. Nick Adams as well as other significant male characters, such as Frederick Henry in A Farewell to Arms and Ja ke Barnes in The Sun Also Rises personifies Hemingway in a sequential mannerRead MoreThe Hemingway Code Hero : The Short Happy Life Of Francis Macomber1443 Words   |  6 PagesMacomber as the Hemingway Code Hero in â€Å"The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber† Ernest Hemingway is among the most unmatched of American authors. In his works, he is often said to focus on gender roles, especially those of men. Hemingway often created characters that showed the characteristics that he believed made a boy into a man. However, these characteristics are not gender-specific, and could very well apply to women as well. This collection of characteristics became the Hemingway Code Hero. 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It is not fashionable these days to praise the work of Ernest Hemingway, says Frederick Busch. His women too often seem to be projections of male needfulness (1). Many of his stories are seen as prototypical bildungsroman stories--stories, usually, of young men coming of age. ThereRead MoreAnalysis Of George Orwell s Shooting An Elephant 1490 Words   |  6 PagesShooting an Elephant by George Orwell is a story about Orwell s experience as a police officer for the British Raj in frontier Burma. The exposition digs into an inward clash that Orwell encounters in his part of representing the British Empire and maintaining the law. At the opening of the narration, Orwell state, â€Å"Theoretically—and secretly, of course—I was all for the Burmese and all against their oppressors, the British†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Orwell, 1) by doing this, he clears up that he is against the British

Role of Management Accounting in International Firm Free Essays

INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNTING Sources: 1) Financial knowledge enables central control to determine what is happening in different subsidiaries. That enable the integration and control of subsidiaries by the central control. (Belkauoi, 1991) 2) Management accounting’ involvement in currency management is also important as the fluctuations in the exchange rates can distort the financial results of the subsidiaries. We will write a custom essay sample on Role of Management Accounting in International Firm or any similar topic only for you Order Now (Eiteman, Stonehill and Moffet, 1992). ) Management accounting is a means of co-ordinating established configurations and its form depends on the strategies a firm adopts for configuration and co-ordination (Tomkins, 1991) 4) Study by Biles and Assada (1991) investigated how the Japanese and American ownership firms evaluated the performance of their subsidiaries. The US firms frequently used financial ratios for performance measurement. ROI was by far most important, whereas Japanese firms pay more attention to individual line-items in the budget such as sales volume and production costs. ) Horovitz(1978) compared management controls between UK, French and German firms. He concluded that German and French firms tend to be more centralized than the UK firms. The control systems of German and French companies were more detailed than that of UK firms. 6) Holzer and Schonfelt (1986) illustrated that accounting systems of major European and US firms differ greatly and, although internat ionalisation affects their management accounting systems, it does not do so in a linear fashion. Factors: 1) Configuration. ) Strategy. 3) Ownership of the firm. ROLE OF MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING IN INTERNATIONAL FIRM: The international firms have disperse configuration as their activities in the value chain are spread throughout the world. Therefore, the international firms use management accounting to co-ordinate and integrate their activities in different countries. The role and scope of management accounting differs in international firms depending upon the relationship between their subsidiaries and the strategy of their top management. Porter 1986) classified international firms into the global firms, the multidomestic firms and the exporting firms. Both global and multidomestic firms have dispersed configuration but the former is an integrated unit whereas the latter is a conglomerate that achieves control by making its subsidiaries as independent of each other as possible. In a global firm, management accounting supports a dispersed configuration of the value chain located across the world. The output of one subsidiary is an input of other subsidiary located in a different country. The dispersed location of subsidiaries call for extensive co-ordination and central management intervention in the affairs of the subsidiaries. By focusing on global product-line profitability, the central management can use management accounting to establish an integrated organization. Various operations like production, sales, RD are positioned globally according to specific locational advantage and they are integrated through extensive planning and budgeting activities. Management accounting in an international firm is a finely tuned information mechanism. In contrast, there is little integration of subsidiaries in a multidomestic firma as they usually operate in different businesses. Therefore, they are relatively free to devise their own strategies and plans and to monitor their progress towards them. Central management monitors subsidiaries from a portfolio management perspective which evaluates subsidiaries largely on financial rates of profitability. Management accounting role in multidomestic firms is setting financial targets for sudsidaries and evaluating their performance using composite financial ratios like ROI( Return on investment), ROA (Return on assets) , RI (residual income) and ROE ( return on equity). There is little emphasis on information which integrates activities across subsidiaries. International firms are exposed to exchange rates fluctuation risks. These fluctuations creates uncertain cash flows in corporate currency and also can distort the performance of subsidiaries (Eiteman, Stonehill and Moffet, 1992). Therefore, the management accounting manage the currency risks in the international firms by monitoring the short-term transaction exposure to debtors and creditors, medium term budgeting of international cash flows and long term strategic currency and exposure concerns over the firm’s strategic planning period. Management accounting uses transfer pricing between subsidiaries in different countries in order to maximize international firm’s after-tax global profits. Through transfer pricing firms may divert profits to regions where taxes are low (Radebaugh and Gray, 1993). The threat of this puts pressure on host governments to make and adminstor tax laws that benefits the firm. However, the firms seek to be as independent of the individual location as is possible, to minimize the political risks such as change in government causing substantial changes in host country’s economic policies. The management accounting plays a key and wide role in international firms. The information technology is improving and becoming cheap with the passage of time. That will further deepen the role of management accounting in the international firms. According to Belkauoi (1991), the financial knowledge resulting from management accounting has enabled the integration and control of dispersedly configured firms by the central control. The global firm is characterized by its large geographical reach and the considerable interdependence between its subsidiaries. Global firm uses management accounting to integrate its activities across the globe. On other hand, the multidomestic firm’s subsidiaries are quite independent in their activities. How to cite Role of Management Accounting in International Firm, Essays

Poor Performance of Banking and Insurance-Samples for Students

Question: Discuss about the Poor Perfomance of Banking and Insurance Companies. Answer: Introduction Banking and insurance companies are very competitive service industries organizations; this is where changes in the market occasionally happen as it occurs in the world. The bank organization of which I have been a client for several years is having a series of predicaments such as its rise of customer complaints due to the poor services that have greatly increased and downfall in the market shares due to continuous losing events. It is one of the oldest banking industries in Australia and has been able to survive in the service industry till the recent times; it has been overwhelmed by occasional current change occurring in the economic world (Menor Roth, 2008). The organization poor performance indicators The main cause of the poor performance is due to the poor and unresponsive management planning and poor customer relation and satisfaction. The most evident results reveal that poor management and lack of customer satisfaction are continuous customer complaints without changes, mismanagement of funds and resources thus leading to withdrawals of investors due to fear of loss. Also, the bank has faced some other challenges like losing of its clients to other banks, and a high number of employees lay down due to the shut down of its various branches. The organization management has failed due to various reasons such as poor planning and timeworn methods of management, poor resources management leading to the growth of debts and scarring of the investors due to mismanagement of funds. Poor staff management and coordination of staff or employees, and poor problem-solving techniques that have led to piling up of challenges in operation of the system (Belkhir, 2009). The information management within the organizational structure and to the clients also has been a great problem in the organization this has led to poor customer relation and satisfaction. The poor or bad customer relation has been contributed to various causes such as poor marketing strategies that can be able to compete effectively with the competitors thus causing a lot of loss of customers. The banking system has made tremendous changes in the technology advancements; some of the changes are customer ability to access information and services online or even able to control over their accounts via mobile phones. The organization has been too slow or unable to move with the technological advancements: this has given the competitors much more advantage in the marketing of their businesses. Apart from the disability of bank to cope with technology changes the banking system has been unable to move with the current quality of customer expectations thus leading to poor customer satisfa ction (Verhoef et al., 2009). Main matters to be considered According to Kumar, (2010) he argues that any organization mainly relies upon a very effective management that one that can have over view of the whole industrial operation of the organization running efficiently. The main cause of the bank problems is through poor leadership and lack of proper strategic plans that enable the business structure to achieve the best standards of service to the customers. Good strategic plans and policies of an organization are very useful in goal targeting and in giving the direction to an organization on the path to being followed for achieving its objectives. Another problematic requirement that has hindered the poor performance of the organization is the lack of technology improvement as compared to the growth of the organization and change with the economy. Through this dormant growth of technology it has led the services of the organization to become outdated, and thus the organization is unable to compete effectively in the market. Management strategies and planning The bank management system can effectively operate by first drafting business policies and plans that would help in the meeting the objective of the business. The policies should be able to cover the employee management where they will perform effectively by the organization requirement and also be able to enjoy the full benefits of employment. The communication structure should be very effective this will be able to eliminate the poor problem solving; through this, even the customer's issues can easily be looked upon or solved. The plans and policies of the organization should also consider after SWOT analysis of the business and also through proper analysis in the market (Linoff Berry, 2011). The organization situation analysis SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat) enable it to identify its problems and how best to curb the situations. The SWOT analysis also helps the organization to identify its strength and opportunities thus its ability to maximize its potential in the business operation. Goal and objectives of any organization are very crucial in the establishment of business plan and policies, and plans. The effective growth of an organization is well-known by analyzing the achieving rate; the organization should have key indicators that will show the trend of the organization and mostly the most effective ways of addressing the issues. An example of such indicators in the bank would be the rate at which its market shares are trading in the stock market, customer satisfaction clarification and ability to maintain good relationships with the customer and loyalty (Buttle, 2009). The organization should also consider improving its service standards through recruitment of more qualified personnels that can offer more efficient customer service. The bank should sell its brand more efficiently through more advertising which would give the organization much better platform against its competitors. Through the recruitment of more qualified staff, the organization can implement a much more improved system communication upgrade that would be able to serve the customers more efficiently as to the required standards. Advancement in the technology will be a very efficient means of the operational management; it enhances more communication system of the organization where the top managers can be able to participate in the business operation with ease (Young, O'byrne, Young, Young, O'Byrne Stephen, 2000). Also, leadership is an essential strategy in any organization through which every employee can perform effectively by the requirement and policies of the organization. Leadership may differ from managerial duties where its an objective of every employee to able to have good leadership qualities such as integrity, commitment, accountability, and all the required business ethics. Integrity is one of the virtues in every organization and mostly in the service industry such as the banks. An employee should be able to portray the type of leadership skills and mostly his commitment and accountability to the organization best outcomes and service to the customers (King Burgess, 2008). Conclusion In summary, the basic problem faced by the organization was poor management and lack of organization strategies that enabled the organization to operate effectively and be able to withstand the challenges faced by the organization. Through proper implementation of good management strategies, and effective policies and plans organization can operate to its potential best: The organization (bank) can show very drastic recovery from the poor performance. Another change that will greatly increase the potential of the business and enhance its mode communication and service to the customer is the advancement in the organization technology and its ability to keep up information technology changes (Stevenson Hojati, 2007). References Belkhir, M. (2009). Board of directors' size and performance in the banking industry. International Journal of Managerial Finance, 5(2), 201-221. Buttle, F. (2009). Customer relationship management: concepts and technologies. Routledge. Hill, C. W., Jones, G. R., Schilling, M. A. (2014). Strategic management: theory: an integrated approach. Cengage Learning. King, S. F., Burgess, T. F. (2008). Understanding success and failure in customer relationship management. Industrial Marketing Management, 37(4), 421-431. Kumar, V. (2010). Customer relationship management. John Wiley Sons, Ltd. Linoff, G. S., Berry, M. J. (2011). Data mining techniques: for marketing, sales, and customer relationship management. John Wiley Sons. Menor, L. J., Roth, A. V. (2008). New service development competence and performance: an empirical investigation in retail banking. Production and Operations Management, 17(3), 267-284. Stevenson, W. J., Hojati, M. (2007). Operations management (Vol. 8). Boston: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Verhoef, P. C., Lemon, K. N., Parasuraman, A., Roggeveen, A., Tsiros, M., Schlesinger, L. A. (2009). Customer experience creation: Determinants, dynamics, and management strategies. Journal of Retailing, 85(1), 31-41. Young, S. D., O'byrne, S. F., Young, D. S., Young, S., O'Byrne Stephen. (2000). EVA and value-based management. McGraw-Hill Professional Publishing.