Fair trade has more benefits for suppliers than free trade. To what Essay

Fair trade has more benefits for suppliers than free trade. To what extent do you agree with this statement - Essay Example The supporters of fair trade are of the opinion that the various problems related to the imbalances in the society and the environmental problems arise as a result of free market trade. This essay tries to analyse the phenomenon of fair trade from the point of view of the suppliers. The various economic theories have been explored in this context. Before proceeding with any elaboration of the various nuances of fair trade, it is essential o define the various aspects of fair trade. Fair trade is a movement which is aimed at promoting the labour standards as well as the environmental standards. It also includes setting a definite standard for the policy objectives which are aimed at the improvement of the societal welfare. Fair Trade is to be distinguished from free trade since free trade is that which depends on the market forces of demand and supply solely and would mean the removal of the different types of qualitative and quantitative barriers like tariffs and quotas. On the other hand Fair Trade would involve the promotion of the trade in the developing economies or the sectors which otherwise may not be able to compete with the international competitors. Exports being the focus of it from developing to developed countries. FINE proposed the most crafted definition of free trade in the year 2001. The fair Trade labelled p roducts must be in line with the standards practised by the Fair Trade Organizations. The FLO or the Fair Trade labelling Organizations International is the responsible authority for regulating the certification standards as well as labelling of the products and stipulate the minimum criteria for each product to be labelled and sold as fair Trade (Mohan, 2010, pp. 17-24). A number of criteria are present that distinguish the fair trade products from that of the other products in the market. First of all the producers are paid a minimum price by the traders. This ensures

Impact of Guilds on Medieval Life Research Paper

Impact of Guilds on Medieval Life - Research Paper Example Guilds were the early associations of skilled workers that originated in the European countries – mostly, France, Germany, England and Italy – which had the written consent of the authority of their region to manage the workforce relevant to the requirements of job owners. Guilds had their advantages of working as collective union whereby ensuring employment opportunities to all the members with reasonable wages and social respect. They held high regards from the monarchs and clergymen for the unique knowledge they possessed for accomplishing the required merits at their desired fields of work. This essay focuses on the influence of guilds in industry, trade and economy across the world during the medieval period. Origin and Extend Guilds were probably the first organized group of individuals set for contributing money and effort towards a common goal in the history of mankind. They comprised the involvement of people from all walks of life which had the original root f rom the Anglo-Saxon civilization throughout Europe. According to Staley, as early as the period of Roman Empire, trade unions were formed with the association of men of similar age, interests, instincts and employment skills and trained for the purpose of the wellbeing and the moral guidance of the society (33). Early guilds were effectively trained by the trade schools for the military purposes and for the constructive requirements of kingdoms. Trained guilds were able to handle jobs in organized sectors, and most of them provided employment to individuals working from their homes. Organized activities of guilds had their influence greatly on the administrative sectors of revenue and merchandise in the early European economy. Since the ancient trade involved international transport of commodities, merchants had formed guilds that operated their business mainly through sea-routes. These trade gilds were the founders of sub-classes of business processes like wholesalers, retailers an d business agents in their domestic as well as international commerce. The foremost of all their achievements was the formation of colonies in foreign countries for the easy access to international business. A clear reference of the proceedings of the early merchant guilds focus the light to the centralized business management applications they employed in the international commerce. Some studies like that of Richardson show that these guilds had a strict regulation of a contractual relationship among members by which they were collectively responsible for the default of each member; and in case of the goods being forfeited at a foreign port for alleviating bad debts, the owner could claim for compensation from the actual defaulter at his home country. Craft guilds, on the other hand, focused on the promotion of particular trades and owned small work units that usually operated from home. Their basic segment of work related to conversion of agricultural commodities to consumable goo ds and their sales in the open market. Bakers, butchers and brewers were the most important category that held the profession in the consumer goods trade. More durable goods were the elements of manufacture guilds that produced goods and sold them in distant markets besides meeting the demands of the local buyers. Under the durable’

Aboriginal land rights in Australia Research Proposal

Aboriginal land rights in Australia - Research Proposal Example o Aborigines, Diane Bell has boldly expressed it as a sign that there is a drastic alteration in the legal and administrative stance to the acknowledgment of Aboriginal rights in Australia. Bell further justified her claims through pronouncing these statements;"Nowhere are these changes as striking as in the struggle of the Aboriginal people to gain recognition of land rights. This struggle has involved both moral and legal re-examinations of the relationship between a settler population and the original inhabitants. The wording of the Land Rights Act Northern Territory (1976) and the reference to customary law both assume that Aborigines have rights and a system of law, and that these have existed for many thousands of years. Such propositions would have been unthinkable two hundred years ago, when Australia was settled as a British colony. Not only has the legal profession had to rethink its judgments and governments to legislate to recognize aspects of Aboriginal Rights, but th e Aborigines themselves have organized locally and nationally to bring the grievances and the injustices suffered by their people to the attention of other Australians and to people abroad."1 Nevertheless, there are alarming difficulties regarding the debate on land rights. The issue has branched out extensively to include political implications which made it extremely complicated to represent objectively and impartially. In a scholarly matter, it is rather inappropriate to provide an in-depth analysis of the causes of the land rights battle while it is still being fought. Neutrality of opinion regarding a politically charged state of affairs can be then argued as an indication of support to the conservative racist forces in Australia which combat the bestowing of land rights to the original inhabitants of Australia. Nonetheless, there is an urgent need to expose and investigate the issues revolving around the land rights movement since arguments and raison d''tre on both sides of the problem are dreadfully ambiguous. A tranquil and balanced evaluation of the diverse issues of the land rights movement can possibly generate a remedial and enlightening effect and conceivably guide those who are fervently faithful to the land rights proposal to come up with a persuasive way in presenting their case. Many Australians advocate the recognition of the Aborigine's traditional land rights which constitute the right to utilize and subsist on the land that they have previously occupied. The supporters of the land rights movement give their best hopes that a greater recognition of these customary rights, which is termed as the native title, would smooth the progress of compromise between Aborigines and white Australians. However, the land claims of the Aborigines demonstrate composite legal concerns, such as the problems that granting of native titles will cause to private welfare in the land that have existed in Australia over the past two decades. The complex issue over land rights necessitates the vitality of confronting the problem with the deep-seated legal principles regarding land rights of aboriginal people. The Land Rights Movement In the 1960s, the Aboriginal land rights movement inaugurated its emergence as a "movement", as such. The term "movement" is quite an inappropriate word to use since the

Are eating disorders directly connected to the media Term Paper

Are eating disorders directly connected to the media - Term Paper Example Role models represented in the media are often mostly appearance and too often, little substance. According to perceptions precipitated by the media girls are ideally blonde, tall and slim with unblemished complexions. The idea of the ‘Barbie complex,’ propagated primarily by the media, positions the ‘norm’ of society at practically impossible standards. This has fashioned a culture that is exceedingly focused on appearance to the great disadvantage of most persons within it. There is an obvious connection between many aspects of the ‘appearance culture’ and increased instances of negative self-image and peer acceptance leading to eating disorders among teenagers. Girls who enter school without an already chubby figure start to think of themselves as being overweight, a perception that becomes increasingly cemented into their minds as their peers also start making these same associations. A continuous cycle begins causing the child to gain addit ional weight as a consequence of the emotional distress they feel because they are physically handicapped and can’t compete with other kids on the playground or sports field. Additionally, they don’t conform to the social ideals. ... einforce their child’s perception of themselves by unconsciously or consciously expecting them to be less active and less intelligent than their peers, again judging the child by their looks. The spotlight on beauty as a means of acquiring society’s approval is also emphasized by adults, mainly women, who think plastic surgery is a suitable means of getting it. Desiring to emotionally break away from the harassment of their childhood, many teenagers wish to have body altering surgery performed as well. In a study involving 2,000 girls, average age of 14, â€Å"four out of ten said they would consider plastic surgery to make themselves slimmer† regardless of their existing weight status (Gustafson, 2005). For those who either can’t afford or are repulsed by the thought of plastic surgery, the only choice they see available often emerges as a type of eating disorder, most frequently bulimia, a pattern of indulgent eating followed by forced vomiting, or anore xia, a sustained routine of deliberate starvation. Often thought to be based within issues of appearance and ‘not fitting the mold’, these unhealthy patterns become issues in and of themselves. A variety of factors play a role as to why a child may become overweight, but the perception they develop of themselves is rooted chiefly on how closely they and their peers consider they measure up to a social standard. The media plays the most active role in constructing this social standard and therefore the perception of self for many people. People need to only glance quickly into a mirror to understand how well or inadequately they correspond with the ideal personas they view on TV. This is an automatic and natural process. There are many arguments that indicate people do and always will focus on outward

Movie Analysis Paper Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis Paper - Movie Review Example There is this unpleasant state of revolt inside him that makes him fight for his rights and be different from others having the right to make decisions and choices for oneself. During the course of the movie Z falls in love with Princess Balaand just to get sight of her switches position with his friend Weaver. This unintentional act brings Z to a point where he has to be a part of a battle that has evoked. Unaware of his fate Z embarks on this battle and apparently stands out victorious and as a hero for all the ants. Eventually Z leaves for insectopia, a place where the food surface the streets. Antz is basically a movie for adults and teenagers merely because of the use of violence and abusive language that has been incorporated in the movie. The violence in the movie might be a bit too much for children therefore it is obligatory to mention here that this movie is preferable for only adults and teens. Another reason to label this movie as an adult comedy is because of the level o f humour that has been used in the movie is feasible for adults only and can at times be quite boring for the younger ones to cope up with. "So when an unlikely turn of events marks him as a hero, Z does the last thing anyone would have expected-he rises to the challenge. And before he knows it, Z really is a hero-leading the entire worker ant colony in a revolution against conformity. Which just goes to show you: no matter how small, weak, or insignificant he might be, one ant CAN make a difference!" (Weiss, 1998) Another aspect in the movie that shows organizational culture is the totalitarian form of government that is seen initially before the occurrence of the revolt. Initially the ants were oppressed, having no say in the governance what so ever. They had to follow the norms of the prevailing society and struggle for their basic necessities. The King and the ants in power therefore had all rights over the people (ants) and used to govern the sate n such a way the fellow ants w ere generally oppressed and deprived of their fundamental rights. The story eventually changes its course when an ant who is not content with the present social state takes a step forward to change the existing system. So the concept of individual liberty has been shown in the movie. Z embarks on a journey to change the system that existed there which is all unintentional and also get his love therefore he had to switch position with his friend and take up the challenge to be part of a battle that would eventually change his position forever Labeling him as the ultimate hero and an inspiration for others who demand to change the totalitarian system. Therefore the organizational culture that prevailed initially in the movie was totalitarian with a monarch and defined rules and regulations that needed to be followed irrespective of personal will or choice. But when Z came to power things changed which sort of changed the system proclaiming a single individuals power and developing a s ense of liberty in the people. This change in a system was the basis of which the organizational cultured changed. The evolution from to totalitarianism to liberalism is drastic and something that was brilliantly executed in the movie. The violence showed in the movie is also executed in a very professional manner keeping all the minute details and the spirit of war alive. As battle and revolts is a part of the society therefore unity, mutual cooperation was shown. Apparently the violence shown was quite loud for animated movie.

THE NATURE OF ORGANIZATIONS AND THE CONTEMPORARY ENVIRONMENT Assignment

THE NATURE OF ORGANIZATIONS AND THE CONTEMPORARY ENVIRONMENT - Assignment Example nt of the differing cultures within the organization in order to determine an appropriate way of managing the organization in order to enhance the profitability of such organizations. My score did not surprise, I had adequate understanding of the varied cultures interviewed. The United States is a cosmopolitan society. This implies that the society experiences some of the cultural conflicts quizzed in the interview. As such, I have interacted with people from varied cultural settings and therefore understood the differences in cultures in the different societies. Among the strengths I exhibit in intercultural awareness is the fact that I have interacted with people from varied cultural backgrounds. Through such interactions, I understood the intricate features of the culture besides understanding the dynamic nature of cultures. Through our interactions, we trade cultural values as people abandon specific cultural features they feel retrogressive and adopt new cultural values. The dynamic feature of culture has helped integrate the society, as the world became a global village. The weaknesses I portrayed in the quiz was lack of knowledge of African cultures among other cultures of far flung areas such the minority societies in east Asia and the enclosed areas such as Northern Korea. Understanding culture is often relative depending on the interactions that people have with each other. My lack of knowledge of such cultures is therefore a portrayal of the enclosed nature of the societies a feature that therefore limits their interactions with the rest of the world. However, I must improve my weaknesses and build my strengths in order to enhance my understanding of the cultural differences in the different societies. In order to do this, I plan to undertake studies on cultures. I plan to read different books that address the cultural diversity in the society. Existing literatures provide appropriate information about different cultures including cultural practices

Language, Identity and Cultural Difference Essay Example for Free

Language, Identity and Cultural Difference Essay According to Hall (1997a), enunciation theories suggest that even though we may talk of ourselves from our experiences, the person who speaks and the subject being spoken of are never identical. Identity in this regard is to be conceived as a production which is never complete- â€Å"always in process, and always constituted within, not outside, representation†- (Hall, 1997a) as opposed to viewing it as a complete fact which is then represented by the new cultural practices. However, this view shakes the legitimacy and authority upon which the term cultural identity bases its claim. There are two ways in which cultural identity can be thought of. The first view sees it in terms of a single shared culture, some kind of a collective ‘one true self’ that is hiding inside many other more artificially imposed selves that people with a shared history and ancestry hold in common (Hall, 1997b). Within this view of description of cultural identity, our cultural identities mirrors those historical experiences that we hold in common and the shared cultural codes which offer us as a people, a stable, immutable and continuous frames of reference and meaning, under the shifting classes and fluctuations of our actual history (Hall, 1997a). Singapore was envisioned by her leaders as a multiethnic society in which the constituent ethnic groups shared participation in common institutions while at the same time retaining their distinct languages, customs and religions. The ethnic categories represented self-evident, natural groups that would continue their existence into the indefinite future. Singaporean identity therefore implies being an Indian, a Chinese, or a Malay but in relation to other groups. This model of ethnicity demands the denial of important internal variations for each ethnic group and the recognition of differences between the categories (Tsui Tollefson, 2007). The second view of cultural identity recognizes that there are similarities and important differences which make up what we really are. We cannot persistently refer with exactness to one experience and one identity without recognizing the other dimension. This other dimension represents the rifts and discontinuities that comprise cultural uniqueness. In this second sense, cultural identity is viewed as an issue of both â€Å"becoming† and â€Å"being†, something that belongs to the future as much as it belongs to the past. Cultural identities in this regard have histories and therefore changes constantly. In other words, cultural identities are subject to the uninterrupted play of history, culture and power (Hall, 1997a). Identity is the name given to the different ways we are placed, and put ourselves within the tale of the past. This second conception of cultural identity is more disturbing and less familiar. How can the formation of identity be understood if does not proceed from a straight line or a fixed origin? The Singaporean identity can be thought of as composed of two vectors that operate simultaneously. These are the vectors of rift and difference, and similarity and continuity. The Singaporean identity can be seen with regard to the relationship between the two vectors.   Similarity and continuity brings to fore the realization that it is the experience of fundamental discontinuity that the Indians, Malays and Chinese share and among these are immigration, colonization and Asian origin. It is therefore interesting to look at how the concept of identity, language and cultural differences were created and how these concepts are related within the context of Singapore. The analysis herein presented will be based in Hall’s view of the link between language, identity and cultural difference. Relationship between Language, Identity and Cultural Difference The relationship between language, culture and identity has emerged to be a hotly contested topic in social sciences. The questions that mainly arise concern the apparent difference between cultural and ethnic identity. Are these types of identities similar or should they be differentiated conceptually. Various scholars hold varying views on the role of language in the definition of one’s identity. A major question that one may be compelled to ask is whether a culture or ethnic group can be considered to be unique if it does not have its own language or in the least its own rendition of a common tongue. Cultural identity is universal whether it is expressed with regard to humanity or otherwise since people from every part of the world are conscious of some kind of specificity that sets them apart from others. In contrast, ethnic identity only appear to take place within complex societies when it seems functional to separate individuals into categories founded upon something other than age, gender or occupation. Ethnicity is associated with cultural identity since one must make reference to cultural, linguistic or religious particularities in order to categorize individuals. According to Hall (1997b), culture is produced by representation. Culture concerns shared meaning and the medium through which we make sense out of things is through the use of language. It is through language that meaning is produced and exchanged. The only mechanism of sharing meaning is through a common access to language. In this regard, language is fundamental to meaning and culture and has always been conceived as the major bank of cultural values and meanings. However, one may be compelled to ask how meaning is constructed through language. According to Hall (1997b), language constructs meaning via its operation as a representational system. Language is one of the mechanisms through which ideas, thoughts and feelings are represented in culture. In this regard, representation through language is fundamental to the processes through which meaning is produced. Our sense of identity is derived from meaning and therefore meaning is linked with questions about how we use culture to define and maintain identity and difference within and between groups. In every social and personal relationship in which we participate, meaning is constantly being produced. Meaning is also produced through our expression in and consumption of relevant cultural materials. Our conducts and practices are also regulated and organized by meaning which help in the setting of rules, norms and conventions upon which social life is ordered and governed. The question of identity therefore emerges in relation to various other divergent moments or practices within the cultural circuits; in our construction of identity and the defining of difference, in the production and consumption and in the regulation of social conduct. In all these instances, language is one of the most important medium through which we produce and circulate meaning.