Globalisation in Terms of Social and Economic Trends Free Essays

Globalisation is not a single phenomenon. It has become a catch-all concept to describe a range of trends and forces changing the social and economic structures of the world. Globalisation may be defined as ‘becoming or making world-wide†, but it has also been referred to as Westernisation. We will write a custom essay sample on Globalisation in Terms of Social and Economic Trends or any similar topic only for you Order Now Globalisation as argued by Professor Ruud Lubbers, former Prime Minister of the Netherlands, is considered to have a number of distinct elements to it, which include Economic, Technological, Political, Cultural and Environmental. Economically, greater world integration or globalisation has been greatly encouraged since the Second World War, with the introduction of free trade agreements such as GATT (General Agreement on Tariff†s and Trade). Additionally, regional trade agreements have also been developed, which have included ‘single markets† established by the European Community and NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement). Technologically, the IT revolution has provided a massive improvements in our ability to store and manipulate data using ever more powerful computers. More important however, is the communication abilities of these computers. The Communications Revolution has resulted in the ‘shrinking† of the world. Politically, it was not until the collapse of the former Soviet Block in the late 1980†³s and the general acceptance of the free market (deregulation) and democracy, coupled with the emergence of the ‘Tiger† economies of the Pacific Rim, that the term globalisation has taken on true significance. Culturally, there has been a spreading of Westernisation, or perhaps more accurately Americanisation through the media of films, television and music. Following the Second World War, the USA fearing the rise of communism, actively encouraged and subsidised the world-wide distribution of films effectively advertising (if only subliminally) the benefits of capitalism and the American Dream. As a consequence to the dilution of cultures, France for example has since introduced legislation requiring radio stations to play a minimum of 40% of music originating from or sung in French. Environmental problems are increasingly becoming global problems. Therefore, countries are no longer able to look at environmental issues in isolation. This has been dramatically illustrated for example by the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl, the depletion of the ozone layer and acid rain over Scandinavia. Countries now need to act collectively (as per the Rio Conference) for there to be any chance of reversing or just slowing the damage being caused to the environment. Globalisation of the economy has not been based purely on free trade but also on the free movement of capital. This has promoted direct foreign investments from one country into another (e.g. massive Japanese investment into the EU, especially the UK) which has had a strong influence on the globalisation of the national economies. As an economic phenomenon, globalisation has resulted in a shift away from a world of distinct national economies to a global economy in which production is distributed internationally and finance is able to flow freely and instantly between countries. Multinational businesses have vast economic powers, whilst institutional investors and financial gurus such as George Soros are capable of influencing the currency rates, economic policies, and interest rates of individual nation states (e.g. September 1992, the UK was forced to leave the European Exchange Rate Mechanism). The framework of rules within which economic activity takes place is increasingly defined within the international framework of organisations such as the WTO (World Trade Organisation), the IMF (International Monetary Fund), the World Bank, the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) and G7-8 summits, together with the regional trading blocks such as the European Union and NAFTA. Globalisation is arguably both a cause and a consequence of the information revolution. It is driven by dramatic improvements in telecommunications, exponential increases in computing power coupled with lower costs, and the development of electronic communications and information networks such as the Internet. These communications technologies are helping to overcome the barriers of physical distance. Communities of various types, including NGOs (Non-Government Organisations) which include international interest groups like Amnesty International or Greenpeace, as well as business and labour organisations, now function across national borders. Greenpeace is a prime example: the Shell Brent Spar case illustrated the ability of such internationally organised interest groups to successfully exert commercial and political pressure in multiple countries simultaneously. In turn, social policies affecting individual citizens are becoming more sensitive to international influences, especially when highlighted by the global news media. While globalisation is transferring numerous decisions to the international arena, political and constitutional reforms in many countries involve attempts to decentralise decision-making from central government to more regionally autonomous authorities to cater for a sense of ‘local† identity (e.g. new Labour polices on devolution for Scotland and Wales). These trends appear contradictory, but in practice they are causing the development of new multi-level policy systems. Consequently, borders are becoming increasingly difficult for governments to define and maintain. Therefore, national governments are being forced to redefine their roles, responsibilities and policy relationships. In the same way, multinational companies will find that they will not only have to deal with global trends but also the local laws and customs of their intended markets and manufacturing centres. Globalisation has raised fears that the sovereignty of nation states is being undermined. If sovereignty can be defined as the ability to exercise control without outside interference, then nation states are clearly experiencing diminishing sovereignty. Governments must recognise and work on the assumption that most issues they are required to deal with are affected by or will affect to some extent the international competitiveness of the country. Governments’ own responses to globalisation or the search for joint solutions to global problems have further effects upon sovereignty. Participation in international organisations or the adoption of international agreements puts limits on policy options available to governments. This may even require modifications to long-standing domestic policies and practices. Interdependence is narrowing the degree of domestic policy independence. Unilateral action may not be the most effective way to achieve policy goals. For example, the exploitation of resources such as fisheries would inevitably result in the severe depletion, if not destruction, of common stocks (European Common Fisheries Policy) . Many other important policy goals cannot be met by governments acting alone. In combating environmental problems and international crime etc, the interests of individual nations, therefore, may only be protected by collective action. The competition for international investment encouraged by the activities and mobility of multinational enterprises means that most traditional domestic policies such as education and training, taxation, social protection, economic regulation and labour legislation have become international. Even a nation’s domestic management policy is a matter of great concern to its trading rivals, because this will ultimately affect a country†s efficiency and consequently its competitiveness. Government policies must increasingly be made more consistent with or competitive against those of their main trading rivals. This was highlighted by Britain†s decision to opt out of the Social Chapter of the Maastricht Treaty. Monetary and fiscal policy decisions can no longer be taken on the basis of exclusively domestic considerations. Currently more than 10 times the amount of finance needed to support the current volume of world trade, is traded daily on the world currency markets. This means that 90 per cent of that activity could be seen as pure currency speculation. This is far in excess of what central banks can hope to influence through their own interventions, especially in the absence of any joint action. In recent years, the Labour Party in the UK, after four successive election defeats has gradually moved its economic policy broadly in line with that of the current Government. This may be seen as an attempt to gain credibility with the UK electorate but perhaps most importantly, to gain credibility with the International Money Markets which will have the opportunity of voting with their funds! The improvement of communications this century from sailing ship to satellite has contributed directly to the globalisation of the world†s economies and political systems. Technological globalisation of Information Technology has moved across cultural and physical barriers, effectively eliminating the capacity of countries (however draconian) to isolate themselves from the world outside. Despite this, Iran has recently banned the use of satellite television, but control will be difficult, if not impossible, to achieve because the information revolution which has also provided e-mail and the Internet has democratised information. It may seem nonsensical for the need to obtain a visa to physically visit someone to whom you are able to talk to electronically on a daily basis. The result is that free speech and civil liberties are becoming increasingly international. Borders will no longer act as boundaries, especially with respect to information (IT has effectively eliminated the capacity of countries to keep out foreign influences, good or bad) and the flow of finance and crime. Therefore, numerous problems can only be tackled in collaboration with other countries. Ultimately, the goal of globalisation is to achieve a world economy reaping the benefits of additional trade and, consequently, mutual dependency (no two countries with a MacDonalds franchise have ever gone to war with each other!), therefore creating more jobs and prosperity for the participating countries. However, some such as Martin Khor, an economist and director of the NGO Third World Network, believe that free trade within a global market will polarise the poorer countries from the richer nations still further. According to some estimates, the industrialised countries, which make up 20% of the GATT membership, will gain 70% of the additional income arising from the implementation of the Uruguay Round of GATT. The globalisation of trade finance and information is perhaps the tip of the globalisation iceberg. The challenge to governments may be made more acute by a host of other internationalisation†s under-way, which include areas such as crime and population movement (economic refugees). Even if it is considered by some to be less than desirable, the increasing globalisation of the world seems unavoidable. In the long term, little may be gained by nation states resisting the impacts of globalisation, which may ultimately prove to be ineffective and counter-productive. To conclude, the ever-improving technology and consequently communications available to businesses, have enabled the creation of a global economy of production and finance, enabling industry to make use of territorial divisions, playing one country or trade-block off against another to maximise subsidies, savings in taxes, avoidance of anti-pollution regulations and guarantees of political stability and favour. With this, a new political structure is emerging with national sovereignty being an ever-looser concept (illustrated by the gradual and continuing integration of individual nation states into the European Union), which is contributing to the emergence of a phenomenon described by Robert Cox as ‘macro-regionalism†. He considers there to be three macro-regions in the making: Europe based on the European Union; an Eastern Asian sphere centred around Japan; and a North American sphere centred around the USA and looking to embrace Latin America. Perhaps the emergence of these macro-regions is part of a natural evolution towards a truly global state? How to cite Globalisation in Terms of Social and Economic Trends, Essay examples

Comparison Paper of Child of the Americas by Aurora Levin Morales and What’s It Like to Be a Black Girl by Patricia Smith free essay sample

Running Heading: Comparison Paper of Child of the Americas and what it’s like to be a black girl. Comparison Paper of Child of the Americas and what it’s like to be a black girl. Patrice Moody ENG 125 Introductions to Literature Instructor: Duvan Arsola 08/09/2011 Comparison Paper of Child of the Americas by Aurora Levin Morales and what’s it like to be a Black Girl by Patricia Smith The literary works I will compare are â€Å"Child of the Americas† by Aurora Levin Morales and â€Å"What’s It like to be a Black Girl† by Patricia Smith. The works focus on the psyche of two women of African descent, plagued by the historical American public perceptions of their culture. These negative perceptions play an important part of the individual’s psyche due to prejudice. It has misconstrued and distorted the minds of these young African American girls. These poems show how two young girls from different American minority sub-cultures, view themselves in totally different perspectives. One of the young women wishes to identify with the culture and image of her African American ancestor’s slave owners; however the other wishes to embrace and celebrate her African Latino heritage. The poem, â€Å"What’s it like to be a Black Girl†, is a look into the mind of a black girl in a society that is fueled with racism and discrimination, both of race and gender. This person is transitioning from a young black girl into young black women and trying to accept her changing body. She has been taught to be ashamed of who she is, what she looks like, and where she comes from. She wants her features to look like those who are accepted in society. â€Å"It’s being 9 years old and feeling like you’re not finished,† writes Smith, â€Å"like your edges are wild, like there’s something, everything, wrong. (Smith, 4) What the poem is saying in this passage is this girl sees her body changing right in front of her eyes but she also sees herself as society sees her. She has been taught that what she looks like is wrong. When she says her edges are wild, she is talking about the changes her body is experiencing. The growth of her breasts and the area below that is starting to arouse her. She feels uncomfortable in her own skin. The society in which she lives is not willing to accept and embrace the person’s color. Poetry Explication An explanation in its purest form of â€Å"What it’s like to be a Black Girl (for those of you who aren’t)† by Patricia Smith, is just that, an explanation. From the first three syllables â€Å"First of all,† the author gives a sense of a story being told. She uses jagged sentence structure and strong forceful language to also show the reader the seriousness of her topic. Smiths poem gives the audience an insider’s view into a young black girl’s transition into black woman-hood at a time where both being a black girl and a black woman was not as Welch. Puberty is usually defined by the biological changes a young boy or girl’s body undertakes around the age of 9 up until about 14. â€Å"It’s being 9 years old and feeling like You’re not finished,† writes Smith, â€Å"like your edges are wild, like there’s something, everything, wrong. † (Smith, 4) These thoughts have run around the minds of almost every puberty stricken youngster. However, Smiths subject seems to also have the added pressures of a racially jagged society. This â€Å"black girl† she refers to in her poem is feeling the awkwardness of her newly changing body and the hope of something different and maybe better to come. The poem tells the story of a young black girl exploring and experiencing what it is to become a black woman in her changing social circle. â€Å"It’s dropping food coloring in your eyes to make them blue and suffering their burn in silence. It’s popping a bleached white mop head over the kinks of your hair and primping in front of the mirrors that deny your reflection. † (Smith, 9) The food coloring in her eyes, and the bleaching of her hair can only symbolize her need to grow into the more â€Å"accepted† form of society, the white skinned, blue eyed, blonde haired men and women of the 1950’s. Where for her, â€Å"it’s flame and fists and life according to Motown† (Smith, 17) meaning the sights and sounds of racial slurs and fighting, along with the rhythmic blues of Motown music. Just the transition of going from a girl to a woman is hard enough, without the added pressures of being accepted due to your hair, color of skin, and taste in music. Between â€Å"jumping double Dutch until your legs pop† and â€Å"growing tall and wearing a lot of white† (Smith, 14) the author also tells us how a young black girl tries to balance her newly formed body, with her still child-like mentality. Part of every young girl’s passage into woman hood includes a great white gown, which she wears on her wedding day. On that day, when she’s joined with a man, a chapter ends and a new one begins. Smith writes about â€Å"having a man reach out for you and caving in around his fingers† which gives the reader and inside look at the submissive mentality women were faced with during that era. Finally, this young black girl is now a woman. Throughout the poem the author has helped us to understand the transition from black girl to black woman. With Smiths’ attention to detail, â€Å"feeling like you’re not finished† (Smith, 2) and â€Å"growing tall and wearing a lot of white† (Smith, 14) the reader is able to follow the incredible changes, both biological and psychological. How did young black women feel toward the mid-1960? What sort of things did young girls think about during that period of change and progression? These, among others, are just some of the answered Smith explained in her poem. The explication or story is simply this: A young black girl’s exploration and experiences while becoming a grown black woman in an era of racial uncertainty

Shania Woodard Essays - Digital Media, Human Behavior, Mass Media

Shania Woodard ENGL1133 Comp ll Professor Dixon July 10, 2018 Argumentative Essay Are Rolex Watches trendy? Rolex watch give the feel of luxury status about someone way of life and taste. A Rolex watch is like being rewarded with a prize except it not FREE! Being a company that makes up all its own parts, it a historic watchmaker that work so well on design, it easy to fix and highly reliable. Rolex watches are one of the furthermost appeal luxury brands and making sure to keep its reputation on lock. On the other hand, others feel it is a massive waste of money, the design is stale, and they most likely fo r old men. Rolex has advanced from keeping its product as simple as possible with a consistent method. From basic luxury models to diamond-encrusted gold watches, Rolex holds a much more value than a mere timepiece. Is Social Media Good or Bad? Social media had been the new development concept in our daily lives so much that it used, and its effects had put a toad on the world. Some tend to focus on the negative outcome, while others try to get the positive impact on people using the social media. Social media had the incredible potential for connecting, flourishing, and developing a personal network for people daily lives. As for my perspective, social media is immensely tool becoming attached to the media and staying on Twitter can destroy someone life. After looking back, I realize that social media will not always be satisfied these needs of those who wish upon a lifestyle like other. It is immersing into our lives in a way this network had changed the society; physically, mentally, and emotionally. Don't Drink Drive Drinking and driving has become a dramatically problem in America . The number of irrational driving die each year d ue to alcohol , cause put themselves in danger as well the people surround them. Why would a person so intoxicant want to put his/her life in danger? Most accidents are teen alcohol related, and many teens lose their lives in these accidents. P eople died in drunk driving crashes every 50 minutes or so . D rinking and driving is not right ! It is not worth the consequences, of taking someone else life even in a conscious mind zone. For solution every person for drinking and driving get caught should serve 30 days in jail. Is drinking and driving worth the life risk? Is the life of an innocents' person worth risking entire future upon? We as human need to do better in our communities to make sure innocent lives are at free risk. Do not DRINK and DRIVE people! Are we beginning to depend too much on technology? As the 21 centuries has progressed with the technology, can we still be determined in our future? Technology has been the essence of our daily lives, as it helps shape the future in society. Like education, medicine, industry, and transportation, technology has been a good use in most cases. But let not forget it can be a burden to other as it affects the society with negatively, weaken the relationship with family, becoming lazier, and weakening memories of people. Although technology has its downside, it has made a tremendous impact in the world. We just have to make sure technology does not over control us!

Biography of Clarence Darrow, Legendary Attorney

Biography of Clarence Darrow, Legendary Attorney Clarence Darrow became the most famous defense lawyer in early 20th century America by taking on cases considered hopeless and emerging as a leading voice for civil liberties. Among his celebrated cases was the defense of John Scopes, the Tennessee teacher prosecuted in 1925 for teaching about the theory of evolution, and the defense of Leopold and Loeb, two wealthy students who killed a neighbor boy for the thrill of it. Darrows legal career was utterly ordinary until he became involved in advocating for labor activists in the 1890s. Before long he would become nationally known as a crusader for justice, often speaking out against capital punishment. His obituary in the New York Time in 1938 noted that he had defended the accused in â€Å"a hundred or more murder trials, no client of his had ever died on the gallows or in the electric chair.† That was not entirely accurate, but it underscores Darrows legendary reputation. Fast Facts: Clarence Darrow Known For: Famous defense attorney who often won cases thought to be hopeless.Notable Cases: Leopold and Loeb, 1924; the Scopes Monkey Trial, 1925.Born: April 18, 1857, near Kinsman, OhioDied: March 13, 1938, age 80, Chicago, IllinoisSpouses: Jessie Ohl (m. 1880-1897) and Ruby Hammerstrom (m. 1903)Children: Paul Edward DarrowEducation: Allegheny College and University of Michigan Law SchoolInteresting Fact: Darrow claimed to believe in personal liberty, the abolition of capital punishment, and the improvement of labor conditions. Early Life Clarence Darrow was born April 18, 1857, in Farmdale, Ohio. After attending public schools in Ohio, young Darrow worked as a farm hand and decided the labor of the farm was not for him. He studied for a year Allegheny College in Pennsylvania before attending the University of Michigan law school for a year. His education was not impressive by modern standards, but it qualified him to read law for a year with a local lawyer in Ohio, which was a common method of becoming an attorney at the time. Darrow became a member of the Ohio bar in 1878, and for the next decade he embarked on a fairly typical career for a lawyer in small town America. In 1887, hoping to take on more interesting work, Darrow moved to Chicago. In the big city he worked as a civil lawyer, pursuing ordinary legal tasks. He took on work as a counsel for the city, and in the early 1890s he worked as a corporate counsel for the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad. In 1894 Darrow’s life took a significant turn when he began defending legendary labor activist Eugene V. Debs, who was fighting an injunction against him for leading a strike against the Pullman company. Darrow was ultimately not successful in his defense of Debs. But his exposure to Debs and the labor movement gave him new direction in life. Crusader for Justice Beginning in the mid-1890s, Darrow began taking on cases that appealed to his sense of justice. He was generally successful, for what he lacked in education and prestige he made up with his ability to speak plainly but dramatically in front of juries and judges. His courtroom suits were always rumpled, apparently by design. He portrayed himself as a common man seeking justice, though often armed with cunning legal strategies. Darrow became known for sharp cross-examinations of witnesses, and as he championed those he considered oppressed, he would often introduce novel concepts from the emerging field of criminology. In 1894 Darrow defended Eugene Prendergast, a drifter who killed the mayor of Chicago, Carter Harrison, and then walked into a police station and confessed. Darrow raised an insanity defense, but Prendergast was convicted and sentenced to death. He was the first and last of Darrows clients to be executed. The Haywood Case One of Darrows most notable cases came in 1907, when the former governor of Idaho, a supporter of the mining industry, was killed in a bombing. Detectives from the Pinkerton agency apprehended officials of the Western Federation of Miners (part of the Industrial Workers of the World) including the unions president, William Big Bill Haywood. Charged with conspiracy to commit murder, Haywood and others were to go on trial in Boise, Idaho. Darrow was retained for the defense and deftly destroyed the prosecutions case. Under Darrows cross-examination, the actual perpetrator of the bombing admitted he had acted alone as a matter of personal vengeance. He had been pressured to implicate the labor leaders by the prosecutors in the case. Darrow gave a summation which amounted to a profound defense of the labor movement. Haywood and the others were acquitted, and Darrows performance cemented his position as a defender of the common man against money interests. Leopold and Loeb Darrow was on the front pages of newspapers across American in 1924 when he defended Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb. The two were college students from wealthy families who confessed to a shocking crime, the murder of a 14-year-old neighbor boy, Robert Franks. Leopold and Loeb became figures of public fascination as they told detectives they had committed the kidnapping and murder of a random boy for the adventure of perpetrating the perfect crime. Seated left to right, Nathan Leopold, Jr., attorney Clarence Darrow and Richard Loeb. The boys were found guilty of the murder and kidnapping and Bobby Franks.    The families of Leopold and Loeb approached Darrow, who at first resisted taking the case. He was certain they would be convicted, and he had no doubt they had committed the murder. But he took on the case as he was opposed to capital punishment, and his goal would be to save them from what seemed to be certain execution by hanging. Darrow requested that the case be heard by a judge without a jury. The judge in the case agreed. Darrow’s strategy was not to argue about their guilt, which was certain. And as they had been judged sane, he couldn’t argue an insanity defense. He tried something novel, which was to argue that the two young men were mentally diseased. Darrow called expert witnesses to advance psychiatric theories. The witness, known at the time as alienists, claimed the young men had mental problems related to their upbringings which were mitigating factors in the crime. The appeal for mercy posed by Darrow eventually succeeded. After deliberating for ten days, the judge sentenced Leopold and Loeb to sentences of life plus 99 years. (Loeb was killed in prison by another inmate in 1934. Leopold was eventually paroled in 1958 and died in Puerto Rico in 1971.) The judge in the case told the press that he was moved to show mercy by the age of the defendants and not by the psychiatric evidence. However, the case was considered by the public to be a triumph for Darrow. The Scopes Trial Darrow was a religious agnostic and was particularly opposed to religious fundamentalism. So the defense of John Scopes, the schoolteacher from Dayton, Tennessee, prosecuted for teaching about Darwin’s Theory of Evolution naturally appealed to him. American lawyers Clarence Darrow (1857-1938) and William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925) at the Scopes Trial. Heritage Images / Getty Images The case arose when the 24-year-old Scopes, teaching in a local public high school, included mentions of Darwin’s ideas in the curriculum. By doing so he violated a Tennessee law, the Butler Act, and he was charged. William Jennings Bryan, one of most prominent Americans in politics for decades, entered the case as the prosecuting attorney. On one level, the case was simply about whether Scopes had violated the local law. But when Darrow came into the case, the proceedings became nationally known, and the case was dubbed The Monkey Trial in the sensationalist press. A split in American society in the 1920s, between religious conservatives and progressives advocating science, became the focus of the courtroom drama. Newspaper reporters, including the legendary journalist and social critic H.L. Mencken, flooded into the town of Dayton, Tennessee, for the trial. News dispatches went out via telegraph, and even reporters in the new medium of radio relayed the proceedings to listeners around the country. The highlight of the trial occurred when Bryan, claiming to be an authority on Biblical teachings, took the witness stand. He was cross-examined by Darrow. Reports of the encounter stressed how Darrow had humbled Bryan by getting him to admit to a literal interpretation of the Bible. A headline in the Washington Evening Star proclaimed: Eve Made of Rib, Jonah Swallowed by Fish, Bryan Declares In Sensational Cross-Examination of Bible Beliefs By Darrow. The legal result of the trial was actually a loss for Darrow’s client. Scopes was found guilty and fined $100. However, to many observers, including H.L. Mencken, Darrow was considered to have won a victory in the sense of having shown to the nation at large the ludicrous nature of fundamentalism. Later Career Besides his busy legal practice, Darrow published a number of books, including Crime: Its Cause and Treatment, published in 1922, dealing with Darrows belief that crime was caused by factors impacting a persons life. He also wrote an autobiography published in 1932. In 1934, President Franklin Roosevelt appointed the elderly Darrow to a post in the federal government, assigned to correct legal problems with the National Recovery Act (a part of the New Deal). Darrows work was considered successful. One of his last jobs was to serve on a commission studying the threat arising in Europe, and he issued a warning about the danger of Hitler. Darrow died in Chicago on March 13, 1938. His funeral was attended by many members of the public, and he was eulogized as a tireless crusader for justice. Sources: Clarence Seward Darrow. Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2nd ed., vol. 4, Gale, 2004, pp. 396-397. Gale Virtual Reference Library.Scopes Monkey Trial. Gale Encyclopedia of American Law, edited by Donna Batten, 3rd ed., vol. 9, Gale, 2010, pp. 38-40. Gale Virtual Reference Library.Darrow, Clarence. Crime and Punishment in America Reference Library, edited by Richard C. Hanes, et al., vol. 4: Primary Sources, UXL, 2005, pp. 118-130. Gale Virtual Reference Library.

Japanese Immigration to Hawaii Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Japanese Immigration to Hawaii - Essay Example He initially called the group of islands as Sandwich Islands. Hawaii has abundant tropical vegetation, beautiful beaches and volcanic mountains. The main agriculture in Hawaii includes Sugar cane, pineapples, orchids, and flowers. The main plantation work in early Hawaii was in the sugar cane field. Hawaii is located 2,397 miles west-southwest of San Francisco. It is a chain of islands of about 1,523 miles. Due to their increase in political affairs and in the sugar production sector, Hawaii became a native kingdom in the nineteenth century. â€Å"The main islands of Hawaii ruled by independent chieftains were conquered and/or united by Kamehameha, the Great as a kingdom†. They began trading through the pacific having Hawaii as a center point for carrying provisions and other supplies. During this time, a new industry which came into existence was the sale of sandalwood in overseas markets, mainly in China. The sandalwood was cut from the flourishing Hawaiian forests. The Japa nese Entry Initially, the Japanese neither came to Hawaii islands as immigrants nor as settlers. They came as drifters on boats. They were either driven ashore in the Pacific Ocean or they were taken by sailing vessels on the seas. Hawaii is said to be the first kingdom which had maximum immigrants from Japan, there was a great transformation seen due to this prevalence of Japanese immigration. Hawaii was way behind transforming into an independent state when business men in Hawaii vigorously fixed Japanese as laborers to work in sugar cane fields (â€Å"Hawaii: Life in a Plantation Society,† n.d.). This was mainly because the Hawaiian people did not have an inclination toward working. They had the practice of working only when... One key concept that can be understood from the history of the Japanese immigration in Hawaii is the intensity of the role played by the working community in improving the political economy in Hawaii. The Japanese labor society in Hawaii proves the potential of the working class. This also gives an opportunity to the organizations to understand and be aware of the potential and importance that is given by the labor community. The nineteenth and twentieth centuries visualized the growth and awareness that the Japanese immigrant workers had. At each stage of their struggle they learnt to respond rightly to the owner community. It was between 1826 and 1850 that there were more thoughts which cropped up in the minds of political authorities in Hawaii to convert commoners into labor force to improve the economy of Hawaii. For the Japanese the entry into Hawaii and the problems that they faced in the inter relationships between the Japanese and the Americans proved to be an ultimate event. This gave birth to a new era in Hawaii. In Hawaii, the Japanese immigration and their settlement marked a time of compulsion in terms of both politics and social backgrounds. The Japanese were forced to live with a certain compulsion in Hawaii whether they were happy with it or not. The Hawaii was an American society where the Japanese could not expect any rewards or support for improving their Japanese culture. Annexation was one way which put forth limits on how the Japanese were treated by the Hawaii’s Americans in Hawaii. The end of the labor contract was seen as a trouble by many plantation owners in Hawaii.

Building evaluation for property Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Building evaluation for property - Assignment Example After the establishment and development of the housing schemes, then comes a major process of its sustainability and maintenance works. To understand and improve the lifespan of these houses we must look into the defects and their causes which affect the quality of these structures. Consequently we have to resolve these faults using alternative construction methods or usage of substitute materials. The majority of the problems occur in two phases of the constructions of the facilities which are the planning or design phase and the other is faulty construction. 1.2 Common residential building faults and causes According to the research made by Building Research Establishment(BRE) and in its report suggested the major faults which occur in the key building elements. The top five places of faults in the structure are external walls with a fault attribution percentage of 20%, second comes the Roofs with 19%, then windows and doors contributes 13% of the faults, then floors 11% and servic es 9%. Where as Sub-structure, Planning and layout and Internal partitions come down the list. Later according to same BRE Advisory Service (Trotman P) and based on its database of building defects its came to a conclusion that the five major building faults are Rain penetration with a magnitude of 22%, then comes Condensation with 17%, Cracking 16%, Detachment 13% and lastly Entrapped water with 6%. Whereas Flooring, Appearance/discolouration/surface defects and Rising damp are also included in the list. All the above data is being collected and analyzed by the building research establishment and the ministry of housing of Australian government. 1.3 Solutions to the major issues As mentioned earlier that the issues arise by certain processes and at particular points in the structure, mentioned as the â€Å"key building elements†. Now any approach to remedy these issues would be directly in accordance with the working and durability of these key building elements. As mentione d before the worst process that damages the building is the water or rain penetration, now the source can be any place where water gathers these areas mainly includes Roof, buried/concealed pipes, external walls, windows, bathrooms, kitchens and many other places( common drains, underground drains, etc). This discussion will also cover the entrapment of water as well, which is also considered to be a defect of large impact. The next target is the solution of the problem, which can be done by mainly two activities prevention from water leakage and effective drainage system. The first element we will cover is the roof, where firstly drainage is of vital importance which must be acquired by good workman ship in which a suitable gradient must be provided, appropriate type and adequate thickness of waterproofing material, overlapping of material at joints, upturn from boundary walls and downturn towards the drains. Then comes the next key element the external wall where the source of def ect are at sleeves, deep cracks, honey comb, holes due to sub standard concrete and faulty construction. Where as the solutions are filling the cracks with chemical injections and replacing with new water proofing mortar where unavoidable. Whereas the special paints and weather proofing

Mini Cooper: Expansion and Launch in India

Mini Cooper: Expansion and Launch in India THE PRODUCT: MINI COOPER IN INDIA INTRODUCTION: The Mini Cooper is a small car that was produced by the British Motor Corporation and its successors from 1959 until 2000. The original is considered an icon of the 1960s, and its space-saving front-wheel-drive layout that allowed 80% of the area of the cars floor pan to be used for passengers and luggage influenced a generation of car-makers. In 1999 the Mini was voted the second most influential car of the 20th Century, behind the Ford Model T[i]. This distinctive two-door car was designed for BMC by Sir Alec Issigonis. It was manufactured at the Long bridge and Cowley plants in England. The Mini Mark I had three major UK updates: the Mark II, the Clubman and the Mark III.The Mini Cooper is a sports car that was successful as rally cars, winning the Monte Carlo Rally four times from 1964 through to 1967. Initially Minis were marketed under the Austin and Morris names, as the Austin Seven and Morris Mini Minor, until Mini became a marquee in its own right in 1969. The Mini Cooper was again marketed under the Austin name in the 1980s. AWARDS AND POPULARITY: The Mini has won many awards over the years, perhaps the most notable includes: Car of the Century, Number One Classic Car of All Time and European Car of the Century. The Mini managed second place behind the Model T Ford for Global Car of the Century in that same poll. In the end 5.3 million Minis were sold, making it by far the most popular British car ever made. Thousands of these are still on the road, with the remaining pre-1980s versions being firmly established as collectors items. At its peak, the Mini was a strong seller in most of the countries where it was sold, with the United Kingdom inevitably receiving the highest volumes. It was a huge seller in the mini-car market. It was 16 years before the Mini received a serious threat to its sales success. INFORMATION ABOUT THE PRODUCTS: MINI HATCH: The new Mini First will be Minis most attractively-priced model on sale in India. Starting at just Rs.8, 76,000 OTR, and the Mini First offers customers the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a unique small premium car at an unbeatable price. Available only in Hatch form, the Mini First features the 1.4-litre petrol engine currently found in the Mini One, but with a power output of 75 hp. The frugal engine is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox as standard and great go-kart handling is ensured by the trademark sophisticated chassis of all Minis. A multi-link rear axle and independent front and rear suspension systems combine with Dynamic Stability Control to put a smile on the drivers face every time they get behind the wheel. SEGMENTING, TARGETING AND POSITIONING SEGMENTATION: refers to a marketing technique that targets a group of customers with specific characteristics. In the process of launching mini cooper in India the upper class people in the country are considered under segmentation. TARGETING: refers to the selection of a particular market towards which all marketing effort is directed. The targeted market for the mini cooper will be the young girls and the ladies sector in the country. POSITIONING: refers to the efforts of influencing a consumers perception of a brand or product relative to the perception of the competing brands or products. Its basic objective is to occupy a clear, advantageous and unique position in the minds of the consumers. With the help of newspapers, internet and hoardings the positioning will take place in the minds of consumers about the product. THE CONSUMERS: An individual who buys products or services for personal use and not for manufacture or resale. A consumer is someone who can make the decision whether or not to purchase an item at the store, and someone who can be influenced by marketing and advertisements. An official definition of consumer behaviour is The study of individuals, groups, or organizations and the processes they use to select, secure, use, and dispose of products, services, experiences, or ideas to satisfy needs and the impacts that these processes have on the consumer and society. Mini Cooper in India will be mostly preferred by the upper class people of the society. This is because of the cost of the product. As the cost is higher people would prefer to buy a bigger and luxury car instead of a small and sporty car. Those people who are more interested and knowledgeable in brands and values would be influenced to buy a Mini cooper in India. Mini cooper is recognized as a girly car all over the world. Mini cooper is a car of status and pride. The type of consumers who prefer a Mini cooper will be a consumer of status and pride. It a sporty car as well as a statement symbol of status. Consumers do not make their decision in a vacuum. Consumer purchases are influenced by four factors. They are as follows Cultural factors Social factors Personal factors Psychological factors. CULTURAL FACTORS: Culture is the part of the external influences that impact the consumer. That is, culture represents influences that are imposed on the consumer by other individuals. The definition of culture is That complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man person as a member of society Culture plays an important role in the buying behaviour of the consumers. As India s rich in culture and tradition, this factor acts as a major role in launching of Mini Cooper in India. As the product Mini Cooper is focused on the young girls and ladies of the society, their decisions are based on the family situations. Some women are not able to decide on their own products and services in India. They have to be depended on their family and society. SOCIAL FACTORS: A consumer may interact with several consumers before buying a product. They may be different type of groups like membership group and reference groups. Family decisions are also very important in choosing a product. Roles and status also play an important role in influencing the buying behaviour of a consumer. As Mini Cooper is the symbol of status and pride the consumers can show their ostentatious behaviour. Those are people who are concerned about image. PERSONAL FACTORS: Personal factors are based on economic situation like his income, occupation, personality and self confidence and age and family life cycle stages. In purchasing a Mini Cooper in India a consumer has to take into consideration his level of income as the price of the product is high. He also has to consider his age and economic situation in the society. The major part in the personal factor is a person should have a high level of personality and self confidence to buy a product. Psychological factors like motivating consumers are mainly done by advertisements, road shows and other motivating factors. Attitudes and beliefs are very important in the process of launching a product. The Consumers have to be given more knowledge about the products. The Mini Cooper will affect the psychological factors of the customers when they see the advertisements. DECISION MAKING PROCESS: The act of making up your mind about something, or a position or opinion or judgment reached after consideration is called as decision making. It is the process of selecting a logical choice from among the available options. When trying to make a good decision, a person must weight the positives and negatives of each option, and consider all the alternatives. For effective decision making, a person must be able to forecast the outcome of each option as well, and based on all these items, determine which option is the best for that particular situation. The below diagram shows the process of decision making, and also will explain about how the decision making process affects the customers of Mini Cooper. In this model, the consumer passes through five stages: problem recognition, information search, evaluation and selection of alternatives, decision implementation, and post-purchase evaluation. Problem recognition or need recognition: In the problem recognition stage, the consumers buying process begins when the buyer recognizes the problem or need. When a consumer of an upper class society is in need of a car he recognizes the problems and the need of it. This is the first stage of decision making process. When the consumers find the difference between the actual state and the desired state, a problem is recognized. In other words a need is recognized to solve the problem. Information search: When the consumers discover the problem they are likely to search for information. In this case the consumers who recognized the need for a car would search for more information about the different type of cars and they would be more attentive to car advertisements, cars purchased by their friends or relatives, and peer conversation about cars. Or they may be more actively seeking information by visiting car showrooms, talking to friends and reading car magazines etc. Through gathering information, the consumer learns more about some brands that compete in the market and their features and characteristics. After the search of information the consumers go to the next stage of decision making process. Evaluation and search of alternatives: Under this stage a consumers try to solve the problem and ultimately satisfying their needs. In other words, the consumers will look for problem-solving benefits from the product. The consumer, then, looks for products with a certain set of attributes that deliver the benefits. Thus, the consumer sees each product as a bundle of attributes with different levels of ability of delivering the problem solving benefits to satisfy their need. The distinctions among the need, benefits, and attributes are very important. In this case a person who wants to purchase a car will evaluate and search of alternatives to satisfy his needs. Decision implementation: To actually implement the purchase decision, however, a consumer needs to select both specific items that are brands and specific outlets that is where to buy to resolve the problems. In many situations, consumers engage in a simultaneous selection process of stores and brands. In the case of purchasing car a consumer will search a brand and in that brand they will search for different varieties in the showroom. It is also possible, that the consumer decides where to buy and then chooses one or two brands the showroom carries. Once the brand and outlet have been decided, the consumer moves on to the transaction. Post purchase evaluation: The final stage in decision making process is post purchase evaluation. It is common for consumers to experience concerns after making a purchase decision. This arises from a concept that is known as cognitive dissonance. The consumer having bought a product may feel that an alternative would have been preferable. In these circumstances a consumer will not re-purchase immediately but is likely to switch brands next time. Post-purchase evaluation processes are directly influenced by the type of preceding decision-making process. Directly relevant here is the level of purchase involvement of the consumer. Purchase involvement is often referred to as the level of concern for or interest in the purchase situation and how extensively the consumer searches information in making a purchase decision. These are the different stages of decision making process. With these levels a consumer decides when, where, why and how they buy the product. Mini Cooper is to be launched in India in two major cities of Mumbai and Delhi. Showrooms will be opened in these cities and customers can buy Mini from the showrooms. Perceived risk: Perceived risk refers to a functional or a psychological risk a consumer feels he/she is taking when purchasing a product. Negative or unexpected consequences a consumer fears may occur as a result of making the wrong purchase decision. A high-priced, complex, durable good like an automobile has a higher perceived risk than a low-priced, consumable commodity like hand soap. The greater the perceived risk, the more likely it is that the consumer will seek information about the product and the recommendations and experiences of peers before Buying. Educated, self-confident, affluent consumers are less likely than others to perceive risk. In a situation with high perceived risk, the consumer is more likely to purchase the same brand repeatedly or to purchase a leading brand or one with performance guarantees and warranties. New products or brands will be avoided. 4.0 LAUNCHING THE PRODUCT The primary goal of marketing communications is to build awareness of the business, its products, and its position through customer-facing materials such as brochures, press releases, internet, media, billboards, and road shows. Planning an integrated and consistent cross-team approach to these activities, one that reinforces a companys message with target audiences and motivates customers to buy is very important in launching a product. Mini Cooper is being launched in Mumbai and Delhi by positioning through customer facing materials like brochures, press release, web sites, media and road shows etc. Advertising is a form of communication used to influence individuals to purchase products or services or support political candidates or ideas. Frequently it communicates a message that includes the name of the product or service and how that product or service could potentially benefit the consumer. Advertising often attempts to persuade potential customers to purchase or to consume a particular brand of product or service. Modern advertising developed with the rise of mass production in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The major part in launching of a product is opening of showrooms. Showrooms of Mini Cooper will be more attractive and impressive for the customers. A showroom is an area where merchandise such as car can be displayed. It can also be defined as a room in a business set aside for the display of th e companys products. The three models of Mini Coopers in different colors will be displayed in the showroom. Customers can visit the showroom and book their minis hassle free without any problems. Customers are also offered with test drives if required. This will help the customers to understand practically about Mini and will also be helpful for them to buy the car with a clear mind as a result they will be happy to purchase the car without having any perceived risks in mind. Showrooms will be opened at the commercial area of the cities so that it will be easy for the customers. BROCHURES: A small booklet or pamphlet containing promotional material or product information is known as a brochure. Its a type of folding leaflet, literary advertisement. A brochure advertises about the location, products and services. They are actually in attractive slogans and eye-catching designs. Direct mails and trade shows are common ways to distribute brochures to introduce a product or service. The two most common types of brochures styles are single sheet or folded booklet leaflet form. Compared with a flyer or a handbill, a brochure usually uses higher-quality paper, more color, and is folded. In launching the Mini in the market, brochures are being used as one of the customer facing materials or advertisements. With the help of brochures, the people will come to know about the product and will take an initiative to visit the showroom and to check with the websites. The brochures will be made of high quality and will be printed in attractive colors and impressive slogans will be given. Free test drives will be added in the brochures to attract the customers. The address of the showroom and a map will be printed in the brochures for the customers. These brochures will be supplied to the public in the commercial areas and city centre. PRESS RELEASE: A public relations announcement issued to the news media and other targeted publications for the purpose of letting the public know about the launching of product and services is known as press release. A press release is a written or recorded communication directed at members of the news media for the purpose of announcing something claimed as having news value. Typically, they are mailed, faxed, or e-mailed to assignment editors at newspapers, magazines, radio stations, television stations, and television networks. Commercial press-release distribution services are also used to distribute them. A press release will be taking place one the showrooms are opened. Only the basic informations will be relieved to the public. In the press Release, the description of the product and services will be described to the public. The location of the showroom will also be relieved. INTERNET advertising is rapidly growing and is said to be the fastest growing sector within the advertising industry. The Internet has brought media to a global audience. Internet advertising ties together creative and technical aspects of the Internet, including: design, development and sales. Internet advertising is relatively inexpensive when compared to the ratio of cost against the reach of the target audience. Companies can reach a wide audience with the help of internet advertising. The nature of the medium allows consumers to research and purchase products and services at their own convenience. Therefore, businesses have the advantage of appealing to consumers in a medium that can bring results quickly. A website is introduced in the name of Mini Cooper. All the informations regarding the product is included in the website. The different models and the colors will be shown attractively to grab the attention of the customers. The customers will be given an option to book their car online through the website. The customers can also book for the test drives online. MEDIA: Ever since mass media became mass media, companies have naturally used this means of communications to let a large number of people know about their products. Two types of media advertisements are as follows: published media and visual or aural media. Newspaper, magazines and internet comes under published media and television and radio comes under visual or aural media. Advertisements in famous newspapers and magazines will be given for the Mini Cooper. Attractive slogans like MINI HITS INDIAN ROADS will be given on magazines and newspapers with colourful pictures of Mini Cooper. Advertisements in televisions will become livelier with the presence of celebrities with the Mini Cooper. Radio advertisements will also be given. Media will cover the major part of advertisement compared to the other types. BILLBOARDS: are large outdoor advertising structures. A billboard presents large advertisements to passing pedestrians and drivers. It is highly visible in the top designated market areas. Billboard advertisements are designed to catch a persons attention and create a memorable impression very quickly, leaving the reader thinking about the advertisement after they have driven past it. They have to be readable in a very short time because they are usually read while being passed at high speeds. Thus there are usually only a few words, in large print, and a humorous or arresting image in brilliant color. Attractive billboards with impressive colors and slogans will be placed at many places in the city. These will help the consumers to be aware of the car. The billboards will be very simple and clear for the public. The cars will be printed on the billboards. Billboards are very useful for the public to know about the launching of the product. ROAD SHOWS: are kinds of advertisement of the product. Basically a road show is nothing but a show of cars on the road in the public. These road shows will be attractive to customers as they see them on the road. Some number of Minis will be driven on the road in the city so that people become familiarized with the product launch. And they will also be parked alongside the road as a road show. Different colors of Mini Cooper will also be on the road show. Discounts and offers will be given to the customers on the early stage for the development of product in the market. It is very important because customers are more attracted towards discount and offers. Surprise gifts will be given to the first fifty customers who book Mini Cooper. The customers will be provided with the facility of Mini Cooper service stations in Mumbai and Delhi. First two services will be free of cost for the car. Cars will be picked and dropped at the customers place for service and it will also be free of charge. Accessories like seat covers, alloy wheels, music player etc will be available at the showroom. Customers can buy them at lesser prices. CONCLUSION: Thus the launching of Mini Cooper will be done effectively and efficiently. Customer satisfaction is more important for a sound business. We will promise to give our best to our customers to satisfy them. Mini Cooper will maintain its level of brand and will become a great success in India. With its great success Mini Cooper will be launched in more cities with more models in India. REFERENCE How the MINI Cooper Works, by Jonathan Strickland, http://auto.howstuffworks.com/mini-cooper.htm, retrieved 2009-12-12