Automobile Industry China Essay

? China became the world’s largest automobile producer and market in 2009 with annual sales of nearly 14 million vehicles. The market continues to expand in 2010. In the first nine months of 2010, automobile production reached 13. 08 million units, a 36. 1 percent increase from a year ago. The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) raised its forecast for annual sales to reach a record 17 million this year, matching the highest annual total ever reached in the United States. Industry growth has been primarily driven by rising domestic demand stemming from rising incomes, a growing middle class, and by supportive industry policies from the Chinese government. The Chinese automotive industry remains very fragmented. In addition, Chinese central government officials fear that unchecked expansion of China’s auto industry encouraged by local authorities could harm the wider economy, and that excess capacity must be stopped. Hence, the central government continues to push for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the automotive industry which will support the emergence of a few leading national companies. China’s weak R&D, domestic innovation and design capabilities are key challenges to its international competitiveness. With the government’s encouragement, domestic firms have opted for strategic partnerships with foreign players, aiming to facilitate technology transfer and improve domestic design and engineering capabilities. The Chinese government has implemented a number of tax adjustments and subsidies for automobile purchases to encourage hybrid electric vehicles, pure electric vehicles and traditional vehicles of small engine displacement. Beijing has gradually introduced higher automobile emission standards for new vehicles. Plans to develop hybrid electric and pure electric vehicle production capabilities are part of a broader, environmentally friendly strategy to develop the auto industry. Market opportunities exist especially in the following areas: o Developing domestic innovation capabilities (e.g. vehicle design and engineering, hybrid electric and pure electric engines, electric motors and electric controls) o Productivity and quality upgrade (e. g. engines, transmissions, electronic control systems and safety systems) o Mergers and acquisitions (both in China and in Israel) o Clean transportation technologies 3 China’s Automotive Sector – Prepared for IEICI Updated November 2010 (Original April 2009) ? ? ? ? ? ? o Advanced manufacturing technologies o Supply of essential automotive components/systems to OEMs (e. g.electronic control systems and safety systems) ? The following automotive segments in China are considered to be highly competitive and it will likely be difficult for Israeli firms to penetrate the market unless they have an extreme competitive advantage: Fabric for seats/interiors, seat covers, floor mats, curtains, aluminum die casting, rubber bumpers, electronic harness cables, antennae, speakers, electric starters, vehicle cleaning products, window films, A/C compressors, fuel and oil and air filters. 1. MARKET OVERVIEW ? ? China’s automotive market has the most growth potential in the world; per capita car ownership is still remarkably low at 4. 78% and is expected to grow significantly. Domestic whole-vehicle manufacturers and automotive suppliers are still extremely fragmented (government-supported consolidation is imminent in the near future); challenges remain for domestic R&D and design. With government subsidies and tax incentives, China is aiming to establish an early footing in the production of low-emission and environmentally friendly automobiles. Component imports surged by 130% in the first half of 2010; 60% of imported components were drivetrains, engines or automotive body components. ? ? 1. 1 GENERAL OVERVIEW Market Growth Primarily fueled by domestic and partly by foreign demand, China’s rapidly expanding automotive industry has outpaced the nation’s already impressive GDP growth rates in recent years. Domestically, rising incomes and encouragement from the Chinese government for the urban population to obtain drivers licenses have spurred the demand for passenger vehicles. The booming passenger vehicle market has led to a soaring demand for automotive components. Internationally, automotive manufacturers faced with decreasing margins and profitability have sought out more affordable supply chain solutions, looking to China as a potential source for lower cost automotive components. Unlike developed markets for passenger vehicles, where growth in demand has been largely stagnant, China’s domestic demand for new automobiles has skyrocketed in the past years. Strong car sales in China in 2009 pushed the auto market to the largest in the world, and 2010 is set follow the positive trend. 4 China’s Automotive Sector – Prepared for IEICI Updated November 2010 (Original April 2009). Source: China Association of Automotive Manufacturers (CAAM) In the first nine months of 2010, automobile sales reached 13. 08 million units, up 36. 1% from a year ago. Over 9 million of the total sales were passenger cars and 3. 24 million were commercial vehicles. CAAM predicted that the 2010 annual sales will reach a record of 17 million units. It is widely believed that China’s automotive market currently has the most growth potential in the world. China’s 2009 per capita private car ownership was 4. 78%, far less than the 40% average of developed countries, and even less than other emerging markets such as Russia, Brazil and India. This is a strong indication that China’s domestic market is far from being overly saturated. According to CAAM predictions, growth in the auto industry will remain strong until 2020 with annual growth expected to consistently range from 13 to 15 percent. The total number of vehicles will jump from 67 to 150 million. Sales in larger tierone and tier-two cities as well as rural areas should keep growing at a rapid pace over the next few years and high growth areas will move from eastern China to the central and western regions. Market Players There are currently more than 100 whole-vehicle manufacturers and nearly 8,000 automotive parts manufacturers in China, located primarily in Southern, Eastern, and Northeastern and central China (see the map on the right). Together, the top ten passenger vehicle manufacturers (seven of which are joint ventures (JVs) make up almost 90% of China’s market share (see the table below). Nearly every major global vehicle manufacturer has established JV operations in China. 5 China’s Automotive Sector – Prepared for IEICI Updated November 2010 (Original April 2009). Top 10 Passenger Vehicle Manufacturers in China (2009) Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Source: CAAM Company SAIC1 FAW2 Dongfeng Chana (incl. Hafei) Beijing Auto Guangzhou Auto Chery BYD Brilliance Geely Others HQ Shanghai Changchun Wuhan Chongqing Beijing Guangzhou Hefei Shenzhen Shenyang Taizhou JV Partner GM, VW VW, Toyota, Mazda PSA, Nissan, Honda Ford, Mazda, Suzuki Hyundai Daimler Honda, Toyota, Isuzu, Fiat N/A N/A BMW, Toyota N/A Sales (Unit) 2,705. 5K 1,944. 6K 1,897. 7K 1,869. 8K 1,243. 0K 606. 6K 500. 3K 448. 4K 348. 3K 329. 1K 1,750K Market Share 19. 83% 14. 25% 13. 91% 13. 70% 9. 11% 4. 45% 3. 67% 3. 29% 2. 55% 2. 41% 12. 84% Import Positive demand growth for automobiles and components has not only caused domestic industry development, but has led to increased attention from leading foreign automotive manufacturers eager to expand into the rapidly growing market. Foreign automotive manufacturers have also been encouraged by lower import tariffs, which have been lowered for whole vehicles from 70-80% to 25% since China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO). Import tariffs on Semi-Knocked-Downs (SKDs) and Complete-Knocked-Downs (CKDs) have dropped from 50% to 25%, while import tariffs on vehicle components have dropped from 15% to 10%. 1 2 Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation First Auto Works 6 China’s Automotive Sector – Prepared for IEICI Updated November 2010 (Original April 2009) China’s automotive import growth was slowed due to weaker demand caused by the global economic crisis of 2009. Annual total import were USD 33. 1 billion in 2009, representing a year-onyear increase of only 5. 34%. Assisted by government incentive programs and China’s economic recovery, China’s auto import total bounced back from a sluggish 2009, surging by 130% to USD 27. 22 billion in the first half of 2010. Imported European luxury cars had a remarkable 237. 2% increase in 2010 compared to the same period the previous year. China’s automotive component imports grew to USD 12. 7 billion in the first half of 2010, a 90% increase over the same period of 2009. Drivetrain, engine and automotive body components accounted for over 60% of the total component imports (see chart). More than 80% of the imported components came from Japan, German, Korea, and the United States. The main groups of imported automotive components to China can be divided into three categories: ? Japanese and Korean OEMs and Tier I suppliers: Generally these companies tend to only use suppliers from their country of origin. For example, Toyota typically sources components from Japanese JVs or Wholly Owned Foreign Enterprises (WFOEs) on the mainland, or directly imports from Japan. Such practice tends to result from strict quality requirements, cultural compatibility and logistical concerns. German OEMs and Tier I suppliers: These companies typically import components in the areas where Chinese suppliers are weak (e. g. safety systems for high-end passenger cars). The US and French OEMs operating in China have not increased their automotive component imports as much as their peers for different reasons. US OEMs have steadily increased their sourcing from local Chinese suppliers for vehicles manufactured in China to stay competitive, and French OEMs are facing a shrinking market share in China. ? ? Chinese OEMs are emerging buyers of imported automotive components, especially in the segments of hybrid and electric vehicles and Chinese-brand luxury vehicles. 7 China’s Automotive Sector – Prepared for IEICI Updated November 2010 (Original April 2009) Export The impact of the economic crisis in 2008-2009 forced many multinational companies to reduce their sourcing of automotive vehicles and components from China. According to CAAM, China exported a total of 369,600 units in 2009 worth USD 5. 19 billion, which was down by 46% from 2008. China’s auto exports rebounded as the global market recovered in 2010, with 250,100 vehicles exported in the first six months (up 55. 93% year-on-year). Passenger vehicle exports surged 115. 93% to 116,500 units, while commercial vehicle exports increased 25. 50% to 133,900 units. Algeria, Vietnam and Egypt were the major whole-vehicle export destinations in the first half of 2010. The auto component’s export growth has witnessed even more impressive growth than whole-vehicles. Exports increased 54. 11% to reach USD 18 billion in the first half year of 2010, with drive system components exceeding 50% of the total by value. More than 50% of the components were exported to the USA, Japan, South Korea, Germany and the United Kingdom. 1. 2 MARKET STRUCTURE Supplier Landscape The automotive supplier landscape in China is extremely fragmented. According to CAAM, there are approximately 8,000 automotive enterprises scattered across various segments including full vehicle manufacturing, vehicle refitting, motorcycle production, engine production and automotive parts manufacturing. Most of these companies specialize in lower-end parts and lack the capital needed to invest in production of higher quality products. Seven of China’s ten largest components manufacturers are foreign companies, and about 70% of the country’s USD 160 billion auto supply market is occupied by foreign companies or joint ventures. There are approximately 120 OEMs in total, 40% of which produce passenger vehicles. One of the key contributors to the fragmentation of the automotive market as a whole is that Chinese suppliers serve a large amount of separate OEMs. The world’s leading automotive companies are all well-established in China. OEMs are represented by Ford, General Motors (GM), Volkswagen (VW), Daimler, BMW, PSA, Mazda, Nissan, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, and tier-one international companies including Bosch, Delphi, Denso, Johnson Controls, Lear, Magna, Visteon, Yazaki, ZF, Arvin Meritor and TRW. 8 China’s Automotive Sector – Prepared for IEICI Updated November 2010 (Original April 2009) Most of the international automaker and component manufactures have invested heavily in China in attempts to gain a competitive edge. For example, GM, Ford and Jaguar Land Rover have established their Asia Pacific headquarters in China. GM, VW and Honda have also opened China R&D centers and have begun to design car models specifically for the Chinese consumer. International automotive components companies have also expanded their presence in China. For instance, BorgWarner recently opened a China Technical Center. ZF announced the establishment of its Asia Pacific headquarters in Shanghai as well as a new Shanghai R&D center. Eaton’s Asia Pacific headquarters is in Shanghai. Rapid expansion from international firms has let to foreign-invested automotive components suppliers holding 70% of the Chinese market share. Most of the top Chinese automotive parts manufacturers are wholly owned domestic companies such as ASIMCO, Wanxiang, Hongteo, Fuyao, Dicastal, Wanfeng and others. These companies could be potential competitors or partners for Israeli companies. In response to the soaring domestic demand, Chinese automotive component manufacturers have ramped up their production capacities significantly, but this has also led to an increase in quality complaints. Key Challenges for the Domestic Industry Chinese suppliers are now looking beyond the domestic market and improving their production process to emerge as true global competitors. However, further investment in R&D is still required before Chinese manufacturers can truly compete globally, as the industry still lacks technological capability and suffers from quality issues. China’s Automotive Sector – Prepared for IEICI Updated November 2010 (Original April 2009) Flagship Domestic Automotive Companies Chery Automotive (Chery) ? Founded in 1997 and now has an annual production capacity of 650,000 vehicles, 400,000 engines, and 400,000 sets of gearboxes. ? Continues to expand into the overseas market and has established plants in 16 countries becoming the biggest Chinese vehicle exporter for seven consecutive years. ? Chery Automobile Test & Technology Center opened in July 2010, which became the largest auto lab in Asia. The company will invest RMB 2. 4 billion in 2010 to accelerate its new model development. ? Chery now owns a full set of manufacturing and R&D facilities, including four car plants, two engine plants, a gearbox plant, an automobile engineering research institute, an automobile planning and design institute and an automobile test & technology center. ? Have extensive technological and business relationships with overseas auto companies. Chery signed an agreement with Chrysler to produce Chery made cars under the Chrysler brand to be sold in the United States and Mexico. ? Chery Quantum Auto. Ltd is a joint venture between Chery and Quantum LLC under an Israeli Group. They aimed to invest USD 334 million in 2010 to develop high-end cars and SUVs for the overseas market. 9 R&D capability Chinese automotive component manufacturers are able to manufacture products when they are provided with designs and specifications, however most of them lack design, engineering and R&D capabilities. Owing to weak R&D and engineering capabilities, many local suppliers have opted to enter into technical collaborations or JVs with leading international suppliers with the goal of facilitating the transfer of technology and improve basic product engineering capabilities. A growing number of Chinese auto parts suppliers have begun to invest in and acquire western firms. Domestic R&D capabilities of Chinese automotive part manufacturers have historically been limited due to the small-scale of most operations and a shortage of investment in laboratory facilities in comparison to international firms. Taking steps to remedy the situation, the Chinese government has continued to encourage investment in R&D for core systems, such as engines, transmission systems, steering systems, brake systems and driving control systems. Safety and reputational issues Incidents and product recalls have raised questions about the quality and safety standards of Chinese manufactured automotive components. According to the 2009 China Automotive Product Quality & After Service Quality report, among the 9359 complaints documented about Chinese made cars, 19. 5% were related to engine problems; 10. 5% to steering systems; 10. 7% to braking systems; 18. 5% to automobile accessories and electronics; and the remaining 40. 8% related to the gearbox, clutch, front and rear axles, suspension systems and air conditioning systems. As a result of complaints and recalls, as well as other non-automotive related manufacturing scandals in China including melamine milk, contaminated pet food, and anti-freeze laced toothpaste, Chinese manufactures are facing serious issues about their reputation. This is a problem local manufacturers will have to overcome if they want to increase their competitiveness on the global stage. The drivers are in place for Chinese domestic manufacturers to move to the forefront of the global automotive industry, but substantial domestic investment in R&D and improvements on quality and reputation are a necessary prerequisite. 1. 3 EMERGING INDUSTRY TRENDS Industry Drivers The rapid expansion of the Chinese automotive industry has been largely attributed to the growth in domestic demand for passenger vehicles and international demand for affordable automotive components. The Chinese government also continues to play an important role in encouraging the growth of the industry. 10 China’s Automotive Sector – Prepared for IEICI Updated November 2010 (Original April 2009) Tier II and Tier III cities emerge as market growth engines In 2010, most multinational automakers have included a focus on Central and Western China markets into their strategies in order to capture future growth opportunities. For example, Volkswagen is ramping up capacity of its Chengdu plant more than doubling its production of Sagitars and Jettas from 150,000 to 350,000. GAIC Toyota (a JV between Guangzhou Automobile Industry Corporation and Toyota) is considering building a small and price-competitive car to target the lower end of the market. The JV also announced plans to expand its dealership network across central and Western China. Central and western China have emerged as the main growth engine of the automotive market. According to CAAM, automobile sales in second and third-tier cities in the first nine months of 2009 surged 41 percent and 51 percent respectively, while sales in the firsttier cities increased by 34 percent. Domestic demand has been fueled by rising incomes and a growing middle class creating a larger consumer culture. The purchase of an automobile is increasingly becoming a symbol of financial success. In the past, the focus has been on coastal cities. Since 2009, tier II and tier III cities have emerged as the strongest market growth engines (see more details on your left) Even though large cities in China are facing serious traffic congestion issues, Chinese have not been deterred about making new automobile purchases. China overtook the U. S. as the world’s number one automotive market in January 2009. The positive developments in the passenger vehicle industry have benefitted both domestic auto manufacturers (which are emerging from their infancy stages and developing competitive capabilities) and major international automotive giants (which have increased investment into China to expand their presence). However, with per capita car ownership was still only 4. 78% in 2009, still far below the 40% average in developed countries. This is a strong sign that domestic demand for passenger vehicles will remain high in years to come. The domestic aftermarket for automotive components is increasingly becoming an important driver of the industry. More than thirteen million cars are sold annually in China which is leading to a growing market for automobile repairs and further stimulating domestic demand for automotive components. International demand for automotive components has also increased as international automotive firms face pressures to reduce costs and take advantage of more economical alternatives abroad. China’s inexpensive labor force presents an attractive option for producing lower-cost automotive components, which were initially primarily for the international aftermarket but are increasingly being used by international OEMs. The majority of leading international automobile OEMs have established global sourcing offices, R&D centers as well as regional headquarters in China. 11 China’s Automotive Sector – Prepared for IEICI Updated November 2010 (Original April 2009) Finally, the Chinese government continues to play an important role in driving the industry. Post-WTO accession concessions have resulted in lower import tariffs, giving international automotive firms more access to the domestic market. Beijing has actively encouraged the establishment of JV R&D centers with preferential tax policies designed to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and technology. The government has pledged substantial funds towards automotive technology innovation, upgrades, and the R&D of alternative-fuel automobiles and components. They are also setting restrictions and quotas requiring all vehicles that are used for government use to be produced domestically. Industry Consolidation China is determined to restructure its automotive industry, with the hopes of changing the market from many fragmented manufactures to two or three dominant domestic firms. According to the State Council’s regulations released in early September 2010 which called for greater industrial consolidation, the automobile industry was at the top of the list of targeted sectors. The State Council set the goal of reducing the number of major automakers who are responsible for 90% of domestic sales output, from 14 to 10. Under the plan two or three companies would dominate the industry, responsible for producing more than three million vehicles annually, while four others would have annual output capacity of 1. 5 million units. The State Council named the following four groups as potential industry heavyweights, urging them to take advantage of consolidation opportunities: FAW; Dongfeng; China’s Automotive Sector – Prepared for IEICI Updated November 2010 (Original April 2009) Flagship Domestic Automotive Companies Shanghai Automotive (Group) Corp (SAIC) Industry ? Headquartered in Shanghai, it is one of the top three auto groups in China. ? Mainly engaged in the manufacturing, sales and R&D for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and auto components. ? The company is ranked 223 of the Fortune 500 companies with consolidated revenue of US$33. 6 billion in 2009. ? Sold over 2. 7 million vehicles in 2009, making up almost 20% of China’s market. ? SAIC invested over 10 billion RMB on new model development in the past 3 years, and will launch hybrid and electric vehicles in 2010 and 2012. ? Acquired Nanjing Automotive (Group) Corp (NAC) in 2007 and became the largest manufacturer in China with a consolidated annual production of 2 million units. ? SAIC has opened branches in the USA, Europe, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea. It has established a long-term cooperation with GM and Volkswagen. SAIC and GM formed Shanghai GM and the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC) in 1997 and launched 8 additional China joint ventures, including SAIC-GM-Wuling, GMAC-SAIC Automotive Finance Company, and General Motors SAIC Investment Limited. ? Shanghai Volkswagen (a joint venture between SAIC and Volkswagen AG) recently announced it will build a fifth assembly plant in Jiangsu. The plant will have an annual production capacity of 300,000 vehicles and start operation by the end of 2012. 12 SAIC and Chang’an. Additionally, it named four regional leaders that it encouraged to consider regional consolidation: Beijing Automobile; Guangzhou Automobile; Cherry and Sinotruck. All of these companies are passenger vehicle manufacturers with the exception of Sinotruck which manufactures heavy-duty trucks (sales of over 125,000 units in 2009). Industry analysts predict that the coming wave of M&As within the automotive sector could see a deal that breaks the USD 1 billion mark, more than doubling the largest deal to date which was the USD 450 million purchase of General Motors’. Nexteer steering components unit by a joint venture established by Beijing’s Tempo Group and the Beijing government. Global Expansion As the leading automotive market, China automakers are accelerating global transformation to increase their presence in the overseas market. Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (one of China’s largest independent carmakers) recently completed its acquisition of Ford Motor’s Volvo brand for USD 1. 5 billion. This is an indication that Chinese automakers have begun to recognize the power of strong brand reputation. Geely’s Volvo bid is the largest takeover in Chinese auto industry and will provide a pattern for Chinese carmakers to expand aboard and acquire companies with a strong reputation. Beiqi Foton, China’s leading commercial automaker followed Geely’s step and announced its global expansion plan. This includes setting up a production base in Russia by 2012 with an annual capacity of 100, 000 vehicles and building five other plants in Brazil, India, Russia, Mexico and Thailand before 2015. New Energy Vehicle: Focus of Future Development High oil prices, air pollution, and China’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions have led the automotive industry to explore alternative energies. The Chinese government has launched policies and incentives to stimulate the development of new energy vehicles, including electric (hybrid, plug-in and battery), fuel cell, and hydrogen-powered. China has identified new energy vehicle as one of the seven emerging strategic industries. Many estimate China will become the world’s largest new energy vehicle market by 2020. The Energy Saving and New Energy Vehicle Development Plan (2011-2020) and the Automotive Industry 12th Five-year Plan (2011-2015), two of the key policies expected to guide the development of new energy vehicle industry, are expected to come out by the end of 2010. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) is the principal drafter of these plans which are later submitted to the State Council for approval. The plans set the following key targets for the new energy vehicle industry by the end of 2020: ? In the following five years China will aggressively support the development of key components of energy efficient and new energy automobiles. For electric motors and 13 China’s Automotive Sector – Prepared for IEICI Updated November 2010 (Original April 2009) ? ? batteries manufacturers, China hopes that three to five â€Å"backbone† enterprises will emerge with their combined market share exceeding 60%. China will produce 5 million new energy vehicles and become the number one producer of new energy vehicles in the world by 2020; Average fuel economy of passenger vehicles will be 4. 5 L/100 kilometers by 2020, the same as European standards. The plans will become the backbone policy for the entire new energy vehicle industry, as it provides direction for public funding, sector focus and industry structuring. Most important to pay attention to is that Chinese companies are likely to reap the most benefits from these structured strategies. To support indigenous innovation, the Chinese government has stated that the two or three key new energy vehicle component manufacturers will most likely be domestic companies, either state-owned or private. 2 REGULATORY OVERVIEW ? Government tariffs on automotive imports are in compliance with WTO rules, but minimum capital barriers still exist for foreign investors. The government has created some incentives to spur R&D partnership, and regulations for foreign distributers have been eased somewhat. The government has plans to implement higher auto emissions standards for new cars in China. So far four regions have implemented â€Å"China IV† emission standards (Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing and Guangdong Province). The Chinese government views the development of the new energy vehicle industry in China as a top priority and has introduced a wide range of subsidies and policies in its favor. ? ? China’s automotive industry supply chain is very broad with many components such as import and export, manufacturing, environmental protection, technology upgrades and quality control. As such, the industry is regulated by a range of government organs, both at the national and sub-national level. The below chart illustrates the key central level regulators of the automotive industry, and their relevant responsibilities. 14 China’s Automotive Sector – Prepared for IEICI Updated November 2010 (Original April 2009) The automotive industry is subject to a number of laws and regulations. The key regulations that are relevant to Israeli companies are addressed below. 2. 1 FOREIGN ACCESS TO THE CHINESE AUTOMOTIVE MARKET Trade The Chinese auto sector is competitive and has a well-developed supply chain. Imports of foreign-made auto parts will likely decrease as OEMs continue to increase their local capacities. At the same time, higher quality Chinese auto parts are increasingly being integrated into the global supply chain. Currently the import tariff for whole vehicles is 25% and for automotive components is 10%. 15 China’s Automotive Sector – Prepared for IEICI Updated November 2010 (Original April 2009) Investment Foreign businesses must meet a number of requirements in order to access China’s automotive market. The Chinese government has set requirements for minimum registered capital when a firm wants to establish an automotive facility which is RMB 500 million (USD 75 million3) for automobile financing, RMB 500 million (USD 75 million) for engine production and RMB 10 million (USD 1. 5 million) for an R&D center. All projects are subject to government approval. Foreign firms looking to produce passenger vehicles cannot set up WOFEs, but must partner with a local Chinese firm in the form of a JV, with the foreign partner’s stake limited to 50%. On the other hand, China offers fiscal and financial incentives to attract foreign investment in R&D strategies as part of the central government’s strategy to speed up the transfer of international technology. China currently provides tax incentives for enterprises engaged in research and development activities, allowing R&D enterprises to deduct 50% of R&D expenses. Suppliers are most often required to localize or invest in China and Israeli companies interested in tapping into the vast Chinese market will need to consider establishing a local presence. IPR Issues in China While the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) remains a contentious issue for companies in China, the country’s laws and regulations have progressed considerably in recent years, with the large majority now compliant with requirements of the WTO’s TRIPS agreement. The main challenge surrounding IPR protection in China is the lack of effective enforcement of the existing regulations. Enforcement issues arise from a range of root causes, including the relatively recent introduction of IPR legislation and concept of intellectual property in general, the absence of a fully independent judicial system, and provincial officials’ often protective attitude towards local job creating counterfeiting industries. While most foreign companies considering business operations in China may have to accept an unavoidable degree of IPR infringement, there are nevertheless a number of actions that a company can take in order to limit their IPR-related risk: ? ? ? Ensure to register your patents, copyrights, or trademarks with the relevant bureaus Ensure that your trade or other.

The Invisible White Privilege

White people, from birth, automatically benefit from their light skin color, enjoying the privileges relating to child care, education, hygiene, careers, politics, etc. Compared to white people, people of color are at a distinct disadvantage. They are treated differently than white people, and they are the ones that suffer, not having this same privilege. In Peggy McIntosh’s article White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, McIntosh describes how whites carry the invisible privilege.In society, white people are treated better than non-white people since segregation, beauty trends, political power, social connections, and street crime seem to be better for them. According to McIntosh, White Privilege is an invisible package of unearned assets granted to white people (McIntosh 1). They can enjoy special advantages that are beyond common advantages of people of color. White privilege is a social constructed phenomenon. Besides physical appearance, there is no biological difference between white people and the non-white people.It is society that distinguishes whites from people of color, and it tends to recognize all races besides those who are white. Living in a society of white dominance, whites are carefully taught to ignore the fact that white privilege puts them at an advantage. This is because, according to McIntosh, deconstruction of white privilege threatens the myths and ideas about this nation, and it challenges the notion of equal opportunity and meritocracy (McIntosh 2). There are many ways that white privilege still exists today.Here are five examples of white privilege I find out in my life. 1. White parents do not have to be worried about their kids being scared at school. I learned from the news that at Delavan-Darien High School, the American Diversity class divides students into whites and non-whites, and tell non-whites students, â€Å"you have been oppressed and you are still being oppressed†. 2. White women represent beau ty and lead the trends. Speaking of this, why don’t we take a look at the proportion of white models in the 2013 New York Fashion Week?An official statistic shows that out of the 5,000 styles in last New York Fashion Week, around 80 percent were modeled by white women. Fewer than 1,000 styles were given to women of color (Dries 1). 3. White people occupy Congress. In Congress the total is 87 percent whites, which is divided into 85 percent in the House and 96 percent in the Senate (Portero 3). The voices of politicians of color are often drowned out in the politic sea of white dominance. 4. White people are able to achieve success more easily by using their connections.Because of belonging to the dominant group, white people have more connection than people of color do. Based on this, they are more likely to succeed. 5. Whites do not have to be worried about being shot one day on the street. A well-known example can be the Shooting of Trayvon Martin. Making a run to the store to get some refreshments for his brother and himself, Martin was shot and killed by the neighborhood watch captain George Zimmerman because, according to Zimmerman, â€Å"he was very suspicious.†I think if Martin were a white guy, Zimmerman would not have seen him as a â€Å"real suspicious looking guy†. In society, people regard whites’ lives as morally neutral, normative, and ideal. Whites are elevated above people of color. Although I believe all racial groups are harmed in the long run by racism, white privilege still exists as a daily reality throughout every part of the structure in the United States.

Louis Wright

The United States of America is still seen by many other nationalities as a prime place to immigrate to as can be noticed by the current influx of new immigrants.   Although American ways have often been perceived by other people as distinct, Louis Wright’s article, The British Tradition in America in Retrospect, clearly shows that many of the attractive aspects of American culture are actually rooted in British tradition. These aspects such as cultural conservatism, the practical view of religion, moral justifications even of unethical issues, individualism, the business culture, good academic education, fashionability of the English language and the beautiful laws in the United States are all rooted in British culture. One of the most attractive aspects of American culture is the way it seems to break away from traditions.   Many immigrants, especially those from developing countries, find novelty in the creative ways that Americans have been able to remodel British traditions to make it look new or non-conformist. US culture seems to encourage the freedom of expression that many artists desire.   This freedom to create is usually limited in other countries because of its own traditions. Another very prominent aspect of American culture that generates interest among interested immigrants is its perspectives on how to practice religion based on logic and what is profitable instead of theoretical.   Although Americans believe themselves to have broken away from British conservative religious practice, the religion is still inherited from Britain. The implementation of religion in the U.S. is merely loose compared to the very strict and binding religion of the British because of the new found freedom that the early settlers realized they had. Although Puritanism has made moral justifications on unethical issues before, Puritanism’s origins are traceable to Britain.   The origins of this belief are rooted in the British culture and merely implemented on American soil. One very basic attitude that Americans and British have in common is individualism.   The â€Å"mind your own business† attitude is very attractive to other nationalities with many cultural family traditions that hinder individuals from completely achieving financial success. Developing countries mostly lack the business mind-set and are usually focused on familial ties and traditions.   The American emphasis on commerce and trade (which are also rooted in British character) shows interested immigrants that success is easier to achieve in the United States if one is willing to work hard for it. Another attractive aspect of the United States that is deeply rooted in its British heritage is education.   Many foreigners seek to educate themselves within the universities of the U.S. because the academic curricula are based on classical knowledge translated within the bounds of ethical and moral principles.   There are many Christian foreigners who fancy being educated in Harvard, Princeton, etc. because of the way these universities have been espousing great knowledge without totally going against spiritual beliefs. Another very powerful attraction to the American continent is its language.   American English, even if it is already very different from British language due to the influences of other nationalities is still fashionable almost all over the world. The American English language is a great communication tool among international students because of the many books written in this language.   The media has been able to popularize the American culture and with it, the language.   Many nationalities look up to their brothers who can master the American English tongue. Above all, the American laws that espouse freedom and human rights are very attractive to cultures that are troubled by political problems.   American laws, which have been derived from the British legal system, seem to encourage individual freedom and able to protect even the smallest individual from abuse.   Gay’s rights, right to choice and other laws show how liberal but protecting the American legal system can be and this can be very attractive to immigrants. American traditions and fashionable life is very popular because it always seems modern and novel to conservative cultures and developing countries.   However, if one would really take away the hype and understand things the way Louis Wright does, it will become obvious that American have simply developed British systems and made some improvements before they called it their own.   

Chosse from the following Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Chosse from the following - Essay Example Mulvey’s Ideas on Hollywood’s Depiction of Gender According to Mulvey, males prove to be very dominant in society. This dominance has existed for the longest time in society, with many people adopting the attitudes that concur with and foster the spread of male dominance (Hein 58). In her article ‘visual pleasure and narrative cinema’ Mulvey highlighted that the popularity of Hollywood movies has resulted because of the existing social patterns. These existing social patterns serve as a reflection of the male dominance that is evident in society. With the combination of two analytic procedures, this article highlights the reflection of unbalanced gender in Hollywood, and outlines how the viewer reacts to the movie (Hollinger 12). A semiotic analytic method of cinematic works helped Mulvey understand the depiction of patriarchy in Hollywood products. On the other hand, psychoanalysis revealed the perception of the viewer as determined by the existing social patterns (45). The article outlined a link between the viewer and the Hollywood products, with psychoanalysis helping the author to decipher the subconscious contribution to the understanding of the viewer. The most compelling idea that becomes evident in Mulvey’s article is the fact that Hollywood uses women to offer visual pleasure to the men. According to this author, Hollywood adopts a masculine view while making women an object of the gaze. Hollywood depicts men as heroes and this grants them measurable pleasure. The movies depict the undying desire of men to satisfy their ego even if that compels them to maker women object As a result, the man represents the active individual in the movie while the woman has her take as the passive individual. The man employs all his efforts in demystifying the female figure or fetishization of her by according her a goddess position. Through these strategies, the man manages to avoid any chances of the woman surpassing him and silencin g his voice. On the other hand, the role of the woman in Hollywood movies appears paradoxical (Hollinger 13). She seems to confuse herself with the power of attraction and her inherent desire to get past the man, silencing him. ‘The Loneliest Planet’ Through this movie, she tells the story of a young optimistic couple, Alex and Nica. From the initial cuts of the movie, the couple has a level of intimacy as the producer highlights that they are sexually involved. However, it is evident that despite this intimacy, the couple takes time in understanding each other well. However, there is a level of comfort in the couple and after their engagement; they are looking forward to getting married. This optimistic couple decides to visit the mountains of Georgia and explore their beauty. The viewer can expect that the hike will bring the couple closer, at least a notch higher than what they appear to be (Nelmes 280). Since they are unfamiliar with the place, and there is an obvio us language barrier, the couple decided to hire a guide, Gato. The movie depicts the strangeness of the place, and then exposes the possibilities of the adventure that the couple would experience. As expected, the adventure comes with multiple challenges for the couple. Loktev takes the initial half of the movie to illustrate how the couple managed to cope with the numerous challenges of the hike through the

Written assignment 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Written assignment 2 - Essay Example On the other hand, the media emphasizes on the negativity of global warming without considering any possible benefits from global warming. Considering the negative and positive sides of the issue, I can claim that global warming is more of a myth than a reality. This paper will, therefore, discuss factors that make global warming to be more of a myth than a reality. Carbon dioxide from industrial processes and industrialization has been considered as the main cause of global warming. Although industrial carbon dioxide has been linked with global warming, there are no known facts on the effects of carbon dioxide on increase in global temperature. Carbon dioxide composes about 3% of the atmosphere at normal condition. The atmospheric component of carbon dioxide is insignificant compared to other gases such as nitrogen and oxygen that compose the atmosphere. From this comparison, it is evident that carbon dioxide cannot cause a major change in the atmosphere as well as changes or effects that can be caused by other gases. The fact that carbon dioxide is not sufficient to cause a major change in global climate nullifies the possibility of global warming. If global warming resulted from other atmospheric gases, then it would be possible to realize the effects of global warming. Any effect resulting from the expected global warming is attributed to human activities such as industrialization and deforestation. Industrialization has been considered as the main factor that leads to increased carbon dioxide rate in the atmosphere. On the other hand, plants assist by eliminating carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Deforestation, therefore, creates an imbalance between the carbon dioxide added into the atmosphere and the amount of carbon dioxide eliminated from the atmosphere. Global warming is a myth that people have been made to believe. The effects of carbon dioxide also contribute to the controversy of the issue. It

Skilled Human Resource Management In Africa Essay

Skilled Human Resource Management In Africa - Essay Example The topic of our discussion is brain drainage from the continent that is not yet established and due to such actions of individuals they tend to loose many important resources that could have been utilized in the betterment of their economic position. The world is currently facing diversion in terms of human resources from one part of the world to the other, it is fair to say that educated people do not want to stay in their country until and unless their country is fully supporting them and providing them with every basic of life, countries like America and England do not have a drainage problem due to many reasons which are also related to their currency value, however Africa is facing a serious problem as it cannot afford its skillful people to leave it which is happening. Almost every country is having a class that is willing to stay in it and work with dedication, but such organizations are providing its employees with something wonderful and they are motivated to work for the same without thinking about any struggle to earn more. As early as the 1500s, the African slave trade had already brought thousands of Africans to the new world. In what the mid period, Africans were exported from their homelands to the America to deve lop and sustain plantation agriculture and to work the mines of South America in a new and unfamiliar environment, the Africans were indentured for specified periods, but as the economic advantages of their forced labor became clearer, the period of serving soon came to be expanded to the duration of their lives. The Africans brought not only their labor, but also skills and knowledge in areas useful to the white colonizers. In Africa, the captives had been farmers, builders, artisans, craftsmen, healers, and even the rulers. For many of the African immigrants, the journey to the United States involves a global migratory pattern, leaving because of Africa's worsening economic and political problems, or to pursue education, or to join up with family members, these immigrants typically reach the United States in stepwise fashion, sometimes living in several other countries before managing to secure a visa for their ultimate destination in the United States. Relative to other immigrant population groups such as Hispanics or Asians, the African immigrants have a low rate of naturalization. Many consider themselves as visitors in United States, intending to return home when economic and political conditions improve. Africa's brain drain is taking place as the continent stands at the crisis of economic development and Africans appeal for the establishment of democratic institutions and political accountability. Africa's dilemma starts from the fact that the colonial and post-colonial policies of economic, political, and cultural development have been framed from a Euro American perspective that offers little or no relevance to the needs of the people on the continent. For instance, the rapid expansion in secondary and postsecondary education since 1945, although essential for economic and cultural development, was undertaken without any assessment of how school leavers would be incorporated into the labor market. The inability of the labor market to absorb school leavers has resulted in massive underemployment and unemployment. Unable to find jobs, both skilled and unskilled workers are compelled to search for jobs in Western

Islam, Judaism And Christianity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Islam, Judaism And Christianity - Essay Example Judaism not only can but does stand on its own. Judaism’s core beliefs in the Old Testaments are shared with Christianity. The two religions even believe in a messiah. The difference is Judaism rejects Jesus of Nazareth as that messiah, whereas Jesus is the long awaited savior in the Christian religion. The question becomes does one believe Jesus is the long awaited messiah? Christians believe so, normally without doubt. Judaism rejects that belief. Christianity has changed the world in the past two hundred years. America and most countries in the West have Christian leaders. This has influenced historical events. Cold War propaganda touted communist wanted to take over the world and get rid of religion all together. The evolution of anti-war movements and negotiations can be taken from Jesus’ teachings of peace. Instead of the Old Testament’s ‘eye for an eye’ like Judaism calls for, the death penalty has been rescinded in many countries and in parts of the United States. Finally, with the decadence of the past two hundred years, a messiah that forgives everything is quite appealing. It is more popular than Judaism’s demand that Biblical law be obeyed. Other events have been interpreted through Christian views in the past two hundred years. One example is the Holocaust.

TECHNOLOGY Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

TECHNOLOGY - Annotated Bibliography Example This article is highly credible even though it is a main magazine article because the author of this article has used various researches to make their point. The article will be very helpful in performing my research on technology. The content of the article will be helpful in supporting claims including the negative effects of technology on the health of the users. This article was authored by Winterman and in this magazine article the author focuses on how people are using the technological advancement of internet in order to harm themselves (Winterman 1). The author states that the technology of internet is not only used by strangers to harm others, it is used by people to themselves. The author cites a research that was conducted by the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center and in this research it was identified that 9% children who are internet users are cyber bullying oneself. The author states that due to this children experience different health and psychological issues and one of the most common psychological issues is depression. The article is a magazine article and has been authored by an individual who may lack knowledge about technology and its impact. But the author has used various studies to support their claim. The article will be used under the section of the report where psychological harm caused due to technology will be discussed. This is a news article that was published in the online version of ABC News and was authored by Scott Steinberg and this article focuses on the benefits that video game technology has to offer to various stakeholders including adults as well as children (Steinberg 1). The author claims that video game technology is helping children and adults in various walks of life including education and profession. The author even claims that the video game technology even helps an individual in their social life. In order to support the

German and French Fascism between 1870 and 1939 Essay

German and French Fascism between 1870 and 1939 - Essay Example German and French Fascism between 1870 and 1939 Social unrest between the opposed classes increase and terminates a social revolution. Marx despised ethical dissertation and constantly opposed moralistic involvements in the political and social issues. Marxism proclaimed that Communists did not preach morality at all. Marx did not show any interest in discussions on how people ought to act in a morally defensible way. He argued that capitalism had destroyed morality and turned it into a real lie. Attempts to develop socialistic ideas on moral precepts were considered as being distractions from the significance of confronting the fundamental causes of social misery in the course of material production. Marx opposed the commodification of labor and held that it rendered the worker economical and political powerless. Marxism on the other hand is based on a philosophical viewpoint called dialectical materialism. This precept holds that the history of humans is the story of class warfare. The society in this case is seen to struggle through different development stages. At each stage of development, the proletariat gains some more freedom that brings them closer to their goal of proletarian revolution. According to the maxims, there is no principle that supports the history of the materialistic, there is no God.The believe that religion is false is hereby considered to be a bourgeoisie tool which attempts to prevent the communist revolution. In the German revolution, the ruling class opposed the precepts of maxims. The struggle of the people to move to a state of freedom is considered to have been a real struggle. However, Marx still pushed on with his ideologies for the establishment of a revolutionized community. Trotsky who addressed the Germany communist Party to stop Fascism seconds the analys is. His aim was that they break not the Comintern itself but the Comintern policy5. Germany revolution ends, due in large part to some democratic parties6. Some of the parties during this revolution belonged to the old second international. Prior to the war, the social democratic party had never held power but only remained in the opposition and therefore supported the war. The statement executes Karl Rosa Luxemburg. In January 1923, the French administrations send troops to occupy the Ruhr. Unrests soar while the working class takeoffs massive strikes and wiping out the savings of the middle class. Some parties labeled themselves ‘Marxist’ while forty-five percent of the total voters supported them. Some ultra-rights movements grew and emphasized on the Marxism ideology of unity of the international working class. Hitler was very hostile to this ideology of Marxism due to its emphasis on the unity of the global working class instead of on racial solidarity7. The plan t o defend Belgium was aimed at making a stand at a line of forts between the league and the Antwerp cities. The British armies found them under attack on May 13 since they had been unaware that the Germany paratrooper units had already captured their forts. The offensive of Germany to the south unexpectedly emerged from Ardennes forests at the second time. During the following few days, the main allied armies were trapped between the German forces and were therefore unable to protect either Paris or stop the Germans from entering to the English channel8. The German troops to the south went on between the

UK TV drama analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

UK TV drama analysis - Essay Example t people would however like to change the cards that they were dealt, or at least sit down and have an eraser and be able to edit their lives and lead that which they feel to be the best; a life without struggle, pain or hardships. It is for this reason that the aim of this paper shall be to study the TV drama Misfits, and take a look at the way in which the characters react to life and the way in which they may be related pot real life experiences. Furthermore, the paper shall focus on the first two episodes of the series for a more in depth and precise look into everything. The plot of the story follows the lives of 5 teens that are caught for taking part in offences that have warranted them community service to the cut. These are Kelly Bailey, Curtis Donovan, Alisha Daniels, Simon Bellamy and Nathan Young. They are caught in a supernatural thunder storm that results in them gaining some supernatural abilities. The series was meant to follow the lives of the characters and mimic their characters in their behaviors so as to develop their powers. These powers are mean to focus on what the characters want from their lives but they are not able to get due to the decisions that they have made. However, not everything ends as they had wished. They are faced with decisions that are seen to follow them for the rest of their lives. These characters are drawn from the way in which teenagers and people in the world would love to be given another chance so as to ensure that the view that society has of them is different from what they are inside in terms of their character. Taking Kelly Bailey, played by Lauren Socha, is a character that is judged and feared buy society for having a body that is said to be manly and brute. She wishes that people stop looking at her through the scope of her physique but rather through the view that she is someone else that is different; she is not her skin or her body. In the storm, she gains the power of being able to talk and communicate

Washington Mutual Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Washington Mutual - Essay Example The conditions are analyzed in the paper and some recommendations have been suggested to improve the performance of the company and thereby determine their accountability. Washington Mutual Inc. is a Seattle based consumer and small business banking company operating in the markets of the United States. It is a savings and loan holding company with two banking subsidiaries namely Washington Mutual Bank (WMB) and Washington Mutual Bank fsb (WMBfsb), as well as numerous non-bank subsidiaries. The Washington Mutual is one of the largest savings and loan associations in the United States. The main business operations of the company include retail banking network of 2,257 stores in California, Florida, Texas, New York, Washington, Illinois, Oregon, New Jersey, Georgia, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, Idaho and Connecticut; card services operating throughout the country with credit card lending business; the commercial operations conducting multi-family and commercial real estate lending business in selected markets and the home loans group, which engages in nationwide single-family residential real estate lending, servicing and capital markets activities (Mouawad, 2007). It is the sole survivor as a major Seattle based bank after the overwhelming trend of merger in the country between 1980 and 1990 which ended the independence of Rainier Bank, Seafirst Bank and Peoples National Bank among others. The Washington Mutual has taken up aggressive business strategies to expand its business. It went on to acquire a huge number of financial and banking institutions since 1930 and rapidly increased its assets to become a giant in banking and finance sector. It showed great performance in customer service since its foundation as a savior of the economy of Seattle after the great fire destruction. It pioneered facilities like cash machine networks and telephone banking for customer satisfaction. The home loan sector of the

Sustainable agriculture Essay Example for Free

Sustainable agriculture Essay Organic foods are becoming more available in all types of stores where food is sold. Nowadays, instead of scouring many stores looking for organic foods, they have become available for purchase in everyday shopping locations such as Vons, Ralphs, as well as Target and Wal-Mart. With most of the population being consumed with healthier eating and fitness, eating organic foods is a step people make in bettering oneself. Additionally, it is essential to protect our planet in as many ways as possible. Organic foods have grown nationally, are healthier and safer to consume than conventionally farmed foods, and are beneficial to the environment. Originally, there was no such thing as organic or conventional foods. All farming was organic as there were no pesticides available. However, as the demand for foods increased, farmers had to figure out how to increase the production of their product, as well as preserving the food to be available for longer periods of time; therefore pesticides were born. The term organic foods is defined by the article Is Organic Food Better For You, as â€Å"crops [that] must be produced without conventional pesticides (including herbicides), synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, bioengineering, or ionizing radiation. †(1) Basically the article is saying that organic foods must be grown naturally without any â€Å"help†. This implies that farmers can use natural elements but nothing man made. Robin Parnes emphasizes that â€Å"organic food, [is] defined by how it cannot be made rather than how it can be made† (Parnes 2). Parnes is insisting that it is more important to state what cannot be used to ensure an authentic organic product. This is because what is NOT in a product is what makes it organic, not what IS in it.A common misconception about organic foods is that they are â€Å"natural†. This is not true. According to Parnes, â€Å"Natural foods can include organic foods, but not all natural foods are organic†. The essence of Parnes’ statement is the misconception is just that, a misconception, with the fact foods may be classified as â€Å"natural† but not classified as organic. Food that has been minimally processed and contains no preservatives is referred to by the food industry as â€Å"natural† (2). Given that the definition of organic food is very similar, it’s understandable why the two would be lumped together as one. However, the main difference as stated by Laurel Vukovic, is that foods must contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients in order to be classified organic (50). Organic farms are not always â€Å"small family farms† like consumers would think. Shapin states, Earthbound Farm, a large organic producer, was once a small â€Å"two-and-a- half acre raspberry-and-baby-greens farm†. Like most great things, the company grew and they now have large farms in nine different counties in the states of California, Arizona, Colorado, and even farms in three Mexican states. When organic farming first started in 1993, the owners of Earthbound Farm were asked by Costco, their first client, to drop the term organic because they were afraid their customers would be â€Å"intimidated† and not want to buy the product, because the entire concept was too new. In 2004 Earthbound’s farms had grown nationally with twenty-six thousand acres and is now â€Å"available in supermarkets in every state of the Union† (Shapin). Organic foods today have become a more common household name and consumers are flocking to buy more of it. Katherine DiMatteo states that there has been a â€Å"strong 20%-a-year growth rate since 1990† (qtd. in Is Organic Food Better For You?). DiMatteo is explaining that organic farming is becoming more in demand as people look more to eating right. Parnes supports this fact by stating that â€Å"according to the Food Marketing Institute, more than half of Americans now buy organic food at least once a month† (1). Considering that organic foods used to be very difficult to find and most people were not concerned with eating organic, this is a huge change. This supports the fact that people want to be healthier and eat better. According to Jennifer Alsever, this change is represented by organic foods replacing sugary foods and sodas in some vending machines in Chicago (8). With all the health problems affecting consumers today, people are searching for more healthy alternatives and â€Å"junk food† seems to be disappearing. Consumers have become awakened by their bad food choices and with all of the information on the news and tv today, telling people how rich organic produce is in vitamins and minerals, they are looking to nature for ways to improve their body and overall health. It has been proven that vitamin C and certain antioxidants can help with different diseases, such as â€Å"aging, cardiovascular disease, and cancer† as stated in Is Organic Better For You (3). This article also states that letting nutrient rich organic foods sit for too long in the refrigerator can actually cause the vitamins to deplete by oxidation, therefore losing the benefit. (3). So if you buy organic for the higher vitamins and nutrients, it is important to eat it as soon as possible, so that the benefit you paid a little extra for does not get â€Å"wasted†. Organic food not only helps our bodies, by reducing diseases and supplying us with needed nutrients, it can also help protect the environment. When conventional farming machines pollute the earth, this affects us as well. The air we breathe is polluted, as well as the ground by chemicals and pesticides. Even those who eat organic, can still be affected by conventional farming because of the harmful effects to the environment. Pesticides that are put on plants collect in the soil of the land as well as in water nearby conventional farms. People then drink this water and are exposed to the chemicals. In the article Is Organic Food Better For You, DiMatteo asserts that by eliminating the use of these pesticides and fertilizers in the organic production system, we are not contributing any further to this pollution (3). In making this comment, DiMatteo argues that the pesticides used in conventional farming is one cause to the pollution of our planet. She believes that replacing conventional farming with organic farming is one way to improve our plants health. When buying organic, the only thought which usually comes to mind is food. Yet, there are also organic hair products and skin products. One might believe that these products cannot harm or help our bodies, when in fact these are just as important, if not more important. According to Laurel Vukovic, these chemicals are â€Å"absorbed through the skin and scalp can be even more harmful than those ingested, because [they are notdetoxified by the liver and] pass directly into the bloodstream and fat cells† (48). Basically, she is stating that there is no way to fight off the effects of toxins contracted through hair and skin products. When toxins are ingested there is a detoxification process whereas when they are applied they are directly absorbed. Therefore, it is even more important to purchase products that are organic when trying to live a complete healthy life. Organic farming is a way to not only improve our health internally but externally as well, by protecting the environment. Organic foods take us back to the way food was before the big corporations got involved and â€Å"tainted† the product. It is safer to consume foods (as well as use products) that lack the harsh chemicals and pesticides. Our society is â€Å"obsessed† with pushing food to last longer than nature intended and this is a big reason pesticides were developed. Unfortunately, there is a price to pay for keeping food fresh longer. This price is being paid not only by our bodies, but by our environment as well. WORKS CITED Alsever, Jennifer. â€Å"No Twinkies? Vending Machines Go Organic. † Going Green. NBCNews. com, 12 Jan 2011. Web. 13 Feb. 2013. Ciampa, Linda.â€Å"The Organic Debate: Healthier or Not? † In-Depth Specials. CNN. com. Web. 10 Feb. 2013. â€Å"Is Organic Food Better for You? Here’s How to Decide If it’s Worth The High Price. † Food Recipes. WebMD. Web. 10 Feb. 2013. Parnes, Robin Brett. â€Å"How Organic Food Works. † How Stuff Works. Web. 11 Feb. 2013. Shapin, Steven. Organic Food and Farming Has Drawbacks. The Local Food Movement. Ed. Amy Francis. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2010. At Issue. Gale Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 12 Feb. 2013. Vukovic, Laurel. â€Å"A Shopper’s Guide to Organics†. Better Nutrition. Organic Directory, Sep. 2008. PDF fiile. 12. Feb 2013.

Plato Justice Versus Injustice

Plato Justice Versus Injustice Plato, one of the famous philosophers of our time, tried to define the value of justice in his writing. In Republic, books one through four, Plato writes about a conversation Socrates and Thrasymachus had discussing justice. While Thrasymachus claims that injustice is more preferable to justice, Socrates tries to counter is claim through a series of five acceptable facts. The first acceptable fact says Every X has a specific function. True, if X did not have a function, it would not exist or have a name. If we argue that every X has a specific function then we can say that the functions were teleologically determined. Man-made things are made to carry out a certain function that the man decides (a watch to tell time), and even though man decides its function, they decide the objects teleological function. It can also be assumed that the first fact in Platos function argument is suggesting that every X has only one function. To counter this, one can also say that a certain object can have more than one function. For example, leathers primary function is to be the skin of an animal but it can also, be shoes, clothes, bags, or water bottles. Likewise, one can conclude that the first fact is correct but would sound more accurate if it was phrased Every X has some or one specific function. Socrates next acceptable fact in his argument is The virtue of every X allows it to perform its function well. Again this fact is implying that there is only one function every X can do well. Continuing on the leather example, of the many functions of the material, its best and primary function is to be the skin of an animal. Of course, when leather is made into objects we may say that its best when its made into clothing. For instance, leather shoes as oppose to plastic shoes perform their function well because they last longer. Another example is of a doctor and a pharmacist. Although doctors have been trained to make some medicines they are not experts at it, where as pharmacists have been trained to do just that-make medicines. Because of the kind of virtue or training they have, not only does it allow them to perform their function, but to perform it well. Moving on, Plato goes to say that The human soul has a specific function-to live, or to choose. Consequently, every moment of a humans life they are thinking what they should do to better their life? What will make me feel good right now, coffee or tea? Human instincts, to run or to sleep or to dodge hard situations, are all meant for one thing-to live or to exist. In any harsh situations their aim is to over come and solve the problem to keep living. For example, your profession is chosen by you because it makes you happy. These decisions you make now to keep living give you other chances to make other decisions to living more. The process goes on and on. To make the choice to be a doctor, you have to choose what the best school is and once you get your degree where you will work? Once the money starts coming in, what will you do with it? As one can see, each decision leads to a decision to make another. If the human souls specific function is to live or choose, this example of beco ming a doctor greatly illustrates this acceptable fact in Platos argument. Closely related to the last acceptable fact, the next one says The virtue of a human soul allows that human being to live well. This means that if every decision one makes is to make another, the other decision they expect to make is for something bigger and grander. Of course, everyone has their own definition of living well. To me, living well would be to have a comfortable home where I can fulfill my duties as a daughter, sister, mother, and wife with ease and no hiccups. Also, living well is to see my family happy and to help them in anyway possible without much difficulty; financially being able to meet anything that comes my way. In addition, then comes the topic of elegance. Would I care if my glass of water was made of real crystal with fifty six percent lead or that it was plain old glass? Would I care that the water inside the glass was pure or not? Although quality of life and living well go hand in hand the virtue of the human soul allows them to make the decisions to hav e that life, however they may define it. Justice is the proper virtue of the human soul. This part of the function is out of the blue and without anything bolstering it. How do we know that justice is the virtue and not something else? This fact is also implying that humans are born with this virtuethat humans are born with the sense of justice in them. When justice is finally defined in the 4th book of The Republic it says that justice is the proper ordering of parts, that justice is the harmonious order. My question is what is harmonious to you? People have different views of harmony, different view on how to live life or what is right and wrong. For example, in the story Gullivers Travels, Gulliver, an explorer, comes across a savage race (in his opinion) he calls the Yahoos. The Yahoos are a tribe that rarely dress and eat uncooked meat but still they are happy in their ways of living for they have not make an effort to change. We may call their dress style poor and their food nasty but they may consider themselves elit e. In this example, Justice is more an opinion then fact which varies among people. People value Justice in their own way and find ways for it to fit their lifestyle. Furthermore, if the Yahoos and our kind co-existed, there would be a conflict because of our differing views of justice an injustice. If this happened, hypothetically, we would have to come to a compromise where we both redefine our justice system to fit our situations. With relation to redefining the system, if justice can be changed so fast is it really a virtue of the human soul? Despite that I do not completely agree with Socrates that justice is the virtue of the human soul, we can take this as a presumption to explain the rest of the argument. Considering the presumption above, the next acceptable fact says that a just soul allows a human being to live well. In addition, a just soul must be a person who has the perspective of good and bad and has been taught to tell the difference. Moreover, they should be someone who has been warned of the dangers of injustice. This warned and just soul allows a person to live well. Why live well? Because the person knows what is right and wrong and will make choices in the direction of gaining something good. And if Justice has been planted in their brain then the person will only make decisions to get good thus, be good. If a person is just and they know justice then the last phrase No one would prefer to live badly over living well is obvious. If justice has been planted into the brain and the function of a human is to live well and justice is the virtue of the human soul then this person has no way they would want to live badly. If a person has never been taught to blow bubbles because it was bad, no one would be taught to do it, hence blowing bubbles would not exist. Clearly, if one is taught to do something the right way all their life, they will continue to only go the right way. Through a series of acceptable facts and deductive reasoning Socrates comes to a conclusion that justice is preferred over injustice. If justice is good living and living good is in the human soul then injustice will not be preferred over justice. We were never taught to get injustice but to always run away from it to justice-getting the good world and avoiding the bad.

Role of recruitment and selection

Role of recruitment and selection INTRODUCTION: In today world many organisation are facing high level of challenges due to the unstable economic recovery leading to rise in no compete agreements, also large number of illiterate workers being recruited resulting in reducing the profit margin and competitiveness; with increase in contemplate retirements and very few people left in-between 18-45 age to do this job. Human Resources and recruitment go hand in hand and their importance is increasing rapidly within the organisation, it has be observed that these changes has altered new image of the HR whereas previously they functions were limited to only welfare organiser or administrative role, but now known as a key aspect in running business forward and changing the business strategies to meet the need of the client. Now we are going to discuss the about how the recruitment and selection process works , also discussing the inputs provided and how it helps in smoother functioning in the organisation. * Finding the job requirement and funds must be there. * Review the job requirements according to the clients and ensure the present and future requirements are met. * Check the candidates specification to met requirements of the job description * Organize selection process * Create the advertisement and make selection for the medium of advertising the job requirement * Short list the candidates specification only * Start the Interview process and examine the short-listed candidates * Confirm the references; verify the qualifications documents and other legal considerations * Give Appointment SCOPE: Procedural Purpose: So this process has an important place in selecting the appropriate person and to maintain the high standards of the workforce, make the procedure more relevant and no discrimination to be shown to any of the employees. RECURITMENTAND SELECTION PROVISIONS: Job Profile and Need for it: There are certain questions we need make a note Job necessity there? Does it add value to the team and whether it fulfils the requirements? How can the job requirement funded? A special approval is required if the position is outside the scope of the employer Requirement for updating the job profile? If yes then the job profile and candidate specification need to be re checked, then we can utilise t the HR team to provide the appropriate inputs to suit the need to the job requirements. What type of job? Temporary job Part Time, Full Time job Permanent job or fixed term contract basis or Can the job be sharing an option? Secondment or agencies Use of the fixed contracts are basically to meet a project or task assigned, they are not for permanent purpose, there is always a doubt whether any of these job can be permanent if any arrangements are extended above 12 months. This 12 month period can also be availed through the employments obtained from the agencies. Usage of secondment should be in agreements of the IPCC Secondment Policy Political Restricted Jobs If the jobs come under the IPCCs list of politically restricted post the n it should be mentioned clearly in the advertisement and also while the recruitment process is going on No access to Minor or Vulnerable Adults There should be a proper checking done before the appointment to make sure no minor or vulnerable adults are given access. PLAN SELECTION PROCESS: Managers duty is to make proper plan for the selection process and also giving importance to the following points. Designating the Panel à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The manager job is to designate a panel for conducting the interview, this panel can consists of two or more, it can be mixture of any gender and any race. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ This panel should have one person who must have got approved training by the IPCC on recruitment and equal opportunities, if not then the issues has to be resolved by the Human Resources à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The panel must be familiar with the anti discrimination legislation à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Willingness of the panel to conduct the interview in all the phases of the recruitment process and also these interview with given fair opportunities and treating all equal and no bias Panel should fulfil certain criterias like decision and their relationship with the candidate Must not affect the ability in selection decision, shouldnt lead to any kind on consequences or showing their motive. Test for the Selection Selection process has many components one of them is conducting the test this method, (i.e. will enable us to examine the job requirements to relation to the reliability, fair and unbiased- also estimating the capabilities of test), it is a powerful tool and highly recommended in use. HR can give guidance to managers how to use this tool effectively. Development, administration and interpretation of psychometric test must be recognised by the people. Questionnaire Preparation: The Competency based questions can be obtained by the HR from IPCC Interview Guides. It the job of the manager to obtain these questions from the HR prior to conducting the interview. ADVERTISING: Vacancies advertisement: Manager prepares advertisement by availing help form HR, the HR team gives advertising service which is centralised for the vacancies. For a permanent vacancy the advertisement is done internally by means of intranet and also externally, advertisement for external vacancy are done on IPCC website , also including the newspaper publications and may also involve the agencies also when ever applicable. The applications must be submitted to HR Team not to Manager directly. SHORT LISTING AND INTERVIEWING: Short Listing Candidate: Short Listing of the candidate should be on basis of the specifications it must be completed, no changes should be made to short list the candidate as it will be injustice, completing the short listing and ensuring the process is does not have any unlawful discriminations. A second person is desirable to be added. Former employees who were terminated due to some reason should be considered for the appointment; Short listed candidates notes should be submitted to HR by the manager for filling and retained for 6 months Interview: It is the managers must prepare the interview timetable of how and when the interviews will be conducted and also need to mention if there will be any test This information is then given to the HR and he will be notifying the short listed candidates about the arrangements through a phone call, mail or email and the information will be as follows à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Time, the date and place of the interview à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Instruction of the route to the venue à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ A request to call or contact the person in charge if there is any special arrangement needed to be made in matter of interview à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Including information about anything that they need to carry in regards to the test or presentation (examples like documents of proof of qualification needed for the post) Interview Phase The main reason the interview is conducted is to select the correct person that is why IPCC has laid the framework to conduct interview by methods which are systematic, perfect, no bias and fair from and discriminations. Every candidate treated equally and consistently and to do this the panel has to follow the steps or take precautions à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ All the questions must be the same for each candidate. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Appropriate questions must be asked to get an understanding of the applicant answers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Consistence level should be maintain in allowing presentations or notes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ No breaching IPCC equal opportunities policy or code of conduct in regards to discriminatory action, or any kind of harassment, or any other conduct that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ If the candidate is disabled, necessary step have to be taken like adjustments that may be required on job and should be taken in a positive way. Examining the disabled candidates must be in relation to the candidates performance ability, also taking into consideration that any adjustment required were provided. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Candidates information should be treated as confidential throughout the selection process and parties involved in the selection process only should share the information à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The Interview records and the reasons for decisions must be returned to HR for updating and must be disposed in six months later SELECTION: Appointment Decision Selecting the appropriate candidate is the most important of the HR and Manager as this will lead to the proper growth prospect and also satisfying the need of the requirement. The decision must be made purely on the candidates eligibility and merit and that will leads to selecting the successful candidate and this is the job of the panel, these judgements are made on à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Information in the application à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Qualifications à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ How well performance at Interview à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Results of selection tests à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Work permit or working right in the UK. Appointed candidates must actively promote the IPCCs Core Values panel must ensure this. VERIFICATION: Checking the Information Provided During this information of each candidate must be checked properly, the managers must satisfy themselves that the information provided is authentic, valid not fake and honest. This includes being information regarding the candidates: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Application à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Work Experience à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Qualifications (only if qualification is a requirement for the post, proof of evidence or certificates must be collected from candidate and must be recorded safely) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Evidence shown at the interview. Human Resources are responsible for processing: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Reference checking à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Security Clearances à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ ensuring the candidate has Work permit or working right in the UK. If any of the information provided is not valid then HR should immediately discuss the matter with the Manger. OFFER: Employment Offer The Manager has to issue a conditional verbal offer of employment within a week of interview. Offer should within the salary range stated on the Authority to Recruit form. If for Manager feels that for any reason the offer should be made above that range, then directors and HR Heads prior approval must be obtained. Failure to this may lead to offer being drawn back. Conditional basis offer must be while the required verification takes place for purpose of security clearance, health declaration, references, qualifications (basing on the job requirement) and the right to work in the UK etc. Managers responsibility is to notify HR of the offer. HR send the candidate for a security clearance questionnaire, , offer letter, health declaration form and statement of particulars detailing post, salary, benefits, holiday entitlement, notice period, working hours and location. After successful completion of applicants acceptance letter and other formalities HR will issue a confirmation about the receipt letter informing the start date along with joining instructions. Manager must get advice from the HR team before withdrawing a firm offer of employment if he wishes OTHER REQUIREMENTS: Post interview feedback results for the application HR is the one responsible for providing written notification to all the candidates about the result of their application. If a candidate requests for a feedback regarding the unsuccessful short-listing and the reason should be reasonable to the candidate for rejection also providing the constructive feedback. Written feedback is not provided normally. MONITORING RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION (REPORTING): HR job is to keep a track of the recruitment processes and to ensure they are not discriminatory any of the policies and provides statistical data to Senior Management on a regular basis. Additional guidance If the Manager has doubt and in not clear about anything in regards to the recruitment and selection process he might seek advice from the Human Resources Team. CONCLUSION: At last the conclusion would be that Recruitment and Selection is the strongest pillar of the organisation function; they play a vital role, because to make the business to a successful business Right person should be employed to do the right job.

Starbucks Organizational Behavior Essays -- Business Analysis

Starbucks Organizational Behavior A company's understanding and use of organizational behavior concepts can make or break it. Just as important, if a company ignores these same concepts, it can easily spell disaster. Starbucks intertwines and successfully uses three main organizational behavior concepts to increase the strength of the organization: organizational culture, organizational structure and motivation. The implementation of these concepts has definitely benefited the company, creating a monopoly in the United States as a coffee retailer and service company. Organizational Culture In the text, Organizational Behavior, Stephen P. Robbins defines organizational culture as, "a system of shared meaning held by members that distinguishes the organization from other organizations" (2005). Starbucks has a very strong organizational culture and strives to maintain it. Everything centers on the organizational culture within Starbucks. While being a customer service-based company and understanding that the customer satisfaction and loyalty are what will make the company profitable, Starbucks takes a different approach to customer service than other companies. By hiring employees that fit in the organizational culture (ICFAI, 2005) and treating their employees well (Lefevere, n.d.), Starbucks brings in and retains customers through their happy employees. The qualities that Starbucks hires for are "adaptability, dependability and the ability to work in a team" (ICFAI, 2005). The culture is supportive and laid back (Montana, 2005). Howard Shultz, Starbucks president and CEO, has the theory "that if you treat your employees well, they will treat your customers well" (Starbucks, 1997). In the excerpt from ‘Starbucks' Human Reso... ... website: http://www.echeat.com/essay.php?t=27282 Nelson, Bob. (2000, March 13). How Starbucks energizes its employees. bizwomen.com. Retrieved March 20, 2007, from bizjournals website: http://www.bizjournals.com/bizwomen/consultants/return_on_people/2000/03/13/column72.html NYSE Group (2007). Starbucks Corp. Retrieved March 24, 2007, from NYSE Group website: http://www.nyse.com/about/listed/lcddata.html?ticker=SBUX&fq=D&ezd=1Y&index=5 Robbins, Stephen P. (2005). Organizational behavior (11th ed.). New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Pearson Education. Inc. Starbucks case study: background 1971-87; private company 1987-92. (1997). McGraw-Hill Companies. Retrieved March 20, 2007, from the McGraw-Hill Companies website: http://www.mhhe.com/business/management/thompson/11e/case/starbucks-1.html http://www.mhhe.com/business/management/thompson/11e/case/starbucks.html

Causal Determinsim Essay -- Philosophy

Causal determinism is the concept that preceding causes give rise to everything which exists such that reality could be nothing but what it is. Science depends on this idea as it aims to find generalisations about the conjunction of certain causes and effects and thus hold some power of prediction about their future co-occurrence. However, in human interaction people assume each other to be responsible for their acts and not merely at the whim of causal laws. So the question which troubles philosophers is whether causation dictates entirely the course of human action or whether we as agents possess some free will. I will argue that free will is an inescapable illusion of the mind, something which never did nor ever could exist under causal determinism. Compatiblists propose that free will and determinism coexist while to incompatibilists that would be impossible. If we are to decide for ourselves then firstly we must establish the meanings of causal determinism and freedom of the will. Proponents of causal determinism contend that 1. Every event has a cause 2. Human actions constitute a sort of event 3. Thus every human action has a cause 4. Every action ever executed is nothing more than an inevitable consequence of the preceding conditions in the universe So if causal determinism is true humans lack any capacity to choose or to will as nothing could ever be other than it is. (McFee. 2000, p. 21) Free will is a far more elusive notion. However authors seem to agree on a few aspects of it. In his paper Has the Self â€Å"Free Will†? Campbell suggests that an effective free will is confined to the domain of moral decisions. He asserts that to exercise free will an agent must be sole author of an act, not simply yieldin... ...scapable illusion of the mind. Similarly to how Strawson argues the truth of determinism would not make agents any less morally accountable, I believe the falseness of free will does not detract from its usefulness in clarifying our mental narratives and explaining the origins of our actions. Works Cited Fischer, J.M. (Ed.). (2005). Free Will: Critical Concepts of Philosophy. Abingdon: Routledge. McFee, G. (2000). Free Will. Teddington: Acumen Publishing. Perry, J., Bratman, M. & Fischer, J.M. (2010). Introduction to Philosophy: Classical and Contemporary Readings. (5th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. Perry, J., Bratman, M. & Fischer, J.M. 1998). Introduction to Philosophy: Classical and Contemporary Readings. (3rd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. Campbell, C.A. (1957) On Selfhood and Godhood, London: George, Allen & Unwin.

Political Dimension of Globalization

In chapter four, â€Å"The political dimension of globalization,† Steger did a tremendous job in analyzing the intensification and expansion of political interrelations across the globe. Steger brought up two major issues, which I found intriguing, dealing with how globalization affects modern nation-state system, which traced back to 17th-century, and the demise of the nation-state that gave rise to a â€Å"borderless world. On the other hand, Xiaohua Ma discoursed of reconciliation and forgiveness in her essay, â€Å"Constructing a National Memory of War,† showed how War Museums served as an important role in constructing national memory. Altogether, National memory mends the gap between political interrelations across the globe. The nation-state, a form of political organization originated out of the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, served to decide on specific rules of relations within and between states to avoid perpetual disagreements.With the nation-state system, th e states manage domestic affairs, everything from education, military to welfare and population. This system strived to put a clear distinction between domestic territory, where the authority of the state was absolute, and the international realm where nations were expected to follow minimal rules to avoid conflicts. This had been a foundation that Steger believed convey â€Å" a sense of existential security and historical continuity† (Steger, 56). However, when this diplomat failed to follow through, states brutishly engage themselves by going to war with each other.Steger made an excellent point on the fuel behind the mental and physical energies required for large-scale warfare, for example, World War I and II, came from â€Å"people’s very own belief in the superiority of their own nation† (Steger, 57). Even political scientist David Held pointed out, â€Å" Differences among states are often settled by force†¦international legal standards afford only minimal protection† (Steger, 58). The needs to make â€Å"foreign† countries felt subordinated to a larger imperial authority are the causes for the gap between political interrelations.In a way, this related to Ma’s essay by showing how War Museums are intended for peaceful purposes. In her essay, she defines National memory as commemoration â€Å"for purposes of strengthening national identity or international prestige. † War museums served to focus on grievance, and, by commemorated in certain ways, reinforced national pride and identity. Furthermore, National memory strengthens political interrelations across the globe. The demise of nation-state, calling it â€Å"borderless world,† sought to convince people that the decline of territory power is because of political and social change as a result of globalization.Because a state can only be self-governing if it can exercise authority over a given territory, globalization, which rely on data and communication technologies, made â€Å"borders† seem irrelevant. These so called â€Å"techno-economic juggernaut† aimed to crush any governmental attempts of strengthening policies and regulations. This issue linked with the economic aspect of globalization, showing how transnational corporations can have a huge impact on the political dimension of globalization. Steger pointed out that â€Å"global markets frequently undermine the capacity of government,† which leaded to people believing in the decline of nation-state.However, government still has the power in deciding the fate of their economies. Factors like education, infrastructure, and population movement account for most of the country’s economic system. Likewise, Ma said in her essay that National memory could shape and reshape postwar relations, or it could cause domestic discontent as a result of economic downfall. Thus, possibly shifting the focus from reshaping postwar relations to lingering wartime grievances. As a result, globalization ceased the end of nation-state by creating a â€Å"borderless world,† which eventually created global chaos.National memory serves as a foundation to help strengthen the political conflicts between states that caused by globalization. Ma discussed two perspectives of â€Å"Memory Wars†: humanistic and political view. The humanistic view put strong emphasis on forgiveness, the feelings of guilt and remorse; political view, by rectifying the wrongs, helped rebuild â€Å"international rehabilitation and thereby national prestige. † Altogether, this helps rebuild the postwar relations between states at a nation and international level.