Strategies for Internationalisation

Strategies for Internationalisation EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The report looks at the entry strategies available for an organization wishing to internationalize. It describes the internationalization strategy; the risks associated with it, and give examples of the type of businesses that are suitable for each type of strategy. Globalization is the process by which regional, economies, societies and cultures have become integrated through a global network of communication, transportation and trade.(Wikipedia 21 nov,2010) Advancements in technology like the internet, television and other communication tools have driven markets to be more integrated. Customers demands the world over, are becoming more similar with each day, hence the convergence of markets. Unlike in the past, a person in India can buy a product from any part of the world; it does not necessarily have to be made in India. The procurement of products or services from an independent supplier or company owned subsidiaries located abroad for consumption in the home country or third country is called global sourcing. CAVUSGIL at al. (2008) international business 1st edition. New Jersey; Pearson Prentice Hall. This ability of individuals and companies to buy products from any part of the world has taken competition to a different level because a firm in Zambia has to take all companies in the world producing products similar to its own as competitors despite geographic dispersion. With competition being on a global scale, firms cannot afford to just serve one market. They have to either offer its current products to a new market, or come up with new products for its current, or for a new market in order to mitigate risk of loss if conditions become adverse in one market. Before a company internationalizes, it must first assess if it is ready, and which countries have attractive markets. It must follow the order of:- Analyzing its readiness to internationalize, Assessing the suitability of its products and services for foreign markets, Screening countries to identify attractive target markets, Assessing the industry market demand for its products or services in the selected target market Selecting qualified business partners, like distributors and suppliers, and Estimating the companys sales potential in the target market. CAVUSGIL at al. (2008) international business 1st edition. New Jersey; Pearson Prentice Hall. The process where a company decides to increase its current market is called market penetration. Market penetration as a strategy has low risk because the firm is operating in a market it is familiar with, and selling products that customers already know. This strategy is supported by a lot of advertising and promotional activities; for example a firm can lure customers to buy more of its products by offering a promotion of buy 1 and get 1 free. This type of promotion is common especially for products that are sold in grocery stores or supermarkets. A firm can also increase market share by offering its products at prices lower than its competitors. This strategy can only work if a company has low costs due to purchasing, production or distribution economies of scale. A firm can increase its market share by acquiring smaller competitors in the industry. This strategy is ideal when a product reaches its maturity stage and the market is saturated and profit margins are low due to high competition. SABMiller took over Grupo Empresarial which was its competitor in South America, to become the second largest player in the market. The main strategies that firms use to internationalize are outlined below. EXPORTING If the market in which a firm is currently operating is saturated or adverse conditions develop, it can consider offering its products in a different market- selling across its national borders in this case. The first option that a firm can choose is to export its products. Exporting means to ship goods or commodities to another country for sale, exchange, etc. With exporting, the firm produces goods in its home country and sells them abroad. (www.dictionary.com 20.20hrs, 13.11.10). a firm simply has to find distribution partners in the country where its exporting, to supply that particular market. The firm has little control in the international market, and it does not commit time or resources for the international market, it simply ships its products to that country and from there they are at the mercy of the distributor. An example of a company that exports its products is Zambia Sugar PLC (ZMSG). It produces the sugar from Mazabuka, its headquarters in Zambia, supplies the home m arket and exports the excess sugar to the European Union. The problem with exporting is that the firm has little control over its product, and it is not there physically to position its product in the market. How successful it is in the international market depends on the distributor, and also how good the product is for word of mouth to work as a way marketing. Exporting is mainly used by firms that do not have the resources to set up a physical presence in an international market. Additionally, management does not have to commit time to manage operations in the international market as it is all left in the hands of the distributor. Firms also export because of unsolicited orders from abroad. An example is of Vellus Products, Inc. this is a small company based in the United States that makes pet grooming products. CAVUSGIL at al. (2008) international business 1st edition. New Jersey; Pearson Prentice Hall. This company got orders from Taiwan, England etc. -countries where it had no establishments. Firms that are considering setting up a physical presence in an international market can use exporting as a way of testing the market. If the products sell well in the international market, then it can go ahead and set up its infrastructure. INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIVE VENTURES Another way a firm can internationalize is through international collaborative ventures. A collaborative venture is a partnership between two or more firms, and includes equity joint venture as well as, project based nonequity ventures. CAVUSGIL at al. (2008) international business 1st edition. New Jersey; Pearson Prentice Hall. For example, the Japanese electronics company Sony Corporation and the Swedish Telecommunications company Ericsson formed a joint venture in 2001 to form a new company called Sony Ericsson. The reason for the venture is to combine expertise to produce superior products. Both companies have stopped making their own mobile phones and focus on the joint venture. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Examples_of_joint_ventures). This type of venture is an equity venture, where no one party possess all of the assets needed to exploit an available opportunity(CAVUSGIL at al. (2008) international business 1st edition. New Jersey; Pearson Prentice Hall.) A non equity or project based venture is a partnership formed specifically for a project which has a well defined timetable, without creating a new legal entity(CAVUSGIL at al. (2008) international business 1st edition. New Jersey; Pearson Prentice Hall.) ZCON and group 7 CONSTRUCTION are two companies that have come together to work on a project of setting up a shopping mall in Zambia. The project has a well defined time table and the two companies know when they are supposed to end the partnership. CONSORTIUM This is a project based and usually non equity venture with multiple partners fulfilling a large scale project. It is normally formed with a contract with well defined rights, roles and obligations. (CAVUSGIL at al. (2008) international business 1st edition. New Jersey; Pearson Prentice Hall.) LICENCING Licensing is an agreement in which the owner of intellectual property grants another firm the right to use that property for a specified period of time in exchange for royalties or other compensation. (CAVUSGIL at al. (2008) international business 1st edition. New Jersey; Pearson Prentice Hall.) This is another method a firm can use to internationalize. The firm becomes the licensor in this case and firm in that uses its intellectual property is the licensee. The licensee pays a fee called royalties to the licensor for using the intellectual property. The licensor from time to time, chips in to advise the licensee and provide support. The licensor has a bit more control over its products in the international market using this method. The risks of internationalizing a higher using licensing compared to exporting. An example of a license agreement is of the company coca-cola. It is found in most, if not all countries of the world, but in most of them it operates under license. A local bottling company can produce and distribute coca-cola products on the licensors behalf. The advantage of this strategy is that it does not require investment in the international market, but it is a source of cash through royalties paid in. FRANCHISING This is an arrangement in which the firm allows another the right to use an entire business system in exchange for fees, royalties, or other forms of compensation. (CAVUSGIL at al. (2008) international business 1st edition. New Jersey; Pearson Prentice Hall.) . the firm allowing another , the use of its business system is called the franchisor while the one using the firms business system is the franchisee. with franchising, the franchisor has to be more committed as compared to licensing, in supporting the franchisee, because the entire business system (production, marketing, sales name and right for products patents and trademarks) is being used. The franchisor has to fully monitor the operations of the franchisee and make sure they are in line with the agreed procedures of operating. Examples of firms that have franchise agreements are McDonalds, Subway, Debonnairs Pizza. TURNKEY CONTRACTING This is an arrangement where the focal firm or a consortium of firms plans, finances, organizes, manages and implements all phases of a project abroad and then hands it over to a foreign customer after training local personnel. (CAVUSGIL at al. (2008) international business 1st edition. New Jersey; Pearson Prentice Hall.) BUILD-OPERATE-TRANSFER ARRANGEMENTS (BOT) This is an arrangement in which the firm or a consortium of firms contracts to build a major facility abroad, operate it for a specified period, and then hand it over to the project sponsor, typically the host country government or public utility. (CAVUSGIL at al. (2008) international business 1st edition. New Jersey; Pearson Prentice Hall.) MANAGEMENT CONTRACTS This is an arrangement in which a contractor supplies managerial know how to operate a hotel, resort, hospital, airport or other facility in exchange for compensation. (CAVUSGIL at al. (2008) international business 1st edition. New Jersey; Pearson Prentice Hall.) LEASING This is where a focal firm (the leasor) rents out machinery or equipment to corporate or government clients abroad (leasee). (CAVUSGIL at al. (2008) international business 1st edition. New Jersey; Pearson Prentice Hall.) this is common in the aircraft business where manufacturers lease out the aircraft to airline companies. FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT (FDI) The most involving method of entering an international market is through foreign direct investment. With this method, a firm either sets up its infrastructure in an international market (Greenfield investment) as opposed to acquiring an existing company. (CAVUSGIL at al. (2008) international business 1st edition. New Jersey; Pearson Prentice Hall.) a firm builds new manufacturing, marketing, or administrative facilities. Alternatively, a firm can acquire another, already existing firm and takes over its operations in the market. An example of this is Airtel in the telecommunications industry, under the Bharti group. It recently took over all Zain operations in the African market. With FDI, the firm commits its time and resources fully in the international market. It has a physical presence and has direct access to the firms stakeholders. FDI is the riskiest of all the types of internationalization strategies because of the level of resource commitment. The firm faces; Cultural risk. This is where a cultural miscommunication puts some human value at risk. A firm has to try to study and understand the culture in the country where it chooses to set up operations. Country risk. Any changes in the political, legal, economic or environmental aspects in the country that would have adverse effects on the operations and profitability of a company. Currency risk. This is the risk of adverse fluctuations in exchange rates. Commercial risk. This is a firms potential loss from poorly developed or executed business strategies, tactics or procedures. Currency risk. A firm faces the risk of loss of profits due to fluctuating exchange rates. The devaluation of a currency can have a negative impact on a companys profits. All of the above risks affect firms that use FDI as an entry strategy, unlike the other forms of entry that are only affected by one or two of the risks. The main features of foreign direct investment are that; It has greater resource commitment It implies global presence and operations It allows the firm to achieve global scale efficiency Firms involved In FDI strive to behave in socially responsible ways. When selecting an FDI location, a firm must look at a number of factors; The country it wishes to invest in should have a market large enough to support its growth and give enough returns for the firm to continue operating. China for example, is a large market because of its population, and top of that, its an emerging market so it has a lot of growth opportunities. The country should be close to the firms targeted customers to reduce on distribution expenses. Proximity the firms source of raw materials is also important The country should have low political, cultural, and currency risk as compared to other FDI country options. Economic factors such as tax, interest and exchange rates, are important factors for the firm to consider because theyll determine the level of availability of cash for company operations. Before a firm decides which type of entry strategy it wishes to use, it has to consider the amount of resources it is willing to commit and the level of risk It Is willing to take. How good a strategy is, is determined by the goals the firm wants to achieve. Different industries favor different entry strategies. for example a firm may want to reduce its costs so it can consider investing in countries endowed with natural resource that are input materials for the firm, it can invest in a country with low labor cost. Effects Industrial- emergence of worldwide production markets and broader access to a range of foreign products for consumers and companies, particularly movement of materials and goods between and within boundaries. Financial- emergence of worldwide financial markets and better access to external financing for borrowers Economic- realization of a global common marketplace based on the freedom of exchange of goods and capital. Informational-increase in information flows even between geographically remote areas. This is a technological change including fiber optic communications, satellites, telephone and internet. Competition- survival in the new global business market calls for improved productivity an increased competition (www.google.com) CONCLUSION In conclusion, there is no best way of entering an international market. It all depends on the type of products an organization produces, the resources it is willing to commit in the new market, the risks it is willing to take, and the barriers that are in the new market

Privacy On The Internet Essay -- essays research papers

Privacy on the Internet   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ever feel like you are being watched? How about having the feeling like some one is following you home from school? Well that is what it will be like if users do not have the privacy on the Internet they deserve. EPIC (Electronic Privacy Information Center), a advocacy group that has been fighting the Clinton Administration for tougher online consumer protection laws, and other privacy protection agencies have formed to protect the rights and privileges of the Internet user. With the U.S. Government, EPIC has had to step in and help small companies and Internet users with their own privacy problems, hackers getting into their systems and ruining the networks, and crackers stealing and decrypting private information. They have also helped with trying to stop the “IPv6';, an every day occurring problem from eventually taking over the already used widely IP addressing system. Intel also has had a feud with the government about privacy issues. When their new chi p came out, the Pentium III it had skeptic problems with its serial number feature. That is why I strongly agree with EPIC and what they are representing, privacy on the Internet.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Say you were on the Internet surfing around, would you want every site that you have visited to know who you are and almost every thing about you? No. That is why Intel had to disable their serial number feature in the new Pentium III. With this feature, each site on the Internet that you have visited could use this number to look you up and see who you are and almost every thing about you. Before released Intel told the U.S. Senate that they had disabled this function on every chip, but when these chips where out on the market for a while, programming companies found a way to go back in and enable this function without the computer user knowing it. So when the Senate heard this, Intel had yet another feud with its little problem. When the dust all settled Intel was to put this now option into the BIOS of every computer that had the PIII (Pentium III) installed on them. When the user opened up the BIOS there was now an option to either enable or disable the serial number on the chip. But since not many people know how to get into the BIOS of a computer it is hard for this option to be accessed. And once again Intel was back in the c... ... There’s no doubt there are serious privacy concerns for Internet users, about  ¼ of them don’t understand what is going on or just plainly don’t care about the risks that are involved. And what the future will bring if we don’t get our act in control?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, with our privacy at risk we the people need to become more aware of what is at stake. Our privacy on the Internet, or privacy in our lives. It is now the public’s turn to speak up. We need to make our voices heard on these big privacy issues so we don’t end up losing every thing that this country has worked so hard for. We need to stand up and help EPIC and other protection agencies to help them help us. Our privacy is at stake and we need to control it, because without our privacy who knows what might happen in the years to come. Maybe people listening in on your telephone conversations or cameras in your house to make sure you are not doing anything wrong. Stand up for what you believe and lets end this once and for all. Privacy is what every American needs and America needs privacy. Get in the act now, privacy on the Internet.

Holocaust in Germany, Japan, and China :: essays papers

Holocaust in Germany, Japan, and China Eleven million precious lives were lost during the Holocaust of World War II. Six million of these were Polish citizens. Half of these Polish citizens were non-Jews. On August 22, 1939, a few days before the official start of World War II, Hitler authorized his commanders, with these infamous words, to kill "without pity or mercy, all men, women, and children of Polish descent or language. Only in this way can we obtain the living space [lebensraum] we need". Heinrich Himmler echoed Hitler's decree: "All Poles will disappear from the world.... It is essential that the great German people should consider it as its major task to destroy all Poles." When someone mentions the word holocaust, most often people will relate that word with the Germans and Jews during World War II. When Japan is mentioned, the first things that come to mind are the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Nanjing Massacre is known as the forgotten holocaust and very oddly, it truly has been forgotten. In this forgotten holocaust, three hundred thousand people were brutally murdered and 20,000 women were raped in the city of Nanjing, during the years of 1937-1938 (Yao). The Chinese Nationalist Government moved the capital of China from Peking to Nanjing in 1928. Nanking's population in the mid 1930s was well over one million, mainly because many refugees were fleeing from the Japanese army that had invaded China in 1931. Japan had entered China and other parts of Asia before World War II began, and didn't stop until the U. S. dropped the atomic bombs on Japanese soil in early 1945. It is said that the Japanese military machine was motivated by the aggression and uncontrollable desire for expansion and imperialism. On December 9, 1937, Chinese troops endered in the city of Nanjing, followed by a massive Japanese attack on the city (Yao). For the next six weeks, this capital was filled with brutal, unhuman, and terribly violent acts now known as the Nanjing Massacre. The Japanese committed venomous acts against innocent civilians, Chinese soldiers, refugees, and many others. The crimes ranged from mass execution to burning, raping, and looting. On December 13, many of the refugees tried to flee for their lives by crossing the Yangtze River. When they arrived at the river there was no type of transportation for them to cross. The Japanese arrived and when many of them tried to swim the river, the Japanese started to fire at the people in the river and along the banks of the shore. When it was all over, one Japanese Holocaust in Germany, Japan, and China :: essays papers Holocaust in Germany, Japan, and China Eleven million precious lives were lost during the Holocaust of World War II. Six million of these were Polish citizens. Half of these Polish citizens were non-Jews. On August 22, 1939, a few days before the official start of World War II, Hitler authorized his commanders, with these infamous words, to kill "without pity or mercy, all men, women, and children of Polish descent or language. Only in this way can we obtain the living space [lebensraum] we need". Heinrich Himmler echoed Hitler's decree: "All Poles will disappear from the world.... It is essential that the great German people should consider it as its major task to destroy all Poles." When someone mentions the word holocaust, most often people will relate that word with the Germans and Jews during World War II. When Japan is mentioned, the first things that come to mind are the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Nanjing Massacre is known as the forgotten holocaust and very oddly, it truly has been forgotten. In this forgotten holocaust, three hundred thousand people were brutally murdered and 20,000 women were raped in the city of Nanjing, during the years of 1937-1938 (Yao). The Chinese Nationalist Government moved the capital of China from Peking to Nanjing in 1928. Nanking's population in the mid 1930s was well over one million, mainly because many refugees were fleeing from the Japanese army that had invaded China in 1931. Japan had entered China and other parts of Asia before World War II began, and didn't stop until the U. S. dropped the atomic bombs on Japanese soil in early 1945. It is said that the Japanese military machine was motivated by the aggression and uncontrollable desire for expansion and imperialism. On December 9, 1937, Chinese troops endered in the city of Nanjing, followed by a massive Japanese attack on the city (Yao). For the next six weeks, this capital was filled with brutal, unhuman, and terribly violent acts now known as the Nanjing Massacre. The Japanese committed venomous acts against innocent civilians, Chinese soldiers, refugees, and many others. The crimes ranged from mass execution to burning, raping, and looting. On December 13, many of the refugees tried to flee for their lives by crossing the Yangtze River. When they arrived at the river there was no type of transportation for them to cross. The Japanese arrived and when many of them tried to swim the river, the Japanese started to fire at the people in the river and along the banks of the shore. When it was all over, one Japanese

Comparing The Lottery by Shirley Jackson and The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K. Le Guin :: comparison compare contrast essays

Comparing "The Lottery by Shirley Jackson" and "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" by Ursula K. Le Guin      Ã‚   The differences between "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson and "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" by Ursula K. Le Guin seem relatively minor when compared to the striking similarities they contain in setting, symbols, and theme.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Each of the stories begin with a description of a beautiful summer day. "The flowers were blooming profusely and the grass was richly green"(para 1) in "The Lottery" is quite comparable to "old moss-grown gardens and under avenues of trees"(para 1) in "...Omelas."   These descriptions (along with several others) provide positive connotations and allow the reader to relax into what seems to be a comfortable setting in either story.   Both stories also contain a gathering of townspeople.   In "...Omelas there is music, dance, and special attire incorporated in the gathering, whereas in "The Lottery," the women show up "wearing faded house dresses and sweaters."   Although Le Guin's environment seems more festive, all the folks in both stories are coming together for what seems to be   enjoyable, even celebratory occasions.   However, I believe the major similarity lies in the fact that   these many pleasant details create a facade within each story.   The reader is then left ill-prepared when the shocking, brutally violent, ritualistic traditions are exposed.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Children are an important focus in both stories.   Jackson makes it easy for us to imagine their "boisterous play"(para 2), and Le Guin writes "their high calls rising like swallows' crossing flights over the music and the singing"(para1).   I see these children being used to symbolize perceived states of happiness in both stories.   I also believe they are vital necessities in each story because they are taught and expected to carry traditions into the future. For instance, in "The Lottery,"   "someone gave little Davy Hutchinson a few pebbles"(para 76),   he is then able to participate in the stoning of his own mother, and in "...Omelas," the tradition "is usually explained to children when they are between eight and twelve"(para 10), and of course, the victim in this tale is a child.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The fact that both authors include references to farming may be due to the association between farming and tradition.

Importance of Computer Essay

Science is one of the greatest blessings in modern life. Scientific advancement has led to many important inventions. One of them is the computer. About a decade back, a computer was seen as a wonder machine. A few years later, this wonderful machine came closer to us as the Personal Computer (PC) entered the household scene. The computer today plays a significant role in our everybody’s life. Computers are used practically everywhere. The use of computer in our country in the past two decades has taken a big jump. Today computers do much more than simply compute, super market scanners calculate our grocery bill while keeping store inventory; computerised telephone switching centres play traffic cop to millions of calls and keep lines of communications untangled, and Automatic Teller Machines (ATM) let us conduct banking transactions from virtually anywhere in the world. The extensive use of computers in all fields of business has improved efficiency of the industry and the economy of the country. Computers have the capacity to do extremely complicated work in all branches of learning. Computers can be effectively used in solving the most difficult and complex mathematical problems. The other use of computers can be in compilation of information. Thus there will be a saving of time in research works. Computers can provide information to prevent traffic accidents. They can do such works which make the worker dull to repeat a process hundred times or more. Automation of work through computer will save the time and energy of human life. Thus human beings will get more leisure than they have today. Computer is the result of human mind exercises. It is a machine. It can help in any physical action. It can be used in progressing a physical work. It cannot think independently. We have to feed it before taking any mental work. We can find the answers based and limited to feeding material. First, we have to feed for a particular field to find some answers related to that field, we cannot find an answer from a vacuum because there is no ndependent feeling and thinking to answer without any base. Computers will never be able to replace man as they need detailed instructions from man and can never lead independent lives. In the Armed Forces computers are being widely used for collecting complex data for the aircrafts, missile and guns. The radar system is controlled with complex computers to give early warnings of coming enemy unit. Computers are also being widely used in mass communication and medical science. Today the police have started storing data on crimes and criminals on computers. Computers now have become a need of the day, in modern life. They are being used in every field of work. Due to importance of computer, its knowledge has been thought an essential qualification for a job. No doubt computers are capable of doing everything, but it is falling short of thinking. This is still only reserved form of man. So here computers are only machines; it cannot compete with man though they have overcome him in many ways

Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story Chapter 35

Chapter 35 Sculptures Sunset cast a warm orange across the great Pyramid, while below, the Emperor enjoyed a cappuccino on a concrete bench and Bummer and Lazarus battled for the remains of a three-pound porterhouse. â€Å"Men, would that I could let you, like Cincinnatus, retire like gentlemen soldiers to the country, but the City is still in need. The fiend is vanquished, but not the despair of my people. Our responsibility is legion.† A family of tourists passed the Emperor, hurrying to get to the cable-car stop at California Street before dark, and the Emperor tipped his cup in salute. The father, a balding fat man in an Alcatraz sweatshirt, took the Emperor's gesture as a request for spare change and said, â€Å"Why don't you get a job?† The Emperor smiled. â€Å"Good sir, I have a job. I am Emperor of San Francisco and Protector of Mexico.† The tourist scrunched his face in disgust. â€Å"Look at you. Look at your clothes. You stink. You need a bath. You're nothing but a bum.† The Emperor looked down at the fraying cuffs of his dirty wool overcoat, his rib-worn gray corduroys, stained with splatters of vampire blood, the holes in his filthy sneakers. He raised an arm and took a sniff, then hung his head. The tourists walked away. Cavuto and Rivera sat in leather wingback chairs in front of the fireplace in Cavuto's Cow Hollow apartment. The fireplace was burning, the fire crackling and dancing as it fought off the damp chill of the bay. The room was furnished with rugged oak antiques, the bookshelves filled with detective novels, the walls hung with guns and posters from Bogart movies. Rivera drank cognac; Cavuto, Scotch. On the coffee table between them stood a three-foot-high bronze statue of a ballerina. â€Å"So what do we do with it?† Cavuto asked. â€Å"It's probably stolen.† â€Å"Maybe not,† Rivera said. â€Å"He might have bought it from Degas himself.† â€Å"The black kid says it's worth millions. You think he's right?† Rivera lit a cigarette. â€Å"If it's authentic, yeah. So what do we do with it?† â€Å"I've only got a couple of years before I retire. I've always wanted to own a rare-book shop.† Rivera smiled at the thought. â€Å"The wife wants to see Europe. I wouldn't mind having a little business of my own. Maybe learn to play golf.† â€Å"We could turn it in and just finish our time. They're going to move us out of homicide after this, you know that? We're too old for narcotics. Probably vice – night after night of screaming hookers.† Rivera sighed. â€Å"I'll miss homicide.† â€Å"Yeah, it was quiet.† â€Å"I've always wanted to learn about rare books,† Rivera said. â€Å"No golf,† Cavuto said. â€Å"Golf is for pussies.† Tommy moved the futon so he could sit facing the two statues, then sat down to admire his handiwork. He'd worked all day in the foundry below, covering Jody and the vampire with the thin coat of conductive paint and putting them into the bronzing vats. The two biker sculptors had been more than happy to help, especialy when Tommy pulled a handful of cash out of the grocery bag that the Emperor had delivered. The statues looked very lifelike. They should, they were still alive under the bronze coating, except for Zelda, who stood next to the two vampires. Tommy had put Jody in a leotard before he applied the paint. He'd dressed the vampire in a pair of his own jockey shorts. It was amazing how fast the vampire had healed after drinking Jody's blood. The worst part had been waiting – waiting outside the bedroom where Jody had carried the vampire, waiting for them to go out at sunrise, listening to the soft murmur of their voices. What had they been talking about? Overall, the vampire looked pretty good. Almost all the damage to his body had healed by morning. Jody, even bronzed, looked beautiful. The finishing touch had been to drill ear holes through the thick bronze coating so he could talk to her. â€Å"Jody, I know that you're probably really, really mad. I don't blame you. But I didn't have a choice. It's not forever, it's just until I can figure out what to do. I didn't want to lose you. I know you wanted to just go away and I think you would have, but he wouldn't have. He would never have let me live.† Tommy waited, as if he would get some response from the statue. He picked up the grocery bag of money from the floor and held it up. â€Å"By the way, we're rich! Cool, huh? I'll never make fun of Lash for studying business again. In less than a day he fenced the art from the yacht and got us ten cents on the dollar. Our cut's over a hundred thousand. The guys flew to Vegas. We tried to give a share to the Emperor, but he would only take enough to buy a meal for Bummer and Lazarus. He said that money would distract him from his responsibilities. Great, huh?† He dropped the money and sighed. â€Å"Those two cops believed you. They're going to leave us alone. They reported that the killer was on board the yacht when it went up. Lash gave the gate guard some money to back up their story. I couldn't believe they were going along with it. I think the big cop kind of likes me. â€Å"I'm going to write a book about this. I came here to find adventure and being with you sure has been that. And I don't want to give it up. I know we're not the same. And we shouldn't feel lonely when we have each other. I love you. I'm going to figure I something out. I've got to sleep now. It's been days.† He got up and went to Jody. â€Å"I'm sorry,† he said. He kissed the cold bronze lips and was turning to go into the bedroom when the phone rang. â€Å"It's probably the Animals calling from some casino,† he said as he picked up the phone. â€Å"Hello.† â€Å"Uh, hi,† a man's voice said. â€Å"Could I speak to Jody, please?† Tommy pulled the phone away and looked at it, then put it to his ear and said, â€Å"Jody's†¦ well†¦ she's deceased.† â€Å"I know. Can I speak to her?† â€Å"You sick fuck.† â€Å"Is this C. Thomas Flood? The guy from the paper?† Who was this guy? â€Å"Look, buddy, that was a mistake. They got the guy who did those murders.† â€Å"Look, my name is Steve. I can't tell you my last name. Not until I'm sure it's safe. I'm a med student at Berkeley. I spoke to Jody the other night. We were supposed to meet the other night at Enrico's, but she never showed up. I'm kind of glad, I met a nice girl who works at the Safeway with you. Anyway, when I saw Jody's name in the paper I took a chance and looked up the number.† â€Å"If you saw the paper, you know what happened to Jody,† Tommy said. â€Å"This isn't very funny.† The line was silent for a moment, then Steve said, â€Å"Do you know what she is?† Tommy was shocked. â€Å"Do you?† â€Å"So you do know?† â€Å"She is, I mean was, my girlfriend.† â€Å"Look, I'm not trying to blackmail you or anything. I don't want to turn you in. I talked to Jody about reversing her condition. Well, I think I've found a way to do it.† â€Å"You're kidding.† â€Å"No. Tell her. I'll call you back tomorrow night. I know she's not up during the day.† â€Å"Wait,† Tommy said. â€Å"Are you serious about this? I mean, you can make her human again?† â€Å"I think so. It will probably take a few months. But I've been able to do it with cloned cells in the lab.† Tommy covered the mouthpiece and turned to the statue of Jody. â€Å"There's a guy here that says he can help you. We can be†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Vapor was streaming out of the ear holes in the brass and swirling into a cloud in the middle of the room. Tommy dropped the phone and backed away from the cloud. He could hear Steve's voice calling for him on the phone. Tommy backed against the counter in the kitchen. â€Å"Jody, is that you?† The cloud was pulsating, sending out tendrils, or were they limbs? It was as if it was condensing into a solid shape. Jody thought, Oh Tommy, you can't believe what I learned last night. You're going to have the adventure of your life, lover. And it's going to be such a long life. The things you'll see – I can't wait to show them to you. She became solid, stood before him, naked, smiling. Tommy held the phone to his chest. â€Å"You're pissed, aren't you?† â€Å"I was never going to leave you, Tommy. I love you.† â€Å"But what about him?† Tommy pointed to the bronzed vampire. â€Å"I had to make him think that I was going to go with him so I could find out what I needed to know. I've learned a lot, Tommy. I'm going to teach you.† She started moving toward him. â€Å"He taught you the mist thing, huh?† â€Å"That, and how a vampire is made.† â€Å"No kidding. That could come in handy.† â€Å"And soon,† she said. She looked back at the old vampire. â€Å"The bronzing was a pretty good trick. I didn't exactly know what I was going to do with him after I found out what I needed to know. Maybe later we can figure out a way to let him out and still be safe.† â€Å"So, you're not mad? You're really not leaving?† â€Å"No. I thought I would have to leave, but I never wanted to. You and I are going to be together for a very long time.† Tommy smiled. â€Å"Great, this guy on the phone says†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Hang up, Tommy. And come here.† â€Å"But he says†¦ he can change you back.† â€Å"Hang up.† She took the phone from him and set it down on the counter, then moved into his arms and kissed him.

Importance of Margins Essay

In the short essay â€Å"In Praise of Margins† Ian Frazier defines marginal people, places, or activities as â€Å"†¦ the ones that don’t quite work out† (58 Frazier) since they are insufficient to meet the standards of the economic world. However, Frazier shows he values marginal activities and places because they allow people to be themselves without the worry and judgment. For Frazier and his friends, they viewed â€Å"The woods† (56 Frazier) as their place of margin Often times society deems marginal behavior to be unbeneficial, but Frazier states â€Å"..marginal behavior can be the most important kind.†(58 Frazier) because every purpose-filled activity starts off as a margin. Nonetheless, it is crucial for marginal things to exist as they provide many benefits and play an important role in the world we live in today. Living in a society where we are constantly being told what to do , marginal activities are necessary because they can allow oneself to discover what one’s true passion is without any other influences. For example, in Annie Dillard’s â€Å"Hitting Pay Dirt† she describes the time she received a microscope kit, as a Christmas present, which she played with constantly in her basement. In the beginning, Dillard is unable to use her microscope properly, but ultimately succeeds as she sees an amoeba. Excited about what she had discovered, she immediately runs upstairs to show her parents; however, both of her parents are uninterested to what had seemed like â€Å"..a chance of a lifetime.†(95 Dillard) to Dillard. As a result, she then begins to realize that every individual has their own pursuits and â€Å"†¦that you do what you do out of your private passion for the thing itself.†(95 Dillard). Dillard explains that †[Her] days and nights were [her] own to plan and fill.†(96 Dillard) and her passions were her own and not her parents. In a world where everything is constantly evolving and expanding , margins are much needed as they are the sole reason that helps the world continue to progress. Frazier states that â€Å"†¦ marginal behavior can be the most important kind.†(Frazier 58) because it allows one to attempt new and different concepts without the needed approval of anyone else. In many cases, ideas start off as â€Å"marginal† theories, but later on can be  acknowledged as something greater. Especially in a society where we demand things frequently, we often expect immediate results, thus making marginality difficult to understand for many. For instance, Frazier uses the first person who decided to ride down a mountain trail with his bicycle as an example of someone who started off thinking he was doing a â€Å"†¦decidedly marginal thing.† (58 Frazier). However, this mountain biker’s mere â€Å"marginal† idea has become a widely known sport across the nation. Ultimately, without marginal activity the world would be unable to grow; margins are extremely important as they keep life exciting and new. In the midst of everyday busy life, one is in need of marginal things every once in a while for the purpose of sanity. Marginal things essentially allow one to relieve stress by escaping the continuous demands of society, thus enabling many to obtain a peaceful state of mind. Frazier defines marginal activities as a â€Å"higher sort of un-purpose†(57 Frazier) as marginal activities can be viewed as useless, and yet can mean so much to a each different individual. For example, Frazier and his friends find their marginal place in â€Å"The woods†(56 Frazier) since it was a location they were able to do senseless activities just for the sake of it. The woods was almost like a sanctuary to Frazier; it was a place where he was able to escape from the judgments of the outside world and the pressure of impressing anyone else. In essence, taking a break from the daily norm with marginal things prevents individuals from going insane. Altogether, according to Frazier, â€Å"marginal† places and activities should be valued as they can provide numerous benefits to not only society, but to oneself. Marginal things allow many to truly find what their passion lies in, since marginal activities are not forced upon by any other influences. In addition, marginal behavior essentially keeps our world spinning as it brings new ideas that seem to have no purpose, but later on can bring something great. Lastly, often times, one is blinded by the mentality that everything one does must have a purpose, therefore disabling one to realize the importance of marginal things as they keep us at peace. All in all, marginal things may seem worthless, but the only reason as to why they might be viewed in that sense is because of the perspective society views marginal  activities.