Future Analysis of Nation State

Future Analysis of The Nation-State System Introduction: It is common to hear of the threats to the nation-state system in the contemporary world. Such threats seem to originate from many different quarters, at different level of the global system. This impending sense that the nation-state is somehow in â€Å"crisis† led to analyze the question of â€Å"the contemporary crisis of the nation-state? † But before we go into the analysis, it is important to look into the ideas that would help to understand the case, under discussion, in a better way.To begin with, let’s see the definition of nation, state and the nation-state system, according to the context under discussion. Nation According to the Oxford English dictionary, the word nation literally means, community of people having mainly common descent, history, language, etc or forming sovereign state or inhabiting territory. From the above definition, there are two kinds of nations, the ethnic nation (communit y with common descent) and demotic nation (community with common territorial boundaries). E. K.Francis draws a distinction between ‘ethnic’ nations that are based on belief in common descent and a sense of solidarity and common identity, and ‘demotic’ nations that are based on shared administrative and military institutions, common territorial boundaries for protection and the mobility of goods and people. This is similar to the distinction often made between ‘cultural nations’, based on criteria such as language, customs, religion and the ‘political nations’, that are more contractual and derive from shared institutions, shared citizenship and a sense of shared history.State According to Oxford English dictionary, state literally means, political community under one government. This means a community which is coherent with the government of the state obeys the government with its own will, making government responsible for it. It is the political organization of the people under one government. Nation-State System The nation-state system is traditionally, an amalgamation of ‘nation’ (one people) with ‘state’ (one government). If one were to imagine an abstract image of the globe one would see gridlines.These lines mark off different nation-states. Each one is separate from the others and sovereign inside its defined and unmoving borders. These nation-states interact with each other, be it through war or trade in a relationship that is theoretically simple. Each nation-state is ‘equal’ in terms of having sovereignty (self-determination) and the sole right to use legitimate force inside its own borders. This modern nation-state system came into existence with the treaty of Westphalia, 1648.In international system, ‘low’ politics of trade and business and temporary agreement of MNCs, IGO and INGOs are less important than that of ‘high’ politics th e nation-state, with its role of protecting its sovereignty from the attack and of maintaining stability inside its borders. Today, there are more than 200 nation-states in the world. Nation-State as a Historical-Political Form The ideal articulation of ‘nation’ as a form of cultural community and the‘State’ as a territorial, political unit is now widely accepted and often taken as unproblematic.Yet scholars of nationalism point out that that was not alwaysthe case. That every nation deserves its autonomy and identity through its ownsovereign state (even though many may not demand it) is an ideal that manytrace to the French Revolution. As Cobban points out, whereas before the FrenchRevolution there had been no necessary connection between the state as a political unit and the nation as a cultural one, it became possible and desirablesince then to think of a combination of these two in a single conception of the nation-state.That this still remains an †˜ideal’ and one vastly unrealized, as inthe existence of several â€Å"multi-national’’ states, is also largely recognized, although much of international relations theory fails to follow through on the implications of that ‘reality’. Concept of Sovereignty The meaning and concept of sovereignty has assumed many different shapes. Moreover, it has frequently changed its content,its laws and even its functions during the modern period. Hugo Grotius, in his famous work De Jure Belli ac Pacis: Sovereignty is ‘that power whose acts †¦ may not be void by the acts of other human will. Other political theorists have, in general, given similar definitions. Oppenheim: ‘Sovereignty is supreme authority, an authority which is independent of any other earthly authority. ’ Willoughby:‘Sovereignty is the supreme will of the state. ’ Various writers on political theory have insisted that every legally recognized state by defin ition is sovereign. It is simply a reminder that just as every state is legally equal to any other, so it is legally sovereign. But if we see the contemporary interaction of states with reference to above definition, we would definitely conclude that the concept of sovereignty has again changed.The concept of absolute sovereignty has become obsolete and has been replaced by the concept of relative sovereignty/authority and interdependence. Just as in real world, some states are bigger in size, power and influence than others just like that sovereignty of the states has become relative. It must be recognized that there are now degrees of sovereignty and self-determination. Only sovereignty left with states is legal sovereignty. Except it every other aspect of the state is relative or dependent on intrastate and interstate factors. Concept of NationalismNationalism is the patriotic feeling for one’s nation or country. Professor Louis L. Snyder defines nationalism as ‘a pr oduct of political, economic, social and intellectual factors at a certain stage in history, is a condition of mind, feeling or sentiment of a group of people living in a well-define geographical area, speaking a common language, possessing a literature in which the aspirations of the nation have been expressed, attached to common traditions and common customs, venerating its own heroes, and in some cases having a common religion. Some point out that the political nations are based more on ‘civic’ nationalism, as opposed to the ‘ethnic’ nationalism characteristic of the cultural nations. These observations are based on two popular theories of nationalism. Primordialists’ approach the extent to which culture exists as a given resource for the constitution of nationsand instrumentalist’ approach, the extent to which culture has to be invented by nationalist elites.The primordialist approach, evident in the early work of Geertz, Shils and in the socio-biological theory of Van den Berghe, argues that ethnic and cultural attachments are pre-givens, or at least assumed givens, and appear ‘natural’ to members of a group. As against this, the instrumentalist approach, evidenced to varying degrees in the works of Brass, Hobsbawm and Nairn, argues that ethnic attachments are often invented and manipulated by elites to construct the nation as a privileged source of a group’s loyalty.I’m of the view that all national identities are constructed as dictated by the instrumentalist theory. In other words, there are no ‘natural’ nationalities. There is no a priori manner in which peoples can be made into nations. It is the work ofnationalism to construct or produce a ‘nation’. In the words of BenedictAnderson, the nation has to be ‘imagined’. Nations are imagined ‘because themembers of even the smallest nation will never know most of their fellow members,meet them, o r even hear of them, yet in the minds of each livesthe image of their communion. It is through nationalist ideology that thiscommunion is constructed. Anderson traces the development of nationalism to the development of print-capitalism, which helped to produce and disseminatea common culture to ground the national imagination. 18 Regardless of what basisis used to ground this communion, nations are ultimately based on what EtienneBalibar has called `’fictive ethnicities’. It is the work of nationalist ideology to ‘ethnicize’’ a community.It is through the representational labor of nationalist ideology that a community is constructed as if it formed a natural communionwith its unique and singular origin and destiny. ‘Nation building’ hasalways been a project of the state as well and the widespread existence of globalnorms on sovereignty and self-determination (and the continuing appeal of theideal of the ‘nation-state’) now ensure that existing states themselves have toengage to some extent in attempts at nation building. In other words, it is notsimply that nations often seek and demand states, but states need nations as well.These efforts of nation building are more evident and stark at times of crisis such as war,but in reality are always in existence in more subtle ways through various statepolicies and programs, as well as through the ideological state apparatusesin civil society. In that sense state building and nation building have become simultaneousand symbiotic processes. Yet for analytical purposes it is perhaps better not toconfuse these two processes because, even if the ends they seek are somewhatsimilar or complementary, the processes remain somewhat different.State buildingoccurs through the penetration and integration of the territorial economy,polity and society and speaks to questions of political authority and effectivegovernance. Nation building is the construction of a cohesive c ultural communitythat can demand citizen loyalty and commitment. As it is shownin the nextsection, the fragmentation of nation-states refers tonation building, and inparticular to the inability of the state to build cohesive nations, while those that point to the effects of globalization on weakening the nation-state often (but notexclusively) refer to problems with state building.Challenges to The Nation-State Forces of Fragmentation The authority of the nation-state depends to a large extent on its consistency,unity and stability in the eyes of its public or, in other words, of the ability ofthe state to project a united nation. The imagined nations, as Anderson pointsout, present themselves as ‘communities’,‘because regardless of the actualinequality and exploitation that may prevail in each, the nation is alwaysconceived as a deep, horizontal comradeship’’.Part of the project of the state is to seekconsent from its citizens as to the depth and eq uality of that comradeship. Yetthe national space has many differences and conflicts – among ethnicities, races, religious groups, classes, genders, etc. Each of those differences threatens the coherence and unity of the national fabric. Most of the literature on fragmentation focuses on ethnic (and religious) conflicts within existing states. Nationbuilding requires that such ethnic and religious conflicts are effectively controlledby the state.Even though ‘assimilation’ has been an acknowledged goal of many states historically, Talal Asad has pointed out that hegemonic power worksnot so much through suppressing differences by homogenization, as throughdifferentiating and marginalizing. The ‘nation’ in projects of the state does notrepresent a singular cultural space so much as a hierarchy of cultural spaces. What RudolfoStavenhagen calls an ‘ethnocratic state’- a nation-state controlledessentially by a majority or dominant ethnie, able to exercise cultural hegemonyover the rest of the ation – is the rule rather than the exception in the modernsystem of nation-states. The success of nation-building depends on the extentto which the state is able to secure a broad measure of ‘consent’ on thishierarchy. The national project requires the construction of what Asad calls a‘cultural core’ that becomes the ‘essence’ of ‘the nation’. At the most basiclevel, fragmentation occurs when the state is no longer (if ever) able to effectivelysecure consent on this cultural core.States have a variety of available means to meet the demands of ethnic and religious groups within their borders. To the extent that assimilation is no longerconsidered possible or effective, or even desirable, states can and do makeattempts to accommodate such demands through various political and institutionalmechanisms. Regardless of how determined and well organized thosedemands are, which migh t make a polity quite unstable in certain situations,fragmentation refers more specifically to situations where such demands arelinked with claims to territory.Or using Oomen’s definition, it is when an ethnic group establishes a moral claim to territory within a state thatone can speak of sub nationalisms, or what are sometimes called ethno nationalisms. Many states that are classified as nation-states within international relationshave always been such multi-national states – like in India where different ethnicand linguistic groups are regionally organized on the basis of claims to territory,or as in the case of the Scots and Welsh within Britain. Such moral claims toterritory might not necessarily generate separatist movements.But it is the existence of such sub nationalisms thatcreates the possibility of the fragmentation of the nation-state. Ultimately, thiscan be a crisis of the nation-state because such nationalisms threaten to fragmentone of the central bases of state sovereignty -the territorial integrity of the existingnation-state. Or maybe the civic (more than the cultural) nationalism of manymodern states makes the nation-state (unlike ethnicity or religion), simply toolarge, amorphous and psychically distant to be the object of intimate affection.The point here is that fragmentation occurs and is occurring rapidly in theworld, as evidenced in Bosnia, Rwanda, Spain, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, Canada, toname a very few geographically diverse examples. Fragmentation occurs whenthere is a disarticulation between the state as a spatial unit (with fixed territory)with the spatial claims of the nation(s) in whose name(s) it speaks. The ultimate concern with fragmentation, as I mentioned above, is that itthreatens the territorial integrity of existing nation-states.But as IstvanHont points out, even though there might be legitimate grounds for concern over theterritorial integrity of contemporary states devolving into smaller territorialunits, t his should be seen as a ‘triumph’ rather than a ‘crisis’of the nation-state. Fragmentation is a threat to the existence of particular states, rather thanthe system of nation-states. It represents the failure of particular states to holdon to the ‘spatiality’ (both geopolitically and culturally) of their claims toauthority.But in more general terms, fragmentation represents the success ofthe ideal of the nation-state – that every nation deserves its own state. This seemsmore obvious in the case of the end of empire and its dissolution into independentpolities each claiming the title of nation-state, first in the post-World War II eraof decolonization, and more recently in the break-up of the Soviet Union andthe Eastern bloc countries. Forces of Globalization The effects of globalization on the nation-state are a bit more complex.Forces outside the nation-state can hold back, enable and influence the nation-state in a variety of ways. For the purposes of this discussion, I classify theseforces into two groups – forces of economic globalization and forces of culturalglobalization, although the two are quite closely related in many ways. Economic Globalization The development of thefield of international political economy (IPE) has pointedout thatexclusive focus on the nation-state as a unit of analysis can be inadequate inunderstanding the dimensions of economic activity in the modern world.Some approaches within IPE, such as Interdependence, Regime and HegemonicStability Theories continue to be state-centric. But that is not the case with anumber of other approaches. Marxist approaches in particular have been dividedover the question of the role of the state. This division has been over thequestion of the extent to which the supranational character of the capitalistmode of production restricts all modern state structures versus the extent to which the state plays a direct role in promoting the internationaliza tion ofcapital.Exemplifying the former perspective, Wallerstein’s World Systems Theory was based on the ontological dominance of the world capitalist system,based on a single division of labor between the core, peripheral and semi peripheralregions of the world. Even though Wallerstein recognized the significance of nation-states in the modern world, in his analysis the essentials ofmarket exchange at the international level reduced state autonomy so much sothat nation-states were but super structuralattachments helping in the reproductionof the modern global capitalist system.But other scholars who have lookedat the internationalization of capital have stressed how the state continues toplay a role in the reproduction of capitalism. Robin Murray has pointed out thatas capital extends beyond its national borders, the historical link that bound itto its particular domestic state no longer necessarily holds. But the domestic stateis not territorially limited in its activities, and it might well ‘follow’ its capital and perform the critical ‘economic roles’ that it has always played in thereproduction of capitalism.The gradual shift from multinational corporations towards more transnational corporations or from the internationalization of economic activity (aseconomic activity spreads across state borders) towards the globalization ofeconomic activity (which involves a more purposefulcombination of economicactivity spread globally) also limits state capacity to control and influencedomestic national economies and thus weakens state authority over its nationalspace.This is what Mittelman has called ‘the spatial reorganization of production, the interpenetration of industries across borders [and] the spread of financial markets’. The spatial reorganization of production has been accompanied by changes in the international division of labor, which has includedamong other changes the feminization of certain kinds of labor . The globalization of international finance has led to the enormous ‘flow of capital andcurrencies with increasing rapidity, huge rowth of global currency speculation,offshoots trading and currency instability, and has increasingly reduced the ability of the state to control monetary and fiscal policy. In general, it hasbeen argued that in the face of economic globalization, state autonomy isconsiderably reduced, as the state becomes simply a facilitator of globalization. In particular, it is the weakening of the welfare state occurring in the wake of the globalization of economic liberalization that is seen to limit state competenceand authority all over the world.If the origins of the state had been in theprovision of security, the growth of the ‘welfare state’ in post-World War IIindustrial societies has now been well known. But the decreasing appealof Keynesian macroeconomic management in post-industrial societies (and theshift to supply-side economics) and t he accompanied reduction in public provision of social services threatens the legitimacy of the state as it increasingly fundsitself with little control over the economy (as jobs, investment migrate) andunable to meet the expectations of the people for securing their prosperity.Inpost-colonial societies, the disintegration of the ‘developmentalist state’ with the increasing adoption of IMF- and World Bank-sponsored market liberalization,is also a potential threat to state legitimacy as the state is unable to deliver onpromises of basic needs provisions, as the vehicle for social justice and equalityand as the symbol of national resistance to external pressures.In many ways, this sense of the declining ‘political effectiveness’ of the contemporary state is not entirely baseless. Even if the state cannot, and perhaps nevercould, totally or effectively control economic activity within its borders, itsability to regulate such activity to an extent and its willi ngness to undertakeredistributive measures that raged some of the more socially evileffects of the market brought it a certain amount of legitimacy and approvalfrom large sections of the population.This expression of the nation-state, not simply as a provider of order and security, but as a provider of social (andeconomic) needs (as in education, health care, nutrition, housing as well as inensuring a certain level of employment, minimum wages, price stability, etc. )has been an important and significant development of the second half of the20th century. Even if there is increasing consensus in policy-making circlesaround the world of the efficiency of market forces and the need for marketliberalization and cut-backs in state activity in the economic kingdom, the expectationsof the population from the state tend to be more complex.Even wheremany sections of the population might be dissatisfied with the functioning ofexisting states, the initial impact of market reforms on large sect ions of thepopulation can be quite adverse and severe. This is evidenced, for instance, inthe cut-back of social welfare programs in advanced industrial societies on minority groups and women, as also in the adoption of IMF-imposed structuraladjustments programs on poor people and especially women in the lowereconomic classes in the developing world.The internationalization and globalization of economic activity, combined with the global spread of economic liberalization can in that sense certainly weaken the ability of the state to meet theexpectations of sections of the population, and possibly create news kinds of‘legitimacy crises’. This is not simply a practical problem for particular states, which of course it is. John Dunn points out that while the immediate appeal of the nation derives much more from the subjective force of being born in a particular setof social relations, the appeal of the state lies in its efficiency or competence, whichis much more objective .To the extent that the idea of the modern nation-stateis so closely linked to the idea of the welfare state or the developmentalist state, the effectiveness of the contemporary state depends on the ability of thestate to deliver on ‘welfare’ or ‘development’. To that extent, the decreasedcompetency of the state to deliver on those promises could create the kindsof legitimacy crises that might call into question the durability of the nation-state. Perhaps, over time, expectations of what the state can or should do willchange. Decline of a particular form of the modern state does not indicate theend of the nation-state form.As David Armstrong argues, since states are ‘social actors’ and indeed become states through ‘international socialization’,new conceptualizations of the state’s role in the national economy that emergeas a consequence of globalization may become ‘statefied’ as states reach‘ intersubjecti ve understandings of how to restructure themselves and how tostrengthen the institutions of international society to accommodate globalization’. Nation-state legitimacy will depend on the extent on which ‘consent’coheres around new constructions of ‘national/state identity’ more in tunewith the new roles of the state.To some extent, states that have recognized the impossibility of enjoyingpolitical autonomy over economic issues have increasingly turned to non-stateentities for performing these functions more effectively. For instance, Alan Milward has argued that post-war European integration, in particular the launchof monetary union, was an attempt by many European nation-states to increasethe capacity of the state to meet the expectations of its citizens, and in doing soto ‘rescue the nation-state’ from its demise.Transfer of political authority overmonetary decision making to a supranational entity, hence losing fiscal andmonetary so vereignty, was perhaps the only way for states to ensure a certainamount of economic stability in many of the states racked by huge currencyfluctuations. In this somewhat personal analysis, the creation of supranationalentities like the European Union could in contradiction make the nation-statestronger rather than weaker. But even if the role of the state can be reduced to being the ‘agent’ ofglobalization, the state remains important for a number of other reasons.Despitethe rise of various forms of terrorism, including ‘state terrorism’, the stateretains significantmonopoly on the use of legitimate violence. The state continuesto have monopoly on taxation, is still seen as the ultimate negotiator of socialconflict, is expected to provide ‘security’ from external threats, and to performa variety of other functions. Perhaps most importantly, in the face of globalization, the state continues to be seen as the site for many to seek protection fro msome of the effects of global corporate capitalism.As Panitch points out, ‘[n]otonly is the world still very much composed of states, but insofar as there is anyeffective democracy at all in relation to the power of capitalists and bureaucratsit is still embedded in political structures that are national or sub national inscope’. The exercise of democratic control over capital takes on an even greaterimportance for Southern countries increasingly subject to IMF pressures, where the state is sometimes the only refuge against eo-imperialism. The point is that even though state legitimacy is potentially threatened by economic globalization, much depends on how state roles are reconfigured inthe face of globalization. Even if the economic limits to national politics is not anew problem for state legitimacy, the qualitative shift in economic globalization in late 20th-century capitalism, as well as the development of the nature of thecontemporary state, does change somewhat the implications for state legitimacy.In itself, the distribution of some of the functions of state to other non-state entities,whether supranational or sub national (micro-management rather than macro-managementby the state), does not threaten state legitimacy, but can in factstrengthen it. Economic globalization certainly requires different state roles, changingexpectations from the people, and new measures of state competency, butdoes not necessarily threaten the existence of the nation-state. Cultural Globalization There is also a cultural dimension to globalization that has implications for thenation-state and its future.This has more to do with issues of identity. RolandRobertson defines globalization as both ‘the compression of the world and theintensification of consciousness of the world as a whole’. While the process ofthis compression might have been occurring over a very long time, the recentgrowth of communications technology (cheap and fast air travel, te lephonic andtelegraphic services, satellite media transmissions, the Internet and cyberspace)has both accelerated and deepened this process. This is a process that both brings the world together and splits the world apart simultaneously.As Stuart Hall points out, globalization at the cultural level has led to both the universalisation and the fragmentation and multiplication of identities. Robertson explainsglobalization leads to the simultaneity of ‘the particularizationof universalism (the rendering of the world as a single place) and theuniversalization of particularism (the globalized expectation that societies . . . should have distinct identities)’. In his more recent work, Robertson has offered the concept of â€Å"glocalization’’ to emphasize the simultaneity of the homogenizing and eterogenizing forces of globalization in the late 20th-century world. Keeping in mind that these two processes are simultaneous, following are theirdifferent implicati ons for nation-states. The homogenization forces of globalization, in one sense is, the universalisation of the demand of the nation-state as an ideal cultural – political form of collective identity is itself a product of globalization. The now globalised belief that nations exist and deserve their states is fairlywell accepted and forms the normative foundation for most contemporaryinternational organizations.In addition, these international organizations have served to institutionalize the form of the nation-state, and enforce a certain amount of standardization in the nation-state system. John Meyer has shown globalization in this sense serves to strengthen the nation-state. Meyer pointsout that despite the vast economic inequalities among states, there is a worldculture that creates significant isomorphism among nation-states and helpskeep this dispersed world polity together.The global system of nation-statesis based on global norms that define external and internal sov ereignty, and is exemplified and reproduced through the similarity of the goals of‘equality’ and ‘progress’pursued by all nation-states. In other words, worldlevelcultural and organizationalinstructions for development and progress haveresulted in nation-state uniformity as all states follow similar objectives, policiesand programs.Connie McNeely elaborateson this concept of world culture by showing international organizations like the UN set normative and rigid standards of behavior for statepractices (increasingly conformed to by nation-states around the world), andin doing so play a role in institutionalizing the nation-state system. She specifically shows the nation-state system has been standardized and reproducedthrough the invention and spread of national income statistics, resulting fromthe efforts of UN statisticians and from the UN collection and distribution of comparative tables.At least in this sense, the homogenization force ofglobalization re produces and continues the nation-state system, rather thanthreatens its existence. Another implication of homogenization is on globalized identities in terms of global consumer capitalism. Benjamin Barber describesthe homogenizing drives of ‘McWorld’ (or what has also been called the‘MacDonaldization’ of the world) which has created ‘commercialized’ and‘depoliticized’ world. Kenichi Ohmae describes a consumerist world in whichbrand loyalty replaces national loyalty.But this world that is homogenized by the globalization of consumption can’t erase the troublesomeness of national commitments. Corporate icons can’t provide the kind of collectiveunity that national identities provide, and this is perhaps one reason for the‘global localization’ that Ohmae points to, in which product marketing adaptsto local (often interpreted as national) conditions, or what has come to be knownas ‘micro-marketingâ€⠄¢. But it is these depoliticized identities that also create thedrive to ‘resecure narrow identities’ so as to ‘escape McWorld’s monotonously firm essentials’.The heterogenising forces of globalization, or what Robertsondescribes as the ‘universalization of particularism’claims, in which not only has the ‘expectation of uniqueness’ become institutionalized and globally widespread, but the local and the particular itself isproduced on the basis of global norms. In other words, globalization of cultural norms has produced not just the legitimacy of the idea of the nation-state, butalso the expectation that such nation-states should embody unique and distinctidentities.This once again represents the globalization of the nationalist idea,the idea thatnation-states are legitimate because the nation is a unique, authenticcultural entity, with its singular and distinct identity. Beyer, in describingRobertson’s work, calls t his the ’relativization of particularisms’, which leads to a search for particularistic identities. The globalization of this idea createsthe potential for declarations of national identity, and can ultimately create themomentum for fragmentation of existing nation-states that are somehow seen as‘inauthentic’and hence illegitimate.To the extent that such differentiationalso occurs as a response to certainhomogenizing drives of globalization,thisalso represents a success of the nationalist idea. Assertions of collective identityboth as an element of, as well as in response to, globalization is then more‘nation-producing’ than ‘nation-destroying’. This certainly is an effect of globalization that, in keeping with the argument of the last section on fragmentation,is not a threat to the nation-state but a measure of its success.The Altered Nation-State Panitch in Mittelman says, ‘globalization is authored by states and is primar ily aboutreorganizing rather than bypassing them. ’ Rather than suggesting that the nation-state is fated to dissolve in the face of globalization, or that it will remainthe primary unaltered unit of international relations, there is a postulation of an ‘alteredstate’. The nation-state is said to exist now in one form, to have existed in the past inanother, and to be transforming itself actively into a third.This is a proposition that assumes a resilient but elastic nation-state, one that evolves over time, and whichbecomes more or less influential in different spheres depending on the utility of thatinfluence. One example of this ‘altered state’ thesis is that proposed by Philip Cerny, who suggests that ‘the nation-state is not dead’, although its role has changed. He envisages the transformation of the nation-state from being agoverning system concerned with welfare to being a system concerned with competition. Unsurprisingly he calls this the ‘competition state’.The competition state exists in aworld of increased fragmentation and globalization, and is characterized by a decrease ofpublic services and an increase of private services or industry. The competition state is amix of civil and business organization, and is concerned with effective returns oninvestment or effort. In the long run the ‘state is developing into an enterpriseassociation, with key civic, public and constitutional functions [†¦] subordinate to theglobal marketplace. ’ Another example of the ‘altered state’ is envisioned by Leo Panitch.Panitch thinks that ‘globalizing pressures even on advanced industrial states has led to a reorganization of the structural power relations within states [but has] not diminished therole of the state. ’ The nation-state is changing, but is not facing adisempowerment or loss of sovereignty. Indeed, Panitch would understand globalization as being written by nation-states, and the role of the state in collecting taxation,providing security, and having the monopoly of legitimate violence inside its sovereignborders as being unchanged.Globalization and alteration of the state role is an attempt to secure ‘global and domestic rights of capital’, and not aneo-medieval dissolution of the state apparatus. Conclusion There are, no doubt, a number of threats to the coherence and durability of particular existing nation-states, but that doesn’t weaken the nation-state as a historical form, as a contemporary organizing principle for collective cultural and political identity. Certainly, the severe crisis of particular nation-states, such as Afghanistan,Bosnia, Rwanda and Somalia, can generate a sense of anxiety about thefuture of the nation-state itself.Yet this sense of crisis has not seeped into acrossthe globe and most existing nation-states remain relatively stable and viabledespite the existence of various ethno-national ist movements within them. The graph given above shows the trend of nation-state over a period of 100 years. The graph is the statistical evidence of the appeal and continuance of the nation-state system as a dominant cultural-political system. In the article which was the basis of this analysis, Saquib Karamat indicates economic globalization, cultural globalization and blurring of the national ideologies as threat to the existence of nation-states.Furthermore, he says global issues also question the sovereignty of nation-states. But as analyzed above, economic globalization and cultural globalization in fact strengthen the nation-state than weakening it. While blurring of national ideology is the contemporary issue of weak states, who in some way need to put into work a national project of nation-building to keep their territories intact. The global issues like global warming don’t question the authority of the state rather they implicate that all nations need to work in su ch a framework of communication which enables to reach a solution of common consent.Now, the analysis on the future of nation-state has made some points clear, that a nation need not to be only one with common descent (ethnic nations), there can also be nations who share common boundaries (demotic nation). A state, which has either ethnic nation or demotic nation, needs to be coherent in order to remain legitimate. The historical-political form of nation-state was based on one nation – one state rule. The concept of sovereignty has changed from absolute sovereignty to degrees of sovereignty and interdependence. The process of nation-building or nationalism is a tate’s tool to keep it coherent. All national identities are constructed by national elites and weak states which are facing the threat of territorial disintegration should consciously employ national labor in nation-building. The forces of fragmentation and forces of globalization which seems to put at risk the existence of nation-state system, actually strengthen nation-state as a historical form and are driving forces in the evolution of the nation-state as discusses above in the respective sections. So, nation-state needs to alter itself in order to remain competent system for the years to come.The necessity is evident from the change in the conceptof sovereignty. Since it has changed, nation-state should also be restructured in the face of globalization and fragmentation. Transferring some kinds of authority tosupranational entities, or devolving power downwards through decentralization are ways of coping with these changes, and can help retain state legitimacyrather than threaten it. Bibliography 1. E. K. Francis, Interethnic Relations: An Essay in Sociological Theory (New York: Elsevier, 1976). 2. Alfred Cobban, the Nation State and National Self Determination (London: HarperCollins, 1969). 3.Clifford Geertz, Old Societies and New States (New York: The Free Press, 1963); Edward Shil s, â€Å"Primordial, Personal, Sacred and Civil Ties’’ , British Journal of Sociology, Vol. VIII, No. 2, (1957); Pierre Van den Berghe, â€Å"Race and Ethnicity: A Sociological Perspective’’ , Ethnic and Racial Studies, Vol. 1, No. 4 (1978). 4. Paul Brass, â€Å"Elite Groups, Symbol Manipulation and Ethnic Identity among the Muslims of South Asia’’ , in D. Taylor and M. Yapp (eds. ), Political Identity in South Asia (London: Curzon Press,b1979); Eric Hobsbawm, â€Å"Introduction: Inventing Traditions’’ and â€Å"Mass-producing Traditions: Europen1870 – 1914’’ , in E.Hobsbawm and T. Ranger (eds. ), The Invention of Tradition (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1983), pp. 1 ± 14; Tom Nairn, The Break-up of Britain: Crisis and Neo-nationalism, 2ndedn (London: Verso, 1977). 5. Benedict Anderson, Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism (London: Verso, 1983) 6. Kathryn A. Manzo, Creating Boundaries: The Politics of Race and Nation (London: Lynne Rienner, 1996) 7. TalalAsad, Genealogies of Religion (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1993). 8.Robin Cohen, â€Å"Diasporas and the Nation-state: From Victims to Challengers’’ , International Affairs, Vol. 72, No. 3 (1996) 9. Ernest Mandel, Late Capitalism, Joris De Bres (trans. ) (London: NLB, 1972). 10. Andrew Linklater, Beyond Realism and Marxism: Critical Theory and International Relations New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1990). 11. Immanuel Wallerstein, The Capitalist World Economy (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1979 12. Immanuel Wallerstein, The Politics of the World Economy: The States, the Movements and the Civilizations (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1984). 3. Robin Murray, â€Å"The Internationalization of Capital and the Nation-state’’ , New Left Review, Vol. 67 (1971), 14. Peter Dicken, Global Shift: The Internationalization of Econ omic Activity, 2nd edn (New York: Guilford Press, 1992). 15. James H. Mittelman (ed. ), Globalization: Critical Reflections (Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 1996) 16. R. O’Brien, Global Financial Integration: The End of Geography (London: Sage, 1990 17. John Dunn (ed. ), The Economic Limits to Politics (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990). 18. John Dunn, â€Å"Introduction: Crisis of the Nation State? ’ , Political Studies, Vol. 42, Special Issue (1994) 19. Helen Thompson, â€Å"The Nation-state and International Capital in Historical Perspective’’ , Government and Opposition, Vol. 32, No. 1 (1997) 20. Leo Panitch, â€Å"Rethinking the Role of the State’’, (Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 1996) 21. Roland Robertson, Globalization: Social Theory and Global Culture (London: Sage, 1992) 22. Roland Robertson as quoted in Peter Beyer, Religion and Globalization (London: Sage, 1994) 23. Stuart Hall, â€Å"Cultural Identity and Diaspora’â€℠¢, in Jonathan Rutherford (ed. , Identity: Community, Culture, Difference (London: Lawrence &Wishart, 1990). 24. Connie L. McNeely, Constructing the Nation-state (Westport: Greenwood Press, 1995). 25. Benjamin R. Barber, â€Å"Jihad Vs. McWorld’’ , The Atlantic Monthly (March 1992) 26. KemichiOhmae, The Borderless World (London: Harper Business, 1990). 27. Kofman, E. and Young, G. Globalization: Theory and Practice, (London: Pinter,1996) 28. ShampaBiswas, W(h)ither the Nation-state? National and State identity in the Face of Fragmentation and Globalization, Global society, (16 (2), Abingdon: Carfax. , 2002).

Animal Nutrition: Distinguish Macronutrients and Micronutrients Essay

There are seven major classes of nutrients: carbohydrates, fats, fiber, minerals, protein, vitamin, and water. These nutrient classes can be categorized as either macronutrients (needed in relatively large amounts) or micronutrients (needed in smaller quantities). The macronutrients are carbohydrates, fats, fiber, proteins, and water. The micronutrients are minerals and vitamins. The macronutrients (excluding fiber and water) provide structural material (amino acids from which proteins are built, and lipids from which cell membranes and some signaling molecules are built) and energy. Some of the structural material can be used to generate energy internally, and in either case it is measured in joules or calories (sometimes called â€Å"kilocalories† and on other rare occasions written with a capital C to distinguish them from little ‘c’ calories). Carbohydrates and proteins provide 17 kJ approximately (4 kcal) of energy per gram, while fats provide 37 kJ (9 kcal) per gram.,[1] though the net energy from either depends on such factors as absorption and digestive effort, which vary substantially from instance to instance. Vitamins, minerals, fiber, and water do not provide energy, but are required for other reasons. A third class dietary material, fiber (i.e., non-digestible material such as cellulose), seems also to be required, for both mechanical and biochemical reasons, though the exact reasons remain unclear. Molecules of carbohydrates and fats consist of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. Carbohydrates range from simple monosaccharides (glucose, fructose, galactose) to complex polysaccharides (starch). Fats are triglycerides, made of assorted fatty acid monomers bound to glycerolbackbone. Some fatty acids, but not all, are essential in the diet: they cannot be synthesized in the body. Protein molecules contain nitrogen atoms in addition to carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen. The fundamental components of protein are nitrogen-containing amino acids, some of which areessential in the sense that humans cannot make them internally. Some of the amino acids are convertible (with the expenditure of energy) to glucose and can be used for energy production just as ordinary glucose. By breaking down existing protein, some glucose can be produced internally; the remaining amino acids are discarded, primarily as urea in urine. This occurs normally only during prolonged starvation. Family| Sources| Possible Benefits| flavonoids| berries, herbs, vegetables, wine, grapes, tea| general antioxidant, oxidation of LDLs, prevention of arteriosclerosis and heart disease| isoflavones (phytoestrogens)| soy, red clover, kudzu root| general antioxidant, prevention of arteriosclerosis and heart disease, easing symptoms of menopause, cancer prevention[18]| isothiocyanates| cruciferous vegetables| cancer prevention| monoterpenes| citrus peels, essential oils, herbs, spices, green plants, atmosphere[19]| cancer prevention, treating gallstones| organosulfur compounds| chives, garlic, onions| cancer prevention, lowered LDLs, assistance to the immune system| saponins| beans, cereals, herbs| Hypercholesterolemia, Hyperglycemia, Antioxidant, cancer prevention,Anti-inflammatory| capsaicinoids| all capiscum (chile) peppers| topical pain relief, cancer prevention, cancer cell apoptosis| ————————————————- Carbohydrates Carbohydrates may be classified as monosaccharides, disaccharides, or polysaccharides depending on the number of monomer (sugar) units they contain. They constitute a large part of foods such as rice, noodles, bread, and other grain-based products. Monosaccharides contain one sugar unit, disaccharides two, and polysaccharides three or more. Polysaccharides are often referred to as complex carbohydrates because they are typically long multiple branched chains of sugar units. The difference is that complex carbohydrates take longer to digest and absorb since their sugar units must be separated from the chain before absorption. The spike in blood glucose levels after ingestion of simple sugars is thought to be related to some of the heart and vascular diseases which have become more frequent in recent times. Simple sugars form a greater part of modern diets than formerly, perhaps leading to more cardiovascular disease. The degree of causation is still not clear, however. Fat A molecule of dietary fat typically consists of several fatty acids (containing long chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms), bonded to a glycerol. They are typically found as triglycerides (three fatty acids attached to one glycerol backbone). Fats may be classified as saturated or unsaturateddepending on the detailed structure of the fatty acids involved. Saturated fats have all of the carbon atoms in their fatty acid chains bonded to hydrogen atoms, whereas unsaturated fats have some of these carbon atoms double-bonded, so their molecules have relatively fewer hydrogen atoms than a saturated fatty acid of the same length. Unsaturated fats may be further classified as monounsaturated (one double-bond) or polyunsaturated (many double-bonds). Furthermore, depending on the location of the double-bond in the fatty acid chain, unsaturated fatty acids are classified as omega-3 or omega-6 fatty acids. Trans fats are a type of unsaturated fat with trans-isomer bonds; these are rare in nature and in foods from natural sources; they are typically created in an industrial process called (partial) hydrogenation. Many studies have shown that unsaturated fats, particularly monounsaturated fats, are best in the human diet. Saturated fats, typically from animal sources, are next, while trans fats are to be avoided. Saturated and some trans fats are typically solid at room temperature (such as butter orlard), while unsaturated fats are typically liquids (such as olive oil or flaxseed oil). Trans fats are very rare in nature, but have properties useful in the food processing industry, such as rancid resistance.[citation needed] Essential fatty acids Most fatty acids are non-essential, meaning the body can produce them as needed, generally from other fatty acids and always by expending energy to do so. However, in humans at least two fatty acids are essential and must be included in the diet. An appropriate balance of essential fatty acids -— omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids -— seems also important for health, though definitive experimental demonstration has been elusive. Both of these â€Å"omega† long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids are substrates for a class of eicosanoids known as prostaglandins, which have roles throughout the human body. They are hormones, in some respects. The omega-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which can be made in the human body from the omega-3 essential fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (LNA), or taken in through marine food sources, serves as a building block for series 3 prostaglandins (e.g. weakly inflammatory PGE3). The omega-6 dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA) serves as a building block for series 1 prostaglandins (e.g. anti-inflammatory PGE1), whereas arachidonic acid (AA) serves as a building block for series 2 prostaglandins (e.g. pro-inflammatory PGE 2). Both DGLA and AA can be made from the omega-6 linoleic acid (LA) in the human body, or can be taken in directly through food. An appropriately balanced intake of omega-3 and omega-6 partly determines the relative production of different prostaglandins: one reason a balance between omega-3 and omega-6 is believed important for cardiovascular health. In industrialized societies, people typically consume large amounts of processed vegetable oils, which have reduced amounts of the essential fatty acids along with too much of omega-6 fatty acids relative to omega-3 fatty acids. The conversion rate of omega-6 DGLA to AA largely determines the production of the prostaglandins PGE1 and PGE2. Omega-3 EPA prevents AA from being released from membran es, thereby skewing prostaglandin balance away from pro-inflammatory PGE2 (made from AA) toward anti-inflammatory PGE1 (made from DGLA). Moreover, the conversion (desaturation) of DGLA to AA is controlled by the enzyme delta-5-desaturase, which in turn is controlled by hormones such as insulin (up-regulation) and glucagon (down-regulation). The amount and type of carbohydrates consumed, along with some types of amino acid, can influence processes involving insulin, glucagon, and other hormones; therefore the ratio of omega-3 versus omega-6 has wide effects on general health, and specific effects on immune function and inflammation, and mitosis (i.e. cell division). Good sources of essential fatty acids include most vegetables, nuts, seeds, and marine oils,[2] Some of the best sources are fish, flax seed oils, soy beans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and walnuts. Fiber Dietary fiber is a carbohydrate (or a polysaccharide) that is incompletely absorbed in humans and in some animals. Like all carbohydrates, when it is metabolized it can produce four calories (kilocalories) of energy per gram. But in most circumstances it accounts for less than that because of its limited absorption and digestibility. Dietary fiber consists mainly of cellulose, a large carbohydrate polymer that is indigestible because humans do not have the required enzymes to disassemble it. There are two subcategories: soluble and insoluble fiber. Whole grains, fruits (especiallyplums, prunes, and figs), and vegetables are good sources of dietary fiber. Fiber is important to digestive health and is thought to reduce the risk of colon cancer.[citation needed] For mechanical reasons it can help in alleviating both constipation and diarrhea. Fiber provides bulk to the intestinal contents, and insoluble fiber especially stimulates peristalsis — the rhythmic muscular contractions of the intestines which move digesta along the digestive tract. Some soluble fibers produce a solution of high viscosity; this is essentially a gel, which slows the movement of food through the intestines. Additionally, fiber, perhaps especially that from whole grains, may help lessen insulin spikes and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Protein Proteins are the basis of many animal body structures (e.g. muscles, skin, and hair). They also form the enyzmes which control chemical reactions throughout the body. Each molecule is composed of amino acids which are characterized by inclusion of nitrogen and sometimes sulphur (these components are responsible for the distinctive smell of burning protein, such as the keratin in hair). The body requires amino acids to produce new proteins (protein retention) and to replace damaged proteins (maintenance). As there is no protein or amino acid storage provision, amino acids must be present in the diet. Excess amino acids are discarded, typically in the urine. For all animals, some amino acids are essential (an animal cannot produce them internally) and some are non-essential (the animal can produce them from other nitrogen-containing compounds). About twenty amino acids are found in the human body, and about ten of these are essential, and therefore must be included in the diet. A diet that contains adequate amounts of amino acids (especially those that are essential) is particularly important in some situations: during early development and maturation, pregnancy, lactation, or injury (a burn, for instance). A complete protein source contains all the essential amino acids; an incomplete protein source lacks one or more of the essential amino acids. It is possible to combine two incomplete protein sources (e.g. rice and beans) to make a complete protein source, and characteristic combinations are the basis of distinct cultural cooking traditions. Sources of dietary protein include meats, tofu and other soy-products, eggs, grains, legumes, and dairy products such as milk and cheese. A few amino acids from protein can be converted into glucose and used for fuel through a process called gluconeogenesis; this is done in quantity only during starvation. The amino acids remaining after such conversion are discarded. Vitamins As with the minerals discussed above, some vitamins are recognized as essential nutrients, necessary in the diet for good health. (Vitamin D is the exception: it can alternatively be synthesized in the skin, in the presence of UVB radiation.) Certain vitamin-like compounds that are recommended in the diet, such as carnitine, are thought useful for survival and health, but these are not â€Å"essential† dietary nutrients because the human body has some capacity to produce them from other compounds. Moreover, thousands of different phytochemicals have recently been discovered in food (particularly in fresh vegetables), which may have desirable properties including antioxidant activity (see below); experimental demonstration has been suggestive but inconclusive. Other essential nutrients not classed as vitamins include essential amino acids (see above),choline, essential fatty acids (see above), and the minerals discussed in the preceding section. Vitamin deficiencies may result in disease conditions: goitre, scurvy, osteoporosis, impaired immune system, disorders of cell metabolism, certain forms of cancer, symptoms of premature aging, and poor psychological health (including eating disorders), among many others.[6] Excess of some vitamins is also dangerous to health (notably vitamin A), and for at least one vitamin, B6, toxicity begins at levels not far above the required amount. Deficiency or excess of minerals can also have serious health consequences. Water About 70% of the non-fat mass of the human body is made of water[7] . Analysis of Adipose Tissue in Relation to Body Weight Loss in Man. Retrieved from Journal of Applied To function properly, the body requires between one and seven liters of water per day to avoid dehydration; the precise amount depends on the level of activity, temperature, humidity, and other factors.[citation needed] With physical exertion and heat exposure, water loss increases and daily fluid needs will eventually increase as well. It is not fully clear how much water intake is needed by healthy people, although some experts assert that 8–10 glasses of water (approximately 2 liters) daily is the minimum to maintain proper hydration.[8] The notion that a person should consume eight glasses of water per day cannot be traced to a credible scientific source.[9] The effect of, greater or lesser, water intake on weight loss and on constipation is also still unclear.[10] The original water intake recommendation in 1945 by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council read: â€Å"An ordinary standard for diverse persons is 1 milliliter for each calorie of food. Most of this quantity is contained in prepared foods.†[11] The latest dietary reference intake report by theUnited States National Research Council recommended, generally, (including food sources): 2.7 liters of water total for women and 3.7 liters for men.[12] Specifically, pregnant and breastfeeding women need additional fluids to stay hydrated. According to the Institute of Medicine—who recommend that, on average, women consume 2.2 litres and men 3.0 litres—this is recommended to be 2.4 litres (approx. 9 cups) for pregnant women and 3 litres (approx. 12.5 cups) for breastfeeding women since an especially large amount of fluid is lost during nursing.[13] For those who have healthy kidneys, it is somewhat difficult to drink too much water,[citation needed] but (especially in warm humid weather and while exercising) it is dangerous to drink too little. People can drink far more water than necessary while exercising, however, putting them at risk of water intoxication, which can be fatal. In particular large amounts of de-ionized water are dangerous. Normally, about 20 percent of water intake comes in food, while the rest comes from drinking water and assorted beverages (caffeinated included). Water is excreted from the body in multiple forms; including urine and feces, sweating, and by water vapor in the exhaled breath.

Alternative Styles Of Creative Advertising Marketing Essay

Alternative Styles Of Creative Advertising Marketing Essay The purpose of this report was to create a creative campaign idea for GWS Motorsport to attract more audiences as well as to increase awareness of the company. Hence, an evaluation of creative strategies theory will apply to the campaign in order to support the raw ideas. The report will show all the achievable innovative approaches that may increase the effectiveness and efficiencies of the campaign. On top of that, one of the strategy approaches has been selected for the GWS Motorsport campaign as part of the creative strategy. This report also aims to give an understanding of the campaign objectives, appropriate strategy for the outcome, the messages that what is this campaign about to pass on and to create the characteristic for GWS Motorsport race team. Hence, a clutter of consumers requires a creative approach to segment them by using marketing mix strategy. As a result, positioning exist in the market to avoid tight competition in the same industry. (Chitty, 2005) 1.2. Scope While understanding GWS Personnel Motorsport, the team does not bring in any profit however they do exercised some business strategies to at least cover its costs because running a race team cost a lot of money. Therefore, the main revenue streams included sponsorship, driver leasing and for those potential revenue streams were from the hot laps, driver sessions/training, VIP tickets and guest appearances. (O’Donnel, n.d) 1.3. Method The information used in this report was gathered by using the sources from GWS Personnel Motorsport official website, GWS presentation power point slides, a series of email with the marketing consultant, Nik O’Donnell and the textbook. Therefore, the second edition of Integrated Marketing Communications textbook was one of the main references that provided the information of creative strategies theory that were applied to this report. 1.4. Company’s Background GWS Personnel Motorsport is a team that puts together by Allan Shephard a nd Peter O’Donnell and mainly sponsored by GWS Personnel itself. Additionally, GWS Personnel is a regional based recruitment company that was established in the early 90’s. There are other sponsors too such as the Shire Conveyancer, Spinifex Australia, and Evocities. Peter O’Donnell has always been passionate about motorsport racing which is the reason behind the team he formed. The GWS Personnel Motorsport as known as the Australian Manufacturers Champions formed a wide range of production cars such as the Europe and Japanese cars were used on the race track. (GWS Motorsport, 2011) 2. Findings 2.1. Creative Strategies Theory In this day and age, many business companies have implemented more creative strategies that use to draw consumer attention and provoke them to purchase a product or a service. As a general rule, these creative strategies are based on the targeted market demographic, psychographic, geographical and behavioral. Advertisers often use catchy ji ngles to capture consumer interest therefore such creative strategy may promote publicity and public relations with them. Based on Table A, the creative strategies are divided into three categories and they are the functional orientation, symbolic/experiential orientation, and category-dominance orientation.

Toyota's Marketing Strategy in China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Toyota's Marketing Strategy in China - Essay Example Toyota was very optimistic that it would succeed in the Chinese market without a problem (Bremner & Roberts, 2006). But therein lay the problem. Toyota used the same marketing strategies that it had used in Japan to capture the Chinese market, which in the end did not work out so well for Toyota in China. Â  In retrospect, Toyota decided to then use the strategy it had used when entering and marketing in the United States and found that it had more success than it had when using the same strategies that it used in the Japanese market. There are quite a few reasons why the strategies used in Japan failed and why the strategies used in the United States worked well for the organization when entering, marketing and penetrating the Chinese market. Â  In this document, the author will look at the marketing strategies used by Toyota in the Japanese and United States markets. Then compare and contrast the two different strategies, analyze what worked in China and what didn't work and finally conclude why the strategy used in the United States worked for Toyota in China but the strategy used in Japan didn't work for it. Â  The Toyota auto company was founded during the World War II era in Aichi, Japan and since then has been a leader in the automotive industry in the country. During the war years, the organization is known to have manufactured trucks to keep the war effort in the country going. Â  Being a homespun company the organization had no difficulty in marketing, competing and penetrating the Japanese market and used many traditional methods of marketing at the inception and even today it uses a conventional marketing strategy when marketing in Japan in comparison to what it uses in the United States. Â  For one thing, the organization has always positioned its products as small, economical and of high quality in the market. Further, the organization is a local organization and did not have to battle with other international brands in a foreign country when marketing in its own country but marketed the product as one that was manufactured at home and created brand loyalty in that manner. Â  The organization sells its products through its dealerships that are manned by 40 - 50-year-olds and emphasizes on innovation and technology that is now becoming more and more green friendly. The high-end models like the Lexus are positioned as high-end luxury vehicles and don't need to be aggressively marketed because they don't face tough competition from the likes BMW or Mercedes Benz (Pollack, 1996). Â  Further the organization has been in existence as long as its chief competitor Honda and has overtaken the market in fuel efficiency thanks to some of its models like the Toyota Prius, which has been touted for its excellence in the hybrid car market, which has led only to the increase in customer confidence and loyalty for the Toyota brand in the Japanese car market with every passing decade. Â  

Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 4

Economics - Essay Example Since they still see strong demand growth from China and other developing nations, OECD takes the hit: Unfortunately the IEA does not present this oil situation in a figure, however the one below for total primary energy demand gives us a good impression. China, India and the rest of the non-OECD world keep growing their consumption (IEA forecast, not mine!), while OECD is all but flatlining. For oil, the situation is worse. OECD share of available oil is constrained so much that it declines. The details for primary oil demand alone are in Table 1.3. The peak for OECD demand was in the period 2000-2008 and declines by 0.3% per year to 2030. Its also significant that in their report they say Non-OPEC oil supply declines from 2010. So all those arguments about technology, increasing recovery, a new Middle East in the Arctic... all amount to nothing at least in the entire Non-OPEC part of the world where all those clever western oil companies do their business. All the peak oil analysis that youve read here still suggests that the IEAs forecast is too optimistic, for both OPEC and Non-OPEC parts of the world. And the IEA whistleblower also claims that their forecasts are inflated. But a peak is still a peak, and the IEA now says that OECD oil demand is in decline and will not recover the levels prior to the financial crisis. This seems to me like a dramatic statement for the IEA to make. This official forecast from the agency representing OECD nations, now conflicts with just about every one of its individual members own forecasts (and that of just about every private enterprise). To convince decision makers of the inevitable oil decline facing us, we no longer need to refer to the online analysis by peak oil bloggers. You can simply tell your president, chief, boss and your neighbour: The IEA says our oil consumption is going down, what are you going to do about it? As a footnote, it appears that the IEA is in good company with their updated forecast.

Global Issues- Global Revolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Global Issues- Global Revolution - Essay Example Most employees these days prefer to hire children to adults. I hope u know I got married. My dear Sarah works at the nearby postal office. However, at the moment, she is not at work since the postal workers are on strike demanding for increased wages. The working conditions in the factory where I work are not very human. There is a lot of smoke and we are not provided with any protective gear from the heavy machines. I must confess to you that I rarely have any spare time I can call leisure. I work in the factory for over twelve hours a day and cycles for one hour to reach my abode. The government seems to have totally forgotten about us and its focus is on annexing foreign territories across the oceans. Surely Maxwell, I find no reason why I should be staying in pathetic living conditions just because the government has no clear policies on settlement. The lighting is very poor and I am not even assured of my security. Let me not talk about many ills here lest you accuse me of a misconceived mindset. I nevertheless believe that England is a great country. At least we can boast about the good roads that are coming up and the railway industry that seems to boom. Most people can also find work despite the low

Scholarship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Scholarship - Essay Example Quite often there is nothing left after discharging my mother’s medical bills. My family’s financial struggles have put me at a disadvantage in school. We cannot afford to buy new school clothes and shoes and I am quite often wearing old and worn clothes and shoes to school and this makes me self-conscious, particularly when other school children are dressed smartly. We cannot afford a computer which puts me at a greater disadvantage. Quite often I have assignments that require the use of a computer. Although I can use the library’s computer, I can ill afford the time. Without bus fare, I have to walk home from school and using the library would cause serious delays. I quite often feel so despaired that I fear I might have a breakdown. I believe that a scholarship would greatly reduce some of the financial burdens on my family and would put my family in a better position to support my education. To begin with, I would be able to purchase a home computer and the n ecessary school supplies. With these burdens lifted I would be in a better position to focus on my education and produce at a much higher level. Part II: Counselor’s Recommendations FL is a focused student with a clear understanding of where he wants to go in life and is keenly aware of the obstacles he has to overcome to get there. He is frustrated by the obstacles, particularly the financial struggles his family faces and is aware that the solution is out of his hands. FL’s current situation is dire and if he does not obtain a resolution to his situation, it is unlikely that he will be able to remain in school. If his problems persist, it is conceivable that FL would drop out of school to help relieve his family’s financial burdens. Right now his mother’s illness appears to be the family’s number one financial priority. As a result, FL’s school needs are sorely lacking. It is therefore recommended that FL benefits from a scholarship. This is a student who is very committed to school work and academic success. He is looking ahead to the future and as a result, FL is actively engaged in college preparatory programs. In addition, he is participating in cross country running. As a dedicated and driven student, it would be a benefit to both the school community and FL if he is awarded a scholarship and therefore remains in school and able to pursue a higher education. FL’s family is struggling financially as they are living on his father’s small income. FL’s mother is suffering from diabetes and this absorbs a great part of the family’s income. As a result of the family’s financial struggles, FL is disadvantaged at school. His family cannot afford to buy a computer. He often has to walk home from school as he cannot always afford bus fare. His school clothes and shoes are used and makes him self-conscious. FL is frustrated by the obstacles to his school productivity. FL wants to go onto college. FL will likely feel better about himself and thus remain committed in school if he is granted a scholarship. EG Part I: EG’s Statement I have always aspired to attend a good university and graduate in the top 10% of my class. I am working toward achieving these goals by currently focusing on my grades and ensuring that they are good enough to get me into a good university. However, at the moment I am currently facing some financial difficulties that could interfere with my plans to get into a good

Observations about the communication skills Movie Review

Observations about the communication skills - Movie Review Example This simply backs up what came out of her mouth—she doesn’t really want to be having this conversation. This can be seen further on in the conversation when the teacher correctly states that a joint effort is needed between the two of them in order to fix Timmy’s behavioral problems. Mrs. Smith gets all defensive by saying that there are no problems at home and it must only be a problem at school. This is reinforced by the way that she crosses her arms over her front. There is no need for her to act in this way because the teacher is not looking to attack Timmy at all. She only wants to help, but Mrs. Smith is misinterpreting it as an attack on Timmy. Mrs. Smith would do what any parent would do when they felt that their son was under attack. Mrs. Smith then attempts to deflect the focus of the conversation back to teacher by saying that she hates Timmy and is out to get her son. This technique shows that Mrs. Smith is feeling vulnerable and perhaps a little guilty for the behavior of Timmy. By shifting the focus away from Timmy and onto the teacher, Mrs. Smith is able to portray a situation where the teacher is in fact the problem. The teacher deflects this attack, although she is a little hurt by it. This is shown when she folds her hands, again suggesting a defensive position. Both of them do not feel comfortable in the room, although they both argue their points strongly. Mrs. Smith seems to know a lot about Timmy’s performance at school even though she does not get to see it firsthand. The conversation conveniently switches to an argument about Timmy’s learning disabilities and whether or not he should be receiving special attention at school. The teacher then concedes the point by saying that she will see what she can do for him by referring him to the gifted and talented kids program. Mrs. Smith would do well to listen to what the teacher has to say and then coming up with a

Perspectives in Human Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Perspectives in Human - Research Paper Example Values are a part of our lives (Heker, 1994). I can describe myself according to the following values which are: hard working, result oriented, punctual, impartial, open-minded, critical and rational. My list is inexhaustible but these are my strongest values. Before this semester, the most important values were being critical, hard working and being results-oriented. This however changed after I started this semester as I discovered new values which have proven to be of great benefit in determining my personality. Presently, I have endorsed the values of punctuality, impartiality, open-mindedness and rationality. These values have helped me to be open to new ideas and opportunities as change is always inevitable for a student. These values have helped me to gain more clarity and focus on setting my priorities right. My experience in this semester has changed my values in a positive way. These values have helped me to have a clear definition of my goals. I have been able to decide th e goals which are of most importance to me and consequently prioritize them according to the most significant. This process has enabled me to divert my energies towards my targets. Upon the achievement of my goals, I have been able to come up with new goals and try to accommodate them to my list of values (Ehrenreich, 2011). Knowledge has been defined as power but the main value of knowledge is brought out through the use of it. Knowledge is a compilation of facts. When we value knowledge, we draw near it with honest uncertainty. The main importance of knowing our values is to have a better clarity and focus to enable us to make reliable decisions and take a devoted action. The essence of knowledge of our values is to improve our results that are of most importance to an individual. This knowledge has enabled me to know and cherish myself and gain familiarity with my strengths and weaknesses. It has also helped me to use my strengths to assist others and to improve on my weaknesses (Heker, 1994). Our influence to others is of great importance as we knowingly or unknowingly influence others positively or negatively. Despite this, we should strive for the ultimate good by being an encouragement and inspiring them and this will help in making our world an improved place. Knowledge has made me to realize that everyone can make a contribution whether major or minor to the world that we live in by using some of the values like being kind and tender hearted. Based on the knowledge that I have, I should value myself, my passion and compassion, kindness, time, knowledge and mentoring. My actions should be focused on achievement of my goals. My actions should be almost be like a replica of Archbishop Desmond Tutu who has the ability to distinguish and embrace life’s happiness and face its cruelties and desolation. This will require one to have values like being strong, visionary and courageous enough to be able to persist life’s challenges as we live in di fficult times (Loeb, 2004). This will be possible through the orientation of the heart by embracing the value of hope. Hope is the power of the human being spirit to prevail in challenging times. Despite this, we must never forget the importance of courage. Courage helps us to prevail over the fear that pushes us away from each other and enable us to stand for our beliefs because if we ignore it while faced with injustice, cruelty and oppression, we are sacrificing a

Abolition of African American Slavery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Abolition of African American Slavery - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that  the educated and elite blacks deserved equal rights of citizenship since they could contribute to the growth of the country. The blacks also used various political and judicial platforms to advocate and fight for this right of citizenship. Also, the tireless efforts of the blacks and the abolitionists played a key role in structuring and supporting the black freedom.   When the non-violent strategies that were used by the abolitionists failed, those that were enslaved and those that were free considered the use of radical actions.As the report discusses  since 1864, the blacks used the National Black Convention Movement to fight for their right to vote and full representation in the American affairs. One aspect of the history is abolition. In the history of Black Americans, there was the formation of the abolitionist movement. The aim of the group was to allow emancipation of all slaves after racial discrimination and segregation. Advocating fo r immediate emulsification made the difference between moderate antislavery advocates and abolitionists. Abolitions due to race were mainly encouraged by regional favor during second great awakening. This activity prompted many people to advocate for emancipation with the consideration of their religion. The idea on abolishment became prominent in other churches and political beginnings in the start of 1830s. This mainly contributed to the division of the region to the north and south and fueled the occurrence of the cold war.

Roots of Mccarthyism in the Late 40s and Early 50s Essay Example for Free

Roots of Mccarthyism in the Late 40s and Early 50s Essay Though the Communist Party of the United States (CPUSA) peaked with it’s highest number of members in 1940-1941, with 750,000 members, by this area in time it was looked down upon. It had, earlier in the decade, been a successful agent against fascism and a huge help in the advancement and creation of labor unions, and for that reason people were joining it. However, many people were becoming communists unknowingly just by attending meetings where they were given free food (a big draw to people in an era directly following the Great Depression). In the late 1940’s and early 1950’s American’s were very scared that communism would influence our country. This period of time was referred to as ‘the second red scare’. Americans had seen the way that Russia had been transformed by communism, and did not want their country to undergo the same changes. Communism was a scary concept at the time, and it was something that we as a country definitely did not want any part of. In the late 1930’s, an organization was formed called the House Un-American Activities Community. This community made up of members of the United States House of Representatives, was formed in order to protect Americans against communism influence and was responsible for investigating any allegations that were made about communist activity. Despite this groups efforts the United States was still in heightened fear of Communist overtaking or the possibility of becoming a nation similar to that of Russia’s. Senator Joseph McCarthy was a US senator from Wisconsin during this time period. He served for ten years, from 1947 until his death in 1957. He is most well-known for being particularly paranoid of communist efforts, regularly accusing people of communist behavior when none existed. He accused large amounts of people, mostly government workers, claiming that they were Soviet spies and communist sympathizers. By 1950, the term ‘McCarthyism’ was coined. The term refers to the practice of accusing people of treason, disloyalty, and other related things with no grounds and little or no evidence. The term is still used today and generally refers to political corruption, in which an important political leader makes false accusations about a certain group of people. A few events took place in 1949 and 1950 that spurred McCarthyism and the second red scare to occur. First, the Soviet Union (a very communist-dominated country) tested an atomic bomb in 1949. This was much earlier than Americans had expected them to come out with this technology. At this point, we realized that communist countries were more advanced than we had prior thought. In 1950, the Korean War broke out. The United States, along with the UN and South Korea, battled against communist countries, furthering our hatred and fear towards them. In the meantime, many cases of soviet spies came out. More and more ‘Americans’ were found to actually be spies from Russia and the Soviet Union. As the increase of found spies became more prevalent, people continued to point fingers and adopt an accusatory towards many government officials and become abnormally suspicious. Senator McCarthy made a list of all of the people who he claimed had been involved in communist behavior. This list was called the Black List, and was made up of many writers, artists, government officials, and other people important to society. On February 9, 1950, McCarthy gave a public speech revealing the people on the list. He claimed that 205 people were on this list, but later reduced it to just 57. Though some of the people on the list were in fact engaged in communist behavior, others were simply engaging in lifestyles that McCarthy himself had biases against and lumped into the list. Some of these behaviors included sexual deviance, alcoholism, and political decisions not aligned with McCarthy’s own. After being found to be on McCarthy’s list, the accused were brought to trial and vigorously questioned. The only way that mercy would be shown to them, regardless of guilt or innocence, was to accuse other people. This led to more and more people being accused and convicted unrightfully and unnecessarily. The effect of these trials was detrimental to people in many professions in the public eye. Many entertainers lost their jobs as a result of the public degradation. President Dwight Eisenhower decided to take a stand against McCarthyism when the senator began bringing military men into the accusatory trials. McCarthy publically announced that many members of the United States Army were personally involved in communist activity. Eisenhower was very involved in the military, a graduate of West Point himself, and when McCarthy took steps to slander the Secretary of the Army, he felt that it was the final straw and that steps needed to be taken to stop the epidemic. Also, in bringing in the military to his slanderous accusations, it was at this point that McCarthy lost much of his hype and once popular power. Involving army journalists, Eisenhower ran a story exploiting some of the hidden agendas of McCarthy in December of 1953. In March of 1954, upon Eisenhower’s instructions, vice president Richard Nixon gave a speech indirectly chastising McCarthy. He said, Men who have in the past done effective work exposing Communists in this country have, by reckless talk and questionable methods, made themselves the issue rather than the cause they believe in so deeply,† (Spartacus). Following the presidential lead, many leaders in the press began to fight against McCarthyism. People who had wanted to speak out for a long time but had been too afraid were now gaining confidence to do so and momentum was building. Eventually, McCarthy lost the chairmanship of the Government Committee on Operations of the Senate. Some feel that this marked the end of McCarthyism, and consequently America’s hysterical fear of communism infiltrating the country. However, others feel that this response did not happen as a result of McCarthy’s demotion, and not until the close of the Cold War. While most support was against McCarthyism in this era, there were few supporters and supporting groups of this institution and its suspicious allegations. Many of these supporters came in the form of women only anti-communist groups. Examples of these groups were Minute Women of the USA and American Public Relations Forum. Another group, which was not only for women, was the American Legion. They were well known veteran supporters who also showed much interest in the spread of McCarthyism. While these groups made up a large part of the supporters of the McCarthy sequence, the largest amount of help came in the form of the far-right radicals. They generally opposed international relations, specifically the United Nations, and were even against many of the social welfare programs. Particularly those thought out by the new deal, many of these McCarthyism supporters had a general opposition to programs that fought to reduce â€Å"the inequalities to the social structure of the United States.†

Suzuki Case Study Essay Example for Free

Suzuki Case Study Essay This analysis provides the background, SWOT analysis and different marketing alternatives such as positioning the vehicle as a car, compact truck or sports utility vehicle. Later the recommendation is made on which marketing strategies are suitable for the success of the Suzuki Samurai in US market. The analysis has also highlighted in detail the pros and cons of the â€Å"unpositioning† that we propose versus three options of positioning that were considered earlier. We have also evaluated the strength of the marketing research done by Pearlstein in terms of ensuring market of success in US market. In this analysis, there is also the recommendation on how the $2. 5 Million six-month adverting budget should be spent in accordance to the positioning strategy chosen. 2. 0 Situation Analysis 2. 1 The company 2. 1. 1 Company Background Starting business in 1909 as Suzuki Loom Works, the firm was incorporated in 1920 and was to produce textile looms that would surpass the innovation and quality of other competitors. Since foundation Hamamatsu, Japan, SUZUKI has steadily grown and expanded. In 1952, Suzuki created a new type of motor vehicle, a motorized bicycle call the â€Å"Power Free†. This motorized bicycle featured a 36cc two-stroke engine with a double sprocket gear system that enabled the rider to pedal with the engine assisting, pedal without the engine assisting. Suzuki’s first mass produced car in 1955, the Suzulight, was a technical marvel. It included radical innovations for the time such as front-wheel drive, four-wheel suspension, and rack-and-pinion steering. In 1963, Suzuki brings its innovation motorcycle line-up to the U. S. A fast growing line enables them quickly to become a major player in the motorcycle market. Suzuki takes the lead in the all-terrain vehicle market in 1983 by introducing the first four-wheeled ATV. In 1985, Suzuki introduces its automotive line to the U. S, with the arrival of the Samurai. SJ 413 as an upgraded model of SJ410 and designed especially for US market. Today, constantly going forward to meet changing lifestyles, the SUZUKI name is seen on a full range of motorcycles, automobiles, outboard motors and related products such as generators and motorized wheelchairs. The mark trademark is recognized by people throughout the world as a brand of quality products that offer both reliability and originality. More than 45,000 Suzuki people worldwide now create and distribute their work in over 120 countries. Worldwide Suzuki Automotive sales now reach over 2 million each year, surpassing the sales of many other renowned companies such as BMW, Mercedes and Saab. Additionally more than 2. 5 million motorcycles and ATVs are sold each year. Sales of the Suzukis outboard motors also continue to grow. SUZUKI stands behind this global symbol with a sure determination to maintain this confidence in the future as well, never stopping in creating quality products. 2. 2 Product of Suzuki Samurai The Suzuki Samurai was introduced to the U. S. market in November 1985. It appealed to younger consumers with its inexpensive and fun-oriented positioning. This marketing strategy was successful, since over 160,000 Samurais were sold in just three years. The Suzuki Samurai was introduced as an inexpensive multi-purpose sport/utility vehicle. These vehicles were light pickup trucks with back seats, an extended roof, and part-time four-wheel drive intended for use on snow, ice, mud, or off-road driving. Sport/utility vehicles do not have to conform to the same safety regulations that apply to passenger cars. 2. 3 Positioning According to Douglas Mazza, he wanted a fresh approach for his company’s new products, he assigned advertising task to an agency which had no experience in developing campaign for automobiles. The advertising agency found out that the industry practice was to position vehicles according their physical characteristics. They also found out that most advertising was feature/benefit or price oriented. Based on its physical characteristics, the major three positioning for Samurai SJ413 were position as a compact sport utility vehicle, as a compact pickup truck and as a subcompact car, so it should be advertised as a â€Å"tough ittle cheap jeep†. Moreover, the samurai’s size and price distinguished it from all other sport utility vehicles sold in the U. S in 1985. The Samurai was smaller and lighter than the other vehicles, and its $5995 suggested retail price was well below the other vehicles’ $10,000 to $13,000 price range. 2. 4 SWOT Summary 2. 4. 1 Strengths : Suzuki Company followed selective distribution strategy, which allowed the company to achieve higher profitability, dealer loyalty, greater sales support and also higher degree of control over the retail market. Also, their pricing strategy was to sell high volume with low profit margin, which helped company to gain market response for its high quality with low price advantage. Suzuki Samurai has been positioned as a compact sport utility vehicle, a compact pickup truck and a subcompact car. This positioning would be good to place their brand in the particular part of the market where it would receive reception compared to competing products. It also well explained Samurai’s physical characteristics. 2. 4. 2 Weaknesses: Suzuki Samurai set their very low price, which meant it will came up with very low profit margin. The planned dealer invoice rice was $5095, only 7. 5%higher than ASMC’s own landed cost for the vehicle. And they planned to limit the number of samurai dealers, so each dealer might be stressed on as they needed to sell approximately 30 Samurai per month to cover its costs. Samurai was positioned as a sport utility vehicle; however, the market for sport utility vehicle was relatively small. In 1984, it was les than 3% in the U. S market. And it was positioned as a subcompact car, then it might not meet the expectations of the consumers because the Samurai was built on a truck platform, its ride was stiffer and less comfortable than the least-expensive subcompact cars. On the other side, if other consumers start to use it as subcompact car or pick up truck, it will lose its brand image. Thus it might lose potential market, bring trouble for the sales people and increase market confusion among customers. 2. 4. 3 Opportunities: Suzuki Samurai should be unpositioned in the market to get the opportunity to target the entire potential consumers segment. The unpositioned Suzuki Samurai will appeal the users of sports utility vehicles, pick up truck and subcompact cars. That ensures higher consumer acceptance and consumer satisfaction by offering a car for various needs. It would also increase sales and thus add large profit to the company’s income statement by targeting a large customer segments. The unpositioning strategy is better combined with company’s goal that is to establish ASMC as a major car company in the U. S market. The low price of the Samurai can be used as a strategy to impress consumers and to capture great share of the market. And this low price and also encouraged dealership investment in which expanded and increased sales. There will be a good opportunity for Samurai if can build a strong brand image among the potential customers such as some TV advertisement or promotion, in which creating and increasing buyer awareness of the car influencing buyer attitude toward the Suzuki Samurai. 2. 4. 4 Treats: Suzuki Samurai will bring some treats to its competitors if offering a car with different purpose. The broader appeal of the car can reduce sales of its competitors’ who are in the same industry. In addition, it will quite risky for Samurai’s sales if Suzuki overdefine the vehicle, because a product should broad enough to attract a wide range of consumers and meet consumers with different needs. 2. 5 Historical Results According to Appendix 6. 1, in 1984, there were approximately 25100 Japanese vehicles sole among the total of 424810 sport utility cars in U. S market, which was only 5. 9% of the market share. And Suzuki Samurai only had 8. 4% to the Japanese imported cars in the U. S market. In another words, Samurai did not have much market share compared with other Japanese competitors in the U. S automobile industry. In 1985, Samurai has decreased to 4. 6% market share among the Japanese car industry, and only 0. 46% market share of the whole compact sport utility vehicle in the U. S market. However, as compact pickup trucks and subcompact cars, it did not shown any Samurai products in which meant the sales could be very low and unsuccessful during the year of 1984 and 1985. 3. 0 The Market 3. 1 Background Since the introduction of its first production car, the â€Å"Suzulight†, in 1961, Suzuki had sold cars and trucks only in Japan until 1979. It took Suzuki only 5 years to export and distribute its automobiles into more than 100 countries including Hawaii (US). As a global firm, Suzuki captured and maintained its production and R ; D momentum to succeed in international marketing. Aiming at opening the continental US Market, Suzuki Samurai, designed with the US market specifically in mind, was introduced in 1985 in order to establish Suzuki’s brand presence in the United States. 3. 2 Market Entry 3. 2. 1 Exporting Before projecting the Samurai, Suzuki had cooperated with General Motors on a model named under GM as Chevrolet Sprint. Exporting Japanese cars to the US was subject to voluntary restraint agreement (VRA). In 1984, Suzuki’s total VRA quota of 17,000 cars went to GM as Sprints and Sprint’s distribution was limited to its West Coast dealers. GM’s success with Sprint showed Suzuki that a market existed for its cars in the continental United States. 3. 2. 2 Joint Venture – Suzuki + GM (Production in Canada) Japan’s VRA quotas made it impossible for Suzuki to export any cars other than the Sprint to the United States in the foreseeable future. In 1985, Suzuki and GM began negotiations with the Canadian government to build a plant in Ontario producing approximately 200,000 subcompact cars per year. This initiative could help launching more Suzuki automobiles into the US market under its own name by early 1989. 3. 3 Direct Investment – ASMC Market share of Japanese imports in the U. S. automobile market and the overall automobile industry in the US surged during 1984 – 1985. Facing the upcoming entries of other overseas brands, Suzuki was unwilling to wait until 1989 to introduce the Suzuki name into the continental United States. With SJ413 (Samurai), Suzuki had the right product for the market whereas the continental United States was a piece of new land – a dealer network needed to be established, since there was no guarantee that GM would market any Suzuki vehicles other than the Sprint in the US market. Customs clearance issue was solved by exporting SJ413 without a back seat, under which circumstance the vehicle was classified as a truck by the US government. Trucks were not subject to Japanese VRA quotas; instead, they were subject to a 25% tariff, much higher than that on cars (2. 5%). Suzuki management was convinced that the time was right to enter the continental US market and believed the high tariff was worth paying. American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC) was established for the development of a Suzuki dealer network in the United States. 4. 0 Marketing Strategy Analysis 4. 1Entry Strategy The market strategy used by Suzuki varies in accordance to the nature of the Market. This can be evidenced by looking at the strategy used in entering Canadian Market and the entry strategies used in the US market which in some way varied in different times. In Canada the entry strategy was a joint venture which also involved opening the manufacturing company in Canada. In US, the first strategy was to export the Suzuki Samurai manufactured in Japan to the US market meanwhile the later strategy was to export Suzuki Samurai from Canada under its own name, American Suzuki motor Corporation (ASMC) which would keep them competitive in the automotive industry. 4. 2 Distribution Strategy The ASMC under Mazza formulated a strategy to ensure the company achieves its goal of being a major car company in the US. The strategy was: †¢To build exclusive sales facilities for the Samurai which would include showroom, sales office, customer waiting and accessories display area. †¢A minimum of two service stalls dedicated to Suzuki and operated by Suzuki trained mechanics for service and parts. †¢A minimum of three sales people, two service technicians, one general manager and one general office clerk dedicated to the Suzuki dealership. †¢In the long run, with the growth of the product line dealer requirements would expand to include a full, exclusive facility complete with attached parts and services. Limit the number of Samurai dealer network to 47 so that ASMC could guarantee the minimum supply of 37 units per month to enable the dealer to breakeven and earn some profit. Assumption: Dealer has to sell 30 cars per month to breakeven. -If the dealer sells all allocated 37 cars in a month he will be expected to earn a monthly profit of $6300 (See Appendix 1) 4. 3 Pricing Strate gy ASMC’s pricing policy was to sell the basic Samurai at a retail price of $5995 and a dealer price of $5095 which was only 7. 5% higher than ASMC landed cost. The contribution expected by ASMC from each unit sold was $382 (See Appendix 6. ). The ASMC pricing strategy was to sell its high quality product at a competitive price of $5995 which was far below competitors’ price ranging from $10,000 to $13,000. This strategy would enable the company to sell higher volume at considerably low margin. 4. 4 Promotion and Advertising Strategy 4. 4. 1 Product and Positioning Strategy Samurai was planned to be poisoned in the market in three different categories based on its physical characteristics. It could be either, a compact sport utility vehicle (SUV), a compact pickup truck or a subcompact car. See the figure below: Table 4. 4. 1: Market Share 19841985 Ratio of Suzuki to Total Japanese cars import in US8. 5%4. 6% Ratio of Suzuki to Compact Sport Utility Vehicles0. 5%0. 5% Note: The Suzuki sales were only for Hawaii excluding the grey market in Florida and other markets in Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virginia Islands and Panama. Douglas Mazza wanted a fresh approach for his companys new product so he gave the responsibility to keye/ donna/ pearlstein advertising agency, which had no experience in developing campaign for automobiles. After accepting he offer, Pearlstein and his associates scanned the industry practice for automobile advertising. They found out that the industry practice was to position vehicles according their physical characteristics. They also found out that best advertising strategy was to base on either its feature, benefit or price. It was from physical characteristics that they positioned Suzuki Samurai as a compact sport utility vehicle (SUV), a compact pickup truck or a subcompact car.