Theme Of Chaos And Order In Beowulf - 834 Words

Chaos and Order in Beowulf The Epic of Beowulf is about many things, one could say. It involves changes of power, darkness and light, overcoming challenges, temptation and destruction, war, et cetera, et cetera. These themes, and many more, make up what are known as major and minor themes. Both are of equal importance to a story in its entirety; the difference being that major themes address the writer’s most significant ideas, while minor themes refer to an idea that appears only momentarily. For example: a major theme in Beowulf could be overcoming challenges, because it is one of the main ideas throughout the story. Beowulf defeats Brecca, and Grendel, and Grendel’s mother, and the dragon at the end, and had already faced many threats†¦show more content†¦With Grendel dead and gone, order is restored at the hands of Beowulf, and the peoples’ normal merry making begins afresh. This pattern can be seen throughout all of Beowulf’s tale. It transpires again when Grendel’s mother comes seeking revenge for her dead son, and kills Hrothgar’s closest friend. Chaos returns, the people are in dismay once again, along with Hrothgar; uncertain of what to do. Hrothgar pleads with Beowulf to kill Grendel’s mother, which he does willingly; reestablishing order in Hrothgar’s kingdom. Soon thereafter, Hrothgar dies, leaving his kingdom not to either of his sons, but to Beowulf. He rules well for fifty years, keeping the balance of chaos and order in check. It is here that the pattern of chaos to order is altered. With Beowulf as king, the Danes’ land had no fear of monsters attacking again, and any wars that may have taken place were small enough that true turmoil did not exist again until Beowulf himself was old and grey. That was when the dragon awoke. A runaway slave seeking respite from an angry master found his way into the dragon’s barrow and inadvertently stole a precious golden goblet from the hoard of treasure he found there. Outraged, the dragon roused itself and took flight. Pandemonium ensued as towns and cities were burned out of the dragon’s anger. Beowulf’s heart broke as he discovered his hometown had been reduced to charred ruins, and vowed to killShow MoreRelatedEssay on Grendel1169 Words   |  5 Pages In 1971, American author John Gardner wrote Grendel. With a mastermind of creativity, John Gardner successfully retells the classic epic poem, Beowulf. He captures the reader by giving an interesting view of order and chaos, good and evil, hero and monster, allowing the monsters point of view to be seen. On July 21, 1933 John Gardner was born in Batavia, New York. He was the son of a preacher and diary, and his mother taught English. They were very fond of Shakespeare and lovedRead MoreGood vs. Evil in Beowulf1456 Words   |  6 PagesGood vs. Evil in Beowulf Beowulf is longest and greatest early Anglo-Saxon poem which was composed in England sometime in the eighth century AD by a literate scop. This poem was created in the oral poetic tradition. This poem is considered as an epic because it is a long narrative poem which composed in an elevated style, dealing with the glories of hero (Tolkien 24). The setting of this epic is the six century in Denmark and southern Sweden. The protagonist, Beowulf is a noble warrior representsRead MoreFree Will And Religion : An Epic Hero1478 Words   |  6 Pagespoem, Beowulf. The story’s protagonist must endure many trials throughout his journey as an epic hero, defeating his opponent each time. However, Beowulf believes it is not his own strength, but the will of God that he is able to become victorious. As his journey through life continues, from warrior to king, fatalism is present time and time again in all his actions. In Seamus Heaney’s translation of Beowulf, the theme of fate dic tates the outcome of each battle Beowulf must overcome in order to continueRead MoreConflict In Anglo-Saxon And Medieval Literature1476 Words   |  6 PagesConflict in both Anglo-Saxon and Medieval literature reflect the culture of the people and the time they are living in. Both of their literature heavily reflects the culture of knighthood and courtly love in the stories: â€Å"The Wanderer,† â€Å"Beowulf,† â€Å"The Nun’s Priest’s Tale,† â€Å"Sir Orfeo,† and â€Å"Lanval.† Conflict in these stories is not only used to provide reference of the culture but as well to drive the plot, provide tension and excitement, and to develop the characters in the story. Such conflictsRead MoreThe Roles Of Women During The Time Of War And Hate1287 Words   |  6 Pages In the story of Beowulf, there are several themes that can be extrapolated from the heavy influence of Anglo-Saxon culture. However, one stands out as an important and interes ting theme, which is the roles of women during the heavy comitatus bonds of men in the time of war and hate. What may be easily glossed over as subservience and serving as the shadows of the male characters in the time of Beowulf is in actuality an important facet of Anglo Saxon culture. The societal expectations of theseRead MoreThe Importance Of Beowulf In Modern America1957 Words   |  8 PagesThe Importance of Beowulf in Modern America By Jennifer Carley Modern culture and literature include many stories of great heroes and fictional adventures. Many people grow up reading about these great adventures and looking up to the heroes of the stories. Heroes are great roll models because they are portrayed as courageous and trustworthy individuals, two very admirable qualities. Despite numerous cultural and technological advancements, life in modern America continues to bear resemblance toRead MoreHero As A True Hero1427 Words   |  6 Pagesthe size of his strength, but by the s trength of his heart.† The word hero comes from the Greek, literal meaning of â€Å"protector† or â€Å"defender†. A great example of a tenacious protector is Beowulf, â€Å"Higlac’s follower and the strongest of the Geats - greater and stronger than anyone anywhere in this world,† (Beowulf 195). A man beloved and looked up to by his people- a noble warrior at heart. On the other hand, there are kings, like Oedipus, who can be heroes and highly regarded just because of theirRead MoreAnalysis Of Grendel s The Of The World s Weird Wall 1673 Words   |  7 Pages FINAL GRENDEL IOP SCRIPT       John Champlin Gardner, a well-known novelist that explores philosophy within his works of fiction. He is most notably known for his 1971 book Grendel which is based on the Old English epic poem: Beowulf retold from the monster’s perspective. Within the book, Grendel is repeatedly referenced to be a â€Å"walker of the world’s weird wall† and is forced into a life of isolation, with no ulterior purpose. (FLIP SLIDE—THESIS) In Grendel, John Gardner emphasises the titleRead MoreHero s Journey And Characteristics1650 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout this semester, we mainly discussed the hero’s journey and characteristics as an ancient tale, such as in Beowulf and Grendel. But as we also saw, the hero’s potential is present in everyone with no regard of times. As such, when studying modern stories, we can see that aspects of hero’s journey are still a major theme. In The Matrix, Neo, an average hacker, who might not be seen as a hero in the first place will soon show all characteristics to become one. As a result we would study inRead MoreThe, The Goddess Of Luck And Fortune1199 Words   |  5 Pagesof both of her brothers. Refusing to follow the declarations of man over the gods, she buries her brother alone against the king’s decrees showing her unshakable agency. Grendel’s mother harbors vast physical power, allowing her to battle Beowulf, renowned for his unwavering strength. Grendel’s mother is tactical and acute when dealing with her son’s slayer, signifying mental prowess as well. The Old Woman is very dominant in relationships, securing control over her spouse who greatly

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Gender and Serial Killers Essay - 2474 Words

The stereotype that exists for individuals who commit serial murder is one that mainly includes males of a specific race. However, it is now known that white males are not the only individuals who commit serial murder. Men and women from all racial and ethnic backgrounds and socio-economic statuses have been found to be serial murderers. Although this information has been presented to society, the cultural schema of the white male serial killer is still prevalent. The assumptions that involve serial murderers often include two aspects, the serial murderer is male and the serial murder is a type of â€Å"lust murder†, often involving sexual crimes by a sadist (Keeney and Heide, 1995). Keeney and Heide (1994) define serial murder to be the†¦show more content†¦According to Jurik and Russ (1990) compared to men, women frequently kill intimates or people they had very close, social relationships with such as family or friends. Additionally, there is hardly any overkill w ith victims of female serial murderers. Many victims of female serial killers often have no signs of sexual assault, body mutilation, or dismemberment. Women who murder often do not torture their victims prior to their death, unlike males who are seen to engage heavily in torture. For their choice of weapon, many female serial killers used some form of poison or suffocation, known as covert methods, to kill off their victims. Also, female murderers often do not engage in the traditional stalking behavior that is found in the phenomenon of serial killing. For female serial killers, the organization of the crime scene displayed characteristics of both organized and disorganized crime. Organized crime scenes are usually the result of intense planning of the crime by the offenders, whereas disorganized crime scenes are the result of spontaneous murders with little planning (Schurman, 2000). Females often have different reasons for committing serial murders than men. These reasons are mainly thought to be instrumental goals, meaning that they would receive something in return for murdering the victim such as insuranceShow MoreRelatedSerial Killers And Gender Differences Essay974 Words   |  4 Pageseywords: Serial killers, females, psychopathy, archival research Motivations of Serial Killers Gender Differences Serial killing is a topic that has long fascinated those who study psychology, criminal behavior, and even the general public. Figures such as Ted Bundy, Ed Gein, and Jeffrey Dahmer have been the subject of numerous studies, documentaries, and books. Females do not readily come to mind when one thinks of serial killers because it is a rare phenomenon. Aileen Wuornos is one female whoRead MoreSerial Killers And Gender Differences950 Words   |  4 PagesMotivations of Serial Killers Gender Differences Serial killing is a topic that has long fascinated those who study psychology, criminal behavior, and even the general public. Figures such as Ted Bundy, Ed Gein, and Jeffrey Dahmer have been the subject of numerous studies, documentaries, and books. Females do not readily come to mind when one thinks of serial killers because it is a rare phenomenon. Aileen Wuornos is one female who brought the concept of a female serial killer to the public’s attentionRead MoreKiller Vs. Serial Killers929 Words   |  4 PagesKiller vs Killer Countless people especially, criminologist have researched serial killers because they are so fascinating. Many disagree as to what the legal definition of a serial murder, which is, â€Å"[t]he unlawful killing of two or more victims by the same offender(s), in separate events. (Morton et al. 9). There is certainly not any dispute that there have been both male and female serial killers. Most of the research and documentation is specifically aimed around male serial killers. Over allRead MoreKiller Vs. Serial Killers924 Words   |  4 Pages Killer vs Killer Countless people, especially, criminologists have researched serial killers since they are fascinating. Many disagree as to what the legal definition of a serial murder, which is, â€Å"[t]he unlawful killing of two or more victims by the same offender(s), in separate events. (Morton et al. 9). There is certainly not any dispute that there have been both male and female serial killers. Much of the research and documentation is specifically aimed around male serial killers. Overall,Read MoreThe Murder Of Serial Killers1703 Words   |  7 PagesA grieving mother drapes herself over the casket of her deceased son. The 14 year old had fallen victim to one of the most infamous serial killers in history, Jeffrey Dahmer. Dahmer killed a total of 17 known victims, all between the ages of 14 and 33. In his most recent murders, he often resorted to necrophilia, cannibalism, and permanent preservation of body parts (â€Å"Jeffrey Dahmer Biography†). The mother looks at what is left of her son’s face, the face that once smiled to her every morning beforeRead MoreFemale Serial Killers: Statistics and Research864 Words   |  3 PagesFemale Serial Killers: Serial killer is described as an example of a murderer who kills several individuals over a long period of time. While these people are usually male motivated by various psychological motives such as power, the number of female serial killers has increased significantly in the recent past. Unlike their male counterparts, female serial killers use less visible means of murder such as poisoning in order to keep under the radar and remain discrete (Gilbert et. al., 2003). SinceRead MoreLife And Death Of A Serial Killer1092 Words   |  5 Pageschildren’s bed or in their closets. The monsters I’m referring to are serial killers that live and breathe the same air as us. In my opinion, Serial killers are sick psychopaths with no conscience, a damaged past, a lack morals and self-worth. After viewing the film â€Å"Life and Death of a Serial Killer† starring one of America’s first female serial killers, Aileen Wuornos; I began to wonder why do individuals become serial killers? What is so special about committing murders and what causes the urgeRead MoreSerial Killer : Serial Killers909 Words   |  4 PagesAccording to an FBI study, â€Å"there have been approximately 400 serial killers in the United States in the past century, with anywhere from 2,526 to 3,860 victims (Hickey). No one really understands serial killers. It is actually quite difficult to comprehend how the mind of a serial killer works. Some believe that a serial killer feels strongly attracted by a specific physical characteristic in the victim. It could be his or her appearance: facial features, clothes, or even personality. On the otherRead MoreSerial Killers And The Criminal Justice System1704 Words   |  7 Pages Serial Killers A serial killer by definition of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is a person who kills three or more people on different occasions (Barkan and Bryjak 70). Serial killers have been present in societies all throughout history, giving researchers opportunities to study them and bringing attention to their name. Fear and fascination with them enables the media to intrigue society as it creates TV shows, movies, and documentaries about famous serial killers of the past andRead MoreSerial Killers Statistics : Serial Killer Statistics Essay818 Words   |  4 PagesNovember 23). Serial killer statistics. Retrieved July 28, 2016 fromhttp://maamodt.asp.radford.edu/Serial%20Killer%20Information%20Center/Serial%20Killer%20Statistics.pdf This article covers serial killers statistics. Many table reports are illustrated with the sole purpose to demonstrate accurate information about serial killers. The tables indicate the frequency (by decade) and the number of separate serial killers operating in any given year in the USA. Beasley II, J. O. (2004). Serial Murder in

Evolution reaction paper - 1930 Words

Evolution Reaction Paper After finish watching the movie Darwins Dangerous Idea, our biology teacher asks us to write a reaction paper based on each section in the movie. There are ten parts in the movie, which include: Darwins Observations from the Beagle, Humming Birds, Darwins Idea of Natural Selection, HIV Evolution, Complex Organs: made/evolve, Eye Evolution, God versus Natural Selection including Humans, Can God Fit in Science, Society Control of Church and Book Publishing. The first section in the movie is Darwins Observations from the Beagle. As Darwin was on the Beagle from 1831 to 1836 and traveled South America coastline, he found different finches on different climate on different islands. Why God put different species†¦show more content†¦In the movie, Darwin said that the mole eyes getting smaller and smaller because they live underground so they dont need to use their eyes. Furthermore, we can see this happens in many organisms in the world, like the giraffe has long neck to eat leaves on tall trees. The next section is about the eye evolution. Human eyes make possibly have been acquired by gradual selection of slight but useful deviation. In different organisms, they have eyes with different structures that make eyes can look further or not. Blood vessels and nerve vessels in front of eyes connect with the brain to show the image the eyes see. Eyesight helps animals with finding food or mates. Nowadays, when a lot of human use their eyes too much on books, computers, studies, the eyes get shortsighted, but human can get out of it be using glasses or go to an operation. Move on to the next section, we have God versus natural selection. This shows us that nature can do everything. Nature by itself unaided by God can even make eyes. People at Darwins time said that God create everything, so why did God put different organism at different places? Why some organism disappeared, the other one can survive? If like these people idea, God created perfect organisms, so why didnt some of them survive? The people who follow God couldnt answer these questions while natural selection could explain all. The bigoted people at that day, who believe in the fallacyShow MoreRelatedClassification Tests for Carboxylic Acid and Derivatives1580 Words   |  7 PagesChristine YouIntroduction Carboxylic acids derivatives are simply groupsof compounds that contain a carbonyl group butwith an electronegative atom attached to thecarbon. The difference in the structure leads to amajor change in reactivity. The reactions of thesegroups of compounds involve nucleophilicsubstitution. Although there are abundant kindsof carboxylic acid derivatives, the experimentonly focuses on the common ones: acid halides,acid anhydrides, esters and amides.Carboxylic acids and theirRead MoreReview Of Biosemantics Millikan s Goal For `` Biosementaics ``798 Words   |  4 PagesJessica Scruggs Phil 307 Response Paper #3 11/11/16 Millikan’s â€Å"Biosemantics† Millikan’s goal for â€Å"Biosementaics† is to explain what connects a representation with the thing it represents. To reach this goal, Millikan has to explain that there are special conditions that need to be met to form a connection between a representation and its object. These â€Å"content-fixing† c onditions cannot be statistically normal conditions, because normal is a relative term. An example Millikan gives is that of a redRead MoreResults Of The First Pcr Reaction And Gel Electrophoresis Essay1664 Words   |  7 Pages Results Results of the first PCR reaction and gel electrophoresis with all primer sets can be seen in image 2. The first well contained the molecular weight marker, well 2; primer set 1, well 3; primer set 2, well 4; primer set 3, well 5; primer set 4 and well 6; primer set 5. The primer bands can be seen to have run to the end of the gel in wells 2 through 6, however no cDNA band were visible, only the weight maker bands were seen in the first well. The process was redone with a lower annealingRead MoreHuman Brain And Human Brains1477 Words   |  6 Pageslegs, and we are much more sensitive to our emotional reactions, making us complex animals. Now, where does all these differences come from? As the title suggest, our human brains are incredible in the way they process information. This article aims to discuss the differences of human brain compared to other animal brains, and what makes us humans so unique in our responsive reactions in how we process information. More specifically, this paper will examine the influences the environment has on ourRead MoreMatter And Chemical Characteristics Of The Unknown Powders826 Words   |  4 Pages Hypothesis:- I believe that by testing substances with various chemicals, for example, vinegar, iodine and that will help to find out what the substance is and what is it quality. Materials:- In order to perform this lab, you need:- †¢ Litmus paper (red and blue). †¢ Vinegar †¢ Biuret solution †¢ Iodine †¢ Scoop †¢ Watch glass †¢ Safety glasses †¢ Water †¢ Dropper Procedure:- We have to perform a series of qualitative analysis tests to correctly identify the chemical composition of each unknown otherRead MorePseudomonas Aeruginosa Essay846 Words   |  4 PagesDirected Evolution of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Lipase A Petroleum has long been a precious resource throughout history. Petroleum was likely used to construct asphalt that made the great towers and walls of Babylon (Leung, 1989). China used it to extract precious salt from seawater (Lerner, Wu, Lin, 1964). Today, the world faces the challenge of creating enough fuel to satisfy the demands of a petroleum-dependent world. With the pressures of supply and demand ever increasing, industries around theRead MoreCase Study : A Crm Road Map Essay940 Words   |  4 PagesAssignment 3: A CRM Road Map Sushanth Kothapally Introduction The paper on CRM roadmap introduces ten articles and describes the essence of each of those. The author presents eleven propositions on the known facts and potential pitfalls of CRM and also lists six recommendations [1] Summary The history of CRM could be traced back to the concept of value maximization. CRM is argued to either require a paradigm shift in firm behavior or they are not fundamentally different from what economists haveRead MorePaper 2 - the Rise of Fundamentalism1726 Words   |  7 PagesPAPER 2 – THE RISE OF FUNDAMENTALISM PRESENTED TO PROFESSOR MARK NICKENS FOR CHHI 302 – DO1 BY REV. JOSEPH T. 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Arab Culture - Essay - 6842 Words

Introduction: This study provides an overview of Arab culture. It must be emphasized that there is no â€Å"one† Arab culture or society. The Arab world is full of rich and diverse communities, groups and cultures. Differences exist not only among countries, but within countries as well. It is impossible to talk about groups of people without generalizing. It then follows that it is hard to talk about the culture of a group without generalizing. This handbook attempts to be as accurate and specific as possible, but inevitably contains such generalizations. Treat these generalizations with caution and wariness. They do provide insight into a culture, but the accuracy and usefulness will depend on the context and specific circumstances. WHERE†¦show more content†¦In some countries, like Lebanon, Syria and Egypt, it is no imposed upon them and women are free to choose whether to wear veils. However, in other places, all women, even non-Muslims, wear veils out of fear of mistreatment by fanatics or those who pretend to be guardians of Islam. ARAB POLITICS †¢ Politically diverse forms of government in Arab world: O Parliamentary Republics in Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Tunisia, Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen. O Traditional monarchies in Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. O Jordan and Morocco are constitutional monarchies. †¢ Religion does play a role in Arab politics in many different ways: O Lebanon – Parliamentary representation is divided according to religious affiliation (Muslim, Christian, and Druze). O Jordan/Morocco King bases legitimacy on direct descent from the Prophet Mohammed, but he is not a religious leader. THE ARAB LEAGUE One of the oldest regional organizations in the world, the Arab League was founded on March 22, 1945. The objective of the Arab League is to facilitate maximum integration among the Arab countries through coordination of their activities in the political sphere as well as in the fields of economics, social services, education, communications, development, technology and industrialization. The headquarters of the Arab League is in Cairo, Egypt. Members of the league include: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoro Islands, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya,Show MoreRelatedOverview of the Arab Culture Essay1673 Words   |  7 PagesName of Culture Arab is not a race, but is a group of individuals that are united by their culture and history (ADC, 2014). There are many different variations commonly based on a particular individual’s country of origin such as Arab Americans. Other variations are based on their social class, the level of their education, if they live urbanely or rurally, or the time they have spent in the United States (Lipson Dubble, 2007). Most Arabs also practice Islamic religion and are Muslim. WhenRead MorePalestinian and Arab Cultures Essay465 Words   |  2 PagesPalestinian and Arab Cultures Living in a moderately Eastern society has brought my attention to the difference in culture. I live in Palestinian and have an American mother, which would show my involvement with a Western society. The flow of knowledge and the entanglement of many cultures have been presented more in our modern age. We have come to acknowledge the existence of multi–culturism. This effect of combining our knowledge about many different cultures is what hasRead MoreNursing Care for the Arab Culture Essay1228 Words   |  5 Pagesdiversity. A patient’s culture has a significant influence on how their health care should be provided. It is vital for nurses as health care providers to be culturally competent and knowledgeable of the patient’s culture to deliver appropriate, holistic care (Potter Perry, 2011). 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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a country on the Arabian Peninsula located on

Childhood Education and Care Paramount Children

Question: Describe about the Childhood Education and Care for Paramount Children. Answer: Introduction Early childhood education is of paramount importance in children. The brain development in them is important as it the growing stage of life. It is the concrete foundation of the childs brain and play is the vital form of activity that will help them to gain knowledge and interact with the outside world. The physical, mental and social development is also crucial to succeed as in their later life. Concept and culture: The culture of children play is an instructive tool. The children love to play so that is the best medium to emphasize on and shine out towards the waiting life. With combined effort of parents and early childhood educators through plays, the children will prepare themselves for every challenge they will encounter and make them able for the future. According to Douglas Chew, the early childhood and education lecturer at JCU Singapore quote that child play is important for the childhood educators. The childs play enables them to become tenacious and master themselves for the stress life ahead. The hands-on tasks make them more authentic and master in their school and social life. The ability to think, solve, and reciprocate is also developed through this medium of child play. Therefore, the play-based approach is the best way to accomplish the science of overall development in children (Www.straitstimes.com, 2016). The needs of children are changing day by day and to replenish these needs, they are engaged in different tasks through play along with the assistance of the child educators and family members. At every stage of the childs life, starting from nursery, preschools, and child-care centers to kindergarten, childs play is prevalent. The language, numeracy, creativity, motor skill development, creativity, social awareness, active participation is essential in a childs development. Different types of Child Play: The first development starts with the mother-child play. The mother inculcates the qualities of interaction by love and affection as playing through set of toys making them recognize, objects, shapes, colors. The vocal training through sound and storytelling practiced at homes (Fusaro, Vallotton Harris,2014). At the education level, there are different types of plays that have their own significance and qualities. They are dramatic, instructive, social, competitive and physical in nature. The kids love to dress up so play like go as you like and toddler dramas will work out on a childs imagination and creativity. The plays like ladder and snakes, local cricket or soccer game with siblings; friends will make them learn lessons about winning and losing. Physical activities like riding a bicycle and different rides will develop their endurance and make them active (Www.verywell.com, 2016). Conclusion: The activities like building blocks, jigsaw puzzle, making rail lines or road for cars, drawing, coloring, or making sand or card castle will enhance their constructive ideas of building and manipulating things. Making them work in groups, games with rules and time will raise their social skills along with discipline, time management and concept of game of life. The preschool active games like Follow the Leader, Simon Says, Red Rover are interesting to play to enhance the motor activities and makes the child happy (Lehrer, Petrakos Venkatesh 2014). References Fusaro, M., Vallotton, C. D., Harris, P. L. (2014). Beside the point: Mothers head nodding and shaking gestures during parentchild play.Infant Behavior and Development,37(2), 235-247. Lehrer, J. S., Petrakos, H. H., Venkatesh, V. (2014). Grade 1 Students Out-of-School Play and Its Relationship to School-Based Academic, Behavior, and Creativity Outcomes.Early Education and Development,25(3), 295-317. Www.straitstimes.com,. (2016). Early childhood education: Importance of learning through play. Retrieved April 2016, from https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/early-childhood-education-importance-of-learning-through-play Www.verywell.com,. 10 Types of Play Important to Your Child's Development. Retrieved from https://www.verywell.com/types-of-play-2764587)

The future lies in globalization free essay sample

Even as companies are being told that the future lies in globalization, some are severely punished for their international moves. A simple test can help you decide what makes strategic sense for your organization. When You Shouldn’t Go Global by Marcus Alexander and Harry Korine Included with this full-text Harvard Business Review article: 1 Article Summary The Idea in Brief—the core idea The Idea in Practice—putting the idea to work 2 When You Shouldn’t Go Global 8 Further Reading A list of related materials, with annotations to guide further exploration of the article’s ideas and applications Reprint R0812E This article is made available to you with compliments of Harry Korine. Further posting, copying or distributing is copyright infringement. To order more copies go to www. hbr. org. When You Shouldn’t Go Global The Idea in Brief Globalization promises substantial advantages like new growth and scale. For some companies, it’s paid off handsomely. But global mania has also blinded many firms to a hard truth: global strategies are devilishly tough to execute. The landscape has become littered with some of these unfortunates’ remains. DaimlerChrysler and ABN Amro— dismembered and bought up by activist shareowners—are particularly painful examples. To escape this fate, don’t assume you should go global, say Alexander and Korine. Instead, determine whether a global move makes sense for your firm. Ask: †¢ Could the move generate substantial benefits? †¢ Do we have the capabilities (for example, experience in postmerger integration) required to realize those benefits? †¢ Will the benefits outweigh the costs (such as the complexity that comes with coordinating far-flung international operations)? A yes to these questions suggests globalizing may be right for you. But almost everyone accepts that businesses of all types must embrace it. Even smaller enterprises—urged on by the ? nancial markets, by investment bankers and consultants, by the media, and by the moves they see rivals making—feel the strategic imperative to go global in one form or another. Although the current ? nancial crisis is putting a damper on such activity, the pressure on companies to globalize is likely to persist. With this sense of inevitability, it’s easy to forget the serious mistakes some companies have made because of their global strategies. Dutch ? ancial-services ? rm ABN Amro, for example, acquired banks in numerous countries but wasn’t able to achieve the integration needed to generate value with its international network. AES, a U. S. -based energy ? rm that operates 124 generation plants in 29 countries on ? ve continents, has in recent years struggled to show that it is worth more than the sum of its individual geographic units. D aimler-Benz merged with Chrysler in 1998 in order to create a Welt AG—a world corporation—but never attained the power over markets and suppliers that this global position was supposed to deliver. And these days, companies can’t always chalk their mistakes up to experience and move on. Industry rivals and activist share owners are increasingly forcing ? rms to undo their international investments—despite, in many cases, early endorsement by analysts and the market—and even to ? re the senior management teams that made them. ABN Amro was dismembered last year by the Royal Bank of Scotland, Fortis, and Banco Santander, largely along geographic lines. AES’s share price has tumbled since investors’ initial enthusiasm for its globalization strategy, and some investment advisers are calling for the ? m to be split into three or more parts. The architect of the DaimlerChrysler deal, CEO Jurgen Schrempp, ? nally yielded to share-owner pressure and resigned, freeing up his successor to sell harvard business review †¢ december 2008 This article is made available to you with compliments of Harry Korine. Further posting, copying or distributing is c opyright infringement. To order more copies go to www. hbr. org. page 2 When You Shouldn’t Go Global Chrysler to the private-equity giant Cerberus in 2007. Indeed, we believe that businesses with illconsidered globalization strategies are poised to become the next targets for breakup or corporate overhaul by activist share owners, just as companies with poorly thought-out business diversi? cation strategies were targets in the past. Today’s activists include private-equity ? rms, hedge funds, and traditional pension funds, and they wield in? uence through a variety of means, from vocal use of the platform offered by a minority stake to all-out takeover and sell-off. All right, even the best executive teams are going to make mistakes in a business environment as complex as today’s. And no one would deny that the forces driving globalization are powerful and that the business bene? ts of becoming a global player can be tremendous. What concerns us is that so many companies seem to share unquestioned assumptions about the need to go global and are lulled by apparent safety in numbers as they move toward potential disaster. We highlight in this article several industries where this mind-set has been prevalent and a number of companies that have paid a high price for adopting it. Avoiding Ill-Fated Strategies Businesses have had international ambitions at least since the founding of the British East India and Hudson’s Bay companies in the seventeenth century. Truly global corporations began appearing early in the last century, and their number has grown—with both successes and failures along the way—ever since. But the accelerated removal of political and regulatory barriers to cross-border trading and investment over the past 15 years, along with the advent of technology that enables companies to conduct business around the world 24 hours a day, has made a global presence a generally accepted requisite in many industries. From the late 1990s onward, with a brief pause during the 2001–2003 bear market, we have witnessed a head-over-heels rush by companies to globalize: Foreign direct investments are at record levels, cross-border partnerships and acquisitions are burgeoning, worldwide sourcing continues to increase, and the pursuit of customers in emerging economies grows ever more heated. Marcus Alexander is an adjunct professor of strategic and international management at London Business School, a director of the Ashridge Strategic Management Centre in London, and a coauthor, with Andrew Campbell, of â€Å"What’s Wrong with Strategy? (HBR November–December 1997). Harry Korine ([emailprotected] edu) is a teaching fellow in strategic and international management at London Business School and a senior research fellow at IFGE in Lyon, France. He is a coauthor, with Pierre-Yves Gomez, of The Leap to Globalization (Jossey-Bass, 2002) and Entrepreneurs and Democracy (Cambridge Universi ty Press, 2008). Both authors have worked with some of the companies mentioned in this article. Although such moves have bene? ted—or at least not irreparably damaged—many companies, we’re beginning to see fallout. Sometimes ? ms have failed because their global strategies were deeply misguided, other times because execution was more dif? cult than anticipated. We think that many failures could have been prevented—and would be avoided in the future—if companies seriously addressed three seemingly simple questions. 1. Are there potential bene? ts for our company? Just because a move makes sense for a rival or for companies in other industries doesn’t mean it makes sense for your own company or industry. The race to globalize sometimes leads people to overestimate the size of the prize. UK-based roof tile maker Redland, for example, expanded aggressively around the world beginning in the 1970s with the aim of leveraging its technical know-how beyond its home market. The problem: It often sought opportunities in countries, such as the United States and Japan, where local building practices provided very little demand for concrete roof tiles. Although the company was fully able to transfer the relevant technology, there was no value in doing so in such markets. 2. Do we have the necessary management skills? Even if potential bene? ts do exist for your company, you may not be in a position to realize them. The theoretical advantages of globalizing—economies of scale, for example— are devilishly dif? cult to achieve in practice, and companies often lack the management key needed to unlock the coffer holding the prize. By the late 1990s, industrial conglomerate BTR had developed a presence in many countries. However, each business unit was run as a largely autonomous entity, with stringent pro? t accountability and little encouragement to work with others. This approach made sense in a fragmented world, but as BTR’s customers globalized, they came to expect coordinated supply and support across borders. Although the opportunity was clear and BTR seemed well positioned to seize it, the company found it impossible to implement an approach so alien to its traditions. Even after a change of CEO and other senior staffers, the company culture blocked attempts at global integration, and the 1999 merger with Siebe was seen by many analysts as an admission that BTR simply could not make the changes needed. harvard business review †¢ december 2008 This article is made available to you with compliments of Harry Korine. Further posting, copying or distributing is copyright infringement. To order more copies go to www. hbr. org. page 3 When You Shouldn’t Go Global 3. Will the costs outweigh the bene? ts? Even if you are able to realize the bene? ts of a global move, unanticipated collateral damage to your business may make the endeavor counterproductive. Too often, companies fail to see that the full costs of going global may dwarf even a sizable prize—for example, when an effort to harmonize the practices of national business units drives away customers or distracts national management teams from the needs of their markets. The increased complexity of managing international operations is also a threat. TCL, a Chinese maker of electronics and home appliances, has expanded rapidly into the United States and Europe through a series of acquisitions and joint ventures. As a result of deals in the past few years with Thomson and Alcatel, TCL has found itself with four RD headquarters, 18 RD centers, 20 manufacturing bases, and sales organizations in 45 countries. The cost of managing this infrastructure has outweighed the bene? ts of increased scale and resulted in large losses for both joint ventures. Globalization’s Siren Song Companies neglect to ask themselves these seemingly obvious questions because of their complacent assumptions about the virtues of going global—assumptions that are reinforced by seductive messages from, among other places, the stock market. Although the siren song of globalization has lured companies of all kinds into this risky strategic space, recently the call has been particularly insidious in certain industry contexts, three of which we describe here. (For a description of how a management imperative such as â€Å"Become more global† can rapidly spread, see the sidebar â€Å"The Susceptibility to Managerial Fads. †) The Susceptibility to Managerial Fads The belief that companies must become more global is the latest in a long line of widely held and generally unquestioned assumptions that can undermine the rational behavior of companies or entire industries. The management trends—you might even call them fads—that grow out of these assumptions can be dangerous because they often lead to sloppy thinking. For example, the label used to describe a trend may get stretched far beyond its original meaning. â€Å"Reengineering† has come to mean nearly any corporate reorganization; â€Å"related diversi? ation† is used today to justify acquisitions within categories, such as â€Å"communications media† and â€Å"? nancial services,† that are so broad as to be almost meaningless. More troubling, the stampede by companies to join peers in mindlessly embracing such trends can cloud managers’ judgment about what is worthwhile and achievable in their particular case. The pathology of management fads has an underlying dynamic that is worth exploring: Company X, with talented people at the helm, pioneers a new management approach. The ? rm does well, and others take notice. Maybe one or two experiment with similar innovations. Then stock market analysts and journalists spot the new approach. They view it as part of a broader pattern, and someone comes up with a clever-sounding label. The word â€Å"paradigm† may even get tossed around. As the phenomenon gains visibility—often in publications like this one—academics develop â€Å"frameworks† to help companies understand it. Their codi? cation, intended simply to explain the phenomenon, further validates it. (Consultants also develop frameworks, though usually with the aim of selling the trend as a product. ) Over time, people use the now-familiar label more and more loosely. They group all manner of activities under the heading. Despite its ambiguity, there is a growing sense that activities under the rubric are worthwhile. Investment bankers cite the concept as a reason for companies to make acquisitions or other moves, and in the enthusiasm of deal making everyone glosses over the dif? culties of integration and implementation. Financial markets sometimes reward companies just for announcing that they have adopted the new approach. Sadly, the original insight, not to mention an appreciation of the context that gave rise to it, soon gets lost as ompanies scramble to become part of the trend. Before long, they are copying all sorts of elements and manifestations that are at best tangential and often irrelevant to the sought-after bene? By the time a few books have come out on the topic, managers are embarrassed if they can’t point to examples within their own organizations. As the herd piles in, smart managers are already scanning the horizon for a new idea that will give them a competitive advantage. But others continue to give little thought to whether the trend has played out—or was never likely to bene? a company in their situation. There is always a lag before misapplications of the concept start to affect companies’ numbers. Even when they do, many corporate managers, with stacks of statements and presentations extolling the virtues of the approach, are reluctant to abandon it. The stubborn ones carry on regardless of mounting costs— thereby setting the stage for activist share owners to step in and force a change. This discouraging scenario doesn’t unfold because the original concept was wrong. (Globalizing isn’t necessarily bad; not globalizing isn’t necessarily good. It plays out because embracing a trend often precludes careful examination of the pros and cons of the speci? c choices made by a single company in a particular context. harvard business review †¢ december 2008 This article is made available to you with compliments of Harry Korine. Further posting, copying or distributing is copyright infringement. To order more copies go to www. hbr. org. page 4 When You Shouldn’t Go Global Deregulated industries. Many businesses in formerly state-owned industries, such as telecommunications, postal services, and utilities, have responded to deregulation with aggressive global moves. Faced with limited growth opportunities and often increasing competition in their home markets, companies have accepted that geographic expansion is the best way to exercise their new strategic freedom. These companies, the argument goes, can apply existing competencies—providing voice and data communication, delivering letters and parcels, distributing electricity and water, even dealing with the deregulation process itself—in new markets. They will enjoy signi? cant savings by sharing resources across their international operations while â€Å"sticking to their knitting. The latter point—the importance of focusing on what they know how to do—is a key part of the argument, since unrelated diversi? cation, itself once a widely touted strategy, has been largely discredited. This apparently sound logic has turned out in many cases to be oversold by investment bankers or to be just plain ? imsy. Companies frequently pay far too much to enter foreign markets. Furthermore, many of the deregulated industries are â€Å"glocal†Ã¢â‚¬â€that is, customer expectations, operating environments, and management practices for what seem to be globally standard services can vary greatly depending on location. Water distribution, for instance, may not in fact be the same industry in the regulatory settings of two different countries. In addition, cross-border economies, if they exist at all, may be hard to achieve. It is dif? cult, for example, to optimize electricity ? ows over uncoordinated grids. Faced with such challenges, a number of companies have struggled with or reversed their global moves. Kelda, a UK water utility, sold its U. S. business six years after acquiring it because differences in pricing, environmental regulations, and distribution proved so great that the business could be run only on a stand-alone basis. Partly because of national differences in customer behavior, Deutsche Telekom has ended up running its U. S. unit, T-Mobile USA, as a completely independent business that could be sold off at any time. Rival telecom operator Vodafone has been forced by dissatis? ed share owners to unload its Japanese subsidiary, J-Phone. Deutsche Post, in assembling an international network of mail, express, and logistics services, overpaid signi? cantly for the U. S. express-delivery services DHL and Airborne. Germany’s former state-owned monopoly has also had great dif? ulty integrating DHL’s entrepreneurial management culture with its own. Some analysts value the sum of Deutsche Post’s separate businesses as 25% greater than the market value of the company—an assessment that is likely to increase pressure to spin off some of those businesses. Service industries. Companies in traditionally national and fragmented service industries, such as retailing, consumer banking, a nd insurance, have viewed globalization as a way to realize scale economies and to generate growth beyond home markets themselves facing an incursion of foreign competition. In some cases, globalization seems to make sense because customers and suppliers are also becoming more global. As in deregulated industries, however, the â€Å"global† customer may be more national than anticipated. And obtaining scale economies across borders requires management skills and experience that many companies lack. For example, serving a customer that is truly global in a consistent way from multiple national of? ces is no easy task. Service businesses seeking to capture the bene? ts of a globalization strategy must, like ? rms in deregulated industries, pay attention to a mix of global and local factors. Purchasing can bene? t from careful coordination across borders, but marketing and sales may suffer from too much standardization. Certain services travel much better than others that seem remarkably similar. In shoe retailing, for instance, offerings targeted at the wealthy or the young are far more global than those aimed at the middle market, which remains doggedly local. In service businesses, many of the implementation challenges of a global strategy involve the coordination of people or processes. Wal-Mart, for instance, has struggled to get its partner ? ms and employees abroad to adopt its work routines. ABN Amro’s global empire was dismantled by predators because the international business was a collection of mostly unrelated operations in countries ranging from Brazil to Monaco. The company achieved few economies of scale: In marketing, harvard business review †¢ december 2008 This article is made available to you with compliments of Harry Korine. Further posting, copying or distributing is copyright infringement. To order more copies go to www. hbr. org. page 5 When You Shouldn’t Go Global for example, it didn’t enjoy the ef? iencies resulting from a single global brand, because local banks mostly kept their original names. Furthermore, its attempts at sharing information systems, management processes, and other bits of infrastructure were repeatedly delayed and then implemented haphazardly, creating few savings. The outcomes of some other service companies’ global strategies have not been so dire—but they have still fallen short of expectations. Starbucks has pursued international growth at a breakneck pace, even though margins abroad have been only about half those of the company’s U. S. operations. Axa, the global French insurance group, has enjoyed satisfactory ? nancial performance from its many units around the world but has so far been unable to reduce its global cost base or convincingly roll out innovations, such as its U. S. variable-annuity program, internationally. Thus, although the globalization strategy hasn’t destroyed value, it also hasn’t added as much as originally envisioned. Manufacturing industries. Over the past decade, companies in manufacturing indus- tries, such as automobiles and communications equipment, have viewed rapid crossborder consolidation as necessary for survival. Global mergers and partnerships seem to be the only way for companies to obtain the size needed to compete against consolidating rivals, to reduce their reliance on home markets, and to gain manufacturing economies of scale. These bene? ts, though arguably easier to achieve than those sought by service companies (because local differences seem less problematic), are often outweighed by operational and organizational challenges. The complexities of integrating organizations and operations can cause costly delays or failures. And companies haven’t had the luxury of much time to realize the bene? s of integration. Counting on the bene? ts of size and scale to drop quickly to the bottom line, many manufacturers have become particularly vulnerable to economic slowdowns, which constrain their ability to pay for expansion and consolidation before an increasing debt-to-equity ratio forces their executive teams to cede control to ? nanciers or new management. Royal Ahold’s Downfall Dutch supermarket operator Royal Ahold is best known in recent years for an accounting scandal that led to the resignation of its CEO and its CFO in 2003. The ? nancial irregularities must be seen in light of the company’s mbitious, and ultimately unsuccessful, globalization strategy. Royal Ahold began its international expansion in the 1970s and accelerated it in the 1990s, eventually acquiring businesses throughout Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the United States, to become the fourthlargest retailer in the world. But the bene? ts of owning this network of stores were hard to realize or didn’t exist in the ? rst place. Global economies of scale are one of the main rationales for international expansion. However, such economies, dif? cult to attain in many businesses, are particularly elusive in food retailing. Purchasing economies can be achieved only with items furnished by global suppliers to all markets—and these typically represent at most 20% of all supermarket items, because of cultural differences and the frequent need to source fresh food locally. Even apparently â€Å"international† products, such as hummus, must be adapted to different countries’ distinct tastes. Additionally, realizing synergies across a far-? ung network requires common information systems and management processes, and Ahold made little effort to integrate its acquired businesses into the existing organization. Different information systems thus continued to coexist across the company, sometimes even within the same country. Ironically, the lack of integrated systems and processes needed to secure global bene? ts helped conceal the company’s ? nancial irregularities. And the failure to attain those bene? ts undoubtedly put pressure on top managers to produce favorable—if false— ? nancial results. When the new executive team ? nally introduced common management processes in the wake of the scandal, those processes did little to improve such activities as common purchasing across markets. As recently as last year, key suppliers were charging Ahold different prices in different countries. Ahold’s 2007 sale of most of its U. S. operations to private equity ? rms highlighted the nearly complete abandonment, under pressure from dissatis? ed minority share owners, of its once ambitious globalization strategy. The dissidents were concerned not about the usual over-diversi? cation of business types— after all, Royal Ahold remained focused on retailing—but about the over-diversi? cation of geographic locations. (Tests for suitable business diversi? ation are discussed in â€Å"Corporate Strategy: The Quest for Parenting Advantage,† by Andrew Campbell, Michael Goold, and Marcus Alexander, in the March– April 1995 issue of HBR. ) With the focus on governance at Ahold, the underlying story of failed globalization did not receive adequate attention until activist share owners jumped on it. harvard business review †¢ december 2008 This artic le is made available to you with compliments of Harry Korine. Further posting, copying or distributing is copyright infringement. To order more copies go to www. hbr. org. page 6 When You Shouldn’t Go Global The merger of Daimler-Benz and Chrysler is a poster child for this problem: The German and U. S. automakers were different in almost every respect, from company cultures to purchasing practices, and they were never able to attain such bene? ts as the promised billions of dollars in savings from common supply management. Taiwanese consumer electronics company BenQ’s acquisition of Siemens’s mobile-device business followed a similar story line, including incompatibility of cultures and processes, as well as dif? culties in integrating RD activities. In a haunting echo of the scramble by Daimler-Benz and Chrysler to merge, BenQ didn’t visit Siemens workshops and production lines before inking the deal, relying only on due diligence documents. Although BenQ continues to be active in mobile equipment, its German unit was declared bankrupt in 2007. In both of these cases—and in numerous others—the strategic logic for globalization was tenuous, and the skills needed to implement a globalization strategy effectively were in short supply. A Continuing Danger We aren’t saying that all globalization strategies are ? awed. Telefonica, Spain’s former telephone monopoly, has successfully expanded throughout much of the Spanish-speaking world. The past ? ve years have seen General Electric’s Commercial Finance business move rapidly and effectively into dozens of non-U. S. markets. Renault’s pathbreaking alliance with Nissan has to this point proved bene? cial for the French and Japanese automakers. But focusing on such success stories only reinforces the conventional wisdom that a globalization strategy is a blanket requirement for doing business—which in turn leads many companies to insuf? iently scrutinize their proposed global initiatives. (For a discussion of one of the gravest cases of failed globalization, see the sidebar â€Å"Royal Ahold’s Downfall. †) We expect this trend to continue, as ? rms in various industries recklessly pursue global strategies. Take the emerging renewableenergy industry—companies developing technologies for biofuel, solar energy, and wind energy. We have talked with executives who, racing to establish a global position in this booming ? eld, are planning rapid expansion over the next few years in Africa, Asia, nd Latin America—and completely underestimating the management challenges involved. Many will, after initial applause from the ? nancial markets, ? nd their hastily conceived strategies challenged after the fact by activists. We also anticipate that problems will recur in industries that earlier rushed to adopt globalization strategies, with activist share owners ready to pounce on companies as evidence of poor management choices surfaces. Activist share owners have already taken signi? cant positions in some companies mentioned in this article. Other target companies, perhaps not quite ripe for direct intervention—and temporarily shielded from attack by the current credit crisis and turbulent equity markets—are nonetheless being discussed in the boardrooms of rivals and by the investment committees of pension funds and private equity ? rms. Ironically, some predators, having spotted the weaknesses of other companies’ global strategies, may be poised to fall into the same trap. For example, the Royal Bank of Scotland is known for its highly successful 2000 acquisition of NatWest, a much larger UK rival, and for the subsequent overhaul of its target’s culture. But RBS may ? nd it dif? cult to achieve similar results with the disparate banking assets—spread across more than 50 countries— that it acquired from ABN Amro. And though the recent government bailouts of RBS and Fortis aren’t a direct result of the ? rms’ international strategies, the acquisition of ABN Amro assets stretched their balance sheets and made the companies more vulnerable to the ? nancial crisis. We also worry that activist share owners and private equity ? rms may reproduce ? awed globalization strategies in their own portfolios. The largest of these players are now more diversi? ed, both in ype of business and in international footprint, than many of the giant conglomerates of 30 years ago that were subsequently broken up and sold off. Indeed, as you look out on a landscape littered with the remains of dismembered companies weakened by failed globalization strategies, you have to wonder: Could today’s predators be tomorrow’s p rey? Reprint R0812E To order, see the next page or call 800-988-0886 or 617-783-7500 or go to www. hbr. org harvard business review †¢ december 2008 This article is made available to you with compliments of Harry Korine. Further posting, copying or distributing is copyright infringement. To order more copies go to www. hbr. org. page 7 When You Shouldn’t Go Global Further Reading ARTICLES Managing Differences: The Central Challenge of Global Strategy by Pankaj Ghemawat Harvard Business Review March 2007 Product no. R0703C The main goal of any international strategy should be to manage the large differences that arise at the borders of markets. Yet executives often fail to exploit market and production discrepancies, focusing instead on the tensions between standardization and localization. Ghemawat presents a new framework that encompasses all three effective responses to the challenges of globalization. He calls it the AAA Triangle, with the As standing for the three distinct types of international strategy. Through adaptation, companies seek to boost revenues and market share by maximizing their local relevance. Through aggregation, they attempt to deliver economies of scale by creating regional, or sometimes global, operations. And through arbitrage, they exploit disparities between national or regional markets, often by locating different parts of the supply chain in different places— for instance, call centers in India, factories in China, and retail shops in Western Europe. Ghemawat draws on several examples that illustrate how organizations use and balance these strategies and describes the trade-offs they make as they do so when trying to build competitive advantage. Emerging Giants: Building World-Class Companies in Developing Countries by Tarun Khanna and Krishna G. Palepu Harvard Business Review October 2006 Product no. R0610C As established multinational corporations stormed into emerging markets, many local companies lost market share or sold off businesses—but some fought back. India’s Mahindra Mahindra, China’s Haier Group, and many other corporations in developing countries have held their own against the onslaught, restructured their businesses, exploited new opportunities, and built worldclass companies that are today giving their global rivals a run for their money. The authors describe three strategies these businesses used to become effective global competitors despite facing financial and bureaucratic disadvantages in their home markets. Some capitalized on their knowledge of local product markets. Some have exploited their knowledge of local talent and capital markets, thereby serving customers both at home and abroad in a cost-effective manner. And some emerging giants have exploited institutional voids to create profitable businesses. Getting Offshoring Right by Ravi Aron and Jitendra V. Singh Harvard Business Review December 2005 Product no. R0512J Recently a rising number of companies in North America and Europe have experimented with offshoring and outsourcing business processes, hoping to reduce costs and gain strategic advantage—with mixed results. According to several studies, half the organizations that have shifted processes offshore have failed to generate the expected financial benefits. What’s more, many of them have faced employee resistance and consumer dissatisfaction. A three-part methodology can help companies reformulate their offshoring strategies. First, prioritize company processes according to two criteria: the value these processes create for customers and the degree to which the company can capture some of that value. Then keep highest-priority processes in-house and consider outsourcing low-priority ones. Second, analyze the risks that accompany offshoring.