Challenges for Supply Chain Management

Challenges for Supply Chain Management introduction The biggest challenge facing the Vancouver manufacturing plant was that for the rest of Hewlett Packard, there was no problem; When it comes to real dollars, inventory costs do not enter into the P L statements, but losses hurt our revenues. Dont talk to us about inventory-service trade-offs. Period. Vancouver was held up as a model of efficiency (Kanban) and the DeskJet printer range was a runaway success. A culture of territorialism and poor communication exacerbated the lack of urgency. Damaging internal rivalry was rife as a result of disjointed an myopic decision-making in the absence of any truly global approach to the supply chain key performance indicators (KPIs); the bullwhip effect was writ large all over the firms supply chain. The problems brewing were real and mounting and we argue that the best solution would require a fundamental overhaul of HPs production and supply chain resulting in the need to establish a new manufacturing plant in Europe. The consumer electronics industry is the very embodiment of [key] aspects of supply chain management and related risks, (Sohdi, 2004), due to the short product lifecycles, tough competition, and global nature of the business. The DeskJet printer business presented a new challenge for HP as the firms expertise was in highly customized, low volume, and long lead-time manufacturing and supply chain. In DeskJet, high volume, short product lifecycles, and high obsolescence risk were the name of the game. Printers were in transition from an innovative product to a functional product but the supply chain did not reflect this. HP used OEMs to source components and then did their own assembly. HP made high margins on the cartridges, and the printer was the conduit. HPs success in Europe was beginning to rival the home market in sales, adding further complications due to the need to modify power sources and languages for local markets. In Europe, product option AB had the highest monthly mean demand, and demand was more dispersed over the options than in North America, where virtually the entire sales were in option A. Monthly standard deviation in demand for the popular options was quite high at +- 30%. Even more importantly, the company was holding large and expensive safety stock due to the long shipping lead times and the prohibitive cost of air freight. The success of HPs DeskJet printer range in spite of an un-optimized supply chain suggests that there were significant potential gains in profitability if the right solution were found. In addition, despite high inventory levels, stock-outs were still occurring, threatening the most precious asset of all in the highly competitive printer market: customer loyalty and sentiment. Questions of internal efficiency and customer fulfilment had to be evaluated against the backdrop of a rapidly growing printer market, which was exploding along with the proliferation of desktop PCs. Despite organizational inertia and competing priorities, a number of avenues were open to HP at the time, including inventory management-the benefits of postponing final assembly-product design, and the introduction of JITD. We examine each and delve deeper into the business and customer benefits of launching a production site in Europe to fully capitalize on the surge of the printer market. The market is evolving rapidly and needs a strategic realignment of its supply chain. Creating a European manufacturing facility, plus integrated financial performance and risk management (Hahn Kuhn, 2009) will also improve shareholder returns (by improving inventory management and hence cash flows) and will mitigate risk. Postponement strategy To be successful the DeskJet supply chain must match customer demand. It must be in the zone of strategic fit, with a better match in Europe between responsiveness and uncertainty. It must integrate sales, manufacturing, distribution, and operations. Postponement is a solution to support future DeskJet expansion in Europe and to meet European demand. A successful postponement strategy requires significant degrees of cohesion; departmental barriers will need to be brought down, processes restructured and products redesigned. However, the rewards of implementing a successful postponement strategy are great. HP is not without challenges to implement a successful postponement strategy. Significant organisational change and coordination would be required. As Pagh and Cooper state (1998), The notion of postponement is to maintain the product in a neutral and noncommittal status as long as possible in the manufacturing process. In order to support this, characteristics of the DeskJet that have to be localised should be added at the last moment. Standardising the DeskJet would make inventory management and forecasting easier. It is also a way to allow cost-effective end user customisation. By creating customisation, additional lines can be introduced and consumer needs are met more easily. Customisation will assist HP in differentiating itself and in capturing the market. Based on Cooper (1993), we propose the use of the deferred packaging postponement strategy. The DeskJet peripherals are not common to all markets whilst the formulation is common. Postponement requires tight integration of processes and the formation of a holistic view. In the case of DeskJet printing, redesigning the product to make it more modular will increase manufacturing costs, but would lower the total supply chain costs. A modular design will standardise the design and thus standardise procurement processes. Making the DeskJet design more modular will also limit the inclusion of components that differentiate the product until the latest possible moment. Other benefits of modularity are identified by Feitzinger and Hau (1997), including the ability to manufacture modules separately or in parallel, thereby reducing production time and assisting with problem diagnostics in identifying quality problems. When considering a supply chain strategy, all elements from the design, procurement, manufacture, sales and distribution must be considered in unison. For example, making the DeskJet power supplies universal voltage may be more expensive, but it would provide HP with a more flexible use of inventory and would reduce forecasting errors. Marketing must be involved in the design process to validate that product variety and customisation meet market requirements. Finance must be engaged to provide activity-based costing, (ABC) statistics to support scenario analysis. All stakeholders and their differing viewpoints must be considered in order to build a holistic model of the revised supply chain. Successful postponement requires that organisational boundaries are traversed. HP should work with resellers and distributors to provide some product localisation and customisation tasks. In many cases resellers will require significant support, training, and systems to carry out these tasks. The long term value outweighs the short term investment. In all cases, postponement partnerships must be made on the basis of empirical evidence and having considered the interdependencies of the model. The decision to build European manufacturing capability and interfacing this capability with European distribution is crucial to support DeskJet sales in Europe. We support establishing a European plant as a strategy given European demand. However, in addition to the plant, distribution centres across Europe should be capable of managing product localisation and replenishment of all localisation materials. Opening a new facility in Europe Companies becoming global and enjoying growing revenue and expanding market shares across geographies face an important challenge: inertia. Being agile and being able to react quickly to changing conditions sometimes requires risky decision in volatile, uncertain environments, and sometimes mandates direct investment in foreign locales. The company must admit that what sustained past success will no longer work and must be adapted. This is the challenge Hewlett Packard faced when the Vancouver facility, which served the U.S. market, at the time HPs largest, could no longer meet the needs of growing overseas markets which were becoming progressively more important in terms of units sold. (Monthly mean of 23,108 units in Europe vs. 26, 611 units in North America). Hewlett realized that in terms of lead time, inventory optimization, transportation costs, and localization/customization, trying to serve European clients with its U.S. manufacturing facility was no longer viable despite var ious attempts at technology innovation and optimization, changes in product design, and shifts in its logistic processes; the problem could not be solved. (Transit time by sea takes up to five weeks.) As the European market matured, it needed one or more manufacturing locations geographically close to local suppliers and to end customers. However, selecting the correct locations in which to put one or many distribution centers and manufacturing facilities required performing scenario analysis (Sodhi, 2003) and considering several important criteria in a holistic framework for value-based performance and risk management in [robust] supply chains (Hahn Kuhn, 2009): Customer and supplier location, concentration and importance: the ideal location is a center of gravity based on weight clustering, transportation cost, the geographical location and relative importance of difference suppliers and customers. Order delivery time is a critical unifying dimension (Tempelmeier, 2001) when selecting a location that serves downstream needs. However, the center of gravity has to be modified by introducing additional constraints as listed below. In other words, optimization under many constraints must be performed. And this has to be done dynamically, including current data and future projections. Labor: The skills, training, and demographics of the workforce, unemployment trends, productivity, cost of labor, unionization, work regulation, work culture all vary widely across Europe and have to be considered. Cost and availability of land: The real estate environment of the area under consideration has to be analyzed: sites, building availability, construction cost, regulation, including environmental regulations, the availability and reliability of utilities, local construction companies, and maintenance providers. Corporate taxes and incentives: taxes are another layer of costs that have to be taken into account. Local authorities and governments may be competing to attract foreign direct investment and job-creating investments, offering tax and other financial incentives which can contribute to returns and lower risks. Logistical infrastructure: HP needs to evaluate connections to highways, rail transport, and the proximity to airports and seaports, all of which have to be reliable and cost effective. They also have to find credible logistic/transportation partners. Other criteria include the local climate and exposure to natural disasters. Finally, the company must provide expatriate personnel to manage the operation and its labor so quality of life issues must factor into the selection of the location. The process of selecting the optimal location is a multi-stage, top-down one, where initial screening produces a short list of countries or regions and then additional and more demanding criteria are added to narrow down the initial list through several iterations until one or two final locations are selected. The benefits of a manufacturing facility in Europe are significant and affect every step in the supply chain which now has a better strategic fit. Physical, financial, and information flows are better aligned. The market is as large as the U.S. but more diverse and will be better served. Raw materials procurement becomes more streamlined. Inventory days fall because one benefit of standardization (with local customization) is that inventory can be moved from one region to another so as to avoid piling up inventory in one region and stock-outs in another. The chain has moved to more of a push-pull system. Lead times are shorter. Finished product also does not pile up. The cost of manufacturing goes down and since printers were rapidly becoming a commodity product, economies of scale and cost savings are vital since customers choosing between two inkjet printers of equal speed and quality will make their decision based on cost and reliability. From a management perspective, handling th e supply chain becomes easier since it is optimized to regional needs but still integrated in a global framework that captures the benefits of HPs scale in buying power. The supply chain better serves customer needs and enables the company to grow more effectively in Europe and also is a model for other regions as they develop. The company can better manage its risks; it has reduced its exposure to inventory and transportation risk and improved its ability to manage supply chain supply and demand uncertainties in Europe. (Uncertainty metrics like margins, forecast error, stockout rates are all lower.) Finally, the improved supply chain should improve shareholder returns since operating margins, asset turns, and cash flow are positively affected. Other Improvement Opportunities As HPs management moves forward, it should take into account the following additional recommendations: A clear, overarching strategy for Europe needs to be defined and implemented across HPs corporate headquarters. Conflicting and competing corporate interests need to be reconciled with a clearly delineated command and communication structure. A clear company-wide and bottoms-up consensus should be reached about the framework necessary to achieve lasting success in Europe. HP needs to adopt improved corporate communication and defined spheres of responsibility and accountability across the organization. The case reveals that some of the companys most important technological advancements have been discovered by happenstance. Enhancing its technological advancement process with a more rigorous collaboration and innovation model would render technological and supply chain process improvements less susceptible to chance. For example, common global KPIs on inventory would be a good starting point. HP should remove organizational barriers to reduce lead time. (Billington Lee, 1992). The company should establish a dedicated European Localization Management Team to assess current local market trends as well as the viability of the suggestions above. The company should explore further trade opportunities within the European Union and in Eastern Europe, beyond just the tax and other cost-savings options. HP should exploit e-commerce, using the internet to take orders and organize distribution. The company should develop a supply chain risk-management framework to anticipate and mitigate any disruptions. A new or enhanced supply chain is an opportunity to integrate currency risks, cyber attacks, failed communication with suppliersterrorismnon-compliance. (Bosman, 2006). HP should modify its local marketing strategies based on national and cultural consumer demographics. The marketing and PR teams should also utilize available resources to identify such opportunities and participate within the European supply chain community. There are green opportunities within the supply chain that could be exploited. Technology Information processing: JITD New systems and better forecasting will make the problem visible but not solve it. The greatest gains are fundamental: Streamline design of the product to facilitate manufacture at the DCs and build capability at the DCs. However, there are still technical gains that can be made. Conclusion The HP case is an example of how effective supply chain management requires both a revised management paradigm (strategic change) and more sophisticated tools and techniques (optimization). The postponement strategy is a better strategic fit between the supply chain and HPs product life cycle across the key strategic and competitive variables: innovation, customer service, and cost leadership since printers are rapidly transitioning to maturity. Establishing a manufacturing plant in Europe, a major change in HPs printer supply chain, will improve the companys performance in four critical areas: costs, customer satisfaction, shareholder returns, and risk management. The companys physical flows, financial flows, and information flows will all be more aligned and efficient. After the initial capital cost of establishing the plant, the company should experience substantial cost savings from lower material costs, better predictability, improved supply assurances (no shortages), and lower inventory carrying costs. There is a tight linkage between sales, inventory, and product availability, (Raman et al, 2009), and so customer satisfaction, as measured by lower lead times, reduced variability in demand, fewer stock-outs, and enhanced ability to customize by region, should improve. The company will also position itself for future growth. HP should see the benefit of improved customer satisfaction in rising sales and market share in Europe. Shareholder value will be enhanced by the positive impact the supply chain changes will have on inventory and working capital and hence on operational value drivers like operating margins, asset utilization, and cash flow. Finally, the company will enjoy significant improvements in risk management. (Hahn Kuhn, 2009, referring to others). Certain risks, like being out of stock of a key component or product, will be entirely eliminated. Others can be mitigated through improved ability to contingency-plan and catch problems earlier. Th e company will be able to offload other risks or share them with suppliers and customers. And it will be able to consciously select risks, rather than passively absorbing them. Overall, the revised supply chain and the new manufacturing plant in Europe will be a catalyst for dramatic improvements in HPs operating and financial performance, not just on the Continent, but around the world. Bibliography Billington, Corey, Lee, Hau L. (1992, Spring). Managing Supply Chain Inventory: Pitfalls and Opportunities. Sloan Management Review, Volume 33, Number 3. Bosman, Ruud. (2006, April). The New Supply Chain Challenge: Risk Management in a Global Economy. FM Global. Cooper, James C. (1993). Logistics Strategies for Global Businesses. International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, Vol. 23, No. 4, pp. 12-23. Feitzinger, Edward, Lee, Hau L. (1997, January-February). Mass Customization at Hewlett Packard: The Power of Postponement. Harvard Business Review, pp. 116-121. Hahn, Gerd Jurgen, Kuhn, Henirich. (2009, October 30). Value-Based Performance and Risk Management in Supply Chains: A Robust Optimization Approach. Working Paper. Department of Production and Operations Management-Catholic University of Eichstaett-Ingolstadt, Germany. Intermarine USA. (2009, December). Heavy-lift Air Transport Faces Capacity Loss, Competition. Intermarine Industry News. Lee, Hau L. (1995, Sept.-Oct.). The Evolution of Supply-Chain-Management Models and Practice at Hewlett Packard. Interfaces, Vol. 25, pp. 42-63. Raman, Ananth, DeHoratius, Nicole, Kanji, Zahra, (2009, June 12). Supply Chain Management at Hugo Boss (B)-the M Ratio. HBS Case No. 609-055, Harvard Business School Technology Operations Mgt. Unit, University of Portland and HBS. Sodhi, ManMohan S., (2003, Fall). How to Do Strategic Supply Chain Planning. Cass Business School Research Paper. Sloan Management Review. Vol. 45, No. 1, pp. 69-75. Sodhi, ManMohan S., Lee, Seongha. (2004, October 1). Global Supply-Chain Risks in the Consumer Electronics Industry. City University London, Sir John Cass Business School, Cass Business School Research Paper. Tempelmeier, Horst. (2001, December 31). Inventory Service-Levels in the Customer Supply Chain. OR Spektrum, Vol. 22 No. 3, pp. 361-380.

Foundations of teaching and learning Essay

I am going to deliver a lesson to my students, which will include the three main schools of learning, Behaviourism, Cognitivism and Humanism. I will incorporate these ways of learning into my lesson plans to ensure my students are offered a range of learning strategies. â€Å"The behaviourist learning theory suggests that we learn by receiving a stimulus that provokes a response. So long as the response is reinforced in some way that response will be repeated. † (Reece and Walker 2007) I think behaviourism is important within the classroom as it is controlled Education, where the teacher takes control of the class and the environment that the students are in. Behaviourism is the educational theory that is based on the underlying ideology that the environment has direct influence on behaviour. Aims and objectives must be shown at the beginning of the class, to ensure the students are aware of what is expected of them. Reinforcement should be used to strengthen behaviour that you want to encourage. Students should be rewarded immediately so it gives the student motivation and confidence to move on to the next stage. Rewards can be offered in a variety of ways e. g. praise, letting them take part in something they enjoy doing, and should be used often when starting a new subject. To ensure students are kept motivated. Behaviourists look for rewards from others such as teachers, family and peers etc. †¦ Some behaviour is inappropriate so a punishment is given to stop that particular behaviour occurring again. People learn by copying from others, for example, performing a demonstration (you are the model) students will learn behaviours from the model. Within my lesson plan I have covered behaviourism with discussing previous background knowledge of subject matter so I am able to gain the required information to move on to the next stage and by applying praise to give them confidence to be able to move on to the next stage. I will take control of the class; the environment within the class will be relaxed and non-threatening. I will offer encouragement and appraisal throughout my lesson, before the end of the lesson I have arranged practical session as a reward. The Cognitivist school believes that learning by doing, and asking students challenging questions, will help students make their own sense of what they era studying, and enable them to make use of their learning in real life† (Geoff Petty2009) The Cognitivist approach to learning focuses on students and how they gain and store knowledge. It looks into how students interpret information given to them and what technique is best for them to use to understand it. The information that is given to the students must be understood to ensure leaning is taking place. It should be presented in a step by step fashion and goals should be in place for each stage, Feedback is essential and should be given out promptly to ensure learning has taken place before moving on to the next stage. There are three modes of learning †¢ The Enactive mode – learning by doing †¢ The Iconic mode – imagery- depends on visual senses †¢ The symbolic mode – using codes to learn This approach should be used in an attempt to promote learning using the cognitive structure. Students learn more when they have a greater understanding of the knowledge within the subject matter. This information is taken and added onto existing information, which is known as deep learning. Deep learning is where new learning makes a connection to old learning so you are able to build on knowledge, Deep learning is good learning; students should be taught a way that encourage them to adopt a way of learning, so they have a deeper understanding. There is also surface learning where there is no connection at all from old learning to new. There is only a small amount of cognitive skills used, and the new subject material has no relevance to previous learning. Studies more recently have shown deeper approaches to learning are related to higher quality learning outcomes† (Ramsden 1992; Prosser and Miller 1989; Trigwell and Prosser, 1991). Learning takes place through individuals changing and processing information from their social and physical surroundings. The teaching strategies for this theory should include things such has class presentations, debates and lectures, videos, readings and case studies. Work material should always be clear to understand, and produced in an organised manner, precise objective feedback should be given to facilitate learning. The amount of knowledge and understanding already attained will influence the speed and capability to add subsequent learning. I have used the cognitivism school of learning within my lesson plan by using deep surface learning, I am going to be building students’ knowledge through learning new subject matter to add on to old. I will take into account the structure of the subject matter delivering it in a step by step manner that is meaningful and understandable to them so they can relate new information to what they already know. My teaching methods will emphasis common principles and transferable skills. I have set tasks so they will have to think for themselves and discover new ways of finding out things about themselves and finding answers within the tasks. There will also be class discussions throughout the lesson, so students have the opportunitiy to express themselves, the classroom environment will be pleasant and relaxed so the students do not feel afraid to speak out. I will be performing a demonstration for students so they will be able to understand exactly what I want them to learn† by doing â€Å". â€Å"The only way to learn how to do something is by doing it! † (Paul Ginnis 2002) Humanism is about the learner feeling good about him or herself and being able to determine their strengths and weaknesses. The learner should believe that able to have the ability to improve. It is important that students feel good about themselves so they are able to set goals that are achievable; this should be encouraged by the teacher to help develop student’s self-esteem. ] All topics should be relevant to the student so it keeps them interested and motivated. Students should not feel that they have done wrong, but use mistakes as an opportunity to learn. Hierarchy of Basic Human Needs [pic] Abraham Maslow 1962) It is essential that the lower needs are met before moving up to the next level in a step by step way. In a classroom setting, these needs must be fulfilled to ensure effective learning can take place. Starting with physical needs working up to self- actualisation. The teacher should make the classroom environment feel warm and friendly with a positive atmosphere, and give students the choice to work at their own pace and let them take responsibility to learn for themselves, so that they become highly motivated by working in an area of their own interests and curiosity. Humanistic teaching enables students to figure things out for themselves because over helping from the teacher will discourage and de motivate the student. Students are encouraged more by active learning than passive learning. It gives the student great motivation when they are able to solve their own problems. The prize for the humanistic theorist is through self-evaluation and self-direction humanists like to reward themselves. Self-assessment is a crucial skill it helps students to be responsible for their own improvements where tests set by teachers are thought of as discouraging – and lowering student’s self-esteem. I have incorporated humanistic teaching within my lesson plan through classroom environment; the layout of my class room is designed to suit the student’s needs. There will be adequate breaks, I will ensure comfortable surroundings, all students will be treated fairly and with dignity and confidentiality will be maintained at all times. I intend to promote interaction between students and show that I care. I will encourage independence and welcome ideas and offer prizes when appropriate, promote optimism and be enthusiastic and supportive and be positive about their future plans. So with this support I have applied basic needs within the classroom so my students will reach self-actualization I have set tasks where students will have to think for themselves and come up with their own conclusions. I have also included a practical activity where students will work in pairs and have to think between them to evaluate the outcome. We will be in an environment where the students are comfortable and the learning subject matter is relevant to the learner’s objectives. I think that the three main schools of learning should be incorporated within a lesson because I strongly agree with Maslow’s hierarchy of basic needs. You need to meet physical needs to be able to move up the ladder without these needs you are unable to achieve or reach self – actualisation. I believe that the humanistic approach to teaching and learning is used through all ages of teaching but is more influenced with adult education. Whereas behaviorism I believe is for the younger generation. Behaviorism teaching starts from an infant they are influenced by reinforcements and that is how good behavior is determined from bad. I think this is more effective with school age children. It helps to promote learning when a child is praised. The cognitivist theory plays a big part in learning, learning should be a part of life humans have a natural urge to learn, discover and develop new skills. I agree that it is important that the learning that is taking place and the information is recognized. Marking and feedback is essential and plays a big part in student achievement, so you can evaluate where the students understood.

Where to Find Ap English Literature 2017 Essay Samples

Where to Find Ap English Literature 2017 Essay Samples Revising gives you the opportunity of identifying spelling and grammatical errors that may be avoided. A synthesis essay prompt has to be negotiable. Try out choosing works from various styles and eras, so that you're prepared for anything that may occur in the exam. It isn't simple to develop into successful and hardly anyone is genuinely successful but it's a noble aim to strive for. It is possible to also provide the guide to a different man to experience the job. The second point, that making connections is a kind of thinking which can be taught, cannot be proven until the very first point has been sufficiently supported. Furthermore, the paragraph doesn't support the thought that polite speech conveys tone online as it primarily focuses on the absence of polite speech on some sections of the web. The small note at the conclusion of the prompt about avoiding plot summary is quite important. In the event that you buy from us, you are also able to locate a draft of the document to make certain your writer is heading in the appropriate route. Besides all abovementioned, there's yet another image of a woman explained in the poem whose feelings and thoughts aren't taken into account. Ap English Literature 2017 Essay Samples: No Longer a Mystery Attempt to choose the best devices to back up your argument that you are able to. The early test will allow you to discover what you have to work on, and the later test will reveal to you how you've improved! Stick to the exact same procedure every time. Simply take a practice test to evaluate your first knowledge. Because this exam is currently publicly available, you may use the questions without restriction. This can help you get acquainted with the exam experience so that you'll feel more comfortable on exam day! As it happens, you will also see more in-depth questions asking you to recognize nuanced particulars. On the other hand, the questions are quite hard and pretty well-written AP imitations, or so the annoyance is well worth it. Extra info or tangents will merely hinder your essay. If you wish to acquire high high quality research and thesis papers punctually and for an affordable price, you should probably try out using EssaySupply.com. The conclusion is an official means of the way to end a literature essay. An effective introduction will have a thesis statement. You are able to pay twenty dollars to receive two English Lit practice tests from using this website. Besides the free College Board resources, in addition, there are several places online where you're able to acquire free, unofficial practice tests. You'll also discover which tests are high-quality and the way you can best utilize different practice exams to satisfy your studying needs. You can also locate practice tests in lots of the official study guides, and some even incorporate a diagnostic test to serve as your initial assessment. Find out more regarding the industry and choose for yourself if pet grooming, senior care or whatever job you're interested in is really the most suitable career path for you. Make the most of these invaluable resources at your community library or online to broaden your understanding of words and content that you're reading. Alternately, there are a number of on-line study resources out there. Additionally, there are several paid resources offering unofficial practice questions. As you continue to get prepared for the AP English Literature free-response section of the exam, make the most of the many resources cited herein. Before entering any AP class, it's ideal to read over the program overview and become acquainted with the exam. The AP English argument FRQ has become the most straightforward of the AP English FRQs as it is the most like essays you're already utilised to writing. AP English is a rather elaborate college course that is made up of numerous elements that will all be tested during the exam. Timeless literature isn't known for its readability, which is the reason why the exam asks lots of comprehension questions. A standard means of the way to compose a literature essay body is by using three or more paragraphs. There are assorted types of literature essays. This kind of essay requires a good framework and outstanding support.

Analysis Of Beowulf And Modern Days - 918 Words

Daryn Viser Women’s Roles in Beowulf and Modern Days There exists between the Anglo-Saxons and modern days a stereotype about women and their lack of being treated as equals in comparison to men. It is assumed that while the male characters were out battling monsters in return for honor and glory, the women lay at home anxiously pacing back and forth for their husbands to return. Little worth was assumed about them in accordance to man. While nowadays, no one blinks twice when a woman is offered a job instead of a man. Equal rights for both genders are essentially guaranteed. However, although the years lay significant between time periods, women were not treated any more or less poorly than they are today. Taken place during the fifth century Middle Ages, the epic poem Beowulf was a main reason for why the stereotype was just that for Anglo-Saxon women. At first glance, anyone can see why. Most people believed that women in general were treated less in the poem because of the little that was said about them (in comparison to Hrothgar or Beowulf). Wealhtheow, queen of Hrothgar, is a perfect example of the importance of women in Beowulf. What people fail to comprehend or notice is not essentially how many lines she consists in, but the significance of her actions. She was chosen to not only bestow the gifts upon Beowulf when he annihilated Grendel, but was given the option to select the gifts personally, if deciding to give him gifts at all. â€Å"Take delight in this torque,Show MoreRelatedBeowulf Epic Hero Essay880 Words   |  4 PagesAnalysis of Beowulf as an Epic Hero The definition of a hero from ancient times to present day has evolved greatly, but they often still possess characteristics synonymous across all cultures and timespans. 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To discuss the points of comparison between linguistics and the aesthetic analysis of English literature and discover the underlying oral similarities of our language Sylvia Miller is renowned for her understanding and interpretation of the aesthetic aspects of English literature throughout the periods Old English to the Modern English, ranging from 800 A.D, all the way to the twentieth century. Sylvia argues that the language is based on entertainmentRead MoreComparing and Contrasting Anglo-Saxon, Medieval, and Renaissance Perio1410 Words   |  6 PagescenterbAnalysis of Early Civilizations Through Literature/b/centerbrbrA culture that evolves and changes through time is a healthy culture indeed. From the early pagan warriors to the artisans of the Renaissance, the European world dramatically reformed. The literature of each era indicates the profound cultural innovations. The Anglo-Saxons arguably most important literary piece, Beowulf, is a story of a brave warrior who fights Grendel. Grendel is described as, A powerful monsterRead MoreCharles Baudelaire And Victor Hugo976 Words   |  4 Pagesto the modern stature of art. Elegies are poems defined on the thematic approach, generally lamenting a death of a loved one. In some languages, elegies hold a set pattern of metre rather than a thematical set up of the poem. For example, Duineser Elegien written in German talks about a spiritual plane and search for the meaning of life. In English Literature, elegies are generally dealt by the thematic approach but gives the freedom to allegorically define the loss of some entity. The modern era hadRead MoreHeroism as the Main Theme of Beowulf Essay2557 Words   |  11 PagesHeroism as the Main Theme of Beowulf The main theme of Beowulf is heroism. This involves far more than physical courage. It also means that the warrior must fulfil his obligations to the group of which he is a key member. There is a clear-cut network of social duties depicted in the poem. The king has an obligation to behave with generosity. He must reward his thanes with valuable gifts for their defense of the tribe and their success in battle. This is why King HrothgarRead More An Analysis of the Arguably Unified Poem, Beowulf Essay example2971 Words   |  12 PagesAn Analysis of the Arguably Unified Poem, Beowulf Beowulf as a less than unified work, more important for its historical and philological content than its literary merit, and critics after him regard Beowulf as a unified work of art. For example, of the critics who discuss the poem as a whole in An Anthology of Beowulf Criticism, most agree pace Tolkien that Beowulf is a unified poem, even if they argue so on different grounds. Burton Raffels introduction to his own translation offers a