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Beauty of America - 1304 Words

The Beauty of America Do you think there is such thing as real beauty or is it just an idea created by society? We believe that beauty is one way and that if you do not follow or fit the criteria, then you are not beautiful because you don’t meet the standards. Media gives us their view of what beauty is and how to define it. The media influences what beauty is but then the media’s view of beauty is not the only one. What we seem to think beauty is, is something that we want to have or want to be like because we think that is the right beauty, but is it really? The magazine models we see are tall, skinny, and light skinned that is what we are told is beauty because they are able to be on a runway and covers of magazines. The beauty seen in the magazines and on runway may be beauty to some people but for others it’s not beauty because reality is that not how everyone looks like in America. For me trying to look like the models was not something I want to do becaus e I already was skinny but I was not tall or light skin. I more than anything didn’t used to like how I looked before I got to college because I was really skinny and boney. To me that was not beautiful because I felt that I really didn’t have a figure because just about all my sisters have figure and I was the only really skinny one and was called boney. So for me beauty is having curves and being happy with your body not what the media portrays as beauty. The magazine models and runway models are what we are toldShow MoreRelatedThe Beauty Standards Of America1099 Words   |  5 Pages age or race differs from person to person. More specifically, American women share complaints regarding the unrealistic beauty standards that are set by the media and society. Many women complain that it is not fair that they are judged by their outer appearance and are viewed as not beautiful enough, or not normal when they do not conform to the beauty standards of america. For examp le, as a woman alone there are constant pressures to wear your hair a certain way because everyone does it or becauseRead More Female Beauty in America Essay1243 Words   |  5 PagesSophistication and Flair: The True Meaning of Beauty Three words come to mind when one sees the epitome of Hollywood’s A-List – sophistication, style, and confidence. Although the media will always pose celebrities as sex symbols, tasteful images have now become a norm for today’s society. A woman’s beauty is now being portrayed in other ways – fully clothed and self-assured. It is evident now even as I look around campus. The girls who are poised and classy do not prance around in bellyRead MoreThe Beauty Of America s Jeopardy1136 Words   |  5 PagesThe Beauty of America In Jeopardy Each year wildlife all throughout the world are put at risk through deforestation, littering and malnourishment. America is no different, especially with the new budget for the Trump administration. Ever since Donald Trump has been elected President of The United States of America, everything has changed. The safety from threats outside of America are greater than the threats in everyone’s backyard. Animals are becoming endangered or worse, becoming extinct. PlantRead MoreThe Miss American Pageants Are A Perfect Example Of The American Dream933 Words   |  4 PagesThe Miss America Pageants are a perfect example of the â€Å"American Dream† standard that the beauty industry was trying to promote. â€Å"The history of beauty contests tell us much about American attitudes toward physical appearances and women’s expected roles †¦ legitimiz(ing) the Cinderella mythology for women, to make it seem that beauty is all a woman needs for success†¦ † T he Miss American Pageants were a contest for women to show off their looks and compete against other women to win the â€Å"best toRead MoreFemale Beauty Pageants Essay example1034 Words   |  5 PagesBeauty pageants seem to serve no apparent purpose for societal reasons. They denigrate the image of females as far as gender equality goes. There is many different ranges of beauty pageants all over the world. Females can be as small as 2 months. Many girls dream to become Miss U.S.A or Miss World. It seems to give the idea that you have to be beautiful and be up to the judges expectations of how a beauty queen should act and looks like.   They have a negative effect on the people in today’s societyRead MoreBenefits Of Beauty Contests For Young Women Essay801 Words   |  4 Pages The Benefits of Beauty Contests For Young Women Claudia Traywick Period B 7 March 2016 Traywick 1 The Benefits of Beauty Contests For Young Women Thesis: Beauty contests are not bad for girls because they involve competition, include scholarships for the winners, and form friendships with peers. Introduction Scholarships The competition Pageant Friends Conclusion Traywick 2 Claudia Traywick PeriodRead MoreBeauty Pageants Essay1173 Words   |  5 PagesRotosha Word Professor Heather Wyatt English 102 5 October 2017 Little Girls Participating in Beauty Pageants For the sake of young girls, we try to save them from their insecurities, which is fairly significant. I perceive that beauty pageants are vigorous for girls, it assists them to get rid of stage fright, or low self-esteem. As a firm believer, I acknowledge the fact that pageant girls will develop as beautiful, sophisticated women. Different contests allow girls to have discipline andRead MoreThe Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison915 Words   |  4 Pagescharacters that gives the interpretation of whiteness as the standard of beauty, which distorts the lives of black characters through messages everywhere that whiteness is superior and equal to cleanliness. The theme of white superiority is portrayed through the lives and stories told by the characters Pecola, Claudia, and Pauline. Through the struggles these characters have endured with the internalized idea of white beauty, Morrison shows how the interactions between whites and blacks affect theRead MoreBeauty Pageants : Beauty Pageant127 9 Words   |  6 PagesBeauty pageants, competitions judged mainly on a contestant’s physical beauty, introduce the question if they adversely affect a child’s development. The first Miss America pageant, held in 1921, started the modern beauty pageant era that exists today. However, current beauty pageants differ greatly from the first ones held 93 years ago. Many of the pageants called â€Å"high-glitz† pageants consist of the competitors wearing a lot makeup, big hair, spray tans, fake teeth called â€Å"flippers†, expensiveRead MoreThe World Of Fashion And Publicity1268 Words   |  6 PagesThe immediate rubric that comes to mind when evaluating the definition of â€Å"beauty† is as follows: tall, slim, captivating, and graceful. The world of fashion and publicity has undeniably been enriched by these seemingly expected traits, but to what avail? Tyra Banks, host and judge of the popular reality TV show Americas Next Top Model, is regarded as one of the most beautiful -and successful- women of all time. Her claim to fame began at the age of 15, as her picturesque disposition spread across

Eli Lilly-Developing Cymbalta free essay sample

New Antidepressant Team (NAT), a cross functional team of Lilly research and development (RD) and marketing was formed by two colleagues at Lily – Mark Demitrack and Brett Schmidli, and later two additional members were asked to joined, Jim Lancaster and John Kaiser. The mission of the team was to find and develop a drug that would later replace Prozac. The core strategy of NAT was to concentrate and devote resources to only 5 Assets: â€Å"R-fluoxetine, OFC (olanzapine-fluoxetine combination), 5HT2 antagonist SSRI, Business Development Opportunities, and Cymbalta (duloxetine)† (Ofek Laufer, p. ). After a series of analysis and testing, Cymbalta was chosen by the team to replace Prozac. This paper will identify the strategic issues and problems that NAT faced in developing the new product. I will then analyze and evaluate the industry and market behavior by using a SWOT analysis. Finally, this paper will offer a set of recommendations based on the surrounding circumsta nces and options available to the Eli Lilly team. We will write a custom essay sample on Eli Lilly-Developing Cymbalta or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Identification of the strategic issues and problems Eli Lilly is faced with the strategic option to develop and launch a new drug that will be more effective than Prozac. There are several issues facing the launch of Cymbalta into the marketplace. â€Å"Cymbalta (duloxetine) appeared to have the three key ingredients of a potential successor to Prozac: 1) efficacy as good as or better than existing antidepressants, 2) no apparent safety or toxicity issues, and 3) the possibility of meeting a previously unmet patient need. † (Laufer Ofek, 2008, p. 2). Although, Cymbalta was considered on the basis of its compounds, several critical issues remained unresolved and needed to be made during the meeting of NAT. NAT was faced with the decision of how to prioritize Cymbalta clinical trials and which clinical objective to approach first. Large-scale clinical trails often range from $25 million to $50 million and could last between 15 to 18 months to design, enroll patients, and to analyze and document findings. Unfortunately, NAT could only afford to purse one objective prior to the submittal of Cymbalta to the FDA for marketing approval. The following are three options available before Eli Lily: Option 1: To invest in a new set of clinical trials to establish efficacy using once-a-day dosage of 60 mg of Cymbalta to treat Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Option 2: To invest in clinical trials so that new indications could potentially establish a differentiator between Cymbalta and existing anti-depressants. Option 3: Delay submission of Cymbalta to the FDA for marketing approval so that the objectives mentioned above (options 12) could be established over a period of time by assessing the patients and physicians. Analysis and evaluation Industry-An Overview on Depression â€Å"Depression as an illness is characterized by a sustained emotional disturbance that interferes with daily activities such as the ability to work, study, sleep, or eat, for a period of time as short as two weeks or as long as five years or even longer. † (Laufer Ofek, 2008, p. 3) Studies in scientific publications have estimated that depression affects anywhere from 10% to 25% of the population at some point in their life time, with women twice as likely as men to suffer an episode of depression. Depression is often undiagnosed because of its complicated set of symptoms and there is often a social stigma attached to treatment that prevents some patients from visiting physician or psychiatrist. Scientists have developed four broad and a complex set of symptoms for depression, which are: mood changes, cognitive changes, behavior changes and physical changes. Prior to the late 1800s, depression was not recognized as an illness and often time patients went untreated or committed into a mental asylum. It was not until the latter half of the twentieth century that pharmaceuticals became the primary source of treatment for depression. There have been several studies that directly link cases of pain accompanied by a state of depression. â€Å"Primary Care Physicians (PCPs) estimate that approximately 50% of patients suffering from depression who came to their office also suffered from pain symptoms, most commonly tension headache, neck/shoulder pain, and back pain. † (Laufer Ofek, 2008, p. 3) The NAT team had to decide weather to compare Cymbalta to existing SSRIs and SNRIs in the treatment of pain in order to differentiation themselves for others in the market. Even though there is an untapped market of pain medication in conjunction with the anti-depressant, it would take a lot of effort and resource from Lilly’s marketing team to educate both doctors and consumers on the application and benefit of this new drug. Market/Buyer Behavior To meet the needs of consumers, drug-manufacturing companies consult with both the physicians and patients to understand the needs of the market. The behavior of consumer is not well defined because the ultimate consumers of all the drugs are patients, who themselves are not aware of all the facts surrounding a drug. Pharmaceutical marketing has become increasing popular in the last few years; it is the process of advertising or otherwise promoting the sale of pharmaceuticals or drugs. Physicians are perhaps the most important component in sales. Influencing the physician is the key to pharmaceutical sales because they write the prescriptions that determine which drugs will be used by their patients. Physicians prescribe on the basis of past drugs available and their personal past experiences and opinions may have some influence. The marketing strategies employed in the pharmaceutical industry sharply contrast with those typically adopted in other markets. One of the primary reasons for this difference is that in the prescription medicine market there is a distinct breach in the traditional buying decision process: â€Å"The decision maker is the physician, who chooses among an array of medicine alternatives, but the buyer is the patient who takes the medicine and ends up paying (i. . , either out of pocket, or through health insurance coverage) for the choices made by the physician. † (Karayanni, n. d. ) The importance of brand loyalty has been recognized by buyer behavior theorists for several decades, being described as â€Å"the core asset of any business, as future growth stems from the loyalty customers have in a company’s brands†. (Gralpois, 1998) Buye rs’ behaviors and values can be measured through physician’s prescribing patterns and buyers purchasing patterns. SWOT Analysis Strengths: Successor of highly successful brand of Eli Lily, Prozac was an antidepressant leader in the market. †¢Effectively treats Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Weakness: †¢The uncertainty of a once-a-day dosage of 60 mg for Cymbalta. †¢The lack of proof that Cymbalta will address chronic pain Opportunities: †¢To produce a product that will meet the needs of the patients. †¢To develop a product unlike any other antidepressant on the market by addressing chronic pain as well as depression and that would surpass its predecessor. Cymbalta doesn’t have any side effects, which is known to be one of the main concerns related to Prozac and one of the key findings reported. Threats: †¢Eli Lilly must be constantly on guard for patent violations and seek legal protection in new and growing global markets. †¢The competitors brands like Paxils and Zoloft with same efficacy. †¢The every changing pharmaceutical market and the amount of lag time and cost to develop a new drug.

Euro Disney Case Study

Question: Write about theEuro Disney Case Study. Answer: The theory of cultural dimensions proposed by Geert Hofstede comprises a framework used to understand cross-cultural communication in the organization and the effects of societys culture on their values. The model is essential for managers investing in a different country because considering cultural differences is a significant determinants for the success of the organization. Moreover, executives managing international companies explore various dimensions of culture because there are vital in understanding how to work in different countries and the approach that can be used in respect to cultural values(Hofstede, 2014). Euro Disneyland failed because they did not understand the cultural differences between the U.S. and French societies in the context of doing business. Cultural Differences between the United States and France The report uses Hofstedes four cultural dimensions to explain some of the significant cultural variation between the United States and France in the context of Euro Disneyland operations. The focus includes power difference, individualism, uncertainty avoidance, Masculinity/Femininity and Long-term Orientation in the two countries. Power Distance According to Hofstedes model, the power distance dimension examines the expectation and agreement by the less powerful in the organization that power is unequally distributed. This dimension focuses on analyzing the feeling of the members of the organization feelings on issues of unequal distribution of power. The lower the scores means that culture accepts and expect that there is a democratic share of authority and all are equals. On the other hand, when the score is very high, it reveals that the less powerful in the society agree to the prevailing conditions and understand the existence of hierarchical position(Hofstede, 2014). When this is applied in the context of France and US comparison, there is a total difference between the two countries. For instance, in France, there is high power distance, and this means there are hierarchical system and centralization of power in organizations. In such a situation, the superior members are inaccessible from lower positions and their authority in the company are obeyed without a question or debate. This means that power is unequally distributed in the French society and so in the organizations. However, in U.S, the approach and views about powers in the society are so much different because there are equal rights and the aspect of the hierarchy is a convention which means that superiors are accessible by everyone and there is a friendly environment created by the organization. Moreover, the center of leadership is not there, and power is distributed equally due to a weak authority distance(Chhokar, et al., 2013). Individualism This dimension makes focuses on the group situations as opposed to a single individual in the organization and society. In the Cultures characterized by individualism, the value and goals are personalized while societies with collectivism have needs and objectives are more valued compared to that of the individual. In the French society, the score is high because autonomy in the work environment is preferred as opposed to teamwork. In the U.S, the scores tend to be greater than that of France due to dominant individualistic culture that emphasizes on the self and close family members first(Hofstede, 2014). However, the U.S. seems to have high geographical mobility due to high preferences for Americans to do business in many countries and understanding the different cultures. Besides, the employees take initiatives and do not rely on management to guide on what to do. In Euro Disney case, there were problem with culture integration because French employees were not satisfied with Amer ican imparting their rules and culture on them. The reason for high level of resistance is due to the difference between American and the French. For example, the dressing code embraced by American is not acceptable in the French societies (Chhokar, et al., 2013; Hofstede, 2014). Masculinity and Femininity This dimension in the model intends to measures the value given to a particular culture. For example, in some cultures, masculinity is associated with assertiveness, ambitions, materialism and power. On the contrary, the feminine is viewed as people who like to emphasize the human relationships. The difference between sexes is considered differently in the organization because masculine tend to be ambitious and competitive as compared to masculinity(Hofstede, 2014). The French Society scores very low in this dimension due to emphasis on femininity and values for the quality of life in the society, competition but success is not that much visible. In the US, the culture is predominantly masculine where competition, achievement, and success are the core motivating elements. In Euro Disney case, the US failed to consider the effect of the dimension in the French culture because the male culture was emphasized and prevail on others which were contrary (Chhokar, et al., 2013; Tung Verbek e, 2010). Uncertainty Avoidance This dimension in the model evaluates the way in which organization deals with unknown situations likely to happen in the future. Example includes unexpected events such as workplace conflict and disruptive technological and organization changes. Cultures that scores very high are considered intolerant to the future events and uses rules and regulation to minimize the possibility the consequences of unknown happening. In contrary, those with low score embrace change when it happens(Tung Verbeke, 2010). Regarding this dimension, France has high scores of uncertainty and therefore the possibility of risks is managed through security and strict rules by the management. The US scores very low in this dimension because the management accepts uncertainty and not afraid of the unknown future. This means that Americans are more courageous to face risks and no complicated rules and laws applied to manage these possible uncertainties. This makes them accept new ideas and always willing to try something innovative without knowing the results(Hofstede, 2014). Long-Term Orientation This is the last dimension and it explores the time horizon in a particular society. Cultures that value short-term orientation are bent to traditional methods and take the time to form relationships. Long-term orientation focuses on the future more than anything. Both are based on attitudes focusing on the results and the reward obtained. France has a very low score in this dimension because the members are focused on short-term goals and obliged to guidelines and norms in the business environment. Similarly, the US has low scores because of short-term focus and expectation of fast results in the environment, committed to traditions of doing things and fulfilling the social obligations (Hofstede, 2014; Chhokar, et al., 2013). Contribution of Trompenaars Research Trompenaars research assists substantially in explaining cultural conflicts among both the USA and France. Trompenaars research can be used to understand the conflicts between France and the USA using the four categorizations. The first includes Universalism versus Particularism and focuses on the essential of rules and relationships. Individualism versus Communitarianism seeks to understand whether we function as individuals or group. Besides, Specific versus Diffuse concentrates on the way human separate the work and private lives and lastly Achievement versus Ascription explore whether members of the organization has to prove themselves to receive recognition (Hofstede, 2014; Tung Verbeke, 2010). Based on Universalism versus Particularism, there is a belief that rules, policies, and regulations are universal and therefore can be used across the globe without the need for modification. In the French society, there is a perception regarding the rules and regulations of the culture which are not similar to others(Tung Verbeke, 2010). The company management was motivated by the necessity of the success of its three theme parks and failed to realize the distinct culture of the French society which required a different approach to that of the U.S(Chhokar, et al., 2013). In regard to Individualism versus Communitarianism, a communitarian society is evident in France and the Americans can be said to be an individualistic society. This is because French work as a team and social relations are mutual which is different in the U.S because of people high-value individualism. Americans rank positions in the organizations and workers while the French society does not do that. In Specific versus Diffuse can be used to understand the difference between the USA and France. In the US, the culture is seen as distinct national cultures where decision arrives from a negotiation while in France the culture is treated as implicit in the national context and decisions and command are based on discussion between involved parties. Lastly, the Achievement versus Ascription can be used to understand two differences between the countries. In the American society, there is a huge focus on performance and division of labor while the French culture stresses on the factors pr esent in their history (Chhokar, et al., 2013; Tung Verbeke, 2010). Mistakes made by Euro Disneyland In the case study, numerous mistakes were made when setting Euro Disney entertainment in Europe and especially in France. The company made a mistake of not understanding the cultural differences between U.S and France. The management imposed the US culture in France without considering the impact likely to be caused. For instance, breakfast was not served at the park, and this is one of the valued traditions in French culture. Besides, no alcoholic beverages were not served in the park, and this was contrary their culture because the peoples in the country values alcohol such as wine when taking the main meals. Others such as the dress code went contrary to those accepted by the French culture in the organizations. The U.S took French entertainment culture for granted and thought it would be similar to theirs. This led to the wrong allocation of staff and resources because the peak days in France was not the same in US Disney Land. As such, there few employees in crowded days and many employees in those days which were not busy and this affected profitability. Besides, there were many car parks which remained empty because people used public means of transport. Recession signs were not heavily considered, and the company set high-profit expectations in the new Euro Disney. In the end, the park failed to realize the expected revenue target due to the small sale of tickets. This was also because the price of the tickets was quite high. The mistake was costly, and the Euro Disney failed to realize expected revenues and instead made losses. Lessons Learned From the Failures From the case study, a number lessons can be extracted. First, when setting a business in another country, culture should be given a thorough consideration and not taken for granted. A project which can realize high success in U.S can record failures in other nations due to sharp cultural differences. Therefore, Cultural factors are central to the success of the business and disregarding others traditions can be destructive to the organization. Besides, the success of a company project is dependent on the unity of the group more specifically the executive and its resolve to deal with emerging workplace issues that create satisfaction among employees. Conclusion In conclusion, for every organization to be successful in a different social setting, the management should have a general understanding of the culture of the environment in which they want to set the operations. This should have been the case for Euro Disney when setting operations in France. The point to understanding the cultural issues is through market research, and cultural assessment understands the local people cultural values such as tradition and customs. The whole cultural clash realized by Euro Disney can be squarely blamed on the effects of cultural conflict of U.S and French societies. Bibliography Chhokar, J., Brodbeck, F. House, R., 2013. Culture and leadership across the world: The GLOBE book of in-depth studies of 25 societies. New York. NY: Routledge. Hofstede, G., 2014. Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions: Understanding Workplace Values Around the World. s.l.:Mind Tools Ltd. Tung, R. Verbeke, A., 2010. Beyond Hofstede and GLOBE: Improving the quality of cross-cultural research. Journal of International Business Studies, 41(8), pp. 1259-1274.

Concepts for the study of Contemporary International Relations

Introduction Studies in international relations have constantly focused on critical aspects that shape modern nations of the world. Hence, terms such as nationalism, sovereignty, globalisation, security and regionalism have always topped the list under the discussion.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Concepts for the study of Contemporary International Relations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These terms have been pivotal in understanding social and political systems of the world states as well as the economic structures on a wider scale and how they influence relations with other states on a global perspective. In evaluating the prospect of world states, it is argued that the role of the state has histrionically weakened as a consequence of cultural, economic and different forms of globalization taking place. Besides, the realist school of international relations explains that the state autonomy remains the int ricate systems of the international system. Although other schools of thought emphasize on the proliferation of the nationalist drive, determined to become sovereign nation-states, Eichengreen and Frankel (1995) demonstrates that regionalism will remain stronger than any other forces of international relations because it encompasses nationalism, globalisation, security and sovereignty of modern states. Regionalism creates a sense of purpose and identity and establishes institutions that express a given identity and fix a collective action within a region. Thus, modern states have experienced globalisation, economic growth, integration and security, among others, as a result of regionalism. In this paper the writer explains why regionalism is important in the study of contemporary international relations. In an attempt to unravel its importance, the writer explores regionalism and discusses a brief history of regionalism and explores that regionalism is important in the study of cont emporary international relations because it enhances development, regional identity, associative and organisational coherence and facilitates democratization and state building.Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Regionalism Pundits of international relations have argued that the well being of states in the future will be based on regionalism (Webber, 2001). Regionalism has assisted nations to mitigate the challenges arising from globalisation because it allows nations in a given region to pull their resources, ideas, political inclination for a mutual cause. In understanding regionalism, we should first know what a region is. Various authors have put forward five arguments about what constitutes a region. In his explanation, Buzan and Little (2000) term region as a geographical unit encircled by few or more natural landscapes and marked by ecological topographies. On the o ther hand, Eichengreen and Frankel (1995) term region as a â€Å"proto-region†, since it is not a structured society. Thus, in regionalising such a region, it has to be occupied by human beings and maintain some sort of relationship. However, according to Wyatt-Walter (1995), a region is a social arrangement that involves trans-local relations between human clusters. He further points out that such arrangement constituent units dependent on each other and forms the basis for universal security of the regional system (Hine, 1992). Buzan and Waever (2003) indicate that a region is a field organised in terms of economics, politics, culture and the military. In such an organization, a region is demarcated by states which are recognised members of the regional organization in context. However, where there is no organised cooperation between parties, regionalism lacks sense. According to Devetak and Burke (2011), region is a civil society where its organization’s structures is enhanced to promote and facilitate social convergence and communication of values across the region. In fact, Baldwin (2006) notes that the pre-existence of cultural and shared traditions in a specific region is what shapes civil society because culture is unceasingly created and recreated. In enhancing regionalism, Wyatt-Walter (1995) notes that a region acts as a subject with a unique identity, legitimacy, actor capability and a structure for decision making. Thus, this provides ways for intervention on important matters between nations and establishment of welfare structures to promote collective responsibility and regional balance (Webber, 2001). Why Regionalism? Historical Perspective Though regionalism dates back to 1880’s, the term gained much recognition in the early 1950s and 1960’s. It was further strengthened during the post-Cold War. Presently, regional pessimists and optimists concur that regionalism is increasing at a faster pace in the world.Advertisi ng We will write a custom essay sample on Concepts for the study of Contemporary International Relations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Eichengreen and Frankel (1995) point out that the turning point of regionalism was in the mid 1980’s with the passing of the Single European Act, this Act shaped the global economy besides transforming the global system. Nevertheless, it led to the demise of the Cold war. Buzan and Little (2000) demonstrates that the creation of the United Nations after the second World War gave a new dimension on how regional bodies would efficiently handle conflicts and disputes better than universal organisations among geographically adjacent nations (Johnston, 2003). While the regionalism argument was concerned with security issues for instance, the advent of European integration during the 1950’s lifted the focus of regionalism to incorporate economic regionalism. Buzan and Waever (2003) indi cates that after major wars in less than 50 years, European nations realised that regionalism was the only strategy to secure peace and achieve reconciliation among the European states. However, the major argument was how the states would cede their sovereignty (Wyatt-Walter, 1995). Thus, regionalism begun by cooperation in limited economic, functional and technical areas where ceding sovereignty would be limited while the merging of technical skills in administrative systems would fix tangible benefits by giving solutions to common challenges (Fawcett, 2004). Though the Americas and Europe have advanced the sense of institutionalised regionalism, most countries have indicated commitment to greater and wider unity within the frameworks of existing organizations (Hine, 1992). This is manifested in organisations such as the African Union, AU, Association of South-East Asian countries, ASEAN and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, among others (Eichengreen Frankel, 1995). Th us, the aspect of security, policy integration, economic growth and political advancement together with others has contributed to the proliferation of new regional groupings and the revival of old regional ones (Webber, 2001). By this, regionalism in the present world has aimed at augmenting regional issues while reflecting a global identity.Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Strength of Regionalism Development At the centre of any regionalism is development. Dieter and Higgott (2003) indicate that regionalism encompasses the traditional elements of cooperation in aspects such as enhancing the economies of scale, territorial size and others. These elements are currently transforming the regions and the world economy. Regionalism has encouraged self-reliance among the member states (Fawcett, 2004). Though self-reliance is not viable at the state level, it has played a pivotal role at the regional level by defining improvement of infrastructure, coordination of production and invoking use of complementaries. Moreover, regionalism has elaborate economic policies which are stable and consistent with regional arrangements. This policy allows member states to underpin their national policies with that of the region. East African Community (2000) gives an example of East Africa Community, EAC. The EAC has allowed individual member states to develop exclusive ec onomic strategies based on the documents available at its secretariat. Muthaura note that the Ugandan government has utilized these documents by adopting Vision 2020 and Medium Term Competitive Strategy (Muthaura, 1999). The strategy presents a comprehensive system to support private sector development. Similarly, Tanzania, a member state of EAC has adopted Vision 205, SME Policy and the BEST Programme. BEST is to be implemented in a five-year period. It has five basic parts which will help improve commercial dispute resolution and achieve better regulations (East African Community, 2000). On the other hand, Kenya has adopted the Economic Recovery Strategy for Wealth and Employment Creation. The policy grants preference to sound governance and rule of law, creating the environment for investment and investing in human capital for the poor. It also places an emphasis on developing SMEs among others (East African Community, 2000). Buzan and Waever (2003) explains that regionalism serv es as building blocks towards achieving economic globalisation. He explains that whatever is evolving across the world is not the protectionist trading blocs intended to alienate any particular region from the rest of the world, but to enhance an economic association that supports growth and development within regions and making borders more porous. For instance, Johnston (2003) notes that the Association of South Asian Nations Free Trade Area, AFTA, North America Free Trade Agreement, NAFTA and the Common Market of the South, MERCOSUR have elaborate building blocs in that the state’s well-being does not, in any way hinder another’s wealth but the groupings assist individual nations to recognize the global economy is not a zero sum game but an expanding space (Hine, 1992). Similarly, Moore (2000) shows in his speech â€Å" Regional trade agreements, in line with multilateral liberalisation† in Buenos Aires, WTO’s director, Mike Moore ascertained that regi onal trading blocs can help individual countries, especially the developing nations to sharpen and enhance efficiency of their industries, serve as a springboard to integrate into the global economy and build their comparative advantages (Moore, 2000). Besides, regionalism can also help establish political commitment dedicated towards a transparent and open economy (Moore, 2000). Regional Identity Constructivism emphasizes the need of values, ideas and identity in global relations. Constructivism is a cognitive and social construct that focuses on how people from different states coalesce under a shared sense of region. Dieter and Higgott (2003) points out that constructivists recognise regionalism as a set of thought practices fashioned by political and language discourse, which by the establishment of concepts, facilitates the creation of regional identity. Similarly, Muthaura (1999) explains that regional community is the growth and expansion of the region into a dynamic subject with an institutionalized capability, distinct identity and systematic structure of decision making in regard with responsive transcending old state borders and regional civil society. Most regional groupings have embraced constructivism to further their regional identity. For example, Acharya (2001) shows that while East Asia stands as a highly diverse region, it has grown in regional identity formation. Similarly, cultural exchanges and intra-regional social networks have gained much momentum in East Asia because of foreign travels, movement of people and international student exchanges (Johnston, 2003). Thus, from a constructivist perspective, ASEAN regionalism has encouraged interaction that focuses on norms which underpin regional identity (Acharya, 2001). Highlighting the effect of norms, ASEAN is perceived as fostering regional identity. Associative and Organisational Coherence Associative coherence is a term predominantly concerned with regional-level links of inference that get established between actors. It is a concept resulting from a constructivist view of new regionalism. Oman (1994), notes that the main unifiers of associative coherence emanate from cultural and social nature and their vital focus is the society, people and groups. Regionalism cannot advance effectively by failing to strengthen associative links among the societies, groups and people in the region. Devetak and Burke (2011) explains that most of the established regional bodies have consistently enhanced this strategy. For example, the East Asia has strengthened the associative coherence in regard to social-ethnic demography, economic development, socio-cultural characteristics and political structures (Oman, 1994). However, there are slight diversity challenges being advanced by strong nationalistic feelings that remain a key feature because of historical mistrusts (Baylis Owens, 2010). Baylis and Owens (2010) also point out that organisational coherence is a term relating to ho w regionalism may be transformed or take some kind of organisational form. Its attributes are administrative based, while corporate and political actions are the key unifiers of organisational coherence. Regionalism has played a key role in organisation coherence. For example, the East Asia is a home of a growing number of regional level associations and non-governmental organisations. These organisations have been pivotal in strengthening regionalism (Baldwin, 2006). Moreover, the East Asian Summit, EAS and ASEAN +3 are regional structures where other bodies such as the APEC and ASEA are regional organisations (Dieter Higgott, 2003). These four bodies provide regional-level functions such as providing a capacity path envisioning the organisation’s goals, regulating meetings of civil society groups, business and political leaders and cooperating on programs and activities of the organisations. Democratisation and State Building Aside from promoting political, security issues , economy, cooperation and community, regionalism consolidates democratization and state building. It plays a critical role in managing the negative effects of globalisation. According to Milner (1997), most case studies drawn from parts of Asia, Europe and Americas have been used to support this assertion. For instance, in the case of ASEAN, Milner (1997), indicates that regionalism grants weaker nations an opening, enabling them to avoid being marginalized and dominated by leading powers. Similarly, Baylis and Owens (2010) note that since the creation of the Asia Europe Meeting, ASEM in 1996, the ASEAN and EU nations have sustained cooperation in common areas of concerns such as human rights and economics (Fawcett, 2004). Additionally, the EU has fixed relations with MERCOSUR and initiated consultations with NAFTA on establishing the Atlantic Free Trade Area, AFTA. US is a key member of NAFTA and has also entered into negotiation with MERCOSUR with the aim of encouraging closer ti es and cooperation (Baldwin, 2006). Conclusion Regionalism has provided a basis for constructing a series of multilateral relationships which have been essential in transforming how states relate to one another. The developing system of cooperative networks is providing a new dimension to regional cooperation. Besides, regional states have witnessed economic interdependence, especially through domestic structural reforms, external liberalisation and market driven integration. Many forces have challenged established sovereignties coupled with internationalisation and globalisation defies, and the advent of new political systems, the world states have been limited in policies and control. Hence, regionalism is offering the world a new facet of shaping state activities. Various states have joined/formed regionalism to further their interests. Thus, from the Americas, Africa, Europe to Asia and Australia, many regional organisations have come into existence solving numerous challenges ( Eichengreen Frankel, 1995). Regionalism is the way to go; it has contributed to state development through forming trading alliances. Trading blocs have spurred development by reducing trade barriers and encouraging free movement of people. S imilarly, regionalism has enhanced regional identity within states. States within the same region have merged establishing a shared sense of regionalism; this has fixed seamless culture, economy and political systems of individual states. Beside, regionalism has created associative and organisational coherence among states; the closeness of the states bordering one another has fixed cultural and social ties among others. This strategy has helped promote peace and cohesion, security and economic activities among the states. Lastly, regionalism has developed and enhanced democratisation and state building of nations. Regionalism plays a key role in fixing the challenges faced by states such as political, economic and social issues. It has given w eaker nation’s more powers and curtailed the domination of the stronger states. Stronger nations have engaged with weaker nations under the same rules and policies. Trust and respect among other core values have been the guiding principles for fruitful cooperation. Thus, by enhancing development, promoting regional identity, building associative coherence and living in the spirit of democratisation and state building we can infer that regionalism is most important in studying contemporary international relations. References Acharya, A. 2001, Constructing a Security Community in Southeast Asia: ASEAN and the Problem of Regional Order, Routledge, New York. Baldwin, R. E. 2006, â€Å"Multilateralising Regionalism: Spaghetti Bowls as Building Blocks on the Path to Global Free Trade†, The World Economy, Vol. 29. No. 11, pp. 1451–518. Baylis, J. S. S. Owens P. 2010, The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations (Fifth Edition), Oxfor d: Oxford University Press. Devetak, R. A. Burke J. G. 2011, An Introduction to International Relations,Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Buzan, B. Little, R. 2000, International Systems in World History: Remaking the Study of International Relations, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Buzan, B. Waever, O. 2003, Regions and Powers: The Structure of International Security, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Dieter, H. Higgott, R. 2003, ‘Exploring alternative theories of economic regionalism: from trade to finance in Asian co-operation?’ Review of International Political, Economy, Vol. 10. No. 34, pp. 430-454. East African Community 2000, The Second EAC Development Strategy 2001-2005, EAC Secretariat, Arusha. Eichengreen, B. Frankel, J. A. 1995, ‘Economic regionalism: Evidence from two 20th century episodes.’ North American Journal of Economics Finance, Vol. 6. No. 24, pp. 89-106. Fawcett, L. 2004, ‘Exploring Regional Domains: A Comparative History of Regionalism’, International Affairs, Vol.80. No. 3, pp. 429-446. Hine, R. C. 1992, â€Å"Regionalism and the Integration of the World Economy,† Journal of Common Market Studies, Vol. 30. No. 2, pp. 45- 98. Johnston, A. I. 2003, ‘Socialization in international institutions: The ASEAN way and international relations theory’. In International Relations and the Asia-Pacific, eds G.J.Ikenberry and M. Mastanduno. New York: Columbia University Press. Milner, HV 1997, ‘Industries, governments, and regional trade blocs’. In Mansfield and HV Milner (eds) The Political Economy of Regionalism, Roudlege, New York. Moore, M. 2000, Globalising Regionalism: A New Role for Mercosur in the Multilateral Trading System. Web. Muthaura, F. 1999, In Perspectives on Regional Integration and Co-operation in East Africa, Nairobi. Oman, C. 1994, Globalisation and Regionalisation: The Challenge for Developing Countries. Paris, OECD. Webber, D. 2001, ‘Tw o funerals and a wedding? The ups and downs of regionalism in East Asia and Asia-Pacific after the Asian crisis.’ The Pacific Review, Vol. 14. No. 6, pp. 339-372. Wyatt-Walter, A. 1995, ‘Regionalism, globalization, and world economic order’. In L Fawcett (eds), Regionalism in World Politics: Regional Organization and International Order, Oxford University Press, Hurrell. This essay on Concepts for the study of Contemporary International Relations was written and submitted by user Makenzie U. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Ray Bradbury biography essays

Ray Bradbury biography essays U.S. author, born in Waukegan, Ill., on Aug. 22, 1920. In his stories, Bradbury wove together the intrigue of changing technology with insightful social commentary. One of his best-known works was 'The Martian Chronicles; a collection of interrelated stories concerning colonization of the planet Mars those attracted readers both young and old. In it, Bradbury portrayed the strengths and weaknesses of human beings as they encountered a new world. Ray Bradbury grew up in Waukegan and in Los Angeles, where he founded a magazine called Futuria Fantasia while in high school. He sold his first short story when he was 21 years old. His early stories were published in pulp magazines, but Bradbury later published stories in such mainstream magazines as The New Yorker, Mademoiselle, and the Saturday Evening Post. His science fiction and fantasy short-story collections included 'The Martian Chronicles', 'The Illustrated Man', and 'Dinosaur Tales'. Bradbury's 1980 collection, 'The Stories of Ray Bradbury', covers a wide range of topics, none of which is truly science fiction. His novels included 'Fahrenheit 451', Dandelion Wine, and 'Something Wicked This Way Comes'. 'Fahrenheit 451' was made into a motion picture in 1966, and 'The Martian Chronicles' later appeared both as a motion picture and a television miniseries. In 1954 Bradbury was honored with an award from the National Institute of Arts and Letters for his contribution to American literature. In 1956 he collaborated with John Huston to create the screenplay for 'Moby Dick'. In addition to fiction Bradbury wrote 'Zen and the Art of Writing' and also published such dramas as 'The Anthem Sprinters, 'The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit, The Pedestrian, and volumes of poetry including 'When Elephants Last in the Dooryard Bloomed', 'Where Robot Mice ...

Currency War of China Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Currency War of China - Research Paper Example In connection to this, this paper provides detailed information on the effects of World War II to China’s currency. In doing that, it expounds on the Japanese presence in China and their effect on the economy as well as how the war between the Chinese currency and Japanese currency led to confusion of China’s currency. It also details on the activities that were carried out by the Japanese and their effect to China. The paper also expound on how silver affected the economy of China alongside explaining how the U.S. control of IMF led to currency issues in China. The paper expound on not only the effects of Cultural Revolution in 1966, but also on the effects of Post-Bretton Woods. Additionally, the paper also provides detailed information on not only what currency wars have brought to China, but also on how China will act differently if WWIII will be a currency war. Currency wars are terms used in referring to the manipulation of currencies with the intention of boosting exports. â€Å"On the other hand, currency war (competitive devaluation) is a condition in international businesses where countries compete with in opposition to each other with the intention of achieving relatively low exchange rates for their own currency† (Rickards 111). The term currency war was launched in September 2010 by a Brazilian Finance Minister referred to as Guido Mantega. According to him, emerging markets were experiencing challenges from not only depreciation of U.S. dollar, but also through undervalued Chinese renminbi (RMB). A week later after the coining of the term â€Å"currency war,† the President of France by name Nicolas Sarkozy also placed a reform of the international monetary system on top of the agenda of the G20 under France’s chairmanship with the aim of ensuring the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other competent organi zations launch diverse host to discuss on the same issue. It was