A Publicly Owned Large Company Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A Publicly Owned Large Company - Research Paper Example This case briefly analyzes the real world problems which a company might face while having a meeting in order to select its supplier. If the problems are not resolved at the first stage i.e. while having meetings, then there are considerable chances of facing immense amount of problems later on. This case provides insights about the potential problems which may arise at the stage of having first meeting with the potential supplier. Central Problem   Jill Turner, representative of Success Inc. is having a meeting with Supplier A Inc. in order to find out if they are competent enough to be selected as a supplier for Success Inc. During the meeting, Jill encountered various issues. These issues included the strange quietness of the representatives of Supplier A Inc., not checking the business cards of the representatives which can be considered as Jill’s own mistake, not being sure where the headquarter of the company is located and not knowing who is the right person to talk w ith. In the subsequent paragraphs, discussion has been provided about how to cope up with such problems, why these problems arise and what were the reasons behind such problems. Statement of Objectives   There are certain areas which need to be analyzed and evaluated before commencing a meeting. If that is not done, than it might lead to wrong decision making and ultimately will end up in against of the company. Wrong decision will definitely cause loss of money and time to the company therefore it is required to be very careful before taking such big decision. This case analyzes what mistakes can occur during meeting while selecting a supplier. Areas of Consideration (SWOT)   Strengths The strength of Success Inc is that it has smart representative namely Jill Turner, who sincerely looks for all the pros and cons before choosing any supplier. Success Inc is very cautious while selecting a supplier which is the strength of this company. Success Inc.’s representatives hold meetings with each of the potential supplier before selecting the right one. They analyze and evaluate each and every aspect so as to avoid any serious problems in future. Weakness The weakness which Success Inc. possesses is that its representatives at times make such mistakes which can cause loss of time and money to the company. Representatives of Success Inc need to be more careful and must not be so judgemental. Threats By not analyzing own mistakes and ignoring those mistakes, there are chances for the supplier to get the deal by showing misleading facts and figures. Success Inc. needs to analyze each and every single point before coming to the final decision otherwise the suppliers might take the advantage and therefore the threat of bargaining power of supplier can increase substantially. Opportunities After analyzing the case, it seems that the opportunity that Success Inc. has is that they usually do not have time pressure. By not being bounded to the time frame, they can take as much time as they want and can study comprehensively about each supplier. The financial position, previous performance, lead time, delivery and quality are some areas which need to be considered thoroughly before taking any final decision. Time Context Success Inc. doesn’t have any time pressure which means that they are not compelled to launch a particular product in particular time frame which gives Success Inc. an edge in studying more carefully about the potential suppliers. Alternative Courses of Action   Selecting an appropriate supplier is not an easy task for large companies. There are many areas to consider before selecting a supplier. Most often, companies mislead the information so accurately in order to get the deal that it becomes difficult in considering if the facts

Personal statement for applying master program in Finance

For applying master program in Finance - Personal Statement Example Finance is a vast subject. Just as it is revealed that human being is the crown of creation, the subject of foreign exchange is the crown of finance. Without the thorough knowledge of foreign exchange, its mercurial style of functioning, knowledge of finance, management and business world as a whole is incomplete. If we can compare the business world to an orchestra, foreign exchange is the conductor of the orchestra. All other musical instruments work in tandem as per the swing of the baton of the conductor. One who knows the subject of foreign exchange, knows how important the words like moods and swing in relation to this subject are! I like the subject of foreign exchange because I am aware of the significance of the subject in the context of global business. My interest in stock and investment goes in tandem with my fascination about the working of the foreign markets. Investments are about timing, opportunity and choices, especially for buying and selling stocks in the national as well as the international markets, one has to take split-second decisions. Often I marvel at those stock and finance wizards like Warren Buffet who take to the stock market just like fish takes to the ocean waters. They seem to function with ease, remain calm and collected, but they have a steely will and their well-versed calculations for investments, either to buy or sell stocks, are the outcome of their profound d study of the stock market and its behavior of the foreign exchange domain. This is not to say I want to follow their methods of responding to the share market and I certainly do not wish to become the second Warren Buffe t, but the first Chang Tu. That is to say, I do not like to be the follower, but the leader and prove my credentials. I have the will to grow, with the theory knowledge that I am going to acquire in university, under the able guidance of the members of the faculty. I realize that one of the

Chinese culture Essay Example for Free

Chinese culture Essay William Faulkner once said that â€Å"The past is not dead. In fact, its not even past† and he could have speaking about the history of porcelain painting in China. The history of this ancient art lives and breathes in every porcelain plate we touch and eat off of. It lives and breathes in the small villages in China which cling to the past as much as they want to move into the future. We reach the beautiful of city of Yi-xing in the early morning hours. Early enough that the streets were empty and the sun was just peaking through the rows and rows of tea leaves. The blend of organic green and sandy orange reminded me of the beaches of California I had visited at a child. The city of Yi-ing is the home of several tea plantations which stretch as far as the eye can see. During the day the rows of teas are cluttered with the presence of severals humans which look out of place in the purely green surroundings. If you head south through the beautiful mountains, which look more like hills to me, you reach a deep and clear lake. This lake, Lake Taihu, is where Lu Yu once lived when he wrote his now infamous book about the magic of tea and its role in Chinese culture. Tea porcelain are intimately linked in Chinese culture. Each competing with the other to see which is older and more valued. Upon a close examination of the history it is hard to separate the two. The Chinese Porcelain factory sits on the far edge of the city of Yi-ing and is a striking contrast to the hills and valleys that lay in front of it and beyond it. It is interesting to see the coupling of industrialization and farming in a country which in some places seems oddly untouched by civilization and in other devastated by the pollution from manufacturers and cars. The story of Chinese Porcelain is one of perseverance and beyond that of innovation. Chinese ceramic and porcelain reveal the resourcefulness of Chinese artisans. They demonstrate in their pieces, which are found enclosed in glass in the lobby area of the factory, how they utilized the materials that they had and turned them into pieces of pottery that have with stood the test of time. In the Yuan and Mind dynasties, Chinese porcelain makers combined porcelain stone with kaolin however kaolin was extremely hard to work with. It was then that Chinese porcelain makers discovered that if you ground kaolin and then added water a malleable substance was created with could be kneaded into porcelain stone. This could easily be formed into pots and vases on the potters wheel. During the drying processes a knife is used to slice excess porcelain from the pottery which accounts for the delicate thinness of Chinese Porcelain. To my surprise once we went into the factory the very same techniques were being used. Centuries later modern Chinese artisans were paying homage to their centuries old mentors by building pottery in the same fashion. The twist is that the new pottery produced in these factories are brightly colored by hand with a small paint brush. The craftsmanship is perfect and the people here, who are obviously under paid and living in less then optimal condition, absolutely enjoy what they do. They take pride in every piece they make and are more then willing to share their skills with you. Our tour guide informed us that many of the kilns in use at the factory were hundreds of years old. Apparently once a large kiln is established it can be used for hundreds of years. The art of preparing clay and the process which follows is a craft which is passed down again and again from generation to generation. This is why visitors can find subtle differences in glazing processes as well as firing processes throughout the villages and cities in China. Porcelain is more then just a container used for tea or food stuff. The art displayed on pieces of Chinese Porcelain reveal the entire history of the Chinese people. From myths to fears, historic battles and even home comings. Pottery and porcelain pieces exported during these periods are an excellent source of research materials on the history of Chinas communications, trade, and economic relations with other countries. My trip to city of Yi-ing was memorable for several reasons but most importantly I was reminded of the value of craft within a society. I will never forget the feel of Chinese Porcelain on my fingertips. The knowledge that something that delicate could last for centuries was truly symbolic of the struggle and political strife that the Chinese people have dealt with since its birth. Art is not merely for decoration, entertainment, or even functionality. It serves a much more important purpose. Through art we can see the evolution and development of not just a country like China but the spirit and souls of the people who make their homes and keep their families in those counties.

Meanign and characteristics of a Service

Meanign and characteristics of a Service Researchers had focused on the prosperous history of the marketing discipline. Researchers has also made specific contribution of the fact that previous marketing literature ignored the marketing of services, and rather emphasized the importance of marketing of the physical goods. The following quote by Converse (1921) obviously supports that idea: Still the main function of business is to market goods. Accounting, banking, insurance, and transportation are only aids, very important aids it is true, to the production and marketing of goods (p. vi). Throughout the review of extensive lirtature on marketing on general services marketing, Fisk, Brown and Bitner (1993) explored that even up until the 1950s and 1960s services marketing was typically studied only by dissertation research. At that instant there was not only little acknowledgement of services marketing, but more astonishingly no understanding of the difference between physical goods and services. Johnson (1969) was the author of a dissertation titled Are goods and services different? That research was mainly accountable for flashing the goods versus services discussion that followed (Fisk, Brown and Bitner, 1993). Only after the American Marketing Association (1960) presented a definition of services did services articles begin to emerge in typical marketing journals. These articles required to challenge the Associations service definition, which described services as: Activities, benefits or satisfactions which are offered for sale, or are provided in connection with the sale of goods. Examples are amusements, hotel service, electric service, transportation, the services of barber shops and beauty shops, repair and maintenance service, the work of credit rating bureaus. This list is merely illustrative and no attempt has been made to make it complete. The term also applies to various activities such as credit extension, advice and help of sales people, delivery, by which the seller serves the convenience of his customers. (p. 21). Regan (1963) supported this definition, although authors key concern was not to discuss the definition, but to underline the creation of services that was taking place in the United States. Judd (1964) was one of the first authors to make an effort to redefining services. Author was critical of the services definition that had been presented due to it being simply descriptive, imperfect and too dependent on listed examples. Consequently, Rathmell (1966) broadly detailed the marketing characteristics of services, a task saw as crucial in light of the United States rapidly increasing services sector. The features author portrayed are still used today throughout many services marketing journals and textbooks (Fisk, Brown and Bitner, 1993). Authors have usually agreed upon the fact that a service contains of the following features: intangibility, inseparability, perishability and heterogeneity. These previous articles went a long way towards helping people to understand the multifaceted nature of marketing, and thus helped to eliminate the marketing myopia illustrated by Levitt (1960). Meaning of Service A service is a complex fact (Grà ¶nroos 1988:10). The word has various connotations, varying from a personal service to a service as a product. The range of the meaning of the concept can be even vital. Berry, Zeithaml and Parasuraman (1985:44) define services as Performances, not objects. Gaster and Squires (2003:7) partially have the same opinion with this definition, as they define services as experience goods. From these definitions it is clear that a service varies from goods, but it is not totally apparent what the nature of a service is. As the focal point of the current research is a service rather than goods, it would be preferable to utilize a definition that recognizes the necessary characteristics of a service for the purposes of the current research. The characteristics of a service are recognized as intangibility (Boshoff 1990; Eiglier Langeard 1977; Grà ¶nroos 1978; Schneider White 2004; Upah Fulton 1985), relative inseparability (Eiglier Langeard 1977; Gaster Squires 2003; Grà ¶nroos 1978; Schneider White 2004), interdependence (Czepiel et al. 1985; Eiglier Langeard 1977; Grà ¶nroos 1984; Haywood-Farmer 1988; Kelly, Donnelly Skinner 1990; Speller Ghobadian 1993a) and heterogeneity (Anthony Govindarajan 2000; Eiglier Langeard 1977; Gaster Squires 2003; Haywood-Farmer 1988; Schneider White 2004). Characteristics of services Intangibility Probably the most basic and most often it is mentioned of the many characteristics of a service is the defining characteristic of intangibility (Boshoff 1990:37; Eiglier Langeard 1977: 36; Grà ¶nroos 1978:591; Schneider White 2004:6; Upah Fulton 1985:255). This characteristic involves that true services cannot be seen, touched, held, tasted, smelled or stored they have no physical demonstration (Schneider White 2004:6; Speller Ghobadian 1993a:2; Upah Fulton 1985:255). At a theoretical level, this characteristic is complex to analyze because one cannot grasp it, except for in contrast to tangible goods. Consequently it is an improper definition because it only enlightens what services is not, not what they are (Eiglier Langeard 1977:33). Upah and Fulton (1985:255) tried to deal with this shortfall. They define service intangibility as containing such things as physical effort, thought processes, demeanor, appearance, and the use (but not ownership) of goods or facilities. Services are not all intangible. They may be observed as being arranged on a continuum of intangibility, with pure services (which have no tangible element) at the one end of the continuum, and pure goods (which have no intangible element) at the other end (Schneider White 2004:7). The majority of services are in between the two ends of the intangibility continuum, for the reason that they have both tangible and intangible elements (Schneider White 2004:7). Services provided in education sector are closer to pure services on the intangibility continuum. Because of its intangibility, an accurate analysis of the quality of service is complicated (Eiglier Langeard 1977:44; Haywood-Farmer 1988:20). Not only is it hard to measure service quality, but one cannot store a service. (Haywood-Farmer 1988:20). The possible outcomes of service failure might also be more brutal. When there is no physical product that can be repaired or returned when service quality is not up to the requirements, customers have a tendency to use the medium to influence their dissatisfaction (Eiglier Langeard 1977:44). Schneider and White (2004:6) said that pure services are basically procedures that are experiences which yield psychological experiences more than they yield physical belongings. In measuring a service, it should be taken into account that a psychological procedure is to be evaluated and not physical goods. This is the cause why the perceptions of the users of the service are attained. Furthermore, carefulness should be considered in analyzing the results, as it should be fix in mind that, even though the measurement might not be totally correct it may be the best sign of the service quality available from the users of the service. Heterogeneity Pure services, which are composed of a delivery experience, cannot be formed at one time and in one place and then be stored for later utilization anywhere else. A service can also not be sent back (Eiglier Langeard 1977:37-39; Gaster Squires 2003:97; Schneider White 2004:7). So there is a relatively small time-gap between production and consumption, and services are consumed as they are produced(Grà ¶nroos 1978:591; Schneider White 2004:7; Speller Ghobadian 1993a:2). The failure to construct services long before they are utilized means that the same problem occurred as with intangibility, because there is no way of creating a service, examining it for faults, and then providing it to a customer (Eiglier Langeard 1977:37- 39; Grà ¶nroos 1978:591 Schneider White 2004:7). The usefulness of a service cannot be certain in advance, just assured on the basis of the established skill of the provider at a previous service encounter (Gaster Squires 2003:7). Education has different types of service. The services of registering students, assessing the results of students and delivering lectures can technically be separated, as there could be internal processes to check for the incorrect registration of students, assessment of results and formulating quality oriented lectures. There could also be additional internal processes to ensure the correct assessment of the students. The students can also assess the accuracy of the service of assessment. On the other hand, when, for example, a student visits a registration office with a query or telephones call, the service could be regarded as inseparable, as the response of the staff and teachers cannot be checked for defects before any communication takes place between the two parties. In view of the fact that each of the services at educational institute can lie at a different point on the separability-inseparability continuum, in the evaluation of the services educational institutions offers, the different services should be measured separately. Interdependence One exceptional characteristic of services is that the customer is not simply the user of the service, but also playing their role in the production and delivery of the service (Czepiel et al. 1985:3; Eiglier Langeard 1977:36; Grà ¶nroos 1984:37; Haywood-Farmer 1988:20; Kelly et al. 1990:1; Speller Ghobadian 1993a:2). This may be referred to as interdependence that can be defined as the effect interacting persons have on each others outcom es in a social relationship (McCallum Harrison 1985:35). For a lot of services, the customer is required to participation in information or effort prior to the service transaction can be completed (Kelly et al. 1990:1). A service organization does not perform well except the role of the customer sufficiently fulfilled (Eiglier Langeard 1977:37; Kelly et al. 1990:1; McCallum Harrison 1985:35). Therefore, service efficiency and quality depend not only on the performance of the service providers employees (teachers), but also on the performance of the consumer (Students) (Philip Hazlett 1997:262). Heterogeneity One more feature in the study of service literature is the reality that services are heterogeneous (Eiglier Langeard 1977:33; Schneider White 2004:8). On the one hand services are not mechanical and are only consistent and standardized up to a point, there may be immense change over time (Eiglier Langear d 1977:42). The human aspect in the production and delivery of services may indicate that no two service experiences are the same, as peoples performance varies always (Czepiel et al. 1985:3; Schneider White 2004:8). Various customers might have diverse demands that need to be met, or various service employees might go about meeting the similar customer demands somewhat different in a way (Schneider White 2004:8). This relative heterogeneity can make it more complex to examine services and to measure the quality checks in advance to guarantee that the services meet identical standards (Schneider White 2004:8). One of the consequences of the heterogeneity of services is that services cannot be standardized in a production process and are as a result of labor concentrated (Anthony Govindarajan 2000:621; Gaster Squires 2003:7). An additional result of the reality is that all services cannot be executed in one factory and cannot be distributed to warehouses to be put up for sale is that most service organizations operate many units in different locations (Anthony Govindarajan 2000:621). It is recognized that because services are human oriented, quality improvement cannot be attained by alterations to production processes, and might take long time to be effective and might even more cost more would be in the case for physical goods. Here the focal point is on the employee and the way in which the service is delivered and perceived by the customer will depend on the employee.

The Mexican U.s. Connection Essay -- essays research papers

The Mexican U.S. Connection Mexico and the United States have been close together, at the same time being so far apart. Mexico and the U.S. have maintained a healthy neighbor to neighbor relationship over the centuries. There have been disputes of course, but for the most part we are working together. When striving to maintain a healthy relationship between neighboring countries, certain problems arise. When the countries don't have the same standard of living, people might try and migrate illegally to the better country. When one country has more illegal drugs than the other, people might try smuggling the drugs. Also, trade between the countries is always a factor in keeping a healthy connection. The first issue to deal with is illegal immigration. Doris Meissner, Immigration and Naturalization Service Commissioner, announced the INS would pump 185 more agents and an array of equipment, including two new helicopters, seven more infrared scopes, eight miles of fencing and 172 additional sensors to detect and deter illegal immigration traffic along a 16-mile stretch between Otay Mountain and the Tecate Port of Entry. The area has been inundated by immigrant smugglers who have been forced east because of increased Border Patrol activity along the 14-mile corridor from the Pacific Ocean and Imperial Beach to Otay Mesa. The effort, known as Operation Gatekeeper, was launched in October 1994. Meissner said the latest effort, an extension of Operation Gatekeeper, would add five Border Patrol agents on horseback to patrol the back country and three dog teams to be assigned to checkpoints along rural roads. Meissner also announced that the Federal Bureau of Investigation would join the operation to break up illegal smuggling rings at the border. She said the Border Patrol would step up the use of checkpoints in the Temecula area, where smugglers usually end up trying to evade the Border Patrol checkpoint. In March, a van carrying illegal immigrants overturned near there as its driver tried to avoid agents; eight illegal immigrants were killed and 18 others injured. In Los Angeles, an alleged smuggler of illegal immigrants who police say was at the wheel of a pickup truck during a chase in April which ended with the televised police beatings of two undocumented aliens from Mexico, pleaded not guilty to f... ... added that the challenges that the Mexican economy faces have not changed with the passage of the NAFTA and that its effects will not be immediate. The Mexican Action Network on Free Trade (RMALC) asked the government to open spaces for public consultation and participation to deal with the repercussions of the NAFTA. RMALC representatives announced that if the NAFTA is ratified by the Mexican Senate, they will mobilize to obtain a profound re- negotiation of the NAFTA which benefits the majority of the population. According to RMALC members, the re-negotiation should include the recognition of asymmetries between the participating countries' economies and aspects of the social agenda which have been left out of the agreement. Said RMALC Director Bertha Lujan, "We still don't know the popular vote on the NAFTA." Thus, all the factors in keeping good connections between neighboring countries have been discussed. Some out there might argue that there is more to it. This is my argument and I stand firm in the belief that Mexico and the U.S. have a steady connection and have many things that interact between them. That is what makes the Mexican-U.S. connection so beautiful.

Richard Feynman :: biographies biography bio

Richard P. Feynman was born May 11, 1918 to Melville and Lucille Feynman. His father, Melville, never had a chance to endulge his interests in science, so he engulfed Richard in science from a young age. Even at a young age Richard's interest in science and mathematics was extraordinary. He taught himself basic mathematics before entering school. He would also read the Encyclopedia Britannica and he gained much insight into science form that. He even experimented with electronics building his own burglar alarm. At school Richard excelled at math and science. On his own he taught himself trigonometry and calculus. He even won the New York University Math Championship. While his grades in math and science were exceptional, Feynman had poor grades in art, social sciences, and literature. This fact made him less likely to get into the college of his choice. He was rejected from Columbia University, so he went to MIT. While at MIT he changed majors from mathematics to physics after finding the mathematical courses too easy and rigid. He took Theoretical Physics (a graduate class) his second year. Since there was no quantum mechanics courses offered at MIT (a subject that Feynman was extremely interested about) he and a friend taught themselves what they could from the available texts. Feynman received his B.Sc. in 1939 and then moved to Princeton for his doctorate. At Princeton he went on to develop a new approach to quantum mechanics. He made new models of electromagnetics using particle interactions in space-time. He also worked on the Manhattan project while at Princeton. This was a great distraction and slowed the progress of his thesis greatly. In 1942 Feynman received his doctorate. In 1945 Feynman became the professor of theoretical physics at Cornell University. There he devoted himself to teaching and did not do any research. In 1950 he received a job as a professor at CIT (Cal Tech) There he did more work that contributed to the field of quantum mechanics. In 1959 talk at the meeting of the American Physical Society at Cal tech. In this speech he basically sparked the new science of nanotechnology. In 1965 he jointly won the Nobel Prize for physics. His research also led to the theory of 'partons' which later led to the current theory of quarks which are a fundamental part of particle physics. Feynman continued to teach at caltech until his death in 1988. His research and innovation have pushed physics forward over the last century.

Beowulf Essay Essay

Throughout history there have been many stories about men who were considered to be a â€Å"hero. † The definition of a hero has changed throughout the evolution of society. In the days of Beowulf and the Vikings, a hero was a man who was strong, courageous, and willing to protect his land and provide for his people. In today’s world, a hero is someone who is known for their selflessness and bravery. Beowulf is described as an epic hero before he even speaks a word in the story. He is described as â€Å"mightiest man on earth†, â€Å"the noble warrior†, and â€Å"the man whose name was known for courage, the Great leader. † These opening quotes about Beowulf alone make it seem like he was not only a great warrior and leader, but also a great hero. Beowulf displays the most common traits of a hero throughout his journeys. A hero needs to display bravery, courage, loyalty, dedication and determination to be considered a â€Å"hero†. According to www. dictionary. com the definition of loyalty is having a strong feeling of support or allegiance to someone or something. Throughout the entire story of Beowulf he stays loyal to the people of Geatland. From the beginning of the story Beowulf showed loyalty when he sailed to Geatland for King Hrothgar just to repay the debt of Hrothgar saving his father in the earlier years. Beowulf pledged his allegiance to Hrothgar when he needed his most because he believes in the hero characteristic of loyalty to someone or something with importance to you. Even after Beowulf kills Grendel and has in some way repaid his debt to Hrothgar he still stays in Geatland and fights Grendel’s mother and at the end of the story he fights the dragon for the good of his people. Beowulf remained loyal to Hrothgar until he became king and then he stayed loyal to his people for the remaining years of his life. Throughout all of Beowulf’s life he has been dedicated to being remembered and to live on even after he has died. Beowulf did not want any type of reward or prize for doing the things he does, all he wanted was to have fame and be remembered by people. This dedication lead him into many difficult battles that risked his livelihood. This dedication to fame leads him through the battle with Grendel, Grendel’s mom, and the dragon. All of these battles were fought so Beowulf’s name would live on and he could die a â€Å"hero† to his people. The most important characteristic of a hero is bravery. Beowulf displays how much bravery he actually has in three different battles. The first battle was his main reason for going to Geatland, to stop the man eating monster Grendel. Grendel is feared by all of the Danes but Beowulf was eager to meet Grendel in battle. Grendel had killed many of Danes before Beowulf arrived yet still Beowulf shows no fear. Also Beowulf tells the men in the mead hall how he will not fight Grendel with any type of sword or knife because the monster doesn’t use anything like that either. Even though Beowulf makes the fight an even one for his own personal reasons this action displays an immense amount of bravery. Beowulf kills the monster with his bare hands and restores peace to the Danes even if only for a little while. Courage also is an important characteristic of Beowulf. After killing Grendel with his bare hands this is a courageous act in itself, Beowulf is summoned to kill Grendel’s mothers. It took courage just to be on the journey to get to Grendel’s mother. Beowulf ventures into her lake home eager to meet her in battle just as he was with Grendel. Despite the fact that the lake is filled with creatures and evil things Beowulf shows no hesitation in going straight in by himself to fight Grendel’s mother. Once inside Grendel’s mother senses Beowulf and immediately drags him into her home. It looks like Beowulf is about to be killed when he takes a sword and cuts the throat of Grendel’s mother, defeating her. Beowulf re-surfaces and is greeted by the remaining men outside the lake. This journey into the lake and into Grendel’s Mother’s home was nothing short of courage. Even after Beowulf is king for many years he never loses his courage. When Beowulf is an old warrior his land is attacked by a sleeping dragon awoken by treasure being stolen from its cave. Beowulf immediately went on a journey to slay this dragon. It was said that no man had entered into the dragons cave and lived. Even with information known Beowulf still lead his followers into the cave to fight this dragon. Although the dragon takes Beowulf’s life, this journey is extremely courageous. Beowulf helped in the killing of this dragon and in return gave his life just so his people would be safe. It could be argued that Beowulf is not hero because heroes don’t gloat about their fights or accomplishments. Although Beowulf tells people he is the strongest person alive and he bragged about his accomplishments, it doesn’t take away from the fact that he displayed more than one characteristic of a hero. His bravery and courageousness are more prominent in his life than his gloating. Also it could be argued that heroes don’t accept things such as money or gold in return for doing a heroic act. Beowulf did accept gold from the Danes but during this time period it was a common gift for someone like Beowulf to receive gifts and gold. In some cases it might have even been seen as rude or disrespectful for Beowulf not to accept their gold. These two arguments have valid points but overall when you compare the heroic traits to the non-heroic traits of Beowulf the heroic traits outnumber the non-heroic traits. All in all Beowulf was a great man who led a great life full of accomplishments and accomplished missions. Everything he did was for a purpose that benefitted not only himself but more importantly the people he was loyal to and that were loyal to him. Throughout the story of Beowulf he has proven himself to be not only a great man but also a hero. Beowulf fought three non-human opponents and still with no fear or doubt he rose above and defeated all three of his opponents. Beowulf is the definition of what a hero should be like and he does a great job of displaying the traits one needs to have in order to be considered a hero.