Does pressure group politics damage or enhance democracy Essay Example

Does pressure group politics damage or enhance democracy Essay Example Does pressure group politics damage or enhance democracy Paper Does pressure group politics damage or enhance democracy Paper Democracy can be defined as the political orientation of those who favour government by the people, or by their elected representatives (Whawell, 1998 p. 178). Democracy derives from the Greek word demos meaning people, in essence a democratic society is a fair society. A Pressure group or interest groups fundamental aim is to influence decision makers in the Government domain, which can be formulated by central government, local government, the European Union, and in some cases by quasi government (Grant, 1995 p. ). Pressure groups do not attempt to gain political power, which differs from a political party, in respect that pressure groups inform, influence, and exert pressure on those creating public policy. Coxall (2001 p. 3) has suggested the following definition of a pressure group: A pressure group is any organisation that aims to influence public policy, by seeking to persuade decision makers, by lobbying rather than by standing for election and holding office. In essence, pressure groups do not wish to become actively involved with the government; they tend to concentrate on one particular aspect, as apposed to the government who are involved with many strategies. The fundamental purposes of pressure groups are to influence decisions making on exigent issues. For the purpose of this assignment, the author will discuss further, whether the issues of pressure group politics damage or enhance democracy. There are different forms of pressure groups, these being sectional or interest groups, cause or promotional groups, and insider/outsider groups. A sectional or interest group by definition tends to be motivated by their particular economic interests of their members, for example, The Trade Union Congress, (TUC) professional bodies such as The British Medical Association, (BMA) and specific employers organisations such as lawyers and medics fall within this category. A cause or promotional group can be defined (Grant, 1995 p. 3) as an idea, which is not directly related to the personal interests of its members, an example of this would be, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, (CND), Green Peace, or the Child Poverty Action Group, (CPAG). An insider/outsider topology was developed by Grant in 1995, (1995, p 15) which can be defined as categorising groups according to the tactics that they employ, and their relationship with the government. Thus, government and the civil service regard insider groups as justifiable partnerships, and when it comes to formulating and executing policy in particular areas, the insiders are deemed as the specialist in their area of interest, for example, The Charted Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH). Insider groups are perceived by the government as providing reliable and precise information, using the same verbal communication and ideologies, and perhaps more importantly, retaining the confidence of the government, being ideally placed in a position to compromise. In contrast, an outsider group tends not to be recognised and accepted by the government, arguably that they do not wish to pay homage or the political game, and bow down to the demands of the institution (Jones, 1991 p. 251). In quintessence, they are protest groups, which have specific objectives, which are external to the mainstream political opinion. For example, the government perhaps would not approach the animal activist group for advice about animal rights; however, may seek the professional knowledge and expertise from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). Pressure groups can also be influential within government, depending on current societal issues, the government has the opportunity to be selective about which pressure groups they utilise, and not all groups have equal access. A poignant example of this would be the National Farmers Union (NFU), in the 1980s as an interest group they were an insider group. However, since the recent outbreak of foot and mouth disease, the government have changed their tactics, deeming the NFUs information as unreliable and not accredited, and now utilise the Royal Veterinary Society (RVS) for their expertise and knowledge instead. Membership of pressure group parties has increased significantly over the last twenty years in comparison to the public who attend voting at general elections. This may be due to a variety of influencing factors, such as a higher disposable income, the advent of the internet, and there are now more bureaucrats. Kavanagh et al (2006 p. 418) suggests that In Britain today, more than half the adult population are members of at least one organisation, and many belong to a number of groups. For Example, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, (RSPB) has more members in total than all of the British political parties amalgamated, (Grant, 1995 p. 7) It could be argued (Grant, 1995 p. 17) that this does not enhance democracy. Pressure groups provide government with expertise and advice to facilitate policymaking, which ultimately result in enhancing the quality of government; they explore further avenues of participation, and actively contribute to the surveillance of government on behalf of its members, and look to expose information. Many of the pressure groups, whom assist the government, are experts in their own areas of competency such as medicine or farming. With the increased prevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Aids) was promulgated in the 1980s, the Terrance Higgins Foundation (THF) was consulted for their technical expertise and practical advice. Budge et al (2006 p. 446) has suggested that consultation with relevant groups makes for rational decisions, and quotes, Governments obviously have a democratic duty to consult and may depend on organised groups for policy information and implementation. Thus promoting political stability by providing a channel of communication between the government and the people, Budge, et al (2006 p 446) also suggested that by joining a pressure group, the populace fundamentally believe that they are actively being involved with politics. Pressure groups can also provide an essential freedom for the populace, especially minority groups, they are able to organise with concurring individuals so that their views can be articulated, and taken into consider ation by the government. For example, the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) provides comprehensive information on its role in advising the Government on the transport needs of a disabled person. The DPTAC are currently lobbying for changes for people who are discriminated against, with disabilities, on aeroplanes, (December, 2007) this facilitates the needs of people who autonomously would not be able to make a difference, in essence, assisted by a pressure group, they have a voice. Within the last decade, The Peoples Fuel Lobby (farmers and the road hauliers) launched a campaign against fuel tax, blocking oil refineries, which caused widespread national disruption. The government were left with no option other than to reduce the price of fuel, in order for public confidence to be resumed and services to recommence. This type of pressure group campaign displayed a positive effect, as far as the protesting party were concerned, however, it was incredibly embarrassing for the government, who ultimately succumbed to this form of blackmail. It was suggested by Grant, (1995, p. 13) that this bullying tactic can have detrimental effects and eventually recoil. For example, The Fathers for Justice Campaign (Guardian, Chezneck, 2006), allegedly plotted to kidnap Tony Blairs son, which led to an announcement in 2006 that the group was dissolving, this may indicate that the pressure group had in fact gone too far on this occasion. A negative impact of pressure groups can be of overcrowding the political arena and overloading the government with information therefore, preventing them from addressing important issues. Large scale demonstrations mounted by any group may lead to clashes with the police and the government, an example of this is the poll tax demonstrations which took place in 1990 (Jones, 1991, p. 259), where scenes of violence were frowned upon by the public. During the 1970s the Trade Unions had a substantial amount of influence and power within the government, until Margaret Thatcher came into power in 1979. It was suggested by Kavanagh et al (2006, p 418) Thatcherite conservatives were often suspicious of pressure groups, blaming them for overload and exponential state expansion, one of the stated aims of Thatcherism was to tame the enemy within. Margaret Thatcher thought that pressure groups were (Jones, 1991, p. 59), always intrusive, meddling and interfering with government practices. It was suggested by Watts, (2007, p. 154) that pressure groups only provide for people that have the time, money and educational backgrounds and therefore this automatically excludes people from lower socio economic groups, these are the cohorts in society that really do need their voices to be heard. To conclude, pressure groups are very popular in the United Kingdom, and there are in excess of five thousand diverse groups (Jones, 1991, p. 59). It ca n be suggested, by the author, that pressure groups have some control over democracy; this is done by assembling the public with similar beliefs, and individuals freedom to be heard increases power, thus creating movement of power downwards and away from central institutions, ultimately resulting in a fairer democratic society. Continuality of political action enhances democracy as it gives constant reviews to policy. If there were to be demise in pressure groups, the process would not flow, as government elections only take place every four years. Pressure groups bring to the attention of the public governments activities, ensuring that procedures are being followed. Regardless of positive or negative factors brought on by pressure groups, they play a poignant role in contemporary British politics, although it may not always benefit them or society, their role is to serve individuals politically in ways that elections, campaigns and political parties are unable to.

Virginia Woolf Quotes

Virginia Woolf Quotes Writer Virginia Woolf is a key figure in the modernist literary movement. She is best known for her writings between World War I and World War II including the 1929 essay, A Room of Ones Own, and novels Mrs. Dalloway and Orlando. Interest in Virginia Woolf and her writings revived with the feminist criticism of the 1970s. Selected Virginia Woolf Quotations On Women A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction. As a woman, I have no country. As a woman, I want no country. As a woman, my country is the world. I would venture to guess that Anon, who wrote so many poems without signing them, was often a woman. The history of mens opposition to womens emancipation is more interesting perhaps than the story of that emancipation itself. If one could be friendly with women, what a pleasure - the relationship so secret and private compared with relations with men. Why not write about it truthfully? The truth is, I often like women. I like their unconventionality. I like their completeness. I like their anonymity. This is an important book, the critic assumes, because it deals with war. This is an insignificant book because it deals with the feelings of women in a drawing-room. Women have served all these centuries as looking-glasses possessing the magic and delicious power of reflecting the figure of man at twice its natural size. It is fatal to be a man or woman pure and simple: one must be a woman manly, or a man womanly. On Women in Literature [W]omen have burnt like beacons in all the works of all the poets from the beginning of time. If woman had no existence save in the fiction written by men, one would imagine her a person of the utmost importance; very various; heroic and mean; splendid and sordid; infinitely beautiful and hideous in the extreme; as great as a man, some think even better. Have you any notion how many books are written about women in the course of one year? Have you any notion how many are written by men? Are you aware that you are, perhaps, the most discussed animal in the universe? On History Nothing has really happened until it has been recorded. For most of history, Anonymous was a woman. On Life and Living To look life in the face, always, to look life in the face, and to know it for what it is...at last, to love it for what it is, and then to put it away. One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well. When you consider things like the stars, our affairs dont seem to matter very much, do they? The beauty of the world, which is so soon to perish, has two edges, one of laughter, one of anguish, cutting the heart asunder. Each has his past shut in him like the leaves of a book known to him by his heart, and his friends can only read the title. Its not catastrophes, murders, deaths, diseases, that age and kill us; its the way people look and laugh, and run up the steps of omnibuses. Life is a luminous halo, a semi-transparent envelope surrounding us from the beginning. Someone has to die in order that the rest of us should value life more. On Freedom To enjoy freedom we have to control ourselves. Lock up your libraries if you like, but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind. On Time I can only note that the past is beautiful because one never realises an emotion at the time. It expands later, and thus we dont have complete emotions about the present, only about the past. The mind of man works with strangeness upon the body of time. An hour, once it lodges in the queer element of the human spirit, may be stretched to fifty or a hundred times its clock length; on the other hand, an hour may be accurately represented by the timepiece of the mind by one second. On Age The older one grows, the more one likes indecency. One of the signs of passing youth is the birth of a sense of fellowship with other human beings as we take our place among them. These are the souls changes. I dont believe in ageing. I believe in forever altering ones aspect to the sun. Hence my optimism. On War and Peace We can best help you to prevent war not by repeating your words and following your methods but by finding new words and creating new methods. If you insist upon fighting to protect me, or our country, let it be understood soberly and rationally between us that you are fighting to gratify a sex instinct which I cannot share; to procure benefits where I have not shared and probably will not share. On Education and Intelligence The first duty of a lecturer is to hand you after an hours discourse a nugget of pure truth to wrap up between the pages of your notebooks and keep on the mantelpiece forever. If we help an educated mans daughter to go to Cambridge are we not forcing her to think not about education but about war? - not how she can learn, but how she can fight in order that she might win the same advantages as her brothers? There can be no two opinions as to what a highbrow is. He is the man or woman of thoroughbred intelligence who rides his mind at a gallop across country in pursuit of an idea. On Writing Literature is strewn with the wreckage of those who have minded beyond reason the opinion of others. Writing is like sex. First you do it for love, then you do it for your friends, and then you do it for money. It is worth mentioning, for future reference, that the creative power which bubbles so pleasantly in beginning a new book quiets down after a time, and one goes on more steadily. Doubts creep in. Then one becomes resigned. Determination not to give in, and the sense of an impending shape keep one at it more than anything. Masterpieces are not single and solitary births; they are the outcome of many years of thinking in common, of thinking by the body of the people, so that the experience of the mass is behind the single voice. A biography is considered complete if it merely accounts for six or seven selves, whereas a person may well have as many as a thousand. Odd how the creative power at once brings the whole universe to order. When the shriveled skin of the ordinary is stuffed out with meaning, it satisfies the senses amazingly. A masterpiece is something said once and for all, stated, finished, so that its there complete in the mind, if only at the back. I meant to write about death, only life came breaking in as usual. I was in a queer mood, thinking myself very old: but now I am a woman again - as I always am when I write. Humour is the first of the gifts to perish in a foreign tongue. Language is wine upon the lips. On Reading When the Day of Judgment dawns and people, great and small, come marching in to receive their heavenly rewards, the Almighty will gaze upon the mere bookworms and say to Peter, Look, these need no reward. We have nothing to give them. They have loved reading. On Work Occupation is essential. On Integrity and Truth If you do not tell the truth about yourself you cannot tell it about other people. This soul, or life within us, by no means agrees with the life outside us. If one has the courage to ask her what she thinks, she is always saying the very opposite to what other people say. It is in our idleness, in our dreams, that the submerged truth sometimes comes to the top. On Public Opinion On the outskirts of every agony sits some observant fellow who points. It is curious how instinctively one protects the image of oneself from idolatry or any other handling that could make it ridiculous, or too unlike the original to be believed any longer. On Society Inevitably we look upon society, so kind to you, so harsh to us, as an ill-fitting form that distorts the truth; deforms the mind; fetters the will. Great bodies of people are never responsible for what they do. Those comfortably padded lunatic asylums which are known, euphemistically, as the stately homes of England. On People Really I dont like human nature unless all candied over with art. On Friendship Some people go to priests; others to poetry; I to my friends. On Money Money dignifies what is frivolous if unpaid for. On Clothes There is much to support the view that it is clothes that wear us, and not we, them; we may make them take the mould of arm or breast, but they mould our hearts, our brains, our tongues to their liking. On Religion I read the book of Job last night, I dont think God comes out well in it. About These Quotes This quote collection was assembled by Jone Johnson Lewis. Each quotation page in this collection and the entire collection  © Jone Johnson Lewis. This is an informal collection assembled over many years.

Dance and Human Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Dance and Human Development - Essay Example Literature is filled with studies of human development which revolved around various disciplines. Human development refers to how an individual develops from infancy to childhood, to adolescence and adulthood; development has a broad connotation. Infants use movement to express themselves and even have their own sense of their surroundings. Charles Darwin studied the theory of evolution by studying how his own child played and reacted to the world, how creativity connected with development. Creativity is first expressed in infancy and as the baby grows. Piaget (cited in Gardner, 1990, p. 2) indicated that infants express themselves through the sensorimotor system, which involves the use of sense organs and motor system; toddlers begin to understand the various symbol systems and the workings of the physical world; young children begin to reason out and argue on logic or morality; and adolescents begin to reason in a ‘formal-operational’ attitude (Gardner, 1990, p. 2). A play is an important creative expression of a child. The world of make-believe shapes the child’s emotional, psychological and mental abilities in dealing with the world around him/her. A play has some neurological implication on a child – it enhances brain growth (Kennedy, 2008, p. 16). This proposal aims to provide an analysis of the relevance of the arts to human development and play. The study will discuss aspects of dance, its history and healing power and its role in the development of human personality, and how it affects the psychological, mental, physical and social well being. The methodology will consist of a review of the literature. Sources will come from books, online or physical library, journals and other valuable sources of information on human development and dance.

Human Resource Development Plan for Glaxo SmithKline Company Case Study

Human Resource Development Plan for Glaxo SmithKline Company - Case Study Example â€Å"Along with the changes in manufacturing processes and priorities came the realization that the necessary flexibility could be best achieved through skilled workers with knowledge of the technical aspects of production, as well as the abilities to attain maximum effectiveness within the company† (Byrne, 1999, pg1) According to Rouda and Kusy, the definition of HRD is "organized learning activities arranged within an organization in order to improve performance and/or personal growth for the purpose of improving the job, the individual, and/or the organization" (1995, 1). As the trend in the industry is again slowly shifting from the ‘industrial age’ to the ‘information age’ it has become ever more important to capture all the benefits that a sound Human resource Development plan brings. Amongst other things, it helps you create a satisfied, loyal and committed workforce that is intrinsically motivated to give their best performance. It also helps you in countering the complexities of human nature and helps your employees navigate life situations with would otherwise impact your organization's goal-seeking endeavors. HRD is also an organization's best chance to acquire, evaluate and retain its best performers. Through careful monitoring of the organization culture and the employees who have the ability to enhance it or improve from it can separate and focus on the ‘best’ employees. By nurturing their skills, an organization will benefit from their combined knowledge, experience and ideas as well as maintain a core workforce which can help in training and recruiting similarly talented people. This concept has become even more crucial with the latest trends in the worker lifecycle; no longer are there ‘jobs for life’- people require more than just job safety and monetary benefits from their employers, they need a sense of involvement, accomplishment, job flexibility, additional perks and to feel  committed to an organization's goals.  

Milk and Ice Cream Essay Example for Free

Milk and Ice Cream Essay Don’t you think you should get kids to try more fruits and vegetables, especially since the new MyPlate guidelines say that half of their plate should be fruits and vegetables? Child obesity is a huge problem today and one of the best ways to counter this is to make vegetables more attractive to kids. That is why we developed a way to tempt fussy children: vegetable ice cream. Can you use the fact that people will eat just about anything if it is in ice cream form? The Ice Greens come in broccoli, lettuce, and malunggay flavors. This may sound unappetizing, but once you taste it, you might change your mind especially if you’re health conscious. This would even fit in the summer season because of the chills it brings on the summer breeze. OBJECTIVE —This Investigatory project aims to find ways to encourage children to eat bland vegetables by blending it into one of their favorite desserts: the ice cream. It is known that children naturally dislikes vegetables but by imbuing the nutritional value of vegetables into their favorable dessert, the researchers conducted experiments on how effective it is. —This is also to make vegetables appetizing and appealing to the eyes of the children. Basic Ingredients: concentrated soymilk malunggay fresh leaves banana fruit (any table-type) sugar (condensed milk or honey) soybean oil or virgin coconut oil So with the above ingredients, let’s all experiment. Go, go, go! 2 cups milk 2 cups heavy cream 2 eggs, beaten 1 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup puree bananas 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg In a saucepan, combine the milk, cream, eggs, sugar and salt. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Refrigerate the mixture until cool. Combine the cooled custard with the bananas, vanilla and nutmeg. Pour into freezer container. Freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Anti-Japanese Propagnda of WW2 in America Essay -- essays research pap

World War II Anti-Japanese Propaganda   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.† (Declaration of War Against Japan) These words were said by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in his declaration of war on Japan on December 8, 1941. The attack on Pearl Harbor marked the official entry of the United States involvement in World War II and sparked a barrage of anti-Japanese propaganda. From posters to leaflets, radio messages to the attack on Pearl Harbor, the public of the United States was constantly the center of attention for psychological warfare. Propaganda of the World War II period reflected the American people’s anti-Japanese sentiment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Twenty years after the conclusion of World War I, Germany, Italy, and Japan started an international aggression campaign that would eventually bring the United States into a second global conflict. â€Å"Let’s Put the Axe to the Axis† was a popular wartime propaganda song pushing action toward breaking the Axis’ power (The Enduring Vision 910). The Axis was the name given to the German, Japanese and Italian alliance. The Allied powers were the United States, Great Britain, France, and later, Russia. The Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis, as it is called, formed in 1936-1937, and the Allied countries came together shortly after. The United States did not want to enter the war, and as late as mid-November in 1941, the US felt â€Å"the most essential thing now, from the United States standpoint, is to gain time.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  December 7, 1941, the â€Å"date which will live in infamy,† the United States was attacked by Japan at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Until December, the Japanese had pursued two courses of action for the current situation. They attempted to get the oil embargo lifted without giving up the territory they wanted, and to prepare for war. On the other side, the US demanded the withdraw of Japanese troops from Indochina and China. All of this became irrelevant by mid-October. Japan’s new premier, General Tojo Hideki secretly set November 29, 1941 as the last day Japan would accept a settlement with the United States without war. Since the deadline was kept secret, it meant war was almost certain. The Japanese felt very confident with their plans for war. The army and navy had proposed to ma... ...ds, throw reason out the window, and follow courses of action we may regret later† (http://newdeal.feri.org).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Works Cited Boyer, Clark, Kett, Salisbury, Sitkoff and Woloch.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Enduring Vision Second Edition â€Å"Declaration of War Against Japan†, World War II,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Microsoft Encarta   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Encyclopedia Delwiche, Aaron   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.propagandacritic.com http://orpheus.uscd.edu/speccoll http://web.mit.edu/21h.153j/www The Independent Institute   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.independent.org Johnson, Paul   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.auburn.edu/~johnspm/gloss/propaganda.html Merriam-Webster Dictionary National Archives and Records Administration,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/lessons/Japanese_relocation.html Pearl Habor, Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia Rense, Jeff   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.rense.com  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thurston, Thomas   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://newdeal.feri.org â€Å"Wartime Propaganda†, Propaganda, Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia

Growth and Potential of International Luxury Fashion Brands Essay

This is to certify that the project entitled ? Growth and Potential of Luxury International Fashion Brands in India? is submitted towards the partial fulfillment of the program ? Master of Fashion Management‘ by Kanan Gupta. It is an original work done under my guidance and the results are based on the research done by her. Name of mentor: Mr. Kislay Kashyap Asst. Professor Department of MFM NIFT, Patna Date: 01-03-2012 Place: Patna 1|Page DECLARATION I, Kanan Gupta hereby declare that the project entitled ? Growth and Potential of Luxury International Fashion Brands in India? submitted towards, partial fulfillment of the program Master of Fashion Management is my original work and no part of the project has been copied from any other report or carried by someone else or has been submitted for any other degree/award. However, any material taken from any other published sources has been suitably referred and acknowledged at various places. Name : Kanan Gupta Roll no : 17 Batch : 2011-2013 Centre : Patna Date Place : 01-03-2012 : Patna 2|Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I owe my gratitude to many people who helped and supported me during the research and compilation of my project report. I would like to thank my mentor Mr Kislay Kashyap for approving my project and express my indebted gratitude for his guidance and suggestions at every stage of this report. My sincere gratitude is also due to my seniors for their constant encouragement and support. I would like to express my thanks to all those people who were directly and indirectly involved in shaping my project by providing valuable information and co-operation. 3|Page EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION: This is a project to study about the ? Growth and Potential of Luxury International Fashion Brands in India?. If we look into the past, no one could imagine that a luxury market would exist in India. But over the years with the change in the demographics of the Indian consumer and with higher disposable income available, the luxury market in India has indeed emerged as one of the fastest growing markets in the retail segment. PROBLEM DEFINITION: The Indian Luxury Market is still a niche market and people have got a very low personal disposable income, though it has increased a lot from before but not so much to afford international luxury fashion brands and the people who have got a high disposable income lack enough knowledge about the international fashion brands available in India as the luxury international stores are limited to metropolitans only. 4|Page OBJECTIVE: The main objectives of the projects are ? Analyze the Luxury Brand Awareness among the Indian consumers. ? Reasons behind customers buying Luxury fashion Brands ? Analyze the major international fashion brands in India. ? To analyze the Current Scenario and the Growth of Indian Luxury fashion brands and the Market. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: ? The secondary research is through Magazines, journals, articles and internet. ? Primary research through focus group interview with industry personnel, customers. HYPOTHESIS: ? Assuming that there is a strong scope for the growth of international luxury fashion brands in India. ? Taking an assumption that Luxury fashion brands do not have much scope in the Indian market. 5|Page CONTENTS Ch. No. 1. 0 2. 0 3. 0 3. 1 3. 2 3. 3 3. 4 3. 5 3. 6 3. 7 4. 0 4. 1 4. 2 4. 3 5. 0 5. 1 5. 2 5. 3 5. 4 6. 0 7. 0 8. 0 9. 0 9. 1 9. 2 Chapter Name Objective Research Methodology Literature Review Introduction India at Glance Geography People Understanding Luxury Defining Luxury Socio Economic Significance of Luxury Acquainting with Luxury Fashion Brand Major Difference between Regular Brands and Luxury Brands Persona of Indian Luxury Industry Famous Luxury Brands and their destination in India SWOT Analysis Major Problems Faced by Luxury Fashion Industry Growth and Potential of Luxury Brand Growth of Indian Luxury Market Luxury Fashion Branding Strategies Final Summary Primary Research Findings Annexure Questionnaire Bibliography Page No. 7 8 9 9 9 11 13 14 15 16 17 21 23 26 31 32 33 35 39 41 43 54 56 56 58 6|Page 1. 0 OBJECTIVE: The main objectives of the projects are ? Analyze the Luxury Brand Awareness among the Indian consumers. ? Reasons behind customers buying Luxury fashion Brands ? Analyze the major international fashion brands in India. ? To analyze the Current Scenario and the Growth of Indian Luxury fashion brands and the Market. 7|Page 2. 0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: ? Secondary research through Magazines, journals, articles and internet. ? Primary research through focus group interview with industry personnel, customers. 8|Page 3. 0 LITERATURE REVIEW 3. 1 INTRODUCTION: If we look into the past, no one could imagine that a luxury market would exist in India. But over the years with the change in the demographics of the Indian consumer and with higher disposable income available, the luxury market in India has indeed emerged as one of the fastest growing markets in the retail segment. Through this report I have tried to give an estimate of the luxury retail market in India, how much it has penetrated and also how much it is likely to grow. Also I have tried to specify various factors that are crucial for the success of luxury brands in India. While doing out research on this project I have come across many new findings. The role the Indian market plays in the global scenario and the position of India vis-a-vis other countries. Also I understood about the duties and legal requirements for this segment. I have tried my level best to cover all the aspects in regard to my research. India today is fast becoming a new world of modern luxury. The country now teems with luxurious international brands, spurring the ascent of an Indian luxury market. One does not need to travel abroad to shop for luxury. Luxury goods and services sit aplenty right at home. Indians, however, have to realize such, be informed where to avail of them, and be convinced of the convenience and ease of access to these luxury goods and services. In the same vein, foreigners can also visit India to shop for same luxury. India can very well be placed on the global luxury-shopping map. There is, therefore, a huge opportunity to pump prime the luxury market field in India. 9|Page 3. 2 INDIA AT GLANCE: FOCUS : Study about India and its habitats. India is one of the oldest civilizations in the world with a kaleidoscopic variety and rich cultural heritage. It has achieved all-round socio-economic progress during the last 60 years of its Independence. India has become self-sufficient in agricultural production and is now the tenth industrialized country in the world and the sixth nation to have gone into outer space to conquer nature for the benefit of the people. It covers an area of 32,87,2631 sq km, extending from the snow-covered Himalayan heights to the tropical rain forests of the south. As the 7th largest country in the world, India stands apart from the rest of Asia, marked off as it is by mountains and the sea, which give the country a distinct geographical entity. Bounded by the Great Himalayas in the north, it stretches southwards and at the Tropic of Cancer, tapers off into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal on the east and the Arabian Sea on the west. Lying entirely in the northern hemisphere, the mainland extends between latitudes 8 °4? and 37 °6? north, longitudes 68 °7? and 97 °25? east and measures about 3,214 km from north to south between the extreme latitudes and about 2,933 km from east to west between the extreme longitudes. It has a land frontier of about 15,200 km. The total length of the coastline of the mainland, Lakshadweep Islands and Andaman& Nicobar Islands is 7,516. 6 km. 10 | P a g e 3. 3 Geography: Location: The Indian peninsula is separated from mainland Asia by the Himalayas. The Country is surrounded by the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Arabian Sea in the west, and the Indian Ocean to the south. Geographic Coordinates: Lying entirely in the Northern Hemisphere, the Country extends between 8 ° 4? and 37 ° 6? latitudes north of the Equator, and 68 °7? and 97 °25? longitudes east of it. Indian Standard Time: GMT + 05:30 Area: 3. 3 Million sq km Telephone Country +91 Code: Border Countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan to the north-west; China, Bhutan and Nepal to the north; Myanmar to the east; and Bangladesh to the east of West Bengal. Sri Lanka is separated from India by a narrow channel of sea, formed by Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar. Coastline: 7,516. 6 km encompassing the mainland, Lakshadweep Islands, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. 11 | P a g e Climate: The climate of India can broadly be classified as a tropical monsoon one. But, in spite of much of the northern part of India lying beyond the tropical zone, the entire country has a tropical climate marked by relatively high temperatures and dry winters. There are four seasons – winter (December-February), (ii) summer (March-June), (iii) south-west monsoon season (June-September), and (iv) post monsoon season (October- November). Terrain: The mainland comprises of four regions, namely the great mountain zone, plains of the Ganga and the Indus, the desert region, and the southern peninsula. Natural Resources: Coal, iron ore, manganese ore, mica, bauxite, petroleum, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, magnesite, limestone, arable land, dolomite, barytes, kaolin, gypsum, apatite, phosphorite, steatite, fluorite, etc. Natural Hazards: Monsoon floods, flash floods, earthquakes, droughts, and landslides. Environment – Current Issues: Air pollution control, energy conservation, solid waste management, oil and gas conservation, forest conservation, etc. Environment – International Agreements: Rio Declaration on environment and development, Cartagena Protocol on biosafety, Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on climatic 12 | P a g e change, World Trade Agreement, Helsinki Protocol to LRTAP on the reduction of sulphur emissions of nitrogen oxides or their transboundary fluxes (Nox Protocol), and Geneva Protocol to LRTAP concerning the control of emissions of volatile organic compounds or their transboundary fluxes (VOCs Protocol). Geography – Note: India occupies a major portion of the south Asian subcontinent. 3. 4 PEOPLE: Population: 1,21,01,93,422 Decadal Population Male: 9,15, 01,158 Growth: Female: 8,99, 54, 828 Density of Population: 382 per sq. km. Sex Ratio: 940 per 1000 males Nationality: Indian All the five major racial types – Australoid, Mongoloid, Europoid, Caucasian, and Negroid find representation among the people of India. Ethnic Groups: 13 | P a g e Religions: Hindus constituted the majority with 80. 5 %, Muslims came second at 13. 4%, followed by Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and others. Languages: There are 22 National Languages have been recognized by the Constitution of India, of which Hindi is the Official Union Language. Besides these, there are 844 different dialects that are practiced in various parts of the Country. Literacy: Persons: 77,84,54,120 Males: 44,42,03,762 Females: 33,42,50,358 GDP: Nominal GDP stands at US$1. 53 trillion as per 2010 census 3. 5 UNDERSTANDING LUXURY AND AQUAINTING WITH LUXURY FASHION BRANDS: FOCUS : Getting introduced to the term ? LUXURY? Luxury, derived from the Latin word luxus, means indulgence of the senses, regardless of cost. Luxury is something that everyone wants but nobody needs, its an area of huge comfort and the best of the best. 14 | P a g e A luxury brand is a brand for which a majority of its products are luxury goods. It may also include certain brands whose names are associated with luxury, high price, or high quality, though few, if any, of their goods are currently considered luxury goods. The luxury sector targets its products and services at consumers on the top-end of the wealth spectrum. These self-selected elite is more or less price insensitive and chooses to spend their time and money on objects that are plainly opulence rather than necessities. For these reasons, luxury and prestige brands have for centuries commanded an unwavering and often illogical customer loyalty. 3. 6 DEFINING LUXURY: The concept of luxury has been present in various forms since the beginning of civilization. Its role was just as important in ancient western and eastern empires as it is in modern societies. With the clear differences between social classes in earlier civilizations, the consumption of luxury was limited to the elite classes. It also meant the definition of luxury was fairly clear. Whatever the poor cannot have and the elite can was identified as luxury. With increasing ? democratization‘, several new product categories were created within the luxury markets that were aptly called – accessible luxury or mass luxury. This kind of luxury specifically targeted the middle class (or what is sometimes termed as aspiring class). As luxury penetrated into the masses, defining luxury has become difficult. In contemporary marketing usage, Prof. Bernard Dubois defines ? luxury‘ as a specific (i. e. higher-priced) tier of offer in almost any product or service category. However, despite the substantial body of knowledge accumulated 15 | P a g e during the past decades, researchers still haven‘t arrived on a common definition of luxury. Many other attempts have been made to define luxury using the price-quality dimension stating higher priced products in any category is luxury. Similarly, researchers have used the uniqueness aspects of luxury too. Prof. Jean-Noel Kapferer, takes an experiential approach and defines luxury as items which provide extra pleasure by flattering all senses at once. Several other researchers focus on exclusivity dimension and argue that luxury evokes a sense of belonging to a certain elite group. 3. 7 SOCIO ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE OF LUXURY: Several manufactured products attain the status of â€Å"luxury goods† due to their design, quality, durability or performance that are remarkably superior to the comparable substitutes. Thus, virtually every category of goods available on the market today includes a subset of similar products whose â€Å"luxury† is marked by better-quality components and materials, solid construction, stylish appearance, increased durability, better performance, advanced features, and so on. As such, these luxury goods may retain or improve the basic functionality for which all items of a given category are originally designed. There are also goods that are perceived as luxurious by the public simply because they play a role of status symbols as such goods tend to signify the purchasing power of those who acquire them. These items, while not necessarily being better (in quality, performance, or appearance) than their less expensive substitutes, are purchased with the main purpose of displaying wealth or income of their owners. These kinds of goods are the objects of a socio-economic phenomenon called conspicuous consumption and commonly include luxury vehicles, watches, jewelry, designer clothing, yachts, as well as large residences, urban mansions, and country houses. 16 | P a g e 4. 0 AQUAINTING WITH THE LUXURY FASHION BRANDS Luxury fashion brands have often been associated with the core competencies of creativity, craftsmanship, precision, high quality, innovation, & premium pricing. These product attributes give the consumers the satisfaction of not only owning expensive items but the extra-added psychological benefits like the esteem, prestige and a sense of a high status that reminds them and others that they belong to an exclusive group of only a select few, who can afford the pricey items. The luxury sector targets its products and services at consumers on the top-end of the wealth spectrum. These self-selected elite are more or less price insensitive and choose to spend their time & money on objects that are plainly opulence rather than necessities. For these reasons, luxury and prestige brands have for centuries commanded an unwavering and often illogical customer loyalty. 17 | P a g e Luxury has never been something easy to define; yet this mystery concept is something highly desired by one & all alike. I look at delving deeper into this mystery and aura of luxury goods by way of comparing them against ? regular goods‘ as well as highlighting the characteristics of the luxury industry. But before beginning with that, lets first attempt to understand some common terms associated in the world of high-end goods. Luxury and Prestige brands such as Rolex, Louis Vuitton and Tag-heuer represent the highest form of craftsmanship and command a staunch consumer loyalty that is not affected by brands. These brands create and set the seasonal trends and are also capable to pulling all their consumers with them wherever they go. 18 | P a g e Premium brands are those brands like Polo, Ralph Lauren, Versace and Tommy Hilfiger that aspire to be luxury and prestige brands but their marketing mix strategies are more attuned to a mass market, albeit a luxury mass market. They also termed as mass Premium brands or luxury brands. Fashion brands are those that address the masses. LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy) is the largest luxury good producer in the world with over fifty brands, including Louis Vuitton, the brand with the world’s first designer label, other famous fashion brands are Chanel, Gucci etc. 19 | P a g e Luxury is a Hub of Business Luxury brands take the elements they feel passionate about, add design then develop it and present it to the customers that exceed their expectations. A luxury good is a product at the highest end of the market in terms of quality and price. Classic luxury goods include haute couture items such as clothing, accessories and luggage. However, many markets have a luxury segment including for instance, cars, wine and chocolates. Such brands share characteristics like consistent premium quality, a heritage of craftsmanship, a recognizable style or design, a limited production run of any item to ensure exclusivity, an element of uniqueness and an ability to keep coming up with new designs when the category is fashion-intensive. Keeping it simple and realistic, luxury is anything and everything that you may truly desire; it can be short lived or a life long desire – it is ? your‘ emotional connect and reward that allows it to appear as luxury. 20 | P a g e 4. 1 MAJOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN REGULAR BRANDS AND LUXURY BRANDS: FACTOR REGULAR GOODS LUXURY GOODS Available at posh, PLACE Available at convenience and according to the product category exclusive and selected locations ? Highly customized or ? Multiple mass variances but PRODUCT standardized. ? Service levels range from low to high. limited editions of products. ? Very high personnel service. PRICING Value for money Premium pricing ? Pre- ? All kinds of media (ATL, BTL) used. ? Product functional and aspirational PROMOTION value appeals. ? All kinds of reference group appeals used. dominantly premium above the line media. e. g. Connoisseur, Magazines, 21 | P a g e Travel media) ? Products have the exclusive appeal. ? Mostly celebrity appeals. Luxury goods are Those goods for which demand is inversely proportional to price. also called as Veblen‘s goods, the demand for the product is said to increase with the increase in price. ECONOMIC DEFINITION BRAND EXTENSION DECISIONS Based on defending your turf. (R&D based decisions to an extent). Based on marketing the luxury brand. DRIVERS OF BRANDS Functional attributes and innovation. Tradition and brand heritage. Source: Luxury Marketing, Samit khanna- IIM-A 22 | P a g e 4. 2 PERSONA OF INDIAN LUXURY INDUSTRY: FOCUS : Understanding the characteristics of luxury brands. CHARACTERISTICS OF INDIAN LUXURY INDUSTRY: 1. THE MEANING OF LUXURY HAS CHANGED: Luxury has moved from its ? old‘ meaning of ownership (also known as conspicuous consumption – Conspicuous consumption is a term used to describe the lavish spending on goods and services that are acquired mainly for the purpose of displaying income or wealth rather than to satisfy a real need of the consumer. In the mind of a conspicuous consumer, such display serves as a means of attaining or maintaining social status. Invidious consumption, a necessary corollary, is the term applied to consumption of goods and services for the deliberate purpose of inspiring envy in others) of objects to the ? new‘ meaning of the experience / fulfillment derived from possessing a certain object. 2. LUXURY MEANS DIFFERENT TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE: Luxury has no certified origins. But luxury branding is said to have taken birth in the west with the appearance of high-end brands. But there is still no definite meaning of luxury, for someone luxury can be a necessity and vice-versa. If one can think a luxury brand is really cheap, its not necessary that the other person also will think the same way. Luxury is yet to be defined, it totally differs from person to person. 23 | P a g e 3. LUXURY IS A PRODUCT CATEGORY IN ITSELF: This can be best clarified by the fact that both an expensive watch and an apparel can be considered to be luxury items. Therefore, all luxury marketers are not just competing in their ? technically defined‘ product categories (like manufacturers of televisions compete among themselves) but for the wallet share of luxury goods in total. 4. CLASSIFICATION OF LUXURY CONSUMERS: SRI Consulting Business Intelligence places consumers in 3 groups according to what luxury means to them: Luxury is Indulgence – This group is the smallest of the three and tends to include younger consumers and slightly more males than the other two groups. Their purpose for luxury goods is to lavish themselves in self-indulgence. They are willing to pay a premium for goods that express their individuality and make others take notice and are not overly concerned with product longevity or possible criticism. They enjoy luxury for the way it makes them feel, therefore have a more emotional approach to purchases. They respond well to messages that highlight the unique and emotional qualities of a product. Luxury is Reward – These consumers tend to be younger than the first group but older than the third. They use luxury goods as a status symbol to say ? I‘ve made it! ? They are motivated by their desire to be successful and demonstrate this to others. Luxury brands that have widespread recognition are popular, however they don‘t wish to appear lavish or hedonistic in their appearance. They want to purchase ? smart? luxury that demonstrates importance while not 24 | P a g e leaving them open to criticism. Marketing messages that communicate acceptable exclusivity resonate with this group. Luxury is Functional – these consumers tend to buy luxury products for their superior functionality and quality. Consumers in this segment, the largest of the three, tend to be older and wealthier and are willing to spend more money to buy things that will last and have enduring value. They buy a wide array of luxury goods, from artwork to vacations, and conduct extensive prepurchase research, making logical decisions rather than emotional or impulsive. Messages that highlight product quality and are information-intensive are powerful with this group. 5. CUSTOMER LOYALTY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAT BRAND AWARENESS: Rather than focus on measuring the brand awareness of a luxury company, measuring customer loyalty is far more significant a metric regarding the success or failure of corporate strategy to connect with the luxury consumer. 6. CERTAIN FACTORS WHICH PLAY A N IMPORTANT ROLE: In luxury marketing there is a subtle interplay between three factors that most strongly influence the luxury consumer to buy: product brand; dealer or store’s brand or service providers’ reputation; and price/value relationship. 25 | P a g e USERS OF LUXURY BRANDS IN INDIA: ? CEOs and other senior professionals (in their thirties and early forties) ? Entrepreneurs in new businesses ? â€Å"Prodigal children† ? Actors and models ? Franchisees, and small and medium Retailers 4. 3 FAMOUS LUXURY BRANDS AND THEIR DESTINATIONS IN INDIA FOCUS : To evaluate about all the famous luxury brands available in India and the places where they are available. UB CITY- THE COLLECTION, BANGALORE: UB City is the biggest commercial property project in Bangalore, India. Pioneered by the chairman of UB Group, Dr. Vijay Mallya , it is built on 13 acres (53,000 m2) of land and hosts 1,000,000 sq ft (93,000 m2) of high-end commercial, retail and service apartment space. UB City has four towers namely, UB Tower (19 Floors), Comet (11 Floors), Canberra (17 Floors) and Concorde (19 Floors). UB City has four towers namely, yelahanka. The later three towers are all named after aircraft. UB City will house the Group offices under one roof – UB Tower. Concorde & Canberra will have retail space on the lower floors and office space in the higher levels, while Comet will have serviced apartments. It will house commercial offices, banks, high-end retail stores, a five star hotel, 26 | P a g e serviced apartments, restaurants, food courts, pubs, health clubs and cafes. Multi-level parking areas will offer virtually unlimited parking spaces. Also on the blueprint is an amphitheatre with food courts and landscaped gardens. UB City will provide parking space for over 1,100 cars. Being an environment friendly project and keeping in mind the green surroundings of Cubbon Park, one-third of the space has been earmarked for landscaped gardens. An elevated roof top helipad will provide a five-minute aerial commute to the airport. Four storeys of multi level parking, in addition to one common basement for the entire UB City and extensive surface level car parks, will provide UB City the remarkable prospect of offering literally unlimited car parking space. BRANDS AVAILABLE AT UB CITY-THE COLLECTION: ? Louis Vuitton ? Alfred Dunhill ? Estee lauder ? Mont Blanc ? Zimson ? Rolex ? Canali ? Salvatore Ferragamo ? Paul Smith ? Lladro ? Versace ? Corneliani ? Burberry ? Jimmy Choo ? Diesel 27 | P a g e DLF EMPORIO, NEW DELHI- DLF Emporio has been designed as a name synonymous with luxury – offering a unique shopping experience where the accent is on exclusivity, space and aesthetics. There is simply no other place where such a wealth of designer and premium merchandise, lifestyle products and services are showcased under one elegant roof. The nuances of luxurious serenity are going to be expressed at DLF Emporio in a way found only in the fashion capitals of the world, offering just the right kind of tasteful and sublime ambience to attract high value spenders. 28 | P a g e DLF EMPORIO RETAIL MIXGreat care is being taken to ensure that the global retail community at DLF Emporio is the most premium. Only the finest signature brands, designer labels and high end lifestyle products co-exist here. Some of the brands in DLF Emporio include Giorgio Armani, Salvatore Ferragamo, Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Fendi, Dior, Just Cavali, DKNY, Tods, Burberry, Hugo Boss to name a few. ESSENTIAL PLAYERS OF THE LUXURY MARKET IN INDIA: ? JEWELLERY- Cartier, De Beers, Tiffanys etc. ? CLOTHING- Louis vuitton, Varsace, Armani, Chanel, Gucci etc. ? ACCESSORIES- Fendi, Jimmy Choo, Ferragamo Salvatore etc. ? AUTOMOBILES- Mercedes, Volvo, BMW, Volkswagen, Nissan, Audi etc. 29 | P a g e 30 | P a g e 5. 0 SWOT ANALYSIS: FOCUS : To do the swot analysis and ascertain the major problems faced by the international fashion brands in India. STRENGTH WEAKNESS 1. Brand Name/Brand Ambassadors 2. Customer Loyalty 3. Quality 4. Global Presence 1. Concentrated Market-only metro cities 2. Government Regulations 3. High Prices 4. Percentage of target audience is Less 5. Higher Operational cost-rents. OPPORTUNITY THREATS 1. Manufacturing the brands in India 1. Fake branded stuff available in India itself rather than importing it 2. FDI Regulations 3. Globalization 2. Available at cheaper prices abroad 31 | P a g e 5. 1 MAJOR PROBLEMS FACED BY THE LUXURY FASHION INDUSTRY- 1. LACK OF AWARENESS OF BRANDS AMONGST INDIAN CONSUMERS: The Indian consumers are not aware of the brands available in India, Most rich people who can afford the luxury brands either live in smaller towns and cities where there is no outlet or awareness of the brands. 2. PREFERENCE OF BUYING FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES: People who are aware of the brands and live in metro cities and have a higher disposable income prefer buying from abroad as they travel a lot and so they prefer buying from abroad itself as they get a better and wide variety of products with lesser prices. 1. DUPLICATION AND KNOCK-OFFS: There are a lot of duplicate and knock-offs available in the Indian market. Most of these products come from China. The same branded product, which is available for 25000 Rs. , is available for 1500 Rs. When it is not authentic. Though the quality of these products is not good, they appear to be the same and hence people don‘t mind buying them. But people in India do not believe in authenticity, if they see the name and the knock-off looks exact, they buy that item as they believe in showing off. 32 | P a g e 2. LACK OF RETAIL SPACE: The luxury retail stores are located in 5 star hotels or malls in selected cities, as we all know that there are only two luxury malls in India, The collection-UB City, Bangalore and the DLF-Emporio Mall, New Delhi, because that is where the potential customers are most likely to come for shopping, hence the feasible space available is very less. 3. LOW CUSTOMER TURNOVER: The number of customers who visit a luxury store is comparatively lower than a regular store. Also the luxury store outlets are located exclusively in certain areas and are sometimes not accessible by everyone, this factor also affects the customer turnover. 4. HIGH OPERATIONAL COST: The cost of operating a luxury outlet is high because the size of the store has to be elaborated and also it has to locate at a prime location in major cities. Due to the image that is associated with luxury products, the cost of maintaining the store is high because it has to look upbeat all the time. At the same time these stores normally situated in 5 star hotels or big shopping malls where the rents charged are very high and hence the cost is further increased. 5. 2 GROWTH AND POTENTIAL OF LUXURY BRAND: FOCUS : Study about the roots and the growth of the luxury market of India. LUXURY is no stranger to India. The erstwhile maharajas and princes led a life of opulent splendor. The only way to be apart of the elite as to be born into it. 33 | P a g e The lifestyle as also associated with hunting, polo and her games of the rich. New money could never get into this circuit. The aspiration was always there. But the princes operated in a different league altogether. The era of the selfmade millionaire was yet to arrive. So small possessions, or copied fashion designs with a few geegaws thrown in, became the height of luxury. An achiever of the 1970s could only get by with a good foam mattress — no Omega, Rolex or BMWs. This trend saw a shift, a gradual one, in the 1980s. Luxury began creeping into upper class homes through small things and symbols. The colour TV came in, the humble pen was elevated to a Parker, successful self-made people began to be featured in magazines. The concept of luxury as a reward for achievement gained acceptance, though royalty and the aristocracy continued to remain the benchmark of the elite. The real change came in the 1990s when more people started making more money. There was a sudden explosion of colour and things and objet D’arts began to appear. In order to gain access to luxury and class one could just go out and charge it. What contributed to this shift? India opened up to the world. The liberalization process brought more than high economic growth rates. It showed the people what was possible. In the process, it has altered mindsets. The IT revolution, and the consequent demand for Indian brainpower, has created a whole new breed of wealthy global Indians. At the other end, an increasingly open economy has created new b

Presidents and Their Decisions Essay

The book â€Å"Presidents and Their Decisions: Richard M. Nixon† is an assortment of essays written by many very well known social and political giants of Washington who either praised Nixon or criticized him. Nixon was a driven individual of high intelligence who emerged from humble beginnings and was willing to behave ruthlessly in order to secure power and influence. Nixon, who took office in 1969, had an instinctive bent toward foreign affairs and was a realists who believed that the United States should pursue a foreign policy closely aligned with the country’s national interests rather than one directed mainly by ideological and moral concerns, as these had contributed to a proliferation of foreign commitments, heightened Cold War tensions and created a tendency to see the world in simplistic black and white categories. In domestic affairs, inflation was President Nixon’s most persistent economic problem. Initially, he tried to cut federal expenditures, but the annual budget deficits of his administration grew to become the largest in history up to that time. In 1971 and 1973 the administration devalued the dollar in an attempt to achieve a balance of trade. Despite his well known to government controls, Nixon initiated his New Economic Policy, which included unprecedented peacetime controls on wages and prices. With the opportunity to appoint four Supreme Court justices, the President was able to redirect the court toward the strict constructionism he espoused. The book details from the outset how Nixon wanted to extricate the United States from the bloodletting of Vietnam. It ended up alternating between expanding the war with intensifying the bombing campaign and by bringing about the slow withdrawal of American troops under the aegis of â€Å"Vietnamisation†. The latter was but a veil for American defeat, and despite the signing of the Paris peace accords in 1973 South Vietnam crumbled under the weight of the communist onslaught two years later. Yet the Saigon regime had been abandoned more by a congress weary of international exertions than by the White House. The writers also go on to discuss the East West detente that was more productive. By opening the Soviet Union to Western influence, detente eroded communism’s hold on its people at home and abroad. This development would make itself felt mainly in the following decade. Arms control agreements helped to moderate the nuclear arms race and was a Cold War first. However, detente provoked particular controversy among those who held that negotiating with the Soviets was immoral and who sought with some success to impede its development. The Cold War reasserted itself with a vengeance in the late 70’s. The book discusses the diplomatic approach to Communist China in 1972 and how it was a landmark opening in modern United States diplomatic history and gave Washington more room for diplomacy in relation to Moscow. Only Nixon, with his well established anti-communist credentials, could have engineered the opening without generating a conservative outcry in the United States. Nixon, along with Kissinger, tilted towards the repressive state of Pakistan in the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971 and was driven by calculations of Cold War geopolitics rather than by the reality that the conflict was primarily a regional one. Among other things discussed, the tilt sullied the administration’s reputation and its credibility with the press. American complicity in the overthrow of the democratically elected, left-wing politician in Chile in 1973 was derived from exaggerated fears of the South Americans leader’s capacity to compromise American security interests. This also contradicted Washington’s traditional commitment to national self-determination. Nixon wanted to use foreign affairs to distract the American public from the Watergate scandal and after his resignation in 1974 he had some success in rehabilitating his reputation by presenting himself as an elder statesman. In the years following his resignation, there was much controversy stemming in part from his pardon. There was question as to whether a president could pardon one who had not been convicted, whether the pardon was granted in the spirit of healing the wounds of the scandal or of patching over. Another area of controversy discussed was the question of Nixon’s alleged profit from misconduct. This was in receiving giant sums for interviews and books. But then again wouldn’t the question of conviction come into play? The book was very interesting and gave the reader a broad perspective of the presidency of Richard M. Nixon. As well as giving the reader a more objective look at a period in American History that so many have forgotten what really happened. I found the book easy to read and would recommend this book for any layperson as well as any student interested in political science. I felt it gave a very clear picture of Richard Nixon’s presidency both attributes and faults.

Personal Reflective Report Regarding Work Behaviour Social Work Essay Essays

Personal Reflective Report Regarding Work Behaviour Social Work Essay Essays Personal Reflective Report Regarding Work Behaviour Social Work Essay Essay Personal Reflective Report Regarding Work Behaviour Social Work Essay Essay since we were friends from before, joined together to discourse the ongoing job and the solutions to it. We formulated a scheme to normalise the state of affairs calm the tenseness in the group. We came up the proposition that a member from each bomber group keeping onto different sentiments should show his thoughts ( as a consequence, the thoughts shared by the bomber group he or she belonged to ) in forepart of the full group. Each presentation must incorporate a tabular array sketching the pros and cons of the attack recommended by the presenter based on a set of standards ( such as timeframe, quality of the work, truth of the information, relevancy of the gathered information, handiness of resources, handiness of the members etc. ) . Members would so take part in a inquiry and reply session which will purely concentrate on the constructive unfavorable judgment of the discussed methods. At the terminal of this session, bal lots will be taken to find the method to be followed by the group which is besides selected by the penchant of its members. We have applied this method for declaration of struggles on constructs or techniques all along the procedure of the group work. Interpersonal communicating has besides been another issue in the group. As the group consisted of members from different genders, nationalities, backgrounds, races, faiths, ethnicities, the communicating spread became even more intense. Skills of pass oning in English varied widely across the group. This affected the communicating within the group the most. Rather than a strong point to capitalise on, communicating became a challenge for us. Group meetings were flawed by a batch of misinterpretations. Conversations and conferences over the phone became longer and yet unproductive. Planing for the work and following up with the predating attempt seemed to be a great trial for the group. In instance we had made two stairss in front, the following twenty-four hours we were three stairss behind. Members could non synchronise in the group and synergism looked like a distant world. In add-on to this myriad of jobs, the group kineticss were affected adversely by jobs of the members of the group ( including myself ) sing work, personal life and diversion. We resolved this job and found out that all it needed was a small cooperation from the members backed up by the gifts of modern engineering. First of wholly, we called in a meeting and discussed and found out that the job can non be resolved if the members do nt step frontward to assist their co-workers with their communicating jobs. We realized that members with communicating jobs need aid from the other members in the group and we all agreed to supply them with that aid. Then we identified the Scopess that engineering ( e-mails, instant messaging services, societal web services, text messages ) offered us in order to better the communicating procedure and at the same clip, decide the work life jobs of the members. We agreed on a few issues on that meeting. Each of the members would have presentments via electronic mails. Every mail related to the study has to be forwarded to everyone in the group. Electronic mails will besides be used to direct the members with the work completed by each fraction of the group or the persons for follow up and reexamine. We besides created a group on Windows Live Messenger TM service for working on this undertaking and keeping and take parting in meetings online. This scheme enables us to keep group meetings online and offer the members with a great trade of flexibleness. Better apprehensions could besides be derived from these on-line meetings as the participant could utilize texts besides voice chat options on the instant messaging ( IM ) service. After working on the undertaking for a month, we recognized that making a group on a societal networking service would supply with greater chances to work, better communicating options and acquire us assist from our friends, household and good wishers outside the group. We opened a group on Facebook, the biggest societal networking web site in the universe for this intent and invited our friends, household and assoc iates to that group. We received huge response from the people and a batch of aid placing the beginnings of information for the undertaking, finding the focal point of the study and in some instance expert aid excessively. The group enabled us to post notices, update treatment subjects and invite people to prosecute in arguments on the group s wall and station links to utile resources online, including web sites, online databases, new wires, libraries, communities and multimedia. Lessons for future undertakings I have identified and illustrated a set of cardinal lessons from my experience from this study. They are as follows: A group can non work efficaciously without a leader. A group leader must be selected by the first hebdomad since a group starts working on a undertaking. There must a structured process for the members to show their thoughts. This process must besides let the other members to show their comments constructively in context of the undertaking. In some instances, compromising is a better option that keeping on to the rule. Collection of informations and information requires a systematic attack. It besides requires proper deputation among the members of the group and can non bring forth consequences without accomplishing synergism. Invention is a must in group work. Decision The experience that I gained from working with my group in the Annual Management Report 2010 is a valuable 1. This will assist me to work in my hereafter group undertakings with more coherency, greater efficiency and superior schemes. This chance has besides trained me to cover with state of affairss in clip of crisis and helped me a batch to recognize the demand for synergism while working in a group.

New Friend Scavenger Hunt Icebreaker Activity

New Friend Scavenger Hunt Icebreaker Activity Students and teachers form bonds quickly when exchanging information about themselves. This scavenger hunt icebreaker activity creates bonds among students and between the students and teacher. Exchanging information fosters trust and connection. As a result, the entire group feels more comfortable and open. This activity works best for a large group. Adapt it for any group size by ensuring that each category fits more than one individual in the group. Scavenger Hunt Icebreaker Preparation In this icebreaker activity, participants find an individual in the group who fits the description for each of the following categories. Be sure that participants introduce themselves before asking questions of individuals they do not know. Provide each student with a basic handout containing a list of categories, such as the one below. Instruct the students to go around the room engaging with their peers and finding out who fits which category. By the end of the activity, every student should have each of their classmates names written down next to at least one of the categories. No students name should appear more than twice on anyones handout. Icebreaker Categories These categories may be adjusted to account for the grade, subject matter, or interest. To extend the time the icebreaker takes to complete and practice writing skills, have older students jot down each category before beginning the activity. Alternatively, type the list of categories beforehand (or simply print this one out), and hand one out to each student. Providing such a list would work well, particularly if you teach younger students. Was born in FebruaryIs an only childLoves country musicHas been to EuropeSpeaks another languageLikes to go campingLikes to paintHas a jobHas five or more brothers and sistersIs wearing colorful socksLikes to singHas been to Washington, D.C.Has been on a cruise shipIs double-jointedHas been to more than two continentsHas gone whitewater raftingPlays a sportLikes Mexican foodDislikes hamburgersHas been to an art museumHas (or has had) bracesHas met a movie starWas born in the state where you are locatedWas born outside the state where you are locatedHas a twinHas sleep problemsFlosses teeth dailyRecyclesIs wearing the same color you have on today (only one color need match)Has eaten a whole pizza

International Business Theories. Outward Foreign Direct Investment Essay

International Business Theories. Outward Foreign Direct Investment from China - Essay Example Introduction It is said that no country is an island. The fact behind this saying is made evident in several theories including economic theories. For instance it is out of this realization that several countries and regions of this world are forming organizations and unions that seek to bridge the borders that hinder the easy flow of investment from one country to the other; allowing that investors of other nations have free access to do business and trade in other countries. A number of such organizations and associations of the world that foster free movement of investment for economic purposes can be mentioned. Some of these include the Gulf Countries Cooperation, Middle East and North African Organization, European Union and Economic Community of West African States. The freedom for other foreigners and foreign businesses to do business and invest in other countries bring to fore the discussion on foreign investment. Foreign investment comes in different forms, depending on what is involved in the investment. The differences in investment packages has over the years resulted in economic terms such as foreign indirect investment, outward foreign direct investment and inward foreign direct investment. Today, economic scholars seem more comfortable, discussing the phenomenon of flow of investment from one country to another as just foreign direct investment. ... To this end, Graham and Spaulding (2005) explain that â€Å"the definition has been broadened to include the acquisition of a lasting management interest in a company or enterprise outside the investing firm’s home country.† There is no denying the fact that China and India remain some of the world’s largest attracters of foreign direct investment; specifically outward foreign direct investment. This paper is therefore dedicated to researching into the general trend associated with foreign direct investment from those two countries in relation to how international business theories adequately explain the reasons for outwards foreign direct investment in those two countries. Overview of outward Foreign Direct Investment from China By definition, China is one of the most celebrated countries that enjoy â€Å"a type of investment that involves the injection of foreign funds into an enterprise that operates in a different country of origin from the investor† ( Economic Watch, 2011). Simply put, China enjoys massive foreign direct investment. Without saying the least, recent survey conducted by the United Nations has proved that investors rank China as the world’s first most important destinations for foreign direct investment over the 2010 to 2012 period (Asia Briefing, 2011). The implication of this top spot is that China enjoys and benefits from outward foreign direct investment like no other nation in the world. Indeed the success of China as the top ranked dates far back as Shaukat and Wei (2005) notes that â€Å"China is by far the largest recipient, and in 2004 surpassed the USA as host destination. It has consequently

Investigate and describe two different information systems Essay

Investigate and describe two different information systems - Essay Example Speedy development in information technology has come in as an appropriate substitute for the increasing needs. This development encompasses communication technology, wide range of data processing and management systems and frameworks for enterprise and e-business system. This paper will therefore focus on a customer-operated point of sale system (POS) and mobile phone communication system. The paper will give a precise description for each information system concerning its application and key features. The abbreviations POS stands for point of sale, this term is common in retail outlets or stores that have automated their transactions. The system can also be applied in business environments that involve actual sales (Greiner, 2003). In order for a POS system to perform effectively, it requires appropriate software and hardware. The main components of a POS system include electronic cash register, receipt printers, barcode readers, display screen, scanners, display pole and touch screens. The systems are widely applied in many organization and businesses, which include casinos, hotels, stadiums, retail stores, gas stations, and personal service businesses. Input and output of a POS system depend on the function of the system. This indicates that there is a wide range of software and hardware depending on the different usage of a POS system. A checkout system is an example of a POS system. This system has display screens, data input devices such as keyboards, electronic cash register, photocell and conveyer belts as its major components or hardware. The system is common in large retail shops outlets such as the Wal-Mart Supermarket. This system enhances accuracy and efficiency in transactions within the store. The customer initiates the process by placing the goods they intend to purchase from the supermarket on the conveyor belt leading to the cashier (Moeller, 2009). The conveyer belts have photocells that monitor the movement of