SwoT Essay Example for Free

SwoT Essay Before identifying the potential strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats Sharp faces in solar panel market. We must first examine the solar panel industry as a whole. The future growth of industry and the demand for solar panels is contingent on two economic drivers. These two factors include what types of energy will be used to fuel the growth of developing nations and how and where the energy is produced. The first economic driver that could potentially increase the growth of the industry lays in the fact that securing traditional energy as a means of fueling growth is ecoming increasingly more expensive with an ever-growing demand. The growth in demand for traditional energy can be attributed to the development of countries such as China and India. The second economic driver that will dictate the growth of the industry is the fact that over the next few decades developing nations will shift away from centralized energy production to more local production. On the grounds that developing countries dont have the current infrastructure such as electrical grids and decentralized energy production is much more cost effective than building such infrastructure (Bradford, 2006). In closing, the future growth of the solar industry hinges on developing nations using renewable energy to fuel their growth and leap frog the expense of constructing infrastructure to distribute traditional forms of energy with decentralized production. After identifying the two drivers that will dictate the future growth of the solar panel industry, we can examine the projections made about the future growth of the industry. The current market is over five billion dollars annually with new markets continuing to develop. Predictions have been made that the solar cell manufacturing ndustry will be a twenty- five billion plus industry by 2010 (CSU, 2007). While the solar panel industry has experienced a steady stream of growth for the last six years with growth estimated at a rate of thirty percent annually (Businessweek, 2006). In conclusion, the solar panel industry has experienced a consistent annual rate of growth that will only continue to increase with the growing trend towards renewable energy. Now that we have examined the economic drivers that will fuel the growth of the industry and the current growth the industry has experienced we can began to xamine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats Sharp faces. The foundation of Sharps strength in the solar panel industry stems from their experience manufacturing solar powered fuel cells. Since 1963 Sharp Corporation has been mass producing solar powered fuel cells. This translates into roughly forty years of production experience. With Sharps solar panel division being the second largest producer within the industry. Another crucial strength that Sharp possesses is its effective utilization of its working capital generated from its sale of consumer lectronics. Sharp uses this working capital to fund research and development and gain a foothold in developing markets as a means of achieving their long-term goal of becoming an industry leader. Sharp is currently allocating billions of dollars to the research and development of new cutting edge technology before industry rivals beat them to the punch (Hall, 2008). In addition, to investing in new technology, Sharp is increasing their production capacity with construction of a new factory in to produce solar panels suitable for the climates in Southern Europe, Southeast Asia, Central and South America, and Africa (Williams, 2008) pcmag. Finally, Sharp has Just recently announced a partnership with Italian energy company costing 1. 05 billion dollars to build several solar power-generating plants in the next four years. With Sharp collecting royalties from Enels sales generated from the new plants. In summary, one of Sharps biggest strengths is their ability to effectively utilize their working capital and take the necessary actions to accomplish their long-term goal of being the industry leader. After evaluating the strengths Sharp brings to the ndustry, we can begin to evaluate their weaknesses within the industry. One of the greatest weaknesses of Sharp stems from the fact that they are headquartered in Japan. Which has the highest production costs in the entire world . The high production costs of manufacturing in Japan poses a serious threat by hampering their ability to offer prices competitive with those of the competition. Who manufacture their products in countries with much lower labor costs. Another weakness of Sharp is the susceptibility to changes in the value of other countries currency eroding their sales (Funding Universe, unknown). In summary, the weaknesses of Sharp Corporation consist of manufacturing in the world most expensive country and their vulnerability to changing exchange rates negatively impacting their sales. After reviewing the weaknesses of Sharp within the industry we can now examine the opportunities Sharp has within the industry. With the growing trend towards transitioning to renewable energy sources, there are multiple opportunities within the industry that Sharp can capitalize on as a means achieving growth. One of the greatest opportunities presented to Sharp Corporation within the industry is Europes oal to obtain twenty percent of its energy from renewable sources by the year 2020. Even if only a quarter of the renewable energy quota were generated through solar power, the entire industry would have to multiply their production by twenty-five (Schenker, 2008). Europes commitment to renewable energy presents Sharp with the opportunity of unlimited demand for their solar panels. On the grounds that the industry will most likely not be able to increase production capacity to meet the ambitious goals Europe has set for themselves. In summary, Europes commitment to enewable energy poses a substantial opportunity for Sharp to increase their presence within the industry. With the growing trend of modernization brought on by globalization developing nations present Sharp with yet another opportunity to achieve growth. Solar energy has proven to be one of the best solutions for providing electricity to the rural communities around the globe. With 1. 6 million people in developing countries not having access to electricity grids. Sharp has the opportunity to invent and manufacturer solar panel products, which are suitable to the needs of those living ithout, access to electricity (EPIA, 2009). So, as Sharp continues to improve production efficiency and cut costs, they are presented with the valuable opportunity of developing solar panel specifically suited to the needs of those in developing nations. The opportunity to provide solar panel products to developing nations would out the goal of taking action that help Sharp become a global company while contributing to the construction of a sustainable society (Sharp, 2009). In summary, the developing world and the 1. 6 million people without electricity present Sharp ith the opportunity of new markets while helping to strengthen their dedication to social responsibility. After examining the opportunities that are currently available to Sharp within the industry, we can begin to examine the current threats Sharp faces. Before February 2008 Sharp held the ranking of number one producer within the industry. However, they have recently been replaced by Q-cells. Founded in 1999 in Germany, Q-cells was able to surpass Sharp due to their ability to acquire the necessary amount of poly silicon during the recent shortages (Calflnder, 2008). In ummary, the German company Q-cells poses a serious threat to Sharp, with their ability to rise to the number one position ten years after going into business. Sharp also faces a serious threat from manufacturers abroad, whose governments provide larger subsidies than the Japanese government. Sharp faces a serious threat from competitors in China, where the government subsidies aimed creating a stronger market for domestic manufacturer is three times as large as the current subsidies offered by the Japanese government. In summary, Sharp faces an international threat from manufacturers within China whose government subsidies far surpass hose offered in Japan. In conclusion, what once began as small metal works shop has transformed into an international corporation. With the foundation of their success being attributed to the corporate culture created by its founder Tokuji Hayakawa. His emphasis on the importance of investing in the development of new technologies is the reason Sharp is where they are today. With Sharps abundance of working capital, and the opportunities that exist within Europe and developing nations Sharp will almost certainly be able to reclaim their spot as the number one industry leader.

Living the Holocaust by the Survivors Essay example -- Germany Jews Wa

Living the Holocaust by the Survivors World War II ended in Europe on May 7, 1945, but to many survivors of the Holocaust, the war would remain with them for the rest of their lives. Not only had it brutally stripped them of their families, but also of their own humanity. As the survivors came to realizations that their families would not return to them and the initial hardships of returning to a normative life wore off, the memories of the concentration camps and the shock of brutal separation from family came flooding back into their minds. These memories often caused radical change in mental behavior and, to a degree, somaticized themselves into the â€Å"survivor’s syndrome.† (Niederland 14) The symptoms seen in â€Å"survivor’s syndrome† are what would normally be seen in a typical patient of post-traumatic stress disorder: psychological â€Å"imprint† of the disaster, anxiety, guilt, a degree of somatization, etc. (12-13). These personality changes would persist even in the rearing of the children of the survivors, to which Melvin Bukiet referred as the â€Å"Second Generation†. (13) The children wondered why their parents were not like other adults in terms of personality, behavioral quirks, obsessions, and having tattooed numbers. (14) As the Second Generation realized why their parents were the way they were, it began to feel a sense of sharing the inheritance and tried to develop coping mechanisms, such as writing and retelling, to carry on the message of their parents. (16) Art Spiegelman has developed a unique method of retelling the story of his father, Vladek, as well as his own—of his tense relationship with Vladek and his personal problems. In Maus, Spiegelman uses cartoon strips to dramatize these ... ...ut that person’s life, even branching into family life, this genre helps Artie to find his own place in history and to what degree he â€Å"owns† it. In these respects, he is truly a â€Å"real survivor† (44) in that for him, â€Å"the beginning was Auschwitz.† (Bukiet 13) Works Cited Bukiet, Melvin Jules. Nothing Makes You Free. New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 2002. Nielander, William G., M.D. â€Å"The Psychiatric Evaluation of Emotional Disorders in Survivors of Nazi Persecution.† Massive Psychic Trauma. New York: International Universities Press, Inc., 1969. Spiegelman, Art. Maus: a Survivor’s Tale. I: My Father Bleeds History. New York: Pantheon Books, 1986. Spiegelman, Art. Maus: a Survivor’s Tale. II: And Here My Troubles Began. New York: Pantheon Books, 1992. Trautman, (first name not known). Psychopathology of Concentration Camp Victims.

Returning to a Place Special to You Essay

Have you ever returned to place and asked yourself â€Å"Boy I miss those days† ! We all return to a place that holds many memoires, good or bad. For every person, some places hold great importance in their lives. A special place that is really important to me is my home country, Somalia. Somalia, most notably, Kismayo, is my birthplace and a place that I hold dearly in my heart. So many childhood memories of me and my family occurred in kismayo. All of my brothers, including myself, were all born in Kismayo. My mother and father met and married in the same neighborhood we live in. Family is of major significance to me, and living near many uncles, aunts, and cousins was a great experience. Returning to my birthplace was always a dream of mine. As a child, returning to my birthplace was all I thought about. I left Kismayo at the tender age of 10. A civil war broke out in Somalia in 1991, three years before my birth. The war destroyed and demoralized many families in Somalia. My family was fortunate enough to escape unscathed during this horrible and gruesome civil war. My mom and dad, along with my brothers, relocated to Kenya in exile, hoping one day to return to the place we knew before the civil war. My family returned mid-1994, and find life in kismayo very challenging. My mother gave birth to me during this year. I remember the stories my mother use to tell me about our return to Somalia and the troubles and hardships we faced upon our return. Reminiscing about my childhood, I remember the neighborhood we lived in and the daily activities I took part in. We lived in a small two room house, which at the time was large enough for are family. We lived near many of our relatives and we visited each other every day. Family is a big part of the Somali culture, and living near one another ensured a close bond with one another. Religion is perhaps the biggest value in Somali culture. I remember running up the dusty hills along with my father and brothers to perform prayer at the local mosque. We would take the same path to the mosque five times a day to perform the five mandatory prayers. Another significant value I loved was language. Every Somali shared the same language, but there are some minor regional differences. I remember enjoying the comfort of my friends and cousins after school; we would often joke with one another. We walked up hills and dirt roads for 40 minutes to school, which was an old brick house. We were taught English and math, and most of the time was devoted to religious studies. Food is another value in our culture, the common meal in our household was oatmeal and rice. I remember eating those two meals nearly every day, which at the time was a luxury because of the state of the country. During our leisure time, we would often play soccer in a dirt field, which was better than nothing. Even though we lived in poverty, our homeland was very important to us and it was all we ever knew. Everything changed once we moved to the United States during the summer of 2003. As an adult, I have lived in the United States for nearly 9 years. We came to Minnesota from the advice of our Uncle, who traveled here alone to settle down and eventually take us in. Coming to the United States was a big technological and cultural shock. The technology all around was advanced and we never seen such a sight. The buildings were humungous and exquisite, vehicles of all kinds roamed the streets like a herd of animals, and so many different ethnicities and cultures integrated into one country. The luxury of electricity to light your house, clean running water from your sink, and eating foods other than rice and oatmeal was surreal. Eventually, my family and I settled in and after approximately 10 years I returned to my homeland. Returning was a special and troubling moment. The neighborhood we once lived in has not changed since the war. Most of Somalia is still underdeveloped and many live in extreme poverty. We once lived in these conditions and my mother always reminds us of where we came from and the conditions we once lived in. Many of my family members relocated to the United States, but some stayed preserving the way of life the always knew. It was rewarding seeing them after so many years; I left a child and returned as a man. Almost nothing changed and I was somewhat elated to see my homeland, and saddened by the lack of progress made to better the lives of the ones living in poverty. In the end, returning to my homeland taught me a life lesson. Even though it was some time ago, I fondly remember the conditions we lived in and it has made me more appreciative for what I have today. Aside from the difficult moments, I’ve many extraordinary childhood memories from my childhood. Returning to my homeland fulfilled a lifelong dream of mine. I will always look back at those memories with great pride and joy.

The Monuments and Memorials to 9/11 Victims