Globalization And Its Challenges Marketing Essay

Globalization And Its Challenges Marketing Essay Introduction Globalization is a process of integration and interaction among the people, organizations, and governments of different countries. It is also a process driven by international trade and investment and aided by information technology (Smith Doyle, 2002). This process has significant impact on political systems, on economic development, on culture, on the environment, and on human rights around the world (Smith Doyle, 2002). Globalization is a tool that could help you nurture your business foreign countries (Tapper, 2000). When a company decides to go global, it will often experience an increase in profitability. Nevertheless, not every business will benefit from globalization. Some organizations may experience a healthy growth in global market, but some would have to overcome many challenges before establishing a successful business in a foreign country (Zboch, 2009). Wages, child labor laws and outsourcings effect on sale are salient issues for doing business overseas. Nike is the worldwide global corporation that has its manufacturing factories on contract basis around the world. Although Nike is the global leader in the athletic footwear industry, it has had a great deal of bad publicity due to its labor practice. The scandals involved child labor, slave wages, excessive working hours, forced overtime, and hazardous working conditions. Bad publicity related to Nikes labor practice had ruined its reputation and brand image. Some criticized that Nike did not enforced its code of conduct with the correct procedures. After receiving many complaints of its unethical practice, Phil Knight, the CEO of Nike realized the seriousness of the matter. He visited Nikes contract factories and delivered a variety of speeches regarding his upcoming actions to improve the human right situation (Hobbs, 1998). However, many people doubt his sincerity, and fear that he could not deliver on his promises of providing a healthy environment for workers. Even up until now, Nike still struggling to recover from its negative image as a human rights violator. Would Nike be able to solve this problem in future? Has Nike improved the labor conditions in Asia?    The purpose of this paper is provide an understanding of the various difficulties and complexities companies faces in todays global world. This paper will describe the accusations brought against Nike labor practices and all of the corrections that Nike formulated to produce a healthy and safe working environment effectively. This paper will also provide some recommendations for Nike to improve their performance in future. I. Globalization and Environmental Forces Globalization is commonly understood as the spread of influence of culture, religion language, communication, technology, trade, media, and transportation. That spread of has involved the intertwining of economic and non-economic activity across the borders (Smith Doyle, 2002). Today, many companies move their business operations to foreign countries by going global (for instance, Apple, Coca-Cola and Dell) and they have different reasons for doing business internationally. These reasons include: expand to new markets, diversify business, and increase market shares and brand value. Other reactive or defensive reasons for globalization including trade barriers, customer demands, globalization of competitors, and regulations and restrictions (Okolo, 2008).Reduction of cost is the major reason for companies going to global. Today, production cost has been increasing tremendously in developed countries. Many companies have outsourced its entire production operation to developing countri es or third world, like China, Cambodia, Brazil, India, Vietnam and Indonesia. They believe that production or service offshoring will eventually lower their production, labor and utility costs. However, doing business overseas has its benefits as well as its challenges. Companies may face legal, ethical, and cultural challenges in global business. Since every country appears to have its own law and regulation, companies must understand the standard pay or minimum wage requirement to avoid all conflict of interest. Ethical issues in globalization are those related to environmental protection, and concerning relation between different countries (e.g. industry espionage and hostile take over). When companies operate internationally, most of them are facing great challenges in cultural differences. Cross-cultural issues may arise when people within companies have different culture, language, religion and belief begin working together are not skilled or adept enough to deal with effectively. II. The Athletic Footwear Industry Recent economic crisis has affected the athletic footwear industry. The athletic footwear sales posted a 1.4 percent decline in 2009, and in 2008, sales were down 3.2 percent. (See Appendix A).  Footwear is considered less cyclical than apparel when consumer spending is under pressure. Analysts are expecting the footwear market will continue to grow over the next few years (PRlog press release, 2009). The retailer market of sporting goods is very competitive and highly fragmented. Intense competition will easily drive weak companies out of the market. Thus, many retailers reducing their presence in underperforming markets or restricting store growth in saturated markets. The costs of production have been rising in the U.S since 1990. The rapid rise in production costs has resulted in many U.S companies move theirs manufacturing works to Asia. Countries like Vietnam, Indonesia, and China has become a major outsourcing destination for the U.S. apparel and footwear manufacturers (Locke Siteman, 2001). Nike and Adidas have dominated the global branded athletic footwear markets. Market leader Nike has a significant lead over Adidas in footwear market for the last few years while other competitors like Reebok and New Balance is still lagging behind in the sales. (Locke Siteman, 2001) III. The Globalization of Nike Nike was founded in 1964 by Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman. The company initially was an importer and distributor for Japanese specialty running shoes. The companys profits grew quickly and it opened its first retail shop in California in 1966. While other footwear companies still manufacturing their own shoes in high-cost countries, Knight decided to outsource its shoe production to lower-cost Japanese producers during the 1970s. By the early 1980s, as costs continued to increase in the U.S, Nike closed all its U.S and Japan factories, and it outsourced its production to Korea and Taiwan. When these countries began to develop and the wages increased significantly, Nike urged its suppliers to shift their production to even lower-cost countries like Indonesia, China and Vietnam. The company found that these countries have no protective labor laws and labor union at that time. Moreover, these countries provided huge supplies of cheap labor. By 1992, Nike sourced almost all of its shoe p roduction from Asia. The company has placed its employees at its outsourced factories to help monitor production processes and product quality (Locke Siteman, 2001). Today, Nike has successfully established an intensive network of footwear factories throughout China and Southeast Asia. Nikes operations are divided into three product lines: footwear, apparel and equipment. Their products are manufactured by nearly 600 supplier factories, employing over 800,000 workers in 46 countries around the world (Nike, Inc., 2010). In addition, Nikes sales have grown over 50% since 2005 to and reaching US$19 billion in 2009. (See Appendix B). Footwear is Nikes largest product category, 30% of shoes are sourced from China and Vietnam, 22% from Indonesia, and 6% from Thailand. Nike has manufacturing agreements with independent factories in India and Latin America like Brazil, Mexico and Argentina to produce footwear for sale primarily within those countries (Nike, Inc., 2010). Nike contracted 618 factories to manufacture its products in 2009, only 71 out of its suppliers are producing footwear. Most of these suppliers are located in North Asia. (See Appendix C). In contrast, Nike apparel products are made in 391 factories and the majority of these factories are distributed in Southeast Asia. These differences are due to both to the rules governing international trade in the industries (Locke Siteman, 2001, pg7). In the mid-late 1980s, footwear quotas were eliminated whereas trade in garments is still control by the Multi-fiber Agreement (Locke Siteman, 2001). Nike has also developed and markets footwear and apparel products under the Converse, Umbro Inc., Hurley International, and Cole Haan brand names. The company sells its products through its own retail in over 180 countries worldwide as well as through internet sites (Nike, Inc., 2010). Today, Nike has become the world leader in the design, distribution and marketing of the athletic footwear (Locke Siteman, 2001). The swoosh logo has become one of the most recognized in the world. IV. Nikes Unethical Labor Practices Are you willingly to work more than 70 hours every week, or send your young children to work in a factory? Many of us will not do that, but for many people who want to eat, the obvious answer is Yes.. That is a reality Nike faced when it first started outsourcing the production of sports apparel and shoes to external companies in the third world. There are many controversies over its labor practices in Asia. In the 1980s, Nike was accused of exploiting cheap labor and exposing them to destructive working environments. The company had also faced criticism for use of children to make its sport gears in Pakistan factories. As a result, Nike was labeled as forcing children to slave away in hazardous conditions for below-subsistence wages (Hill, 2009, pg2). In what follow, the paper will provide an overview of the various abuses of which Nike and its suppliers had been criticized in the past decade as well as the problems that the company has confronted. Child Labor in Pakistan Child labor is spread all over Pakistan. Sialkot, a city in Pakistan, is also a centre for the production of export-oriented goods, particularly sporting goods (Locke Siteman, 2001). About 70% of the worlds soccer balls are made in Sialkot and companies like Nike, Addidas, Reebok and Mitre imports soccer balls from this city. In 1990s, Nike contracted for its soccer ball production with SAGA Sports. Both companies benefited with the access to child labor in Pakistan (Haider, 2007). In 1996, Life magazine published an article about child labor that occurring in Pakistan, which included a photo of a young boy sewing a Nike soccer ball. (See Appendix D). This article drew the public attention to all human rights and fundamental freedom. Various activists groups, trade unions and NGOs called for boycotts Nike soccer balls because of using child labor. The Atlanta Agreement has signed by The Sialkot chamber of Commerce with the ILO, UNICEF and several leading sports goods associations to implement a program to stop using child labor in Pakistan (Locke Siteman, 2001). However, the government carries lack of willingness to do anything. Consequently, the same problem still exists in the country and Nike is still importing its soccer balls in million quantities from Pakistan. Slave Labor in Asia More than 80% of Nikes supplier factories are located in Asia. The Asian governments prohibited workers from forming independent unions and set the minimum wage at rock bottom. Labor activists criticized that the workers in Nike factories were being paid below the minimum daily wage. For example, Nikes suppliers paid workers in Indonesia less than US$3 a day (Medea, 1998), and the wage did not meet the basic needs of one individual. In 2006, the Worker Rights Consortium calculated that a livable wage in Indonesia is about US$8 per day (Bose, 2008). Global Exchange, an international human rights organization published a report on working conditions in four Nikes supplier factories in Southern China. The report found that children aged 12 to 13 years old who worked in one of the supplier factories (owned by a Korean company) earned only 10 cents per hour. These children were forced to work up to 17 hours daily and were not allow talking during work. Supplier paid Chinese workers US$1.80 a day that was lower than the Chinese minimum wage of $1.93 for an eight-hour day. The report stated that Nike labor practices had violated Chinese labor law but Nike denied the accusation and claimed that the report incorrectly stated the wages of workers (Locke Siteman, 2001). In Thailand and Vietnam, workers earned even lesser (less than US$1.5 a day) compared to the workers in Indonesia and China. According to Vietnam Labor Watch, a livable wage in Vietnam is about US$3 a day whereas the minimum wage in Thailand is US$4.50 a day (Medea, 1998). Health and Safety Problems in Vietnam IN 1994, the Ernst and Young conducted audits on Nikes contract factories in Vietnam. According to its report, Vietnamese workers at the Tae Kwang Vina factory were often exposed to chemical, 77% of them had serious health and safety problems. Workers with breathing or skin problem had not been transferred to departments free of chemicals and most workers who dealt with dangerous chemicals were not provided personal protective equipment such as masks or gloves (Zboch, 2009). This report revealed that workers were exposed to toluene (a chemical solvent can cause permanent damage to brain, nausea, and skin irritations). Toluene concentration had exceeded 177 times acceptable standards in parts of the factory. This report had tarnished Nikes image since the report came from Ernst and Young, an auditing firms hired by Nike to assess its suppliers factories. In addition, Nike commissioned former Ambassador to the United Nation Andrew Young to assess working conditions in its contract fact ories. In Youngs report, there is no mention of serious health and safety issues in the Tae Kwang Vina factory. This reports had casts doubt on Nikes honesty and commitment to labor and environment standards (Locke Siteman, 2001). Although Indonesia, China, and Vietnam have minimum wage laws on the books, the government of these countries was still allowing Nike to pay wages well below the minimum rate. Nike further circumvented wage laws by paying new employees an apprentice rate for several months into an employees tenure (Turner, 2008). In 1997, more than 10,000 Indonesian and 1,300 Vietnamese Nikes contract factories workers went on strike to protest low and unpaid wage. In 2000, 3,000 Chinese workers from Nikes contract factories protested dangerous working conditions and low wages. All of these protests took place in spite of the fact that these sorts of worker strikes are illegal in these countries (Turner, 2008). In addition to labor protests issues, numerous critics of Nikes practices had created a major public relation problem for the company. (See Appendix E traces the number of negative articles about Nikes practices.) The company has become a target for the anti-globalization and anti-sweatshop mo vements. The Anti-Nike campaign that organized by consumers and human rights groups has raised the awareness about sweatshop labor in third world countries. V. Nikes Response At the beginning, Nike denied all the violations of labor rights and they blamed their suppliers or the host government for its failures of enforcement. The company claimed that workers rights were respected despite the fact that Nike had failed to pay its workers with fair wages as well as to provide a safe working environment. In addition, Nike reluctantly to take responsibility for the labor, health and environmental problems found in its supplier factories. Nike claimed the company does not own these factories; therefore, it has no responsibility towards the workers (Avery, 1999).    In response to the ongoing criticism, Nike formulated its code of conduct for its suppliers. Every supplier must agree to abide this code in order to get a contract. (See Appendix F for the latest version of this code). The Code of Conduct in theory condemns and prohibits child labor, requires that workers be paid fair wage, imposes caps on the days and hours that a worker can be forced to work, prohibits mistreatment or discrimination of workers in any form, and states that factories must implement programs that benefit workers health and safety, and recognizes and respects the workers right to freedom of association (Avery, 1999). In addition, Nike has trained its internal monitoring team to ensure all suppliers comply with its code of conduct. The company has also hired auditing firms to assess and monitor its suppliers regularly. Recommendations The majority challenges Nike has to overcome involved ethical and cultural issues. Even up until now, Nike is still facing allegations and criticism from labor groups and human right about its overseas labor practices. In response to these criticisms, Nike should work closely with its suppliers to improve working conditions and create safe and healthy environments for its workers. Workers should be provided some type of health insurance or protective wear. Nike can offer strong incentive to its suppliers, to ensure they adopt companys code of conduct. Lack of worker awareness of basic code of conduct provisions is a major challenge for the company. Hence, Nike should provide human rights training to workers, to raise their awareness of their rights. Communication problem arose in Nikes overseas factories due to language barrier and little knowledge on cultural. In Vietnam, all factories are owned by Korean and Taiwanese suppliers, thus they may not understand local language and culture. To overcome communication challenges in workplace, Nike should encourage its suppliers to recruit local manager or people in multiple language ability. Furthermore, training program should be provided regularly to both management and workers in order to improve communication between workers and management. The recent suicides of Foxconn workers in China are raising concern about ethical issues in supplier factories. (Foxconn is a key supplier to big tech companies.) In June 2010, a dozen of Chinese workers went on strike over wage violation. The Chinese government has increased the minimum wage due to the strike in many provinces (Kang, 2010). In future, China may not be the most attractive low-cost countries for foreign companies as more and more Chinese workers urge their employer to increase wages. This in turn, may cause a rise in manufacturing wages in China and that would substantially increase Nikes costs of production as most of its products are made in China. Nike can urge its suppliers to relocate their operations to other low cost countries in Latin America without compromising product quality. Nike assures the public that its suppliers pay the countrys minimum wage; however, in many countries minimum wage does not equate a living wage. The Indonesian government has admitted that the minimum wage only covered 70% of the basic needs of one person (Locke Siteman, 2001). Some countries like Vietnam and Indonesia arbitrarily set minimum wage low to lure foreign investments. Being an ethical employer, Nike must ensure every worker is being fairly paid. In addition to providing livable wages, the company should take the long-term cost of image damage into account rather than pursuing low cost strategy. After all, brand name is their greatest asset and Nike should take immediate action to clean up its mess instead of blaming the host governments or its suppliers. The development of a strict monitoring system in its factories overseas is still a challenge for Nike. Nikes factories are controlled by absentee owners, so the company should continue to hire independent firms to do the regular monitoring of the factories. Conclusion Today, more and more companies expand their business by going global. Globalization has brought a culture of free labor. Nikes linger sweatshop stigma is a case in point. The companys worldwide image was tarnished after a wave of public criticism for its labor practices. Many human rights groups felt that Nike was using slave labor as a tool to lower their production costs, and the workers were not receiving proper wages. Moreover, Nike had also been accused of using child labor in its factories and had failed to provide a safe working environment for its workers. In response to these criticisms, Nike formulated its code of conduct that required its suppliers to observe some basic labor and environment standards. The company also expands its internal and external monitoring to keep up with factory base. In summary, most companies may face legal, cultural, and ethical challenges when doing business overseas. These environmental forces are perceived as uncontrollable and could pose cha llenges for your company if they have not been well handed. The case of Nike demonstrated how difficult it could be for company to survive in global business market because of the different culture, laws and regulations of the host country. Therefore, increasing globalization of business is requiring managers to have global perspective and an understanding of the environment forces of the markets in which they operates (Dr C, 2005).

Pakistan and Afghanistan Essay -- Politics, War, Turmoil

From the 1980’s onwards, Pakistan and Afghanistan have been at the forefront of numerous socio-political events germane to the rise of Islamic fundamentalism. The multifarious factors involved form a perplexing web of competing narratives that resist straightforward explanation. This essay will delve into the milieu, seeking alternative theories to construct a cogent thesis for the growth of fundamentalism. In doing so, it will examine the Islamisation policies of Pakistan’s Zia-ul-Haq administration and its congruence with United States interests at the time. Particular focus will be given to the Afghanistan – Pakistan dyad and how the recent return of international forces perpetuates the conditions that allow Islamic fundamentalism to prosper. As a state whose principal raison d'à ªtre is for the protection of Muslims, Pakistan had historically struggled with defining what its Islamic mandate entailed. Arriving in power via a coup d’à ©tat, Zia-ul-Haq employed religion to attain popular legitimacy, orchestrating Islamic reform as a deceitful pretence for securing power (Kennedy 1990: 73). Correspondingly, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan solidified the role of Islamic politics, with Zia-ul-Haq exhibiting a distinct preference for radical groups as a counterweight to communist ideology (Fuller 1991: 11). The most visible sign of creeping religiosity appeared in 1982 with the declaration that â€Å"national dress† and Islamic studies were mandatory for government employees (Cohen 1988: 314). Underlying this conversion, the government funded the expansion of an increasingly radical madrasa based education system - with the intention to transform the electoral landscape and boost support for Islamic parties ( Nasr 2000: 147). Through th... ...ndamentalists who demur at the state’s very existence, we can opine that Pakistan may already have crossed the Rubicon. This essay has elucidated that Pakistan and Afghanistan are a point of convergence for a litany of failed, arguably asinine policies by both the chief protagonists and outside interests. As such, the rise of Islamic fundamentalism represents the logical endpoint for an array of policies that mobilised extremist religious dogma to achieve geostrategic objectives. Crucially, the abject failure of all involved to disband and reintegrate those forces into a legitimate Afghan state has proved calamitous in its consequences. With recent international intervention bolstering the ideological sources of fundamentalism and with the nexus of instability spreading deep into Pakistan, the continued prominence of Islamic fundamentalism appears inevitable.

Aeronautical Engineers Essay example -- Papers

Aeronautical Engineers Description Aeronautical engineers apply the principle of science and technology in work with highly sophisticated products such as aircrafts, missiles and space satellites. They usually specialise in research, design manufacture and production, or the management of maintenance programs Qualifications required The usual qualifications for entry into this career is a degree. However, it may be possible to enter with an HND or HNC. Entry to a relevant engineering degree with: * 2/3 A-levels with GCSEs (A-C) 2/3 in other subjects * A relevant GCSE in a vocational subject or Intermediate GNVQ may be acceptable as an alternative to academic GCSEs * At A level, Maths and Physics are often preferred and may be essential. Equivalent qualifications such as an Edexcel (BTEC) or National Certificate or National Diploma or a Vocational A level (Advanced GNVQ) may be acceptable, it may also b advisable to check the prospectus. 1 A-level with 4 GCSEs (A-C). At A level, maths or physics is preferred. Again, equivalent qualifications are usually acceptable. Skills and Qualities necessary * You must be able to combine an analytical, logical approach with creativity and imaginations to solve problems * Engineers must be able to work as part of a team. The ability to encourage other peoples ideas is important, and you must aslope be flexible and able to compromise. You will need strong communication skills to write reports and to explain complex engineering information to people from non-technical backgrounds. * You will need organisationa... ...rlines, the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence. Some Aeronautical Engineers apply their knowledge of Aeronautical in other areas, for example, in companies that make vehicles such as cares, trains and hovercrafts. You can also work in the communication industry, dealing with satellites, or in construction, dealing with high, winds blown structures. Contacts EMTA, Engineering Careers Information Service (ECIS), Emta House, 14 Upton Road, Watford, Hertfordshire WD18 0JT. (Freephone: 0800 282167)] Telephone :01923 238441 Email: ecis@emta.org.uk Website: www. Enginuity.org.uk Employer Engineering and Physicals Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon SN2 1ET (Award) Telephone :01793 444100 Email: infoline@epsrc.ac.uk Website: www. epsrc.ac.uk

Emergence of Critical and Cultural Theories Essay

Culture : the learned behavior of members of a given social group. Cultural studies: Focus use of media to create forms of culture that structure everyday life. Political economy theories: Focus on social elites’ use of economic power to exploit media institutions. 2 There are microscopic interpretive theories that focus on how individuals and social groups use media to create and foster forms of culture that structure everyday life. These theories are referred to as cultural studies theories. There are macroscopic structural theories that focus on how social elites use their economic power to gain ontrol over and 3 Cultural Theory: Theories openly espousing certain values and using these values to evaluate and criticize the status quo providing alternate ways of interpreting the social role of mass media. Those who develop critical theories seek to initiate social change that will implement their values. Political economy theories are inherently critical but some cultural studies 4 Critical theories often provides complex explanations for this tendency of media to consistently do so. E. g: some critical theorists identify constraints on media practitioners that limit their ability to challenge established authority. They charge that few incentives exist to encourage media professionals to overcome these constraints and that media 5 Critical theory often analyzes specific social institutions, probing the extent to which valued objects are sought and achieved. Mass Media and the mass culture have been linked to a variety of social problems, they are criticized for aggravating or preventing problems from being identified or addressed. A common theme in critical theories of media is that content production is so constrained 6 Consider for example, the last time you read news about members of a social ovement that strongly challenged the status quo? Why were the college students who protested against the Communist Chinese government in Tiananmen Square â€Å"heroes of democracy’ and those in American anti-war â€Å"hippies† and â€Å"radicals? † Stories about movements imply problems with 7 – controntation. Movement leaders demand coverage ot their complaints and they stage demonstrations designed to draw public attention to their concerns. Elites seek to minimize coverage or to exercise â€Å"spin control† so that the coverage favors their position. How do Journalists handle this? How should they handle it? Existing research indicates that this coverage almost always degenerates movements and supports elites. 8 Critical theory: Strengths: 1. Is politically based, actionoriented. 2. Uses theory and research to plan change in the real world. 3. Asks big, important questions about media control and ownership. 9 Weaknesses: 3. When subjected to scientific verification, often employs innovative but controversial research methods. 0 Rise of Cultural Theories in Europe: Despite its long life in American Social Science, the Limited Effects Paradigm never enjoyed great popularity in europe. European social research has instead been characterized by what U. S. Observers regard as grand social theories. Grand Social Theory: Highly ambitious, 1 1 In Europe, the development of grand social theory remained a central concern i n the social sciences and humanities. Mass society theory gave way to a succession of alternate ideas. Some were limited to specific nations and others spread across many countries. Some of the most widely accepted have been based on the writings of Karl Marx. Marxist theory influenced even the theories that were created in reaction against it. Marxist ideas formed a foundation or touch stone for most postworld War II european social theory and research. 12 Cold War politics colored much of the U. S. Response to it. Ironically, in the 1970s and 1980s, at the very time that Marxist failed as a practical guide for politics and economics in Eastern Europe, grand social theories based on Marxist thought were gaining increasing acceptance in Western Europe. 3 MARXIST THEORY: Marxist Theory: Theory arguing that the hierarchical class system is at the root of all social problems and must be ended by a revolution of the proletariat. Karl Marx developed this theory in the latter part of the nineteenth century during one of the most volatile periods of social change in Europe. In some respects, his theory is yet another version ot mass society theory- – but witn se veral very important alterations and additions. 14 He identified industrialization and urbanization as problems but argued that these changes were not inherently bad. Instead, he blamed ruthless robber baron capitalists for exacerbating social problems because they maximized personal profits by exploiting workers. Marx argued that the hierarchical class system was the root of ll social problems and must be ended by a revolution of the workers or proletariat. He believed that elites dominated society primarily through their direct control over the means of production (i. e. , labor, factories, land) which he referred to as the base of society. 15 But elites also maintained themselves in power through their control over culture, or the superstructure of society. He saw culture as something that elites freely manipulated to mislead average people and encourage them to act against their own interest. He used the term ideology to refer to these forms of culture. To him, ideology operated much like a drug. Those who were under its influence fail to see how they are being exploited. In worst cases, they are so deceived, that they actually 16 – undermine their own interests and do things that increase the power of elites while making their own lives even worse. Marx concluded that the only hope for social change was a revolution in which the masses seized control of the base the means of production. Control over the superstructure -over ideology would naturally follow. He saw little possibility that reforms in the super structure could ead to social evolution, or if it could, that -that transformation would be very slow in coming. Elites would never willingly surrender POWER. Power must be taken from them. Little purpose would be served by making minor changes in ideology 17 – without first dominating the means of production. Neomarxist Theory: Contemporary incarnation of Marxist theory focusing attention on the super structure. The importance that Neomarxists attach to the super structure has created a fundamental division within Marxism. Many neomaxists assume that useful change can begin with peaceful, ideological reform rather than violent revolution in which he working class seizes control of the means of production. 18 Some neomarxists have developed critiques that call for radically transforming the superstructure while others call for modest reforms. Tensions have arisen among scholars who base their work on Marx’s ideas over the value of the work being done by 19 the various neomarxist schools. Textual Analysis and Literary Criticism: Modern european cultural studies theories have a second, very different source a tradition of humanist criticism of religious and literary texts that is referred to hermeneutics. Hermeneutics: the interpretation f texts to identify their actual or real meaning. 20 -humanists who worked to identify and preserve what came to be known as the â€Å"literary canon† a body of the great literature. The literary canon was part of what was referred to as high culture, a set of cultural artifacts including music, art, literature, and poetry that humanists Judged to have the highest value. 1 – the level of culture to enable even more people to become humane and civilized. Over the years, many different methods for analyzing written texts have emerged from hermeneutics. They share a common purpose: to criticize old and new cultural ractices so that those most deserving of attention can be identified and explained and the less deserving can b e dismissed. This task can be compared with that of movie critics who tell us which films are good or bad and assist us in appreciating or avoiding them. The primary difference is that movie critics are typically not committed to promoting higher 22 – cultural values; they only want to explain which movies we are likely to find entertaining. THE FRANKFURT SCHOOL One early prominent school of neo-marxist theory developed during the 1930s at the University of Frankfurt and became known as the Frankfurt School. 3 Two of the most prominent individuals associated with the school were Max Horkheimer, its long time head, and Theodor Adorno, a prolific and cogent theorist. Horheimer and Adorno were openly skeptical that high culture could or should be communicated through mass media. Adorno argued that radio broadcasts or records couldn’t begin to adequately reproduce the sound of a live symphony orchestra. He ridiculed the reproduction of great art in 24 – magazines or the reprinting of great novels in condensed, serialized form. He claimed that mass media reproductions of high culture were inferior and diverted eople from seeking out (and paying for) the â€Å"real thing† if bad substitutes for high culture were readily available, he believed too many people would settle for them and fail to support better forms of culture. The Frankfurt School has been criticized along with other forms of traditional humanism for being too elitist and paternalistic. By rejecting the possibility of using media to disseminate 25 – high culture, most ot the population was ettectively denied access to it Many ot the school’s criticisms of media paralleled those of mass society theory and had the same limitations. The Frankfurt School eventually had a direct impact on American social research because the rise of the Nazis forced its Jewish members into exile. 26 During the period of exile, however, Frankfurt School Theorists remained prodductive. They devoted considerable effort, for example, to the critical analysis of Nazi culture and the way it undermined and perverted high culture. In their view, Nazism grounded on a phony, artificially constructed folk culture that had been cynically created and manipulated by Hitler and his propagandists. 27 Nazism helped them envision the Germany they longed to see – a unified, proud ation with a long history of achievement and a glorious future. As they rose to power, the Nazis replaced high culture with their pseudofolk culture and discredited important forms of high culture, especially those created by Jews. 8 DEVELOPMENT OF NEOMARXIST THEORY IN BRITAIN: Dunng the 1960s and 1970s , two important schools of neomarxist theory emerged in Great Britain. British Cultural studies and political economy theory. British cultural studies combines neomarxist theory with ideas and research methods derived from diverse sources including literary criticism, linguistics, anthropology, and h istory. This theory has attempted to trace historic elite domination over culture, to criticize the 29 – social consequence of this domination and to demonstrate how it continues to be exercised over specific minority groups or subcultures. British cultural studies criticizes and contrasts elite notions of culture, including high culture, with popular, every day forms practiced by minorities. The superiority of all forms of elite culture including high culture is challenged and compared with useful, valuable forms of popular culture. Hermeneutic attention is shifted from the study of elite cultural rtifacts to the study of minority grouped â€Å"Lived culture. † 30 Graham Murdock(1989) traced the rise of British cultural studies during the 1950s and 1960s. Most important theorists came from the lower social classes that were the focus of the movies. The British cultural studies critique of high culture and ideology was an explicit rejection of what its proponents saw as alien forms of culture imposed on minorities. They defended indigenous forms of popular culture as legitimate expressions of minority groups/ A dominant early theorist was Raymond Williams, a literary scholar who achieved 31 Notoriety with his reappraisals of cultural development in England. William’s ideas were viewd with suspicion and skepticism by many of his colleagues at Cambridge University. Toward the end of 1960s and into the 1970s, Williams turned his attention to mass media. He was more broadly concerned with issues of cultural change and development as well as elite domination ot culture. 3 – repackaged as popular, mass media content. If there were to be genuine progress, he felt, it would have to come through significant reform of social institutions. The first important school of cultural studies theorists was formed at the University of Birmingham, during the 1960s and was led by Stuart Hall. Hall (1982) was especially influential in directing several analyses of mass media that directly challenge limited effects notions and in introducing innovative alternatives. Building on ideas developed by Jurgen Habermas(1971 , 1989) and Williams, Hall argued that mass media liberal -democracies can be best understood as a pluralistic public forum in which various forces struggle to shape popular notions about social reality. Pluralistic Public Forum: In critical theory, the idea that media provide a place where the power of dominant lite can be challenged. British Cultural Studies: Strengths: 1 . Asserts value of popular culture 2. Empowers â€Å"Common Man† 34 3. Empowers minorities and values their culture. 4. Stresses cultural pluralism and egalitarianism. Weaknesses: 1. Is too political; call to action is to subjective 2. Typically lacks scientific verification; is based on subjective observation. 3. When subjected to scientific verification, often employs innovative but controversial research methods. 35 Unlike traditional Marxists, Hall did not argue that elites can maintain complete control over this forum. In his view, elites don’t need that power to advance their interests. The culture expressed in this forum is not a mere superficial reflection of the superstructure but is instead a dynamic creation of opposing groups.

IPT Marketing

As a consumer-focused company, It’s Popcorn Time! (IPT) will be joining the ranks of such organizations as Nike, Diageo/Guinness (a liquor distributor), AAA, and Ford Motor Company. What this means is simply that IPT will go forward with marketing strategies that are designed to serve the customers, anticipate their needs and deliver value through the distribution of a quality product. Through the use of segmenting, targeting, positioning, and differentiation, IPT will be utilizing the same strategies major corporations do and develop a plan which focuses on reaching its consumers. Ford Motor Company rolled out a new consumer-focused marketing strategy in 2000 to allow them to interact with their customers. In doing so, they were able to determine the consumers’ expectations for the vehicles they purchased and follow up with them afterward to ensure their needs had been met when they purchased a Ford product. Nike used marketing strategies to identify key geographical areas which promised the greatest growth for the company, then divided the areas into segments in order to effectively target the new consumer bases. The first step is determining the boundaries of IPT’s market and then segmenting it. Currently IPT, enjoys a strong local consumer base which can be divided into retail and wholesale segments. As physical expansion occurs, market segments will need to be further differentiated with the inclusion of customers throughout the United States and Canada. In addition to this geographical segmentation, using psychographic criterion will identify further segments, such as those who are health-conscious. Targeting involves deciding which of our market segments are most beneficial to IPT’s bottom line and using appropriate marketing materials to reach this customer base. For example, IPT currently sells to wholesale accounts who purchase products at a reduced price but distribute them to a wider population. Consequently, the wholesale market will remain an important aspect of reaching future sales goals. Popcorn and pretzels can target the health-conscious segment by marketing their low fat, low sugar and low caloric composition. Positioning IPT in the market will consist of developing a distinctive brand image that focuses on the quality of its offerings. By focusing on the quality, variety, and uniqueness of products in addition to IPT’s superior customer service standards, IPT will create its position in the market to more effectively target market segments and reduce the threat of competition. What makes IPT different from other food products companies? It is the ease of ordering, which will be further enhanced by the creation of a point-of-sale website, the types of products, showcased by â€Å"Pennsylvania Dutch† treats, and the delivery of service which conforms to, or exceeds, customer expectation. IPT’s products are distinctive and tasty. They are not the cheapest nor most expensive on the market due to the quality ingredients used and this will differentiate IPT from other, more mainstream companies as well as â€Å"gourmet† foods distributors. As part of targeting, positioning and differentiation the following strategies will be employed: 1) Advertising – Develop an innovative campaign for introduction of new products and the expansion of the company’s core portfolio of pretzels and popcorn through advertising in traditional media as well as creation of the website. 2) Sales promotion – to include an aggressive sales blitz with managers handing out catalogs, coupons and samples. Marketing materials will be carefully developed to target both retail and wholesale segments. 3) Public relations – IPT must be visible in the community, particularly in those geographic areas which are new markets, through the use of local newspaper advertising, sponsorships and promotional events. 4) Customer Relationship Management – CRM practices will be instituted to retain existing clients as well as create a forum for testing the introduction of new products. Works Cited â€Å"Ford Motor Company Announces Consumer-Focused Organization for the 21st Century†. Ford Motor Company Press Releases. Retrieved January 15, 2008 â€Å"Nike Promotions Create Consumer-Focused Structure† (August, 2006). Display and Design Ideas. Retrieved January 15, 2008. Schewe, Charles D. â€Å"Segmenting, Targeting, and Positioning – Cornerstones of Marketing Management†. University of Massachusetts. Retrieved January 15, 2008

According to Seamus Deane Essay

According to Seamus Deane, Translations is a play about â€Å"the tragedy of English Imperialism†. How far would you agree with this statement in relation to both Translations and Heart of Darkness? INTRO Although the location, language and structure of Brian Friel’s Translations differs unmistakably from that of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, the topic of colonisation remains central to both. While the supposed sophistication of ‘civilised’ colonists is deconstructed in Conrad’s novella to reveal man’s common ‘darkness’, Friel’s play deals with the ways in which the consciousness of an entire culture is fractured by the transcription of one landscape (Gaelic, classical and traditional) for another (Anglo-Saxon, progressive and Imperialistic). 1 Friel uses the apparently passive plotting of an Ordnance Survey map to emphasise the loss of indigenous Irish tradition, social history and heritage felt by the natives of County Donegal in Ireland. The translation of the place-names automatically eliminates the secrets buried within the original name; it distorts rather than restores the ontological nature of the place-name. Friel uses Owen to expose the Imperialist outlook on ‘standardisation’ during his battle with Yolland over â€Å"Tobair Vree†: He begins a long discourse on how Tobair Vree came to acquire its name, identifying a well that once existed nearby and has long since dried up, with â€Å"Vree† an erosion of the Irish â€Å"Brian†. He then asks Yolland: â€Å"do we keep piety with a man long dead, long forgotten, his name eroded beyond recognition, whose trivial little story nobody in the parish remembers? † Even as he attempts to demonstrate the invalidity of ‘Tobair Vree’ as rightful place-name through its seemingly illogical associations, Owen contradicts his own argument. The reality that Owen himself remembers the tale behind the name reinstates the fact that as insignificant as this narrative may be to him, it remains the carrier of history and memories, both public and private. The name not only retells the anecdote which defined ‘Brian’s Well’, but also evokes Owen’s memories of his grandfather. The Irish place-names had developed into historical, cultural and social storehouses through their varied associations and values. The reduction of such ontological knowledge to an epistemological referent through colonial dispossession therefore reduces identity in â€Å"an eviction of sorts†. 2 The destructive force of English Imperialism is echoed in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and is revealed to us through Marlow’s portrayal of the Africans he encounters and the treatment they are subject to. Forced to work under the conditions of European mechanical labour, the natives acquired expressions of the â€Å"deathlike indifference of unhappy savages† as they became reduced to â€Å"nothing but black shadows of disease and starvation†. The â€Å"civilised† colonists place the â€Å"savages† in chain gangs, enslaving them; eliminating their identities and breaking their spirit as a people. Throughout the entire novel we, the reader do not learn a single of the Africans’ names. They are collectively labelled â€Å"niggers†, â€Å"creatures†, â€Å"rebels†, â€Å"savages†, â€Å"enemies†, â€Å"ants† and â€Å"criminals† by the colonisers. Even the individual natives Marlow speaks of remain unnamed, distant and alien. This is exposed through the portrayal of the helmsman; although Marlow shared with him â€Å"a kind of partnership†, he is nevertheless reduced and objectified as merely â€Å"an instrument†. Conrad discloses the dying identity of the Congo’s indigenous inhabitants through Marlow’s initial observation of the â€Å"blind, white flicker †¦ which died out slowly† in their â€Å"enormous and vacant† eyes. 3 Friel illustrates Imperialism’s effect on identity unequivocally in his play through the function of Sarah. â€Å"My name is Sarah†. Unable to speak her own name previously, Sarah’s identity finally emerges and begins to flower. Language is demonstrated to be the key to memory; identity is formulated through language. Through Sarah’s speech, a hidden landscape of consciousness has been unlocked by Manus, ready to be explored. Sarah’s name is crucial in her self-definition and identity, just as with the names of places; her name encapsulates not only an identity, but also an origin and a lineage. Sarah blurts out â€Å"Sarah Johnny Sally† to Owen when asked her name, thus providing not only her Christian name but in addition those of her parents. Owen does not hesitate to reply â€Å"Of course! From Bun na hAbhann! † and complete this marker of the clan. He responds furthermore with his own identity, parentage and place of origin: â€Å"I’m Owen – Owen Hugh Mor. From Baile Beag. † Irish names in Translations quickly become linked not only with identification of an entity, but also with the narrative history associated with that identity through lineage and society. While Friel insists that â€Å"the play is about language and only language†, the fact that Sarah is silenced again by the colonisers could represent the suppressive and inconsiderate treatment imposed on the Irish people by the English Imperialists, denying them their freedom of expression and thus their right to an identity. 4 Conrad mirrors Sarah’s silence and consequent absence of identity in Heart of Darkness through his creation of Kurtz’s mistress who although described as â€Å"superb, wild-eyed and magnificent† in â€Å"her deliberate progress†, reveals the suffering she has endured under colonial domination through her visibly â€Å"wild sorrow† and â€Å"fear of some struggling, half-shaped resolve†. Her â€Å"formidable silence† contrasts wholly with Kurtz’s â€Å"ability to talk†. As a musician, politician, poet and humanitarian his â€Å"inextinguishable gift of noble and lofty expression† is equated with political power, thus giving Kurtz â€Å"a sense of real presence† which is evidently lacking amongst the native Africans who have become disassociated from their past, their origins and their control over the future. Their only capability in expressing themselves is through their appearance of â€Å"dumb pain†. Exactly like Friel’s natives, the original inhabitants of the Congo are â€Å"imprisoned in a linguistic contour which no longer matches the landscape of†¦ fact†.

Economics †Frictional and Structural Unemployment Essay

This assignment mainly compares and contrasts the two broad categories of unemployment which are Structural and Frictional unemployment. The type of unemployment which has a greater impact on economy will also be identified and the reasons for this phenomenon will also be discussed. Frictional Unemployment The short term unemployment in an economy refers to frictional unemployment which is present due to normal market adjustments. The factors contributing to the hindrances of employment in frictional unemployment are business adjustments, imperfections of market information that are imperfect or the individual’s preferences for employment are much higher than available. Those people are frictionally unemployed who do not have jobs in the market with wages of current market level; these jobs are within reasonable reach and are suited to their skills (Gilpatrick, 1966). However, this type of unemployment is not long-term. Frictional unemployment can be removed without any increase in aggregate demand and in a short period of time. There are jobs available for those who are unemployed, under this type of unemployment, but the workers are not aware of other opportunities, they require time to readjust to business changes or they choose to wait for other job opportunities. The assumptions of frictional unemployment are that labor productivity, state of technology and the skills of labor force remain constant in the short term (Gilpatrick, 1966). Structural Unemployment Structural unemployment occurs because of the structural changes in the economy or the business processes of the related businesses. This type of unemployment is encountered in the long run and sometimes could arise without any changes in the demand. The composition of final demand, technological advancements and shifts in the locations of industries are the main structural shifts that affect the labor and skill requirement. If the labor force is capable of adapting to the new environment, there will be no problems. Those who are not able to adapt, they get unemployed because either their skills are no longer required in the industry or their skills are non-transferable to other occupations (Gilpatrick, 1966). The basic changes responsible for structural unemployment are in final demand of product mix and in technology. However, when there is exhaustion of resources locally, the industries can move out to other geographical regions which cause structural unemployment. When there is a change in technology, no increase in skills of the labor will provide employment for those who were displaced. Those who do not have the skills required to get employed are said to be structurally unemployed (Gilpatrick, 1966). Differences between the Two Types of Unemployment The key difference in the two type of unemployment is that in the structural unemployment, the unemployment is caused by the mismatch of specific labor skills supply and demand, whereas in frictional unemployment, there is no such mismatch. Another key difference is that the structural unemployment is long term whereas the frictional unemployment takes only a short period to get eliminated, given other things constant. Impact on Economy Structural unemployment has a higher impact on the economy as this type of unemployment can trigger a higher level of inflation when the demand of the products gets higher. The structural unemployment can get the industries disappear from the economy which are no longer require or if the labor does not have the skills required. This is a long term unemployment which also increases the impact as the unemployed labor does not contribute to the economy. Frictional unemployment on the other hand is a short term phenomenon which is eliminated in a short period of time. This is not as bad for the economy as the skills required in the industry are present with the workers and they will find their desired work shortly. References Gilpatrick, E. (1966). ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF UNEMPLOYMENT: A VIEW OF THE STRUCTURAL-INADEQUATE DEMAND DEBATE. Industrial & Labor Relations Review, 19(2), 201-212. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database.