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Balancing the Power Equation Suzlon Energy Limited
Balancing the Power Equation: Suzlon Energy Limited
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1. Competitive Environment of The Global Wind Power Industry
The demand in clean energy has led to the development of several organizations that are determined to create clean energy thereby leading to a competitive environment within themselves and the industry.
Porter’s Five Forces
The bargaining power of suppliers
In the global wind energy sector, the raw materials utilised in the building of wind farms are a vital element of the supply distribution network that takes place throughout the manufacturing process. Steel, copper, glass fibre, aluminium, ductile iron, brass, ceramics, cement, and Teflon are some of the raw materials used in the manufacturing process. In India, the cost of main raw materials, which are steel and copper, itself is prohibitively expensive. These resources must be stored, packaged, and transported in order to reach locations that are far distant from their source. This results in higher expenditures and a low bargaining power of suppliers.
The bargaining power of buyers
Buyers really like to purchase the quality products available while paying the lowest price possible. Long-term profitability of wind energy is usually put under a challenge due to this. The narrower and stronger the customer base of wind energy is, the higher the bargaining power of the buyers and the higher their capacity to demand growing offers and discounts from a wind power company.
Threats from potential competitors
Despite the fact that the wind power business is dominated by a small number of enterprises, the degree of competition in this industry is still strong and is increasing. Some firms are solely focused on wind turbines, while others are subsidiaries of huge global corporations. As a result, they employ a variety of corporate strategies to situate themselves in the market based on their competitive advantages. Companies with an ability to give affordable wind power while still maintaining their profit margins and assure clients the reliability they demand and this tends to draw a greater number of clients.
Threats from substitutes
Substitutes have a significant negative impact on the profitability of an industry. Coal-fired power facilities are a significant source of competition for the wind energy sector. For instance, India relies on coal as its principal source of energy production, meeting 57 percent of its total energy requirements. Compared to wind energy, power plants that makes use of coal for power generation have a number of benefits, including a lower initial investment, a shorter construction time, smoother and steady running, more efficient power output, and a more developed technological base.
Threat of New Entrants
Threat of new entrants is high. Certain developments may come as new entrants in the generation of electrical energy and this may pose challenge to wind power. Short-term technology developments are almost certain to associate the design of power plant in order to ensure flexibility in the fuel used, especially in co-fired plants, which entails customising emissions control and fuel feed systems which can adapt to the distinctive traits of biomass fuel in order to reduce emissions.
1.2 When a firm from an emerging market with limited technological knowledge should enter the industry
An organization from an emerging market with insufficient knowledge in terms of technology should enter the industry after it has carried out sufficient research and has enough capital to invest in research and design.
1.3 Challenges for an EM firm to enter new emerging industries such as the wind power industry
An emerging market firm that enters an emerging market like the wind power is likely to face two classes of challenges, that is, non-technical challenges and technical challenges.
1.3.1 Non-technical Challenges
Initial investment
The capital need for wind or solar power-based facilities is much greater when compared to other power plants. Establishing a power plant that uses coal as fuel needs roughly INR 4 crore for every megawatt. On the other hand, wind power plants having a capacity utilization of 25 percent needs an expenditure of INR 6 crore for every megawatt. The real investment, with more effective capacity utilization of 80 percent, works out to be INR 18 crore for every megawatt. The real investment, assuming 80 percent capacity utilization, is roughly INR 98 crore. Besides this, this even demands investment in research and development area to gain innovative and efficient state-of-the-art technologies for improved performance.
Acquisition of Land
The construction of a new power generation system as well as transmission line is a big issue that firms and governments must deal with before the project can be completed. Several renewable energy initiatives, particularly in India have been delayed down as a result of this reason. If any investor wishes to commission a real estate development project in close vicinity to an airport, they will face similar challenges.
Lack of skilled manpower
Another area in which emerging countries such as India must invest is in the training and development of skilled workforce. At the moment, the Indian renewable energy sector is suffering from a significant lack of qualified workers. Because of a scarcity of qualified workers, the initiative’s completion time is lengthened, resulting in cost overruns in the process.
1.3.2 Technical challenges
Intermittent nature of renewable
In nature, the electrical output of typical fossil-fuel plants is heavily reliant on the availability of fuel. In this way, it is much more dependable in comparison to nonconventional energy-based plants because of the constancy and predictability of the quantity of power produced. The electricity produced by traditional energy plants can be readily regulated by the control systems in the plants themselves. Conversely, speeds within which wind travels cannot be predicted with any degree of accuracy.
Location dependency
The majority of renewable energy generating takes place in distinct locations. It is possible to see the practicality of a wind energy conversion system in regions where the wind velocity is greater than the cut-off wind speed. It is possible that the generating locations and the load location are located in different locations. As a result, these sorts of technologies are not very practical for use in land-based transmission systems.
1.4 Advantages offered by new emerging industries for EM entry
Renewable energy from wind is cost-effective
Land-based utility-scale wind energy is among the most affordable forms of electricity accessible today, with costs per kilowatt-hour ranging from 1–2 cents well after production tax credit. Wind energy reduces the price unpredictability that conventional sources of electricity are subject to as a result of fuel prices.
It is a clean fuel source
In contrast to energy plants that depend on coal or fossil fuel burning, wind turbines do not cause pollution, whereas those that depend on fossil fuel burning, like coal or natural gas, generate particulates, nitrogen oxides, and sulphur dioxide, which cause diseases and illnesses to human beings as well as economic damage. Hence, energy produced from wind do not emit greenhouse gas emissions.
Wind turbines can be built on existing farms or ranches
This has a significant positive impact on the economy of rural regions, where the majority of the greatest wind locations may be located. Landowners such as ranchers and farmers may continue to operate their property since wind turbines take up just a portion of the available space. Operators of wind power plants pay a fee to the farmers or ranchers in exchange for the usage of their property, resulting in an increase in the revenue of the owner.
3. Suzlon’s competitive positioning at different point times
3.1 From its entry in 1995 till 1999
Having started from humble origins in 1995, Suzlon CEO Tanti has worked tirelessly to develop a strategy for growing the family-owned wind power company over the lengthy period, acquiring the most cutting-edge applied sciences and putting in place a business model based on completely integrated in-house production. It has remained focused to one industry and ensured a gradual expansion program that reduces waste and costs. In 2006, Suzlon acquired the Belgian gearbox maker Hansen Transmissions International for a total of €1.22 billion in cash, making it the company’s most significant purchase until the REpower deal. That corporate strategy transaction cost the Indian firm approximately €424 million (US$ 565 million), but it resulted in the acquisition of valuable cutting-edge expert knowledge as well as critical, if somewhat partial, control over the global drive teach component supply chain. Hansen and Vestas had collaborated on the development of the new gearbox for the V90-3 MW series, which is now the key volume component for the Danish world market leader. Therefore, acquisitions have been a key part of the company, allowing it to use existing knowledge and experience to produce high quality products.
3.2 After it became the Indian Market leader
Suzlon has accelerated its attempts becoming the globe’s leading maker of vertically integrated wind turbines, in addition to introducing innovative products. After dispatching the first batch of rotor blades (Type S-60) from its facility in Daman, the company officially began its reverse integration process. The development and launch of Suzlon Control System (SCS), a manufacturing business unit (MBU) in Daman dedicated to the design and production of wind turbine control systems, served to strengthen the integration even further. Suzlon expanded its operations internationally during this time. Operations in the United States and Germany were initiated by the company’s fully owned subsidiaries Suzlon Wind Energy Corp. and Suzlon Energy GmbH, respectively. A consulting office was established in Beijing. As a fully owned subsidiary, Suzlon Energy (Australia) was established and immediately began operations. Suzlon Energy A/S, Denmark, on the other hand, was established as a totally owned subsidiary.
3.3 Alternative Strategy Available to Suzlon
There are several strategies available to Suzlon in order to increase competitiveness. First, it is important to remain innovative and find out how other organizations are innovating through an effective research and development approach. It is also recommended that the firm upgrades its customer relationship system and invests in employee training as well as product development so as to combine quality products with quality customer relations. The advantage of these approaches is that they are less costly and within the organization’s reach. Even though there were other alternative strategies for the organization such as mergers and acquisition to attain its global ambitions, the path that Suzlon took proved to be the most efficient one. For example, In 2006, Suzlon acquired the Belgian gearbox maker Hansen Transmissions International. It also acquired REpower later, giving itself a competitive advantage in the European markets. However, there is a need to consider expanding its product portfolio in order to remain competitive. For example, the acquisition of REpower is an example of horizontal acquisition, a strategy that will enable Suzlon to grow by taking over other established markets for similar companies using its already existing supply chain and industry ties. It is also recommended that Suzlon tries to venture into vertical integration by acquiring other firms that specialize on other products before and after Suzlon in the supply chain. Horizontal and vertical expansion will enable Suzlon to acquire new facilities, assets, and tools to increase the total output and products made.
4. Suzlon’s competitive positioning at different point times
4.1 After its IPO in 2005
Having risen to a management position in the wind energy generating industry, Suzlon was listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange in the United Kingdom. The firm’s initial public offering (IPO) was once subscribed more than 15 times, a testament to the firm’s management’s expertise as a renewable energy operator. When Suzlon completed the installation of 1GW of installed capacity in India in 2005, it marked a new breakthrough in the company’s development. Its new and upgraded wind turbine generator suites, like the 2.1MW generator, enable for more efficient and environmentally beneficial wind energy harvesting. Despite the fact that it was founded more than a decade prior, Suzlon has achieved the position of super brand, which is a testimony to the company’s leadership and technical innovation. After years of hard work, Suzlon has emerged as the sole energy business in India, the sole renewable energy firm in the continent of Asia, and the only wind energy corporate in the universe to achieve this distinction. Aside from that, it ranks fifth in the universe among WTG producers on the basis of total capacity installed. IPO listin gin 2005 boosted the company’s position in the world, including its goodwill amongst investors and other relevant stakeholders such as financial partners and governments. The listing enabled the organization to garner momentum and acquire more assets, giving it better competitive ability.
4.2 After RE Power acquisition in 2008
Additionally, in 2015, the S111 2.1MW WTG suite, which is a stage of the S9X series, received TÜV NORD certification for both its 50 Hz and 60 Hz versions. When the WTG was designed, tested, and manufactured, this accreditation was given to the company that met all of the requirements of the norms and guidelines. New investors were attracted to Suzlon by the company’s success narrative and agreed to enter forces. Formal contracts with Dilip Shanghvi Family and Associates (DSA) for equity investments of Rs. 1,800 crores in Suzlon Energy Limited for the purpose of equity infusion to expedite expansion were inked in 2015 between Suzlon and DSA.
4.3 In 2014
In 2014, Suzlon had a 21% market share in India. To compete effectively, the firm capitalized on opportunities for growth in emerging markets in Latin America, Aisa, and Africa. Activities in India, South Africa, and Brazil enabled the firm to gain more market share by focusing on rapidly expanding markets. This was a good strategy compared to its rivals’ focus on developed economies which have very slow expansion rates. Suzlon also achieved a number of significant accomplishments during the course of the time frame. The Artilleros wind farm in Uruguay was the site of the company’s 10,000th wind turbine. PALS (Pure Air Lovers’ Society) and modern academic institution in North America for wind technicians were both successful in achieving their goals. This initiative developed a society of humans championing wind power in the particular instance of PALS and adapting to new manpower requirements in the case of the latter. The firm has also managed to retain significant competitive advantage since 2014 by having better control over costs, quality, time, integration of latest turbine technology, and quality customer service and support in the long term. The combination of these elements, since 2014, have enabled the company to focus on design and manufacturing of quality products relating to a sparsely populated wind energy industry. It has also allowed the firm to step over the hurdle of the industry’s long production lead period for components needed in the supply chain. Ultimately, the company has done very well in terms of performance and expanding its market share since 2014, making it one of the most successful emerging markets multinational.
5. Roadblocks to RE Power acquisition
5.1 Reason for acquisition of REpower not going as planned
Suzlon’s triumph is widely regarded as a devastating setback to Areva’s long-term plans to invest in renewable power. The French business had hoped to be one of the biggest participants in the wind sector by replicating the recent triumphs of power engineering juggernauts General Electric (GE) in the United States and Siemens in Germany, respectively. GE purchased a significant wind turbine producer in 2002, whereas Siemens obtained a big wind turbine maker in 2004. However, events do not necessarily turn out the way one would want them to. Areva might have decided to enter the wind energy industry at the perfect time if it had acquired REpower’s highly regarded multi-megawatt category wind technology (1.5-5 MW), acquiring an effective renewable power company with significant growth capacity that could supplement its extant nuclear energy activities in the process.
5.2 Key Roadblocks
Following the completion of a transaction between both companies, it is expected that Areva’s transmission and distribution business will become a prominent provider of wind energy projects for Suzlon. This might not have been Areva’s initial foray into the wind energy industry. Jeumont Industrie, a fully owned subsidiary of nuclear equipment provider Framatome ANP and a subsidiary of the Areva group, attempted to venture the wind turbine manufacturing market around some years ago, but failed. The company had worked with outside assistance to create a revolutionary direct drive 750 kW J48 stall type turbine type that made use of a permanent magnet type generator, with plans to swiftly grow into the profitable 1.5-2 MW volume category with the cooperation of other companies. Nevertheless, due to a slew of technical issues, J48 turbine production was suspended few years later, despite having delivered approximately 50 installations.
5.3 Differences between EM multinational and a developed market multinational
One of the most notable differences is that EM multinationals operate in markets that are rapidly developing because growth in advanced economies has slowed. As a result, emerging market MNEs have now had to compete in the same environment with developed nations’ MNEs in the exploitation of resources and new opportunities. In terms of knowledge sharing developed economies MNEs are at an advantage because they are able to transfer knowledge and years of experience from corporate headquarters, applying the same to other subsidiaries in the emerging markets. However, EM MNEs has limited knowledge and experience in operations.
5.4 How Mr. Tanti should deal with the issue
Suzlon must concentrate on its growth strategies, which includes acquiring capable rivals across the value chain. Nevertheless, the corporation must focus its efforts on wind farm generation and construction, as this is where the industry’s fiercest competition resides. It must also spend in research and development to expand its range of products beyond 1.5–2.0 MW so that it can grab untapped markets and expand its order book. The firm ’s production base in India ought to be maintained. To minimize its vulnerability to market disruption risk in India, it must also concentrate on getting another affordable manufacturing venue. Several rivals would most likely follow the Suzlon strategy to gain share of the market or protect their current market share. During any available chance, they will integrate and expand vertically. Furthermore, some businesses may take advantage of the government subsidies and regulations that favour local businesses. They may be able to gain significant competitive advantages over Suzlon as a result of this, Suzlon, depending on the foregoing logic, should form strategic alliances with state-owned power utilities. It may also build partnerships with local energy firms, particularly those involved in the construction of wind power infrastructure in host nations. Suzlon will be able to avoid several of the limitations that foreign enterprises may encounter.
A Criticism of Societal Values in Shakespeare’s “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun” and Piercy’s “Barbie Doll”
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A Criticism of Societal Values in Shakespeare’s “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun” and Piercy’s “Barbie Doll”
Aristotle wrote, “The aim of art is to represent, not the outward appearance of things but their inward significance.” Society judges women in terms of their outward appearance and expects them to live up to certain standards. In William Shakespeare’s poem “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun” Shakespeare criticizes society’s impractical perception of an “ideal woman.” In “Barbie Doll” by Marge Piercy the speaker writes about a young girl who was suffering from self-esteem problems and eventually kills herself to satisfy the society’s expectations. Both the poems employ imagery to discuss the representation of women in society and by using ironical forms, they express the theme of flawed societal interpretations of female beauty.
In Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130, Shakespeare is seen to deviate from his typical description of love and the female form. The speaker realistically describes his lover and maintains that the idea of feminine beauty should not fit into an abstract fantasy. For instance, he describes his mistress’ eyes to be “nothing like the sun;” (1). Shakespeare seems to poke fun at society’s obsession with appearance and looks, whereby radiant eyes are seen to be the very description of beauty. In Marge Piercy’s “Barbie Doll,” the speaker narrates the predicament of a ‘girlchild’. In her poem, Piercy takes to task the predominant stereotype of a perfect woman who society expects to be beautiful and to be intellectually, sexually, and physically ‘weak’ (7-9). She suggests that these persistent societal expectations on body image have resulted in women killing themselves after failing to measure up to the impossible standards. Despite the poems being written at different times in history, they underscore the fact that society has continuously judged women on an impossible and unrealistic standard of beauty, rather than meaningful attributes like intelligence or character.
Both the poems have dominant imagery that describes the female form and the predicament she is subjected to. In “Barbie Doll,” the speaker vividly describes the Barbie accessories the girl is presented with, “…miniature GE stoves and irons/…wee lipsticks the color of cherry candy” (3-4). The description creates a mental snapshot of these accessories and a depiction of the idea that the girl is taught to behave in a ‘feminine’ manner from childhood. She is taught womanly chores such as home keeping through the GE stoves and irons and the value of ‘beauty’ through the lipsticks. In Shakespeare’s poem, the speaker uses imagery to represent the opposite of his mistress’ physical features and her true imperfections. For instance, the speaker states, “Coral is far more red than her lips’ red;” (2). The visual cue defies societal clichés of beauty and thus enlightens the reader that the speaker’s love for his mistress is beyond the visual.
In both the poems, the poets employ poetic forms ironically to underscore their themes on the flawed societal perception of femininity and beauty. Shakespeare’s poem takes the form of a sonnet which is ironic since traditional sonnets idealized feminine beauty and compared love interests to abstract or romanticized phenomena such as the sun, the snow, or the sea. Shakespeare also uses ironical metaphors to contrast the idealistic expectations of beauty with realistic standards. The speaker states, “If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.” (4). Here, he contrasts his lover’s hair to the blond and silky expectation and states that her hair is coarse and dark, just like black wires. Similarly, Piercy pens “Barbie Doll” as a free verse poem which is ironic since the poem illustrates the numerous rules set by society for women, while in contrast, open form poetry does not have to follow a particular set of rules.
In conclusion, the two poems discuss the nature of female beauty as set by society. Sonnet 130 discusses love and feminine beauty but does not incorporate poetic falsity on the female form. “Barbie Doll” discusses the effect of society’s standards of beauty on the esteem of a woman. Despite the fact that Sonnet 130 was written in the early 17th century and “Barbie Doll” in the 20th century, both poems discuss an unrelenting societal problem: the unrealistic standards of beauty as a measure of femininity. Today, with the aid of social media connectivity and technological inventions such as the television, more standards of beauty have been propagated. Certain body forms and features have been hailed as ‘beautiful’ while others have been condemned as ‘ugly’. Similar to the ‘girlchild’ in Piercy’s poem, many women’s self-esteem has been damaged and some have undergone cosmetic surgeries to ‘rectify’ their body features while others have suffered from eating disorders and other mental illnesses while trying to live up to societal expectations of beauty.
Works Cited
BIBLIOGRAPHY Piercy, Marge. “Barbie Doll.” Delbanco, Nicholas and Alan Cheuse. Literature: Craft & Voice. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012. 707-708. Print.
Shakespeare, William. “My Mistress’ Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun.” Delbanco, Nicholas and Alan Cheuse. Literature: Craft & Voice. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012. 568. Print.
A critical rhetorical analysis of Conversational Ballgames and Private Language, Public Language
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Rhetoric Analysis
This paper gives a critical rhetorical analysis of Conversational Ballgames and Private Language, Public Language. It does this by contrasting the two great works which are believed to have immensely impacted on the lives of their readers. Conversational Ballgames was written by Nancy Sakamoto while Private Language, Public Language was authored by Richard Rodriquez. These are reputable scholars who are indisputably respected authorities. For instance, she has taught Japan for many years. Currently, she is a professor of American Studies at Shitennoji Gakuen University, Hawaii Institute. These essays are quite educative because they offer the reader an opportunity to understand different subjects aimed at addressing certain issues affecting the society today. The paper offers a deeper analysis on the major themes of these essays and links them to the literary styles adopted by these authors. The coverage unveils the relationship among the writer, reader and the article itself.
To begin with, Nancy gives an account of how conversation can be used to define the interaction of people and mastery of language. Having been born and raised in America, it was obvious that she would be familiar with the American culture. This, as she would later learn, affected her interactions when she relocated to Japan. First and foremost, she was to struggle to know the Japanese language which she had never spoken before. Although it was so challenging, she did not give up. Instead, she decided to come up and participate in conversations. However, this could not work out since she had been inclined to the western culture. In order for her to improve her communication with these people, she had to adopt the Japanese conversation styles. However, as she says, this is so different from the American style which she says is more westernized. This is the situation Nancy found in which Nancy found herself after getting married in Japan.
In order to explain her points, Nancy adopts the use of symbolism and metaphor. She uses a ball game to represent conversation. She says that conversation is like a ball game which involves more than one person each with a distinct role to play. She eludes the American conversation style to a tennis and volleyball which is either played by two or sets of players. She says, ‘A western-style conversation between two people is like a game of tennis.’ Just the same way a tennis player should be acquainted with all the rules and regulations governing this game, individuals intending to use an American conversation style should know all the rules involved. She says that the ball should be hit in turn without any interruption. Each of the players is expected to hit the ball to the opponent and waits for him to hit back before he takes another step to hit back. This is synonymous to American style of conversation which requires the involved parties to chat in turns. While one person is still talking, it is the responsibility of the other one to listen and give him time to finish. After finishing, he is allowed to hit back by answering. However, the answer can be in agreement or disagreement of what was said.
On the other hand, Japanese conversation takes a different approach. Unlike the western style, it requires active participation by both parties. However, just like volleyball, when one person hits the ball, the other should hit back, not by replying, but by saying something different. ‘Whoever is nearest and quickest hits the ball, and if you step back, someone else will hit it.’ This implies that a conversation should move smoothly with each person knowing his role and when to make a contribution without offending others.
This is aimed at ensuring the continuity of a conversation without reminding the other of his role. This is the problem which Nancy faced while she was engaged in conversations with the Japanese. Despite all the efforts made, she later realized that it was not a matter of language, but culture.
In Private Language, Public Language, the author gives a story of Richard, Spanish boy who beat all the odds to perfect his English language. Having been born in a Spanish family, Richard grew up in an environment in which Spanish was the only language. However, after being taken to a private boarding school, it became so challenging for him to use English language. First, he believed that he was not qualified to speak in English. Secondly, he was scared by the level of eloquence of his colleagues. This made him develop a phobia in the language to the extent that he often declined to speak because he believed that everyone would laugh at him. This continued even after his family decided to adopt the use of English in their daily communications. By saying that David, ‘felt misplaced and alone when it appeared that all had almost mastered the language’ means that he had become a lone pair in his classroom. I think this is why his fear intensified with time. However, he eventually changed his mind and decided to use English. As a result, he perfected his speaking skills and became more fluent than he could ever imagine.
In this excerpt, Richard uses a very simple language. He is so precise in the way he presents he presents his ideas. This makes his work very clear and easy to understand by all the readers. Unlike Nancy who uses a lot of figurative language, Richard’s work is so simplified. Whereas Nancy uses a ball game to symbolize the game of conversation, Richard does no use any form of symbolism. Instead, he uses simple words in a direct manner. His message becomes easier to understand by all the readers. Hence, it narrows the gap between him and the audience. It helps him to establish a good rapport with his readers who are expected to enjoy the story right from the beginning up to the end. Contrarily, Nancy’s work calls for keenness and thorough evaluation of the story. For it to make sense the reader, it must be thoughtfully interpreted to give a more relevant allegorical meaning. However, her numerous metaphors create an image in the minds of the readers. This makes the story interesting and lively.
In Private Language, Public Language, the major issue of concern is language. Richard is confronted with a new language which he had not been using before. However, as a Spanish child, he believes that he is not meant to speak English. He declines to make any effort to speak the language. He is doing this because of the negative attitude he has developed over the years. In fact, he is English-phobic. I would like to say that he is doing all these because he is not aware of the basic concepts of language. As a child, he does not understand that the best way to master a language is through speaking. It is very clear that he does not know that he can speak any language so long as he practices it. He is ignorantly convinced that he is only entitled to speak Spanish. Had he known, he would have changed his attitude to start practicing the language and forget about his peers.
As a linguist, Nancy had to approach this problem differently. Unlike the young Richard, she had fully grown up and was in a position of understanding her personal weaknesses. Unlike the young Richard, Nancy knew that she as not good at Japanese. She asserts, ‘when I joined in, the others would look startled, and the conversational topic would come to a halt.’ This illustrates her pathetic mastery of Japanese. However, she did not want to relax and lose hope that she could not fit into the new environment. She understood that the only secrete to linguistic competence is practice.
Therefore, she took all the initiatives to practice Japanese by participating in various conversations however challenging it was. Her consciousness enabled her to discover that she as not conforming to the conversation culture in Japan. As a result, she worked so hard to learn this new culture. Eventually, she managed to succeed and later fit into this society. His story sensitizes readers on the role cultural flexibility in communication. Although we are living in a dynamic society, it is incumbent upon us to appreciate one’s cultural practices because it is a recipe for unity and harmonious interactions. If Nancy was not tolerant, she would not have survived in Japan.
I would like to conclude by saying that Conversational Ballgames and Private Language, Public Language are quite insightful essays. They give a lot of information on the role of personal struggle in the mastery of language skills. Despite being written by different authors, they serve the same purpose for informing the readers that language has got no limitation. Anyone can use any language so long as they practice it. One only needs to identify one’s mistakes and take deliberate steps to improve. Just like Richard and Nancy, everyone must develop a positive attitude towards a language and take initiatives to master and practice its rules.
Conversational Ballgames is in deed a ball game of conversations. The concept put forth by Nancy in this article is the role of culture in determining the successful use of language in different places. Having realized the fatal mistake she had been making during her conversations, it became apparent that she had to adapt. Meaning, she had to abandon her western lifestyle for the Japanese style which was totally unique to her. This is relevant in the contemporary society because it can assist people in managing their day to day interactions. Communication is a very important tool of interaction. However, Nancy’s experiences teach us that we should be dynamic. We must acknowledge the fact that we live in a plural society composed of people from different cultural, religious and geographical backgrounds. Therefore, it is incumbent upon everyone to be tolerant ad be ready to accept one another’s culture as essential to them.