The Multicultural Education Essay -- essays papers

The Multicultural Education John Searle addresses the â€Å"major debate†¦ going on at present concerning†¦ a crisis in the teaching of the humanities.† [Searle, 106] He goes on to defend the canon of works by dead white males that has traditionally made up the curriculum of liberal arts education. I disagree with many of his arguments, and believe that multiculturalism should be taught in the university, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. Openmindedness will take much more than just minimal changes in curriculum. In order for works by different races and women to be judged and studied alongside works by white men, they have to be seen as equal to works by white men. They have to be studied for their literary content, not for the statement they make about feminism or race. We don’t just need to evaluate them by the same standards, we need to change the standards. The standards set by the traditional liberal arts education have been set by white males and are inherently biased. Ne w standards need to be set that are as openminded as we want students to be. This is a trend that needs to be started way before college. A diverse curriculum should be taught throughout a person’s education, because that is what will produce well rounded, openminded individuals that will change the tradition of oppression in society. Searle says, â€Å"We should not be embarrassed by the fact that a disproportionately large percentage of the major cultural achievements in our society have been made by white males.† [Searle, 118] To this, I say yes we should! We should be embarrassed that there are people who don’t see that this â€Å"disproportionately large percentage† is not due to the overwhelming intelligence of the white male, but to centuries of oppression. Our culture hasn’t nurtured the intellectual efforts of women or minorities, their ideas and pursuits have been repressed, probably out of fear. We have a society dominated by white males, it shouldn’t be surprising that literature is too. We need to change the way our society view women and minorities. Trying to do this by changing the curriculum of college students is pointless. We need to start from the beginning, with the children. Children need to be taught that they exist as a part of the world, rather than just as a part of America. If worldliness is encouraged at a young age, it will replace the â€Å"us† and â€Å"them† mentali... ...be expanded to new ideas and cultures. University education should be an extension of, not a replacement for, grade and high school education. I think that, in general, we are on the road to a more openminded society. Children and young adults are more accepting than their parents and their grandparents, and I think if we encourage and appreciate this trend, it will continue on to their children. But, it is not the case in all families, and even if it were, family is only one of the influences in a child’s life. As they get older, they are increasingly influenced by outside factors, such as school, the media and culture. We need to encourage children and open their minds with all the tools we have available to us as a society. Children are the ones that will make up the bulk of the influential population in twenty years. Broadening their horizons is broadening the future’s horizons as well. As we change the way our society views women and minorities, as they are embraced as equals, we will start to see literary works of the same caliber, if not better than the works encompassed by the traditional canon. Then , we will be on the road to having a more diverse university education.

Primo Levis Survival in Auschwitz Essay -- Primo Levi Survival Auschw

Primo Levi's Survival in Auschwitz Reading the novel Survival in Auschwitz by author Primo Levi leads one to wonder whether his survival is attributed to his indefinite will to survive or a very subservient streak of luck. Throughout the novel, he is time and again spared from the fate that supposedly lies ahead of all inhabitants of the death camp at Auschwitz. Whether it was falling ill at the most convenient times or coming in contact with prisoners who had a compassionate, albeit uncommon, disposition, it would seem as though the Gods were always smiling upon him. Although throughout the novel primo is characterized as a very willing and competent individual, one can not say that his personality or his training as a chemist were the sole factors of his survival. For the purposes of this essay, it is necessary to further address the possibility that maybe Primo Levi was just a lucky guy. The very first lines of the novel support without a doubt the fact that even Levi (Hà ¤ftlinge # 174517) himself is aware of the capacity that luck plays in his life. He begins the novel with the phrase â€Å"It was my good fortune to be deported to Auschwitz only in 1944, that is, after the German government had decided, owing to the growing scarcity of labour, to lengthen the average lifespan of the prisoners destined for elimi- nation† (Levi 9). So, had he been captured prior to 1944, his story might not have been told. Seeing as life in Monowitz (aka Buna or the Là ¤ger) was particularly brutal upon his arrival, one can only imagine the conditions that existed before the Nazi war machine experienced its labor shortage. When compelled to consider the conditions in which Levi was forced to live, it is clear to see that the will to survive must be complemented by another factor, as this will alone is not at all strong enough to sustain life. Not only are the authority figures brutish and sadistic, but the code among the prisoners themselves is even more cutthroat. In addition, the â€Å"cuisine† is terrible and is summed up in the following passage: â€Å"...every two or three hours we have to get up to discharge ourselves of the great dose of water which during the day we are forced to absorb in the form of soup in order to satisfy our hunger†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Levi 61). Furthermore, the camp is arranged in a hierarchical system with each group of prisoners having corresponding... ...urvivors, how fortunate was he to be among them! Primo Levi’s voice in this novel is so emotionless, that one is forced to jettison all biases regarding the Holocaust until completion of the novel. He does not concern himself with how the reader will look at his role in the story he tells; it is his story, thus the reader need only read and formulate their own conclusions. Because his is the story that so many will never get the chance to tell. He comes off as the quiet submissive type, yet underneath this faà §ade is a very perceptive and clever human being. In fact, the saying â€Å"still waters run deep† just about sums up Levi’s personality. Recalling what was just written of Levi’s personality, it was premature to say that pure luck was the only guiding force in Levi’s survival; some credit must be given to the individual also. So it is of utmost importance to mention that his determination to survive and to provide an accurate, albeit, de tailed account of what he had endured was also a major factor in Primo Levi’s Survival in Auschwitz. Works Cited Levi, Primo. Survival in Auschwitz: The Nazi Assault onHumanity. Trans. Stuart Woolf. New York: Collier-Macmillan, 1987.

Hip-Hop and R&B Essay

It is safe to say that expressing oneself is exerted differently amongst individuals and forms, and in many cases an art is created. The list of different art forms, artists, art-type etc. extends, and a popular art form on this list includes music. Music is a category in relation to art, but also contains many categories within itself. It is a broad subject that connects from: Country, Pop, Gospel, Opera, Hip-Hop, Rap, Tech, R&B etc. I am an individual who sees the beauty and greatness in all music, but happens to be passionate about two particular genres previously listed. R&B and Hip-Hop are two genres of music that are capable of dissection into small details, separating their differences and similarities. When I listen to and/or observe these two genres, I tend to notice certain contrasts and comparisons. The two music genres, Hip-Hop and R&B, share many similarities and differences especially involving the formatting, lyricism, and tone and/or melodies. Hip-Hop and R&B songs are both constructed with different instrumentals, but sometimes vary in style. R&B songs tend to portray more of a relaxed, sensual feel, whereas Hip-Hop songs are more for dancing actively. Two of my favorite R&B and Hip-Hop songs at the moment, â€Å"Paint This House† and â€Å"Senile†, exemplify this. In these songs, like many others, certain keys are used promoting a base sound. Base appears often in Hip-Hip songs, and is usually recognized by its distinct sound in relation to a â€Å"boom† noise. Parties and clubs show how this sound incorporated with music affects people. Along with the crowd, the Hip-Hop songs’ instrumentals, inclusive of a base, makes people want to dance; as also, the case with me. The instrumental also plays a role in the vocalization of a song, leading to an artist’s approach to the song. When I hear certain R&B beats, I automatically think of how I would sing on it and lyrics. The simple formation of the instrumental affects my mindset and mood, leading to sadness, anger, or happiness etc. related lyricism. The occurrence of these emotions in songs could also display its genre. Various artists belonging to these groups outline their songs based on their  genre. The artist’s genre affects the song’s lyricism with the two genres’ different purposes. There have been countless times that I have altered the way I sing or rap a song, because of its genre amplifying or altering my mood. A television show I watched one time, broadcasted an interview with the R&B artist Brandy; an interview in which Brandy exemplified how the instrumental she received, moved her and in a sense, her voice. Most Hip-Hop artists’ songs differ in lyricism from R&B songs, to appeal to different audiences. Some people only enjoy certain types of music, leaving the void filled by artists that make such songs. Certain vocalization could also prove to attract people, like high-pitched vocals on songs. With the exception of a rapper on an R&B song, singers display more vocal-play on songs. With the melodies singers create, R&B songs differ from Hip-Hop songs; though Hip-Hop artists sometimes create melodies without always singing. Pop and rap songs played on the radio today provide examples of a method of singing, without having to actually sing much; this method is known as Auto-tune, which makes a computerized noise. A singer can also create a Hip-Hop song, though Hip-Hop songs are usually rap-oriented. Different R&B artists have experimented with rap in their music, reciting rap-influenced lyrics with a melody. Various cases even show how singers use Hip-Hop instrumentals at times, but sing personal, self-written, or unrelated lyrics. I have covered songs with friends in which I sang and was at an advantage on certain vocal parts, seeing as how I naturally sing. This ability allows me to alter songs in a different way, including Hip-Hop songs. ​Music is one factor possessing the ability of creation through countless amount of ways. A slight noise could trigger my instinct to create a melodic beat from it, and sing random lyrics. This effect is not only the case with me, but many musical geniuses existing today or previously. Music serves as a stress-reliever, escape etc. so it ultimately affects the production of a song. It is these changes in the formation, that leads to noticeable similarities and differences of a song. The music genres, Hip-Hop and R&B, play a major role in society differentiating whilst also relating; this, in terms of different factors shaping the production of a song. To make a song,  many aspects could be assessed connecting from choice of words, beat etc. These particular aspects are the main ones I pay attention to when listening to music, providing a platform in which to compare and/or contrast in many ways.

The Hurricane

The Hurricane (Viewing Task) How well does the composer manipulate the audience to believe that Rubin Carter was wrongly accused based on racial discrimination (1000-1500 words) There are many ways the composer of the 1999 movie ‘ The Hurricane’ manipulates the audience to believe that Rubin Carter was wrongly accused based on racial discrimination. The key ways in which the composer does this is through the structure of the movie and the use of techniques such as non-linear structure and foreshadowing.This movie is about an African American man who is faced with many complications over the course of his life including being ‘wrongly accused’ of killing three people which led to life imprisonment. The composer positions the viewer of the movie ‘The Hurricane’ to believe that Rubin Carter played by Denzil Washington was wrongly accused based on Racial discrimination. This is cleverly done with the real Rubin Carter playing a key role in providing all the voice overs and having a strong influence in how the movie is directed and ‘seen’.Characterisation also plays a key role in the way the composer manipulates the audience to believe that Rubin Carter was wrongly accused based on racial discrimination. This is achieved by showing only Rubin’s side of the story and depicting him as being treated completely unfairly and unjustly which is completely biased. The composer is also able to manipulate the audience through his characterisation of the prison staff and police officers in the movie.They are portrayed as being corrupt and this is shown through dialogue such as the scene when one of the victims of a shooting is on his death bed and is asked by the police officers to identify whether or not Rubin was the man who shot him. When the man replies â€Å"no†, the police officer sternly asks â€Å"Sir look closer, are you sure these aren't the men? † as if to intimidate the victim into identifying Rubin as the perpetrator.The police officer is then portrayed to be racist as he goes on to say ‘I’m going to take you black ass down’ which contributes greatly to the perception that the police officer is corrupt and that Rubin Carter was wrongly accused based on racial discrimination. The movie depicts the opposing legal team that are battling for Carter to be kept in jail as very racist. They constantly refer to Carter with a sense of disgust because he is an African American. The use of these techniques only add weight to the views of Rubin Carter which in turn makes the movie completely bias and anipulates the audience to believe that Rubin’s side is truthful and correct and that he was genuinely a victim of racial discrimination. Non-Linear structure also contributes to the way the composer effectively manipulates the audience to believe that Rubin Carter was wrongly accused based on racial discrimination. Non-linear structure is where effects such as flash backs are used which in turn means that not all events that take place in the movie are in chronological order which creates the sense that something is hidden Isabella Moro Monday, 3 December 2012 1:55:18 PM AET r not yet revealed to place the viewer in a position where they are able to ‘fill in the gaps’. The use of non-linear structure is present through the whole movie but the main focus is on one particular scene where Rubin is arrested shortly after gun shots were fired. More and more of these scenes are revealed over the course of the movie persuading the audience that Rubin is innocent because the flash backs (especially those in black and white) are portrayed as being completely factual and non-bias.However, what we have to remember is that the story is still being told from Rubin Carter’s point of view and therefore the accuracy of the flash backs are un-reliable. By using non-linear structure, the composer has been able to subtly and successfu lly persuade the audience that the story is factual and has therefore achieved to manipulate their views. Non-Linear structure is a key way that the composer successfully manipulates the audience to believe that Rubin Carter was wrongly accused based on racial discrimination.Another technique used over the course of ‘The Hurricane’ is foreshadowing, this technique is also a very effective technique used by the composer to manipulate the audience into believing that Rubin Carter was wrongly accused based on racial discrimination. Foreshadowing shows the build up of something significant such as a key event or a change in a character’s attitude or core beliefs. Foreshadowing is shown in particular over the course of the movie when Rubin Carter is in jail.There is a build up over time showing the different emotions Rubin went through, from being depressed and showing a lot of anger towards everyone, to a complete change of character when he met Lezra and his three o ther Canadian friends. Rubin is then put in a position where he has to choose between whether or not to trust these ‘white’ people to help him, or if he is just going to go back to his shorttempered, depressed self. This is a significant part of the movie as all other events shown so far lead up to this decision.After deep thought and a mental battle Ruben decides to choose to fight for his freedom as he knows he has been unlawfully imprisoned due to racism. The use of foreshadowing in this instance tries to portray Rubin Carter as a tortured victim of racial discrimination. The use of foreshadowing in this movie is a key technique the composer uses to successfully manipulate the audience to believe that Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter was wrongly accused of murdering three innocent people due to a decision solely based on his race.In conclusion, the movie ‘The Hurricane’ is not a reliable representation of the events that led to the imprisonment of R ubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter and is in fact a bias depiction of the real life events told from the point of view of Rubin Carter himself. The movie expresses his views on how he was unfairly accused of murder because of his race. Through the use of characterisation, non-linear structure and foreshadowing the composer is able to manipulate and effectively convince the audience that Rubin Carter was wrongly jailed based on racial discrimination. The Hurricane (Viewing Task) Isabella Moro Monday, 3 December 2012 1:55:18 PM AET The Hurricane The film The Hurricane directed by Norman Jewison claims to accurately depict the life of injustice suffered by middleweight champion Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter. The director uses casting, characterisation, lighting and music in order to convince the audience of Carter’s innocence. Jewison uses evidence, in some cases false, to manipulate the audience into believing that the Hurricane is and always has been an innocent man. This clever manipulation is clearly evident in his casting and characterization choices of Lezra to emotionally vest audiences into his journey alongside Rubin Carter’s.This technique is also used to create and perfect the other cast members to guide viewer’s thoughts and opinions as the director wishes. Furthermore, the lighting and music are blatantly manoeuvred to garner an emotional reaction from audiences, this is apparent in the poignant scenes of Carter as the victim of tragic injustice. Without Jewison’s clear bias fi lmmaking, the audiences would have been left with a different view of Carter. Casting and characterization in the film The Hurricane are utilized to persuade viewers of The Hurricane’s innocence.The casting of the characters Rubin Carter, Lezra Martin, Lisa Peters, Sam Chaiton, Terry Swinton and Lt. Jimmy Williams was necessary to create the image of goodness, as we associate attractive people with being good and kind hearted. Athletically appealing actors have been cast in all these roles in order for us to automatically assume them to be good. However, Det. Sgt. Della Pesca and the Prison Warden (the major villains) are cast as old, overweight, balding men to assure us of their wickedness.By casting Rubin Carter as an attractive man the director persuades us into believing in Carter’s innocence. Furthermore, the character of Lezra Martin is carefully created to work as an audience stand in for the film. This technique is used so Lezra works as our stand in to Carterà ¢â‚¬â„¢s life. Lezra, like the viewer is new to Carter’s life and his story, while he learns about Carter, so do the audience, as he grows to love and trust Carter, so do the audience. Like Lezra the viewers become attached and emotionally vested in The Hurricane, so the questioning of his innocence becomes ludicrous to the viewers.The film technique of manipulating the viewer’s perspective is also found in the use of lighting. The use of lighting in the film The Hurricane positions the viewer into trusting that Hurricane Carter is an innocent man. Jewison’s use of lighting to persuade the viewer is evident in an early scene depicting Carter and Della Pesca facing towards each other, the only light in the frame is on the operating table behind them, so the audience can only see the side on silhouettes of both Rubin Carter and Det. Sgt.Della Pesca but no detail in their faces. In this scene, we see the stark contrast of their profiles, The Hurricane’s soft features and Della Pesca’s pointed and upturned features. This technique which has been used since the times of ancient Greek theatre is used to depict the proganist , usually the hero, with soft flowing features and the antagonist, usually the villain, with sharp, pointed features. By doing this, Norman Jewison has automatically positioned the audience to see Rubin Carter as a good and innocent man.This sort of positioning is also particularly evident in Jewison’s use of music in the film. Norman Jewison emotionally influences the viewer into believing that Carter is innocent through his meticulous use of music in The Hurricane. The audience slowly finds themselves emotionally attached to the story through subtle but effective music. At various points in the film a grave, slow, low, jazz melody plays which always coincides with a scene where the viewers are positioned to believe injustice is shown.When Della Pesca interrogates a young Rubin Carter, when Rubin is brou ght into the hospital of the victim, during The Hurricane’s first trail as well as when Carter is put into solitary confinement by the ruthless prison warden. The audience is persuaded into associating this music with injustice, so with the use of this music at the right point, such as when The Hurricane is imprisoned the viewers automatically believe it is injustice, which causes us to feel emotionally effected by this and believe in his innocence.Norman Jewison positions viewers of the film The Hurricane to see Rubin Carter as an innocent man. This is done through casting the protagonist’s role to an aesthetically pleasing man, the casting of the antagonist’s role to an older, unattractive man, the characterisation of Lezra Martin, the precise lighting of scenes and the meticulous use of emotion triggering music. Without these manipulative film techniques, viewers would have been left with a different image of Rubin Carter and a greater doubt of his innocence.

Culture and packaging Essay

Packaging is considered to be an integral part of the product and is the first point of contact with the brand for a consumer product. So, most of the companies that do business internationally redesign their packages for each market. The principle reason is that expectations and utilizations of consumers vary across cultures. The world’s two leading industrial powers, U. S. and Japan have almost opposite approaches to packaging. Packaging is recognized as an expression of culture in Japan and designed to be appreciated, whereas in America cultural aspect is largely ignored and packaging is calculated to be accepted. Foods that only Japanese eat have beautiful, traditionally designed wrappings that resemble handmade paper or leaves and accommodate scan able bar codes. Such products look Japanese and are intended to do so. Products that are foreign, such as coffee, look foreign even to the point of having only Roman lettering on the can. We speak of global villages and international markets, but packages reveal some unexpected cultural boundaries. Few examples of such cultural implication of packaging are- Canadians prefer to drink milk out of flexible plastic pouches that fit into reusable plastic holders while Americans are believed to be so resistant to the idea that they have not been given the opportunity to do so, Japanese consumers prefer packages that contain two tennis balls and view the standard U. S. package of three as cheap and undesirable, Germans insist on highly detailed technical specifications on packages of videotapes, while Americans don’t, Swedes consider blue Colour of packaging as masculine whereas Dutch consider it to be feminine and so on. (Eric, J. A. et al. , 2004, p. 298) Culture & Packaging Colour Schmitt and Simpson (1997) states, Colour is one of the many marketing tools that global managers use to create, maintain, and modify brand images in customers’ minds while Schmitt and Pan (1994) discovers, Colour is also an important component of many corporate and brand-building cues, such as logos, packages, and displays. It is a commonality reflecting in the views of both the authors that- Colour is one of the major element which affects consumer perception regarding a brand. The research results show cross-cultural patterns of both similarity and dissimilarity in Colour preferences and Colour meaning associations. Colour used in packaging is equally important in determining a product’s desirability. â€Å"James Mandle, a Colour consultant, changed the Colour of Ty-D-Bol’s toilet bowl cleanser bottle from light and green to stark white letters on a dark background. He believed that the original Colours were â€Å"too wimpy† and that the new, bolder Colours would connote strength and cleanliness. In an 18 month period following the change of Colour, sales of Ty-D-Bol jumped 40% (Lane 1991). † (Thomas, J. M. et al. , 2000, p. 91) Packaging is not about Colour only there are various other factors involved in it. Factors like design shape of the package, text on the package and other factors of the packaging. But it is true that Colour is the most important attribute in terms of attracting the attention of the consumer. Packaging is not only made up of a single Colour but combination of Colours to create a brand image. So preferences in regard to combination of Colours also vary across cultures. Few examples of such combinations are of pairing Colours with green and red. The Colour best paired with green is yellow in Canada, Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan, blue in Columbia, and white in Austria. Only the Chinese and Taiwanese pair green with red as red is a potent Colour in China. In Brazil and the US people pair red with black, whereas in Canada, and China, the preferred combination with red is yellow. ( Mooij and Marieke K. de, 2004) Culture & Packaging Information Packaging not only protects and contains a product but also provide the consumer with loads of information about the product such as its composition, correct use etc. For instance, packaging of foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals provides information regarding the name of the product, manufacturer, country of origin, â€Å"best before† date and expiry date, ingredients and additives or composition of drug along with quantity and price. Since packaging is subject to country-specific legislation so ear of legal action has made many companies in the US and the UK includes all sorts of warnings on label instructions on consumer goods. On bar of Dial soap: â€Å"Directions: Use like regular soap. † On a Sears hairdryer: â€Å"Do not use while sleeping. † On packaging for a Rowenta iron: â€Å"Do not iron clothes on body. † On Nytol sleep aid: â€Å"Warning: May cause drowsiness. † On a child’s Superman costume: â€Å"Wearing of this garment does not enable you to fly. † On Sainsbury’s peanuts: â€Å"Warning: contains nuts. † On Marks & Spencer bread pudding: â€Å"Product will be hot after heating. † On Boot’s child’s cough medicine:† Do not drive a car or operate machinery after taking this medication. † ( Mooij and Marieke K. de, 2004, p. 265) In the present scenario various countries have included packaging waste into hazardous matter to contribute in pollution. This led the government to adopt some policies to restrict the use of non recyclable products as a packaging material where it is not required. These have also posed challenge among business organizations to try and find out recyclable materials and present themselves as a responsible corporate citizen among the stakeholders. This is also one aspect of culture which leads to this kind of environmental concern approach. Culture & Packaging Images/Pictures Imagery is an important element of packaging, as it enhances the accessibility of packaging information. As said by Bolen (1984), visual information in advertisements generally attracted more attention and was noticed before verbal advertising content. While Alesandrini (1982) declared, visual information may serve to attract consumer’s attention and set expectations for the contents of the verbal elements; the visual information thus serving as an â€Å"advance organizer† for the verbal elements of packaging. (Underwood et al. , 2001) Different culture recognizes various symbols differently with different meanings altogether. Picture that is very meaningful for people in one culture as it expresses important values of that culture can be completely meaningless to the people of the other culture. For instance, a box of pineapple cookies sold in Singapore has an image of a lion, as in Singapore lion is considered to be a symbol of royalty. Hence, if the similar box of cookies is launched in UK it won’t be given equivalent importance as in Singapore due to the differences lying in culture. Culture & Packaging Communication Customer or prospect judges the products on the basis of its name as well. Language used on the product package including its brand or product name creates impression among consumers. Consumer interprets the information selectively on the basis of his culture and his own personal factors. Different aspects of marketing communications like corporate identity, brand name, package design, and advertising styles impacts consumer in certain ways. Marketing communications styles are interrelated with personal communication styles. Chinese-speaking consumers tend to judge a brand name based on its visual appeal whereas English speakers judge brand name based on whether the name sounds appealing. In Asia, visual symbolism is a key aspect of a firm’s corporate identity. A comparative study of package design across seven countries found that packages differ both in three-dimensional design and in the way they communicate through graphical design and vary in the use of textual information; use of Colour, shape, and symbolism; and degree of structure and detail in the package design. All the above differences are highly influenced by culture. Even the product category is influenced by the packaging design, for example Deodorant is communicated differently from cigarettes, and that is reflected in its design of the packaging. ( Mooij and Marieke K. de, 2004, p. 213) Why it is important to understand culture & differences in cultures? It is always very important for a marketer to understand the culture of his target market place. Many good products have failed in the market only due to ignorance of socio- cultural aspects. There are underlying components that influence culture such as religion, family, customs, politics, weather, etc, which must be taken into account when marketing products on an international basis. Consequently, it is important for marketers to be aware of the 25% of cultural differences in the world market to promote their product properly. Therefore, it is of great importance to understand similarities and differences in culture which also affects the consumer purchasing behaviours across the cultures. (Weber, J. M. et al. , 2002, p. 396) Tastes and preferences of consumers vary in different part of world. In the European continent itself consumer preferences and taste varies so much that retailers Marks & Spencer had to made different advertising campaigns for each country. Initially Marks & Spencer has a single uniform advertising for the whole of Europe in 2001. Later it recognized its weakness and immediately changed the advertising campaign according to the taste and preference of different parts of European continent at the end of 2001. Toyota’s model ‘Camry† was a huge success in US which it tried to launch in UK market in 2000. It was a huge failure due to difference in the lifestyle and cultural set up of these two countries. Toyota re-launched it later with changes in the model according to the European culture and it was a huge success. Companies have to estimate the strength of their products along with the market they are trying to trap irrespective of their own brand name and value. One of the mistakes by the snacks giant Kellogg’s is Indian market was with its breakfast cereals. Within Indian culture people tend to eat heavy breakfast in the morning. In such market breakfast cereals as a healthier alternative to the heavy Indian breakfast was unattractive offer to the Indians. Later on company improved its communication strategies and compared it with traditional chapattis (Indian breads). Even in that case Kellogg’s could sell to a Westernized niche market only. So it is quite clear from the above examples that thorough understanding of the culture as well as its differences across cultures is very important to survive in today’s competitive environment. There are some other companies which have done very well in understanding various markets on socio-cultural dimensions like Disney, Pizza hut, dominos, Mc-Donald’s and others. Success pf these brands was result of their conscious effort to keep the significance of culture in their minds. These companies went local irrespective of their global operations for each and every market for them. One such example is Mc-Donald’s. The reasons behind success of Mc-Donald’s in foreign markets apart from a strong brand image and consistent service a standard around the world is, its advertising which is local and its product offer has a local touch. Examples are the Kiwi burger in New Zealand; the Maharaja Mac in India; the Prosperity burger in Malaysia; the Teriyaki burger in Japan; the McKorket in the Netherlands; McLaks, a grilled salmon burger, in Norway; and the Croque McDo in France that refers to the popular French â€Å"Croque Monseiur†, a hot ham and cheese sandwich. Advertising by McDonald’s in France tied into local habits and symbols. In 2001, for example, advertising for McDonald in France tied into â€Å"Asterix and Obelisk,† the most famous historical cartoon of the nation. Hence, localization makes it increasingly important for marketing and advertising people to understand the influence of culture. ( Mooij and Marieke K. de, 2004, p. 18) Importance of Colours can not be ignored in the case of international markets. Colours are associated with different cultural beliefs, moods and meanings. Understanding of these aspects of Colour, culture and society helps the organization to develop appropriate strategy. As said by (Kirmani 1997: Schmitt and Pan 1994), one marketing cue that global managers can use regardless of location is Colour. The effects of culture on the meaning associated with Colours are very critical for international marketing purposes. â€Å"Wagner, the creator of the Wagner Colour Research Institute, contends that Colours are associated with certain images (Lane 1991). For example, Blue is associated with wealth, trust, and security: Gray is associated with strength, exclusively, and success: and orange denotes cheapness. These associations may explain why banks are more likely to Colour their logos and collateral using Blue or Gray rather than orange ( Seitel 1993). It is cultural background due to which Colour has a strong effect on choice of a customer. It is important to understand which Colours are preferred by people in different cultures. It will help to create, maintain, or modify brand images in consumers’ minds. The associated with Colours and combination of Colours are important to understand for any marketer. â€Å"Colour combinations are considered culturally bound with certain ideologies and traditions (Geboy 1996). For example, black on red signifies happiness to Chinese people and is commonly used for wedding invitations while a combination of red over white represents celebration and signifies the life force to the Japanese ( Tektronix 1998). (Thomas, J. M. et al. , 2000) After Colour it is cultural beliefs which have impact on the consumer minds. It is important to understand the beliefs related to target product category within the target market place. For instance in India people feel that ancient herbal methods are good choices over the cosmetic options available today. This led various cosmetics company in India to launch their promotional programs comparing their product with traditional methods or showing the products equivalent to the traditional benefits. In these leading brands like Lux, Fair & Lovely and many others are present. Success of a fair and lovely brand due to the fact that Indians believe fairness is beautiful. Vicco turmeric cream is another example which positioned itself as a cream that would be useful for would-be brides to enhance their complexions, as applying turmeric for skin care is a part of the Indian tradition. These types of behaviour which are associated with a specific culture or belief can also be associated with different product categories such as, for instance, the bindi worn in most parts of India. It is important that the brand name selected for such a product category should have an ethnic-sounding name whereas a Western name is prone to be counter-productive. (S Ramesh Kumar, 2003) Another product category is food where the role of mother and grand mother is considered important. This is the reason all spices, traditional quick meals and cooking oil etc contain some or more of the mother’s recipe kind of concept. Not only that change in the societal socio-cultural structure can also be seen as some of the advertisement in India show modern man helping their women in their work as well like washing clothes or taking care of child. There is a strong need to understand and consider the culture which constitutes of the values, beliefs and habits of consumers which show a discrepancy across the nations. The other aspect of the changing cultural environment and upcoming trends are also important to understand.

Diversification Strategies Essay

Diversification is a form of corporate strategy to increase profitability of a company through greater sales volume obtained from new products and new markets. It occurs either at the business unit level or at the corporate level. It is a risk management technique that mixes a wide variety of investments within a portfolio. It attempts to smooth out unmethodical risk events in a group so that the positive performance of some investments will neutralize the negative performance of others. Companies may diversify for strategic objectives, expected outcomes, valuable comparison between strategy and expansion. Some companies diversify by conquering new positions through mergers and acquisitions whiles others diversify when there are not much growth opportunities for the market they are in. There are many reasons for pursuing a diversification strategy, but most pertain to management’s desire for the organization to grow. Companies must decide whether they want to diversify by going into related or unrelated businesses. They must then decide whether they want to expand by developing the new business or by buying an ongoing business. There are advantages to diversification, beyond simply expanding one’s product line. For example, a diversified company is potentially better insulated against a loss of revenue in one business tranche. Diversification strategies are used to expand firms’ operations by adding markets, products, services, or stages of production to the existing business. The purpose of diversification is to allow the company to enter new lines of business that are different from current operations. When the new venture is strategically related to the existing lines of business, it is called concentric diversification. On the other hand, when the new and the old businesses are unrelated it is classified as Conglomerate diversification which occurs when there is no common thread of strategic fit or relationship between the new and old lines of business, meaning the new and old businesses are unrelated. Compare and contrast the two businesses—core business, their size, financials, global presence, use of e-business (marketing, sales, etc. ). Johnson & Johnson Inc. – Successful  Johnson & Johnson is an American multinational pharmaceutical company founded in 1886, manufacturing sterile surgical supplies. Its core business is the manufacturing of medical devices and consumer packaged goods. Its common stock is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is listed among the Fortune 500. The corporation has grown to have more than 250 operating companies in 60 countries employing approximately 116,000 people, producing medicines and medical devices, as well as consumer products like sanitary goods, baby shampoo and dental floss. National Semiconductor Corporation – Unsuccessful National Semiconductor Company has an international reputation for semiconductors. The pioneering chip maker offers a variety of integrated circuits (ICs), especially analog and mixed-signal (blending analog and digital functions) chips. Its products focus on analog chips, which transform physical information – light, sound, pressure, even radio waves – into data that a computer can use. National Semi’s chips are used in wireless, networking, medical, solar, automotive, and industrial applications. It gets more than 75% of sales from customers outside the US, largely to contract manufacturers that serve its OEM customers. In the 1970s, the company tried to make electronic consumer products in addition to the semi-conductors that went inside them. Compare and contrast their outcomes (one successful, one unsuccessful) Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson is a diversified healthcare company that develops, manufactures and markets products in three primary lines of business: Pharmaceuticals (41% of sales), Medical Devices and Diagnostics (35%) and Consumer Products. Since the 1900s, the company has pursued steady diversification. It added consumer products in the 1920s and created a separate division for surgical products in 1941 which became Ethicon Inc. It expanded into pharmaceuticals with the purchase of McNeil Laboratories Inc. , Cilag, and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, and into women’s sanitary products and toiletries in the 1970s and 1980s. In recent years, Johnson & Johnson has expanded into such diverse areas as biopharmaceuticals, orthopedic devices, and Internet publishing. Recently, Johnson & Johnson has purchased Pfizer’s Consumer Healthcare department. The transition from Pfizer to Johnson and Johnson was completed December 18, 2006. National Semiconductor Corporation The company wasn’t suited for retail manufacturing, and was crushed by companies that were. By the time digital watches became popular in America; National had been driven from the marketplace, suffering losses that overshadowed its success in semiconductors. Analyze the three primary reasons for the different outcomes. First, Johnson & Johnson diversified into items that are strategically related to the company’s existing lines of business. Johnson & Johnson is a diversified healthcare company that develops, manufactures and markets products in three primary lines of business: pharmaceuticals, medical devices and diagnostics and Consumer Products. On the other hand, National Semiconductor Corporation entered into the production of unrelated products which is not common thread of strategic fit or relationship between the new and old lines of business, meaning the new and old businesses are unrelated. Second, Johnson & Johnson diversified through mergers and acquisitions of new companies. For instance, it expanded into pharmaceuticals with the purchase of McNeil Laboratories Inc. , Cilag, and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, and into women’s sanitary products and toiletries in the 1970s and 1980s. In recent years, Johnson & Johnson has expanded into such diverse areas as biopharmaceuticals, orthopedic devices, and Internet publishing. Recently, Johnson & Johnson has purchased Pfizer’s Consumer Healthcare department. The transition from Pfizer to Johnson and Johnson was completed December 18, 2006. On the other hand, National Semiconductor Corporation entered into diversification to make electronic consumer products in addition to the semi-conductors that went inside them. They did not embark on growth strategy through acquisition and mergers. They had stiff opposition and were crushed by companies suited for retail manufacturing. Lastly, Johnson & Johnson diversification strategy is well matched to the strengths of its top management team members which are factored into the success of that strategy. On the other hand, National Semiconductor Company top executives did not manage diversification effectively. Recommend two actions the unsuccessful one could have made to make their diversification venture successful First is that National Semiconductor should ensure a diversification strategy which is well matched to the strengths of its top management team members and factored into the success of that strategy. Different diversification strategies require different skills on the part of a company’s top managers, and that factors should be taken into consideration before firms are joined. For instance, the success of a merger may not depend only on how integrated the joining firms become, but also on how well suited top executives are to manage that effort. Secondly National Semiconductor should diversify into related products where they can control the market. To conclude, I must say that if diversification strategy is done strategically to relate to the company’s existing line of business or diversified through mergers and acquisitions of new companies with the support of its top management team members, then its objective of growth and risk taking can be achieved.

State corportate crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

State corportate crime - Essay Example Dailmer-Benz came into existence in the year 1926. It was mainly because of the Nazi Party’s help the company was successful to make a rapid growth in the world market. Warfare was the main thing which helped the company in its business. In any case, the company took a safe side of an opportunist organization during the World War II. This is why it was successful in remaining untouched even in the time of Allied Force’s recurrent bombing. As far as we can know from the company’s history, labor exploitation had reached to its zenith during this time and the most unfortunate Jews were the preys to that situation. On the other hand, some American corporations were too clever to stand by both the Americans as well as the Nazis. This was done for the fulsome benefit which they had prospected in the warfare. We get two of the major American automobile companies’ name in this context; they are: General Motors and Ford. Expansion was an ever going process for these companies from the early 1930’s. But, with the beginning of World War II, they realized the golden chance to make the best use of the troublesome market. Many of us will be shocked to know about their deeds in that period. Ford and General Motors were directly involved in helping the Nazis in the warfare. Both the companies supplied 90% of the vehicles, especially trucks, used by the Nazi Army. There were two types of trucks which were built by these corporations. They were the â€Å"mule† trucks and â€Å"heavy-duty† trucks. Nazi German Eagle was an award which was given by the Nazis for any help or patroniz ing from somebody or some organization. It will almost unnerve us to know that the very first person to get this award was the Chief Executive of Ford, although being an American company. The nation America was fighting against the Nazis to save the lives of Jews and