Cultural Diversity Asian Culture Essay - 1056 Words

Every culture has its own views of health care, diseases, and medical interventions. The way people of a given culture view health care affects how they handle themselves when they fall ill. For instance, the Asian culture believes that illnesses are caused by supernatural phenomena, which should be diagnosed and treated by means of spiritual healing or traditional herbs. Physicians and other medical practitioners should try to understand the cultural beliefs of their patients to handle them appropriately. Heredity, culture, and environment can have a significant impact on the way a patient behaves in the doctor’s office or at the hospital. Heredity refers to the way particular traits are passed from parents to their children through the†¦show more content†¦In the Asian culture, health is defined as the harmonious balance between conditions of cold (yang) and hot (yin). Asians believe that an illness occurs as a result of an upset of the harmonious balance, implying that diseases can only be treated if that balance is restored back to its normal state. As a result, most traditional medical interventions in the Asian culture entail the search for the cause of the imbalance within the patient’s mental and physical composition. Asians believe that hot and cold diseases should be treated by cold and hot medicines respectively to restore the normal balanced state of the patient. For instance, penicillin, which causes rashes and diarrhea, is considered a hot treatment , while linden tea, which is served cold, is regarded as a cold medicine that is suitable for treating cold ailment. Although not all Asians subscribe to the hot and cold philosophy, it is important for a physician to consider the belief when handling such patients (Muto, Nakahara, Nam, 2010). The Asian and American cultures’ take on health care can be compared and contrasted based on four main topics: the cause of the disease, methods of treatment, patient compliance, and dietary beliefs. Starting with the cause of the disease, many Asians believe that ailments are caused by unexplained supernaturalShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Grace Hsiang s Poem, Fobs, And Twinkies : The New Discrimination Is Interracial1158 Words   |  5 PagesThere are different cultures, religious, and languages that form diversity within America. Having a variety of diversity brings colors into our community, but it also creates conflict within different groups. In Grace Hsiang’s essay â€Å"‘FOBs’ VS. ‘TWINKIES’: The New Discrimination Is Interracial†, the author discusses about the cultural conflict within the same ethnicity, and she points out people can avoid internal discrimination by recognizing there are two cultures, â€Å"True Asians† and â€Å" True Americans†Read MoreA Theoretical Framework For Recruiting Asian American Police Candidates843 Words   |  4 PagesStates, law enforcement agencies must search beyond traditional methods to attract potential Asian-American police candidates (Crump, 2011). It is not to say that traditional methods of recruiting are ineffective in today’s 21st century policing, but rather, law enforcement agencies must utilize both traditional and non-traditional methods to recruit and hire the most qualified Asian-Americans. By analyzing, assessing, evaluating, and combining the works of several law enforcement scholars regardingRead MoreReport on Cultural Diversity Essay1630 Words   |  7 PagesPhoenix Cultural Diversity and Special Populations BSHS 422 October 12, 2009 According to Kiosk (2006), â€Å"Culture is an important guiding force in individuals life and it shapes not only their perceptions, but their relationships with people and the world around them. Culture, in some ways, defines and organizes reality for people† (Kiosk,  2006). â€Å"An individual’s lifestyle, guiding beliefs and basic assumptions about life are also affected by culture† (Kiosk,  2006). Cultural diversityRead MoreThe Impact Of Ethnic Diversity On The Development Of An Entrepreneur1617 Words   |  7 Pagesmay be achieved by embracing both social and ethnic diversity. Social diversity refers to the different factors that set individuals apart in a society like gender, age or religion, whereas ethnic diversity looks at different ethnic groups and cultures . This report will first look at how ethnic diversity contributes to the development of an entrepreneur, and the limitations to this using Hofstede’s framework. It will also look a t social diversity and entrepreneurship, particularly focusing on genderRead MoreEssay on Diversity ANZ Bank1307 Words   |  6 PagesANZ Bank After analysing the ANZ diversity policy, I have identified two key business objectives they are trying to pursue. The first being the ageing population within Australia and the second being an international expansion into Asian economies. Ageing Population: Statistics show that Australia has an increasing population of seniors from the age of 50 and over. It is estimated to increase to 57% of the customer population by 2021, making it a large and therefore important market segmentRead MoreThe Educational Diversity Mission : My Experience1738 Words   |  7 PagesThe Educational Diversity Mission One of the most important aspects in my life is the ability to be able to understand people’s cultures, in order to achieve coexistence worldwide. Living with students from more than 90 countries during high school, led me to always take interest in learning about new cultures in the world. I found out that learning about other cultures promotes understanding between people, as it teaches people how to listen, be accepting of people whose ideas are different fromRead MoreThe Impact Of Diversity On Strategic Marketing1556 Words   |  7 PagesThe impact of diversity in strategic marketing in today’s society has increased in the American population. Before we get in depth with this let’s find out what is diversity marketing according to (diversity marketing) Customers in different cultures have different values, experiences, expectations, and ways of interacting. Even within a culture, such differences will be apparent between different subgroups not just ethnicit y, but also age, gender, profession, religion, family size, physical environmentRead MoreDiversity and Cultural Competence in Family Therapy Essay1050 Words   |  5 Pages Diversity and Cultural Competence in Family Therapy A therapist will face problems, issues and client troubles everyday. The professional must understand how their client relates to the world around them. These feelings and ideas affect how the client sees the problem and how they respond to their situation. Their actions, in turn, have bearing on individual thoughts, needs, and emotions. The therapist must be aware of the clients history, values, and culture in order to provideRead MoreReligious And Ethnic Groups : Asians And Buddhism1446 Words   |  6 Pagesand Ethnic Groups: Asians and Buddhism in America Ladina K. Q. Pagud ETH/125 January 25, 2015 Robert Nobis Religious and Ethnic Groups: Asians and Buddhism in America Asian Americans are a distinctive ethnic group that has made up of 5% of the United States population. It is made of a variety of descendants, from a dozen countries in Far East and Southeastern Asia. Each of these countries have a unique culture, language, and history that has contribute to American culture today. Asia is theRead MoreWhat We All Long For By Dionne Brand1645 Words   |  7 Pagesbalance between the well-to-do lifestyle of her parents and the lower class world that Quy has had to survive since he was separated from his family. This family tension defines Tuyen’s struggle with her father as part of the capitalistic mentality of Asian immigrants that she rebels against by living in lower class apartment. In some ways, Tuyen is a protagonist that embodies the freedoms of a postmodernist hero because she does not give into the temptation of wealth, nor does she give into the criminality

Money Can Buy Happiness Analysis Essay - 2006 Words

In the book â€Å"Money can buy Happiness† tells about spending money on important and substantial things that bring us long lasting happiness. It provide some helpful information and tips which can be applied in our daily living. If you want to find out how to put together the most of your money in order to get a good and happy life (good return on investment). This book also creates awareness of how we spend our money, investments and savings wisely. For those who wants to analyze whether their spending habits align with their values, this book can be an eye opener for them. MP Dunleavey, is the author of Money Can Buy Happiness. She is an award-winning personal finance author, editor, consultant, specializing in women and money. She is also a former columnist for The New York Times, and MSN Money. Dunleavey points out some good ideas about financial key terms to validate how spending money when makes you happy, makes a lot of sense. It’s a usual advice about retirement and paying down debt but that’s always a given. The best parts of this book are the parts that focus on happiness and evaluating if you are using money for its intended purpose. Happiness can be describe in many ways. For some they would say spending time with their loved ones, having a good relationship, having a good job, being able to live in luxury, being able to buy all their needs, having a good meal, being healthy, having enough money being free from debts and stress. These are only some of the reasonsShow MoreRelatedCan Money Buy Happiness?1110 Words   |  5 PagesCan Money buy Happiness? Money is people’s number one priority. It enables them to purchase food, clothing, and shelter. Money can buy anything with a price on it, but can it buy happiness? Happiness is not an item you can buy, it is something you can feel. Money cannot bring you happiness, only satisfaction. We learn growing up not everything in this world is free. Money can only give you a short term of happiness. When you buy everything you want, you do not have anything to look forwardRead MoreMoney Can t Buy Happiness1326 Words   |  6 PagesA 2010 study conducted by Princeton University’s Center For Health and Well-Being threatens to discredit the age-old adage that â€Å"money can’t buy happiness† because, as it turns out, money can buy happiness...at least to an extent. The study isolated a so-called â€Å"happiness benchmark† for annual income, at or above which research subjects reported higher levels of overall life satisfaction. A possible ramification of the study is that because certain groups of people have more difficulty finding andRead MoreAnalysis Of Money In The Great Gatsby1111 Words   |  5 PagesHappiness of Money (Literary analysis on The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald) Gold diggers are commonly known as women that only go after a guy because of the money that he has. The said women doesn’t even need to love the man just to have the money is enough to keep her around on him. Often times there is a man that really does like this lady, but because he doesn’t have money he never gets with her. What if this man without the money decide he would do anything to get money to impress theRead MoreHappiness And Happiness : Three Causes Of Happiness802 Words   |  4 PagesEvery Person has a different understanding of happiness. Happiness is defined as an emotion in which one experiences feelings ranging from contentment and satisfaction to bliss and intense joy. Happiness may be defined in such a way it can be interpreted in many different ways by different people. There are many happiness triggers in life, and each person has a set of triggers that make them feel happy. Based on the readings â€Å"The Sources of Happiness† by The Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler, â€Å"If We areRead MoreCan Money Buy Happiness?891 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Can money buy happiness?† has been a cliche question for centuries, and there have been numerous studies and debates on this topic. Yet, no one seems to have a definite answer. In the video Money and Happiness, Michael Norton states explicitly that money does bring people happiness if you spent it on other people rather than on yourself. Although his interesting and novel answer is contrary to people’s natural instinct, it makes me reflect on my past experience of spending on others, and helps meRead MoreThe Article Love People, Not Pleasure By Arthur C. Brooks880 Words   |  4 Pagessuffering and bring happiness The Article â€Å"Love People, Not Pleasure,† written by Arthur C. Brooks argues that many people assume the things we are attracted to will relieve suffering and bring happiness. In the article Brooks questions what unhappiness is, Brooks states that Happiness and unhappiness are related and they are not actually opposites. In the article Brooks mentions people assume that fame, money, material things and pleasure will relieve suffering and bring happiness. Brooks offers manyRead MoreQ2. If you had $2.5 million would you save a life of a Jew or buy a Lamborghini? Q3. Can Money600 Words   |  3 Pages Q2. If you had $2.5 million would you save a life of a Jew or buy a Lamborghini? Q3. Can Money Buy you Happiness? Q4. Can Money buy you Justice? Q5. Can money buy you care? Q6. If you found a wallet would you return it? Q7. If you need money anxiously than you would do the same thing?(Returning the wallet) Q8. Would you justify this if one person is needy so that he can do unethical practice? Q9. Does society insist the people to go unethical? Q10. Does government playingRead MoreThe Decay of American Dream in The Great Gatsby1289 Words   |  6 Pagesthe upper class society, the luxuries that he has blind him from realizing that money cannot buy him fortune, nor love. Therefore, F. Scott Fitzgerald describes how the American Dream can become corrupted if the dreamer’s focus is on obtaining fame, power and wealth through materialism. Jay Gatsby’s dream is a â€Å"is a naà ¯ve dream based on the fallacious assumption that material possessions are synonymous with happiness, harmony, and beauty† (Fahey 70). He is the title character and protagonist ofRead MoreHappiness And Happiness : The Myth Of Happiness1083 Words   |  5 PagesWhen you hear the word happiness, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Do you think of material possessions like designer clothes and accessories, the newest iPhone with the highest possible storage capacity, or a shiny red supercar? 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Realists and Liberalists Views Free Essays

Liberalists and Realists World Views Liberalists and realists have completely different views on the world stage. Liberalists’ views are based on liberty and equality while Realists views are based on security and relationships with great powers. Liberalists believe that an international society can work together to resolve problems. We will write a custom essay sample on Realists and Liberalists Views or any similar topic only for you Order Now This involves trade between all nations and war would end so that everyone could live in peace and help each other out. Liberalists also believe that war should only occur when it is an absolute emergency and not just to acquire new land or to improve their economy. The realists on the other hand believe that war is inevitable and that the best way of avoiding war is to be strong and let your enemies know that you are ready for anything. Realists believe that if we rely on reason to resolve war that nothing will ever get resolved. After World War Two, realists’ views were favored by the majority of the world. Realists argued that in world politics there is no government to set rules or protect states, so that each state must look after its own because you cannot always rely on other states for help. I believe that there has to be a happy medium that the liberalists and the realists can come too. Why can’t we all work together to provide security for the whole world. There is no reason why our world has to be going to war all the time over territory or because we need to help an ally. War never really solves anything it usually just leads to more violence and more problems. I say this because even when war sometimes does solve a problem between two nations those nations’ people will never be able to live the same way. The consequences of war can be horrific; people can lose their homes, schools can be destroyed, people’s food sources can be cut off, and ultimately people can lose their whole families due to war. The nations are not only financially weaker but now you have ruined people’s lives on top of it. Both views can be favored at any time in the world; this depends on what is going on in the world. Liberalism is obviously going to be favored if the whole world was at peace. The reason I say this because if there were no wars going on people would not be so worried about security and power of their nation. They wouldn’t have to side with the realists view of security because there is no threat to their nation. While on the other hand if there are wars going on around the world people are going to favor realists iews because they are afraid of what could happen without a strong enough military to protect them. I cannot blame the realists’ views on security because there is a lot of violence in the world and if you do not have a strong enough military tragedies could happen to your nation. I feel that the only reason why Realists views still remain is because there ar e so many worries in the world. There is always going to be conflict over new global challenges such as worry of HIV, climate change, nuclear weapons and even cyber-attacks. We will never be able to eliminate all of the global challenges that arise but I don’t see why there has to be so much violence in the world. Every day in the news more and more innocent people die for no reason whether it’s in the United States or Cairo it doesn’t matter, the violence needs to stop. It is pointless to have nations flush billions of dollars down the drain every year over the dumbest things. Nations should keep their money that they get from taxes and help out their own nation and work to eliminate internal problems instead of always focusing on external problems. Who cares if other nations want to blow themselves up let them work out their own problems, other nations don’t need to jump in and make the problem worse. The only thing that comes out of war and violence is death and death to me doesn’t solve any problems. If it were up to me every nation would have to drop their weapons and talk there problems out. The problem with this though is violence has been in the history of every nation at some point, so everyone just knows violence as a way to solve a problem. I am not saying that we should never again raise a weapon to protect ourselves but we cannot always rely on violence to solve our problems it is just a huge waste of money and just creates a higher death toll. The thing is people think that when two nations go to war over a certain issue that the outcome will result in a resolution of that issue but that is not always true it usually ends in a temporary resolution but then sometime in the near future that issue will rise again whether it is between the same countries or different ones. All nations need to work together to resolve world problems so that those problems will not have to arise again. We should not have to use violence to deal with our issues we should just simply talk it out and combine our ideas to have a resolution for that problem. I know that it is not that easy to do, but we can talk things out without people dying and spending billions on pointless firearms. Yes, talking out our problems may take a while till we can agree on a resolution but war isn’t exactly a fast resolution either. How to cite Realists and Liberalists Views, Papers

Bertha Masons Madness in a Contemporary Context free essay sample

Many works contain characters who, while not main characters by any standards, play pivotal roles and function as anything from sources of comedic relief to ties that link up loose ends or gaps in a plot. Willis claims that in Bronte’s Jane Eyre, Bertha fills this role, acting as an extreme version of the madness of the situation, concentrating the intensity into a more visible spectacle for the viewer. In my analysis I will aim to discuss the mirror effect that Bertha possesses, acting as a human outlet for many of the emotions felt at Thornfield Hall. Also I will discuss why Bertha is in fact in this state, is it as a result of racist views towards Creole people from whom she has allegedly inherited her insanity or from the ongoing repression and lack of stature possessed by women in that time. I will take in to consideration the development of the story from its original text form to the 2006 BBC edition, a story which has fascinated the public, with seventeen film adaptations to its name it truly stands out as one of the most popular period dramas. Susanna White when taking the task of directing stated â€Å"We are deliberately making a very passionate version of the story, as opposed to those Jane Austen Novels which are very much of society and of manners†. From this brief encounter we see that White wishes to create a fresh take on the story, by showing the emotions and complex relationships between the characters rather than completely relying on the strict class system for a plot. However, with this type of period drama, as with the aforementioned Jane Austen classics, it would be impossible to recreate the story without including the idea of society and manners to some extent. While White may wish to veer away from the common portrayal of the story it would be impossible for her to ignore the background society in which these emotional characters are based. Bertha is a pivotal character in this respect, the idea of society may not be in the foreground in White’s adaptation, just as Bertha remains cloaked from plain view, yet remains an integral cog in the plot. As an audience we are first made aware of a supposedly malevolent presence in the house when Jane finds her wedding veil torn upon awaking. Naturally distressed by the occurrence she reports it to Rochester who quickly dismisses it to nerves or pre-wedding jitters. Her response that she has never been happier acts as a reassurance to the reader and viewer that she is a reliable character and begins our questioning of what else lurks in the household. In addition to it awakening the audience to this presence it also creates an awareness in Jane who too begins to suspect that not everything is right. While her scepticism at Rochester’s true feelings for her have been laid to rest she now possesses a new worry, what has happened in the past that she has yet to learn of. The dream sequence prior to the discovery of the state of her veil is an interesting addition on the part of the director. In these mere few seconds she manages to reveal all of Jane’s fears clearly. With such a drastic change to her life as her engagement, there were bound to be repercussions, and this simple few shots of her dream introduce us to these fears. A large menacing gate placed between her, Thornfield Hall and Rochester shows us her ongoing scepticism of the strength of the relationship. The main reason for this is likely to be the reinforced class system and values of the times which are instilled upon her, refusing to allow her to be truly happy or reassured by Rochester’s love. A crying baby resting in her arms furthers the idea that she is of a different level as the onlooking Blanche Ingram tells her to leave the estate. For such a short sequence it is extremely useful in leading up to Jane’s first encounter with Rochester’s wife, Bertha. When Jane awakes Bertha takes the opportunity to make her first impact on the narrative. Of course at the time we are not blessed with the knowledge that it is Bertha but must wait until later in the story to learn of this. What is interesting is that when Rochester returns to a distressed Jane, while she is worriedly informing him about the torn veil, she neglects to tell him about what she saw when awoke. The reasons behind this could of course her wishing not to seem delusional and to lose his respect, however t can’t help but be wondered that if she had told Rochester of her sighting, that he would be forced to confess to Bertha’s whereabouts at an earlier time and perhaps is avoided for that very reason. It is at this point that Jane’s suspicions of Rochester extend to the manor itself and serves as a pivotal turning point in the plot. Bertha herself fails to make many appearances in either the text or the adaptation yet considering this manages to have the profound impact intended. As a character she has aged well, and is highly capable of tweaking the emotions of a contemporary audience. Mental illness was of course feared in the Victorian era, and while they may not have had as full an understanding as their modern counterparts it seems as though they did have a decent grasp, realising that some cases were in fact curable and that patients should be treated with care and respect. In an examination of the treatment of individuals with mental illness, Mia Iwama discovers the lengths that the government were going to by examining conditions in mental asylums and attempting to modernise and educate; Although modern readers have the benefit of increased knowledge of mental illness conditions and treatments, it nevertheless is encouraging to realize that even in the Victorian era with its rather antiquated and limited knowledge and views upon mental illness, measures were actively being taken to alleviate the suffering of patients and attempt to implement some sort of beneficial treatment. (Iwama) This discovery of the great efforts to improve life for sufferers by officials and indeed the general understanding among the public leads us to question why Bronte created this negative portrayal of Bertha as such an evil convoluted character. She of course accounted for it by claiming it was a result of her Creole heritage, that it was a hereditary condition. There was indeed a negative outlook towards Creole people at the time and so it is likely that these feelings had been instilled upon Bronte and is why they are showing through in her writing. With an ever increasing wave of political correctness washing over us many a modern reader will perceive there to be a great air of racism to be present when Bertha is being spoken f. The novel has received much criticism over time in this regard however the adaptations generally manage to avoid this qualm and the BBC adaptation is no different. This lack of controversy stirring in the 2006 adaptation is likely due to the fact that White did not wish to detract from the emotional, relationship-based plot that she was striving for and knew that while it was important to include details of Bertha, that too many would lead to over analysis of her as a sole character. The BBC are renowned for their period dramas and their painstaking attention to detail when it comes to reproducing them as accurately as possible. So of course when Jane Eyre was announced expectations were high, mounting pressure on the production team. The producer Diederick Santer spoke of how minute details from casting were picked up by an expectant and perceptive audience and claimed wrong in comparison to the novel; Im really struck by the literal and pedantic obsession many of the bloggers have with the physical traits of Rochester and Jane as described in the book. Too red-haired, Eye-brows are too thin are some comments regarding Toby. While period dramas may not have the largest viewership it is evident that those who do have a strong interest are fearful of original texts being interfered with or misinterpreted and wish the adaptation to be meticulous with each detail. For this reason it was a brave move by Susanna White to veer away from the more traditional approach to an adaptation of Jane Eyre, normally laden with a brutish Rochester. White has managed to modernise the story while leaving the original ideas unharmed. This angle was largely well received by the public, who now most likely found it easier to relate to a somewhat more updated presentation. However, one area that has been negatively affected is Bertha. In the text we are presented with an image of a terrifying, disturbed, almost animal-like creature, confined to her tiny quarters and denied interaction with the rest of the world. A demented creature scurrying back and forth on all fours is a far cry from what we witness in the BBC’s adaptation. While still not a pleasant individual to encounter, Bertha is noted to still possess the beauty she once had, albeit now faded. Played by Valentina Cervi, the she beast of the text is almost non-existent on the screen. Considering just how vile a being she was portrayed as in the original, this is a sizable failing on the production team’s behalf. Describing the features she witnessed in the novel, Jane conjures up a ghastly image for the reader; I never saw a face like it! It was a discoloured face – it was a savage face. I wish I could forget the roll of the red eyes and the fearful blackened inflation of the lineaments! (145) To a viewer whose first encounter with the story is indeed the BBC’s version, they will likely have no qualms over the image of Bertha as her attacks on both Jane and Rochester will suffice to unnerve them. It is the Bronte enthusiasts and lovers of Jane Eyre who will be disappointed in what the adaptation has to offer in this department. Bronte’s aim with Bertha was always to unnerve and indeed frighten the audience and so White’s interpretation seems lacking in comparison. In addition, the Jane of the text is well aware what happened to her veil as it was snatched from the room, while on screen she is simply met by a shadowy figure holding a candle, and is therefore left in the dark regarding her identity for a time longer. It is not only here that she flounders in her role as being a fear-inspiring presence, but in the scene where she is introduced to Jane, she lacks the raw mindless persona expected. The question that must be asked is whether this affects the final product substantially or not. To answer this however we must again analyse what Bertha’s true purpose is in the greater workings of the storyline. Many have viewed Bertha as a potential for what Jane may become. While another interesting idea suggests that she serves to jolt Jane and Rochester back into reality, away from their improper relationship and to make a return to their respective roles in life. However possibly the most important role of Bertha is her connection and affect on Jane. In such a restrictive era, Bertha represents the repressed woman, mentally, sexually and on numerous levels is what Jane is striving to break free from. Her torment from Bertha is really the torment she suffers due to a restrictive society. By being locked in a cell Bertha quite literally represents the average female at the, constricted by a tight set of values. As we delve into this idea further we may begin to question more aspects of her character such as her mental affliction. This could quite plausibly serve as a metaphor for the mental restriction suffered by so many, especially a governess such as Jane who was often expected to remain out of sight and keep the children occupied. Such an exclusion from certain areas of life would surely drive a person to madness, as in Bertha’s case. In their analysis of intercultural cinema Heffelfinger and Wright touch on this and how this ‘Britishness’ as they refer to it links Bertha and Jane: The 2006 Masterpiece Theatre version of Jane Eyre visualises the exotic worlds that provide Jane with her colonial imagination, thus locating the film, like the novel, within the geography of British imperialism †¦The motif of the â€Å"exotic† circulates within the film to link Jane and Bertha, to develop Bertha as a more complex character, and to establish new notions of Britishness (beyond the scope of the novel itself). (104) In an essence, Bertha simply signifies the oppression present in Britain. While striving to modernise and move the text forward, White understands that touching on Jane’s society is paramount and uses Bertha as a vessel for this. As a character she is given just as little, possibly even less time to make an impact yet to most viewers she will leave one of the strongest. White also shunned away from the temptation to make her too sensationalised yet the audience is left asking who this mysterious being is, why is she so troubled, with her suicide leaving these questions frustratingly unanswered. In a plot dominated by two strong-willed characters, Bertha provides a relief from the constant locking of horns even if momentarily. The idea that the two protagonists have lost their course in life and need to be put back in the right shows Bertha in a rare positive light. Alternatively, had Bertha been institutionalised in one of the many asylums that we know existed perhaps the couple would have been able to shake the shackles of their past and be content together. All in all, the BBC must be commended for their successful updating of the adaptation. For a story that has had so many, many critics are claiming this to be â€Å"perfection†.

Berlin Wall Essays - Berlin Border Crossings, Eastern Bloc

Berlin Wall Essays - Berlin Border Crossings, Eastern Bloc Berlin Wall The Berlin Wall For twenty-eight years, the Berlin Wall separated friends, families, and a nation. After the second World War in 1945, the victorious Allies, the US, Britain, France, Russia divided Germany into four sectors, each under the control of an ally. The US, British, and French Sectors combined to form a democratic state, The Federal Republic of Germany, or West Germany. The Soviet sector became a communist state, The German Democratic Republic, or East Germany, on October 7, 1949. A barrier now separated east and West. Winston Churchill named this barrier the Iron Curtain. Even though Berlin lay deep within the Soviet sector, the Allies thought it best to divide this metropolis. Therefore Berlin was also divided into four sectors. Again the US, British, and French Sectors combined to form West Berlin. The Soviet sector became the East German capital, East Berlin.The governments of these two new countries were set up by the occupying forces, not the populous. Most of the residents of East Berlin and East Germany did not like the communist regime. In fact, most people were not communists. The Berlin Wall, though not part of the iron curtain, was a reminder of it. The wall was made of steel, cement, and barbed wire fences with traps and explosives. There were guard towers with machine guns and other weapons. It was almost impossible to cross this barrier without the communist government's permission. Conrad Shuman was a nineteen year old border guard when he witnessed families tearfully separated. He realized he was not protecting his country, but imprisoning its people. Three Days after the border was closed, he leapt to freedom. The people of East Germany became dissatisfied with the economic and political conditions of the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Private trade was outlawed, as was the ownership of private land. People were forced to work on collective state owned farms. There were food and supply shortages. Onehundred-sixty thousand refugees crossed the border from East Berlin to West Berlin between January and the beginning of August of 1961 in search of a better life. This upset the East German government and the Soviet countries. (East Germany was a Soviet satellite, but was of special interest to Moscow). Nikita Kruschev, the Soviet premier of that time ordered the Berlin wall built to stop the flow of refugees. The GDR began building what they called the anti-fascist protection wall on August 13, 1961, using barbed wire and anti-tank obsticales. However the East German citizens were still escaping. The GDR added tanks at important streets some supplied by the red army. They tore up the streets to use the paving stones to build barricades. There were many escape tunnels dug under the wall. The tunnel system was an extraordinary resistance movement dug by hundreds of East Berlin students with thousands more willing to help. The first successful tunnel was in an East Berlin Graveyard. Mourners brought flowers to a grave and then dropped out of sight. A woman with a baby accidentally found the tunnel and escaped leaving the baby carriage. The police found the carriage and closed the tunnel. The largest tunnel was in the basement of a house at number sixty Wernerstrasse, twenty-nine people were freed from this location. On August 23, 1961, the GDR stopped the subways, the railroads, and the telephone lines going to West Berlin. The people of East Berlin were no longer allowed to enter West Berlin, including the sixty-thousand workers who worked in West Berlin. However East Berliners still managed to get out. Some of them bribed their way out with cigarettes and money. After some people managed to scale the wall, there was a ban on the sale of rope and twine. On September 20, 1961, the GDR began to demolish all of the houses near the wall. They began construction of a more permanent concrete wall. When completed the wall was onehundred-sixtysix kilometers long, and an average of four meters high, topped with concrete tubing and barbed wire. Behind the wall was a trench to stop vehicles. After that was a patrol track with a corridor for watch dogs, watch towers, and bunkers. Behind that was a second wall. This area of no man's land cut off onehundre-ninetytwo streets. Checkpoint Charley was the main crossing point for the American sector of West Berlin. It was sixhundre-eighty feet west of the Brandenberg Gate. On October 27, 1961, the Unites States sent tanks, jeeps and soldiers to Checkpoint Charley go guarantee US officials access

I believe that it is appropriate to begin this coursework with a quote Essays

I believe that it is appropriate to begin this coursework with a quote Essays I believe that it is appropriate to begin this coursework with a quote Essay I believe that it is appropriate to begin this coursework with a quote Essay Every body continues in its state of rest or of uniform speed in a straight line unless it is compelled to change that state by forces acting on it.Newtons First Law of Motion (Law of Inertia)This quote, Newtons first law of motion, is basically what I am trying to prove. The idea that an object will continue to move with the same speed unless some other force is acting on it. In this case, friction.Account of the Experiment and Data Gained.The data that I am going to analyse has been obtained from an experiment performed in class, involving a buggy being rolled down a slope at an incline of 7.7o and passing through a light gate which I shall move down the ramp gradually. The diagram below (Fig 1)illustrating the experiment.Fig 1The experiment was performed for eight different ranges 20cm 160cm, increasing in steps of 20cm with 3 attempts at each distance.Plan of calculationsThe aim of my coursework is to attempt to discover the coefficient of friction and locate any patterns throug hout the data.To look for patterns I will plot a distance time graph and a force time graph, working out the gradient to give me acceleration down the ramp. I will also work out the gravitational component with expected values.To attempt to find the coefficient of friction, I will look for any deviance from the expected values of acceleration, and once the results are compared, discover the differing value of friction.I will use the equations F = Ma and a = ?V/?T.Expected ValuesFig 2To find velocity A I will break up the downward force C. I know the angle of the ramp isSin = o/h. =0.327/2.44 = 0.134. Sin-1 = 7.701oThe other angle (B) in the triangle = 180-7.701-90 = 82.3oSo breaking up the force gives us: -Fig 3Original force (Black) of 9.8 x 0.6678 = 6.544(The error in the mass is extremely small+/-0.0001, I have decided that it is negligible in the following calculations)Force A (Blue arrow) of 6.544cos82.3 = 0.877And Force B (red) arrow that is balanced by the upward force of the ramp(Green upward arrow).Acceleration (at bottom of ramp) = F/M = 0.877/0.6678 = 1.3 ms-2The potential energy of the trolley at the top of the hill should be 0.877N, and get to the bottom with an acceleration of 1.3 ms-2. The acceleration values from the graph need to be below 1.3 ms-2 to be acceptable data.Data analysisData that was gained from the experiment: -Fig 4DistanceTimeVelocityRun 1Run 2Run 3AverageRun 1Run 2Run 3Average200.410.40.310.3730.720.730.710.720400.590.590.630.6031.021.021.021.020600.780.780.910.8231.231.221.231.227801.091.1511.0801.391.391.391.3901001.091.151.121.1201.541.541.541.5401201.381.411.281.3571.641.641.631.6371401.431.51.561.4971.731.731.721.7271601.531.651.841.6731.841.841.831.837To calculate the average acceleration, I used a = ?V/?TFig 5Average Acceleration01.9291.6911.4901.2871.3751.2061.1541.098As you can see. The average acceleration of the cart is way over the 1.3 ms-2 that I estimated above. This could possible be explained by the cart having been pushed and so has an initial velocity ; 0.The most useful graph to plot will be a Velocity/time graph, (Graph 1), using this to calculate acceleration, from the acceleration values I will be able to work out the resistance value: -(Resultant) F = Mg-Fr(Since F= Ma)Ma = Mg-FrBy rearranging this formula to get the Frictional Force Fr.A Fr = Mg-MaSo by working out lots of acceleration values I will gain resistance values. The values have been taken from graph 9.(Fig 6)1. Into formula AFr = (0.6678 x 9.8 x cos82.3) 1.15 x 0.6678Fr = 0.876 0.768Fr = 0.1082. Into formula AFr = (0.6678 x 9.8 x cos82.3) 0.2 x 0.6678Fr = 0.876 0.134Fr = 0.7423. Into formula AFr = (0.6678 x 9.8 x cos82.3) -0.08 x 0.6678Fr = 0.876 0.053Fr = 0.823The next graph will be a Friction / Distance graph (Graph 2). From it I hope to establish if the frictional force is constant or changes.The distances I will use will be 20 cm, 60 cm, 100 cm and 140 cm. I shall use the data gained in fig 5 for this graphFig 7a = ?V/?TFor 20cma = 0.72 0/0.373 0a = 1.929 ms-2For 60 cma = 1.227/0.823a = 1.490 ms-2For 100 cma = 1.540/1.120a = 1.375 ms-2For 140 cma = 1.727/1.497a = 1.154 ms-2From this data I will calculate the expected friction using the formula: -Ma = Mg-FrFr = Mg MaAv AccelerationMassGravityFriction00001.9290.66789.85.2571.6910.66789.85.4151.4900.66789.85.5491.2870.66789.85.6851.3750.66789.85.6261.2060.66789.85.7391.1540.66789.85.7741.0980.66789.85.811From this graph (Graph 2) I have determined that as distance increases so does the resistance. The resistance increases in regular amounts so I will be able to work out that amount to give me the coefficient (coeff) of frictionNow I have values for resistance I will attempt to find a relationship that will allow me to find the coefficient of friction. The frictional force depends on 2 things, the coefficient of Friction with the surface that the cart is in contact with and the upward force exerted by the ramp, which I will call Fup. For t his formula to work I must treat the cart as a point mass.The formula that I have found is Fr = coeff Fr x FupThe friction data was taken from fig 6.Inserting the data for gives me0.108 = coeff Fr x (6.544 x cos84.2)Rearranging gives me an answer of: -0.108/0.865 = 0.125By subtracting this value from the perfect results I should find the actual force of acceleration.0.877-0.125 = 0.752Now by using a = F/M I should find the acceleration that I found in part 1).a = 0.752/0.6678a = 1.126 ms-2This value is extremely close to the value of 1.15 ms-2 from the graph and I put down the difference to inaccurate gradient measurement. The alternative to this would be that the cart actually had 2 coefficients of friction. One to start the cart, the other is whilst the cart is moving.Comparison between the gravitational potential energy and the energy transformed into kinetic energy.K = 1/2mv2This is the formula that I will use to calculate the kinetic energy transferred to the cart. With the fol lowing equation I will work out gravitational potential energy.?GPE = Mg?hTo start I will calculate the kinetic energy.Starting with the following data I will perform a sample calculation.Av VelocityMass0.7200.6678K = 1/2mv2= 1/2 x 0.6678 x (0.72)2= 0.173 JThe rest of the data follows suit: -kinetic energy (J)Av VelocityMass0000.1730.7200.66780.3471.0200.66780.5021.2270.66780.6451.3900.66780.7921.5400.66780.8941.6370.66780.9951.7270.66781.1261.8370.6678Next I will work out gravitational potential energy?GPE = Mg?hTo work out the height at each of the distance values I will use trigonometry.Sina?hSin7.7o = a/0.2a = 0.2 x sin7.7a = 0.03I shall use the distance values from the following points.Here is a sample calculation. For a ramp length of 0.2 and height 0.03GPE = 0.6544 x 9.8 x 0.3= 1.309Distance (M)Mass (Kg)GravityGPE00000.20.65449.81.3090.40.65449.82.6180.60.65449.83.9270.80.65449.85.23610.65449.86.5441.20.65449.87.8531.40.65449.89.1621.80.65449.810.471Comparing Kinetic energy a nd gravitational potential, shows that a tiny proportion of energy is actually converted into kinetic energy as the table below and graph 3 shows: -GPEKinetic Energy001.2830.1732.5650.3473.8480.5025.1300.6456.4130.7927.6960.8948.9780.99510.2611.126ConclusionIn conclusion the cart is extremely inefficient and looses lots of potential energy through friction. There were many problems with the data, there was flex in the ramp, the measurements for distance were very rough and we did not use a set square. The light gate was only lined up by eye and there were parallax errors in the time calculations.From the data I have plotted several graphs and have worked out what size component of the main force friction was using formulas. I attempted to work out the coefficient of friction but the value that I got was out by 0.024ms-2.

Case 6.11 whitewater west industries limited Study

6.11 whitewater west industries limited - Case Study Example In order to meet their demand, relatively larger area of at least 6,040 to 6,970 square meters is required. Upon the analysis of WhiteWater West Industries Limited, three production sites are investigated. Further analysis is required as to which production site needs to be acquired which must fulfill the company’s strategic objectives. Due to increase in the demand in volumes for the fiber water slides, WhiteWater West Industries Limited needs a production facility of around 6,040 to 6,970 square meters. In order to acquire that much place, three different site locations namely Hiram-Walker, Build Option and Abbotsford Site were narrowed down by the management of WhiteWater West Industries Limited. In the following paragraphs, each site will be analyzed briefly. This site is not too far from the existing production site. In nine months time, this location can be prepared for the commercial production of the fiber water slides. This site benefits that in future if expansion is required, this site can provide more area to expand the production plants and facilities. Cost totaling around $1,571,875 will be required to avail this production facility. This option requires WhiteWater West Industries Limited to build a manufacturing factory, which is perfect in every sense. However, in order to find such site which is so perfect, is a hectic matter which could cause substantial time of around one year and a total cost of $,4464,425. This site has its own benefit of being near Vancouver, Seattle and Portland markets, so the customers from those areas can be catered easily if this site is selected. However, some drawbacks also pertain to this site such that hardships in mobilizing the labor from the existing place to this place. For those workers who do not want to work on this place, need other financial assistance causing more cost to WhiteWater West Industries Limited. Along with this, this site will not provide any

Socio-Economic Forces behind the Korean obsession with Plastic Surgery Essay - 35

Socio-Economic Forces behind the Korean obsession with Plastic Surgery - Essay Example From this study it is clear that traditionally, the Korean female ideal was one of submission and subjectlessness. Confucian men were encouraged to engage their minds and expand their territories while women were confined to domestic roles. Therefore, any alterations of the physical body would be done for the benefit of the male. However, times have changed; women in South Korea are now equal participants in the economy. They are well educated and career-driven. Therefore, a number of them now reject these traditional definitions of womanhood. As the study outlines Korean women today are highly empowered and now regard personal gratification as a priority in their lives. They want to feel better in their skin and will go for surgical procedures in order to satisfy themselves. Fairclough explains that most South East Asian women are accused of having sleepy or dull eyes. They thus seek to widen their eyes in order to have a youthful look. These individuals simply believe that they will have more fun if their eyes pop. Some critics claim that these surgeries perpetuate negative body self examination. However, most of these women go for body alterations voluntarily. Furthermore, a number of them already had negative views of themselves; therefore, surgeries are a solution that enhances their self image. One of the subjects in the above article affirmed that eye surgery allowed her to enjoy eye makeup more. In the past, this was not possible because of excess fat on the eyelids. Therefore, the subject explained that the surgical decision was not done to please anyone. Instead, it facilitated her own satisfaction with her body.

Summariz Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summariz - Essay Example It is interesting how he is sure that he would be able to give back life to individuals who have died. The writer has been able to bring out the critique of Mary Shelley on science. Science can be good or bad depending on the aim of the science. For example, she describes science as being bad if it aims ate manipulating the forces of nature. The writer has been able to clearly describe a wolf as who is motivated by the taste of flesh. It is interesting that the color of the eyes of wolves is as a result their pupils fattening which in turn flashes back light from a lantern. This makes their eyes look reddish yellowish. The writer has been able to relate monster to what people fear or what is not acceptable in the society. For example, if homosexuality is related to monster, this brings out the monstrosity that has been built around homosexuality. It is interesting the way the writer has been able to present current issues in the Twilight series. In particular issues related to race where whiteness is associated with superiority and purity while non-white is seen as inferior. The most interesting part of this article is how the author defines uncanny. The author acknowledges that the word is not always used in a clear sense, and has come up with the characteristics of uncanny. These include those feelings and properties that make someone uncanny. Written by L. Andrew Cooper and Brandy Blake, this article has been able to clearly relate fairly tales and children’s story with real life situations. For example, the Toy Story where toys came to life. The most interesting thing in this article is the fact that unlike what most people assume to be the characteristics of serial killers as being loners, they are social people, which make it easy for them to blend in the society easily. The writers here have been able to distinguish between popular monsters from earlier and of the twentieth and

Benefits of Internet Opportunities for SMEs in Mauritius

Benefits of Internet Opportunities for SMEs in Mauritius Acknowledgement Many individuals have played an important role in our upbringing and education To our parents, who deserve special recognition. We would also like to extend a special acknowledgement to our lecturer, Mr. D Seethiah for giving us the opportunity to reflect and work on such a project. Thanks to our group who have been working very hard for accomplishment of this assignment. Finally, we extend our appreciation to the Almighty for granting us good health and prosperity. Executive summary SMEs are called upon to play a competitive role in the economy of Mauritius. Adoption of ICT by SMEs can a have positive impact on the national economy. The reasons are: (a) Internet based infrastructures are relatively cheap; (b) they provide an ever converging and rich environment for effective business networking; and (c) they provide SMEs access to a larger market. This assignment examines the extent internet provides opportunities for business expansion of SMEs in Mauritius. It also identifies the enablers and barriers to the use of internet by SMEs. A questionnaire was used to collect data among some SMEs. They were classified as follows: IT Novice, IT Savvy and e-Commerce Specialist. The findings are reported, based on the analysis of the data collected. Several key findings emerge from the research in this assignment: IT Savvy and e-Commerce Specialist use computers, they have internet connection that they exclusively use for email and they have a website too. The degree of diffusion of the internet is high among IT Savvy and e-Commerce Specialist. For SMEs to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the internet for business expansion, they will have to acquire knowledge and skills in using the internet and be made aware of the facilities being offered by the NCB and the existing laws in the field of e-commerce. They will also have to bank on the vulgarization of the use of internet amongst customers or at least, for the time being, design/customize products that could help target a certain market segment. Introduction Internet has revolutionized and continues to deeply impact on the way one does business. It is now a major tool for conducting business. It allows buyers and sellers to meet online, communicate and exchange information on goods and services. Besides, it does away with the geographical boundaries, the time zones and, in some cases, the need for physical space to transact business. With its tremendous potential, it has become commonplace for businesses and consumers to transact business via the Internet through email or online purchasing. For the SMEs, it offers a vista of opportunities for business expansion. However, many SMEs do not take advantage of the Internet thinking that their goods and services do not lend themselves to Internet transactions. Moreover, they do not possess the managerial knowledge and skills for e-business. Hiring an IT-expert or an e-business consultant to fill this gap requires relatively huge sum of money, which they cannot afford. Sometimes, the availability of broadband connections may affect the decisions of SMEs to adopt e-commerce. Further, sound government policies should be in place to create the necessary environment and incentives to encourage SMEs to take advantage of the Internet to create business opportunities. Many unscrupulous persons are interested in the huge potential of the Internet for their own selfish motives. In countries where there are no appropriate legal instruments, there may be a host of possible attacks that compromise the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information that they exchange through the Internet. Consequently, people may lose trust on the security of doing business in the Internet and thus forego it huge potential for business. Literature Review SMEs in MAURITIUS According to the minister of Finance and Economic Development, Dr. R. K. Sithanen: A key component in the governments agenda for economic development and democratization is the development of the small and medium enterprise sector into a competitive force (April 2006). Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are widely acknowledged as an important sector for national and international economic development. Growth oriented small business make a major contribution to economic development and employment generation within local communities and national economies. (Smallbone and Wyer, 2000) SMEs contribute substantially to national economies (Poon and Swatman, 1999) and are estimated to account for 80 per cent of global economic growth (Jutla et al, 2002). It is no secret that globalization (r)evolution and communication technologies (ICT) are going to change the structure of the any economy. (Kaushalesh Lal and Aveeraj Sharma Peedoly, 2006). With the government of Mauritius promoting small and medium enterprises as a competitive sector of the economy, organizational and technological changes in these firms are expected to have significant impact on the national economy. Proponents of globalization argue that it will open a window of opportunities for SMEs while networking capabilities of ICTs suggest that SMEs can augment their competitiveness in global markets. In fact several studies (Lal, 2004 and Drew, 2003) found positive impact of the adoption of ICTs by SMEs. Although there is very little data pertaining to the evolution of SMEs across time, the origins of SMEs in Mauritius can be traced back to the 1960s when Mauritius was witnessing the beginning of a timid industrialization process with an import-substitution strategy with the main objective of supplying the local market and giving certain autonomy to the country. The inward-looking industrial policy of the Government of the day was of encouraging the production of such commodities as the manufacturing of blades, electrical bulbs, batteries, soap, welding and steel work for construction, refining edible oils, plastic industry, food canning, industrial poultry breeding, yogurt manufacturing, biscuits, shoes, matches etc for the domestic market; this was also the prevailing orthodoxy of the time especially for African developing economies. Many critics (see e.g Maujean, 1996) argue that this programme was superficially planned with no support schemes nor incentives proposed to the enterp rises. Although, the import substitution strategy was soon overshadowed by an export-oriented strategy with the setting up of Export-Processing Zones, many small-scale enterprises exploited the products mentioned above for the domestic market. In fact, most SMEs today cater for the local market in similar areas as mentioned above. According to Maujean (1996) the early enterprises were attempts to reproduce locally models which existed abroad. In food processing, firms like Purlait Ltd, La Boulangerie Industrielle and Lyons Maid which pioneered private, small-scale enterprises in the country started off with enormous difficulties in spite of being relatively modern with an important capital investment and sophisticated distribution network. The concern with survival in a largely traditional and poorly developed society meant that the local market was not yet ready for such products. Nevertheless against this background a protectionist strategy which involved high tariff against competitive goods helped these industries to operate. As Wignaraja and Oneil (1999) argue, for the size of the country and its stage of development, Mauritius has a particularly wide range of support services for the SME sector. Beyene (2002) makes a largely similar argument especially when looking at it by African standards. This wide array of support is provided mainly through Government and parastatal agencies or financial institutions. The Small Enterprises and handicraft Development Authority (SEHDA), Enterprise Mauritius (EM), the Development Bank of Mauritius Ltd (DBM), the Small Medium Enterprises Partnership Fund (SMEPF), the National Computer Board (NCB) are generally regarded as the main institutions which provide support to SMEs by operating schemes to enhance the setting up or development of enterprises. They act mainly as facilitators, providing financial support, training and consultancy services, marketing and export assistance. The Small Enterprises and Handicraft Development Authority (SEHDA) The Small Enterprises Handicraft Development Authority (SEHDA) was created following the merger of the Small Medium industries Development Organisation (SMIDO) and the National Handicraft Promotion Agency (NHPA). The aim of the merger is to rationalize and optimize the use of resources dedicated to the small business sector in Mauritius. SEHDA, falling under the aegis of the Ministry of Industry, SMEs, Commerce Co-operatives, provides support to potential and existing small entrepreneurs with a view to enable them to start new enterprises or to improve their existing businesses. Enterprise Mauritius (EM) Enterprise Mauritius operates under the aegis of the Ministry of Industry, SMEs, Commerce Co-operatives and we have one primary objective, driving growth in exports both regionally and internationally through export sectors at 3 levels: Assisting in the development of Industry Sector strategies and Action plans The facilitation of Strategic Clusters to meet commonly shared group objectives And ultimately, working with individual businesses to help them develop an integrated market and capability development plan to provide access to resources that meet their specific requirements Development Bank of Mauritius An important part of the Banks resources is geared towards the development, consolidation and modernization of the SME sector. A separate department at the DBM is in fact dedicated to promote entrepreneurship development. Loans are provided at competitive rates for start-ups, financing of production equipment, technology improvement and also for working capital with the maximum quantum allocated varying according to industrial sectors. With respect to exports, the DBM runs the Export Development Fund for participation in overseas trade fairs and market surveys and also provides loans for joint ventures with overseas partners. Together with the DBM, other commercial banks such as the Mauritius Post and Cooperative Bank (MPCB), the MCB and the STB offer credit facilities albeit at less competitive rates and relatively more important collaterals to small entrepreneurs. Recently most of the main banks in the country (MCCB, MCB, Barclays and the State Bank) have also announced preferentia l interest rates for SMEs. Small and Medium Enterprises Partnership Fund (SMEPF) A parastatal body set up to provide funding ranging from Rs. 300,000 to Rs. 3 million amounting up to 50% of the total capitalization of the business. The criterion used is the evaluation of the business plan of the proposed venture to assess its feasibility to allow the return of the allocated funds within a period of five years. SMEPF is gradually gaining more importance as a source of funding to SMEs. National Computer Board (NCB) The NCB was set up as the apex organisation to develop and promote ICT and ICT-related services in Mauritius. Its main contribution towards SME development has been in terms of its incubator centre mainly for ICT start-ups with the main objectives of promoting entrepreneurship in the ICT sector by providing the necessary infrastructure and logistics, the development of linkages with other institutions and marketing. Moreover it runs sensitization programmes regularly for SMEs in order to familiarize and influence them to the strategic and financial benefits of integrating ICTs in the running of their enterprises. Information and Communication Technology Authority (ICTA) The ICTA is a regulatory body set up in 2001 replacing the former Mauritius Telecommunications Authority. The main objectives of ICTA are listed below: To democratize access to information, taking into account quality, diversity and plurality To license and regulate the information and communication services To encourage optimum use of ICT in business, industry and government at large, the introduction of new technology and the investment in infrastructure and services Other SME Supporting Institutions Together with the above institutions there are others, which mainly private sector bodies such as the Mauritius Employers Federation (MEF), and Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) do provide miscellaneous facilities for SMEs more specifically in terms of documentation, training, advice and consultancy. Despite the variety of measures described above, it is acknowledged that the full potential of the SME sector has yet to be unleashed, the more so in the contemporary context of globalization which calls for greater competitiveness and efficiency in both local and overseas markets. A review of the existing literature on the difficulties faced by the SME sector pinpoints the shortcomings of the existing support system. As Wignaraja and ONeil (1999, p 64) argue: Undoubtedly the investment in SME support is not delivering the growth required or expected at the enterprise level and this must be improved. An overhaul of the entire support system is required to address the deficiencies () and to create a more cohesive integrated framework. It has been noted that owing to the fact that SMEs are quite flexible, they sometimes lack the vision and discipline to maintain a coherent strategy to wards the market. IFC (2004) proposed that an aggressive push to be given to the sector of training and education. One of the most important barriers to the adoption of e-business in Mauritius remains the lack of trust into the system. Indeed, (Kuwayama, 2001) found that companies believed that transactions on the internet were very unsafe. This situation seems to be recurrent in other developing countries as suggested by (Payne, 2002) Aspects of Internet and Issues The use of internet in business is one of the tools that e-commerce offers. We start therefore by overseeing some general facts about e-commerce as pertains to SMEs. General e-commerce facts related to SMEs The use of the Internet and communication technologies has been found to improve business competitiveness, with the Internet providing the opportunity for SMEs to compete on equal terms with larger organizations (Chapman et al., 2000). The development of e-commerce in the last ten years all over the world has involved a growing number of businesses. E-commerce has been used as an important lever to promote business growth (Bianchi and Bivona, 2002). It is important for a firm grow continuously if the firm wants to maintain competitive advantage. Thus firms should struggle for continuous growth keeping the aim of increasing or simply maintaining their sales and profits levels, to ensure their survival (Claver et al., 2006). Throughout management literature, many successful stories are spread and researchers are encouraging SMEs to start e-commerce ventures in order to increase their sales (Bianchi and Bivona, 2002). At the same time there is considerable effort expended, both in time and money, by governments to encourage small and medium sized enterprises to invest in the use of the Internet (Beckinsale and Levy, 2004). According to Levy and Powell (2002) most SMEs do not view the Internet as the key to their business strategy. Strategy is rarely raised as an enabler or as an inhibitor in the literature. The entrepreneur is critical in determining the Internet development. However, strategic commitment has been shown to be critical in SMEs. Research in several countries show that SMEs have been slower to adopt e-commerce than their larger counterparts, but the rate of the Internet usage in SMEs is growing quite rapidly. Internet has focused on large firms, new business models, the growth and development of dot-coms and the new economy. SMEs in traditional industries have been slower to adopt e-commerce than their larger competitors and research into the use of the Internet by such firms is more recent. (Drew, 2003) Furthermore, compared to the extensive literature on the importance and potential of the Internet as component of the business environment, research on organizational evolution and strategy for the Internet in businesses is limited and sketchy. The majority of publications, text books, press articles, and white papers on the Internet strategy deal with this issue on a somewhat tactical level: How to build up unique competitive position, attract customers, and increase sales. (Constantinides, 2004) In many ways the field of entrepreneurship and small medium sized firm research seems no closer to understanding the dynamics of small business growth after decades of empirical studies (Lowe and Henson, 2004). Whilst the issue of growth in small firms is topical and well researched, the literature on growth processes and transitions in high-growth small firms is sparse and underrepresented in the entrepreneurship and small business journals. A recent content review of abstracts obtained via a database search identified only two percent addressing issues of high growth, growth processes and transitions as being key elements of the published papers. Saulnier and Rosson (2004) further mention that expressions made about the importance of e-business have not been fully matched by actions taken, particularly in the areas of staff training, technology infrastructure, and applications to deal with growth. The use of ICT, technology upgrading, and continuous innovation are paramount to being competitive and run at optimum efficiency. However there is relatively little empirical data pertaining to SMEs in Mauritius and more particularly regarding the extent to which they have adopted ICTs in day to day running of their businesses. A survey by Matadeen (2004) showed that most of the Mauritian companies were managed by the owners themselves irrespective of the fact that they may have management skills or not. With this in mind, the strategy to develop for SMEs and e-business must take into account the local culture and customs in Mauritius. Possible Role of the Internet in Specific Growth Strategies Adopted by SMEs The Internet is usually presented as an opportunity for smaller firms because it helps reduce transaction costs and level the playing field. Often cited benefits include expanding the scope of marketing, wider and richer communication, reaching new markets, reducing the cost of operations and partnering with suppliers and other collaborators. (Drew, 2003) The Internet provides a unique opportunity to examine the evolution and growth of a business sector because it has taken place over a relatively short time period (Javalgi et al. 2004). The initial Internet environment might be described as a virgin environment, in which rapid growth could be expected. Among emerging technologies, the Internet is a new channel for commerce applicable in a wide variety of industries around the world. As a new strategic tool, it is transforming businesses and creating new opportunities as well as challenges for international marketers as many nations are fast connecting to the global marketplace. Information technology is continuing to be an integral part of the business plan. Electronic commerce is affecting the way business are planning growth strategies and is the leading driver of corporate growth. The key is for IT to be seen as the new engine for growth, and not as a frustrating cost center. This result in a new way of thinking: The focus should be not on how much new technology should cost, but on how much revenue it will bring in. (Fruhling and Digman, 2000) Many SMEs have made innovative uses of the Internet to invent new business models or to enhance existing practices (Drew, 2003). Firms with a history of innovation are embarking on a full- scale electronic commerce strategy. These firms are tying innovation with electronic commerce with the hopes to ensure company growth. Fruhling and Digman (2000) mention electronic commerce enables business to quickly and efficiently implement growth strategies. One of the main reasons this strategy is so attractive is the incredible growth rate of the Internet users. Key Drivers for adoption of the Internet in SME Growth Levy and Powell (2002) explored the adoption of the Internet among SMEs and formulated a model for the Internet adoption. This model identifies four roles for the Internet in SMEs brochure ware, support, opportunity, and network. These are driven by business growth planning and perceived the Internet value as shown in figure: Business Growth Levy and Powell (2002) advocate two key drivers in determining the use of internet by SMEs. The first driver is business growth. In some firms business growth is planned and investments are made ahead of need. In many other SMEs growth may occur but not as a result of planning. Attitude to business growth often determine whether SME owners consider resource investment in the business. IT investment is traditionally restricted in SMEs, with many investing at start-up, but no further investment is made until business outgrows existing system. It is reasonable that attitude to growth will impact SMEs decision to invest in the Internet. Business Value from Use of the Internet The second driver is business value from use of the Internet. Business value of the Internet is identified through response to the firms competitive positioning and their knowledge of respective industries. SMEs do consider the role of the Internet for their business generally with cautious approach. Most firms do not see the value of the Internet to their growth strategy. However, a number of visionary owners believe they can change their business through the use of the Internet. (Levy and Powell, 2002) Brochureware are those firms that do not plan business growth and see the value of the Internet as low. Owners generally think about the Internet but cannot see its relevance to their business. One of the reasons is nature of industry in which SME operates. Hence, there is a role for the Internet for these firms but it is restricted to the presentation of on-line firm information or brochures and for e-mails. (Levy and Powell, 2002) Business Opportunity is SMEs with recognition that the Internet has some value to them, in the future. However, it is limited to improving efficiency internally, customer communication, and research. The contrast between this category and Brochureware is that owners recognize the business value of the Internet and although not seeking growth, recognize that competitive pressure demand investment. These firms see a business opportunity from use of the Internet and related. (Levy and Powell, 2002) Firms using the Internet for Business Support are planning growth, but currently see little future for their businesses from the Internet. Most of time these SMEs are innovative firms seeking growth. They have a number of innovative products that are sold to large firms, so personal contact is regarded by customers as important and there is little indication that the Internet is of value. These SMEs seek to grow but do not believe that industry demands investment in the Internet to support that growth. These firms see the worth of the Internet as a medium for business support. (Levy and Powell, 2002) In Business Network opportunity from the Internet is seen as key to the development of SMEs. Firms see their future tied into using the Internet. Firms develop IT strategy alongside their business strategy most of the time. These are well positioned to take advantage of e-Business. These firms possesses effective internal network accessible by all employees as means to manage the business processes. (Levy and Powell, 2002) Advantages of the Internet for SME Growth According to Davis et al. (2000) a firm-specific advantage in penetrating international markets and facilitating organizational growth may stem from investments in technology or the use of specific technologies, such as the Internet. There is a long history of research linking technology and internationalization. Researchers advocate that to enter foreign markets, a firm must possess some clear advantage that will allow it to overcome native firms more thorough understanding of the local market. Traditionally, multinational corporations use economies of scale and other advantages of large size. However, many entrepreneurial firms can overcome the disadvantage of small size through their use of technology, such as the Internet, to reach consumers beyond their borders. Certain technologies can provide an advantage that widens market opportunities and serves as a platform for expansion. The Internet is widely considered to be one such technology rapid internationalization. (Davis et al. 2000) Authors argue that internationalization and growth of firms are positively affected by increased use of the Internet and increased investments in information technology. In addition, more attention is to be paid to the application of the Internet as well as to the pattern of investments in information technology to explain international expansion and growth among entrepreneur- led businesses. The continued globalization of the world economy makes the realization of role of technology in expanding overseas and maintaining healthy growth. Davis et al. (2000) mention that firms with more aggressive use of technology are likely to engage more in international activities. Their study of internationalization among new, high-tech firms reveals that firms with higher levels of technology usage incur costs associated with internationalizing to be significantly lower than firms with lower levels of technology usage. It appears that companies with a technological advantage have an incentive to expand overseas because they can use that advantage in overseas markets at little or no marginal cost over the cost of developing the advantage in the domestic market. Role of the Internet in Product-Market Development Strategy Market Development Online channels are used to sell into new markets, taking advantage of the low cost of advertising internationally without the necessity for a supporting sales infrastructure in the customers regions (Chaffey et al. 2003). This is a relatively conservative use of the Internet, but is great opportunity for SMEs to increase exports at low cost. A less evident benefit of the Internet is that as well as selling into new geographic markets, products can also be sold to new market segments or different types of customers. This may happen simply as a byproduct of having a web site. The Internet may offer further opportunities for selling to market sub-segments that have not been previously targeted. For example, a product sold to large businesses may also appeal to small firms. Product Development The Internet can be the basis for product development, information sharing, resource sharing, knowledge sharing and task assigning between different businesses. This can improve product quality and decrease development time and cost. (Yujun et al., 2006) Product development is innovative use of the Internet (Chaffey et al., 2003). Howe et al., (2000) report that the Internet provides global access to people, data, software, documents and multimedia have allowed organizations to shorten the development cycle of new products, to communicate with experts from around the world, to receive immediate customer feedback, and to access supercomputers for industrial research and development. According to Howe et al., (2000) the Internet and its related applications can be effectively implemented at various stages of product development. For example, online forums, newsgroups, and Web sites provide an external source for product ideas. Market research can be performed on the Internet as numerous Web sites provide demographic information useful for estimating market size and potential. Surveys can be conducted on the Internet during the business case preparation to determine consumers needs, wants and preferences. Web-based and intranet applications can play an important role in the development phase, particularly when projects involve numerous teams at various locations. Providing effective media for communicating and disseminating information, these technologies also facilitate concurrent engineering. The Internet can be used for beta testing of new products, allowing lead users and firms to collaboratively eliminate product defects prior to market introduction. The Internet and its related technologies can add significant value to new-product development projects. The main value lies in the acceleration of profitable ideas through the new product development process. At the same time, risks associated with this `rush to market are minimized as a formal system to weed out poor ideas quickly and to suggest modifications to product concepts. The use of the Internet and/or intranet at various stages not only minimizes time to launch but can also increase the integration of constituent viewpoints/recommendations, example consumers, engineers, marketing, etc., during development. This integration of the `voice of the customer and other functional members of the firm are critical in successful new product introductions. Need for speed is becoming more salient in todays competitive arena. The firm that is first to launch a new product/technology, i.e. the pioneer, can accrue several pioneering advantages. These advantages include, but are not limit ed to: establishing product standards, building brand equity (combination of awareness, perceived quality, brand loyalty, etc.), securing distribution channels, and setting initial customer expectation for all other products. (Howe et al., 2000) The Internet offers opportunities for firms in their new product development pursuits in terms of enhancing their abilities to collect, categorize and use information needed for product development; helping them understand their market better and thus target it more effectively; generating a wider range of new product ideas from a wider range of sources; making the concept screening process more comprehensive, flexible and objective; increasing the speed and the quality of business analyses; facilitating the collaboration of new product team members and enhancing operational performance; increasing the speed and the quality of testing and validation; improving the effectiveness and the efficiency of manufacturing development; enhancing the effectiveness and the efficiency of new product launch. (Howe et al., 2000) LEGAL ASPECTS Laws Covering Cross-Border Electronic Transactions between a Buyer and a Seller Business to Business (B2B) transactions differs from Business to Consumer (B2C) transactions on the way an agreement is entered. In the case of a B2C transaction, the parties involved have to abide by the public policy laws of the consumers country, which are meant to protect the consumer. On the other hand, parties have the freedom to choose which law will govern their contract. They have to state which law will govern their transaction(s). In case they have not specified, the jurisdiction responsible for the case will have to decide which law is applicable. In general, two solutions are most commonly applied: The applicable law will be the law of the country of the seller or The applicable law is that of the place of the signing of the contract. Point of Sale for Which the Buyer and the Seller Become Legally Bound Benefits of Internet Opportunities for SMEs in Mauritius Benefits of Internet Opportunities for SMEs in Mauritius Acknowledgement Many individuals have played an important role in our upbringing and education To our parents, who deserve special recognition. We would also like to extend a special acknowledgement to our lecturer, Mr. D Seethiah for giving us the opportunity to reflect and work on such a project. Thanks to our group who have been working very hard for accomplishment of this assignment. Finally, we extend our appreciation to the Almighty for granting us good health and prosperity. Executive summary SMEs are called upon to play a competitive role in the economy of Mauritius. Adoption of ICT by SMEs can a have positive impact on the national economy. The reasons are: (a) Internet based infrastructures are relatively cheap; (b) they provide an ever converging and rich environment for effective business networking; and (c) they provide SMEs access to a larger market. This assignment examines the extent internet provides opportunities for business expansion of SMEs in Mauritius. It also identifies the enablers and barriers to the use of internet by SMEs. A questionnaire was used to collect data among some SMEs. They were classified as follows: IT Novice, IT Savvy and e-Commerce Specialist. The findings are reported, based on the analysis of the data collected. Several key findings emerge from the research in this assignment: IT Savvy and e-Commerce Specialist use computers, they have internet connection that they exclusively use for email and they have a website too. The degree of diffusion of the internet is high among IT Savvy and e-Commerce Specialist. For SMEs to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the internet for business expansion, they will have to acquire knowledge and skills in using the internet and be made aware of the facilities being offered by the NCB and the existing laws in the field of e-commerce. They will also have to bank on the vulgarization of the use of internet amongst customers or at least, for the time being, design/customize products that could help target a certain market segment. Introduction Internet has revolutionized and continues to deeply impact on the way one does business. It is now a major tool for conducting business. It allows buyers and sellers to meet online, communicate and exchange information on goods and services. Besides, it does away with the geographical boundaries, the time zones and, in some cases, the need for physical space to transact business. With its tremendous potential, it has become commonplace for businesses and consumers to transact business via the Internet through email or online purchasing. For the SMEs, it offers a vista of opportunities for business expansion. However, many SMEs do not take advantage of the Internet thinking that their goods and services do not lend themselves to Internet transactions. Moreover, they do not possess the managerial knowledge and skills for e-business. Hiring an IT-expert or an e-business consultant to fill this gap requires relatively huge sum of money, which they cannot afford. Sometimes, the availability of broadband connections may affect the decisions of SMEs to adopt e-commerce. Further, sound government policies should be in place to create the necessary environment and incentives to encourage SMEs to take advantage of the Internet to create business opportunities. Many unscrupulous persons are interested in the huge potential of the Internet for their own selfish motives. In countries where there are no appropriate legal instruments, there may be a host of possible attacks that compromise the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information that they exchange through the Internet. Consequently, people may lose trust on the security of doing business in the Internet and thus forego it huge potential for business. Literature Review SMEs in MAURITIUS According to the minister of Finance and Economic Development, Dr. R. K. Sithanen: A key component in the governments agenda for economic development and democratization is the development of the small and medium enterprise sector into a competitive force (April 2006). Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are widely acknowledged as an important sector for national and international economic development. Growth oriented small business make a major contribution to economic development and employment generation within local communities and national economies. (Smallbone and Wyer, 2000) SMEs contribute substantially to national economies (Poon and Swatman, 1999) and are estimated to account for 80 per cent of global economic growth (Jutla et al, 2002). It is no secret that globalization (r)evolution and communication technologies (ICT) are going to change the structure of the any economy. (Kaushalesh Lal and Aveeraj Sharma Peedoly, 2006). With the government of Mauritius promoting small and medium enterprises as a competitive sector of the economy, organizational and technological changes in these firms are expected to have significant impact on the national economy. Proponents of globalization argue that it will open a window of opportunities for SMEs while networking capabilities of ICTs suggest that SMEs can augment their competitiveness in global markets. In fact several studies (Lal, 2004 and Drew, 2003) found positive impact of the adoption of ICTs by SMEs. Although there is very little data pertaining to the evolution of SMEs across time, the origins of SMEs in Mauritius can be traced back to the 1960s when Mauritius was witnessing the beginning of a timid industrialization process with an import-substitution strategy with the main objective of supplying the local market and giving certain autonomy to the country. The inward-looking industrial policy of the Government of the day was of encouraging the production of such commodities as the manufacturing of blades, electrical bulbs, batteries, soap, welding and steel work for construction, refining edible oils, plastic industry, food canning, industrial poultry breeding, yogurt manufacturing, biscuits, shoes, matches etc for the domestic market; this was also the prevailing orthodoxy of the time especially for African developing economies. Many critics (see e.g Maujean, 1996) argue that this programme was superficially planned with no support schemes nor incentives proposed to the enterp rises. Although, the import substitution strategy was soon overshadowed by an export-oriented strategy with the setting up of Export-Processing Zones, many small-scale enterprises exploited the products mentioned above for the domestic market. In fact, most SMEs today cater for the local market in similar areas as mentioned above. According to Maujean (1996) the early enterprises were attempts to reproduce locally models which existed abroad. In food processing, firms like Purlait Ltd, La Boulangerie Industrielle and Lyons Maid which pioneered private, small-scale enterprises in the country started off with enormous difficulties in spite of being relatively modern with an important capital investment and sophisticated distribution network. The concern with survival in a largely traditional and poorly developed society meant that the local market was not yet ready for such products. Nevertheless against this background a protectionist strategy which involved high tariff against competitive goods helped these industries to operate. As Wignaraja and Oneil (1999) argue, for the size of the country and its stage of development, Mauritius has a particularly wide range of support services for the SME sector. Beyene (2002) makes a largely similar argument especially when looking at it by African standards. This wide array of support is provided mainly through Government and parastatal agencies or financial institutions. The Small Enterprises and handicraft Development Authority (SEHDA), Enterprise Mauritius (EM), the Development Bank of Mauritius Ltd (DBM), the Small Medium Enterprises Partnership Fund (SMEPF), the National Computer Board (NCB) are generally regarded as the main institutions which provide support to SMEs by operating schemes to enhance the setting up or development of enterprises. They act mainly as facilitators, providing financial support, training and consultancy services, marketing and export assistance. The Small Enterprises and Handicraft Development Authority (SEHDA) The Small Enterprises Handicraft Development Authority (SEHDA) was created following the merger of the Small Medium industries Development Organisation (SMIDO) and the National Handicraft Promotion Agency (NHPA). The aim of the merger is to rationalize and optimize the use of resources dedicated to the small business sector in Mauritius. SEHDA, falling under the aegis of the Ministry of Industry, SMEs, Commerce Co-operatives, provides support to potential and existing small entrepreneurs with a view to enable them to start new enterprises or to improve their existing businesses. Enterprise Mauritius (EM) Enterprise Mauritius operates under the aegis of the Ministry of Industry, SMEs, Commerce Co-operatives and we have one primary objective, driving growth in exports both regionally and internationally through export sectors at 3 levels: Assisting in the development of Industry Sector strategies and Action plans The facilitation of Strategic Clusters to meet commonly shared group objectives And ultimately, working with individual businesses to help them develop an integrated market and capability development plan to provide access to resources that meet their specific requirements Development Bank of Mauritius An important part of the Banks resources is geared towards the development, consolidation and modernization of the SME sector. A separate department at the DBM is in fact dedicated to promote entrepreneurship development. Loans are provided at competitive rates for start-ups, financing of production equipment, technology improvement and also for working capital with the maximum quantum allocated varying according to industrial sectors. With respect to exports, the DBM runs the Export Development Fund for participation in overseas trade fairs and market surveys and also provides loans for joint ventures with overseas partners. Together with the DBM, other commercial banks such as the Mauritius Post and Cooperative Bank (MPCB), the MCB and the STB offer credit facilities albeit at less competitive rates and relatively more important collaterals to small entrepreneurs. Recently most of the main banks in the country (MCCB, MCB, Barclays and the State Bank) have also announced preferentia l interest rates for SMEs. Small and Medium Enterprises Partnership Fund (SMEPF) A parastatal body set up to provide funding ranging from Rs. 300,000 to Rs. 3 million amounting up to 50% of the total capitalization of the business. The criterion used is the evaluation of the business plan of the proposed venture to assess its feasibility to allow the return of the allocated funds within a period of five years. SMEPF is gradually gaining more importance as a source of funding to SMEs. National Computer Board (NCB) The NCB was set up as the apex organisation to develop and promote ICT and ICT-related services in Mauritius. Its main contribution towards SME development has been in terms of its incubator centre mainly for ICT start-ups with the main objectives of promoting entrepreneurship in the ICT sector by providing the necessary infrastructure and logistics, the development of linkages with other institutions and marketing. Moreover it runs sensitization programmes regularly for SMEs in order to familiarize and influence them to the strategic and financial benefits of integrating ICTs in the running of their enterprises. Information and Communication Technology Authority (ICTA) The ICTA is a regulatory body set up in 2001 replacing the former Mauritius Telecommunications Authority. The main objectives of ICTA are listed below: To democratize access to information, taking into account quality, diversity and plurality To license and regulate the information and communication services To encourage optimum use of ICT in business, industry and government at large, the introduction of new technology and the investment in infrastructure and services Other SME Supporting Institutions Together with the above institutions there are others, which mainly private sector bodies such as the Mauritius Employers Federation (MEF), and Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) do provide miscellaneous facilities for SMEs more specifically in terms of documentation, training, advice and consultancy. Despite the variety of measures described above, it is acknowledged that the full potential of the SME sector has yet to be unleashed, the more so in the contemporary context of globalization which calls for greater competitiveness and efficiency in both local and overseas markets. A review of the existing literature on the difficulties faced by the SME sector pinpoints the shortcomings of the existing support system. As Wignaraja and ONeil (1999, p 64) argue: Undoubtedly the investment in SME support is not delivering the growth required or expected at the enterprise level and this must be improved. An overhaul of the entire support system is required to address the deficiencies () and to create a more cohesive integrated framework. It has been noted that owing to the fact that SMEs are quite flexible, they sometimes lack the vision and discipline to maintain a coherent strategy to wards the market. IFC (2004) proposed that an aggressive push to be given to the sector of training and education. One of the most important barriers to the adoption of e-business in Mauritius remains the lack of trust into the system. Indeed, (Kuwayama, 2001) found that companies believed that transactions on the internet were very unsafe. This situation seems to be recurrent in other developing countries as suggested by (Payne, 2002) Aspects of Internet and Issues The use of internet in business is one of the tools that e-commerce offers. We start therefore by overseeing some general facts about e-commerce as pertains to SMEs. General e-commerce facts related to SMEs The use of the Internet and communication technologies has been found to improve business competitiveness, with the Internet providing the opportunity for SMEs to compete on equal terms with larger organizations (Chapman et al., 2000). The development of e-commerce in the last ten years all over the world has involved a growing number of businesses. E-commerce has been used as an important lever to promote business growth (Bianchi and Bivona, 2002). It is important for a firm grow continuously if the firm wants to maintain competitive advantage. Thus firms should struggle for continuous growth keeping the aim of increasing or simply maintaining their sales and profits levels, to ensure their survival (Claver et al., 2006). Throughout management literature, many successful stories are spread and researchers are encouraging SMEs to start e-commerce ventures in order to increase their sales (Bianchi and Bivona, 2002). At the same time there is considerable effort expended, both in time and money, by governments to encourage small and medium sized enterprises to invest in the use of the Internet (Beckinsale and Levy, 2004). According to Levy and Powell (2002) most SMEs do not view the Internet as the key to their business strategy. Strategy is rarely raised as an enabler or as an inhibitor in the literature. The entrepreneur is critical in determining the Internet development. However, strategic commitment has been shown to be critical in SMEs. Research in several countries show that SMEs have been slower to adopt e-commerce than their larger counterparts, but the rate of the Internet usage in SMEs is growing quite rapidly. Internet has focused on large firms, new business models, the growth and development of dot-coms and the new economy. SMEs in traditional industries have been slower to adopt e-commerce than their larger competitors and research into the use of the Internet by such firms is more recent. (Drew, 2003) Furthermore, compared to the extensive literature on the importance and potential of the Internet as component of the business environment, research on organizational evolution and strategy for the Internet in businesses is limited and sketchy. The majority of publications, text books, press articles, and white papers on the Internet strategy deal with this issue on a somewhat tactical level: How to build up unique competitive position, attract customers, and increase sales. (Constantinides, 2004) In many ways the field of entrepreneurship and small medium sized firm research seems no closer to understanding the dynamics of small business growth after decades of empirical studies (Lowe and Henson, 2004). Whilst the issue of growth in small firms is topical and well researched, the literature on growth processes and transitions in high-growth small firms is sparse and underrepresented in the entrepreneurship and small business journals. A recent content review of abstracts obtained via a database search identified only two percent addressing issues of high growth, growth processes and transitions as being key elements of the published papers. Saulnier and Rosson (2004) further mention that expressions made about the importance of e-business have not been fully matched by actions taken, particularly in the areas of staff training, technology infrastructure, and applications to deal with growth. The use of ICT, technology upgrading, and continuous innovation are paramount to being competitive and run at optimum efficiency. However there is relatively little empirical data pertaining to SMEs in Mauritius and more particularly regarding the extent to which they have adopted ICTs in day to day running of their businesses. A survey by Matadeen (2004) showed that most of the Mauritian companies were managed by the owners themselves irrespective of the fact that they may have management skills or not. With this in mind, the strategy to develop for SMEs and e-business must take into account the local culture and customs in Mauritius. Possible Role of the Internet in Specific Growth Strategies Adopted by SMEs The Internet is usually presented as an opportunity for smaller firms because it helps reduce transaction costs and level the playing field. Often cited benefits include expanding the scope of marketing, wider and richer communication, reaching new markets, reducing the cost of operations and partnering with suppliers and other collaborators. (Drew, 2003) The Internet provides a unique opportunity to examine the evolution and growth of a business sector because it has taken place over a relatively short time period (Javalgi et al. 2004). The initial Internet environment might be described as a virgin environment, in which rapid growth could be expected. Among emerging technologies, the Internet is a new channel for commerce applicable in a wide variety of industries around the world. As a new strategic tool, it is transforming businesses and creating new opportunities as well as challenges for international marketers as many nations are fast connecting to the global marketplace. Information technology is continuing to be an integral part of the business plan. Electronic commerce is affecting the way business are planning growth strategies and is the leading driver of corporate growth. The key is for IT to be seen as the new engine for growth, and not as a frustrating cost center. This result in a new way of thinking: The focus should be not on how much new technology should cost, but on how much revenue it will bring in. (Fruhling and Digman, 2000) Many SMEs have made innovative uses of the Internet to invent new business models or to enhance existing practices (Drew, 2003). Firms with a history of innovation are embarking on a full- scale electronic commerce strategy. These firms are tying innovation with electronic commerce with the hopes to ensure company growth. Fruhling and Digman (2000) mention electronic commerce enables business to quickly and efficiently implement growth strategies. One of the main reasons this strategy is so attractive is the incredible growth rate of the Internet users. Key Drivers for adoption of the Internet in SME Growth Levy and Powell (2002) explored the adoption of the Internet among SMEs and formulated a model for the Internet adoption. This model identifies four roles for the Internet in SMEs brochure ware, support, opportunity, and network. These are driven by business growth planning and perceived the Internet value as shown in figure: Business Growth Levy and Powell (2002) advocate two key drivers in determining the use of internet by SMEs. The first driver is business growth. In some firms business growth is planned and investments are made ahead of need. In many other SMEs growth may occur but not as a result of planning. Attitude to business growth often determine whether SME owners consider resource investment in the business. IT investment is traditionally restricted in SMEs, with many investing at start-up, but no further investment is made until business outgrows existing system. It is reasonable that attitude to growth will impact SMEs decision to invest in the Internet. Business Value from Use of the Internet The second driver is business value from use of the Internet. Business value of the Internet is identified through response to the firms competitive positioning and their knowledge of respective industries. SMEs do consider the role of the Internet for their business generally with cautious approach. Most firms do not see the value of the Internet to their growth strategy. However, a number of visionary owners believe they can change their business through the use of the Internet. (Levy and Powell, 2002) Brochureware are those firms that do not plan business growth and see the value of the Internet as low. Owners generally think about the Internet but cannot see its relevance to their business. One of the reasons is nature of industry in which SME operates. Hence, there is a role for the Internet for these firms but it is restricted to the presentation of on-line firm information or brochures and for e-mails. (Levy and Powell, 2002) Business Opportunity is SMEs with recognition that the Internet has some value to them, in the future. However, it is limited to improving efficiency internally, customer communication, and research. The contrast between this category and Brochureware is that owners recognize the business value of the Internet and although not seeking growth, recognize that competitive pressure demand investment. These firms see a business opportunity from use of the Internet and related. (Levy and Powell, 2002) Firms using the Internet for Business Support are planning growth, but currently see little future for their businesses from the Internet. Most of time these SMEs are innovative firms seeking growth. They have a number of innovative products that are sold to large firms, so personal contact is regarded by customers as important and there is little indication that the Internet is of value. These SMEs seek to grow but do not believe that industry demands investment in the Internet to support that growth. These firms see the worth of the Internet as a medium for business support. (Levy and Powell, 2002) In Business Network opportunity from the Internet is seen as key to the development of SMEs. Firms see their future tied into using the Internet. Firms develop IT strategy alongside their business strategy most of the time. These are well positioned to take advantage of e-Business. These firms possesses effective internal network accessible by all employees as means to manage the business processes. (Levy and Powell, 2002) Advantages of the Internet for SME Growth According to Davis et al. (2000) a firm-specific advantage in penetrating international markets and facilitating organizational growth may stem from investments in technology or the use of specific technologies, such as the Internet. There is a long history of research linking technology and internationalization. Researchers advocate that to enter foreign markets, a firm must possess some clear advantage that will allow it to overcome native firms more thorough understanding of the local market. Traditionally, multinational corporations use economies of scale and other advantages of large size. However, many entrepreneurial firms can overcome the disadvantage of small size through their use of technology, such as the Internet, to reach consumers beyond their borders. Certain technologies can provide an advantage that widens market opportunities and serves as a platform for expansion. The Internet is widely considered to be one such technology rapid internationalization. (Davis et al. 2000) Authors argue that internationalization and growth of firms are positively affected by increased use of the Internet and increased investments in information technology. In addition, more attention is to be paid to the application of the Internet as well as to the pattern of investments in information technology to explain international expansion and growth among entrepreneur- led businesses. The continued globalization of the world economy makes the realization of role of technology in expanding overseas and maintaining healthy growth. Davis et al. (2000) mention that firms with more aggressive use of technology are likely to engage more in international activities. Their study of internationalization among new, high-tech firms reveals that firms with higher levels of technology usage incur costs associated with internationalizing to be significantly lower than firms with lower levels of technology usage. It appears that companies with a technological advantage have an incentive to expand overseas because they can use that advantage in overseas markets at little or no marginal cost over the cost of developing the advantage in the domestic market. Role of the Internet in Product-Market Development Strategy Market Development Online channels are used to sell into new markets, taking advantage of the low cost of advertising internationally without the necessity for a supporting sales infrastructure in the customers regions (Chaffey et al. 2003). This is a relatively conservative use of the Internet, but is great opportunity for SMEs to increase exports at low cost. A less evident benefit of the Internet is that as well as selling into new geographic markets, products can also be sold to new market segments or different types of customers. This may happen simply as a byproduct of having a web site. The Internet may offer further opportunities for selling to market sub-segments that have not been previously targeted. For example, a product sold to large businesses may also appeal to small firms. Product Development The Internet can be the basis for product development, information sharing, resource sharing, knowledge sharing and task assigning between different businesses. This can improve product quality and decrease development time and cost. (Yujun et al., 2006) Product development is innovative use of the Internet (Chaffey et al., 2003). Howe et al., (2000) report that the Internet provides global access to people, data, software, documents and multimedia have allowed organizations to shorten the development cycle of new products, to communicate with experts from around the world, to receive immediate customer feedback, and to access supercomputers for industrial research and development. According to Howe et al., (2000) the Internet and its related applications can be effectively implemented at various stages of product development. For example, online forums, newsgroups, and Web sites provide an external source for product ideas. Market research can be performed on the Internet as numerous Web sites provide demographic information useful for estimating market size and potential. Surveys can be conducted on the Internet during the business case preparation to determine consumers needs, wants and preferences. Web-based and intranet applications can play an important role in the development phase, particularly when projects involve numerous teams at various locations. Providing effective media for communicating and disseminating information, these technologies also facilitate concurrent engineering. The Internet can be used for beta testing of new products, allowing lead users and firms to collaboratively eliminate product defects prior to market introduction. The Internet and its related technologies can add significant value to new-product development projects. The main value lies in the acceleration of profitable ideas through the new product development process. At the same time, risks associated with this `rush to market are minimized as a formal system to weed out poor ideas quickly and to suggest modifications to product concepts. The use of the Internet and/or intranet at various stages not only minimizes time to launch but can also increase the integration of constituent viewpoints/recommendations, example consumers, engineers, marketing, etc., during development. This integration of the `voice of the customer and other functional members of the firm are critical in successful new product introductions. Need for speed is becoming more salient in todays competitive arena. The firm that is first to launch a new product/technology, i.e. the pioneer, can accrue several pioneering advantages. These advantages include, but are not limit ed to: establishing product standards, building brand equity (combination of awareness, perceived quality, brand loyalty, etc.), securing distribution channels, and setting initial customer expectation for all other products. (Howe et al., 2000) The Internet offers opportunities for firms in their new product development pursuits in terms of enhancing their abilities to collect, categorize and use information needed for product development; helping them understand their market better and thus target it more effectively; generating a wider range of new product ideas from a wider range of sources; making the concept screening process more comprehensive, flexible and objective; increasing the speed and the quality of business analyses; facilitating the collaboration of new product team members and enhancing operational performance; increasing the speed and the quality of testing and validation; improving the effectiveness and the efficiency of manufacturing development; enhancing the effectiveness and the efficiency of new product launch. (Howe et al., 2000) LEGAL ASPECTS Laws Covering Cross-Border Electronic Transactions between a Buyer and a Seller Business to Business (B2B) transactions differs from Business to Consumer (B2C) transactions on the way an agreement is entered. In the case of a B2C transaction, the parties involved have to abide by the public policy laws of the consumers country, which are meant to protect the consumer. On the other hand, parties have the freedom to choose which law will govern their contract. They have to state which law will govern their transaction(s). In case they have not specified, the jurisdiction responsible for the case will have to decide which law is applicable. In general, two solutions are most commonly applied: The applicable law will be the law of the country of the seller or The applicable law is that of the place of the signing of the contract. Point of Sale for Which the Buyer and the Seller Become Legally Bound