Future Analysis of Nation State

Future Analysis of The Nation-State System Introduction: It is common to hear of the threats to the nation-state system in the contemporary world. Such threats seem to originate from many different quarters, at different level of the global system. This impending sense that the nation-state is somehow in â€Å"crisis† led to analyze the question of â€Å"the contemporary crisis of the nation-state? † But before we go into the analysis, it is important to look into the ideas that would help to understand the case, under discussion, in a better way.To begin with, let’s see the definition of nation, state and the nation-state system, according to the context under discussion. Nation According to the Oxford English dictionary, the word nation literally means, community of people having mainly common descent, history, language, etc or forming sovereign state or inhabiting territory. From the above definition, there are two kinds of nations, the ethnic nation (communit y with common descent) and demotic nation (community with common territorial boundaries). E. K.Francis draws a distinction between ‘ethnic’ nations that are based on belief in common descent and a sense of solidarity and common identity, and ‘demotic’ nations that are based on shared administrative and military institutions, common territorial boundaries for protection and the mobility of goods and people. This is similar to the distinction often made between ‘cultural nations’, based on criteria such as language, customs, religion and the ‘political nations’, that are more contractual and derive from shared institutions, shared citizenship and a sense of shared history.State According to Oxford English dictionary, state literally means, political community under one government. This means a community which is coherent with the government of the state obeys the government with its own will, making government responsible for it. It is the political organization of the people under one government. Nation-State System The nation-state system is traditionally, an amalgamation of ‘nation’ (one people) with ‘state’ (one government). If one were to imagine an abstract image of the globe one would see gridlines.These lines mark off different nation-states. Each one is separate from the others and sovereign inside its defined and unmoving borders. These nation-states interact with each other, be it through war or trade in a relationship that is theoretically simple. Each nation-state is ‘equal’ in terms of having sovereignty (self-determination) and the sole right to use legitimate force inside its own borders. This modern nation-state system came into existence with the treaty of Westphalia, 1648.In international system, ‘low’ politics of trade and business and temporary agreement of MNCs, IGO and INGOs are less important than that of ‘high’ politics th e nation-state, with its role of protecting its sovereignty from the attack and of maintaining stability inside its borders. Today, there are more than 200 nation-states in the world. Nation-State as a Historical-Political Form The ideal articulation of ‘nation’ as a form of cultural community and the‘State’ as a territorial, political unit is now widely accepted and often taken as unproblematic.Yet scholars of nationalism point out that that was not alwaysthe case. That every nation deserves its autonomy and identity through its ownsovereign state (even though many may not demand it) is an ideal that manytrace to the French Revolution. As Cobban points out, whereas before the FrenchRevolution there had been no necessary connection between the state as a political unit and the nation as a cultural one, it became possible and desirablesince then to think of a combination of these two in a single conception of the nation-state.That this still remains an †˜ideal’ and one vastly unrealized, as inthe existence of several â€Å"multi-national’’ states, is also largely recognized, although much of international relations theory fails to follow through on the implications of that ‘reality’. Concept of Sovereignty The meaning and concept of sovereignty has assumed many different shapes. Moreover, it has frequently changed its content,its laws and even its functions during the modern period. Hugo Grotius, in his famous work De Jure Belli ac Pacis: Sovereignty is ‘that power whose acts †¦ may not be void by the acts of other human will. Other political theorists have, in general, given similar definitions. Oppenheim: ‘Sovereignty is supreme authority, an authority which is independent of any other earthly authority. ’ Willoughby:‘Sovereignty is the supreme will of the state. ’ Various writers on political theory have insisted that every legally recognized state by defin ition is sovereign. It is simply a reminder that just as every state is legally equal to any other, so it is legally sovereign. But if we see the contemporary interaction of states with reference to above definition, we would definitely conclude that the concept of sovereignty has again changed.The concept of absolute sovereignty has become obsolete and has been replaced by the concept of relative sovereignty/authority and interdependence. Just as in real world, some states are bigger in size, power and influence than others just like that sovereignty of the states has become relative. It must be recognized that there are now degrees of sovereignty and self-determination. Only sovereignty left with states is legal sovereignty. Except it every other aspect of the state is relative or dependent on intrastate and interstate factors. Concept of NationalismNationalism is the patriotic feeling for one’s nation or country. Professor Louis L. Snyder defines nationalism as ‘a pr oduct of political, economic, social and intellectual factors at a certain stage in history, is a condition of mind, feeling or sentiment of a group of people living in a well-define geographical area, speaking a common language, possessing a literature in which the aspirations of the nation have been expressed, attached to common traditions and common customs, venerating its own heroes, and in some cases having a common religion. Some point out that the political nations are based more on ‘civic’ nationalism, as opposed to the ‘ethnic’ nationalism characteristic of the cultural nations. These observations are based on two popular theories of nationalism. Primordialists’ approach the extent to which culture exists as a given resource for the constitution of nationsand instrumentalist’ approach, the extent to which culture has to be invented by nationalist elites.The primordialist approach, evident in the early work of Geertz, Shils and in the socio-biological theory of Van den Berghe, argues that ethnic and cultural attachments are pre-givens, or at least assumed givens, and appear ‘natural’ to members of a group. As against this, the instrumentalist approach, evidenced to varying degrees in the works of Brass, Hobsbawm and Nairn, argues that ethnic attachments are often invented and manipulated by elites to construct the nation as a privileged source of a group’s loyalty.I’m of the view that all national identities are constructed as dictated by the instrumentalist theory. In other words, there are no ‘natural’ nationalities. There is no a priori manner in which peoples can be made into nations. It is the work ofnationalism to construct or produce a ‘nation’. In the words of BenedictAnderson, the nation has to be ‘imagined’. Nations are imagined ‘because themembers of even the smallest nation will never know most of their fellow members,meet them, o r even hear of them, yet in the minds of each livesthe image of their communion. It is through nationalist ideology that thiscommunion is constructed. Anderson traces the development of nationalism to the development of print-capitalism, which helped to produce and disseminatea common culture to ground the national imagination. 18 Regardless of what basisis used to ground this communion, nations are ultimately based on what EtienneBalibar has called `’fictive ethnicities’. It is the work of nationalist ideology to ‘ethnicize’’ a community.It is through the representational labor of nationalist ideology that a community is constructed as if it formed a natural communionwith its unique and singular origin and destiny. ‘Nation building’ hasalways been a project of the state as well and the widespread existence of globalnorms on sovereignty and self-determination (and the continuing appeal of theideal of the ‘nation-state’) now ensure that existing states themselves have toengage to some extent in attempts at nation building. In other words, it is notsimply that nations often seek and demand states, but states need nations as well.These efforts of nation building are more evident and stark at times of crisis such as war,but in reality are always in existence in more subtle ways through various statepolicies and programs, as well as through the ideological state apparatusesin civil society. In that sense state building and nation building have become simultaneousand symbiotic processes. Yet for analytical purposes it is perhaps better not toconfuse these two processes because, even if the ends they seek are somewhatsimilar or complementary, the processes remain somewhat different.State buildingoccurs through the penetration and integration of the territorial economy,polity and society and speaks to questions of political authority and effectivegovernance. Nation building is the construction of a cohesive c ultural communitythat can demand citizen loyalty and commitment. As it is shownin the nextsection, the fragmentation of nation-states refers tonation building, and inparticular to the inability of the state to build cohesive nations, while those that point to the effects of globalization on weakening the nation-state often (but notexclusively) refer to problems with state building.Challenges to The Nation-State Forces of Fragmentation The authority of the nation-state depends to a large extent on its consistency,unity and stability in the eyes of its public or, in other words, of the ability ofthe state to project a united nation. The imagined nations, as Anderson pointsout, present themselves as ‘communities’,‘because regardless of the actualinequality and exploitation that may prevail in each, the nation is alwaysconceived as a deep, horizontal comradeship’’.Part of the project of the state is to seekconsent from its citizens as to the depth and eq uality of that comradeship. Yetthe national space has many differences and conflicts – among ethnicities, races, religious groups, classes, genders, etc. Each of those differences threatens the coherence and unity of the national fabric. Most of the literature on fragmentation focuses on ethnic (and religious) conflicts within existing states. Nationbuilding requires that such ethnic and religious conflicts are effectively controlledby the state.Even though ‘assimilation’ has been an acknowledged goal of many states historically, Talal Asad has pointed out that hegemonic power worksnot so much through suppressing differences by homogenization, as throughdifferentiating and marginalizing. The ‘nation’ in projects of the state does notrepresent a singular cultural space so much as a hierarchy of cultural spaces. What RudolfoStavenhagen calls an ‘ethnocratic state’- a nation-state controlledessentially by a majority or dominant ethnie, able to exercise cultural hegemonyover the rest of the ation – is the rule rather than the exception in the modernsystem of nation-states. The success of nation-building depends on the extentto which the state is able to secure a broad measure of ‘consent’ on thishierarchy. The national project requires the construction of what Asad calls a‘cultural core’ that becomes the ‘essence’ of ‘the nation’. At the most basiclevel, fragmentation occurs when the state is no longer (if ever) able to effectivelysecure consent on this cultural core.States have a variety of available means to meet the demands of ethnic and religious groups within their borders. To the extent that assimilation is no longerconsidered possible or effective, or even desirable, states can and do makeattempts to accommodate such demands through various political and institutionalmechanisms. Regardless of how determined and well organized thosedemands are, which migh t make a polity quite unstable in certain situations,fragmentation refers more specifically to situations where such demands arelinked with claims to territory.Or using Oomen’s definition, it is when an ethnic group establishes a moral claim to territory within a state thatone can speak of sub nationalisms, or what are sometimes called ethno nationalisms. Many states that are classified as nation-states within international relationshave always been such multi-national states – like in India where different ethnicand linguistic groups are regionally organized on the basis of claims to territory,or as in the case of the Scots and Welsh within Britain. Such moral claims toterritory might not necessarily generate separatist movements.But it is the existence of such sub nationalisms thatcreates the possibility of the fragmentation of the nation-state. Ultimately, thiscan be a crisis of the nation-state because such nationalisms threaten to fragmentone of the central bases of state sovereignty -the territorial integrity of the existingnation-state. Or maybe the civic (more than the cultural) nationalism of manymodern states makes the nation-state (unlike ethnicity or religion), simply toolarge, amorphous and psychically distant to be the object of intimate affection.The point here is that fragmentation occurs and is occurring rapidly in theworld, as evidenced in Bosnia, Rwanda, Spain, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, Canada, toname a very few geographically diverse examples. Fragmentation occurs whenthere is a disarticulation between the state as a spatial unit (with fixed territory)with the spatial claims of the nation(s) in whose name(s) it speaks. The ultimate concern with fragmentation, as I mentioned above, is that itthreatens the territorial integrity of existing nation-states.But as IstvanHont points out, even though there might be legitimate grounds for concern over theterritorial integrity of contemporary states devolving into smaller territorialunits, t his should be seen as a ‘triumph’ rather than a ‘crisis’of the nation-state. Fragmentation is a threat to the existence of particular states, rather thanthe system of nation-states. It represents the failure of particular states to holdon to the ‘spatiality’ (both geopolitically and culturally) of their claims toauthority.But in more general terms, fragmentation represents the success ofthe ideal of the nation-state – that every nation deserves its own state. This seemsmore obvious in the case of the end of empire and its dissolution into independentpolities each claiming the title of nation-state, first in the post-World War II eraof decolonization, and more recently in the break-up of the Soviet Union andthe Eastern bloc countries. Forces of Globalization The effects of globalization on the nation-state are a bit more complex.Forces outside the nation-state can hold back, enable and influence the nation-state in a variety of ways. For the purposes of this discussion, I classify theseforces into two groups – forces of economic globalization and forces of culturalglobalization, although the two are quite closely related in many ways. Economic Globalization The development of thefield of international political economy (IPE) has pointedout thatexclusive focus on the nation-state as a unit of analysis can be inadequate inunderstanding the dimensions of economic activity in the modern world.Some approaches within IPE, such as Interdependence, Regime and HegemonicStability Theories continue to be state-centric. But that is not the case with anumber of other approaches. Marxist approaches in particular have been dividedover the question of the role of the state. This division has been over thequestion of the extent to which the supranational character of the capitalistmode of production restricts all modern state structures versus the extent to which the state plays a direct role in promoting the internationaliza tion ofcapital.Exemplifying the former perspective, Wallerstein’s World Systems Theory was based on the ontological dominance of the world capitalist system,based on a single division of labor between the core, peripheral and semi peripheralregions of the world. Even though Wallerstein recognized the significance of nation-states in the modern world, in his analysis the essentials ofmarket exchange at the international level reduced state autonomy so much sothat nation-states were but super structuralattachments helping in the reproductionof the modern global capitalist system.But other scholars who have lookedat the internationalization of capital have stressed how the state continues toplay a role in the reproduction of capitalism. Robin Murray has pointed out thatas capital extends beyond its national borders, the historical link that bound itto its particular domestic state no longer necessarily holds. But the domestic stateis not territorially limited in its activities, and it might well ‘follow’ its capital and perform the critical ‘economic roles’ that it has always played in thereproduction of capitalism.The gradual shift from multinational corporations towards more transnational corporations or from the internationalization of economic activity (aseconomic activity spreads across state borders) towards the globalization ofeconomic activity (which involves a more purposefulcombination of economicactivity spread globally) also limits state capacity to control and influencedomestic national economies and thus weakens state authority over its nationalspace.This is what Mittelman has called ‘the spatial reorganization of production, the interpenetration of industries across borders [and] the spread of financial markets’. The spatial reorganization of production has been accompanied by changes in the international division of labor, which has includedamong other changes the feminization of certain kinds of labor . The globalization of international finance has led to the enormous ‘flow of capital andcurrencies with increasing rapidity, huge rowth of global currency speculation,offshoots trading and currency instability, and has increasingly reduced the ability of the state to control monetary and fiscal policy. In general, it hasbeen argued that in the face of economic globalization, state autonomy isconsiderably reduced, as the state becomes simply a facilitator of globalization. In particular, it is the weakening of the welfare state occurring in the wake of the globalization of economic liberalization that is seen to limit state competenceand authority all over the world.If the origins of the state had been in theprovision of security, the growth of the ‘welfare state’ in post-World War IIindustrial societies has now been well known. But the decreasing appealof Keynesian macroeconomic management in post-industrial societies (and theshift to supply-side economics) and t he accompanied reduction in public provision of social services threatens the legitimacy of the state as it increasingly fundsitself with little control over the economy (as jobs, investment migrate) andunable to meet the expectations of the people for securing their prosperity.Inpost-colonial societies, the disintegration of the ‘developmentalist state’ with the increasing adoption of IMF- and World Bank-sponsored market liberalization,is also a potential threat to state legitimacy as the state is unable to deliver onpromises of basic needs provisions, as the vehicle for social justice and equalityand as the symbol of national resistance to external pressures.In many ways, this sense of the declining ‘political effectiveness’ of the contemporary state is not entirely baseless. Even if the state cannot, and perhaps nevercould, totally or effectively control economic activity within its borders, itsability to regulate such activity to an extent and its willi ngness to undertakeredistributive measures that raged some of the more socially evileffects of the market brought it a certain amount of legitimacy and approvalfrom large sections of the population.This expression of the nation-state, not simply as a provider of order and security, but as a provider of social (andeconomic) needs (as in education, health care, nutrition, housing as well as inensuring a certain level of employment, minimum wages, price stability, etc. )has been an important and significant development of the second half of the20th century. Even if there is increasing consensus in policy-making circlesaround the world of the efficiency of market forces and the need for marketliberalization and cut-backs in state activity in the economic kingdom, the expectationsof the population from the state tend to be more complex.Even wheremany sections of the population might be dissatisfied with the functioning ofexisting states, the initial impact of market reforms on large sect ions of thepopulation can be quite adverse and severe. This is evidenced, for instance, inthe cut-back of social welfare programs in advanced industrial societies on minority groups and women, as also in the adoption of IMF-imposed structuraladjustments programs on poor people and especially women in the lowereconomic classes in the developing world.The internationalization and globalization of economic activity, combined with the global spread of economic liberalization can in that sense certainly weaken the ability of the state to meet theexpectations of sections of the population, and possibly create news kinds of‘legitimacy crises’. This is not simply a practical problem for particular states, which of course it is. John Dunn points out that while the immediate appeal of the nation derives much more from the subjective force of being born in a particular setof social relations, the appeal of the state lies in its efficiency or competence, whichis much more objective .To the extent that the idea of the modern nation-stateis so closely linked to the idea of the welfare state or the developmentalist state, the effectiveness of the contemporary state depends on the ability of thestate to deliver on ‘welfare’ or ‘development’. To that extent, the decreasedcompetency of the state to deliver on those promises could create the kindsof legitimacy crises that might call into question the durability of the nation-state. Perhaps, over time, expectations of what the state can or should do willchange. Decline of a particular form of the modern state does not indicate theend of the nation-state form.As David Armstrong argues, since states are ‘social actors’ and indeed become states through ‘international socialization’,new conceptualizations of the state’s role in the national economy that emergeas a consequence of globalization may become ‘statefied’ as states reach‘ intersubjecti ve understandings of how to restructure themselves and how tostrengthen the institutions of international society to accommodate globalization’. Nation-state legitimacy will depend on the extent on which ‘consent’coheres around new constructions of ‘national/state identity’ more in tunewith the new roles of the state.To some extent, states that have recognized the impossibility of enjoyingpolitical autonomy over economic issues have increasingly turned to non-stateentities for performing these functions more effectively. For instance, Alan Milward has argued that post-war European integration, in particular the launchof monetary union, was an attempt by many European nation-states to increasethe capacity of the state to meet the expectations of its citizens, and in doing soto ‘rescue the nation-state’ from its demise.Transfer of political authority overmonetary decision making to a supranational entity, hence losing fiscal andmonetary so vereignty, was perhaps the only way for states to ensure a certainamount of economic stability in many of the states racked by huge currencyfluctuations. In this somewhat personal analysis, the creation of supranationalentities like the European Union could in contradiction make the nation-statestronger rather than weaker. But even if the role of the state can be reduced to being the ‘agent’ ofglobalization, the state remains important for a number of other reasons.Despitethe rise of various forms of terrorism, including ‘state terrorism’, the stateretains significantmonopoly on the use of legitimate violence. The state continuesto have monopoly on taxation, is still seen as the ultimate negotiator of socialconflict, is expected to provide ‘security’ from external threats, and to performa variety of other functions. Perhaps most importantly, in the face of globalization, the state continues to be seen as the site for many to seek protection fro msome of the effects of global corporate capitalism.As Panitch points out, ‘[n]otonly is the world still very much composed of states, but insofar as there is anyeffective democracy at all in relation to the power of capitalists and bureaucratsit is still embedded in political structures that are national or sub national inscope’. The exercise of democratic control over capital takes on an even greaterimportance for Southern countries increasingly subject to IMF pressures, where the state is sometimes the only refuge against eo-imperialism. The point is that even though state legitimacy is potentially threatened by economic globalization, much depends on how state roles are reconfigured inthe face of globalization. Even if the economic limits to national politics is not anew problem for state legitimacy, the qualitative shift in economic globalization in late 20th-century capitalism, as well as the development of the nature of thecontemporary state, does change somewhat the implications for state legitimacy.In itself, the distribution of some of the functions of state to other non-state entities,whether supranational or sub national (micro-management rather than macro-managementby the state), does not threaten state legitimacy, but can in factstrengthen it. Economic globalization certainly requires different state roles, changingexpectations from the people, and new measures of state competency, butdoes not necessarily threaten the existence of the nation-state. Cultural Globalization There is also a cultural dimension to globalization that has implications for thenation-state and its future.This has more to do with issues of identity. RolandRobertson defines globalization as both ‘the compression of the world and theintensification of consciousness of the world as a whole’. While the process ofthis compression might have been occurring over a very long time, the recentgrowth of communications technology (cheap and fast air travel, te lephonic andtelegraphic services, satellite media transmissions, the Internet and cyberspace)has both accelerated and deepened this process. This is a process that both brings the world together and splits the world apart simultaneously.As Stuart Hall points out, globalization at the cultural level has led to both the universalisation and the fragmentation and multiplication of identities. Robertson explainsglobalization leads to the simultaneity of ‘the particularizationof universalism (the rendering of the world as a single place) and theuniversalization of particularism (the globalized expectation that societies . . . should have distinct identities)’. In his more recent work, Robertson has offered the concept of â€Å"glocalization’’ to emphasize the simultaneity of the homogenizing and eterogenizing forces of globalization in the late 20th-century world. Keeping in mind that these two processes are simultaneous, following are theirdifferent implicati ons for nation-states. The homogenization forces of globalization, in one sense is, the universalisation of the demand of the nation-state as an ideal cultural – political form of collective identity is itself a product of globalization. The now globalised belief that nations exist and deserve their states is fairlywell accepted and forms the normative foundation for most contemporaryinternational organizations.In addition, these international organizations have served to institutionalize the form of the nation-state, and enforce a certain amount of standardization in the nation-state system. John Meyer has shown globalization in this sense serves to strengthen the nation-state. Meyer pointsout that despite the vast economic inequalities among states, there is a worldculture that creates significant isomorphism among nation-states and helpskeep this dispersed world polity together.The global system of nation-statesis based on global norms that define external and internal sov ereignty, and is exemplified and reproduced through the similarity of the goals of‘equality’ and ‘progress’pursued by all nation-states. In other words, worldlevelcultural and organizationalinstructions for development and progress haveresulted in nation-state uniformity as all states follow similar objectives, policiesand programs.Connie McNeely elaborateson this concept of world culture by showing international organizations like the UN set normative and rigid standards of behavior for statepractices (increasingly conformed to by nation-states around the world), andin doing so play a role in institutionalizing the nation-state system. She specifically shows the nation-state system has been standardized and reproducedthrough the invention and spread of national income statistics, resulting fromthe efforts of UN statisticians and from the UN collection and distribution of comparative tables.At least in this sense, the homogenization force ofglobalization re produces and continues the nation-state system, rather thanthreatens its existence. Another implication of homogenization is on globalized identities in terms of global consumer capitalism. Benjamin Barber describesthe homogenizing drives of ‘McWorld’ (or what has also been called the‘MacDonaldization’ of the world) which has created ‘commercialized’ and‘depoliticized’ world. Kenichi Ohmae describes a consumerist world in whichbrand loyalty replaces national loyalty.But this world that is homogenized by the globalization of consumption can’t erase the troublesomeness of national commitments. Corporate icons can’t provide the kind of collectiveunity that national identities provide, and this is perhaps one reason for the‘global localization’ that Ohmae points to, in which product marketing adaptsto local (often interpreted as national) conditions, or what has come to be knownas ‘micro-marketingâ€⠄¢. But it is these depoliticized identities that also create thedrive to ‘resecure narrow identities’ so as to ‘escape McWorld’s monotonously firm essentials’.The heterogenising forces of globalization, or what Robertsondescribes as the ‘universalization of particularism’claims, in which not only has the ‘expectation of uniqueness’ become institutionalized and globally widespread, but the local and the particular itself isproduced on the basis of global norms. In other words, globalization of cultural norms has produced not just the legitimacy of the idea of the nation-state, butalso the expectation that such nation-states should embody unique and distinctidentities.This once again represents the globalization of the nationalist idea,the idea thatnation-states are legitimate because the nation is a unique, authenticcultural entity, with its singular and distinct identity. Beyer, in describingRobertson’s work, calls t his the ’relativization of particularisms’, which leads to a search for particularistic identities. The globalization of this idea createsthe potential for declarations of national identity, and can ultimately create themomentum for fragmentation of existing nation-states that are somehow seen as‘inauthentic’and hence illegitimate.To the extent that such differentiationalso occurs as a response to certainhomogenizing drives of globalization,thisalso represents a success of the nationalist idea. Assertions of collective identityboth as an element of, as well as in response to, globalization is then more‘nation-producing’ than ‘nation-destroying’. This certainly is an effect of globalization that, in keeping with the argument of the last section on fragmentation,is not a threat to the nation-state but a measure of its success.The Altered Nation-State Panitch in Mittelman says, ‘globalization is authored by states and is primar ily aboutreorganizing rather than bypassing them. ’ Rather than suggesting that the nation-state is fated to dissolve in the face of globalization, or that it will remainthe primary unaltered unit of international relations, there is a postulation of an ‘alteredstate’. The nation-state is said to exist now in one form, to have existed in the past inanother, and to be transforming itself actively into a third.This is a proposition that assumes a resilient but elastic nation-state, one that evolves over time, and whichbecomes more or less influential in different spheres depending on the utility of thatinfluence. One example of this ‘altered state’ thesis is that proposed by Philip Cerny, who suggests that ‘the nation-state is not dead’, although its role has changed. He envisages the transformation of the nation-state from being agoverning system concerned with welfare to being a system concerned with competition. Unsurprisingly he calls this the ‘competition state’.The competition state exists in aworld of increased fragmentation and globalization, and is characterized by a decrease ofpublic services and an increase of private services or industry. The competition state is amix of civil and business organization, and is concerned with effective returns oninvestment or effort. In the long run the ‘state is developing into an enterpriseassociation, with key civic, public and constitutional functions [†¦] subordinate to theglobal marketplace. ’ Another example of the ‘altered state’ is envisioned by Leo Panitch.Panitch thinks that ‘globalizing pressures even on advanced industrial states has led to a reorganization of the structural power relations within states [but has] not diminished therole of the state. ’ The nation-state is changing, but is not facing adisempowerment or loss of sovereignty. Indeed, Panitch would understand globalization as being written by nation-states, and the role of the state in collecting taxation,providing security, and having the monopoly of legitimate violence inside its sovereignborders as being unchanged.Globalization and alteration of the state role is an attempt to secure ‘global and domestic rights of capital’, and not aneo-medieval dissolution of the state apparatus. Conclusion There are, no doubt, a number of threats to the coherence and durability of particular existing nation-states, but that doesn’t weaken the nation-state as a historical form, as a contemporary organizing principle for collective cultural and political identity. Certainly, the severe crisis of particular nation-states, such as Afghanistan,Bosnia, Rwanda and Somalia, can generate a sense of anxiety about thefuture of the nation-state itself.Yet this sense of crisis has not seeped into acrossthe globe and most existing nation-states remain relatively stable and viabledespite the existence of various ethno-national ist movements within them. The graph given above shows the trend of nation-state over a period of 100 years. The graph is the statistical evidence of the appeal and continuance of the nation-state system as a dominant cultural-political system. In the article which was the basis of this analysis, Saquib Karamat indicates economic globalization, cultural globalization and blurring of the national ideologies as threat to the existence of nation-states.Furthermore, he says global issues also question the sovereignty of nation-states. But as analyzed above, economic globalization and cultural globalization in fact strengthen the nation-state than weakening it. While blurring of national ideology is the contemporary issue of weak states, who in some way need to put into work a national project of nation-building to keep their territories intact. The global issues like global warming don’t question the authority of the state rather they implicate that all nations need to work in su ch a framework of communication which enables to reach a solution of common consent.Now, the analysis on the future of nation-state has made some points clear, that a nation need not to be only one with common descent (ethnic nations), there can also be nations who share common boundaries (demotic nation). A state, which has either ethnic nation or demotic nation, needs to be coherent in order to remain legitimate. The historical-political form of nation-state was based on one nation – one state rule. The concept of sovereignty has changed from absolute sovereignty to degrees of sovereignty and interdependence. The process of nation-building or nationalism is a tate’s tool to keep it coherent. All national identities are constructed by national elites and weak states which are facing the threat of territorial disintegration should consciously employ national labor in nation-building. The forces of fragmentation and forces of globalization which seems to put at risk the existence of nation-state system, actually strengthen nation-state as a historical form and are driving forces in the evolution of the nation-state as discusses above in the respective sections. So, nation-state needs to alter itself in order to remain competent system for the years to come.The necessity is evident from the change in the conceptof sovereignty. Since it has changed, nation-state should also be restructured in the face of globalization and fragmentation. Transferring some kinds of authority tosupranational entities, or devolving power downwards through decentralization are ways of coping with these changes, and can help retain state legitimacyrather than threaten it. Bibliography 1. E. K. Francis, Interethnic Relations: An Essay in Sociological Theory (New York: Elsevier, 1976). 2. Alfred Cobban, the Nation State and National Self Determination (London: HarperCollins, 1969). 3.Clifford Geertz, Old Societies and New States (New York: The Free Press, 1963); Edward Shil s, â€Å"Primordial, Personal, Sacred and Civil Ties’’ , British Journal of Sociology, Vol. VIII, No. 2, (1957); Pierre Van den Berghe, â€Å"Race and Ethnicity: A Sociological Perspective’’ , Ethnic and Racial Studies, Vol. 1, No. 4 (1978). 4. Paul Brass, â€Å"Elite Groups, Symbol Manipulation and Ethnic Identity among the Muslims of South Asia’’ , in D. Taylor and M. Yapp (eds. ), Political Identity in South Asia (London: Curzon Press,b1979); Eric Hobsbawm, â€Å"Introduction: Inventing Traditions’’ and â€Å"Mass-producing Traditions: Europen1870 – 1914’’ , in E.Hobsbawm and T. Ranger (eds. ), The Invention of Tradition (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1983), pp. 1 ± 14; Tom Nairn, The Break-up of Britain: Crisis and Neo-nationalism, 2ndedn (London: Verso, 1977). 5. Benedict Anderson, Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism (London: Verso, 1983) 6. Kathryn A. Manzo, Creating Boundaries: The Politics of Race and Nation (London: Lynne Rienner, 1996) 7. TalalAsad, Genealogies of Religion (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1993). 8.Robin Cohen, â€Å"Diasporas and the Nation-state: From Victims to Challengers’’ , International Affairs, Vol. 72, No. 3 (1996) 9. Ernest Mandel, Late Capitalism, Joris De Bres (trans. ) (London: NLB, 1972). 10. Andrew Linklater, Beyond Realism and Marxism: Critical Theory and International Relations New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1990). 11. Immanuel Wallerstein, The Capitalist World Economy (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1979 12. Immanuel Wallerstein, The Politics of the World Economy: The States, the Movements and the Civilizations (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1984). 3. Robin Murray, â€Å"The Internationalization of Capital and the Nation-state’’ , New Left Review, Vol. 67 (1971), 14. Peter Dicken, Global Shift: The Internationalization of Econ omic Activity, 2nd edn (New York: Guilford Press, 1992). 15. James H. Mittelman (ed. ), Globalization: Critical Reflections (Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 1996) 16. R. O’Brien, Global Financial Integration: The End of Geography (London: Sage, 1990 17. John Dunn (ed. ), The Economic Limits to Politics (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990). 18. John Dunn, â€Å"Introduction: Crisis of the Nation State? ’ , Political Studies, Vol. 42, Special Issue (1994) 19. Helen Thompson, â€Å"The Nation-state and International Capital in Historical Perspective’’ , Government and Opposition, Vol. 32, No. 1 (1997) 20. Leo Panitch, â€Å"Rethinking the Role of the State’’, (Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 1996) 21. Roland Robertson, Globalization: Social Theory and Global Culture (London: Sage, 1992) 22. Roland Robertson as quoted in Peter Beyer, Religion and Globalization (London: Sage, 1994) 23. Stuart Hall, â€Å"Cultural Identity and Diaspora’â€℠¢, in Jonathan Rutherford (ed. , Identity: Community, Culture, Difference (London: Lawrence &Wishart, 1990). 24. Connie L. McNeely, Constructing the Nation-state (Westport: Greenwood Press, 1995). 25. Benjamin R. Barber, â€Å"Jihad Vs. McWorld’’ , The Atlantic Monthly (March 1992) 26. KemichiOhmae, The Borderless World (London: Harper Business, 1990). 27. Kofman, E. and Young, G. Globalization: Theory and Practice, (London: Pinter,1996) 28. ShampaBiswas, W(h)ither the Nation-state? National and State identity in the Face of Fragmentation and Globalization, Global society, (16 (2), Abingdon: Carfax. , 2002).

Internet Risk Essay

Internet Risks and Our Response 1)Introduction As our society becomes more urban, and life becomes hectic and busy for both parents and youth, the youths face more issues of modernity than before. Alienation, loneliness, depression become more prevalent. Many youths also have access to the internet. With the ready availability of broadband, and generally an improvement in the telecommunications industry, especially in the urban areas (partly due to the government’s push to attract investments and business for MSC), internet risks which were once more prevalent in the West or the more technologically advanced nations are upon our youths in Malaysia. 1 2)Current Trends a)Information Explosion The advent of the World Wide Web has created a huge bank of information. However since it is uncensored and un-moderated, anyone can post any kind of information and resources on the internet. Pornography has become the curse of this information age. )Communication Revolution Other than e-mails, internet chats, instant messaging, the youths are now into participating in social networks like â€Å"Friendster† and into on-line journaling on â€Å"Web-logs†, more popularly known as â€Å"Blogs†. It is also not unusual for them to use â€Å"on-line dating† servi ces. Spaming, web-bullying, web-scandals, hacking and cyber myths have become very real threats as a result of unchecked use of internet communication tools. c)Information Exchange There are also many new kinds of newsgroups, clubs, bulletin boards which are started on the web where people exchange information. In addition, there are many peer-to-peer platforms for exchange of files and information that can by-pass the internet but are still very much part of the lifestyle of info-savvy youths (e. g. in hostels, colleges and universities). These peer-to-peer networks can become breeding grounds for insidious information as well as pornography d)Gamming culture Computer games have evolved greatly from DOS based games to animated games to what is now known as Role Playing Games. With the availability of broadbands, Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPG) are the latest craze. With such games, you can play with all kinds of people, all over the world, irrespective of national or geographical boundaries and time-zones. e)Telecommunications Industry Convergence With miniaturization and the advent of integrated telecommunications device (mini-computer and telephone), both the benefits of the internet as well as the risks have become even more mobile and more immediate. 3)Risks a)Surfing Time Waster Pornography exposure and addiction b)Chats, Instant Messaging Safety Issues, risks of kidnapping and rape. c)Chats, Instant Messaging, Games Isolation and alienation, ack of self confidence, have low self esteem, lack social skills, inability to relate healthily social and psychological handicap results d)Games Most common popular games are dark, cultic, satanic, selfish, sensual and violent. Addiction to lust, violence, occult and game culture, confusion results lack of healthy real-world development, distorted outlook of the real world.

Concepts of Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Concepts of Nursing - Essay Example nication, critical thinking, human diversity, informatics, interdisciplinary collaboration, nursing therapeutics, professional development, and theory based practice. The review and analysis of nursing literature provides definite indication that transition remains a central theme of nursing. The proper impact of the nine concepts of nursing is needed to bring about a successful transition in individuals. (Schumacher, K. L., & Meleis, A. I., 1994) Nursing as a profession evolved from caring, and has remained embedded in caring, but being a dynamic and challenging profession has in its development brought about the need for a merging of critical thinking skills and theory based practice into the character of caring of individuals, families and communities that face a disparate range of developmental and health-illness transitions. (Philosophy). Process, direction, and change to the fundamental patterns of life have remained the universal properties in transition. Transitions occur at the individual and family level, and also organizational level. Transitional change at the family and individual level occur in identities, roles, relationships, abilities, and patterns of behavior. Transitional change at the organizational level happens in the structure, function, and dynamics. There are conditions that upon transition are determining factors in the quality and consequences of transition. These conditions are meanings, expectatio ns, level of knowledge and skill, environment, level of planning, and emotional and physical well-being. (Schumacher, K. L., & Meleis, A. I., 1994). The role of the nursing profession is promotion of a successful outcome to these transitions and hence is responsible for accounting of the conditions that impact upon transition. Caring as a concept of nursing encompasses the emotional and physical well-being aspect of transition, but proper caring requires bringing into play the other eight concepts. (Sumner, F., J., 2005). Communication

Article Critiques on Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Article Critiques on Finance - Essay Example Developing countries led by Brazil, Russia, China and India hold most of the world’s foreign exchange reserves, and their share of exports has risen from 20% in 1970 to 435 in 2006. However, as the economic balance of power changes, the balance of political power continues to remain in the West, a situation that cannot continue indefinitely. That changes are imminent can be gauged by the fact that the IMF is already considering some changes in its power structure. Similarly, a UN Security Council that excludes 1/5th of humanity (China, India) or a G7 that excludes China, which holds the worlds largest foreign exchange reserves, cannot stand the test of time. There is bound to be some friction on account of these changes, but overall it will benefit mankind as a whole. In earlier centuries, economic rivalries brought in its wake widespread hostilities, as nations tried to wrest power and widen their spheres of influence as part of the ‘Great Game’. However, that might not be the case in the 21st century, as the US remains the world’s sole military superpower. Dialogue and reliance on international organizations to settle disputes is the preferred approach, though the slow progress of the Doha talks is a cause for concern. Nonetheless, the chances of armed conflict remain negligible, now that geo-economics has overtaken geo-politics as the driver of a country’s foreign policy. As the battle between Boeing’s 787 and Airbus’ A380 heats up, there are indications that the later is in danger of losing the race. Production delays due to inefficient practices, which are politically motivated, are likely to result in at least a two-year delay. This delay could mean the difference between making profits and bankruptcy. It is estimated that the delay, â€Å"will knock a further E 4.8 billion off profits and E 6.3 billion off revenues between 2006 and 2010. The losses could even be higher if airlines that have placed orders for the A380

Why Less Homework Should be Assigned to Students Essay

Why Less Homework Should be Assigned to Students - Essay Example Such an increase in the workload of the students has created extra stress for the students besides allowing schools to compete with each other. It is argued that the schools have deliberately increased the level of difficulty of the curriculum therefore naturally the volume and extent of homework given to students has increased too. (HU) It is also critical to note that teachers claim that more homework actually increases the capability of the students to face the world and its challenges. However, studies do suggest that doing extensive homework in the school has little or no effect on the study skills of the students during their college. During college days, students actually have a lot of time to study as they only have few study sessions during the week. More amount of homework therefore not only make the students physical exhausted but it can also create mental fatigue. Carrying heavier books increases the weight which students have to carry thus making them physically fatigued. The above arguments, therefore, suggest that there should be less homework assigned and the students must be allowed to relax and have a lower amount of homework. There is a greater need to re-design and re-develop the way students are taught at schools. This can help the students to have less homework and more chances to engage themselves in creative and innovative activities.

Managing Across Cultures--Progress Report Assignment

Managing Across Cultures--Progress Report - Assignment Example Another key value of Germans is perfectionism. This progress report provides an overview of the values, values and overall culture of the two countries; in order to compare and contrast them. In order to achieve this, two frameworks will be analyzed – Hofstede model and Trompennar’s model. The report will also highlight the organizational culture, negotiation styles and aspects of language. The culture of the two countries can be analyzed in terms of Hofstede’s 6-Dimensions. The six dimension of culture as suggested by Hofstede include power distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, pragmatism and indulgence (The Hofstede Centre, 2014). These dimensions differ in different countries, leading to different values and beliefs of different countries. This differences cause challenges for expatriates working in different countries. This cultural dimension expresses cultural attitudes towards inequalities in the society. Russia has a high power distance of 93%, which means that power is very distant in the society (The Hofstede Centre, 2014). There is a large discrepancy between the less powerful and the more powerful. Expatriates therefore need to adapt to behaviours that reflect status roles in business areas – including negotiations, cooperation and visits. On the other hand, Germany has a low power distance score of 35%. Leadership is challenged to provide expertise and results, and control is avoided. Expatriates in Germany are therefore free to challenge the status quo. This refers to the level of interdependence among members of the society. Russia has a low score in terms of individualism. This is reflected in their friendship value. Friends, relatives and neighbours are always considered to be important in challenges facing people (The Hofstede Centre, 2014). On the other hand, Germany is a highly individualistic society with Hofstede’s individualism score of 67% (The Hofstede Centre, 2014). Germans believe in

Critical Assessment and comparison of the Competitive and Essay

Critical Assessment and comparison of the Competitive and Profitabbility of UK food retail Sector and the UK Oil and Gas Sector - Essay Example Even due to the economic downturn, it is still predicted to increase by 15% over the next five years in the future (SAS, 2011). It is still considered to be an impressive figure despite the fact that it represents a slow growth. Over 9% of GDP of UK is generated by the retail industry which is the success factor of retail companies overseas. With the increase of e-commerce, the products are able to reach through millions of consumers. Hypermarkets have become competitive in offering diversified products to their wide customer base. The major players in the market, Tesco, Asda, J Sainsbury and Wm Morrison accounts for 80% of the total market share (Lloyds Bank, 2012). London is considered to be a strong market for consumer shopping and many people including tourists are inclined towards purchasing in London. It beats out other developed cities including New York, Tokyo and Paris with total spending of ?64.2 Billion (GAIN, 2010). The recessionary periods have hit the retail sector of U K which is very disastrous for the sector, but from a wider perspective, the major players in the market have not undergone major changes which might reveal that the market is running smoothly for the longer term. This also means that the big players did not change their strategies for competition and did not find a need to undergo major changes. The UK retail sector provides biggest revenues to their companies which in turn increases the GDP growth of the nation. The presence of major players indicates that the sector is strong with major assumption of future growth (GAIN, 2010). Weaknesses: The UK retail market is a mature market which is not intended to grow in volume terms. The margins and earnings from the retail sector are threadbare and mostly the earnings are coming from the online stores. As the economy suffers from recession global downturn, it has been tough going for the UK retail market. According to Verdict research, 2012 growth rate of the UK retail sector would be 1. 2% which is the third lowest growth in the history of UK retail in 49 years (SAS, 2011). It has been forecasted that the non-food items in the retail sector would decline for consecutive fourth year as it would have a decrease of -0.5% (SAS 2011). Food is an essential item in our lives, but since the recession period it has allowed people to spend more but for the same quantity. The greatest weakness is the rising food prices over the world which is affecting sales of the major companies and is resulting in slower growth. The grocery section has been badly hit by the downturn which has decreased the consumers spending and now the industry is termed to be as ‘recession-resilient’. The major price drop has resulted in the industry which has hauled Tesco to provide promotional strategies which is the biggest player in UK retail. Asda did not carry out the move to lower its price and insisted that it was the cheapest provider of consumer goods. The rivalry is intense in the sector and has accounted for low profit margins and growth (GAIN, 2010). Opportunities: Even though the margins are threadbare in UK retail sector, the big four of the retail sector, Tesco, J Sainsbury, Asda and Wm Morrison are planning to buy 4 million of retail space which is equivalent to 130 average supermarket stores (SAS, 2011). This proves that the big players consider a growth in the sector in the future which provides an opportunity to grab market shares. According to the UK economy

Leadership and Motivation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Leadership and Motivation - Assignment Example A leader moves through a continuous process wherein he moves from accomplishing one goal to another keeping in mind the best interest of the group. Clark defines it as follows: â€Å"Leadership is a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent. Leaders carry out this process by applying their leadership attributes, such as beliefs, values, ethics, character, knowledge, and skills†. Stogdil echoes the same definition noting leadership’s three dimensions. First, leadership is defined as a process that is interpersonal wherein the leader steps in to direct the behaviors of his members. Next, the leadership is put in a social setting wherein the members are the subordinates or the ones obeying the leader. Lastly, effective leaders achieve goals for the whole. Leadership has gained much attention that research has been devoted to it. Yukl presents a comprehensive collection of studies on leadership, identifying various approaches. He discussed the Trait approach, which is based on the belief that some are born to be leaders as they are endowed with certain traits not possessed by other people. The behavior approach studies the leader’s typical pattern of behaviors to manage and lead. The power-influence approach takes on a more leader-centered perspective in that power is used not only to manage members of the group but also to convince peers, superiors or others who are not part of the organization to see the perspective of the leader.

Will the Z generation be the laziest generation yet because of smart Research Paper

Will the Z generation be the laziest generation yet because of smart technology - Research Paper Example This generation heavily relies on the social media to socialize and communicate to their friends. The generation is believed to have brilliant minds in regard to using the internet in seek solution to various problems affecting their lives. â€Å"Youths have the common need of a future worth living† (Weber and Greenberg 6) For instance, if they have a complication in regard to health, they just go to the internet to find answers (Sladek 18). It has been argued that generation Z has little secret in their lives especially when dealing with social media. They are willing to disclose and discuss any information with friends and strangers in their social media platforms. Hutchby and Moran-Ellis (1) argued that â€Å"the increase interplay between children and technologies poses critical questions for how we can understand the nature of childhood in ate modern society†. For instance, this generation does not care about sharing their private life especially on their intimate life. They like constantly being on mobile phones texting and on social media chatting and updating status (Weber and Greenberg 26). This generation is disadvantaged because they do not concentrate on their class work since most of the time they are online chatting and updating their status. â€Å"Most U.S teenagers participate in online social network sites at the expense of other activities† (Bers 7). With the use technology, the generation does not mostly rely on class work since they can easily get any information they want from the internet. This is what has contributed to the issue of plagiarism. They just copy the work of other people that has been placed on internet and present it as their own. In another dimension, the generation does not want to struggle much researching on what they are given by their teachers. They like concentrating on results they get from the internet (Gudith 110) It has also been found that most of the people in

How Alcohol Processes Through the Body Essay Example for Free

How Alcohol Processes Through the Body Essay Alcohol is consumed orally and depending on how strong the alcohol, your weight, gender, or you ethnicity determines how fast it travels through your body. Alcohol is classified as a depressant because it slows the body down. It affects your motor skills such as talking and perception. Alcohol travels through the mouth down the esophagus directly into the stomach. There it is absorbed into the stomach and travels into the bloodstream. According to For Dummies.com says that a majority of the alcohol you drink is absorbed in the small intestine then goes to a large blood vessel leading directly to the liver. For Dummies.com states,† The normal, healthy liver can process about 1/2 ounce of pure alcohol (that’s 6 to 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1 ounce of spirits) in an hour. The rest flows on to your heart.† Your heart contracts less when alcohol is in your system, lowering your blood pressure. Alcohol then flows through your hearts bloodstream to your lungs. Alcohol can be smelled on your breath now, taking a breathalyzer test determines your BAL. For example, speech and the ability to walk are impaired the more you drink. Your vision may become blurred as well. Alcohol abused for a lengthy period of time can be fatal to the body. According to WebMD.com excessive drinking can lead to cancer, cardiovascular disease, cirrhosis, anemia, depression, dementia, seisures, gout, high blood pressure, nerve damage, infectious disease, and pancreatitis. Alcohol abuse has costs that do not just drain your wallet, but your entire life.

Brand architecture and branding analysis

Brand architecture and branding analysis A brand is name, term, sign, symbol or design or a combination, intended to identify the goods or services of one seller and to differentiate them from those of competition American marketing Association 1960. A brand is name, symbol, logo, design or image or any combination of these, which is designed to identify product or service. Kotler et al, 1999 Brand distinguishes a companys product from its competitors and an identified product or service that closely satisfies customers needs and wants. Brand is an asset to a company and reflects the quality of customer service. Branding is all about the customers trust of the product or service and makes the segmentation easier for the company. The difference between a company and its competitors should be communicated by brand, because it makes a company unique. BMW, Toyota, Luis Vuitton, NEXT, Debenhams, Nike and Coca Cola are the well-known brands that command price premium and stimulate deep customers loyalty. Branding Branding is the collection of actual and emotional characteristics associated with a particular identified product or service that differentiates it from the rest of marketplace Hand-out notes by tutor Anthony smith Branding is an important aspect of marketing to build a strong image of a company. Mercedes Benz is an automobile brand that commands a premium with their engineering, performance, quality, customer service and after sales service. Toyota shares all these characteristics but still they were not positioned as premium in the customers mind. Toyota then created Lexus as a premium brand with the collaboration of both Toyota and Lexus shared engineering, design elements and customer service. How-to-branding.com Brand Architecture Brand architecture refers to the hierarchy of brands within a single company. It is the interrelationship of the parent company, subsidiary companies, products, and services, and should mirror the marketing strategy. Kompanigroup.com How an organization structures various products, services or other entities within its portfolio and how they relate to one another. Brandinstitue.com In the growing economy we can see different companies merging with each other and form the strategy for each of the targeted group in which every product can carry its own brand name. Good and clear brand architecture leads a company towards brand positioning and also helps to get sustainable competitive advantage. There are three different types of brand architecture strategies. Corporate/Monolithic Branding Strategy In this strategy company takes on a unified brand for all product categories and targeted market. This strategy creates simplicity, and cost deficiencies can be achieved as opposed to multi-branding architecture, in which a corporate brand plays a smaller role. Microsoft, Intel, Disney, CNN, SONY, Nike, Virgin and coca cola etc. are the best examples of corporate branding. Corporate banding makes the advertising easier for the company as they just advertise their name and slogan. . Coca cola is recognizable in every continent of the world through its red curved bottle and logo. SONY is a corporate brand as its name is attached to everything, from its DVDs to play station. The founder of SONY, Akio Morita, once said: I have always believed that the company name is the life of an enterprise. It carries responsibility and guarantees the quality of the product. Therefore corporate strategy leads a company to sustainable financial outcomes. Brandingstrategyinsider.com . Adhistry.wikispaces.com Google.co.uk Multi/Individual Branding Strategy Multi Brand Strategy refers to a marketing strategy under which two or more than two similar products of a firm are marketed under different brand names. Finance.mapsofworld.com It is very difficult for a brand to position itself in a diversified environment where the customers needs and wants are different. Therefore, company can fill different market segments through diversifying its product range. VW, PG, Unilever and Diageo are the best examples of multi branding. PG is the prime example, having a multiple shampoo brand to influence different customers, like head shoulder for dandruff, Pentene for healthy hear and Sassoon for professional saloon experience. Through multi branding a company can target more than one segment in the market and fill the price gaps. Multi branding is a good strategy but sometime it fails because of the poor management. Due to failure it could harm the family brand name. VW took many years to change the negative brand image of Skoda from the customers mind. Helen Meek. et al, 2001 Google.co.uk Endorsed Branding A brand that carries the endorsement of a source brand (the parent company). Brandbuild.eu Endorsements add integrity and assurance of the indorsed sub brand in customers mind without overpowering it with its own association. Endorsed branding is suitable for the company, using varied product portfolio, e.g. Nestle, Cadbury, Unilever etc. Nestle written on the Kit Kat, Cadbury written on Dairy Milk to provide credibility and assurance to the product. Some companies give independence to the endorsed brands like Unilever give freedom to the Heartbrands such as Feast, Magnum and Cornetto and they have their own marketing campaigns and target market. Some companies has firm relationship between company name and product, e.g. Ford does it with the model Mustang, people using either the brand name Mustang or the full name Ford Mustang. Google.co.uk Brand Elements Brand elements are those trademarkable devices that identify and differentiate the brands. There are certain elements of a brand, like names, logos, symbol, characters, slogans, design, features etc. some important elements are mentioned below. Kotler et al, 1996 Brand Name Name is the most significant element of the brand. This is the only part of the brand which should never be changed. It help customers to identify distinguish product from competitors. It is not necessary the brand name is associated with the company and can be different. But if the brand name is linked with the quality of the product either high or low, then all good must be of the same standard. MS is the prime example of providing quality products through St Michael Brand as one can see its tag on the cloths and food and household goods as well. Brand Image Brand image is fundamental way through which a customer recognises and believes a brand. It gives a company an identity and creates a better image in the mind of the customers. Brand image is unique that clearly reflects the image of the organisation and different from the competitors. To build a right image in the customers mind, the company must have to focus on brand identity. Brand Personality Brand personality is the goodwill of the brand. It is associated with the benefits and attributes of the brand. Brand personality is unique and long lasting; it is the emotional attachment of the consumers with the product, e.g. Sony and Panasonic, both are the giants of electronic sector, although both got same features, some peoples prefer one of the other because of their trust on the product by long time. Brand Association Brand association is the relative strength of consumers positive feelings towards the brand Lasser et al, 1995 Associations, according to Aaker (1991) represent the bases for purchase decisions and for brand loyalty. The way consumers perceive brand is a key determinant of long-term business-consumer relationships. Hence, building strong brand perceptions is a top priority for many firms today. Morris, 1996 It is the perception of the customers towards a brand attributes and quality. Brands can be associated with the name, colours, symbols, attitudes, expressions and sound etc. Mercedes Benz is associated with the luxury drive and excellent engineering, Nike with its Slogan, Nokia with its sound, and Coca Cola with its red colour, Colgate toothpaste with cavity protection and Microsoft with Bill Gates. Renault has launched a successful campaign for its model Clio and used the famous French footballer Thierry Henry and Sesame Steet in the Va Va Voom advertisement. This campaign resulting attract more male customers than females. This is how celebritys association to the brand benefits organisation. Kotler et al, 1996 Brand association gives the basis of buying and brand loyalty to the customers. Companies always try to associate their brands with the positive things to create good image of the product in the mind of customers. Brand association developed if the product is desirable, durable and satisfies the customers needs. Positive customers perception about the product makes a brand stronger. It is formed on the basis of Product attributes, Advertisement, Relevant price, Quality, Celebrity and big entity association, Competition and Display points. Brand positioning Positioning is the place in consumers mind that you want you brand to own. For example, Hallmark caring shared, and Disney Family Fun entertainment. Positioning is not what you do to a product; positioning is what you do to the mind of the prospect. Ries and Trout, 1981 Brand positioning is successfully built through continuous communication with the customers about the product to its targeted market, through advertisement, brand name and its packing. Brand positioning refers to the position in the customers mind, it does not relate to market position. Brand positioning is associated with the market segmentation. The right market segment is to be targeted for the brand positioning. Brand positioning is all about a customers perception about the product. There are certain ways for a brand to be positioned, e.g. offering specific benefits, targeting a specific segment, pricing and distribution. Brand positioning is an important concept in which a company can decide where it wants to position its brand in its field relative to competition. Brand positioning is a thinking that guides a company to build a relationship between the brand and customers. Brand positioning gives space in the customers mind, so the company become in the better position to control over its own brand image. Price and quality are the most common attributes are considered in the brand positioning. To get a good position in the customers mind the company introduce brand of a good quality with on competitive price. The quality of the product must be at least equivalent or better from the competitors. Quality perception is the most powerful element of the brand positioning. Once a company is successful in building a powerful perception of quality will result in building a powerful brand. Psychological element is dominant to some extent in building a quality perception as some peoples psyche is that the product with high price tag is of good quality. Communicating brands through their specific features is another way to position brands, e.g. Clinic all clear, Dare to wear Black or Pakistan and India surf excel is advertised as stain remover, Surf Excel hena. Culture is another strong aspect to the brand positioning. Different companies use cultural symbols to differentiate products from their competitors. Examples including, Air India advertise through Maharaja, Tata tea, Hamara Bajaj etc. Treedeuce.com Brand Extension Brand extension is a marketing strategy in which a firm that markets a product with a well-developed image uses the same brand name but in a different product category. Brandexpress.net When a firm uses its brand in another product form, or even within another product class, then the firm is stretching the brand (also referred to as brand extension). Iain Ellwood Virgin is the good example of brand extension as they sell everything from records to airline travel, to cola drinks to wedding parties from clothing to cosmetic and computers. This is successful in brand extension because it has the ability to connect the customer directly and give them values. Many firms attempt to extend their brands but all the brand extensions are not suitable or desirable. An extended brand always works best in a top to down direction. It is always easy for a company to bring brand extension from relatively cheaper product line. Ralph Lauren and Gucci are the best example. Ralph Lauren extended from luxury clothing to jeans and bed linen while Gucci brand is extended from luxury clothes to oven gloves, cooking aprons and dog toys. An extended brand has a low introductory cost because the customers, traders and retailer are well aware of the product. Brand extension brings options to the customers through variety of products. If the product is of lower quality, will result in damaging in overall brand value. Iain Ellwood Caterpillar is one of the biggest non-sporting footwear companies in the world with its brand CAT. This is basically a construction and mining equipment manufacturing company that extended their brand in this potential segment. It was perceived that it is the biggest mistake of the caterpillar but the extension was a big success. Sometimes the brand extension, implemented incorrectly due to less understanding. LEGO is a Danish toy manufacturing company, decided to extend its brand and launched its own product line of cloths, watches and video games but it was ignored by its target market, that result half of its employee are redundant back in 2004. Kotler et al, 2001 Michelin and Goodyear are the French companies, famous for making rubber tyres and having a number of brand extensions. Michelin brand extensions are car and cycle related product, footwear and clothing, sports and leisure and personal accessories. On the other hand Goodyear becomes the partner of the Adidas to make a series of driving shoes. Kotler et al 2001 We can see normally financial services providers have not attempted to extend their brands, and only concern with their original market. On the other hand, there are too many non-financial service providers extended directly to the financial services. E.g. Tesco extended its market to Tesco banking and Tesco insurance. Benefits of branding To customers People buy brands, because they are well aware of the quality of the product and save time and efforts. Buying a branded product can give customers a peace of mind and credibility. Most of the branded products have warranty policies, which gives customers assurance of a quality product. Some big companies having product replacing policies, e.g. DeWalt a power tool manufacturing company, replace the product immediately in case of damage. To intermediaries/stakeholders There are certain benefits of branding to different stakeholders, that directly/indirectly effecting the organisation. Multinational organisations always have the strategy for social, environmental and economic issues. Companies contribute to the societies in which they operate. Brands follow government regulations to minimise any adverse effect to the environment. Employees always attract to innovative companies where learning opportunities are always there. Supplying goods directly to retailers, companies distribute goods through agents or distributers. Distributers get long-term agreements from the known brand companies. Retailer can get benefits from overall marketing campaign. Sustainable competitive advantage When two or more firms compete within the same market, one firm possesses a competitive advantage over its rivals when it earns (or has the potential) to earn a persistently higher rate of profit. Grant, 2002 It is very important for every organisation to be successful in long term. Effective corporate branding is certainly the main source of getting sustainable competitive advantage in the market. Worlds famous corporate brands do not sell products, they sell concepts, e.g. Coca Cola does not sell a soft drink, it sells enjoyment and Microsoft does not sells computers, it sells possibility. Brand designers create a corporate brand identity through promotional material and advertising campaign to establish a corporate identity. There are certain brand characteristics that lead a company to get sustainable competitive advantage. A well designed logo and a strong identity system can give a company an edge over its competitors. Brand Identity A unique set of brand associations that the brand strategist aspires to create or maintain. These associations represent what the brand stands for and imply a promise to customers from the organisation members. Aaker, 1996 Brand identity is the way a company aims to identify or position itself or its product or service. Kotler et al, 1999 Brand identity is the first thing that a customer experience and plays a major role in getting a sustainable competitive advantage in the market. Brand attributes are is a bag of features that shows the personality of a brand and these attributes help to create brand identity. Brand identity is supported by emotional and unique elements and values, serve to distinguish the brand in the market, especially for progressively competitive environments, service organisations and recreational sectors. Brand identity creates a distinct identity that is very hard for the competitors to duplicate. The main elements to build a strong brand identity are human resources, organisational culture, organisational structure, stationary, company cards, company dà ©cor, packing, catalogue, market and innovation etc. Kotler et al, 1999 Brand loyalty Brand loyalty is considered as ultimate reward for a brand as it is another factor which leads a company to get a sustainable competitive advantage. Customers always prefer to buy those brands they are loyalty with, even though that is expensive and have close substitutes in the market. Apples iPod is a product to listen mp3/mp4 music, and the big electronic giants like Sony, Panasonic and so many other companies have same product with same features at the relatively low price than Apples iPod. Majority of the customers buy iPod just because they are loyal with the brand. Brand Equity Brand is a symbol of extremely precious part of legal property, that can control consumer behaviour and it also provides the protection of persistent future revenues to the firm. Brand equity is called the amount that is directly or indirectly accrues by these various benefits. Kapferer, 2005; keller, 2003 Companies invest huge amount of money to develop brand equity. Brands with high equity win the space in the market because of the uniqueness, reliable services and continuous and effective relationship with the customers. Stronger brand image takes a company to financial advantage through the brand equity. Brand equity leads a company to charge perineum prices for the product to raise their profit margin.

Essay --

â€Å"Mom don’t shut off my music!† is one of the most abused phrases teenagers use while attempting to do homework or study for a test. For some, the music works perfectly as a study aid. For others, there is a struggle to comprehend the academic material with background noise going on. The benefits and disadvantages of listening to music and its impacts upon the mind have long been a subject of fascination for humans. Philosophers studied music and its effects on the body and mind back in Ancient Greece, and scientists along with researchers continue to grapple with these finds to this day. The example of students listening to music, in particular, has been a source of contention between scientists, teachers, parents, and youth. Music has physiological and psychological effects on the body, which can improve humans’ ability to take in information to perform well in school in addition to improving cognitive abilities overall. While some types of music may have m ore beneficial effects than others, research has shown that music can have a strong impact on brain function. Music’s positive effects on the mind have been shown through numerous research studies, Greek philosophical ideas, and personal anecdotes. One of the questions that scientists have looked into is whether or not the type of music a student listens to, has a differential impact upon their work. For example, would Katy Perry’s â€Å"Roar† be more or less helpful to listen to while studying than Bach’s â€Å"Trio in D Minor†? Curious researchers looked into these differences and concluded that music with lyrics requires more brain attention because those lyrics have to be processed, thus taking attention away from the academic knowledge the person is trying to acquire. However, musi... ...s increasing cognitive function, particularly in studying, are undeniable. From aspiring artists who influence our grades, to scientists in the lab deepening their understand of the effect those pop artists have on people getting those grades, music’s ability to influence the human mind is fascinating. Scientific research has shown over and over again that instrumental music can be a powerful tool to increase focus, memory, and healing. In addition to the ancient Greeks who provided us with this way of thinking, scientific understanding of music has advanced on a multitude of levels and is growing exponentially by the years. It definitely influences our daily cognitive thinking not to mention allowing us to start our day fresh. So the next time a teenager yells, â€Å"Mom, don’t turn off my music†, perhaps parents should stop and consider the benefits the music may have. Essay -- â€Å"Mom don’t shut off my music!† is one of the most abused phrases teenagers use while attempting to do homework or study for a test. For some, the music works perfectly as a study aid. For others, there is a struggle to comprehend the academic material with background noise going on. The benefits and disadvantages of listening to music and its impacts upon the mind have long been a subject of fascination for humans. Philosophers studied music and its effects on the body and mind back in Ancient Greece, and scientists along with researchers continue to grapple with these finds to this day. The example of students listening to music, in particular, has been a source of contention between scientists, teachers, parents, and youth. Music has physiological and psychological effects on the body, which can improve humans’ ability to take in information to perform well in school in addition to improving cognitive abilities overall. While some types of music may have m ore beneficial effects than others, research has shown that music can have a strong impact on brain function. Music’s positive effects on the mind have been shown through numerous research studies, Greek philosophical ideas, and personal anecdotes. One of the questions that scientists have looked into is whether or not the type of music a student listens to, has a differential impact upon their work. For example, would Katy Perry’s â€Å"Roar† be more or less helpful to listen to while studying than Bach’s â€Å"Trio in D Minor†? Curious researchers looked into these differences and concluded that music with lyrics requires more brain attention because those lyrics have to be processed, thus taking attention away from the academic knowledge the person is trying to acquire. However, musi... ...s increasing cognitive function, particularly in studying, are undeniable. From aspiring artists who influence our grades, to scientists in the lab deepening their understand of the effect those pop artists have on people getting those grades, music’s ability to influence the human mind is fascinating. Scientific research has shown over and over again that instrumental music can be a powerful tool to increase focus, memory, and healing. In addition to the ancient Greeks who provided us with this way of thinking, scientific understanding of music has advanced on a multitude of levels and is growing exponentially by the years. It definitely influences our daily cognitive thinking not to mention allowing us to start our day fresh. So the next time a teenager yells, â€Å"Mom, don’t turn off my music†, perhaps parents should stop and consider the benefits the music may have.

Funerals of Kings Essays -- Literary Analysis, Beowulf

Beowulf starts with the death of Shield a great king in the eyes of the Geats, it also ends with the death of Beowulf. These funerals are similar in many ways. These funerals can be a reflection of the lives these kings lived because each king had his own way he wanted to be remembered. These funerals both involve huge amounts of treasures being loaded on to ships or back in to the ground and how the Geat people mourned for the loss of the kings.†¨ Treasures were used to gain loyalty from other men in Geat â€Å"steadfast companions will stand by him† (Beowulf 23). Theses â€Å"steadfast companions† (Beowulf 23) help the king survive and help conquer lands and allowing a king to stay in power. In the end of this poem even those gifts will not get the support Beowulf needs. The treasure that was laid on the boat for Shield was â€Å"Far-fetched treasures / were piled upon him, and precious gear† (Beowulf 36-37) A â€Å"far-fetched treasure† (Beow ulf 36) would be some of the rarest in the world. Shield has told his men to â€Å"Shoulder him out to sea’s flood† (Beowulf 30) The boat they put him in was â€Å"A ring-whorled prow rode in the harbor, / ice-clad, outbound, a craft for a prince†(Beowulf 32-33). The description of the boat I think shows the honor that the Geat’s wanted to show their kings and how ornate they make things. At Beowulf’s funeral at the end of the poem they build a great pyre â€Å"The Geat people built a pyre for Beowulf, / stacked and decked it until it stood foursquare.†(Beowulf 3137-38). The pyre is like the boat in the first funeral the boat is built ornately and to stand the test of time. The pyre is built to be tall and strong very similar to the boat. â€Å"hung with helmets, heavy war-shields / and shining armor, just as he had ... ...going or where the â€Å"to wind and tide, bewailing him† (Beowulf 49). They built a memorial on the high grounds letting all that can see know that a great king laid there. All the treasure that had been found in the cave where the dragon had stayed was put back in to the ground where the memorial is. â€Å"They let the ground keep that ancestral treasure / gold under gravel,† (Beowulf 3166-67). These treasures had been around for ages and ages, gold is taken from the ground and in the end put back in to the ground. These kings have thought about how they wanted to be remembered by the people of the time. Their funerals reflected back on their lives, through the gold that was laid on to Shields ship and that was put in the memorial on the coast for Beowulf. Works Cited Greenblatt, Stephen. The Norton Anthology Of English Literature. 8th. A. W W Norton & Co Inc, 2006.

The Qualities of Real Friends Essay -- Papers

The Qualities of Real Friends To have friends is an essential part of life and comfort. When you were little you had friends in school that you could play with. You shared your toys with them and laughed with them while the teacher was speaking. When you were in middle school, you probably adopted a clique of friends to see after class and hang out with after school. Later on in high school, you most likely narrowed your choice to one companion that you could share your troubles with. These are the people you chose to spend that time of your life with, and these are the people that cultivated who you are. Everyone has certain expectations of what a valuable friend should be like. What I think makes a friend is loyalty, personality and availability. A good friend has to be loyal and trust worthy. You can't live your life afraid that the person that you trust the most is going to betray you. I think in the beginning of each friendship you should test your friend's loyalty. You should never tell them too much of yourself too soon and have high expectations. When they have proven to you that they have a good heart and don't mean malice to you, then you should hold them close to your heart. It is a strong feeling of sanctuary to know that the person you call at night to spill your life to will never tell a soul. It is not good to keep things inside all the time and sometimes you need someone to share your feelings with. At other times you want someone to listen to your daily life and go through the same trials of events that happen to you; however, your friends can give you an objective point of view. Excellent friends are the ones who are enjoyable to be with. They have to have an amazing ... ...an share. When you don't spend time with your friend, both of your lives will seem distant and there won't be anything to talk about either. Who influences you when you are younger affects who you are in the future. When you are young, your mind is very fragile and is easily brainwashed by external factors. If you pick friend that has bad values you are most likely to attain the same values. There is an old saying that goes "You are who you hang out with". It is a very simple saying but there is a whole lot of truth in it. A really good friend is one who will give you good morals and has a good conscience. The person will help you gain strength and help you stand up for yourself. You want somebody that stands up straight by your side and is proud to have someone like you by theirs. An ideal friend will help you grow as a person and build your character.

Chris Peterson at DSS Consulting Essay

This case discussed the events that occurred during a change in DSS Consulting’s organizational structure. Three retired school district administrators established DSS Consulting during the late 1990’s. The company offered administrative support to small school districts located within the mid-west and mountain west region. They specialized in handling the negotiating of labor agreements as well as implementation of permanent system solutions designed to enable those organizations to run efficiently. The firm experienced a significant degree of success during their early years, which was primarily attributed to the founder’s personal relationships within each school district that utilized their services. The demand for the services offered by DSS grew quickly given the changing dynamic of challenges faced by each district. Some of those challenges related to reductions in budgets and subsequent reduction of administrative staff. The firm structured themselves to accommodate the change in services needs of their customers. As a result, DSS designed an organizational structure that consisted of the four areas of specialization: Procurement and Systems, Information Technology, Contract Negotiation and Facilities Planning. By the mid-2000’s, DSS experienced some significant changes in their organizational structure and their customer base. It was during this time that the founders of the company reduced the amount of time they were spending in client engagement and relying upon the expertise of the management teams for each specialized area. As a result, a gap was created surfacing the need for a strategy for attracting and retaining new business. This would require adapting their service offerings to meet the demands of rapidly changing market base. These factors led to a halt in the firm’s growth and forced the company to redefine the organizational structure to remain a competitor. The key issues of this case involved successfully redesigning the firm’s strategy, implementation of those changes while  maintaining their level of success. The firm would need to realign their management structure and create functional teams to design, develop and implement product offerings that would appeal to an expanded market (i.e. larger school districts). A major consideration for the firm was how to achieve this goal and maintain the level of commitment from employee’s as change in any form can be a daunting task. A new management structure was determined and Meg Cooke was appointed the Chief Operating Officer of DSS. Ms. Cooke and the Board of Directors made the decision to adopt a new structure that created cross-functional teams each assigned to a specific region for which they would design and create products for customers specific to their region that could potentially be marketed to additional regions with similar demands. Based on my review of the case, the major issues identified can be categorized as communication, leadership, organizational culture and organizational change. Communication The manner in which the new strategy was communicated at all levels of the organization appeared to lack a clear concise message which defined the redesigned strategy, new organizational structure and a detailed implementation plan to achieve the desired results. The communication of these changes wasn’t handled in the most efficient manner and subsequently not received by all employees in a favourable manner. Study results that have been published by the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz Business School have indicated that effective communication skills have become one of the most important factors when recruiter’s are screening candidates for potential managerial positions. Both Ms. Cooke and Ms. Peterson failed to communicate in all phases of the organizational change. Although it appeared that Ms. Cooke met regularly with other department leaders, she and Ms. Peterson never had regularly scheduled planning meetings or informal weekly check-ins to ensure that sh e and her team were on target for successfully delivering the team’s objectives. Although, Ms. Peterson communicated and fostered open, collaborative conversations with her team, she failed to communicate with her manager to ensure that she understood expectations for herself as the leader and for her team. Successful communication is only achieved when the sender and receiver of information  have the same understanding of the information presented. (See Figure 1) For example, when Chris Peterson was assigned to lead her team in delivering new products that would appeal to larger districts within and outside of her designated region. She received the message as â€Å" create/design new product offerings that would appeal to districts within the southwest region. Leadership The style of leadership varies with every individual. It has been stated that today’s successful leaders have created in their organizations an atmosphere where every employee believes in management, their strategy and the importance of their individual contributions in achieving the organizations goal. Blake Mouton’s Managerial Grid is a model using in identifying leadership style that is based on the concept that there are two behavioural dimensions: concern for people which can be defined as the degree to which leaders are aware of and consider the needs of their staff, their skill sets and development potential when making decisions about specific tasks to be completed. The second dimension is concern for production and is defined as the degree to which leaders place importance on objectives, efficiency and production specifically what it takes to meet the desired result. Based on these definitions, I would classify Ms. Cooke’s driving leadership behaviour dimension to be in the latter category of concern for production and Ms. Peterson’s as concern for people. It was evident that Ms. Cooke’s leadership style resulted in a disorganized and poorly motivated organization. Her lack of leadership to Ms. Peterson resulted in the team being led in the direction of focusing their efforts on a project that would not be approved. Ms. Peterson clearly valued the skills of each team member as well as taking extensive steps to ensure that a collaborative, innovative environment existed for her team to design and develop a new product offering for the districts in the southwest region that would meet their needs. Organizational Culture and Organizational Change The culture that exists within any organization plays a vital role in the behaviour and actions of employees. Organizational culture as defined McLean and Marshall is a collection of traditions, values, policies, beliefs  and attitudes that constitute a pervasive context for everything we do and think in an organization. Based on this definition, DSS’s original organizational structure could be classified as so-called Power Culture (Handy, 1993). This culture is typical for small entrepreneurial organizations similar to DSS, where the founders had a strong influence and played a central role in managing the company and securing contracts from their school district contacts. These types of cultures rely heavily on trust, personal communication and empathy. The structure is very informal and there are few rules and guidelines in this culture. However, the changes implemented at DSS to redefine their strategy forced a culture change as well. The organizational structure changed from functional to a more structured matrix type. The appointment of the COO position shifted the organizational culture from the personal interactive environment to one of project and task oriented nature. This shift made implementation of the new strategy increasingly more difficult as this was new to everyone at all levels of the organization.