History, present and future of BRIC countries

History, present and future of BRIC countries INTRODUCTION Our topic for research is BRIC issues, so firstly we must know what is BRIC. BRIC is a related acronym that refers to the economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China. This idea was incorporated by Brazilian president Luis Inacio Lula da Silva in June 2007. The basic reason for these four countries to come together was their common dissatisfaction the prevailing global economic and political order largely dominated by the US and her western allies. They have not been given the importance that these countries should have got in relation to their size and share in the economy. Its only the G-8 countries that decide for the future rules of global world order. So this was the reason for formation of the BRIC countries. The BRIC countries are also referred to as the big four as all of them are deemed to be at similar stage of economic development. The acronym was coined by Jim ONeill in a 2001 paper entitled The World Needs Better Economic BRICs. The following is the position of BRIC nations in relation to the world: Countries Share of world nominal GDP (%) Share of world military spending (%) Share of world population (%) Share of world landmass (%) Average share (%) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Flag_of_Brazil.svg/22px-Flag_of_Brazil.svg.png  Brazil 3.3 1.7 2.8 5.6 3.4 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Flag_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China.svg.png  China 9.3 6.6 19.5 6.2 10.4 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/Flag_of_India.svg/22px-Flag_of_India.svg.png  India 2.3 2.4 17.3 1.9 6.0 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/Flag_of_Russia.svg/22px-Flag_of_Russia.svg.png  Russia 2.4 3.5 2.1 10.9 4.7 According to Goldman Sachs, by 2050 the combined economies of the BRIC countries would eclipse the combined economies of the current richest countries in the world. The BRIC countries combined currently account for more than quarter of worlds land and more than 40% of worlds population. The economic potential of Brazil, Russia, India and China is such that they can become the top four dominant countries of the world by the year 2050. The following leaders were present at the summit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3c/Lula_-_foto_oficial05012007_edit.jpg/80px-Lula_-_foto_oficial05012007_edit.jpg BrazilBrazil Luiz Inà ¡cio Lula da Silva, President http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Dmitry_Medvedev_official_large_photo_-5.jpg/86px-Dmitry_Medvedev_official_large_photo_-5.jpg RussiaRussia Dmitry Medvedev, President http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/Manmohansingh04052007.jpg/78px-Manmohansingh04052007.jpg IndiaIndia Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/Hu_Jintao_%28Cropped%29.png/107px-Hu_Jintao_%28Cropped%29.png Peoples Republic of ChinaChina Hu Jintao, President BRIC countries hold a combined GDP (PPP) of 15.435 trillion dollars. On almost every scale, they would be the largest entity on the global stage. These four countries are among the biggest and fastest growing emerging markets. In a paper Dreaming with BRICS: The Path to 2050, published in 2003, the following was estimated: Chinas economy will surpass the economy of Germany in the next few years, of Japan by 2015, and of the United States of America by 2041. The growth rate of India will be the highest and it will overtake Japan by 2032. BRICs currencies can appreciate by 300% over the next 50 years. Taken together, the BRIC countries can be larger than United States and the developed economies within 40 years. By the year 2025. The BRIC countries will bring about 200 million people with incomes above $15000 in the worlds economy. It is equal to the combined populations of Germany, France and United Kingdom. But according to the reports the economy of china overtook the economy of Germany in the year 2007 instead of the prediction of 2008 and Japan in the July 2010. ISSUES RELATING TO BRIC COUNTIES The first official BRIC summit was held on 16 June 2009, in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Luiz Inà ¡cio Lula da Silva, Dmitry Medvedev, Manmohan Singh, and Hu Jintao, the respective leaders of Brazil, Russia, India and China, all attended this summit. The main focus of this summit was to improve the current global economic situation and discussing how these four countries could work together in the future for the development of the world economy. They also discussed how these countries could be better involved in global affairs in the future. They also suggested that there was a need for a new global reserve currency that is diversified, stable and predictable. This statement was a kind of an attack on the dominance of the US dollar. The foreign ministers of all these countries had earlier also met on May 16, 2008 in Yakaterinburg. One week before their first official summit, Brazil had offered $10 billion dollars to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which was the first time that the country had ever made such a loan. This loan showed how the economy of Brazil is growing and that it is in a good state now. China has also planned to invest a total of $50.1 billion and Russia planned to invest $10 billion. The following the major issues discussed by BRIC: Coping with the current international financial crisis: Discussions were held on issues such as the worlds reserve currency and some countries will try and adopt local currencies as settlement currency for bilateral trade so that they can overcome the impact of international financial crisis and facilitate trade contacts with other countries. The BRIC countries discussed ways to overcome the financial crisis that many parts of the world were facing as a result of the crisis that started in U.S. Coping with global climate change: Another important BRIC issue is to cope with global climate change. This is a very important issue because we need to ensure that the world becomes a better planet to live in. The concept of sustainable development was stressed in solving this problem. Sustainable development means that the resources should be used efficiently and effectively such that it is not only useful to the present generations but also available for the future generations. They also discussed that environmental issues should not be made an excuse to restrain the economic and social development of emerging economies. Environmental degradation should not hinder economic growth. The colloquium on Climate Change Law and Governance in South Asia, aims to inspire legal discussion within and between the BRICs countries. It is being jointly organized by the Environment Ministry of Government of India and the Geneva-based International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Development of second and third generation renewable energies The development of second and third generation renewable energies is a subject of common interest for all the countries. They also hope that more and more countries of the world will participate in the development and utilization of renewable sources of energy so as to facilitate economic development. World peace and security: World peace and security is a universal issue concerning the human race. Without peace and security economic growth and development cannot happen. The emerging markets should play a greater role among international multilateral institutions to improve the efficiency, vitality of international multilateral mechanism. Such countries can play a positive role to preserve the sovereignty of all countries as well as maintain world peace. BRIC cooperation will enhance the voice of developing nations: BRIC countries share common interests and concerns in international affairs and should consolidate cooperation. It is necessary for the BRIC countries to strengthen dialogue, coordination and cooperation to enhance the overall voice and influence of emerging markets and developing countries, and promote world peace, stability and universal development. BRIC countries demand more say in financial system reform: The BRIC countries have welcomed the expansion of the Balse committee that standard accounting bodies need to be set up. The BRIC ministers agreed that stabilization of international financial system through liquidity support and recapitalization is a priority. They are also taking measures to promote domestic demand in their national economies. The BRIC countries to play roles as new donors to Africa: Africa has plenty to gain from the growing involvement of China and other BRIC nations in trade and investment on the continent Need for changes in global institutions, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank: The BRIC countries have realized the need for change in global institutions including the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. There is also a need to update regulation of financial markets to avoid another global crisis. On matters relating to the IMF, the countries have agreed to aim at achieving a significant 7% shift in Quota shares in favour of EMDCs and New arrangement to borrow. For the World Bank, the nations discussed ways and means of enhancing the voice participation of developing countries and agreed to aim for a shift of a 6% of parity. They also supported an increase in capital for both the World Bank and its private lending arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Challenges in setting conditions for sustained growth: Brazil is the only nation where the growth rates have been less than expected. This is because Brazil is much less open to trade and it has lower investment and savings. The public and foreign debt is also very high. Unless these obstacles are removed, Brazil is unlikely to achieve the targets set for it. Environmental constraints: Environmental degradation is a critical risk to the economic rise of the BRIC nations. Global warming can have a bad impact on the rural incomes. Also urbanization and industrialization puts a lot of pressure on the environment. Many major cities like Shanghai, Mumbai, Rio de Janeiro are vulnerable to rising sea levels. Resources issue: Russia and Brazil are resource rich nations but china and India have to depend a lot upon imports to fuel their growth. If commodity prices rise, it will have a lot of effect on their imports and hence their growth. If technology advances and reduces dependence on conventional energy sources, Russia and Brazil will face reduced prospects for growth. Demographics: The population of India is increasing at a very high rate while the population of Russia is at decline. Brazil and China have declining populations (in case of China due to one family one child policy). Population decline could be a significant constraint for Russia and China, though China could avoid this by relaxing the rules a bit. Structural constraints: All the BRIC countries have structural issues which need to be addressed. India needs significant economic reforms. Brazil saves and invests too little. Each country should invest at least that much to ensure that it has infrastructure to maintain growth. Iran: Brazil has expressed affinity with China towards the Iranian nuclear issue. Development: China has showed willingness to be a positive partner in global development saying The scale and complexity of the challenges that we face in the course of development are unmatched anywhere else in the world and have been rarely seen in human history. China is willing to be dedicated to peace and cooperation and is willing to make greater contribution to mankind. The above were most of the major BRIC issues which we have tried to explain through our research.

Lbj Paper

Nicole Curtis 4/15/10 APUS: LBJ DBQ Essay President Lyndon B. Johnson and his administration passed several legislations and supported many programs that attempted to repair the numerous political, economic, and social problems of the United States during the 1960s. His administration responded to most of the problems effectively, but with the issue of civil rights, for example, they didn’t always fix the problems to the best of their ability. But most importantly was his attack on the â€Å"war on poverty. Acts, like the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, assisted citizens of the US through attacking the â€Å"war on poverty† and creating opportunities for the children of the future. Minorities, like African Americans, had trouble gaining political power. Primarily, blacks were fighting for their protection to vote and an increase in their influence in politics. For instance, some African Americans got together and created â€Å"freedom organizations† known as t he Black Panther Party in order to represent their strength and dignity of their culture (doc. C).They didn’t have any legitimate successes in their fight for their political rights. Johnson and his administration, therefore, admitted the 24th amendment. This prohibited the poll tax which was a discriminatory tax that was required in order to exercise the ability to vote. Also, the Voting Rights Act was passed in 1965, which outlawed the discriminatory voting practices that were responsible for the disenfranchisement of African Americans in the US. These laws and his support for blacks’ rights were strongly influential and beneficial to the United States. LBJ’s (Lyndon B.Johnson’s) most influential response to the problems of the United States was in his response to the â€Å"war on poverty. † The programs that he passed helped the poverty problem through the economical and social aspect of it. Economically, his programs boosted money into the econ omy and improved the education for citizens so that they could make more money in their future. Socially, it improved the conditions of the urban cities as well as decreasing the gap between the rich and poor by heavily helping the poor. Specifically, he aided in with the health care concern for United States citizens (doc.A). Medicare and Medicaid were created which provided federal aid to the elderly and poor for medic al expenses. Also the Economic Opportunity Act improved and increased the number of educational programs, gave money to the youth through Job Corps, and gave volunteers to troubled communities to provide educational and social services (doc. B). The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and the Model Cities Program also were formed during Johnson’s presidency. The Model Cities Program redeveloped the urban city. This attempted to improve the conditions for the poor who lived in the city.Prior to Johnson’s aid, many people felt â€Å"†¦si ck of ‘poor’ people demonstrations†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (doc. G). So, Johnson’s main goal was to improve the poverty problem in the US which he did successfully. Between 1960 and 1970, the percentage of non-whites that fell below poverty level decreased from 53. 3% to 32. 0% (doc. H). Also the percentage of whites that fell below the poverty line decreased from 18. 1% to 9. 9% during the 60s. Clearly, his programs were effective. Socially, blacks had many problems regarding their human and civil rights. They continued to fight for them throughout the 60s.Johnson supported this and passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This piece of legislation outlawed the application of unequal voter requirements and segregation in schools, work, and public places. He also facilitated the March on Washington. He, as well as Governor Wallace of Alabama, federalized the Alabama National Guard, and sent an additional 2200 troops from the U. S. Army to protect the marchers. His wide support for the civil rights movement was great, but still many blacks were being discriminated against due to the lack of enforcement of the Civil Rights Act in specific areas.His administration had the ability to do great things, yet they only did good things in response to the civil rights issue. Lyndon B. Johnson and his administration, â€Å"[made] it possible for every child of every color to grow up in a nice house, to eat a solid breakfast, to attend a decent school, and to get a good and lasting job† (doc. F). Johnson did this through his many successful programs like the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. He repaired many of the political, economic, and social problems of the US in the 60s effectively.

10 Ways to Keep Fit

The Dorm Room Diet Start chugging. Water helps you curb food cravings and feel fuller longer — all for a grand total of zero calories. Sip on your water bottle throughout the day to stay hydrated and lose some of that holiday weight. Pop in a DVD. A workout DVD, that is. There are tons of options on the market, including Kim Kardashian’s â€Å"Fit In Your Jeans By Friday† series and â€Å"The Pussy Cat Dolls’ Workout. † Um, girls, you might want to stash these so your BF doesn’t swipe them. Pop in a DVD. A workout DVD, that is.There are tons of options on the market, including Kim Kardashian’s â€Å"Fit In Your Jeans By Friday† series and â€Å"The Pussy Cat Dolls’ Workout. † Um, girls, you might want to stash these so your BF doesn’t swipe them. Don’t touch that dial. Squeeze in a little exercise when your favorite TV show takes a commercial break. Valerie Orsoni, founder of LeBootCamp, recommends fi tting in a minute each of marching in place, squats, pushups and crunches, followed by an additional minute of marching in place for a mini exercise boost.Muscular System: Muscle MetabolismDownload an app. Grab your iPhone and download Body Fitness, a free application that offers over 320 exercises, complete with instructions and photos. As an added bonus, download Lose It! (also free! ) to track your calorie intake and how much you burn off from the exercise. Clean up. Vacuum, dust and put away your laundry to get a spotless dorm room and a thinner shape. Just 30 minutes of household cleaning burns 85 calories for a 125-pound person. Don’t skip.While cutting out food might seem like the best way to shed pounds, skipping meals slows down your metabolism, which eventually causes you to gain more weight. Eat regular meals full of filling veggies and lean protein to keep your weight in check. Buy some motivation. Use those holiday gift certificates to pick up some exercise gear, suggests Morgan. Exercise bands, a medicine ball and a yoga mat can be bought online and kept in your room to give you the initiative to get moving.Bust a move. No need to head out to the hottest frat party to get your muscles moving. Crank up the tunes and dance the afternoon away to burn some extra calories. If free-styling isn’t your thing, turn on â€Å"Dance Dance Revolution† for a few choreographed steps. Redecorate. Give your room a fresh new look and give your muscles a rigorous workout. Rearranging furniture is serious exercise, so give your dorm the new setup you’ve been dying to try out.

7 Smart Questions to Ask in a College Interview

7 Smart Questions to Ask in a College Interview When it comes to college interviewing, remember that youre not the only one being interviewed. After submitting your personal essay, high school transcripts and SAT scores, it may feel like the admissions boards are the ones in the drivers seat and youre just along for the ride. In fact, once you reach the college visits and interview process, you have a lot of say in what happens next. In order to get the most out of your college interview, its best to prepare some questions that will make a difference in whether or not you choose this school. Admissions interviewers will always give you a chance to vet them, so take the time to consider whats most important to you in your college experience. Here are some examples of great questions to ask your interviewer: What kinds of internships or study abroad experiences are available? Many schools have connections with organizations and businesses outside of the college in order to build a bridge between studying and real-life work experiences. Study abroad programs are also sponsored by most schools. Find out about the options at your school if this is an experience you would like to have. How does it work? What courses are available? Are language lessons included? Will you stay on campus at the other school or with a host family? Is there a ___ team? If you play a sport and would like to continue playing it at college, ask about it. You may want to know how competitive their team is. Did they rank high against other schools in the last few seasons? How much does the college invest in this sport? Is the equipment new and up to date? If this sport is something youre passionate about, find out how valued your participation would be at this school. What type of social activities does the college offer to students on weekends? Social life is a big part of college. Even the most serious student needs to have some time to relax and enjoy some social activities. Find out what kind of entertainment the college organizes for its students. Are there dances, parties, concerts, movie screenings on the campus lawn? Do most students participate in these events or do a lot of students find entertainment off the campus? What do students generally like most about this college? And what do they like least? Interviewers can usually answer this question quite easily. They know the schools strengths and weaknesses. Its a great question for you to get a feel of how happy you would be at this school. If their biggest strength is campus community and this is an important aspect for you, then you should check that in the plus column. If their biggest weakness is lack of investment in college sports but youre not an athlete, then it wouldnt make a difference for your decision. How would you define the educational vision of the college? Most colleges have a mission statement that defines their goals and shapes their policies and campus climate. Getting to know the most deeply-held values of a school is a great way to determine if you belong there or not. Some schools are very academically and research driven, striving for excellence at any cost. Others take a more holistic view of education and value the importance of social and cultural factors. Its one of the best ways to find out the bottom line of the schools you are applying to. How much interaction and attention can I expect from my professors? Depending on the size of the school, you may have very limited access to your professors. At smaller schools, professors may be able to offer more personal attention and guidance to students. If this is an important aspect of learning to you, ask about it. Im planning to major in ___? What does the ___ department of this college have that makes it stand out from other schools? If you know your major already and youre aiming to attend one of the best schools in this field, go ahead and ask about it. Find out if this school can offer you the best opportunities or if theyre merely mediocre. Maybe theyre not known for this department, but they happen to have a great internship to offer in this area or next year theyre hiring one of the leading researchers in this field. The only way to find out is to ask.

Traditional Culture no longer is prevalent in Japanese Society

Traditional Culture no longer is prevalent in Japanese Society Introduction Traditional Japanese cultural paradigm is no doubt under a serious threat with the arising of Japanese independent mind westerners, who do not claim any inherent trait in being Japanese. If this is not the case, Japanese art history must not have suffered at the hands of cultural politics of Euro-Americans who are most likely prefer to compare Japanese traditional iconography with other cultural groups.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Traditional Culture no longer is prevalent in Japanese Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Many scholarly writers and neo-traditional artists support this notion by providing insufficient reasoning of being Japanese or foreigner, they believe it does make no difference to characterize Japanese traditions akin to comparing with Americans or Westerners in general. I don’t chime in with them and opine that comparing Japanese culture with that of any other is not wo rth to concern the contemporary modernization in Japan. Unlike others I don’t believe the onus shoulders onto the significance of ‘change’, but it is the technologically driven society that has taken place rapidly and has intervened with intrepid lifestyle of the Japanese, marking the culture towards a panorama, asunder apart from the traditional Japanese shift. It would not be right to claim that Japan has lost its cultural significance at all, and that all it is left with is the debris of the electronic revolution. Instead, what I have realized is that Japanese post modern societal trends have failed to realize the altruistic striking feature behind Japanese studies on pre-modern art, especially when it comes to Japanese lacquerware products. Yiengpruksawan suggests the difference between traditional and modern day imagery of Japan, (Yiengpruksawan 2001, 105) as traditional picture presents a grotesque view telling epics of Japanese warfare whereas the modern d ay Japan contradicts it. I don’t believe in this stance either, for the reason that traditional urushi art and craft in Japan is itself a memento of pre-war era, which has left its vestiges of the nineteenth-century European template in the segmented art form of painting and sculpture that now is renowned as an amalgamation with the American decorative art, particularly lacquerware. The process of commercialization in the nineteenth century Japan has made the Japaneseness less viable in the art and crafts, which to this day, have phased out gradually by the modern day masterworks of Japanese art. Withering away traditional Japanese art to contemporary culture governed by the refinement of electronic era is a plight, particularly to those who are engaged in the profession of reuniting traditional art with modern one, and even to those who want to conserve what antique craft history has bestowed on us.Advertising Looking for essay on cultural studies? Let's see if we ca n help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The fact not much has been written on the Japanese lacquerware, is itself an answer to the dubious question whether or not the urushi has been retained in the contemporary Japanese society? From the beginning of the naturalization of lacquer implant, as a monument of Japanese art history, the government was supposed to make intricate measures so as to avoid its unnecessary availability to the European countries as well as the United States, which it had not derailed. However with the phasing of the government policies in to the adoption of the 1870s epoch (Yiengpruksawan 2001, 105), it was aimed to enhance the exports of lacquerware to Western countries. Such a welcoming note and exposure of Japanese handicrafts and monuments kept up with the pace of the economic competition until it was marketed by certain change of ‘modernization’ by the Western countries. By modernization, it is meant to be enha nced, economically available to Westerners as a result of vying with one another, and ultimately lost its value in the Occidental world. The buyers manifested a line of what today can be called as distinction between the old art and the new one. And so the Japanese lacquerware lost its traditional heritage that once it had over the world. Another reason of phasing out lacquer products goes with the chronicles of Hayashi who in 1980s used his apartments as galleries and shops to display and sell his bronze and lacquer ware products to Paris (Merritt 1990, 13), but as soon as it dawned upon him that his clients had more interest in prints than in lacquerware, he started merging and derailed a coalition of prints with other lacquerware products. In all the process, Japanese authorities helped to sell out the best of prints to foreign collectors, and never showed up any enthusiasm in marketing the oriental lacquerware. The manufacturers and the retailers of such traditional art are now use to what we see as a new attitude of pluralism. This attitude has its own significance in the sense it markets whatever it feels can be blended with the recent globalization trend. Diverse cultures, inheriting art and crafts, and countless heritages, all are blended well with the global cultures of mix and match traits. All this inherited from the West has brought along with it unique repercussions that add up to the loss of original Japanese lacquerware and handicrafts. McCausland mentions â€Å"There are now museum collections and university departments of world art that are better redefined as ‘the universal museums’† (McCausland 2005, 688). By universal museums, what I perceive McCausland wants to point out is the contemporary plight of our generations at the hands of our heritage destruction.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Traditional Culture no longer is prevalent in Japanese Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/p age Learn More Of course, the word ‘blending’ that I have used above best goes by ‘destruction’ because any change, addition, or subtraction to a heritage memento, that even fulfils the criteria against which contemporary society is lured to the market is indirect destruction caused by the people of the society. Further it is marked by dignity by the government, when such heritage is placed in museums in collaboration and coalition with the globalized trends. The metaphor with which original heritage of oriental lacquerware was once considered no longer attracts the countrymen, and why would they do so? When no attempts have been made by the Japanese government to restore their ancestral heritage, often which the nations wonder as priceless have really gone so ‘priceless’, that no Japanese either inspires or admires it. So for the foreigners, why would they like the classical Japanese monuments, though depicting true stance of e legance when at the same time Japan is producing the finest quality electronic goods and equipment? This is not to say that globalization is the culprit here, but to some extent it must be held responsible for petering out the traditional Japanese culture that once was admired throughout the globe. Fehrenbach Poiger mentions the transformation of Japanese metaphor that is a mundane cultural experience which undergoes when, far from their original heritage, â€Å"they turn into new, recombinant formations, that take place among groups of diverse geographical and cultural origins† (Fehrenbach Poiger 2000, 149). This is what exactly happens when theoretical persuasion exceeds pragmatic notions that our youth needs to ask where such valuable monuments come from, and why have we preferred to use periodic names instead of centuries? When our generation asks as to who has the power to make these nomenclatures available as valueless misbegotten instances and why they have been labe lled as vestiges in the museums of the nineteenth-century Europe as demonstration of elitism? What would then justify our youth when they see Japanese decorative arts and craft, ceramics, and lacquerware in context with the ‘Europeanization’ tag. The Japanese style is no more in the globalized arena except that which is prevailed in the museums. Many claim that the Japaneseness has been taken over by the American cultureless diplomats with an aim to distract Japanese youth away from their cultural heritage, which is already enriched in electronics and weaponry. This might be true as according to (Lancaster 1963, 18) â€Å"when in 1852, America was assigned with an objective, commencement of a treaty with Japan to provide deliberate protection for American seamen and property in Japan and Japanese waters, and the opening of one or more ports for supplies and trade†, America at that time took this opportunity to deprive Japan of its own heritage, but behind closed doors.Advertising Looking for essay on cultural studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Conclusion The influence of the European and American hierarchy of fine arts has ‘enhanced’ Japanese lacquerware to the extent that today it has no longer remained and reckoned as the original ancient arts that once used to specify Japan (Tamaki 1999, 127). The bronze-lacquer which used to exist as the emblem of friendship and was given as a gift to international aides is no more part of that traditional norm, because contemporary Japanese history shines out through the influenced ‘globalized’ arena, and not what it used to be (Jones 2003, 41). Be it Japanese history and culture or Japanese warriors, the fascination of lacquerware and other handmade ceramics must not lose its significance (Busch 2000, 1), even if every other culture loses impact under the shadow of globalization. References Busch Richard. September 23, 2000. â€Å"Japanese Potters Continue a Tradition of Kiln- Fired Beauty.† The Washington Times: 1. Fehrenbach Heide and Poiger G. Uta . 2000. Transactions, Transgressions,  Transformations: American Culture in Western Europe and Japan. New York: Berghahn Books. Jones Susanna. February 24, 2003. â€Å"Bright Lanterns: Susanna Jones Enjoys an Illuminating Insight into Japanese History.† New Statesman 132(4626): 41. Lancaster Clay. 1963. The Japanese Influence in America. New York: Walton H. Rawls. McCausland Shane. 2005. â€Å"Nihonga Meets GU Kaizhi: a Japanese Copy of a Chinese Painting in the British Museum† The Art Bulletin 87(4): 688 Merritt Helen. 1990. Modern Japanese Woodblock Prints: The Early Years. Honolulu: University of Hawaii. Tamaki, Bert Winther. 1999. â€Å"Yagi Kazuo: The Admission of the Nonfunctional Object into the Japanese Pottery World† Journal of Design History 12(2): 127. Yiengpruksawan, Mimi Hall. 2001. â€Å"Japanese Art History 2001: the State and Stakes of Research† The Art Bulletin 83(1): 105.

Creating Strategy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Creating Strategy - Research Paper Example The opening of the thesis report consists of the description of office of Human Resources. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the main agency under the United States Department of Health and Human Services that is mandated by the United States government to conduct health- related and biomedical research. In order to operate effectively and efficiently to meet the client’s needs and expectations, NIH has, among other offices, the Office of Human Resources (OHR) and Client Services Division. OHR provides strategic leadership in assessment and development of human resources policies and program of the Department of Health and Human Services. Additionally, OHR links the Department to the central management agencies which provide consultative and operational services. Specifically, OHR has an operation arm of called the Client Services Division. This division’s key goal is to provide the best possible customer service in addition to creating positive, strong relatio nship between OHR and the Institutes or Centers (ICs) staff. Client Services Division has 10 branches which often operate inconsistently. They all serve different institutes which they are adapted to operate certain processes differently. Also, some are stricter on their institutes than other, while others are simply more efficient. These inconsistent operations among Client Services Division’s branches are not desirable as they result to clients obtaining varying services in regard to quality, time, efficiency, and effectiveness. Therefore, it is important to create a strategy for making the 10 branches of the Division to operate consistently and ensure that they all deliver services in a more efficient, effective, and timely manner that meets client’s needs and expectations. Creation of the Strategy Creation of the strategy will be based on the Harvard Business Review’s "What is Strategy", "Blue Ocean Strategy", "Pfizer Inc. Building An Innovation Center" case study, "Crafting Strategy" and "5 Competitive Forces that Shape Strategy." In order to create appropriate strategy for an organization, it is important to understand the forces that shape competition (Porter, 2006). Porter (2006) identifies these forces as the following: threat to entry; the power of suppliers; the power of buyers; the threat of substitutes; and, rivalry among existing competitors. Creation of strategy for the Client Services Division should thus take these forces into account so as to have a successful strategy in the long- run. Mintzer (1987) advises that crafting of strategy should take into consideration the patterns from the past and plans for the future. Therefore, in creating a strategy for the Client Services Division of the NIH with a bid to making the ten branches operate consistently, the patterns of the past and the plans for the future will be considered. In regard to patterns from the past, the fact that the branches have been operating inconsistently especially regard to time and efficiency will be considered. On the other hand, the plans for the future which is to ensure that these branches operate consistently will be considered to ensure that these plans are achievable within a given period of time and the amount of resources needed to achieve them. Taking these two important aspects into consideration will be critical in aligning the past patterns with the strategy that seeks to achieve the new goal (Mintzer, 1987). Porter (1996) argues that creation of strategy in most cases seek to attain operational effectiveness and consistency with the aim of improving organizational performance. This proposition is true in regard to the Client Services Division of the NIH; the strategy created will be essential in leading to superior performance which is indeed the main goal of any organization. Since it is an established fact that Client Services D

Market Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Market Analysis - Assignment Example In the course of the Choice-based study, I looked at three main attributes: Region, Brand and Price. Each attribute had two main options. Region had a not well-known region and well known region. Brand had a not well-known brand and well-known brand. Finally, price had low and high price. Each choice set was accompanied by three distinct alternatives. The two options assigned to each factor were based on the evaluation of the desired choice. In conjoint analysis, the two options are referred to as levels. To be able to have a clear understanding of the attributes and levels of the product (wine) each attribute encompassed a number of aspects. For instance, brand included aspects such as the producer, distributer and the retailer while region mainly represented the location of the product that is the manufacturing place and distribution place. The advantage of using a conjoint analysis is because it provides a choice that is discrete and it is able to put a dollar value on the attributes and their levels. This study adapted a choice based conjoint category where every respondent selects only one alternative based on the on a given choice set. However, the choices may tend not to contain all the alternatives (Wiley, 2010, p.36). Below is a table showing a summary of the product attributes and the levels that were tested in this analysis: Given the choice set of the response alternatives for the eight choice design set, the conjoint model is mainly used to determine the overall best alternative based on the choices within the attribute utility scores. A choice set refers to a set of alternatives. In the course of determining the best alternative, the respondent may not be in a position to use all the alternatives that are present. The utility scores derived from the Choice-Based study with an increase of $ 5 in price are represented in the table below: Each attribute level score together with the scores