Globalization and Cultural Identity Essay

Globalization can be viewed in a smaller context as â€Å"living in a small community. † In this community, you have neighbours of different races, and origins, speaking different languages, and accustomed to different cultures. Even though we live together in a single neighbourhood, the word that always get attached with globalization is different – being different. There are a lot of efforts to unify people of different races, opening the communication between this people further, so that they are able to interact with other people from different parts of the world At the end of the day, we realize that we are different; that we as members of a global community surely have differences with our neighbours. However, this difference or uniqueness that we have shouldn’t pull us down. Having a different skin color or a different set of beliefs doesn’t put any of us higher or lower than other people. It is our cultural identity, but it doesn’t determine any rank or social position. It is considered as a gift that we should treasure. Being different is synonymous to being unique, one way or the other. Through that we are, we are able to establish who we are, so that we can tell ourselves apart from other people or other races. It is something we should be proud of, something that empowers the culture that we came from. It gives us something to boast with other cultures, which we know is unique in our culture alone. With this at hand, we move again to unify everyone in this world through globalization. We are able to come up with discoveries which are relevant in various aspects of the human being. This is all because of our awareness that we are different, that we have our cultural identity. Through this, efforts on unifying the people wouldn’t be that hand to accomplish anymore.

British decolonisation in Africa Essay

Within the context of 1880-1980, to what extent did British actions accelerate British decolonisation in Africa? In the later years of the 19th century the scramble for the African continent by Western imperialist powers was reaching its climax. It appeared that the â€Å"dark continent† was to be no longer â€Å"dark†, but to be the product of Western colonial expansion with several European countries dividing up the land. No where was this more apparent than with Britain whose Empire was at its height at the turn of the century. Egypt, for instance, was a colony for 40 years (1882-1922) with its pinnacle at the turn of the century; however the decolonisation of the country as early as this is an anomaly in itself as only South Africa had previously been granted independence by the British, albeit as a self-governing dominion. In a bizarre turn of events which historians still debate today, the Empire crumbled and by the 1970s only two African states remained British colonies: Rhodesia and South West Africa. The Empire had taken the best part of a century to amalgamate, yet was mostly swept away in just over a decade. Many reasons have been proposed for the vast acceleration of decolonisation including economic difficulties at the metropole (Cain and Hopkins)1 and the rise of local nationalist movements (Hodgkin)2. More recently the actions of the British have been cited as a possible factor for the acceleration of decolonisation in Africa, marking a change in the historiography of the period. Turner3 and Lapping4 are promoters of this theory, which is gaining credence in the academic world. The 1945 election of the Labour party is a watershed in decolonisation acceleration. WW2 had recently ended which marked a shift in British culture and society, including a changed attitude to Empire. Interestingly, whilst many of the new Cabinet were anti-imperialists, the new government did not have a direct plan to fully decolonise. It was more a case of the Empire having to take a â€Å"backseat† to far more pressing matters: imperialism, in effect, slipped through the cracks of government. The party was elected on the mandate of and closely focused upon British welfare; the African colonies were working and therefore the government’s attention was deviated, however it was one of the actions directed at the metropole which accelerated independence for many colonies. The introduction of the Welfare State in 1948 led many Britons to consider the priority and indeed the importance of the Empire when compared to home-grown issues. WW2 brought increased globalisation and it is possible that through this many British citizens saw their needs ahead of the colonies: an archaic and out-of-date segment of British foreign policy. If the colonies had representation in the British Parliament and were a province of, rather than simply a colony of Great Britain, this attitude may have been different: French Algeria, for instance, was certainly more respected at the metropole then any of Britain’s African colonies. There is a debate however, as to whether the British public had undergone a liberal revolution or were simply acting with self-interest. White has theorised that the latter is true, citing that the reason as to why â€Å"the colonies were ditched was to release resources for domestic welfare spending†5. Moreover, the fact National Service was revoked in 1960 reduced Britain’s ability to defend its colonies against uprising nationalist movements: conscription was ended through self-interest, as the majority of British youths didn’t want to have to fight in the far off terrains of Sub-Saharan Africa. This further implies that the average British citizen was becoming disinterested by the Empire or, at the very least, impartial to its future. I will cover nationalism in greater depth below, but with such a lack of metropole interest, the Empire could not be expected to last long. The British action of electing a Labour government effectively, in an indirect form, acc elerated decolonisation for many of the African colonies. WW1 expanded the Empire both geographically and as a world power, with Britain gaining several new mandates from the Ottoman Empire. The geographical expansion of the Empire post-WW1 and the reluctance of the metropole to grant these new mandates independence6, imply that attitudes had not changed and many (both in government and in society) saw the Empire as a credible and useful segment of British politics: therefore, with the exception of the more economically advanced Egypt, African decolonisation by the British did not occur between the wars. Rather, many African colonies developed and became more stable societies. Take the Gold Coast for instance: between the wars its economy, communications and education became, to a certain extent, â€Å"Westernised† and the country flourished. Admittedly this led to the acceleration of nationalist movements in the area which, in turn, accelerated decolonisation, but the country was undeniably prospering due to the British-led government of the time.7 Many citizens of the African colonies (including Egypt and the Gold Coast) fought alongside British soldiers in WW1 and the respect and prestige for the peoples increased because of it. Indeed, the 1914-1939 era can be seen as one of the strongest periods of the British African Empire. This implies that a post-1945 factor (e.g. the Suez Crisis, see below) accelerated decolonisation. In comparison, World War 2 accelerated decolonisation at a far greater rate than many could have imagined just a few years prior. Effectively, the war established rather paradoxically that imperialism (both British and otherwise) was both positive and negative. Ferguson has noted that the British Empire sacrificed itself to stop the spread of the evil empire of Nazi Germany: indeed, the British Empire had â€Å"never had a finer hour†8 than when it was self-sacrificing. During the war it was inevitable that Britain would have to, to a certain extent, neglect the colonies to focus on defeating the enemy. Through this the colonies became more independent having to, for example, source resources and engage in trade without the aid of the metropole. Moreover, the colonial peoples had a greater influence on the running of their societies; in effect, many became informal dominions. This, combined with the policies of the 1945 Labour government, further fuelled nationalism which accelerated decolonisation; in a way similar to how the two World Wars improved women’s rights in Britain, the wars seemed to suggest that many colonies could govern effectively on their own. Previously, only the more economically and politically stable societies had been granted independence (e.g. South Africa, 1910) and several colonies (e.g. the Gold Coast) seemed to show similar traits during the war. The Second World War didn’t lead directly to decolonisation, but it is this British action which occurred because of the conflict that accelerated decolonisation in British Africa. The end of WW2 bought increased globalisation and a new world order, where the enemy didn’t appear to be Nazism or Fascism, but rather the expansion of the Soviet Bloc and the spread of communism: the Cold War was just beginning to ignite. Along with the notion of changed attitudes of the British people, there is also the argument that the Empire really didn’t fit into the new world. Now, the split between East and West had never been more apparent and British Africa looked like an oddity: along with the passing of new welfare legislation at the metropole and the changing attitudes of the British people, Britain needed to abolish the Empire for two reasons directly related to the Cold War: to concentrate efforts on halting the spread of communism and to appease the anti-imperialist US, who Britain now required as an ally more than ever before. Moreover, the world order was now unclear and Britain had far greater problems to worry about than what their small African colo nies were up to: put bluntly, the new threat of nuclear inhalation seemed more important than the political shortcomings of, say, Somalia. While WW2 does spell out more crucial factors for the acceleration of decolonisation, the Cold War is another smaller factor which just added to the need to decolonise. The post-WW2 economy is a further crucial factor in the acceleration of decolonisation. Britain was no longer able to withstand the fiscal costs of Empire; this was coupled with a lack of substantial profit coming into the metropole from the African colonies. Economically, WW2 was a great strain on Britain with the country coming out of the war in great debt; she required a loan of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½145million from the US alone9. Britain was exhausted and worn down, both figuratively and physically. Many cities required money to rebuild, some from scratch, plus food badly needed to be imported following years of intense rationing. Moreover, the introduction of the welfare state (see above) required significant funding. As said, attitudes to Empire were changing which, combined with the need for intense spending on the homeland, led to many seeing the African colonies simply as a drain on Britain’s already scarce resources. Britain made the situation worse: during the war she had und erstandably concentrated on producing munitions for her troops, resulting in fewer exports to the colonies. Many turned away from the metropole and looked to alternate suppliers, including their own land which inevitably fuelled nationalism further. Moreover, two acts (The Colonial Development and Welfare Acts of 1940 and 1945) were passed during wartime which forced the British government to further invest in the colonial economies10, therefore making an already problematic economic situation worse. It is possible that the government felt it was â€Å"backed into a corner† and simply did not have the patience or money to rebuild the colonies and the metropole: they had become, or at least had the potential to become, a major rupture on the British economy – a rupture Britain could not afford to fix, but only to cut out completely. In the early 20th century when British imperialism was at its height, Hobson11 saw the expansion of Britain in Africa as purely economic and an underhand method to help capitalists at the metropole – this opinion was endorsed by Lenin in 191 612 and, in an albeit modified form, by the historian Darwin in 1984: â€Å"more completely than ever before, economics and empire had come together†13. More recently, Cain and Hopkins14 have suggested that imperialism in Africa was established by â€Å"gentleman capitalists†15 who were simply aiming to make profit out of the African land. Of course, if this is the case, then with the post-war debt experienced in 1945 it would have been difficult to make money from these colonies, leading to decolonisation. The decolonisation of African colonies would effectively make Britain a richer country, therefore agreeing with the views expressed by Cain and Hopkins and others: the Empire had served its purpose of aiding Britain’s wealth but now it was draining it and, as such, it was time for it to go. The Suez Crisis of 1956 was one of the most decisive British actions in the 20th century to accelerate decolonisation in Africa. Former Prime Minister Harold MacMillan once remarked that it is â€Å"events, dear boy, events†16 which determine the success of a premiership. The term â€Å"event† is almost too light of a phrase to use when considering the Suez Crisis: not only did it annihilate Anthony Eden’s administration, but it was also the launching pad for many factors which saw British decolonisation vastly accelerated. There are two key elements of the crisis which paved the way to said factors: the deception employed by the imperialist powers of Britain and France, plus the apparent overreaction to a simple act of nationalisation by a head of state. Both these factors led to the reputations of the countries involved and international relations been damaged, as well as a decrease in trade. Britain was the driving force behind the attack hence she was particu larly wounded with the political and economic fallout: for one, the special relationship with the United States was harmed (Secretary of State John Foster Dulles claimed the British government had explicitly â€Å"lied to [him]†17) and, more critically for this inquiry, her reputation within the African continent was damaged. Britain looked small and corrupt, a mere shadow of her former colonial self; she was attempting to throw her imperialist weight around in a world which it didn’t seem to fit. Nasser had successfully stood up to the Western powers and won, thus undermining Britain and France, plus providing inspiration to the many oppressed colonies. However, it is possible that the reaction did not provoke the level of international condemnation that is contemporarily considered, showing a difference in historiography. To the African colonies, former British dominions that had experienced colonialism and anti-imperialist powers such as the USA, then yes, it is likely that Britain’s reputation was damaged. However, to other imperialists it is possible that the government simply appeared to be standing firm with a tyrant. World War 2 had been won only 11 years prior, hence the memory of what tyrannical dictators can achieve was still fresh in most leaders’ minds. Eden may have appeared noble and selfless, â€Å"destroying not just his own political career but a carefully-crafted reputation built up over more than 20 years†18 for the greater good of a safer world, or at least a more economically stable Great Britain. White has proposed that â€Å"there [were] a number of lacklustre continuities, rather than dramatic discontinuities†19 in imperialist policy following Eden’s departure: a government memorandum circulated in the immediate aftermath of the crisis, for instance, made no mention of impending decolonisation20. Suez was not so much a watershed, but a temporary setback in Britain’s imperial decline, indicating other factors are responsible. Economically, the Egyptian nationalisation of the canal posed a significant danger to Britain as 2/3 of the country’s oil utilised the waterway. The chief reason as to why Britain intervened in the first place (and, indeed, retained the Canal Zone in 1922) was that the government simply did not trust the Egyptians to efficiently control â€Å"the windpipe†21 of the British economy. Post-crisis, Britain’s humiliation resulted in a trade decrease and a â€Å"catastrophic†22 run on the pound, resulting in her appearing not only politically and militarily weak but also financially weak. This situation, which was caused by the Suez Crisis, meant that Britain could no longer afford to support the African colonies, implying that the British action of invading the Suez Canal Zone led to one of the factors which brought about the Empire’s collapse. Combined, these factors inspired nationalist movements within the colonies and general condemnation of imperial ism, which also accelerated decolonisation. The crisis is unique as not only did it, to a certain extent accelerate decolonisation, but it is also one of the very few examples of where a British action greatly damages the standing of the Empire. Prior to Suez, Britain was surprisingly cautious with decolonisation (with regard to Africa, only 4 of her 24 colonies had been decolonised at this point); arguably this was to retain an Empire, but also to ensure that the new societies were ready to govern. It was only following the Suez debacle that decolonisation accelerated, implying that previously Britain had took great care over the handovers of power. South Africa was a stable society when decolonised in 1910 and, looking further afield, so were Australia, Canada and India. To many other countries and colonies, Britain appeared now unable to continue to be the metropole of a successful Empire. After all, if the dictator of a former colony could cause a country such ridicule, how could they be expected to carry on maintaining a successful Empire? Comparatively with White23, Turner has called the crisis a â€Å"military failure and political disaster†24, whilst Lapping has referred to it as the â€Å"imperial cataclysm†25 in decolonisation acceleration. The crisis was highly influential in the eventual collapse of the British Empire in Africa but it did not lead directly to decolonisation, rather greatly accelerated it. The rise of nationalism within the African colonies inevitably accelerated decolonisation; advocates of this theory argue that for decolonisation to occur there needs to be an opposition force to the â€Å"status quo† government (in this case, colonial British rule), thereby giving the people a choice. Looking throughout history at the Empire as a whole gives this theory credibility: look at the violent independence battles of the 13 North American colonies in 1783 or India in 1947, and compare that to the peaceful colony of the Falkland Islands which still exists today. The previous decolonisation record of the British government, plus the 1947 granting of independence to India, no doubt sent the message that it â€Å"was only a matter of time† before the African colonies were decolonised. India specifically was the â€Å"jewel in the crown† of the British Empire and as such its decolonisation will have led many, both in the colonies and abroad, to see the Empir e as deteriorating. This accelerated nationalist movements within the African colonies, with India referencing the beginning of the end. After all, if India could be granted independence through a powerful and violent nationalist movement, then why couldn’t the other far less prestigious colonies? Indian independence inspired others to rise up and attempt to take back control of their lands, accelerating the decolonisation process for British Africa. Similarly, plus to reiterate an earlier point, the Suez Crisis accelerated nationalism: Nasser appeared to be the â€Å"David† who had managed to annihilate the imperialist â€Å"Goliath†. This inspired nationalism in other colonies to grow and attempt to take back control of their lands: after all, if Nasser could manage it then why couldn’t they? Harold MacMillan’s â€Å"Winds of Change† speech four years later further inspired this nationalism as, for the first time, the government officially acknowledged the ine vitability of decolonisation. The speech sent the message to many colonial peoples that nationalism was acceptable: for the first time in almost 100 hundred years, power was given to the Africans. MacMillan was acknowledging that the British government could no longer afford to sustain an Empire and would be willing to pass power to the local peoples if they should so wish. The speech had a great effect as over the next ten years 88% of Britain’s remaining African colonies were granted independence; by 1968, only two remained. Nationalism was suddenly acceptable which encouraged those who may have been content to be a colony to rise up against imperialism. This speech, combined with Britain’s poor economic situation and damaged credibility following Suez, vastly accelerated decolonisation. Moreover, the vast majority of British colonies were underdeveloped both economically and socially which further advanced nationalism. Take Nigeria for instance: the peoples were so against colonial oppression many began to â€Å"strike† from work – a surprisingly Western phenomenon implying the people were more integrated than they may have wished to believe. It is estimated that from 1945-50, over 100,000 working days were lost in Nigeria to strike action against colonial rule26. Even the Gold Coast (the â€Å"very model†27 of a colony) was not free of such demonstrations against imperialism: February 1948 witnessed a violent protest, resulting in the deaths of two British servicemen28. One only has to look at Kenya and the Mau Mau rebellions to see further evidence of increasing dissent with British imperialism. It had, to use the words of one modern historian, turned into a â€Å"rapid scuttle†29 of local nationalism. The Gold Coast was decolonized in 1957 but had been allowed to gradually master the art of modern government over many years, leading to a much more stable society post-independence, making it the â€Å"very model of decolonisation†30. In comparison, when Nigeria was swiftly decolonised in 1960 the government was a weak coalition with limited power – two army coups followed in 1964 and 1966. Britain’s damaged reputation in the continent prevented stable governments from being created, resulting in far more fragile states today. French Algeria (despite been a province of the metropole) saw terrible violence between the FLN and colons: to use a term of warfare, the Algerian nationalists utilised violent guerrilla tactics to spread their cause, resulting in a great amount of destruction and loss of life. Algeria bullied itself into independence in 1962 further showing that imperial metropoles were not as powerful as they once were. It is an exaggeration perhaps, but it can be said that the Suez Crisis was the first instance which led to these new states’ political and economic troubles which still exist today. Look at Egypt and South Africa today or, from a more international perspective, India and Australia, all of which were granted independence pre-1956 and compare them to the troubled states of Nigeria, Kenya (1963) and Somalia (1960). The acceleration of British decolonisation in the latter half of the 20th century is the opposite of what the government and imperialists like the legendary Cecil Rhodes would have imagined just 60-70 years previously. They had fought sometimes bloody battles for the expansion of the British Empire into the â€Å"less civilised† areas of the world, yet now the government was seemingly trying to get rid of the Empire in as rapid and inefficient way as possible. Multiple factors account for the sudden acceleration of decolonisation, but most come back to the actions of the British: if Britain had, for instance, provided more support and direct governance in a Westernised style (as seen in the Gold Coast), her colonies would have developed at a greater rate leading to a greater level of content from the colonial peoples. However her neglect and exploitation of her own people led to dissent within the colonies, leading many to â€Å"want out† before they were politically ready. The most pivotal British action which is continually referred back to is the 1956 Suez Crisis: for the first time in the Empire’s history, the British appeared militarily, politically and economically weak, causing many in the African colonies to quite fairly believe they could run their countries better. Nationalism was inevitable, and the international conflicts of the Cold War and the two World Wars couldn’t be stopped, implying that Britain herself was responsible for the downfall of her own Empire. If the crisis hadn’t occurred then the Empire would have faded away through gradual decolonisation as each territory became more economically, politically and socially developed; instead, the Crisis turned decolonisation of Africa into a â€Å"rapid scuttle†31, with Britain almost retreating into a corner trying to distance herself as far as possible from the embarrassment of 1956. Today, it is easy to see that decolonisation was inevitable; the Suez Crisis just accelerated that inevitability. One of the world’s greatest Empires was established by one of the most powerful countries in the world, so it is only fitting that it was destroyed by one of the most disgraced – it is just unfortunate they were both Great Britain. 1 Cain, P. J. & Hopkins, A. J., 1993, British Imperialism: Crisis and Deconstruction, 1914-1990 2 Hodgkin, T., 1956, Nationalism in Colonial Africa 3 Turner, B., 2006, Suez 1956: The Inside Story of the First Oil War 4 Lapping, B., 1985, End of Empire 5 White, N. J., 1999, Decolonisation: The British Experience Since 1945, Pg 32 6 Thorn, G., 2008, End of Empires: European Decolonisation 1919-80, Pg 16 7 McLaughlin, J. L., 1994, The Colonial Era: British Rule of the Gold Coast 8 Ferguson, N., 2004, Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World 9 Rohrer, F., 10/05/2006, BBC News [Online] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4757181.stm] [Accessed 25/04/2010] 10 Chamberlain, M.E., 1985, Decolonisation: The Fall of the European Empires, Pg 35 11 Hobson, J.A., 1902, Imperialism: A Study 12 Lenin, V., 1916, Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism 13 Darwin, J., 1984, British Decolonization since 1945: A Pattern or a Puzzle?, Pg 197 14 Cain, P. J. & Hopkins, A. J., 1993, British Imperialism: Crisis and Deconstruction, 1914-1990 15 Cain, P. J. & Hopkins, A. J., 1993, British Imperialism: Innovation and Expansion, 1688-1914 16 Beckett, F., 2006, MacMillan, Pg 97 17 Wilby, P., 2006, Eden, Pg 79 18 Wilby, P., 2006, Eden, Pg 128 19 White, N. J., 1999, Decolonisation: The British Experience Since 1945, Pg 85 20 White, N. J., 1999, Decolonisation: The British Experience Since 1945, Pg 128 21 Wilby, P., 2006, Eden, Pg 96 22 White, N. J., 1999, Decolonisation: The British Experience Since 1945, Pg 84 23 White, N. J., 1999, Decolonisation: The British Experience Since 1945 24 Turner, B., 2006, Suez 1956: The Inside Story of the First Oil War 25 Lapping, B., 1985, End of Empire 26 White, N. J., 1999, Decolonisation: The British Experience Since 1945, Pg 48 27 Thorn, G., 2008, End of Empires: European Decolonisation 1919-80, Pg 50 28 White, N. J., 1999, Decolonisation: The British Experience Since 1945, Pg 49 29 Lapping, B., 1985, End of Empire, Pg 227 30 Thorn, G., 2008, End of Empires: European Decolonisation 1919-80, Pg 50 31 Lapping, B., 1985, End of Empire, Pg 227

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The topic is below - Essay Example The actions of Arabic and English language is analysed to indicate the entire difference. Arabic is an official language in scores of nations which include Egypt, Iraq, Libya, Saudi Arabia and Morocco (Al-Baldawi, & Saidat, 185). This is still the language spoken and written in Koran. This therefore implies that, Muslim followers originating from all countries, for instance, Indonesia are conversant in Arabic Language. There are numerous Arabic dialects. However, there exists only one adaptation of Arabic Language that students learn in schools. In addition to this, there are additional dialects that the media practitioners use in many Arab countries across the world (Al-Baldawi, et al., 186). Arabic Language originates from the Semites language trend (Ibrahim, 46). This fact explains why it consists of diverse types of grammar as compared to the ordinary English language. This disparity goes beyond the American language on the basis of grammar. For instance, alphabetically, the Arabic language encompasses 28 consonants, whereas English has only 24 consonants (Shoebottom, 87). Arabic Language also has 8 vowels/diphthongs whereas English encompasses 22 (Shoebottom, 88). On the contrary, short vowels are less important in Arabic, and in fact do not come out in narrative writing. Texts are, as well, read from right to left and put on paper in a cursive handwriting. There is no distinction flanked by upper and lower case. In addition, the punctuation set of laws are grammatical flouted as compared to English Language. It is evident that these basic disparities flanked by Arabic and English information and narrative writing create learning problems to Arab students. The Arab s tudents normally require additional time to read and write as compared to English speaking students, originating from European Language groups (Hasan, 98). English

European Human Right Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

European Human Right Law - Essay Example In addition to this, some organizations have come up to have the claim for adequate housing for all persons covered by the ECHR. This paper will consider the different articles in the ECHR under which these issues may be addressed. Basing on the articles, this paper will examine the likelihood of a case against a ban on all abortions, and on smoking in cars to succeed before the ECtHR. In addition to this, this paper will also analyse the possibility of a case in support of a claim for adequate housing to succeed before the ECtHR. Against a Ban on All Abortions Converse to assertions made by some organizations, there is nothing like a ‘right to abortion’. No explicit law is contained in the ECHR that offers a legal basis to abortion2. When the Convention is carefully read, it becomes evident that the life of a foetus is also given importance. There are instances where an abortion is called for on grounds of endangering the life of the woman. Considerations of Article 2(1 ) and Article 8 provide the basis against which cases on abortion may be ruled. Article 2(1) starts by stating that â€Å"Everyone’s right to life shall be protected by law.† The term ‘Everyone’ definitely refers to all men and women, both young and adults. This term, however, is not inclusive of foetuses. This is the form of before nine months after conception. An argument may be presented along this line that the foetus does not qualify to be covered by this article. The right to life of the foetus can in no way be ruled to be superior to the right to life of the woman3. Since the life of the woman takes precedence, the right to her life is given more weight than that of the foetus. Looking at Article (8), the ECHR protects the right to privacy4. The woman is protected explicitly by this law. A woman seeking to procure an abortion is, therefore, covered under this law. It is her right to do whatsoever she wishes, without outside interference. An absolute ban on all abortion means that the woman no longer has her private life. A case that has been brought to the ECtHR against the ban on all abortion is likely to succeed since a ban on abortion impinges on the rights of a woman to have her privacy. Against a ban on Smoking in Cars Smoking, when done in a car is within the bounds of private space. Article 8 of the ECHR focuses on the right to respect for private life. This section protects individuals from the intrusion by agents of state into their personal lives. A personal car is private property, and when one is in it, is entitled to the freedom to do as they please5. Whatever happens when one is in their car constitutes private life, and as such, should not be interfered with by authorities. A ban on smoking in cars is an intrusion by agents of government on the private space on a person. A case presented to the ECtHR against a ban on smoking in cars is, therefore, most likely to succeed. There might, however, be a case whereby t hough smoking is done within the confines of a personal car, others are affected6. If a person smokes in their car when the windows are down, the smoke is bound to reach others. If these people, due to health, personal, religious or whatever reason feel that the smoke reaching them is a disturbance, then they have a right to complain. They are entitled to protection from the smoke which is interference on their privacy. In such a case, the ECtHR may rule to have the person

A Snapshot of TEXAS Government in My Life Assignment

A Snapshot of TEXAS Government in My Life - Assignment Example I did this by considering three crucial agencies namely the environmental protection agency, Texas health and human services agency and the Texas Commission on Fire Protection Agency. I am walking along the 6th street in Austin, Texas. Everybody is busy in their normal economic activities. While others are in the offices, businesses, schools, and industries, others were just walking around the streets meeting people and other under shades holding small meetings (Duncan9). This created an interesting scenario bearing in mind that all these groups of people are doing constructive things based on the nature of their jobs. One can be sure that I was curious in understanding how everybody was executing his or her mandates in a manner that will satisfy the authority. This triggered my movement to various government offices and just I could just watch when in the queue the way citizens were being attended to. I also welcomed myself in various forums and meetings that were being run by the government agencies. They helped to attain a broad picture of how these agencies do things. Similarly, I gained an opportunity to interact with the citizens who were the attendees of those meetings and the offices. I also managed to interact with the officials of these agencies, and this gave me an opportunity to understand their roles, policies and how they fitted in the government’s structure (Duncan 19). I, therefore, gained a golden opportunity of interacting with the main stakeholders of these government agencies and hence understood very well how service delivery was being done. My interaction with their clients helped me to judge their service delivery as well as the importance of their jobs to the society. In my snapshot, I was interested in environmental protection, Texas health and human services and the Texas Commission on Fire Protection agencies. The environmental agency is a state agency whose mission is protecting the human health.

The Weaknesses and impact of Education administration Essay

The Weaknesses and impact of Education administration - Essay Example As a result, there have been various policies, as well as reforms that have been advocated so as to improve education and foster economic capacity. All these efforts are an acknowledgement of the existent education disparities. However, there are still a lot that is needed to realize the potential. In some cases, education has been presented to serve a purpose that is opposite the intended one. According to CORI Justice, Education can be a powerful force in counteracting inequality and poverty but in many ways, the present education system has quite the opposite effect' (socio-Economic Review 2008). As far education disparities along the racial lines are concerns, the achievements between the native and the non-native populations is widely inferred. Indeed, it is agreeable that there have been disparities between the aboriginal and the non-aboriginal groups for quite some time. These disparities have been described as the legacy of colonialism. Colonization processes are associated w ith profound consequences on the colonized societies. Colonial legacies, which now come in the form of government policies, have seen individuals disperse from the tribal and clan inclinations. The eventuality of this has been the continuous fragmentation of the cultures belonging to the aboriginal people. There have been concerns that the fragmentation of culture and the struggle to adapt to the new way of life has been accompanied by social, as well as economic instability. As such, the disintegration of

Fascism and communism Essay Example for Free

Fascism and communism Essay The term fascism refers to a modern political thought that seeks to rejuvenate the economic, cultural and social status of a nation by basing the country on a sensitive sense of ethnic identity and national belonging. Fascism is opposed to certain liberal ideas such as individual rights and freedom; it calls for the destruction of legislatures, elections among other democratic elements. Despite the fact that fascism some goals which can be considered to be idealistic, attempts to come up with fascists societies have in most cases resulted into persecutions and wars which have claimed millions of lives. Thus it is in most cases associated with strongly with racism, violence, totalitarianism and the right wing of fanaticism. On the other hand communism is a universal society which has been able to overcome all classes and their distinctions; all the relations and systems of exploitation have been abolished; all social institutions which are oppressive and are used to enhance inequality such as men domination over women and racial discrimination are all done away with (Brown, Para 3) Fascism Fascism was founded by veterans of world war one led by Benito Juarez Mussolini who had been fed up by decisions being made by the government of Italy and the treaty which expressly excluded the land gains made by Italy. This form of government essentially is a form of dictatorship which results in pride of the nation commonly referred to as nationalism. Fascism is not totalitarian rule despite the fact that the fascist from Italy described it in that manner, by comparing it to Russia which was a communist state and Nazi in Germany. Fascism in Italy was a form of government which was not as cruel and strict as communism in Russia. Fascism helps in the development of extreme advances in agricultural practices, industrialization, national security and population growth. It is anti communism or socialism, pro elitism and pro productivism. In this form of government decisions are made promptly as solutions are simplified and at the same time problems are solved properly and swiftly. Many governments borrowed the fascism thoughts from Mussolini, who is referred as the father of fascism by all the fascists (Brown, Para 5). Fascism was developed because of the intellectual revolution and social changes that happened in the western countries in the twentieth century. It was an original and a modern thought that pressed for change and a new approach of governing among Europeans young people who refused to follow the middle rank values of their parents. Fascism as an ideology represents nationalism synthesis which simply implies that one is highly devoted to his own country. It also calls for the rejection of liberalism, Marxism, democracy and materialism opinions also held by the socialists. Fascism is pro political rule in its absolute form through political leaders; it is opposed to the idea of important decisions being made by common people as it is the case in ideal democratic governance. The central government of the state has the responsibility of holding high the fascist values and also making of vital decisions for the entire nation. Fascism attempts to bring about new civilization, which is based on the entire community. In this case the, all the classes and sectors of people within the community will be in a position to look for their niche. The whole nation is thus strengthened and revitalized. Each person in the community will in turn be more less a cell as far as the community organism is concerned. The fascism mode of governance also poses a revolution which can be compared to the spiritual revolution (Brown, Para 8) In maintaining the unity of a country, fascism applies two instruments, that is, totalitarianism and corporatism. In a state that is corporative, its social, economical and political powers are in the hands corporations, the group of these corporations comprises of both the employees and the employers. The group of corporations in this case is mandated with the task of settling social classes’ differences and also planning the national economy. In a state that is totalitarian, the central government has absolute control and it has the duty of intervening at any point and every aspect of the life of an individual (Brown, Para 10) Communism Communism form of government on the other hand results into a state that operates under a single party and is based on the Marxism Leninism or its derivatives. Although, the states under communism can have many political parties, only the communist party is under the constitution guaranteed to play a central role in the communist government. This makes the state’s institutions to be highly intertwined with the communist party. In most cases the communist states adopts the economic policies that are centrally planned, these states are thus related to economic development in both scholarship and popular thought. Legitimacy in communist states is mainly maintained through claims of promoting national long tern interests. The communist parties attempt to justify their political and monopoly powers by claiming to follow the objectives of the historical statutes. They therefore, consider political dissent and opposition to be treasonous and counter productive. The minor parties in communist states have to follow the communist party. Such parties are only allowed to criticize the future policies which have been proposed, but such criticism should not in any way jeopardize the political system as it is under the communist state. The states under communism are commonly criticized due to their totalitarian and dictatorship of one party in the control of the society and the national economy. It results into a state where the civil liberties of the citizens are repressed, its economic policies mainly emphasize on heavy industrialization to the detriment of those oriented to the production of consumer goods which creates an acute shortage of essential products and in most cases results into a national famine. The communist form of government uses propaganda and militarism in its attempt to cover up its evils. Communist societies experience very high fixed costs with minimal uncertainty. The countries under communism can only have their economies growing under the conditions of stable environments when they are likely to experience reduced marginal cost. They have a lot of difficulties in adjusting in the event of a swift change in the environment since they are quite rigid. The communist states, the economic policies are centrally planned and commanded. Conclusion The fascism form of government results on the good of the entire nation which is clearly not the case for communism. Nationalism is not enhanced under communism and the government represses the civil liberties of its citizens, the communist state also uses militarism and propaganda to hide the evils it has created, this is not the case under the fascism where the nationalism takes center stage and the citizens have a strong sense of belonging. Fascism is not as cruel and strict as compared to communism which uses military dictatorship and suppresses all other political parties in the state thus denying their followers any tangible contribution in their country which implies that nationalism is not enhanced at all. Fascism form of governance is thus much better compared to communism.

Jurlique Manufactures And Retails Marketing Essay

Jurlique Manufactures And Retails Marketing Essay Profile Founded in South Australia by a chemist and a horticulturalist in 1985, Jurlique manufactures and retails the purest, most powerful skin care products. The organic and biodynamic farm system, which was built to harvest materials for manufacture products, offers the advantages of providing nature, fresh and sustainable ingredients of products. All kind of skin care products including body care, shampoo, shower gel and essential oil with four fragrances, namely: rose, lavender, citrus and jasmine are available. Jurlique has expanded to over 20 countries. They insist to manufacture products through eco-friendly process and regularly attend activities of environmental protection. (Jurlique 2012) Mission Manufacture purest products which are made of completely organic and biodynamic materials without any chemical added. (Jurlique 2012) Company Positioning Jurlique offers pure and harmless products to help skin become more beautiful with affordable price. Customers will be impressed with the high quality of products and fresh fragrance. SWOT Analysis 2.4.1 Strengths With own organic farmland, sources of materials are sustainable to maintain stable product line.   (Adriana Noton n.d.) Products, which made from natural ingredients, are harmless to health with high skin care efficiency. Jurlique has worldwide presence in Asia-Pacific, Europe, North America and South America. (Jurlique 2012) Good reputation due to the contribution of environmental protection. The products are suitable to sensitive skin with hypoallergenic ingredients. (Adriana Noton n.d.) 2.4.2 Weaknesses Lack of differentiation from other competitors. 2.4.3 Opportunity As organic products are emphasized recently, customers tend to buy nature products which are not harmful to health. The brand awareness has been enhanced in Australia. Customers gradually find out the marvellous efficiency of using natural products. (Adriana Noton n.d.) 2.4.4 Threats There are a lot of competitors such as LOCCITANE, The Body Shop and Aesop, etc. More and more pretenders try to produce similar products and pronounce the same advantage of organic ingredients. (Adriana Noton n.d.) Advertising Objective 3.1. The immediate sales 1. Trying to grab the floating profits like impulse or unplanned purchase.   Ã‚  Ã‚   2. Fulfilling the sales function by represent the new product for existing   Ã‚  Ã‚  consumers who have built the brand loyalty already. 3. To remind the consumer to purchase this new product. 3. 2. The short-term goal 1. This advertising campaign would reinforce the original brand image by market extension. 2. It also would enhance the product exposure frequency to strengthen the brand or product recognition and popularity which lead to repeat purchase. 3. The campaign advocates the green, organic, healthy life style rather than a single perfume brand. 3.3. The long-round aims. 1. Make the consumers add the whole bunch of reliance credits in our brand equity account. 2. Trying to generate the new demands in existing market and get more market shares in this niche market. 3. Increasing the wide acceptance of our brand. Target Market Segmentation 4.1.1 Geographic- This new product-Essential oil perfume will be firstly launched in Australia where is the birthplace of Jurlique. We will run this product in flagship store of Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth where have a large amount of population and potential opportunity to promote it. 4.1.2 Demographic- The target market will focus on females whose ages from 20 to 35 years old due to the fact that they have the most powerful ability of purchase. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics (2011), there is the highest population of female in the age level of 20 to 35. 4.1.3 Psychographic- Following the changes in the whole world, the concept of most people has been changed. Especially, people are taking notice of the ingredients of cosmetics. Hence, they do gradually keen on the natural, eco-friendly and organic product. 4.1.4 Socioeconomic- The target market focuses on university students and office ladies, hence, their income level may be low and middle. The average salary of white- collar workers is from 2500 to 5000 Australian dollars (Australia Average Salary Expenditure 2005). buying situation The products are appealed by females who value the protection of their body and health. Also, in current society, most people pay attention on environmental preservation. Hence, they prefer to purchase and search for nature-oriented products which would reduce the harms of human beings and environment. Target Audience The product of essential oil perfume is concentrated on the group of graduated students and office ladies (white collar workers) whose need the durable fragrance to reveal their temperament in every occasion. The majority of Jurlique customers will be women who start caring their skin and beauty. Hence, most products produced by Jurlique are designed with women in mind including perfume, body crà ¨me and lotion which protect womens skin. However, it is clear that women prefer having fragrance all day long. Therefore, it is a chance to do the research and development of oil perfume which have the efficacy of perdurability. Further, the consumption of cosmetic products has rapidly increased during festival time, such as Christmas, Mothers day, and Valentines Day. These women who purchase Jurlique products are between 20 to 35 years old. Product Positioning It is positioned on the aspect of slow fashion which emphasizes nature, eco-awareness, and health. The perspective of Jurliques essential oil perfumes is that the firm integrates the functional advantages of essential oils with our main scents which include jasmine, rose, lavender and citrus. Essential oil could assist customer in refreshing their mind, releasing their pressure and relaxing, also our new perfume would help females enhance their charm and self-confidence. Moreover, the ingredients of the essential oil perfumes are nature without chemical elements. Therefore, the new product would not injure customers body and health. Competitors 4.5.1 Competitive advantage Compared to Jurliques competitors, such as Loccitane and Aesop, they have similar philosophy and the same product categories. However, the new product of Jurlique could be distinguished from others, because our new product involves natural essential oils. In addition to this, the product of essential oil perfume has never been developed in the two firms of Loccitane and Aesop yet. Thus, this would have a high attraction on female market. Creative Message Strategy Theme The communication objectives As this oil perfume is a new product, the most important objectives are to enhance the customer awareness of the product, and impressed them by the first advertising. The product knowledge of nature and harmless ingredient can be conveyed in advertising. To stimulate the buying behavior by this creative advertising. Customer insight Customers gradually concern about nature and healthy ingredients of products, especially in food and those using for skin care. Message (à ¥Ã‚ ·Ã‚ ®Ãƒ ¥Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ ©Ãƒ ©Ã‚ »Ã… ¾) Different from other women perfume advertising which emphasizes the appeal for men, Jurlique advertisement will focus on the distinctive features which are less harmful and helpful to relax with fresh fragrance to attract women who concern about the harmless ingredient of products and those who are under stress. Look and Style Appeals Media Objective 1. Reach 80% of the target audience at least 3.2 per three month. 2. Use selected media to provide coverage of approximately 40% of target audiences per month. 3. Design to launch the advertising on holiday period and four seasons. Media reach and frequency The major objective of the advertising is that provides the information of a new campaign to existing consumers and appeal a great number of potential target audiences through selected media. Also, Jurlique is established and well-known brand in Australia. Thus, low-frequency strategy and high-reach strategy are appropriate for the campaign, based on Wells et al. (2011), high-reach strategy and low-frequency strategy could be used to launch a new product with notable brand in order to deliver reminder and simple messages. In order to calculate effective frequency, the company use Ostrow frequency model, because Telmar (2010) reported that the goal of Ostrow model is setting up minimum effective frequency level to maximise reach level. Therefore, the lowest frequency of the campaign is 3.2. Besides, according to three selected media, Jurlique assumes that the campaign would catch about 40% of potential customers each month when the advertising launching, so the coverage is around 40%. Marketing Factors That Affect Effective Frequency Established brands -.2 -.1 + .1 + .2 New brands High market share -.2 -.1 + .1 + .2 Low market share Dominant brand in market -.2 -.1 + .1 + .2 Smaller, less well-known brands High brand loyalty -.2 -.1 + .1 + .2 Low brand loyalty Long purchase cycle -.2 -.1 + .1 + .2 Short purchase cycle(high volume segments) Product used occasionally -.2 -.1 + .1 + .2 Product used daily -.2 -.1 + .1 + .2 Needed to beat competition -.2 -.1 + .1 + .2 Advertising to older consumers, or children Copy Factors That Affect Effective Frequency Simple copy -.2 -.1 + .1 + .2 Complex copy Copy more unusual than competition -.2 -.1 + .1 + .2 Copy less unusual than competition Continuing campaign -.2 -.1 + .1 + .2 New copy campaign Product sell copy -.2 -.1 + .1 + .2 Image type copy Single king of message -.2 -.1 + .1 + .2 More different kinds of messages To avoid wear out: New message -.2 -.1 + .1 + .2 Older messages Larger ad units -.2 -.1 + .1 + .2 Small ad units Media Factors That Affect Effective Frequency Lower ad clutter -.2 -.1 + .1 + .2 High ad clutter Compatible editorial environment -.2 -.1 + .1 + .2 Incompatible environment Attentiveness high -.2 -.1 + .1 + .2 Attentiveness low Continuous advertising -.2 -.1 + .1 + .2 Pulsed or flighted advertising Few media used -.2 -.1 + .1 + .2 Many media used Opportunities for media repetition -.2 -.1 + .1 + .2 Fewer opportunities -.25 + -.13 + +.13 + +.26 = +.2 .2+ 3.0(Effective frequency base) = 3.2 (Modified effective frequency level) Media Selection 6.2.1 Television Nowadays, although the rapidly rise of social network advertising, the TV advertising is still regarded as the dominant form of media advertising, since it have several advantages which would not be easily replaced like large usage rate of TV , at least few hours occupation per person daily as well as the high reaching rate for different groups of audiences. According to responeseAbility Consumer Research (2001), there 52% of female purchase decisions would like to be affected by TV Advertising in Australia. Also, the target market of Jurlique are females whose ages from 20 to 35, as a result, TV advertising would be the most direct way for product exposure. Meanwhile, it could deliver the message combine audio and video at meantime which could stimulate people, especially for female, to generate advertising appeals or evoke the subconscious possessive willing by using ideal scenario to cater their perception (Fah Foon 2011). 6.2.2 Magazine According to Belch et al. (2012), magazines are a kind of media, which focus on specific target audiences. Also, Wells et al. (2011) stated that the percentage of females titles in the magazine market stands at about 65%. Thus, Jurlique would use this medium to publish its new advertising. In Australia, there are a variety of magazines for females. Jurlique is likely to promote its new perfumes advertising through three womens magazines such as Australian Womens Weekly, Marie Claire as well as Cosmopolitan, because the circulation and readership of these magazines in Australia are approximately above 100,000 and 400,000, and their target consumers age are between 18 and 55 (ACP Magazines, 2012 Pacific Magazines, 2012). As a result, the campaign in these magazines can be easily to catch particular customers of Jurliques fragrance. 6.2.3 Facebook The advantages of social network Due to the vast number of users, social network advertising can easily convey to those used the internet. The cost of social network advertising is significantly lower than other forms of advertising. The messages spread in social network are seen to be more reliable as they are shared by our friends rather than companies Social network create a route for customers to communicate directly to companies, as a result, the brand awareness and loyalty could be enhanced. (Socialolio 2012) Selection of Social network To compare the most popular social network Facebook and Twitter, we find out the age group of Facebook users (25-34) are closer to the target market of Jurlique perfume (Socialbakers 2012)(Alana Jessica Ward 2012). Besides, Facebook profiles can contain more detail than Twitter (ListsHere.com n.d.). What is more, Facebook allows company to provide photos, videos and longer descriptions. Consequently, Facebook fan page is more desirable to advertise the new products of Jurlique. Cost Free to create fan pages as well as post any information there . Reach rate The amount of fans of Jurlique AU is 16248. (Jurlique Australia 2012) According to the research, one Facebook post reach 12% of fans. (Josh Constine, 2012) The average fans which liked the posts from Jurlique fan page is 30. (Jurlique Australia 2012) The average amount of friends of Facebook users is 229. (Bianca Bosker, 2011) 16248ÃÆ'-12%+30ÃÆ'-229ÃÆ'-12%=1949.76+824.4=2774.16à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‹â€ 2774 people One post could be seen by around 2774 people Scheduling We divide the product of oil perfume into four flavours to match four seasons. Thus, the product of oil perfume which is for spring season will be initially launched on the beginning of September through mass media which include magazine, television and Facebook from 1 September until the middle of September. After the time, the media of magazine and television will be paused until 15 November, but Facebook will still run all the year. Further, owing to the fact that Christmas day is on 25 December, the advertising of new fragrant perfume which is fit for summer season will be promoted from 16 November within three of mass media above until the end of December. Besides, December is a big sales month for Australian. Nevertheless, advertising period must be continued in one month. Furthermore, 14 Feb is Valentines day, as a result oil perfume with another new flavour will be popularized two weeks ago to match autumn. In addition to this, the mass media of magazine and television will b e carried out again. Moreover, sending perfume as a gift to mother will be a good choice. Hence, before Mothers day, the product will publish new scent for winter and this special day. Scheduling Year 2012 Month Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. Day ~15 16~ ~15 16~ ~15 16~ ~15 16~ Magazine Television Facebook season spring summer Holiday Christmas Special Big Sales new spring new summer Scheduling Year 2013 Month Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul. Aug. Day ~15 16~ ~15 16~ ~15 16~ ~15 16~ ~15 16~ ~15 16~ ~15 16~ ~15 16~ Magazine Television Facebook season summer fall winter Holiday Valentine Mum Special Big Sales à £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€š ¬ new summer new fall new winter Estimation of Cost Evaluation of performance For this new product-Oil Perfume, marketing team will carry out an available measuring research of its media campaign to rough execution to testing the final version before implementing, while this activity is running and once the campaign gets to its end. Jurlique is a successful company and has been established for a long time. Hence, Jurlique wants to enhance the business and be able to correct any mistakes, such as cost, on time, also increasing the efficiency of integrated marketing communication and making sure it takes the right media decisions by evaluating the campaign. (Belch, et al., 2009) Pretesting: June to August 2012 Testing positioning, image and brand identity: Jurlique would assess its new campaign concept on selected media. This could help it to understand that the messages in terms of positioning and image of advertising that Jurlique intend to launch are realized by its specific target audiences. Concept testing: At this stage, Jurlique want to evaluate the characteristics (namely slogans) of the advertising in customers mind. According to peoples feedbacks, the advertising team of Jurlique needs to make sure that how well the advertising will perform. How: Jurlique use online survey and focus group to investigate customers imagination and responses to its new campaign. Concurrent: September 2012 to August 2013 (campaign running) In the campaign process, con-current testing will keep working all year to obtain detail information of each stage and all relevant messages will not miss for marketing team. Image, effectiveness and awareness: While the campaign is launched by TV, magazines as well as Facebook, concurrent evaluation may help Jurlique to comprehend the advertising run correctly or not and obtain feedbacks from customers who saw the campaign. If the advertising is not working correctly, the advertising team can deal with it immediately. How: Coincidental survey- Jurlique use online questionnaires and random calling in order to realize what messages customers receive and get responses from them. Thus, Jurlique can obtain qualitative and quantitative information. Impact on sales: During this advertising campaign starts running, the marketing team will study its sales to track the influence of this new product. The purchased proportion will be studied in detail. How: Measuring the differential impact of different budget sizes, and the effects of brand or corporate image by tracking with the general sales statistical study. (Belch, et al., 2009) Concurrent: September 2012 to August 2013 (campaign running) When the campaign comes to the end around September to November, the marketing team will assess its final result in order to figure out whether the set objectives were reached or not. Post-testing not only identify what was doing best, but also serve as input into the future campaign planning. (Belch, et al., 2009) Impact on sales: While the advertising campaign is ended, marketing team will estimate its sales volume and analyze its profitability. In addition, they will judge specific aspects of the advertisement which provides the most efficiency to this new product. (Belch, et al., 2009) How: Comparing the used media tools and the sales statistical studies to determine how the advertising contributes to brand equity and how to optimize effectiveness. (Belch, et al., 2009) Attitudes and persuasion-Commercial reaction: Reference

Carnival Cruise Lines Today

Carnival Cruise Lines Today This document is based on the Harvard Business Case study about Carnival Cruise Lines Applegate, Kwortnik, Piccoli, 2006. It is written as a master thesis for the Master of Information Management (MIM) studies by Christianne Aussems, Nathalie Claes, Eric Janssen and Cornà © van Schaik, under the supervision of Piet Ribbers, Professor of Information Management, all at TiasNimbas Business School in Tilburg. 1.1 About this report This report describes the information management strategy for Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL) for the period 2007-2011. It proposes changes in organization, management, systems, and governance structure for CCL and describes the implementation plan, including prioritization and a costs and benefits analysis. The target audience of the report is Myles Cyr, CIO of Carnival Cruise Lines, and in addition for the strategic management level of CCL. 1.2 Assignment description | Aim and Scope [Bob Dickinson informed the board about the goals for the next years. He wants Carnival Cruise Lines to stay the market leader and to improve the repeat guest rate. He is convinced that the potential value of customer data is growing. Therefore he is looking for a way to manage customer relationships more adequately. In the meeting he also mentioned the desire to reduce the gap between quality improvements and customer perceptions of the services. Myles Cyr agrees on establishing a new sales strategy for the years to come and on the necessity to know the customers better. He wants to incorporate an overall vision on and evaluation of the information architecture and the existing information systems. At this moment he and Dwayne Warner are thinking of starting the preparation an extensive revision (possibly a rebuild) of the shipboard systems (Property Management System and Point of Sale Systems) including the replacement of the Sail Sign card (with magnetic strip) by a chip card in combination with the introduction of portable equipment based on the IP protocol. Myles Cyr explicitly asks to elaborate on the opportunities of IS to contribute to the business and to the value chain. The board is expecting that the relative IT operating costs can be reduced in the next years. He expects an analysis and evaluation of the current state of IT/IS. What is good? What possible weaknesses are there? What problems have to be solved? Which improvements are opportune? He expects a balanced report containing your proposals to enhance the quality of data processing and information provisioning (including handling customer data). Carnival Cruise Lines can only resist and beat the market forces, if the company is innovative, acts agile and reacts fast and effectively to changes in the markets.] Topics to be incorporated in report: -Existing bottle necks that have to be removed. -Changes in organization, management, control concept and governance. -Changes in systems, data processing and data provisioning. -Change management process to meet the proposal. -Implementation plan including prioritization. -Risk assessment of the components of your advice. -Improvement of security and risk management (especially privacy protection). -Costs and benefits analysis of the proposed alternatives. 1.3 Structure Beschrijven van fase naar fase Cindy 1.4 Approach To gather extra information on IT in the cruising sector there was the opportunity to do qualitative research at another cruising organization being Royal Caribbean. Gekozen voor andere maatschappij om huidige bedrijfsvoering niet te verstoren/verontrusten? The research performed here was qualitative research trough semi structured interviews As described in the bookà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ p467. For this research the entire IT executive team (see appendix) was found willing and able to participate. Interview guides were created, for these interviews. These described the goals and topics of the interview and the questions to be asked. This gave the researchers a structure to ask the questions, not to forget important questions and not to get distracted from the goals of the interview. On the other hand this approach also gave flexibility to discuss unforeseen but relevant topics. On forehand it was not clear for all the interviewees what their role and responsibilities where and what to ask them . This approach also gave the flexibility to start the interview with just a few questions but in the end having gathered a lot of information. Being able to interview more than 10 different IT executives in different roles and on different levels also gave an insight on important topics on that moment. Interview guide interview minutes For the execution of the interviews there was a clear division of the roles between the interviewers, there was one interviewer in the lead for asking the questions, one checking whether all the questions were asked and one making notes for the meeting minutes. Ruimte Literatuur 1.5 Constraints Timing Tool selectie reeds gedaan 2. Carnival Cruise Lines Today Carnival Corporation plc is a global cruise company and one of the largest vacation companies in the world. Carnival generates all of its revenues from the cruise industry. The companies wide-ranging product offerings provide guests with exceptional vacation experiences at an outstanding value. The success in providing quality cruise vacations has made Carnival the most profitable company in the leisure travel industry. Carnivals stock is dually listed on both the New York Stock Exchange and on the London Stock Exchange under symbol CCL. Carnival is the only company in the world to be included in both the SP 500 index in the United States and the FTSE 100 index in the United Kingdom (Carnival Corporation PLC, 2012). Carnival Corporation operates a fleet of 100 ships, with another seven ships scheduled for delivery between now and March 2016. With approximately 200,000 guests and 77,000 shipboard employees, there are more than 277,000 people sailing aboard the Carnival fleet at any given time (Carnival Corporation PLC, 2012). For the purpose of our report it is crucial to understand how the Carnival Cruise Lines corporation works today. We need to understand how the various aspects of the business are set up and how they work together. Only after a true understanding of the current situation, we can come with proposals for improvement and indicate the impact on current ways of working. In literature one can fine many models that can be used to look at an organization with an internal perspective. In appendix X we provide an overview of some management models we have found in literature, with an explanation why, when and how it should be used. Since our report needs to cover the implementation of a new IT management strategy, we have decided to use McKinseys 7S model. This model, developed in the 1980s, involves 7 factors, which can be categorized as hard and soft elements. Hard elements can be identified and influenced more easily. They would be driven by the organization charts and reporting lines within the business and they may include the systems you use to get work done. Soft elements are, by their very nature, more difficult to manage and may be affected by the culture of the organization. But you have to apply yourself to these as much as the hard elements, as they provide the support structure for the successful implementation of any change, and they are al l interdependent on each other. Figure X 7S framework (McKinsey) The hard elements in the 7S-model are Strategy, Structure and Systems; the soft elements are Style, Shared Values, Skills and Staff. In order to understand the 7S-model better a brief explanation is given below. Hard elements:   Strategy by using mission and vision the organizations objectives become clear.   Structure how is the organization structured and which hierarchical layers are there   Systems all formal and informal methods of operation, procedures and communication flows Soft elements:   Style this is about leadership and management styles   Shared values the standards and values and other forms of ethics within an organization in which vision, corporate culture and identity are the key elements   Skills these concern both the skills of the organization and those of the employees   Staff this is about the employees, their competences and job descriptions 2.1 Strategy of CCL The mission of Carnival Corporation is to take the world on vacation and deliver exceptional experiences through many of the worlds best-known cruise brands that cater to a variety of different geographic regions and lifestyles, all at an outstanding value unrivaled on land or at sea (Carnival Corporation PLC, 2012). The vision statement of Carnival is the following: to consistently deliver fun, memorable vacations at a repeat value. Derived from this mission and vision, Carnival Cruise Lines has set up the following strategic objectives: to be the leading cruise operator in all segments entered and to maintain the most up-to-date fleet of cruise ships in the world to develop new cruise segments and innovative cruise packages to reach a larger number of potential and past cruisers employ sophisticated promotional efforts to achieve a greater awareness by the public concerning the availability and afford ability of cruise travel attract the first-time and younger cruisers (Carnival), experienced cruisers (Holland America), upscale cruisers(Seaborne), and cruisers wanting a sailing vacation (Windstar) promote cruises as an alternative to land-based vacations provide a variety of activities as well as ports of call be innovative in all respects of operations of the ship. BRON Dominant market share Carnivals biggest strength is its huge scale and scope. It is twice as large as its biggest competitor and competes in nearly every market and segment worldwide. This gives Carnival enormous power over the cruise industry as a whole. It enables the company to undertake projects that grow the industry, gives it a platform for continued mergers and acquisitions activity, and helps Carnival negotiate with major manufacturers of cruise ships (Levin, Jones, Slade, 2011). Strong acquisition strategy Carnival has the ability to obtain companies through acquisitions. By using an acquisition strategy, the Corporation has been able to position itself in each geographical market in the world and rank itself as number one in the cruising sector. Comprehensive portfolio The corporation has a large fleet capacity and operates 11 of the most recognizable cruise brand names. Carnivals portfolio of brand names appeals to almost every niche market, from budget minded, contemporary to luxury cruises. Each cruise line operates globally and is targeted at one or more nationalities (see Appendix X). 2.2 Structure of CCL Carnival Corporation plc has two main headquarters, Carnival Place in the US and Carnival House in the UK. The constituent Corporation and plc are separate listed companies with different shareholder bodies, but they jointly own all the operating companies in the group. Carnival Corporation owns the majority stake. As part of the merger between Carnival Corporation and PO Princess Cruises in 2002, it was agreed that PO Princess would be relisted as Carnival plc in London, remaining a separate company with a predominantly British shareholder body. Both headquarters have their own management team, strategy, and IT organization. Uncoordinated business operations Historically, Carnival has been run by the Arison family as a coalition of largely independent businesses. Each cruise line largely manages its own customers, marketing, distribution, sales, ports, and logistics. This approach has had benefits: internal competition means that each line operates better than any would in isolation. The business operations of the cruise lines are not centrally managed. Better coordination of these business operations could generate additional benefits for Carnival (Levin, Jones, Slade, 2011). Strong financial position Carnival is one of the most profitable cruising companies. The companys average net income (FY2005 to FY2009) amounted to 18.1% compared to the industry standard of 6.3% (Marketingteacher, 2012). The firm is dual listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange under the symbol CCL. Since the company is dual listed, it has the ability to raise more funds from investor than its competitors. With this also come greater stability due to different markets being affected by different economic occurrences, political issues, and societys views (Corporate information, 2006). Decreasing profit The profit of Carnival has diminished over the last years. The net profit was $1,790 million in FY2009, a decrease of 23.2% as compared to 2008. Another weakness is that Carnival reports their financial statements in dollars. About half of their revenue is generated in a non-US currency, but is reported in terms of US dollars. The value of the dollar against Euro appreciated from 1.60 in January 2010 to 1.53 by April 2010 against the Pound. If the dollar strengthens it would record a lower revenue than is actually earned (Marketingteacher, 2012). Clear focus cost leadership Carnival Cruise Lines has a clear focus on Cost Leadership, i.e. CCL offers its product to the mass market. Therefore the highest focus is put on the price and keeping the price as low as possible. Once the customer is on board the ship, additional revenue is created by having the customer pay for everything that was not covered in the base price. Carnival is such a large company that it has significant cost advantages over most of its competitors. Strong marketing Carnival invests explicitly and effectively in print and television media. Their promotions target the lifestyles of each group of customers (Marketingteacher, 2012). Over-dependence on US market Carnival derives a majority of its revenue (nearly 52%) from US customers. In 2009 the revenue from the North American market registered a double digit decline. The over-dependence on the US market makes Carnival vulnerable to the economic fluctuations of the American economy and this company is dependent on customers disposable income] (Marketingteacher, 2012). Poor safety record There is no public database of major cruise accidents, but Carnival has a notably worse safety record than other cruise companies. The Costa Concordia tragedy has been the most recent in Carnivals safety woes. The Center for Disease Control does track all major viral outbreaks on cruise lines. In the 2009-2011 period, Carnival-owned companies accounted for 56% of all viral outbreaks, compared to a 48% average market share. The company is also thought to have a worse safety record for persons lost at sea, especially in the Carnival brand: of the 179 disappearances since 2000, Carnival Cruise Line alone accounts for nearly 30% of them (Levin, Jones, Slade, 2011). Incidents/Bad press In 2009, Carnival experienced bad press when three passengers fell off ships in a three week period. There were a total of 22 incidents of passengers falling overboard in 2009. In December 2008, passengers on the Carnival owned Oceania cruise ship were attacked by Somali pirates. Such events reflect negatively on the company and the industry. 2.3 Systems in CCL Within Carnival Cruise Lines every brand is seen as a separate business unit, with its own profit and loss statement. Decentralized systems This decentralization translates into a decentralization of systems as well. Decisions arent always communicated from the one cruise line to the other, which leads to duplication of effort. This decentralization of the business organization translates to the IT organization as well. Every brand has its own IT department with own systems and infrastructure. Legacy systems There are many legacy systems, since there arent many players in the cruising sector, most of the strategic important applications are custom made. This leads to a spaghetti landscape in which integration is very difficult and which affects the speed to market significantly. No integrated CRM system Carnival doesnt use an integrated CRM system for the whole corporation. Customers from the one cruise line arent recognized as a repeat customer with a different cruise line within the group, this has an immediate effect on the pricing for repeat customers. The yearly capital planning of investments is done on US and UK Headquarter level as well as on the different cruise line level. This will most likely lead to lack on synchronization and duplication of costs and efforts. 2.4 Style within CCL The leadership style at Carnival Cruise Lines can be called family-like. People with the right skills are hired and are giving the support and room to do their jobs correctly. This family-like leadership style is a management style that Ted Arison already used when he was still steering the company. Ted Arison had a non-hierarchical approach to management, meaning that he delegated a lot of work downwards in the organization, allowing him to oversee the bigger picture. People are encouraged to be hands-on and take calculated risks. Taking risks also means that mistakes can occur, however Carnival uses a no blame culture through which people feel empowered (Managementparadise, 2012). Carnival has a separate training and development department set up in the organization. The corporation invests heavily in coaching of high potentials by giving them learning opportunities that are fit for their personal needs. 2.5 Shared values of CCL Derived from the mission and vision of Carnival (see 2.1.1) the company has set some company values that wear a high priority. These values are: Honesty, integrity, fairness, hospitality and teamwork. The values are deemed important to do their job in a correct manner. Carnival, as all other cruise lines in the industry, takes much proud in the focus they put on the environment. They invest heavily in health and safety, both for customers and for employees. There is a very strong focus on the environment and to work in a greener way. Charity is also one of the key components of their social responsibility strategy. 2.6 Skills at CCL Working in the leisure industry requires some specific skills that you cannot always learn. Most important skills that someone working in the leisure industry would need, are the following: Customer focused Empathy Team work Stress resistant Multi-cultural Service orientation Multi linguistic Since Carnival Cruise Lines wants to be seen as the cruise line that delivers fun, the attitude of the employees is very important as well. The employees need to be cheerful and enthusiastic. 2.7 Staff at CCL Cruise ships typically operate with three classes of crew. The first is the officers: these professionals are highly paid and given ultimate command of the ship. The second is entertainers and wait staff: typically lower-paid, but from the same countries as the cruisers that they serve. Finally, most of the ships crew is drawn from developing countries. While pay is low, the salary can represent an attractive opportunity for these workers, who often work 10-month contracts without being able to see their homes and families. Turnover is high, and few of the crew see working on a cruise ship as a viable long-term career. Staff remains 24/7 on board of the ship, have their own cabins at the lowest two decks of the ship. Only officers are allowed to mix between guests, this at special occasions and in formal attire. Other crew members have dedicated times during which they can be present on guest decks. Operational excellence experience Carnival has achieved below-industry-average costs and above-average revenue historically. This is largely due to the companys immense experience in owning and operating cruises, as well as some smart strategic plays. That advantage makes expanding into new markets vastly easier for Carnival than for a smaller player or upstart firm. Carnival has the largest pool of data to draw on to determine what does and does not work and has the most experienced marketers of cruises in the world. These soft advantages let Carnival potentially segment its customers more efficiently than competitors (Levin, Jones, Slade, 2011). 3. Carnival Cruise Lines Competitive Position 5 forces model of Porter (Levin, Jones, Slade, 2011) According to Michael Porter, the state of competition in an industry depends on five basic forces (Porter, 1980). These forces are: Bargaining Power of Suppliers, Bargaining Power of Buyers, Threat of New Entrants, Threat of Substitutes, and Rivalry among Competitors. The collective strength of these combined forces determines the ultimate profit potential of an industry. The following paragraphs are based on Levin et al. (Levin, Jones, Slade, 2011) and interviews at Royal Caribbean. 3.1 Bargaining power of suppliers Supplier Power within the cruise line industry is moderately strong. Most of a cruise ships supplies are bought on an open, competitive market. The threat of integration by these suppliers is very low. One notable exception is Carnivals new builds. There are only 6 major shipyards that have recently built cruise ships, and 2-3 more that either perform conversions or have built ships before 2000. Capacity and capability at these main builders is also limited, so Carnival Corporation relies on a limited number of manufacturers for its new builds. The high supplier power within the shipbuilding is weakened because the relationship is symmetrical: cruising is a similarly concentrated market. Additionally, the massive purchase value of a new ship provides a sizeable incentive for ship suppliers to provide cruise liners with competitive pricing. Additionally, cruise ship companies such as Carnival face extensive switching costs, both in building and running a ship. Switching a ships manufacturer is hugely expensive for cruise companies because, typically, the shipbuilder owns the right over a ships design, which means that, in switching shipbuilders, cruise line companies have to incur high monetary and time costs in redesigning the ship. Such a switch can cost the cruise line company millions of dollars. Further, there is high input differentiation between ships, meaning that, while there are alternatives for the majority of supply components (both in ship construction and in cruise service), the cruise ship company markets specific ships and amenities to the consumer, thereby increasing switching costs and supplier power. 3.2 Bargaining power of buyers Buyer power within the cruise line industry is relatively low. By contrast to most other vacations, more than two thirds of cruises are still booked through travel agents. Further, customers are spread around the world and do not have any mechanisms through which they can express a collective voice or exert collective power, leaving them with minimal control. Additionally, customers do not have the ability or resources to create the cruise experience by themselves it is, by nature, a highly packaged deal. In addition, the experience offered by a cruise is very unique, and differs from other types of vacations enough that customers who prefer cruises are likely to choose them over other types of vacations, so long as the cost is not a substantial barrier. Buyer power is increased by internet search engines which enable comparisons of price and specifications across multiple locations, brands, and companies. In addition, the continued high reliance on travel agencies increases buyer p ower because travel agencies make volume purchases and can demand lower prices based on the volume of customers they refer to specific companies. 3.3 Threat of new entrants The risk of entry of new competitors to the cruise line industry that could provide a plausible threat to Carnival Corporation in core markets is low. Entry into the high-end cruise line industry requires capital of approximately $1 billion since it costs, on average, $400 million to build a ship. Further, large cruise ships employ hundreds of sailors and crew that are trained for sea duty, which creates an additional cost. Since brand recognition is very important in the cruise line industry, it would take a new competitor valuable time to build an identity and reputation in order to be able to compete with the incumbents. Lastly, there are strict government and international regulations that are involved with a cruise company. Obtaining proper permits to operate, as well as the political connections, would also cost a company a large amount of time and resources. In Asia, however, Carnival might be more concerned about new entrants. Asian operations, markets, and customers are much less defined than in the Americas or Europe, and expectations of cruise quality and scale are lower. There are numerous Asian entrepreneurs and companies that might be able to tap into this fast-growing market. 3.4 Threat of substitutes There are many substitutes, such as all inclusive, Club Med, and alternative vacation packages. However, market research indicates that cruise lines provide higher customer satisfaction than land based vacation packages. Cruisers express an overall 94.8% satisfaction rate with their experiences. Any vacation can be substituted for, and there is not a high cost to change, which makes the threat of substitution seem very high. This trend has fueled the continuing evolution of the cruise vacation experience. Over the years, cruise lines have expanded itineraries to include more diverse ports of call and have introduced innovative onboard amenities and facilities to compete with land based travel. These onboard experiences include cell phone access, Internet cafes and Wi-Fi zones which allow passengers to feel as if they are connected on land. They have also added onboard experiences such as rock-climbing, bowling alleys, surfing pools, multi-room villas, multiple themed restaurants and expansive spas, health and fitness facilities that easily rival land-based options (CLIA, 2012) Although there are many substitutes to the cruise line industry, they cannot replicate the cruise line experience. 3.5 Rivalry of competitors Carnival is the leading company within the cruise line industry due to its multiple fleets and significant international presence. There are significant barriers to entry and exit within the cruise line industry, which has resulted in a high concentration ratio. The cruise line industry is effectively an oligopoly market, where several major cruise liners make up more than 90% of the market shares. Carnival is constantly engaged in marketing and pricing battles with these competitors, making internal rivalry central to the industry. Additionally, cruise lines have historically been subject to heavy mergers acquisitions activity, and Carnival sometimes competes to acquire even more share. Overall, Carnivals branding is strong within the industry, and even stronger within its market category (contemporary). When compared to its competitors, Carnival continues to remain a formidable force in the cruise industry. Figure X: 5 forces model for Carnival Cruise Lines 4. Cruise Industry Developments We will use a PESTEL analysis to provide the context of the cruising industry as a whole, in order to understand the organizations role in relation to the external environment. The PESTEL analysis provides a context for the organizations role in relation to the external environment. The PESTEL analysis technique is often used in conjunction with a SWOT analysis to assess the situation of a business. PESTEL covers Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental factors. The analysis consists in carefully determining all factors and finding out exactly in what way and to what extent these factors influence the company. Each category of factors is of crucial importance to advanced strategic management (Marketingminefield, 2012). Figure 2 gives an overview of PESTEL factors for the Cruise Industry. The PESTEL analysis is further explained in the following sections of this chapter. Political Economic OPPORTUNITIES Growing market in Asia Multiple trade organizations and lobbyist: -Cruise Lines International Association -Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (trade organization) -International Council of Cruise Lines; Cruise industry lobbyist -North West Canada Cruise Association (trade organization for Hawaii and Pacific North West) -Passenger ship Association -International Maritime organization (IMO) part of the United Nations OPPORTUNITIES Profitable business; cruisers spend typically more on vacation then non cruisers Pricing based on data analysis Big market share to capture; cruising industry is the fastest growing branch of the total leisure industry THREATHS Global economic recession Decrease in growth for South of Europe due to bad economy High fuel prices THREATS Geopolitical instability -Terrorism actions Tax loopholes Social Technological OPPORTUNITIES Strongly favorable Demographics Changing consumer trends: more focus on health, spa arrangements, more diversity in dining and other selling points Changing role of travel agent Number of online bookings is increasing and increasing more every year OPPORTUNITIES Changing consumer trends: Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), connectivity Technological development in satellite communication: -State of the art technology possibilities on the ship -Higher connectivity on the ship THREATHS Due to the exploding market in Asia, systems need to be set up in Chinese characters. This is a challenge for most systems Outsourcing level 2 b 3 support is difficult because the knowledge is very specific THREATHS Overblown media attention when something happens on a cruise ship Environmental Legal THREATHS Events in the outside world (9/11, Costa Concordia crash and Ash cloud Iceland) OPPORTUNITIES Complex diversity of environmental, health and safety legislation Figure X: PESTEL analysis Cruise Industry 4.1 Political Factors Political factors represent the way and extent to which a government influences the economy and the business. Specific areas are: labor law, tax policy, tariffs, trade restrictions and environmental law. Geopolitical Instability [In 2011, the Arab Spring revolutions ca