Atanarjuat: the Fast Runner Essay

The role of religion has been a major factor of every culture for as long as anyone can remember. The feeling of togetherness that comes with belonging to a group of people that believe in the same ideas and a central entity defines a person and the way they see the world. Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner  shows the impact of a certain belief on a tribe of Eskimos in Igloolik, a village in  Eastern Arctic wilderness, at the dawn of the first millennium. An evil curse was said to be following one member of the tribe, Oki, because of his jealousy of Atanarjuat. The film follows the lives of these two men and the conflicts they have as they grow older. It also focuses on the spiritual ideas that drive both Oki and Atanarjuat, and their other tribe members, to drastic actions. From the beginning, the curse is embedded into the film successfully, as it helps explain why certain things happened to Atanarjuat and Oki. The curse was portrayed by a sound effect whenever a person was affected by it. Without that effect, the idea of the curse may not have come across as well, and might even have been forgotten until the end. As well as the curse was portrayed, the reason for it coming about was a bit confusing for viewers who were not used to the language and style of the film. Years before the story of Atanarjuat and Oki, a shaman predicts that a curse will be brought on by Tulimaq. By no coincidence, camp leader, Kumaglak, died in a duel and his rightful successor, Tulimaq, was passed over and Sauri was given the title. Tulimaq does not take this well, accusing Sauri of helping murder his father. Tulimaq becomes a laughing stock and cannot feed his wife and kids, Atanarjuat and Amaqjuaq, though he gets help from his friend, Panikpak, widow of Kumaglak. It was hard to understand what exactly caused the curse and why Tulimaq was the one burdened by it with the way the story was told. The quick scenes and unclear dialogue were not exactly helping in telling this story, especially since it was from a culture that most viewers would not be familiar with. Overall, the film was effective in describing the actions and beliefs brought on by Tulimaq’s curse. The power the idea that the curse is what causes the constant conflict between Atanarjuat and Oki is portrayed skillfully. In the beginning a tribe member, Qulitalik, is shown leaving the village in fear of the curse, but promises to return if his sister, Panikpak, ever needed his help. This promise is so strong that, decades later, when Atanarjuat needs help hiding and defeating Oki, Qulitalik is the person that aids in ending the curse. This brings in the idea of loyalty to family and community and shows that these were vital beliefs of the tribe. Another aspect of the film that greatly helped illustrate the importance of both the tribe’s beliefs and conviction of the curse was symbolism. Throughout the film, certain symbols and symbolic gestures were used to show the tribe’s belief in a certain idea. Right before her husband dies, Panikpak witnesses a stone lamp fall and break in half, which foreshadowed the bad events that were to come. A walrus-tooth necklace was introduced in the beginning of the film as a sort of heirloom of Kumaglak. It was given to Sauri as a symbol of his new power as the new chief. Although it is just an object, it revealed the tribe’s faith in what it represented because at the end of the film, once the necklace was returned to Tulimaq’s spirit, its rightful owner, peace is brought back to the village. This film shows how greatly this tribe of Eskimos are effected by their beliefs and rituals, although the viewers may not be familiar with them. In the ethnography Never In Anger by Jean Briggs, she describes the difference in gender roles in Utku tribe. They were very similar to those of the tribe of Igloolik. The women were the caretakers, doing housework, tending to animal hides, looking after children, and cooking, while the men fished, hunted, and built igloos as shelter. Each sex was separated during meals and women were submissive to men. This played an integral part in the film, especially for the character, Puja. She did not seem to want to conform to the ideals of what women were supposed to do in the tribe, and was seen as lazy and spoiled. She also seemed to believe she could have more than one man, as men were allowed to have more than one wife, and challenged this idea when she seduces Atanarjuat’s brother, Amaqjuaq. The women’s role in the village was a catalyst for certain actions taken by the males. For example, Atanarjuat and Oki had their first conflict over Atuat when she and Atanarjuat fell in love while she was betrothed to Oki. Oki goes after Atanarjuat once again when Puja lies about his brother hitting her for no reason, when in fact it was because she was caught cheating on her husband with him. Although women were not in charge of the actions of the tribe or important decisions of the tribe, it is shown that they do have importance in another sense. They can influence the men’s actions individually and in terms of the tribe as a whole. The film Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner definitely has some aspects that need improvement for viewers who are not familiar with the Eskimo culture to understand. However, in terms of portraying the culture and beliefs, this film gives its audience something they can identify with. No matter where they are from, they can sympathize with what believing in a supernatural notion can make one do, and how family and community loyalty influences ones decisions.

The gendercide against Jewish men

He gendercidal dimension of the holocaust against the Jews was evident during particular phases of the campaign of extermination. It nonetheless has its harbinger in the mass detentions of males during the earlier (1933-41) period of Nazi rule. As a campaign of full-blown mass execution, the gendercide against Jewish males marked an important, if temporary, â€Å"onset phase† of the holocaust in the occupied eastern territories (including, after August 1941 , the Balkans).Gendercidal strategies against women were evident at later stages, both in mass executions and gassings, women- nly death camps, and the forced marches that killed tens of thousands in the closing stages of the war. Again, it must be stressed that in both their male and female manifestations, the Jewish gendercides were subsidiary features and strategies of a campaign of â€Å"root-and-branch† extermination, in which gender was far from a dominant consideration overall.Daniel Goldhagen points out in Hi tler's Willing Executioners (pp. 149-50) how the†up-close,† intimate killing of manifestly defenceless, screaming civilians on the eastern front killings which spattered blood and brain matter around the killing fields and over the killers was at first ncrementally managed according to gender: The Einsatzgruppen [death-squad] officers could habituate their men into their new vocation as genocidal executioners through a stepwise escalation of the killing.First, by shooting primarily teenage and adult Jewish males, they would be able to acclimate themselves to mass executions without the shock of killing women, young children, and the infirm. According to Alfred Filbert, the commander of Einsatzkommando 9, the [execution] order from [Reinhard] Heydrich â€Å"quite clearly† â€Å"included also women and children. † Yet, â€Å"in the first instance, without a doubt, the executions were limited generally to Jewish males. By generally keeping units' initial mass acres to smallish numbers (by German standards) of a few hundred or even a thousand or so, instead of many thousands, the perpetrators would be less likely to become overwhelmed by the enormity of the gargantuan bloodbaths that were to follow. They also could believe that they were selectively killing the most dangerous Jews, which was a measure that they could conceive to be reasonable for this apocalyptic war. Once the men became used to slaughtering Jews on this sex-selective and smaller scale, the officers could ore easily expand the scope and size of the killing operations.Jewish men rounded up for mass execution at Zhytomyr, Ukraine, August 7, 1942. In the early weeks of these murder campaigns, the Einsatzkommandos, according to Goldhagen, â€Å"were the equivalent of genocidal scouting parties, developing the methods of The images of mountains of corpses left behind by the Nazi mass murderers shocked the world, and helped contribute to the founding of the state of Israel. As the Soviet and Allied forces rolled back across Nazi-occupied Europe,

How unemployment is individual and social problem Essay

In this essay I will discuss how unemployment is an individual and a social problem and how Max Weber distinguished power, authority and coercion and how the functionalist, conflict theorist and symbolic interaction theory view the economy and by the mid century how they have evolved and the role of these theories to explain social and economic phenomenon. How unemployment is individual and social problem Unemployment is caused by many factors in a modern market economy. It can be caused by rapid technological change, business cycle or recessions, seasonal factors in some industries particularly such as changes in tastes and climatic conditions which affects demand for certain products and services, individual perceptions and willingness to work and search for jobs, their values and attitudes towards some jobs and about employers, accessibility for retraining and acquisition of work skills, willingness and perception of unemployed of the benefits of training and the possibility for them to get a job after the training even though they have a chance to get a job, discrimination in the workplace based on race, color. religion, ethnicity, age and class. It can be seen from the above causes unemployment in a particular period can be a combination of caused by social factors and how the economy as a whole works and also due to the subjective individual factors. In a sociological point of view according to functionalist and conflict theorists the unemployment is caused primarily by the social factors than by the individual factors. However according to Max Weber and symbolic interaction theories individuals construct their own social constructs and perception and they can be subjective in their behavior and there fore can become unemployed even though the actual condition they can get a job in the job market. In summary applying the sociological and the primary causes of unemployment unemployment is individual as well as a social problem in a market economy. As discussed above it is caused by the society as well as by individuals. Even the economy or societal factors are not present unemployment can be caused by individual perception and their own subjective behavior. . Max Weber’s distinction among power, authority and coercion Power can be defined as one person’s ability to influence others does what ever they want even though they don’t like to do what is demanded and they resist doing what is demanded. For example a professor can influence the students to assign work and demand them to do to satisfy some criteria. As well a dictator like Hitler can control all aspects of life because of this ability to impose his will on majority of people. In other words a person or group on other person or other groups can use power legitimately or illegitimately. That is power need not come from proper authority or legitimate authority. That is power and authority can be different in this respect. According to Max Weber authority can arise from tradition, charisma of certain powerful people or from legal-rational. That is authority need not come from any logical reason but likely to come from respect for the past. For example a monarchy in Western Europe can get authority because they ruled the populace over a long period of time. Even the traditional authority can exist in modern democracies because the people respect the monarchy or authority of monarchy at least in a limited symbolic head of states in Western Europe. Authority also can arise from charisma of some powerful people. They have authority because of their charisma. This arises because they have the ability to lead a vast number of people for a particular cause using their powerful charm and influence over ordinary people. For example Martin Luther King, Gandhi. Nelson Mandela is the modern examples of charismatic authority they had because of their ability to charm and influence a vast majority of people for a particular cause. Authority also can arise from legal-rational. That is in society authority is given to individuals and organization based on rationally enacted laws and regulations. This authority is impersonal and differs from charismatic authority because the legal-rational authority is impersonal and the charismatic authority is personal and admired by the people who accept that authority. In modern societies the authority is derived from the legal-rational compared to charismatic and traditional in varying degrees in industrialized societies in particular. Coercion is the extreme manifestation of power in a way threatens the person to complete obedience because it threatens the person coerced physically, financially and socially. This results in persons following the authority of another because of fear rather than will. Coercion is mostly linked with abuse and conflict. Coercion exists in many dictatorships in the past as well as in the present world in many parts of the world where citizens are forced to follow the regime of dictatorship. The view of the economy in the perspectives of functionalist, conflict theorists and symbolic interaction theory Functionalist perspective of the economy In the perspective of functionalist sociological theorist social systems including economy works like a biological organism where every part of the system work in a united manner so that smooth functioning is maintained and so that society builds consensus between different parts of the system.. In this change is evolutionary and the changes take place to minimize dysfunction and to enhance the stability and its survival in the future. In this respect Capitalism will not collapse and will endure in the future as the functions of the system will adjust and evolve so that it maintains the social order and stability without any radical overhaul of the economic system. In addition the social, legal, political, religious systems will not be in conflict with the economic system and work in unison with the economic system so the whole social organism survive and social order is maintained and their functions and their purpose even though different work as a unified system. As discussed above this is the functionalist view of the economy. Conflict theorist view of the economy In contrast conflict theorist believe society do not work as a unified system. Conflict and struggle take place as different groups work to maximize their benefit in the same time other groups loose. Functionalist view conflict in a negative manner. However the conflict theorist see the conflict to some extent is beneficial as it forces the parties to come to a common ground and make the economic system or the social system to change for the better and minimize the losers and maximizing the benefits for a greater number of groups as well make the power system in check so that abuse of power is minimized. In this context the economic system and social order changes continually and changes take place and shaped by different interest groups in varying degrees in a market economy. However Marxism as a conflict theory predicts radical change to the economic system to move towards a socialist system it has not eventuated. However Max Weber as a conflict theory predicts the viability of the market economy with some reform to minimize the negative aspects of capitalism like alienation and the negative impact of bureaucracy in capitalist economies and more democracy in society and continuous reform of the economic system to make it work efficiently but also effectively by legal, social and political reform appropriate to a countries historical, cultural, political and social context.

Controlling One's Environment in Learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Controlling One's Environment in Learning - Essay Example It is impossible to gain knowledge without learning as learning provides people with skills and qualities which enable people to cope with the complications of life (Piaget, 1950). The environment includes conditions of living and learning. Environment is an important constituent of learning as it forms the backbone of learning. The environment can either affect learning positively or negatively. Controlling the environment will help in reducing the adverse negative effects on the learning which will affect the learners or students in this case (Wood, 1998). Controlling of the environment is most common in the Asian and African culture. Learning differs within the different backgrounds and cultures. Controlling one’s environment helps regulate the learner’s behavior. For example, an individual may engage in wrong and bad social groups and habits like drug taking, which will mar their learning. These behaviors will interfere with that person’s ability of the mind to process information and also interfere with the normal body functioning. Controlling the environment will thus help the learner in reducing the normal body functioning and brain’s ability interference (Conner, 2004). ... Some of the environments where the learners are brought up at may either help in encouraging learning or impair the learning. This can be shown through an individual brought up in a poor environment. Such an individual brought up in a poor environment with high crime rate will not be in a position to learn and will end up uneducated. Controlling such an environment will help the individual get access to learning and education and change his/her perception on education and learning. This is because the environment will have taught him that crime is the only thing that he can indulge into (wood, 1998). The process of learning is contingent on learner’s discipline. This is because monitoring the moves of the leaner helps in improving the learning process. Discipline is a vital precondition for learning and enhances an individual’s learning ability. This is shown by the disparity between the performance of distance learning students and learners in the traditional classroom setting. The traditional classroom setting acquires better performance than the distance learning simply because there is a proviso for supervising the moves of the learner. This then implies that the controlled environment for the learner will help in attainment of better performance by individuals as this provides for the monitoring of their actions and class work. Again, if someone has been in the military, he or she will uphold high discipline levels. Children who do not get a high time with their parents may lack the required discipline and may not attain the knowledge that their parents have acquired (Clark et al., 2006). Some environments promote the learning processes. The environments with a high number of knowledgeable individuals always encourage

The Billabongs Development Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The Billabongs Development - Case Study Example The name of the company- Billabong, means 'a place of stagnant creek water'. Billabong’s logo has 2 parallel and motionless waves. According to the Merchants, this was meant to depict the uniqueness of the Aboriginal culture and its interpretation of an oasis. The main factor that distinguished Billabong’s boards from those produced by other local companies were the triple-stitching method which made Billabong’s surfing boards short and thus more durable.When Billabong first began to market its products to the Australian market in 1975, its products were well received. This allowed for the company to be able to create more products and thus increase sales. By 1981, the Merchants had been able to move to a larger headquarters and reached $1 million in total annual sales. To gain more publicity for their company, they funded competitions such as the World Final Surfing. Billabong would soon branch into other nations such as South Africa, New Zealand, Japan, and the United States.  As the brand grew in popularity, the Merchants made the decision to begin creating other sports apparel. They began to experiment with manufacturing and marketing artifacts such as snowboards. In all the expansion efforts, Gordon Merchant was at the forefront of designing and marketing new brands.The surfing industry would witness great development all through the 1990s as professional surfing profited from a newfound respectability. By the end of the 1990s, the Billabong Corporation had been restructured to take advantage of the growing international opportunities in the sector of board-related sports.

Philosophy of Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Philosophy of Education - Essay Example First, education in light of pedagogy should create non-class reproduction systems. The formal education in our schools is too concentrated on the mechanical out put the students. This is the area of controlling scholars through consent. The school of educational philosophy terms this as bourgeois hegemony. This principal dominates any social setting through its premeditated standards like schools, trade unions, churches and the family. As a learner, going through such a system will not lead to any transformation. These social standards tend to narrow scholars into a system of values, behaviors, believes, attitudes and morality (Monchinski, 2010:92). As a result learners reproduce the same social order and the class welfare that rule it. These are organized principles and established world standards that agents of ideology diffuse in every area of life. In a school setting, real transformation should be the emphasized. The instructor should aim at renovating the initial mindset of hi s learners. He should pass them through a process of learning and relearning to prepare them thoroughly for participation in a democratic society. The major goal of a teacher education is to prepare and mentor individuals into informed citizens in a democratic society. The classroom environment should not embark on re-establishing the existing social norms but its focus should be to prepare the learners for the role of transforming their societies. The education standards should lean towards a social change, which advocates for dynamic citizenship for both the learners and the educator. There should be a rapport between the teaching standards and the philosophical goal of critical... This paper approves that educational philosophy also aims at creating a revolutionalised society. Addressing social questions and the need for creating a better society through education is the Reconstructionism theory in educational viewpoint. This essay makes a conclusion that the curriculum aims at achieving a social change through the learners who graduate and initiate the required social reforms. Just like the path taken by critical pedagogy, the reconstructionism theory believes the school process of acquiring education leads to self awareness among the people. This in turn changes people’s perception and thus they work towards creating a new social order that can suit them. Feasible aspects in our society today like poverty, crime, and classism are some of the social imbalances that led to launching of this philosophical theory. Today, education is still the vehicle through which human nature applies to alter the social status we live in. In this line of thought, the learner must acquire knowledge to invent and re-invent their world. Educational course should not be a process of banking knowledge to learner’s mind but it should be a tool for dialogue and social consciousness. Reconstructionists believe that the curriculum ought to concentrate on student experience. It also helps to address the social problems the world faces today. This philosophy of education theory is the mechanism through which hunger, inequality, international terrorism, and other social vices can be addressed.

Trying to fit in Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Trying to fit in - Essay Example The outcome was successful and I completed all tasks as expected by the group members. Before I expressed my willingness to join the group, I first assessed the openness and closeness of the group. It understood that the group was interested in discussing topics that concerned me since I could hear their conservations while seated next to them during my break time. I introduced myself sincerely and openly by greeting all members and telling them my name. I asked them on how long they had been working together and make a positive statement about the group. I also made a positive statement about myself and expressed my willingness to join and fit in the group since I shared the same objectives with all the group members (Crisp and Turner 108). The main objective of joining and fitting in the group was to combine our unique talents, skills and knowledge in accomplishing our classroom work. At the formation stage, each member talked politely and outlined the duties and responsibilities o f each individual. For instance, the group members openly provided suggestions on the time schedules of the meetings and also number of hours for the meetings. The members had adequate time to adapt to the unique personalities of each group member. For instance, the members selected a common mode of communication which was official English language (Crisp and Turner 109). ... In the group work decisions, the group laid down a framework of clarifying the factual ideas and suggestions of the members towards the discussion including reviewing academic literature that is contained in classroom notes. In addition, any arguments during the discussion were based on opinions, ideas and not individual personalities (Crisp and Turner 110). The members had diversity of opinions and view points on the discussion topics and the discussion process was well organised. Showing my confidence and asking questions made the other members easily accept me in the group. I also played an additional role of note taking and organizing the meeting venues which made me an active and crucial member of the group. At the fitting stage, I exercised my listening skills and leadership skills which were critical for the attainment of the group objectives. In deed, some members suggested that I should take up the group leader role due to my self-confidence, decision making skills, assertiv eness and politeness while dealing with conflicts or countering opposing arguments and ideas. Sitting next to the group and making positive comments made me easily join and fit in to the group. I attained my outcomes of fitting in to the group since the group provided me an opportunity to share my ideas and opinions and also counter the arguments of the rest of the members. I understood that individuals have different cultural backgrounds, personalities and values thus it is essential that group members focus on ideas and not differing personalities. It is important that group members familiarize themselves with discussion materials and clearly understand the rules and

Landscape art in Chinese traditional painting Assignment

Landscape art in Chinese traditional painting - Assignment Example The essay "Landscape art in Chinese traditional painting" explores the landscape art of China. The period that was referred to as the Tang Dynasty experienced many landscape paintings. These kinds of paintings were mainly done on mountains. This kind of painting had a style that was called the shuimohua whose main intention was to represent the emotion or the look of the atmosphere that indicated the nature’s â€Å"rhythm†. As time went by towards the end of the Tang dynasty the use of landscape painting slowly started changing and it was now viewed as a way in men would communicate with the world through the paintings. Apart from nature, these paintings also conveyed a number of themes in social, philosophical, or political areas. Thus with the closure of the Tang dynasty period more focus of these paintings and the artists were majorly on the world nature. Poets and painters in the Chinese traditional arts would go into the mountains to find something to represent in their drawings. Another period called the Song Dynasty that happened between 960 and 1267 saw the rise of different expression of landscapes. Long distances would be represented by use of blurred outlines, mountain contours represented as disappearing into the mist, and nature would be treated with certain kind of impression. The concern of the artist was on how to represent the peace in human beings and nature. This is eminent in the Taoist and Buddhist concepts. In the early Song Dynasty the artists would represent.

Mans Relationship to other Life Forms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mans Relationship to other Life Forms - Essay Example Even though concepts and theories differ among various creation myths, man's teaching and attributes in its entirety are initially concerned with his direct individual experiences. Man is well regarded for his impressive knowledge, and because of this God distributed blessings like other life forms to the humans for their benefit. This creation myth according to the Bible has been connected by a number of historical references, wherein man is charged with or linked with having a critical responsibility in the survival of other created life forms. The Bible mentions that the correlation between man's critical thinking and the execution of logical reasoning in order to take care of the other created life forms is clearly relevant. In every case, it is essential for every person to think critically and execute logical decisions so that they will be able to attain excellent results in their decisions. It was a procedure that man attained and learned only through perseverance, dedication, and a dynamic desire towards learning. The relationship of aspects such as religion, superstition, beliefs and customs are most the time connected to man's responsibility of taking care of other created life forms.

Managing Organisational Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Managing Organisational Strategy - Essay Example According to the paper findings  the family business of Bettys and Taylors is based on the set of several values. All these values are quite clear for the employees of the firm as well from their first day at work. All the practices that are observed in the company are highly qualitative maintaining the standard of the brand and the family name behind the management of the company.As the discussion highlights most of the African makers are prone to observe huge creation development because tea hedges achieve ideal preparation age, and processing aptitudes of little producers make strides. For instance, the generation in Kenya is said to be developed by 2.3 percent on yearly basis from the amount of 236,300 tons to 304,000 tons. This period of development was estimated from 2000 to 2010. On the other hand the rate of development in Tanzania and Uganda are estimated to be 1.7 percent and 2.7 percent respectively. One of the most significant teas sending out nations in the region of A sia should better encounter minor decreases in fares that should also be in accordance with the usual developments in wage and populace that might cultivate down home utilization. For instance, we can observe the case of Indian and Indonesia that it might diminish by the rate of 2.4 percent to 150 890 tons and also some studies reveals the figures of 1.1 percent to 87 000 tons, separately.  Bettys and Taylors don't simply deal with their staff but they take care of suppliers as well.

A7-Chpt 9 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A7-Chpt 9 - Assignment Example 1-8). For example, Facebook and other social media sites allow users to design their own page. Wikipedia, on the other hand, allows users from all over the world to make changes to the pages where they perceive necessary. There are limitless applications of Web 2.0 to business organizations. For example, the interactive feature of the websites allows businesses to obtain feedback from their clients and thus tailor their products to suit the specific needs of their customers (Chui et al. 1-8). For example, most business websites and blogs allow the readers to leave comments, a feature that was only enabled by Web 2.0. In addition, Web 2.0 is a platform that can be used by business employees to share information among themselves (Chui et al. 1-8). This is a very important feature of business because it lowers the costs of communication and allows workers to have interactive forums where they can all participate in sharing and distribution of information. Web 2.0 also has applications in marketing. For example, all social networking sites use Web 2.0. Businesses use these sites to connect to customers and advertise new products. In fact, social networking sites are merging as the best advertising platforms (Chui et al. 1-8). They increase the application of Web 2.0 to

Jazz Essay Example for Free

Jazz Essay Raised in a home where melodies are often played in the instruments we have or even just hummed by a family member while doing chores, I have grown to love pieces of music especially opera, orchestra and the classics. So when my friends, who are musicians themselves, invited me to one of the performances of a jazz band during the celebration of the University’s anniversary last July 9 at The Technopark, I was feeling rather apprehensive. It is not as what you would expect my genre of choice. I have always typified this particular field as an African-American influenced rhythmic and instrumental form of music. My ears were almost involuntarily programmed to have an distaste to these tunes. But since they started to play, I forgot my earlier impression because I was already enjoying the concert. Savoring the pleasure of listening to the upbeat of jazz music, I was jazzed up and entirely enthralled with the soulful performance of the Jazz Ensemble. In the hands of trumpeter Roy Barja, trombonist Marko Geron, bassist Jeff Flores and saxophonist Brad Cruz, the contrivances took on a unique character, and one whose ebullience can hardly be contained. The ensemble started with a bang of Jazz Story playing different types of jazz music that evolved within the through time until the modern jazz of today. Then, the members of Jazz Ensemble played classics like Victor Young’s â€Å"When I Fall in Love†, George Gershwin’s â€Å"Someone to Watch Over Me† and â€Å"Pink Panther†. With the variety of instruments involved, lush harmonies and textures satiated my ears’ desire for excellent sounds. Each artist had a chance for a nippy glare of publicity. He would play short melodic fragments meant to be repeated by a section of the band with growing passion. They masterfully serenaded and entertained the audience through vocalist Mara Duran who did vocals on â€Å"Orange-colored Sky† and â€Å"It had to be You†. The group kept the crowd swaying and crooning on our seats in time with the beat. Jazz took my heart out from the first notes that had drifted from the instruments up until the faintest tune that was whispered by the wind. That night, I closed my eyes with a trace of smile upon my lips as I hum a segment from the song Love is Here to Stay.

The Sociological Imagination Of Individual Problems Sociology Essay

The Sociological Imagination Of Individual Problems Sociology Essay This assignment will explore C. Wright Mills concept of a sociological imagination when looking at the problems of the individual, and explain how this theory might assist social workers. It will then look at a contemporary social problem encountered by social workers, in this case poverty. It will explore and discuss by reference how three sociological theories (Marxism, Feminism and Functionalists) offer useful insights into the socially constructed nature of poverty. C. Wright Mills (1916 62) had a vision of reforming society and popularising sociology with his theory of the sociological imagination, Slattery (1991). Leon-Guerrero (2005:2) explains The sociological imagination links our personal lives and experiences with the social world. It is the ability to look further than the individuals personal issue, recognising and linking macro scale environmental factors (economic, political and other societal institutions). Mills (1959:12) argued that this theory à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ is the idea that the individual can understand his own experience and gauge his own fate by locating himself within his period, that he can know his own chances in life by becoming aware of those of all individuals in his circumstances. Mills is supported by Cunningham and Cunningham (2008) who argue, instead of focusing on the individuals inability to cope as the main problem; step back and look at the bigger picture. Cunningham and Cunningham (2008) support this by using a n example of someone experiencing depression post redundancy. They argue that instead focusing on the individuals failure to cope; the problem could exist due to social structures within the macro environment, such as, current economic or political conditions. Cree (2000) adds that the failure by social workers to make such links will result in oppressive practice. Additionally, Cunningham and Cunningham (2008:7) argue learning to think sociologically is one of the most important skills a social worker can bring to their practice as it enables social workers to step back from taken for granted assumptions about social life and to critically unpack these assumptions (2008:7). This is further supported by Leon-Guerrero (2005:14) By continuing to develop a sociological imagination and recognising the larger social, cultural and structural forces, we can identify appropriate measures to address these social problems. In summary, the sociological imagination is able to assist social workers by allowing them to reject common sense explanations for the consequences of social actions. It enables practitioners to develop skills which help them to work in an anti-oppressive manner. Fundamentally, it helps distinguish between individuals private problems and wider social problems; one cannot be properly understood without the other. The contemporary social problem to be discussed is poverty, as this an ongoing social issue that is common amongst service users. Consequently, a large amount of social work practice takes place around poverty. This is supported by Smale et al (2000:18)  Those who use, and are required to use, social work services continue overwhelmingly to be poor and disadvantaged. Social workers have been criticised for their lack of knowledge surrounding poverty. Cunningham and Cunningham (2008:32) who argue The relationship between poverty and social work is not new, yet it is one that remains understated and implicit in social work training courses and practice. Becker (1997:114) claims Social workers have little understanding of the complex processes that generate and maintain poverty; they have limited insight into how their political and welfare ideologies and attitudes to poverty affect their daily practice with poor people; they have failed to place poverty on the agenda for social work theorising, education, policy and practice. Krumer-Nevo et al (2009:225) (16/12/09) takes this further, arguing despite the profound commitment of social work towards people living in poverty, the social work profession has failed to develop practice based on awareness of poverty. Sociologists have favoured two definitions of poverty; these are Absolute and Relative poverty. Giddens (2006) suggests the concept of absolute poverty is grounded in the idea of subsistence the basic conditions that must be met in order to sustain a physically healthy existence. People who lack these fundamental requirements for human existence such as sufficient food, shelter and clothing are said to live in poverty. Relative poverty emphasises the disparities within society. Leon-Guerrero (2005:224) refers to this as a situation whereby some people fail to achieve the average income and lifestyle enjoyed by the rest of society. Leon-Guerrero (2006) suggests that the construction of social problems arise from social conditions that lead to negative consequences for both the individual and the social world. Moulder (2000:2) claims sociologists came to define social problems as problems that concern large numbers of people, have social-structural causes, and require social-structural solutions. Poverty has many negative factors that affect individuals and society, this is supported by a report conducted on behalf of the Department of Work and Pensions called Living with Poverty (2009:10) (2310/09), which claims the impact that poverty can have on peoples lives shows that the experience of poverty is almost always overwhelmingly negative, and can have psychological, physical, relational and practical effects on peoples lives. These findings are supported by Beresford et al (1999). For a social problem to become defined as an actual problem it must have both objective and subjective realities. The objective reality comes by acknowledging that a social condition does exist. Leon Guerrero (2006) states A social condition does not have to be personally experienced by every individual in order to be considered a social problem. The objective reality of a social problem comes from acknowledging that a social condition does exist. Poverty can be seen through media, charities campaigning to help the less privileged in Britain and even on the streets in the forms of homelessness and big issue sellers. A report by Hirsch (2008) (3/12/09) estimated that child poverty costs around  £25 billion a year in losses, stating Child poverty imposes huge costs on those affected but it is also costly to us all. This suggests everyone is affected by poverty, as taxes are used to eliminate poverty. According to the report Poverty and Wealth across Britain 1968 to 2005 (1997:14) Ove r the past 15 years, more households have become poor, but fewer are very poor. Although the number of extremely poor has decreased there was still a systematic rise in poverty defined as breadline poverty. A report by Kempson (1996:1) (3/12/09) further identified that One in four of the British population live in homes with less than half the average disposable income. This report also identified issues that showed people living in poverty were suffering from a variety of shortcomings including poor health, underprivileged housing, and unemployment. A subjective reality addresses how a problem becomes defined as a problem, Leon-Guerrero (2005:6). This is through powerful groups who look at tackling such problems, such as, government and media. This process is what is known as social construction. Giddens (2006:154) Rather then assuming that social reality objectively exists, social constructivists work to document and analyse the processes through which social reality is constructed, such that the construction then serves to confirm its own status as social reality. Poverty has been termed a social problem in society by the UK government. The Department of Work and Pensions (2009) have clearly stated The Governments target is to halve child poverty by 2010 and be on the way to eradicating it by 2020. This message is supported and reinforced through various forms of media and charities who work towards this goal. Leon-Guerrero (2005:6) in discussing social problems states they become real only when they are subjectively defined or perceived as problematic. This assignment will now explore functionalism, Marxism and feminist theories in relation to poverty. Functionalism was developed by Emile Durkheim (1858-1917).Leon-Guerrero (2005:10) asserts Functionalists use a macro perspective focusing on how society creates and maintains social order. According to Durkheim, society can be viewed as an organic object; every aspect of society is co-dependant and contributes to society as a whole. Cunningham and Cunningham (2008:12) uses a biological analogy to explain functionalism Just as biologists understand the ways in which different bodily organs such as the heart, the brain, the kidneys, the lungs and so on, perform a specific function to keep the human body alive, so with society, its different components work in harmony with one common end à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ . The body is termed as whole organism with each function depending on the other to ensure healthy functioning. In social terms these organs can be used to describe social institutions and the relationship they have with different institutions. Slattery (1991:63) also uses a similar anal ogy to describe this theory: It functions like any other natural organism as a system of independent parts the economy, the family, the government and so on held together by not a central nervous system but a central value system, a set of sociological guidelines called norms based on underlying moral consensus, or collective consciousness. Giddens (2006:21) states Functionalism emphasises the importance of moral consensus, in maintaining order and stability in society. This is achieved through shared values and beliefs, learned through socialisation. Social control is desirable and change tends to be seen as disruptive. Social problems are seen a result of deviance; this is due to lack of conformity, failing to conform to the norms of society. Acknowledging that poverty does exist within the social structure, functionalists believe that poverty is a beneficial function to society. Leon-Guerrero (2005:228) argues that Functionalists observe that poverty is a product of our social structure he further adds that poverty is seen as a natural consequence of system stratification. This refers to technological advances which have left behind a workforce of unskilled workers. This theory implies that inequality is both natural and essential, as it provides an incentive for people to work harder and better themselves. This is s upported by Davis and Moore (1945) who argue, social inequality is thus an unconsciously evolved device by which by which societies ensure that the most important positions are conscientiously filled by the most qualified persons cited in Best (2005:9). Poverty is regarded on a macro scale in terms of the benefits it provides for society as a whole, rather than for the individuals in poverty. It would provide jobs for those who are tasked to alleviate such problems such as social workers. Theresa Funicello (1993) cited in Leon Guerrero (2005:230) observes The poverty industry once again substituted its own interests for that of poor people. Parsons (1953) backs this up, arguing à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ that lack of equality of opportunity would clearly have an impact on an individuals opportunity to make a contribution to the organisation or the wider social system cited in Best (2005:27). H. J. Gans (1971), argued that poverty exists because it is functional for society, cited in Leon Gurre rro (2005:228). Gans (1971:2-4) (18/10/09) claimed the existence of poverty ensures that societys dirty work will be done, and poverty creates jobs for a number of occupations and professions that serve or service the poor, or protect the rest of society from them. Furthermore the poor can be identified and punished as alleged or real deviants in order to uphold the legitimacy of conventional norms. Gans believes poverty will be eliminated only when it becomes dysfunctional for the affluent or powerful, or when the powerless can obtain enough power to change society. In summary, Functionalists seem to justify the social status quo and the effects of poverty on individuals/society. The poor are seen as less able and deviant as they do not conform to societys norms. Taking into consideration the current economical state, the recession has lead to unemployment, forcing more people into poverty; functionalists would agree that institutes were not working together, and that this was just a temporary problem. The role of a functionalist social worker would be to support deviant service users back into societys norms. The ideas of Karl Marx (1818-93) contrast sharply with those of Comte and Durkheim, but like them he sought to explain the changes that were taking place in society during the time of Industrial Revolution, Giddens (2006:14). Marxism is a conflict theory, and like the functionalists they too view society on a macro scale. However, Marxists argue that society operates in a permanent state of conflict at all levels as a consequence of the clash of interests between two classes (bourgeoisie and proletariat). Leon-Guerrero (2005) suggests that conflict theorists believe poverty exists due to class division in society; it helps those in power to maintain and expand their position leaving little to share with others. Marxists would argue that poverty is caused by capitalism, which concentrates wealth in the hands of the ruling class. According to Best (2005) the bourgeoisie were the owners of capital (rich) who employed the proletariat, who had only their labour to sell (poor). Marists bel ieved that the bourgeoisie exploited and made profit from the proletariat by not paying them full value of their work. By accepting a low wage is creating a conflict of interest, as one social group is benefiting on the back of another social group. Giddens (2006:16) argues that the conflict occurs due to inequalities between the classes, The relationship between classes is an exploitive one, since workers have little or no control over their labour and employers are able to generate profit by appropriating the product of workers labour. In an article Poverty in the Big Issue, Searing (2007) claims poverty is structurally constructed as a result a modern capitalist society. Poverty and inequality seem to be an intrinsic part of modern capitalism. She argues This Labour government, by continuing the neoliberal, modernising agenda of the previous government, regards poverty and inequality as the inevitable price to be paid to maintain competitiveness in the global economy. Searing (2007) also believes that social class plays a big part in society, arguing Social work may endorse anti-oppressive ideas but class inequalities, which give rise to and perpetuate income inequalities, remain as wide as ever. Clearly, anti-oppressive practice is at its weakest when it comes to the issue of class. Furthermore, she asserts that The social class a child is born into is a major determinant of their life chances. Searing (2007) argues that the UK government chooses to minimise the part played by social and economic factors, outside the control of the individual, in causing poverty and implies that in most cases personal inadequacy is at the root of peoples failure to remain independent and self-supporting. In summary, Marxists believe that the source of poverty lies within societal structures and the existence of poverty are beneficial to the ruling class. As long as there is poverty, capitalism will exist. Cunningham and Cunningham (2008:22) state as a Marxist social worker you would help people to adjust to their difficulties, by providing services, or a listening ear; and in doing so, structural problems become individualised with attention shifted away from the real cause. This is backed by Payne (2005: 231) who suggests that social workers are seen agents of class control enhancing the oppression by capitalist societies of the working class. They simply enable the capitalist system to reproduce itself in the next generation by helping people to cope with the difficulties of the system. There are different views of feminism. Dealamont (2003:17) identifies three feminist perspectives, liberal, Marxist and radical, all of which were developed in the early 1970s. Chafetz (1988) cited in Dealamont (2003:18) argued that all feminist theories were defined so that gender is a central focus where gender is systematically related to social contradictions, inequalities and pressure points, additionally it can be used to challenge, counteract or change situations in which women are devalued or disadvantaged. This is supported by Trevithick (2005). Feminists would argue that women are more likely to experience poverty than men due to their disadvantageous position in society, Taylor (2002:179). Neubeck and Cazenave (2001) agree, arguing that the government is moving towards maintaining a patriarchal society where the male continues to dominate the welfare policy. Moore (1998:27) asserts Majority of people in poverty are women and the economic and welfare systems conspire to keep them there. They argue that the government Need to recognise this and alter the system to give woman the chance to escape from poverty. Furthermore, feminists argue that women earn less and have less sexual power in society. Glendinning and Miller (1995) agree with these arguments stating women are more likely to live in poverty because they are seen as secondary workers whose main role is seen as domestic. Additionally, More women than men rely on benefits as their main source of income; lone parents are vulnerable to poverty, and a large majority are women. The majority of pensioners are also women cited in Haralambos and Holborn (1995:145). During the early 1970s the media and government created an image of women where they were portrayed to be abusing the welfare system, aimed at mainly single mothers these women were believed to be having more children to avoid having to work and gain more financial benefits (Leon-Gurrero 2005). Feminists theories of poverty tend to highlight that women are overly represented in figures of poverty. This is because of their weaker position in society, their weaker economical position. Moore (1998:70) argues that the proportion of children and population living in poverty are likely to be women, as they form the majority of the elderly, the disable, single parents and the low paid. If you look at benefits figures it shows the vast majority of people claiming benefits in this country would be women, because they head single parent families and women tend to earn less. This is supported by Moore (1998:70) who states, As single parents, women are unable to work. So statistically in old day s, women were more likely to encounter poverty. Moore (1998:71) states Since the 1970s there has been a rapid increase in the number of lone-parent families in the UK. Additionally, Today, more then one in every six families is headed by a lone mother. This is caused mainly by the growth in the divorce rate and by the increase in lone parenthood (that is women having and raising children on their own). These arguments are supported by an article by the BBC News website (2008) Womens low pay behind poverty, which argues 40% of households are now headed by single mothers, and this has concerning implications for tackling child poverty. Moreover, The TUC said that mothers were being trapped in part-time, low-paid jobs. More than 75% of part-time workers were female. The gender pay gap for full-time workers was 17.2%. It further adds that Women in Britain were more likely to be poor than others in Europe from the moment they conceived. Haralambos and Holborn (1995:145) support this, arg uing household incomes are not distributed equally. Women tend to have smaller independent incomes than men and there is no guarantee that they will share fully the income of their husbands or partners. Moore (1998:70) argues that the proportion of children and population living in poverty are likely to be women, as they form the majority of the elderly, the disable, single parents and the low paid. Radical Feminists argue that women form the majority of the poor because they are restricted by family as It is generally regarded as the womans role to take primary responsibility for the care of their family Moore (1998:95). They see the nuclear family as a major contributor towards womens oppression. Both Giddens (2006) and Haralambos and Holborn (1995:592) support this argument stating the family is often seen by radical feminists as the key institution producing womens oppression in modern societies. Radical feminists also argue political and economic power is in the hands of men. As a result of this, decisions about economic matters, as well as about issues of health and welfare, reflect the interests of men, and may well harm women. This situation of male power is known as patriarchy, Moore (1998:23). This is supported by Leon-Guerrero (2005:230) who claims Feminist scholars argue the welfare state is an arena of political struggle. The drive to maintain male dominance and the patriarchal family is assumed to be the principal force of shaping the formation, implementation, and outcomes of the U.S. welfare policy. Radical Feminists believes that poverty is caused by gender, men forever superior and women relentlessly submissive. Regrettably with the perpetual fragmentation and modification society is experiencing this theory is old-fashioned. Relationships are not always, heterosexual and same sex relationships have been thriving. However, Liberal feminists would agree with radical feminists that the role of the nuclear family is repressive towards woman, but they argue that patriarchy is not the cause of womens oppression. This is supported by Giddens (2006:468) who claims liberal feminists look for explanations of gender inequalities in social and cultural attitudes. Additionally Cunningham (2008:97) also states that liberal feminists believe that the roots of womens oppression lie with the irrational prejudice, stereotyping and outdated attitudes and practices that lead to sex discrimination occurring in all spheres of life. Furthermore, Giddens (2006:470) suggests liberal feminists tend to focus their energies on establishing and protecting equal opportunities for women through legislation and other democratic means. Liberal feminists work to bring about change through legislation, such as, equal pay act as opposed to radical feminists who try to defeat the system. Finally, Cunningham (2008:99) states that liberal feminists argue Women lose out on the ability to develop their talents; business loses out because it fails to harness the potential and ability of 50% of the population, and men lose out because they are denied the opportunity to develop close ties with their children. This assignment has explored Mills theory of a sociological imagination and how it may assist social workers when considering the problem of an individual. Furthermore, it has looked at how three different sociological theories can offer useful insights into the socially constructed nature of poverty. It will now focus on the impact of these theories upon social work practice. Sociologists have made a significant contribution towards the understanding of poverty, through their theories. Mills (1959:8) stated Social work is fundamentally about values and about value-judgements. Sociological knowledge can provide us with a framework for anti-discriminatory, anti-oppressive practice, by giving us the analytical tools with which to begin to explore the relationship between individuals and society Mills theory of sociological imagination is one which does not have a bias and can be applied readily to any case. This theory enables social workers to see the bigger picture and protect service users against anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice. Cree (200:5) argues that this is the reason social workers need a sociological imagination. Moreover, Cree (200:209) argues that sociological theories do not provide all the answers to social problems but, the questions themselves lead to the potential development of sensitive, anti-oppressive practice. Sociology theories inform social workers of differing views on the existence and continuation of poverty. The contribution of liberal feminists has raised positive awareness that changes in the social structure can bring about positive chance in the social structure. Giddens (2006:26) states What sociology gives is as an awareness of cultural differences that allow us to see the social world from many perspectives. Giddens (2006:27) asserts that There is often a connection between studying sociology and the prompting of a social conscience. This is supported by Cree (2000:7) who argues sociology offers social work the opportunity to explore meanings beneath taken-for-granted assumptions about behaviour, action and social structure. It offers a knowledge and value base which is not rooted in individual pathology but instead seeks to understand individuals in the context of the broader structures that make up their lives (including social class, gender, age, race, and ethnicity) and th e historical movement within which they are living. Additionally, Domenelli (2002:4) asserts Social workers have a responsibility to challenge this grotesque image of poor people and, besides bringing to public notice the strengths of those who battle to transcend social exclusion, to work to empower those who are engulfed by the weight of circumstances in which they are embedded. Moreover, Promoting social justice and human development in an unequal world provides the raison dà ªtre of social work practice, and is a key way of discharging societys contract in assisting vulnerable people in its midst. In order for practitioners to practice anti-oppressively, Cunningham and Cunningham (2008:48) suggest a task-centred approach. This offers a very practical model which is potentially very empowering. Dominelli (2002) agrees with this approach, arguing that social workers and service users should work together to achieve positive change. Additionally, Cunningham and Cunningham (2008:4 8) argue Practice is based on the premise that the service user will work in partnership with the social worker and learn new methods that will equip them in the future. In this sense, workers could adopt a very practical way to address some aspects of poverty. They further suggest that this still doesnt go far enough, as this method of practice is based upon an individual approach and doesnt address the bigger picture. Possibly combining task-centred working with other more radical methods of working might address this. Thompson (2006:26) asserts In order to understand how inequalities and discrimination feature in the social circumstances of clients, and in the interactions between clients and the welfare state, it is helpful to analyse the situation in terms of three levels. These three levels (P,C and S) are closely interlinked. This is further supported by Cree (2000:208) who confirms that inequality and oppression exist at both individual and structural levels. Therefore its i mportant for social workers to understand this model as it provides grounds for challenging inequalities. Trevithick (2005:284) supports this, arguing this approach emphasises the importance of social, economic and political solutions to social problems, thereby shifting the onus of blame from the individual without denying responsibility. In summary, by developing and using our sociological imagination and being aware of theoretical perspectives and approaches to practice, ensures the necessary steps to guard against anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice. WORD COUNT: 2200

Colgate Competitor Analysis

Colgate Competitor Analysis It all began in 1806, when soap was commonly made at home; William Colgate had the genius idea to start selling individual portions of starch, soap and candles. This business was born on Dutch Street, in New York City, from where he delivered his merchandise to all customers, an innovative approach at the time. By 1817, the first Colgate advertisement appeared in a New York newspaper, and several years later, they expanded and established a factory in New Jersey, an indication of their growing success. This company was passed down from son to son, each and every one of them striving for integrity and quality in every aspect of the business. Concepts such as Colgate people were a way of managing, not just a team, but a family. This concept was first introduced by the founder and is still used today. Throughout the years, Colgate was an innovator, always developing new products. They were able to forecast market trends before the competition and develop strong brand equity through merg ers, acquisitions, and joint ventures. The first merger was with Palmolive Company, a soap company as well. Together, they created the first scented soaps, perfumes, and essences. In 1872, Colgate introduced toothpaste in malleable tube similar to the one we know today. Superior merits gave this convenient and simple brand the prestige to successfully tap into several different markets. In 1900, they won an honorable award for their premium soaps and perfumes at the Worlds Fair, which was conducted in Paris. In 1906, the 100th anniversary pronounced the success of over 800 brands, multiplying considerably in the years to follow. The years to come involve Colgate starting to think globally, by doing so through a subsidiary in Canada, quickly followed by operations in Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa. The development of new brands begins going rapidly, and what seems to be like one influential brand after the other is constantly bombarding the market. Many cleaning products are established such as Ajax and Soupline, which was first popular in France and is now sold in 54 countries around the world. The Palmolive dishwashing liquid was introduced in 1966 and can now be found on rack of your local grocery store. Irish Spring, Caprice hair care, and Protex, are brands that you are also probably aware of, proving to still be successful to this day, and can be found in over 70 countries. In 1976, they even acquired a leader in dog food named Hills, which shows to what extent they were confidently conquering the world horizontally with this wide variety of products. In 1983, one of todays extremely popular pr oducts, the Colgate Plus toothbrush, is launched. So many are sold annually that if you lined them up end to end, they would circle the globe 16 times. (Colgate Website) Soon after,a joint venture is made with leading oral care companies in Hong Kong. Acquisitions are made buying Murphy Oil Soap, Mennen,  Kolynos Oral Care, popular in Latin America, Gaba, prevalent in Europe, and they most recently bought Toms of Maine, a US based natural toothpaste. By 1989 the annual sales were surpassing 5 billion dollars, and by 1997, Colgate Total toothpaste is recognized as the market leader. With sales today surpassing the 15$ billion benchmark, Colgate continues to be a strong player in todays oral care market. Moreover, the company also conducts triple bottom line practices, reaching for success while targeting benefits for people, profits, and the environment. They have a You Can Make A Difference Program, which distinguishes the Colgate people for their grand efforts. Furthermore, they established Colgates HIV/AIDS initiatives in South Africa. As for performance and profit, they have been ranked in Business Week and GovernanceMetrics International Inc. as having the top Oral Care products. Concerning sustainable practices and respect for the environment, they contributed in a 40% decrease in water use, a 22% reduction in C02 emissions, and was the first of its industry to use recycled material in Europe. Market Industry and Market Analysis With over 24% category share in 2009, Colgate-Palmolive maintained its position as a world leader in oral care followed by Procter Gamble Co with 19.9% of company shares, and GlaxoSmithKline Pc with 9.9% (GMID company shares) (appendix with company shares graph). A significant reason why Colgate benefits from the highest market share in the oral care category is due to it high level of product development. They constantly launch new and innovative products, which gives them a competitive advantage in the market, and this is a big part of the companys strategy driving profitable growth. For example, in 2009 the company introduced the Colgate Wisp which was the first disposable mini-toothbrush with a breath freshening bead that allows the user to have a clean, fresh mouth with no water or rinsing. Due to their strong product development capability and focus on innovation, Colgate-Palmolive is in a position to continuously upgrade its product line regularly, thereby increasing custome r loyalty and revenues.   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Another reason why Colgate has been able to acquire such a high market share is because of its high focus on marketing, leading to strong brand equity. Their marketing strategies involve offering products based on consumers needs and communicating the benefits though methods like free sampling as well as the Internet. Using this approach worldwide has been successful in increasing sales but also in acquiring a larger size of the overall category of the market. A further reason why the market share is high is because the brand enjoys a strong level of consumer recognition. Therefore, they have the possibility of gaining leverage in new markets and maintaining loyalty of existing customers.   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   In addition to being a global leader in terms of company shares, Colgate Palmolive Co also has the highest brand share in oral care, with Colgate possessing 19.8% in 2009. The Colgate brand is followed by the Braun Oral-B brand having 9% of the market and then by Crest obtaining 6.4% of brand shares in that same year (GMID- product development) (appendix with brand shares graph). Other smaller but still significant competitors that Colgate-Palmolive faces in the oral care category include Johnson Johnson Inc, with their Listerine brand accounting for 6.4% of brand shares, followed by the Unilever group with Signal that has 4.1%, and finally GlaxoSmithKline Pc who owns the Aquafresh brand with 3.3% of brand shares.   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   It is important to note that although the Colgate brand is experiencing growth year after year, the oral care is a mature category with limited room for innovation. Even though there are some growth opportunities, because oral care accounts for around 63% of Colgate-Palmolives beauty and personal care revenue, it is highly exposed to a slump in this category. In addition to being a mature category, the oral care products are facing a higher level of competition from private labels, which again hinders the profitability of the category. The increasing purchase of private labels is largely due to the decreasing spending power, which is caused by the high level of unemployment in many sectors since the economic downturn occurred. With a minimal cost per purchase, maintaining a high level of brand equity allows Colgate to remain competitive versus lower cost rivals. It also prevents recently established firms from gaining ma rket share. With the threat of private label, Colgate increased their effort towards innovation and branding by promoting the fact that they are the most recommended brand by dentists. This has helped Colgate fight the competitive pressures they are facing in the market. Not only does Colgate face increased competition from low-market brands but also from their major competitors such as Procter Gamble oral care products, who are also looking to expand globally in more perspective markets. Therefore, it is primordial for Colgate to continue investing in product development catering to customer needs, in order to face their increasing competition.   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   There is also the issue of counterfeiting oral care products which is posing a significant threat to the company in terms of revenue loss. In 2009 thousands of tubes of fake Colgate toothpaste were recalled. This had a negative effect on customer satisfaction since purchasers of the authentic Colgate could stop buying this brand in the future believing that it is inferior to other brands and therefore decreasing customer retention (Datamonitor).   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Despite the significant threats that Colgate faced in the oral care category, the company intends to remain in a market leading position and continues to have globally recognized brands by seeking opportunities allowing them to do so. For instance, Colgate had begun taking advantage of the economic and population growth with developing and emerging economies such as Brazil, India and China. Each of these economies show very high growth prospects in terms of demand in the upcoming years for consumer goods like oral care products. For instance, it is expected that between 2009 and 2014, Brazil will be the fastest growing market in oral care by accounting for 20% of the global growth, followed by China with 18%, and India with 9%. Although Colgate-Palmolive dominates oral care in Brazil, China and India with 44%, 26% and 38% of market share respectively, it is essential for the company to maintain and increase its presence in these economies in order to reap the benefits of this growth rate (GMID-product development) (appendix with market presence graph). However, they have already begun facing strong competition from their rivals PG and Johnson and Johnson in these countries. Local players in India and China have also begun gaining importance in their individual markets. Domestic companies such as Yunnan Baiyao in China, and Dabur in Japan, have begun offering herbal/natural oral care products and there is a growing demand for them. Since Colgate is one of the most valued and recognized brands globally, they are in a good position to take advantage of this market and further increase their market share. Competitive Analysis of Oral Care in the Canadian Market In the Canadian market, as of 2009, Colgate-Palmolive was the second leading company, with 18% of the market share in the oral care sector, after PG who possessed 34%, and just before Johnson and Johnson, who owned 17% of shares (Euromonitor) (Appendix oral company shares 2005-2009). In terms of company shares by brand in Canada, in 2009, Crest led the oral care category with 18.6% of shares, followed by Colgate Total with 7.8%, Listerine with 7.1%, and Braun Oral-B with 6.4%. Refer to appendix xx for oral care brand shares.Nevertheless, during that same year, Colgate was a leader in the sales of toothpaste with 42% of the value share (with Colgate Total accounting for a total of 21.5%) followed by Crest with 30.2% (Appendix toothpaste brand shares). The third company was SmithKline Beecham Consumer Healthcare Inc (SBCH), whose 13% market share was largely due to the introduction of Sensodyne in 2007, which was very popular in the Canadian market. In reaction to this, Colgate launche d a similar toothpaste in 2009 for sensitive teeth called Colgate Pro Relief, which was clinically proven to deliver instant and lasting relief from sensitivity. Another significant rival in the oral care category in Canada is Johnson and Johnson whom, aside from having a big presence in toothbrushes and denture care, was the leader in mouthwash/dental rinses with its Listerine brand, holding 52% of the value share in 2009. Not far behind was Scope (PG) with 26%, and Peroxyl (Colgate) in fifth place with less than 1% share (mouthwash/dental rinses shares appendix).   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   When looking at PG, Colgates main competitor, their portfolio of brands in oral care category is highly diversified with Crest toothpastes and toothbrushes, whitening strips; Oral-B toothbrushes, and Scope mouthwashes/dental rinses. Also, like Colgate-Palmolive, PG continuously invest in strong marketing and advertising in order to maintain excellent brand image and brand awareness in the Canada. Therefore, in order to remain competitive and gain greater market share in the Canadian market, not only will Colgate need to continue to invest heavily in marketing, but a large amount will also have to be allocated towards innovation and product development. Knowing this, the company has recently introduced a multitude of new products including Colgate 360 ° ActiFlex, Colgate Max White, the re-launch of Colgate Total toothpaste and many more. Even though Colgate faces fierce competition in the Canadian market, there are many opportunities for them to exploit in order to gain market share. For instance, it is expected that tooth whitener products will be increasingly profitable, with a CAGR of 4% from 2009-2014 (Euromonitor). In addition, a CAGR of 3% is expected during that same period for manual toothbrushes, mouthwash/dental rinses and dental floss (Oral Care- Canada). Due to the increasing number of elderly people in Canada, it is expected that the denture care products will grow at a CAGR of 3% from 2009-2014.   It is essential for Colgate that they take advantage of these relatively high growth rates in Canada for the different oral care products, in order to acquire new customers and retain those who have been loyal to this day. Canadian Consumer Profile Being part of such a competitive market, Colgate aims to deliver maximized customer value to the market, offering a multi-product segment strategy. Colgate has identified all ages with any economic backgrounds as their target market, with the most focus on the baby boomer generation. There is an increasing growth of older demographics with low rate of childbirth, and this has had a direct impact on Colgate products. This shift resulted in a larger demand for oral care products that helps tooth discolouration, tooth sensitivity, and gum problems. The baby boomers usually have the highest disposable income, and they demand additional health benefits. This allows Colgate to position this segments products at a premium price. With this strategy, Colgate had 19.1% of sales from sensitive toothpastes in 2009, illustrating a profitable customer focus. As well, the recession in 2008 allowed Colgate to further focus their sales towards baby boomers. Due to the recession, the number of profess ional tooth whitening surgeries fell, which caused an increase in the demand for whitening toothpastes. Colgate, offering a wide variety of whitening toothpastes, was able to increase their sales in this sector, with sales of $78.2 million, which consists of 38.9% of their sales. It is also forecasted that the demand for tooth whiteners are to increase by 4% from 2009 to 2014. Not only is Colgate targeting baby boomers, but it is also targeting children to capture a long-term relationship with this age group as 6.8% of sales are from childrens toothpastes. For low to middle class consumers that are price-sensitive, Colgate offers traditional toothpaste. They comprise about 6.9% of their total sales. For quality-conscious consumers, Colgate offers wide variety of complete care toothpastes 18.2% of the sales. Colgate continues to increase brand recognition in this mature market to increase retention and loyalty by consistently offering a variety of products that best suit any customers needs. Strategy Product With over 20 different toothpastes, 11 different toothbrushes, 5 different childrens products, 10 different tooth whitening, and 10 different oral care specialties available in Canada, Colgate has successfully gained customer loyalty (see Appendix 1.1). This variety of products illustrates that Colgate has used a needs based segment strategy to attract every customer with different tastes. To list a few examples, Colgate Sensitive Pro-Reliefs feature of plugging and sealing open dentin tubules intends to gain interest from adults and elders whose sensitivity levels are much higher than other consumers. Moreover, Colgate Max Fresh mainly targets young adults with their different flavors and protection from bad breath. On the other hand, the idea of Colgate SpongeBob SquarePants Battery-Powered Toothbrushes was innovated to attract children, but it also was created with gentle bristles to protect their gums. From these following examples, it is obvious to note that Colgate is recognizi ng and understanding clients needs by providing the right products for each age group, which is a key factor when trying to increase loyalty and retain customers. Colgate continues to increase their value by positioning their products in all sectors of the market; from toothpastes that has no animal ingredients to attract vegetarians, or toothpastes that reduce the speed of the development of tartar above the gum line, to toothbrushes that are price-conscious or designed to remove odour-causing bacteria. By providing such a variety of products, they are preventing competition and substitution. Another factor that helped Colgate gain high awareness was through innovative packaging. For example, when Colgate was trying to penetrate the already existing whitening toothpaste market, they decided to come up with new premium packages matching their idea of creating sparkling and dazzling smiles. The toothpaste had a holographic package to catch attention. In order to make sure of this package, they used lead users strategy, where they gained a positive reaction, and therefore decided to launch the new product with this innovative packaging. Another example involves the launch of Colgate Max Fresh toothpaste in a unique clear tube. This new packaging was created for user convenience, so that the users know how much is left in the tube, notifying them when to replace it. With the slogan, find the right products that are best for you, Colgate strives to provide satisfaction to their consumers by supplying them with a range of products that meets their needs. In 2011, the company pl ans to continue innovation to meet consumer needs by introducing new products such as the Colgate Total Gum Defense, Colgate MaxClean SmartFoam toothpaste, Colgate 360 ° Surround, and Colgate Triple Action manual toothbrushes (http://investor.colgate.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=545863ReleaseType=Earnings)/ Promotion In order for Colgate to maintain its value in this competitive market, Colgate spent a total of $1,534 million in 2009. This expenditure was largely involved with the promotion of new, growing, and maturing products. When launching a new product, such as Colgate 360 toothbrush, their advertising objective was to be informative and persuasive. They used advertising, sales promotion, as well as the publicity approach, including advertising through cable T.V., consumer magazines, providing product samples, and utilizing point of purchase. Furthermore, they used lead user strategy, which helped create great word-of-mouth. (dentist recommended brand) Even though promoting new products is important, Colgate believes that it is also crucial to continue advertising the existing products in the maturity stage. Rather than promoting in order to be informative, objective for products in this stage involve successfully reminding the consumers in order to create greater retention. Reminding the consumers is essential since this helps consumers acknowledge Colgate products existence and availability, while preventing them from switching to their competitors. Through using the pull strategy, Colgate has invested a great deal of their revenue to sales promotion, personal selling, and direct marketing. By using extensive mass marketing, consumer promotion at point of purchase, and organizing special events where they aim to build one-on-one relationship and increase net marketing contribution. Pricing Colgate-Palmolives oral care subdivision offers a variety of toothpastes, toothbrushes, mouth rinses and dental floss. These products are characterized as being low priced, requiring minimal buyer effort, and are subject to mass distribution and promotion by the producer. Typically with these sorts of low-involvement products, price plays the most significant role in the decision-making process. However, recent consumer trends suggest an added perceived value of certain oral hygiene product attributes, in particular the newly launched whitening, sensitive, and total care products, which now account for over 76% of the value share of toothpastes in 2009. With price being the most flexible of the four marketing mix elements and changes in consumer trends, Colgate has developed dozens of different brand extensions at different prices ranging from $1.685 (per 100ml) to $5.871 (per 100ml) to reflect these changing demands (see appendix for further detail). Colgate therefore is primarily e mploying value-based pricing for these products as production costs do not significantly vary. Colgate has been particularly successful in doing so as people tend to be reassured when they buy a more expensive hygiene product, for they make the assumption that it is the best possible thing they can do for their teeth. However, with families and consumers tightening budgets and reducing consumption as a result of the continuing harsh economic climate, it will become harder for manufacturers such as Colgate to continue to raise prices for most oral hygiene products, even advanced formulations, as consumers will readily switch to similar competitors or private label brands. Toothbrushes, on the other hand, face different consumer behaviors. Despite the economic climate, Colgate has employed a similar value-based pricing strategy in its toothbrushes by introducing improved manual toothbrushes that are claimed to be superior to its basic predecessors, and therefore carry a higher price t ag. Colgate manual toothbrushes sold at a variety of retailers range from $1.99 to $5.99. This strategy has been particularly successful as Canadian consumers have developed loyalty to their brand of toothbrush for they sense a more significant difference between the regular and improved toothbrushes, thus dissuading many from switching or trading down, thus increasing consumer lifetime value and profitability. Colgate is also catering to more health conscious but price-sensitive consumers by increasingly introducing affordable electric toothbrushes. Distribution Being low priced, and requiring low consumer effort, Colgate products must be mass distributed and accessible to most if not all Canadians. Colgate employs an intensive distribution strategy aimed at a maximum market coverage which supports the application of product replenishment based on pull strategies, as these come closest to reflecting true consumer demand. Research suggests supermarkets are the largest distribution points for toothpaste as well as other oral care products, followed by mass merchandisers and drug stores. With that in mind, it would simply not be efficient for Colgate to sell directly to small distributors, therefore Colgate products often go through at least one wholesaler before reaching the shelves of our supermarkets. Colgate does however, directly sell to some of the larger retailer chains such as Wal-Mart, who purchase in such large volumes that it is more efficient to do so. Colgate therefore operates in what is called a parallel distribution network in w hich some retailers are forced to buy through a mass distributor while others are not. However, Colgate is working closely with small shop owners and local wholesalers through Joint Business Plans to ensure greater availability of Colgate products, as well as to provide the right assortment of products with the best visibility on the store shelves. Prior to distribution, while Colgate products are produced around the world, use of contract manufacturers is very limited as more than 90% of products were made in Colgate facilities. Colgate does concede however that the use of contractors often allows to optimize their supply chain capabilities, deliver innovative technologies, increase speed of delivery, and especially increases flexibility which is key in a rapidly changing marketplace. Three-year globalization contracts with their main suppliers enabled a reduction of the supplier base from 11 to 4 suppliers. For a key toothpaste ingredient, the supplier base was reduced from 7 to 3 to help achieve record savings and cost reductions. With optimized supply chain logistics and control over the manufacturing process, Colgate products are quick to move from their respective factories to stores all throughout Canada. In five years, Colgate managed to cut its time from product concept to retail shelves by 50%. Results Colgate-Palmolives CEO, Ian Cook, claims that his firm will continue to perform well given the current competitive and economic challenges and are committed to investing and growing our business and expanding our strong market positions (A-R 2009). Interestingly enough, Colgate-Palmolives company shareholders equity has bounced back from a ten year low, in millions, of 350 in 2002 to 3,116 as of 2009. Colgate-Palmolive (C-P) has clearly proven itself as a successful and innovative company year after year with solid financial results and consistent growth. In fact, the company claims to have obtained significantly superior results versus the SP index and the average of selected competition over the last 25 years. C-P obtained 3328% versus 2833% growth among competitors. Against the SP index the results are even greater compared with a 969% return to shareholders (Colgate TSRG). In Canada, Colgate-Palmolives launch of Colgate Sensitive Pro-Relief has been quite successful. It is now th e number one selling SKU and the firms number one competitor has reacted with deep discounting, though Colgate maintains that they have taken market share away once the subsidies cease. They plan to invest and grow while still seeking to further already strong market positions. Operating revenue has increased for Colgate Palmolive steadily over the last 5 years. Although revenues from fiscal year 2009 were virtually unchanged from 2008, operating cash flow was up over 43% in 2009. The firm has consistently maintained its gross profit as a percentage of sales above the 50% threshold, reaching close to 60% in both 2009 and 2010. In addition, diluted earnings per share have seen 65.5% growth from 2004 to 2009. EXPLAIN WHAT THE NUMBERS MEAN As of C-Ps last quarter, North America formed approximately 19% of sales and unit volume grew 3.5% and 4.0%. Operating profit increased 22%. Although the 2010 annual report and official audited results have yet to be released as to date, fiscal year 2010 worldwide sales were $15,564 million, up 1.5% versus full year 2009. Operating cash flow in 2010 was lower by 2% to $3,211 million, a considerable drop compared to the aforementioned 43% increase in 2009. However, North America remains sluggish, where operating profit decreased 8%. Reported sales gains were 2%, with a 3.5% increase in volume while accepting 2.5% increase in coupons and promotions. C-Ps free cash flow, before dividends, does however remain very strong; consistent with 2009 it exceeded 100% of net income. Net income and diluted EPS for fiscal year 2010 were $2,203 million and $4.31, versus $2,291 million and $4.37 in 2009. From the Statement of Cash flows, in is clear C-P has been increasingly using debt to increased capital. Proceeds from issuance of debt having increased approximately 3.5 billion and 231.4 % from 2007-10 with net cash used in financing activities also increased 45.5%. Capital expenditures have remained consistent since 2007. Despite increases in net income, depreciation and amortization have remained steady over the last 5 years, with no unusual increase or decrease. Total assets are also virtually unchanged from 2009 to 2010. In their 2008 annual report, Colgate stated that they spent over $1.6 billion marketing its products around the world. In other words, Colgate is spending an amount nearly equal to the book value of its equity capital, which accounts for about 11% of total sales, every year on marketing its products. This is evidently a significant amount of capital that will be creating value for the firm in future business. For a competitor to replicate this company, C-P clai ms that they would have to spend multiples of this amount to establish and develop the relationships that they have acquired over many years. They claim that the same is true for certain general, administrative, and research and development expenses; all of which are being expensed as incurred. In evaluating the firms results, it is thus imperative to include the intrinsic value of marketing efforts. Recommendations According to oral care forecasts in Canada, Colgate should definitely continue to maintain its position as a domestic leader in toothpaste since it represents the highest level of sales in the Canadian market. This can be done successfully by developing new products and affectively marketing each one respectively. Colgate should then focus on manual toothbrushes because they have the second highest level of sales, followed by dental rinses, tooth whiteners and then denture care, which do in fact show growth but at more modest levels of sales. Secondly, while basic products provide the necessary means of oral care, more expensive value-added products provide convenience and comfort to the consumers ready to pay higher prices, such as babyboomers. People usually tend to be reassured when they buy a more expensive product, because they feel assured that its the best possible thing they can do for their teeth. In addition to new product development, companies will focus on marketing and advertising support of their existing brands. Colgate should continue to remain on the high end scale of the oral care industry and maintain position in the high end category. Moreover, with respect to the Canadian market, they should invest more heavily in the mouthwashes considering that they have no market share while sales are the third highest in the oral care category after toothpaste and toothbrushes. As previously mentioned, the toothpaste market is generally not price sensitive and brand loyalty plays an important role in majority of the customers. Currently nearly 97% of the population in developed countries uses at least one variety of toothpaste. This gives marketers virtually no space to expand the market with new users. Consequently, adding or increasing value to the product is the preferred alternative. Technological progress made in recent years altered the toothpaste segment and made innovation a driving force. New advancements have led to the launch of a variety of high-priced, value-added multifunctional products in several oral care categories such as toothpastes and toothbrushes. Whitening toothpastes and products offering multiple functions are driving growth in the dentifrices segment. Currently, for major toothpastes, averting tooth decay is not sufficient, therefore guaranteeing benefits such as fresher breath, healthier gums and whiter teeth. More comprehensive products such as Colgate Total have strengthened Colgate-Palmolives market position substantially. Technological advancements in recent years have altered the toothpaste segment to one that offers additional benefits besides just fighting cavities. This made manufacturers roll out products with a lot of additional features that were not available previously. Over three-fourths of net sales come from outside United States, so in future years strengthening market position worldwide will be integral to triumph over the competition. In addition, the considerable revenues from international operations are key to sustaining the firms value proposition, as product innovation has revitalized the oral care market in recent years. To ensure future success Colgate must continue to invest in product in

Market Research Essay -- essays research papers fc

1. Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An increasing amount of attention is being paid in the literature to business Guanxi or relationship in Asia particularly in the business dominated economies of the Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China. Chinese business relationships and contracts that needs to be understood and worked within to successfully conduct business and management in most countries in the region. However, the attention is directed to the different perspective on the importance of guanxi to business practices and possible impacts of the guanxi on western firms’ success in China. In order for western firms to enter China market, they have to confront with complex and constantly changing ethical percepts in China (Wu, 1999) and different types of guanxi not only exist but also can be harnessed in an ethical fashion to create wealth (Leung et al., 1999). Dates back to the mid 1980s, Motorola’s presence operates the largest owned subsidiary in China and had moved their country from a centrally planned economy to a market economy. The Motorola has invested in China for a decade and is so far the largest foreign investor in China. Therefore, guanxi has an impact on Motorola to be an established company in China compared to their competitors, Siemens and Nokia. The limitation on this research is addressed. The continuous development and changes in market condition in China is of a certain period of time. This is because it needs to be adapted to fit the prevailing situation at that time. Moreover, interview session is difficult to conduct as the research is on Motorola-China and therefore it is heavily rely on secondary sources. 2. Guanxi’s implications to practices In recent decades, there have been several fundamental concerns for western companies in China. For the Motorola, they learn how to manage a socialist workplace culture in which employees depend on their state-run employers for housing, food transportation and other necessities. The managers also have to baffle by guanxi, the vulnerable Chinese practice of developing and nurturing intricate networks of personal relationship. Nevertheless, priority is sometimes given to them over bottom-line performance. As China is admission to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 2001, it has reduced tariffs and business prospects are likely to grow even more prom... ...stern. Fabtech. (2004, March 19). Available HTTP:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.fabtech.org/industry.news/008/21.01.shtml Forbes. (2004, March 19). Available HTTP: www.forbes.com/home/newswire/2003/07/03/rtr1018223.html Kahal, S. E. (2001). Busines in Asia Pasific. United States: Oxford University Press Inc. Noble, C. (1997). Asia Pacific Business. Australia: Charles Stuart University People’s Daily. (2004, March 13). Available HTTP:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.fpeng.peopledaily.com.cn/200011/05/eng20001105_54382.html People’s Daily. (2004, March 15). Available HTTP:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.fpeng.peopledaily.com.cn/200111/08/eng20011108_84118.shtml Recommendations For Western Firms While Operating in China. (2004, February 29)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Available HTTP: bigtp.com/inf_3.html Spotlight: China: Factory for the World. (2004, March 19). Available HTTP:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.bizsites.com/spotlight/china.html Testimony of Christopher B. Galvin. (2004, March 13). Available HTTP: www.finance.senate.gov/2-23galv.htm Workforce. (2004, March 15). Available HTTP:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.workforce.com/section/09/feature/23/56/96