Future of Singapore Public Housing Loan

Abstract The Singapore government together with the housing finance consider the public housing as one of the various achievements they have accomplished. Public housing accommodates more than 80% of the residents in Singapore. A majority of the residents, close to 90%, is designed as Housing Development flats (HDB). In an effort to improve the current housing state in Singapore, the housing finance and the government has introduced various schemes and substitute schemes alike. The schemes have encouraged the resident into becoming homeowners in addition to ensuring that they did not default their mortgage payment. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) is responsible for the dealings and management of the public housing program in Singapore. The local town council oversees the daily management activities. They also ensure planning and development of the public housing in addition to selling and resale of the houses as well as offering financial mortgage. Introduction Singapore Public Housing finance loan borrowing has dropped four folds in the recent year. Owing to a myriad of factors, the number of loan applicants for the public housing allocation has significantly reduced as compared to the numbers associated with the previous application. The government estimates that the number may rise in next coming years if market curbs are softened, such as loan repayment schemes on interest rates and application. A future projection of the public housing finance loan interest indicates a downward trend in the near future owing to the stiff competition put in place by private property owners (Ong, 2010). It is imperative, therefore, to reduce the public housing loan rate in order to attract new property owners while increasing the resale of the previously owned property. Currently, the resale price of previously owned units on the public housing has dropped by 1.3%. The government has not taken any measures to ensure that this market situation is controlled, but is examining the matter in order to employ proper strategy to enable Singapore citizens to own homes. In case the current prices of property remain stagnant at 57%, it is estimated that the public housing loan rate will rise. The number of public housing owners is estimated to gradually increase in case the current rate does not drop in the near future (Ong, 2010). The Housing and Development Board (HDB) is responsible for the dealings and management of the public housing program in Singapore. The local town council oversees the daily management activities. They also ensure planning and development of the public housing in addition to selling and resale of the houses as well as offering financial mortgage. The paper discusses an examination of the privatization of HDB and reasons behind it, with projection to loan in the coming years and how one can become a public house owner in Singapore. Privatization of HDB Loan to Consumer Bank The main aim of the privatisation of Housing and Development Board mortgage loan to consumer banks in Singapore was to curb the price competition through inculcation thereby increasing the performance of the banking sector within the economy. The mortgage yield was not sufficient to meet the standards set by HDB, thus the privatisation of the HDB mortgage became imperative (Adams, 2014). Moreover, the private sector’s better performance and management of the economy was an added reason for the privatization as compared to the public sector’s ability in managing and performance. With the privation of the HDB loans to consumer banks, the annual interest rate returns have since increased and projections show that they will continue to increase in the coming year. This therefore eliminates the high rate hurdle previously presented by HDB through the elimination and minimization of the government regulation on the HDB housing projects. (Li, 2014). Financier of Mortgage loan: Interest rates Homebuyer with potential can choose to buy a home with either a HBO loan or Bank loan. The payment scheme chosen will determine the selection of the mortgage partner from which the mortgage loan will be received. Homeowners are able to apply for mortgage loans through HBO and Consumer banks. The above options for loan financier are in place in order to enable potential buyers to decide which best fits their financial capability. In addition, HDB plays the role of a financier to flat owners by giving mortgage loans. This has enabled Singapore residents to acquire public houses easily and faster with the help of HDB mortgage loan. From a financier’s point of view, a homebuyer applying for a mortgage loan is required to have met their credit assessment and this is assessed with their current system of standard mortgage application. For an eligible flat buyer to have access to a concessionary loan, they must have an HDB Eligibility Letter (HLE) confirming that they are capable of making repayments. This is important because it accesses one’s potential ability to pay back his loan with constraining their personal budget. Before anyone can purchase a flat, they must have a letter of eligibility of HDB. HBO concessionary loan interest is 2.6% which is only 0.1% higher than the Central Provident Fund (CPF). It seems important tor e-examine the interest rate of HBO quarterly in comparison to CPF interes t rate to ensure that it stays roughly the same level. This type of system design helps to provide an easier scheme for the mortgagor to service their loan payment, and ensure they constantly pay without defaults. This interest rate of the HBO loan has been in existence for over 15 years (Ong, 2010). Contrary to this, banks interest rate is currently 1%. The interest is dynamic and not constant because it is determined by a number of other factors which affects the operation of the bank such as its business strategy, the prevailing market situation and commercial decisions. It is determined jointly by all the financial institution in Singapore. This system make it unreliable because it is not constant, it keeps fluctuating based on the above mentioned factors. Even though HBO mortgage offer low amount of loans, HBO mortgage scheme remain the most suitable financier to mortgage loan. Unfortunately, and since the privatisation of HBO, all those who wish to finance their resale and acquisition of HBO public housing will have to apply loans to various banks licensed by the monetary fund to give mortgage loans to public housing acquisition and resale. Immigration There are benefits to being a citizen in Singapore. Singapore is one of the major cities in Asia in terms of wealth and culture. To buy and rent an HBD flat, one has to be 21 years or older and a citizen to Singapore. Another benefit that the citizens of Singapore are entitled to is obtain loans at concessionary interest rate with HBO to help them in obtaining the flats. In addition to this, they are also offers for citizens who obtain public houses for the first time such as subsidies, for instance grants offered by the government as a cushion to aid those buying public houses. Citizens also enjoy lower rates for houses repairs (Adams, 2014). Conclusion In conclusion, the number of public house owners in Singapore is bound to increase in the near future with increase in mortgage. The performance of HDB’s hurdle interest is expected to increase on an annual basis with the privatisation to consumer banks to aid in the mortgage loan financing. This has facilitated the process of solving the housing problem in Singapore owing to the fact that the government has provided a more reliable and efficient option to help people buy property. Although the current market is not promising, the government is working hard to curb the situation and enable more Singapore in the coming year to own public house. This will enable them to deal with the housing problems and concentrate in development of other sectors of the economy thereby increase their national income and dominate in the leading economy (Li, 2014). Bibliography Adams, J. (2014, October 10). Bleeding the banks. Retrieved October 31, 2014. Li Sen, S. (2014, October 3). Spike in bad home loans swells Singapore banks’ NPLs. Retrieved October 31, 2014. Ong, S. (2010). Housing affordability and upward mobility from public to private housing in Singapore. Singapore: S.E. Ong].

You are ugly, too Analysis

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Debate on vaccination Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Debate on vaccination - Essay Example For instance, the vaccination against smallpox used cowpox, which was a poxvirus resembling smallpox to defend against it but did not cause any major illness. Vaccinations are done during the formative years of a person’s life even though this does not hinder an adult to go for vaccination. Children die of diseases each year since they are susceptible to infections due to their fragile immune systems. They are weak because they are young, and their bodies have not built immunities to these diseases. Therefore, the best way to protect children from such diseases is through vaccination (Sprigg 32). Several parents believe that vaccines are not safe for their children. However, it is more painful when a young life is taken by the infection of a killer disease because the child was not vaccinated. Ailments kill children each year. Children are more susceptible to infection due to their feeble immune systems. They are weak because they have not yet stayed alive enough to develop mechanisms for fighting infections. â€Å"†¦Unlike remedial treatment, vaccination provides a lifetime of protection from deadly diseases†¦and ensure healthier children, families and communities.† (Seth). Although vaccinating children can help prevent certain diseases, there are still many parent that are refusing to vaccinate their children. Vaccines against disease such as polio and MMR should be mandatory for all children who wish to attend school. These vaccinations can control the spread of deadly diseases, help protect children that are not able to get vaccinated and can save family time and money. However, many parents and guardians have failed or refused to take their children for vaccination due to a number of ideologies that have been propagated about vaccination over time. Some of the ideologies have been brought about by fears while others by misconceptions about the process of immunization

Love. company case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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Online Consumer Protection Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

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Organational Theory and Leadership Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organational Theory and Leadership - Term Paper Example An organization is a social group that works for a collective goal. It is usually composed of different kinds of people, who have their own role in the organization. An organization usually has a mission and a vision, and each member works towards the organizations goal. Each member has a purpose, and each members contribution should help the organization move towards its goal. However, each organization needs a leader to guide the members in reaching their specific, as well as collective goal. Thus, in order for an organization to function efficiently, it is essential to have a leader that understands the workings of his organization. There are different theories on how an organization works. One of the most popular theories on organizational studies is the classical organization theory. According to this theory, an organization should have a defined job and a definite measure of authority, responsibility and accountability, in order to assure its efficiency. The organization is likened to a machine, with the members functioning as the different parts of the machine. It is thus not surprising that Frederick Winslow Taylor is one of the proponents of the classical theory. F.W. Taylor is a mechanical engineer by profession, and is regarded as the "father of scientific management". In the classical point of view, an organization should be output-oriented. Just like a machine, each part should work well with the other parts in order to ensure productivity. However, unlike a machine, an organization is composed of people, not nuts and bolts that can be overworked without any complaints. People, unlike parts of a machi ne, have needs, and when these needs are not provided, they would find it difficult to be productive. Thus, critics found this theory somewhat unreasonable and thus, scholars started formulating other theories to explain the dynamics of organizations. If organizations cannot be likened to

HR - Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

HR - Final - Essay Example The role of HR is changing fast with leapfrogging technological and marketplace advancements. The HR department’s primitive objectives were to ensure a smooth personnel management system, administration, hiring process etc. It was considered as a administrative overhead. The present day HR role is more strategic. It is directly connected to business success, revenues and opportunities being seized for organisational benefits and accomplishment of long terms and short term goals. (PWC, 2012, p. 1) As the industrial revolution began, it took the entire world in its grasp, changing and transforming work, its definition and the way people approached them. New roles got created starting from financial accountants, lawyers, executives, sales personnel, managers, administrators etc. Divisions such as Finance, Sales, Marketing, Legal, Accounts etc got created, roles got assigned to such departments and several designations like specialists, senior specialist, intern, contractor, proba tioner, part timer, summer worker etc got created. Human Resource Management in the 1800s or earlier involved clearly defined tasks such as recruitment, appointment with roles and responsibilities, observation during probation period, confirmation, appraisals, compensation and promotion. The scope of the Human Resource Management was limited and there was nothing as Strategic human Resource Management, as strategy was not required. What was important during the pre-industrial revolution and the pre-20th century period was finding the people with necessary qualification to do a particular job. Monopoly existed, competition was unimaginably less, organisation processes were simpler, goals were easier to comprehend and tangible. Therefore the Human Resources Arm either did not exist as a specific department or even if it did exist, it had limited scope and function. Work mainly had to do with a lot of physical exertion and there were very few main stream disciplines like: teaching, des igning, building, carpentry, plumbing, construction, electrical work, research, practising medicine, surgery, law, policing, agriculture, army and civic operations. As a result of the limited scope of work, Human Resource Management had limited things to deal with and was relatively underdeveloped. The real shift came into the picture form the 1900s when the very definition of work and profession started changing. After the industrial revolution, thinkers, entrepreneurs and leaders around the globe identified a tremendous potential for their respective businesses to flourish. The scope for growth given the industrial boom and technological leap was found to be immense. This needed information management. Thus the gradual change in the nature of work, its perception and treatment started. Work changed from the simple paper and pen based design, hand tooling of machines, laborious exercises of packaging, unpacking, in short Assembly Line work to knowledge work. A change in the Human M anagement Strategy followed. Fundamentals were changes. How work is defined and how people fit in to their roles, how organisations create and handle work, how businesses are run with the help of knowledge forever changed the system of the Human Resource Management System. With time HR departments became important entities in organisations, its effectiveness affecting the organisation’s performance, general perception, market value and reputation to a great extent. (Rai, 2012, p. 1) As organisations

How To Respond To Workforce Diversity Challege Assignment

How To Respond To Workforce Diversity Challege - Assignment Example 196). Although the associates are interdependent parties in the workplace, respecting one’s individual differences can positively increase the organizational productivity. Workforce diversity can lead to reduction of lawsuits and boost marketing opportunities, creativity, business image, and recruitment. In a period when creativity and flexibility are the factors of competitiveness, diversity will be critical for the organization’s success (Erlenkamp 2007, p. 6). On the other hand, workforce diversity if not well managed can pose a serious challenge to this organization hence lowering the organization’s productivity. A senior manager should understand the challenges in managing workforce diversity in an organization. The manager should understand that managing workforce diversity is challenging than simply acknowledging employees' differences (Paludi 2012, p. 23). A senior manager should be able to recognize the values of all differences in the organization, prom oting inclusiveness, and combating discrimination. Diversity in the workplace has caused managers in the organization a challenge with losses in work productivity and personnel due to discrimination, prejudice, complaints, and legal accomplishments against the organization. Managers must use appropriate measures to respond to workforce diversity challenges (Cornelius 2002, p. 258). This is because diversity negative behaviors and attitudes can be obstacles to the organizational diversity because they harm employees working relationships, destroy morale, and work productivity. Required tool that senior managers should use to manage diversity Effective senior managers are conscious that, there are key skills that are necessary for ensuring a profitable,... The managerial and executive teams' commitment to an organization is necessary. Managers and leaders within organizations need to incorporate diversity measures into all aspects of the function and purpose of the organization. Diversity attitudes in an organization originate at the topmost level filtering downwards. Management participation and cooperation are essential to ensure a cultural conducive environment for the success of the organization’s plan. Recommendation: A senior manager should ensure utilization of diversity training in the organization. Diversity training should be in use in order to shape the organization’s diversity policy. Recommendation: A senior manager must promote an attitude of openness in the organization. This includes encouraging employees to speak out their opinions and ideas in order to attribute an equal value sense for all. Conclusion. A diverse workforce in an organization is a total reflection of a transforming marketplace and the wor ld. Diverse work groups bring positive values to an organization. Respecting the employees’ differences will be an added advantage in the workplace since this creates a competitive environment and increases the organization’s productivity. Workforce diversity management is advantageous to associates since it creates a safe and fair environment where all employees have access to challenges and opportunities. A diverse workforce management tool should be practiced to train all employees about issues of diversity.

Recruitment and Selection Strategies Recommendations Essay Example for Free

Recruitment and Selection Strategies Recommendations Essay Recruiting for Landslide Limousine Services requires multiple strategies. Confining the company on strategy will immensely decrease the chances of finding quality, skilled applicants with the appropriate attitude towards their position. Recruiting begins with locating potential applicants and enticing them to the company. Advertisements are good, especially for a new company. Another source of applicants is the CDL classes and other limousine companies previous employees. Once a suitable selection of applicants is established the interviewing process begins. The applications are carefully reviewed, along with a background check. This is important because the employees are dealing with high society at times, and it is a commercial driving business. Employees must not have been arrested at any point for certain offenses, especially vehicle or theft related. Once a more refined selection has been made from the written applications formal interviews are next. Formal, face-to-face interviews allow the hiring manager to evaluate ones attitude. The attitude can decide if an applicant would be a good fit for the company and help to raise their image, while a bad attitude would eliminate any customer contact. According to our readings, when conducting an interview certain steps should be followed to ensure the most is gained on both sides other desk. 1) Standard questions, with flexibility is delivery (can be asked in different ways) 2) Set a time and place 3) Pay attention to applicant’s answers and body language. The reason these steps are important is because they provide a uniform method for each applicant. They provide the ability to alter the interview to each individual applicant. Another issue is to make sure not to promise the position to an individual during the interview before reviewing each of the interviews and applications. Some of the areas to pay attention to are an  applicant’s appearance, character, communication styles and habits, intellect, education level, knowledge of the position or craft, special talents, and the potential of furthering their development. The final selection of candidates consists of creating an analysis containing the information gathered during the interview, including the background check, driving records, and their application. This will allow the manager to carefully evaluate and compare each candidate, choosing the most appropriate for the positions available. Workplace Diversity The changes in societies demographics are evident as globalization becomes more common, which creates a more diverse work environment. Managing a diverse workforce will present various advantages (new perspectives on process) as well as challenges (cultural or language barriers). Some of the advantages of hiring a diverse staff are the new outlooks and perspectives of each situation. It will also help Landslide Limousine to cater to clients coming from other countries; the staff member from that area could provide tips on how to better serve the client in a manner that will not be unintentionally disrespectful. Demographics The demographic makeup of Austin Texas, according to US Census Bureau, is mostly white Americans and Latino and Hispanic. The general population, estimated in 2012, is almost 843,000 individuals with an average income of $31,000 a year, and an average of over 80,000 businesses (US Dept. of Commerce, 2014). Keeping this in mind, diversity within Landslide Limousine will not be an issue. According to the average income, holidays and special events will be the most likely first regular busy seasons. Once the reputation grows among the businesses in the area so will the company. This means that Mr. Stonefield must obey the laws pertaining to the varying cultures in the area. Some of the laws important considered for Mr. Stonefield to consider are the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The Civil Rights Act of 1964, prohibits discrimination based on religion, color, sex or origin. This is law is particularly applicable to workplaces employing more than 15 people (EEOC, 2013). The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967- protects employees from discrimination on the basis  of age. Both private and public employers need to adhere to the provisions of the law which calls for eliminating discrimination of employees above the age of forty (EEOC, 2013). The Americans Act with Disabilities Act of 1990 prohibits discrimination in hiring competent persons with disabilities, for public and private employers (EEOC, 2013). Organizational Branding Creating an organizational brand is crucial in creating awareness of the company and recognition associated with the logo and the quality of service. The point of a brand is to create an emotional connection tying consumers to a brand preference. What this means, is that as consumers, some people prefer a specific brand, or level of brand. Organizational branding creates that perception of the company that resonates with consumers who desire only the best; this directs them to or away from your brand. This branding is first achieved by word-of-mouth from employees, friends, and family. As business gains clientele, they will begin to spread their impression of the company. The goal is to ensure that both the employees and the clients are creating the same impression. Each company has their own design to represent their company. This not only provides an image that Landslide Limousine services wants to promote, but it is a reminder of that goal and source of pride for any company owner. Branding methods are as diverse as society and are limitless; but they also set the standard by which to company wishes to operate. Landslide Limousine Services is an interesting name which should make picking a brand less difficult. The more interesting, with a play on words or an image depicting a desired outcome would be really good choices. Interviewing After applicants have submitted his or her application and each application, is carefully reviewed a formal interview must follows. Conducting formal interviews are important because it will assist the hiring manager and the applicant the opportunity to evaluate the positions working conditions. According to, the text interviews are known as scheduled communication. When conducting the proper interview it is important to follow the following steps (Cascio, 2013). Have a comprehensive list of questions to ask applicant in a flexible method. Prepare for the interview and select a  designated time in a quiet location. Pay close attention to applicants and listen to his or he answers with an opened mind. It is important to avoid interruptions and answering the phone when conducting a formal interview. It is also important to avoid making promises to potential applicants including promising applicants that someone will contact them with the results. If promised it is proper to do so to avoid misrepresenting or misleading the applicant. In addition to conducting a proper interview it is necessary to evaluate the following, Appearance Character Communication Intellect Education Knowledge Talents Potential for furthering his or her development and determination References: Cascio, W. F. (2013). Managing Human Resources: Productivity, Quality of Work Life, Profits (9th ed.) Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill/Irwin EEOC, (2013). Discrimination by Type. Retrieved from http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/index.cfm US Department of Commerce, (7th January, 2014). State and country quick facts; Austin (city), Texas. US Department of Commerce – Census. Retrieved from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48/4805000.html

Prime Duty of the Government Is to Serve Essay Example for Free

Prime Duty of the Government Is to Serve Essay The dining area is more than just an area to place the  tables and chair. It should be inviting, warm and cozy, a place where the family enjoys sitting together. Think back to your childhood. Chances are, mealtimes stand out in your memory. The family sits together, eats, and talks. If you dont want everyone to just eat and run, strive to make this place as inviting as possible. Here are some tips. Seating All too often we come across sleek  dining room chairs  with little or no padding. Although these may look good depending on the rest of the decor, they are not the most comfortable. If you like to linger over a meal with your loved ones, ensure that the seats are as comfortable as can be, with plenty of padding. If the dining table is placed in the corner of a room, consider placing sofa-bench style seating on the wall-side of the table. You could have comfortable chairs on the other side. Candles Eat by candlelight! You dont need to spend a fortune replenishing candles. Take a tall glass, fill it up with water, and float a tea-light on the top. Light this every night. A single tea-light burns for around four hours, so it should last you three or four nights. You could lower the lights and truly enjoy the experience and reduce electricity costs. Place a  dimmer  switch on the lights. Keep a tall candlestand on the center of the table to hold straight, elegant candles. Light these when entertaining. Flowers A vase of flowers looks charming. Ensure it doesnt occupy too much space, and you dont need to remove it when serving the food or when seated at the table. Also, remember that the flowers should not prevent people on the table from seeing each other. Tablecloth Stay clear from  plastic tablecloths, no matter how practical they are! If your children spill when they eat and want to avoid staining wooden polish, invest in a table with a  glass tabletop. Alternatively, use a regular cloth tablecloth. Anything simple, which you can subject to regular wear and tear, will do. Keep the fancy tablecloths for entertaining. When purchasing tableware, dont pick up anything that catches your fancy. Try to co-ordinate the items. This is easy to ensure when you are decorating your home from scratch. If you already have a crockery set that you use on a daily basis, pick up a couple of tablecloths to match this crockery. Pick up a separate tablecloth to go with your expensive crockery that you plan to use only when entertaining. In any case, whether to use a tablecloth or not is entirely up to you. If you table is very attractive by itself, skip the tablecloth entirely. But if your table is stained or otherwise in poor condition, cover it up. Mats Always use  placemats  though. A table is not completely set without mats. If you are using  cloth napkins, it is a good idea to starch them. Sideboard If you have the space in your dining room, invest in a sideboard. You can store your crockery, cutlery,  placemats, napkins and tablecloths here, so when you are  setting the table, everything will be easily within reach. In addition, you can always keep valuable crockery, like silverware, in your sideboard under  lock and key.

Self-Portrait Essay

Self-Portrait Essay My understanding of the society I live in changes from day to day. When Obama was elected, I had great hopes for this country and that racial equality would finally balance out and that old prejudices would disappear Black people would get better jobs, everyone would be equal, and the Democrats would take care of us and see to it that my parents and their parents get a fair deal here in America. I had unrealistic expectations, like most young people. I did not realize that the economy would go down so quickly. But I have the encouragement of my family and church, to forge ahead and attain my goals. We are native Suirnamese people, South American, and my descendants are Indian. My parents brought me to America when I was four years old. I am nineteen years of age. Since I am fully Americanized and have grown up in America, I have never experienced immigrant prejudice; my skin is light and I have no accent. I would have to label myself in the American society as a young female adult. I see myself in society as a young female trying to keep up with other females who are judged on their ability to look good, wear the right hair styles that are contemporary, display stylish accessories and clothing on a daily basis, and keep the figure because fat people are discriminated against, openly, no matter what age they are. This society is health conscious, weight conscious, clothes conscious, designed brand conscious, body pamper conscious, sex conscious, and materialistic. I see myself as having to keep up with other females my age; if not, I am excluded from social events and activities that enjoy prominence in my community. If I dont have the right clothes for church benefits and extra-curricular activities in my social network, I am not accepted into the group and it is a zero tolerance situation as far as young females are concerned. With regard to what is expected of me by other females, and how I see my own self-image, it is easier to go along with my peers and sta y competitive with them, then it is to drop out of the social network, become an outsider and not be accepted by my age group. In order to stay popular, well-liked and trusted by my peers, I have to maintain the correct appearance so that I remain status quo with the other young female adults who aspire to become educated, successful and financially secure. Theres no way to deny the importance of high beauty standards in this country, today. One cannot turn away from billboards, television ads, magazine pages, newspaper clips, or even video games that perpetuate the slender, perfect body with perfect long fingernails glamorous hair and make-up and sexy clothes that are clingy and revealing. Theres no way to get away from the broadcasts about fat Americans and European dislike for fat Americans; and everywhere you turn, there is someone behind you that looks like Madonna or any one of thousands of perfect role models flashing in the media. They are cultural heroes and their femininity is no longer denied. I guess that in order to rule the world, a woman has to be a Barbie doll so that she will gain attention from men even if she doesnt have the brains to go with it. Perhaps that is the message that women and advertisers are communicating in the 21st century. Furthermore, since society is so set on stressing the importance of a thin bod y and a gorgeous face, it is not a surprise that eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia to overcome the female fear of becoming fat are on the rise today (Medias Effect on Girls, 2009, 1-4). They are what they consume, and it is killing them. Coming to America when I was four years old was a tremendous culture shock for my parents, but not for me. My mother never realized that female beauty could be so concentrated in exacted guidelines and standardized measurements as it is here in America. It is most puzzling how American women can subject themselves to such a biased standard of configuration. In my country of origin, Suriname, women are valued for their individuality and natural charm and beauty. We dont have a standard look of fashion beauty nor do we feel obligated or condemned to a life of copying what we see in magazines. Although we do have fads, as all countries do, our maturity lends to individual styles which are socially acceptable and respected. There is no need for false imaging to gain social acceptance. However, this was the country my parents, grandparents and descendants grew up in. Over the years as I was growing up, my parents realized that they had to furnish me with everything my classmates had; just to keep me from being bullied by classmates. Apparently, the influence of advertising in America is so persuasive that women cannot relate to themselves unless they emulate their stage stars and media stereotypes. Female appearance is central in America, and according to Dr. Smith, professor of Marketing at the University of Wisconsin, ads with female models are usually for appearance-related products, and by the time girls reach adolescence, they redefine their image and envision their futures (Advertising Images of Girls, 1997, 2). Thus, advertising and media supports send messages that could limit their aspirations, undermine their self worth and endanger their health. Example: body-pampering with soaps and shampoos that show lady (thin lady) in the shower, with long beautiful hair, perfect dimensions and perfect everything. Then she steps into a sexy little dress that she could not wear until she joined Jenny Craig and lost 25 pounds of unwanted weight. Now she is perfect, acceptable, and the dress she is wearing can be bou ght at a Wal-Mart and the thin body can be purchased at Jenny Craig Diet Center, and the shampoo and soap can be purchased from any local discount store. So the advertisers are happy, the actors are rich, and the female viewer is frowning because she cant wear the skinny little dress because she hasnt lost enough weight to fit into a size 5. The emphasis on female appearance tells American females that they are under pressure to be thin. On the other hand, this tells boys and men that women are supposed to be, above everything else, a pretty and perfect package and something to behold, but not necessarily to respect (Advertising Images of Girls, 1997, 2). All I can hope to accomplish as a young female adult is to fit in, get a good education and career, not rely on marriage to fulfill my identity, and keep a close affiliation with my church and community. Bibliography Advertising Images of Girls and Women. (Fall 1997). A Report from Children Now. 1-5 Available on http://www.childrennow.org/media/medianow/mnfall1997.html Medias Effect on Girls: Body Image and Gender Identity. (03 April 2009) 1-4. Available on http://www.medianfamily.org/facts/facts_mediaeffect.shtml

Possibility of a Future Avian Flu Pandemic Essay -- Bird Flu Influenza

Possibility of a Future Avian Flu Pandemic Influenza is a dangerous virus and highly contagious that has potential to devastate populations should an outbreak occur. A common influenza virus that humans are familiar with is the human influenza. Researchers and scientists are concerned about an especially threatening strain of influenza virus called H5N1, commonly known as the avian flu. Although this flu is mainly susceptible to wild birds, there have been outbreaks that show that humans also become infected. Predictions that the H5N1 strain may lead to a global pandemic are fueling further research of the virus. Studies show that although this virus is currently under control, it is possible that it could mutate and become a worldwide catastrophe. Influenza is a virus that attacks the upper respiratory tract. Influenza, known most, as the Flu is usually painful and can perpetuate symptoms for up to 2 weeks. If everyone had the Flu all of mankind will vanish. Because influenza is a virus there are not any antibiotics that will cure an infection. The human body is designed to fight viral infections through the immune response. Although rarely fatal, the virus usually kills people with weak immune systems, which are often elderly people and young children. About 35,000 people die each year. (Paul Tambyah-pg 6) More public education is needed so that the general population can identify symptoms and seek timely treatment. Getting the flu shot can really save the hassle of being infected. If someone has come down with this virus, stressing out about everyday things can irritate the immune system. Influenza, which belong to a family of viruses called Orthomyxoviruses was first discovered in 1918 and was thought of as a fragile vir... ... ? If handling an infected patient be sure to sterilize all instruments used. The world can never be too cautious for certain illnesses such as this one. There are many strains of the influenza virus. These two viruses are similar and different in a way. Universally scientists and researchers are trying to keep this issue from becoming the worlds next pandemic. Although the virus mutates and changes each year we should not worry, but we should be concerned and follow safe steps as shown above. Keeping the world safe is what we all want and need which will be beneficial for the generations that are soon to come. Bibliography 1. Nemours Foundation- http://kidshealth.org/teen/infections/bacterial_viral/flu.html -Title: Flu facts 2. Bird Flu by Paul Tambyah 3. World health organization- http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/en/ -Title: avian influenza

The Gates Essay examples -- essays research papers

The long awaited project phenomenon that is due to make art history, The Gates, by Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Given permission by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg on January 22, 2003, the project is set to be mounted in Central Park in New York City February 12th of this year. The planned project is to resemble a golden river. Thus consisted to 7500 gates in total standing 16 feet (4.87 meters) high with a width changing from 5' 6" to 18 feet (1,67 m to 5,48 meters) going along the edges of the Central Park pathways. Saffron colored fabric panels suspended from the horizontal top part of the gates will come down to approximately 7 feet ( 2,13 meters) above the ground. Each gate will be spaced at 12 foot (3,65 meter) from each other, but might vary where trees expand above the walkways allowing the synthetic woven panels to wave towards the next gate and be seen from far away through the leafless branches of the trees. The construction itself is a big development in itself. There are to be hundreds of residents to help in the project for temporary employment doing the following things: Manufacturing and assembling of the gates structures, Installation workers, Maintenance teams around the clock, in uniform and with radios, Removal workers. The work is consisted of a lot of materials that, in the end, will be recycled at an assembly plant in Queens,NY. The materials are as follows: †¢ 5,290 US Tons of steel (4,799 Metric Tons) (10,580,000 pounds) (equal to 2/3 the ste...

Alaska vs Florida

Alaska is different from Florida in several ways such as the time zones. In Alaska the time is four hours behind the time in Florida. Another way they are different is in the place that they are on a map. Alaska is in the North West and Florida is in the South East. These two places also differ in climate. In Alaska the climate is cold, while in Florida there is a tropical climate. Along with different climates come different temperatures.In Alaska the normal temperature in the summer is about fifty degrees Fahrenheit. In Florida the normal temperature is about ninety. In Alaska the sky has constant darkness for about three months, but in Florida there is normal daylight. Alaska is also different from Florida by the size. Alaska is larger that Florida in land mass. Florida has a greater population than Alaska, however. Alaska allows you to get your learner’s permit to drive when you turn fourteen.Florida allows you to get your learner’s permit at the age of fifteen. The last ways that these two states differ are the natural resources. In Alaska the natural resources are gold, fish, and fur. On the other hand, in Florida the natural recourses are oranges, sugar cane, seafood, cows, the ocean, and natural spring water. Although these states have many differences, they also have some similarities. Both Alaska and Florida are states in the United States.Florida and Alaska are also both peninsulas, a land that is almost completely surrounded by water but connected to the mainland. Both of these places have many fun things to do. In Alaska you can ski, ice skate, play ice hockey, snowboard, or go sledding because most of the year there is snow on the ground. In Florida you can go to the beach, go surfing, play volleyball, go to the boardwalk, or go to Disney World.

Food Security or Food Sovereignty: the Case of Land Grabs Essay

The last decade has witnessed a serious change in the distribution and accessibility of food. In 2010 Ethiopia was home to 2.8 million people in need of emergency food aid; yet this country had concurrently sold more than 600,000 hectares of agricultural land to transnational companies that export the majority of their produce (Reuters, 2011; Economist, 2009; Green, 2011). Ethiopia remains a country facing great food insecurity, which is a lack of access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food (WHO, 2011); a paradigm that focuses upon the financial and distributive aspects of providing food. Although Ethiopia is just one of many countries facing this dilemma, it illustrates how the issue of food sovereignty is becoming increasingly as important as that of food security. This paper will address the role that sovereignty plays in light of mass foreign acquisition of land in countries which face high levels of food insecurity. The importance of food security and food sovereignty will be exemplified within the context of ‘land grabbing’ in a demonstrative case study of Ethiopia. Security or Sovereignty? The difference between food security and food sovereignty may seem like mere semantics, but in the hyper-globalized world wherein transnational companies may privately own significant portions of arable land in countries facing food insecurity, it is not just a matter of word play. When these companies choose to export the entire crop grown on such lands and when the farmland has been taken from uncompensated smallholder farmers. Disparity of wealth and land ownership is not a new phenomenon. However, the degree to which agricultural lands are owned within areas of food insecurity makes food sovereignty as vital a factor as food security. An analysis of these concepts and their global implications is pressing, as over 963 million people do not have enough to eat. Most of them live in developing countries, and sixty-five percent of them live in only seven countries: China, India, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Indonesia, Pakistan and Ethiopia (FAO, 2011). Furthermore, e ach year more people die due to hunger and malnutrition than to AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria combined (Global Food Security, 2011a). The World Food Summit, held in 1996, declared that ideal food security includes the global population, whereby all people have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food, encompassing both the physical availability and the economic access (WHO, 2011). The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child both stipulate that it is the intrinsic right of all people to have access to food (United Nations, 1948; United Nations, 1990). However, the responsibility to enact these rights rests mostly on the nation-state, not the international community. On the other hand, some argue that repeated affirmations of human rights within the international realm do imply some global responsibility (Riddell, 2007). The theoretical ideal is, therefore, that food security exists when all people in all places have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food. Clearly that theoretical aim has not been met. Furthermore, if current mechanisms are not facilitating the aim it may require consideration of entirely new models of how countries engage with one another (Pogge, 2002). Typical measurement of food security is limited to a specific place, such as a nation, city or household. USAID (USAID, 2011) uses the household as a measurement, whereas the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) programs are nationally operated, thus limiting the global goals and human rights to the nation-state. Food insecurity also exists in differing levels. One person may be facing a temporary bout of food insecurity, called â€Å"transitory†, while another may be consistently facing it, known as â€Å"chronic† food insecurity. Chronic food insecurity leads to high levels of vulnerability to hunger and famine. The achievement of food security does not necessitate that a country produce sufficient food supplies; but rather that a country is able to provide sufficient safe and nutritious food for its population. Thus, arises the question of food sovereignty: in a world of great economic disparity, will the food supplies of one region be given to another, even in the case where the local population faces chronic food insecurity? Food security means the availability and access to sufficient safe food, whereas food sovereignty involves both ownership and the rights of local people to define local food systems, without first being subject to international market concerns. An important distinction must be made between food sovereignty as a theoretical construct and food sovereignty as a movement. The food sovereignty movement considers that the practices of multi-national corporations are akin to colonization, as such companies buy up large tracts of land and turn local agricultural resources into export cash-crops. [1]As a movement, food sovereignty lacks direction and involves a great diversity of opinion and idea. As a model to re-consider and re-evaluate food, it highlights important challeng es and offers potential remedies to current challenges. Food sovereignty as a theoretical construct, which is the definition that will be used throughout this paper, relates to the ownership and rights of food growers and local communities. Food security and food sovereignty are increasingly of global importance, with concerns not limited just to the developing world. In the 2008 price spike, consumers in Great Britain saw a fifteen-percent rise in average food items, while the BBC tracked some items increasing in cost by more than forty-percent (Global Food Security, 2011a). In the twelve month period before the price spike, the cost of wheat increased by 130% and rice by 74% (ibid). The pinch of paying more for food in developed countries was expressed differently in many developing countries, such as the mass rioting in Yemen, Somalia, Senegal, Pakistan, Mozambique, Indonesia, India, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Haiti, Burkina Faso, the Philippines and Bangladesh. At the same time, the World Resources Institute records sustainable and consistent increases in per capita food production over the last several decades (World Resources Institute, 2011). USAID argues that food insecurity is often a result of poverty (USAID, 2011), while ownership, land rights and sovereignty are not mentioned as causal factors. While it is true that a direct relationship can be found between those who face food insecurity and those who are impoverished, that does not exclude other causes; such as, a lack of sovereignty or oppressive external factors. However, USAID does not take poverty alleviation and/or human rights as its prime reasons for engagement; rather its prime interests are to protect America and to create opportunities for Americans (Riddell, 2007). The European Union community has sought the improvement of food security for the least-developed countries through a plethora of national and international development bodies, while also engaging in massive e xport-based land acquisitions in those same regions (Graham, Aubry, Kunnemann and Suarez, 2011). Ironically, the aim of reaching the Millennium Development Goals (MGDs) with funding and support from the European Union is countered by European Union businesses as they engage in activities that displace and dispossess locals of their land and livelihood. Increasing commercial production does not mean an increase of local or national food security, in particular when these foreign companies are exporting entire crops. This may in fact, lead to increased food insecurity and higher levels of malnutrition and poverty (Ansoms, 2011). Surprisingly, even Harvard University has used its investments in land-acquisition deals (Vidal and Provost, 2011). â€Å"Land Grabbing† A â€Å"land grab† refers to those land acquisitions that have caused displacement, dispossession and disenfranchisement; or, according to the Institute of Development Studies, it may also more broadly refer to the mass purchasing of agricultural lands by transnational companies (Scoones, 2009). Land grabbing is occurring on a scale and at a rate faster than ever known before (Food First, 2011). When over one-hundred papers were presented at the International Conference on Global Land Grabbing in 2011, not one positive outcome could be found for local communities; such as, food security, employment and environmental sustainability (ibid). When such acquisitions occur in places of conflict, post-conflict and/or weak governance there is less monitoring and control and even greater negative impacts (Mabikke, 2011). Furthermore, large-scale land deals increase local food insecurity, as arable land produce is exported rather than reaching the local market; and smallholder farmers m ust purchase foods as opposed to harvesting it on their lands (Food First, 2011). Lester Brown (2011) argues that land purchasing is a part of the global struggle to ensure food security. Food-importing countries are securing overseas supplies by attempting to control the entire supply-chain of food-stuffs, and thus avoid any potential problems that may arise in the process. Furthermore, he notes, that these deals are not only about food security but also water security. Countries such as Saudi Arabia used to produce much higher levels of wheat internally; however, due to declines in available fresh water these land deals have secured required sources of both food and water (Bunting, 2011). Woodhouse and Ganho (2011) argue that the role played by water access in land grabs cannot be under-estimated, including the competition between local and investor in acquiring access to water resources and to sustainable water usage, as well as coping with the problems of creating pollution and chemical run-off. Case studies in Ethiopia demonstrate that access to, and rights of, water sources disproportionately favor investors over local smallholder farmers (Bues, 2011). The United Nations director of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) called these land-lease deals ‘neo-colonialist’ (Economist, 2011b). This statement was echoed by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who warned of a new wave of colonialism (Associated Press, 2011). Madeleine Bunting (2011, p. 1) envisions a â€Å"dystopian future in which millions of the hungry are excluded from the land of their forefathers by barbed wire fences and security guards as food is exported to feed the rich world.† The wider view must, however, include the role of local/national government in facilitating, and in some cases encouraging, the sale of arable land and displacement of peoples. Other analysts have more cautiously labeled the vast selling of agricultural lands to investors as the third wave of outsourcing. The first wave consisted of investors looking for locations with cheaper labour. The second wave was the out-sourcing of middle-class jobs to places such as India because of its advances in information technology. This may be the third wave: the out-sourcing of growing and harvesting of food supplies to locations where there is cheap fertile land. Case Study: Ethiopia Ethiopia is an important case study as it has been claimed to be the epicenter of land deals (Vidal, 2011), and it has also been well known since 1984 as a place where extreme food insecurity exists. The nation is largely agricultural-based. Agricultural products account for 46% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 90% of its exports and 83% of its employment (USAID, 2010). Eight of every ten Ethiopians live in rural areas, a majority of its nearly eighty-million citizens. Average local land holdings are 0.93 hectare (USAID, 2010), which respectively contribute to household food security. Smallholder agriculture provides the most common livelihood for the vast majority of Ethiopians. In 2010 ten percent of Ethiopia’s citizens relied on food aid (Reuters, 2011). In the 2011 appeal for emergency food aid, the United Nations explained that emergency was caused by a shortage of rain in the Somali and Oromiya regions. In response, the Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said that within five-years the country will no longer need food aid, projecting above 10-percent annual economic growth rates. The Economist confirms impressive growth rates, although not as high as the government-published results. Between 2001 and 2010 the annual GDP growth rate was an impressive 8.4%, making it the world’s fifth fastest growing economy during that period (Economist, 2011a). Projections for 2011-2015 suggest average growth at 8.1%, the third fastest in the world (ibid). In contrast to these rosy predictions, USAID, which is one of Ethiopia’s largest donors ($600 million of food aid in 2009-10), outlines that successful agricultural development and food security requires â€Å"100% ownership and buy-in by the Ethiopian people† (USAID, 2010, p. 5). And yet, the Ethiopian government and transnational corporations are doing exactly the opposite, in displacing and dispossessing Ethiopians and handing over control and ownership to non-local corporations and governments. The Economist (2009) highlighted an interesting parallel in the $100-million Saudi investment to grow and export rice, wheat and barley on a 99-year land-lease in Ethiopia, while the United Nations World Food Program plans to spend $116-million, over a five-year period, providing emergency food aid to Ethiopia. In 2008 the Ethiopian famine was compounded as food continued to be exported and did not reach the local market (Dominguez, 2010). Yet fertile Ethiopian agricultural land continues to be leased for as little as $1 per acre (Bunting, 2011). According to Ethiopian government sources, over thirty-six countries have leased land within its borders (Vidal, 2011). Although estimates vary, it is thought that 60—80% of food production in Ethiopia is completed by women. Thus the role of gender is revealed by analysis of those affected by land sales and dispossessions (USAID, 2010). Of those who face the brunt of food shortages and insecurity in Ethiopia, most are women and children (USAID, 2010). Furthermore, areas of large-scale plantations are more likely to be poverty-affected than prosperous in respect to the local populations (Da Via, E. 2011). As a parallel example, case studies from Cambodia show that land grabs do not benefit local residents, and over time resulted in collective action by the local population against political and commercial interests (Schneider, 2011). The massive land-lease deals are not without their supporters, however. The technology transfer, increase in number of jobs and foreign investment are usually cited as having positive effects for the overall benefit of Ethiopia and its citizens. Ethiopian Ambassador to the UK, Berhanu Kabede (2011), published a response arguing that land-leases assist Ethiopia to move towards mechanized agriculture to increase production capability, and as such the government has set aside 7.4 million acres of agricultural land for land-lease deals. The Ambassador further notes that this is only a portion of Ethiopia’s arable land (ibid). The Ambassador highlights some of the positive environmental changes the Ethiopian government has made in recent years, including the planting of 1-billion trees, re-foresting 15-million hectares of land and a national plan to become carbon neutral by 2025 (ibid). Ambassador Kabede did not mention some of the negative impacts the vast land sales will have; such as, displacement of local farmers, uncompensated dispossession of their land, continued food scarcity as investors export what is grown, unsustainable resource use, and environmental damage to lands, atmosphere and water. Furthermore, the majority of the world’s poor are rural dwellers who engage in some small-scale farming. As a result of the dispossession of land and displacement of people, poverty levels will increase and more people will be forced to migrate away from agricultural areas to city-centers. World Bank studies (Riddell, 2007) confirm that the push for macro-economic development via liberalization of markets has detrimental effects on particular groups of society, particularly the poor. Guillozet and Bliss (2011) found that, although investment in the forestry sector is low in Ethiopia, the agricultural investments affect natural forests by mass clearing and burning. As a result, there are long-term negative impacts. Biodiversity is currently being reduced by the cutting and burning of hundreds of hectares of forest, as well as by the draining of swamps and marshlands (Vidal, 2011). Pesticides have also been shown, in Ethiopian cases, to kill bees and other unintended flora and f auna. Beyond the investment land itself the clearing of natural forests is affecting livelihoods on a much larger scale, by negatively affecting the wider ecosystems (Guillozet and Bliss, 2011). Such deals are neither agricultural development nor rural development, but simply agribusiness development, according to GRAIN (2008). An unpublished report that interviewed 150 local farm households in Ethiopia found that there is weak monitoring of investor activities from regional and national government. It also found that accelerated forest degradation resulted in loss of livelihood security for community members. Furthermore, in Cameroon, cases of land grabs demonstrate that the transnational investment in agriculture is a major obstacle to local livelihoods, traditional resource ownership and land rights, as well as to sustainable development (Simo, 2011). In yet another example, Rwandan land grabs have shown the move from traditionally owned and operated farms into large-scale corporate mono-crop cultivation has negatively affected livelihoods through loss of land as well as means of financial security, resulting in increased poverty levels and food insecurity despite overall macro-economic gains (Ansoms, 2011). An article in the Indian national newspaper, The Hindu, quotes the Ethiopian Prime Minister encouraging Indian investment who assured the Indian Prime Minister (then trying to encourage Indian investment in Ethiopia) that no land grabbing was occurring in his country (Varadarajan, 2011). However, highly productive agricultural lands are rarely left completely unused, which begs the question how vacant much of this land is. Darryl Vhugen (2011) and John Vidal (2011) both found that most land deals required involuntary displacement of small-scale farmers. Thus, these small-scale farmers in Ethiopia are left with neither land to cultivate nor an alternative source of income following their displacement. The Ethiopian government views international investment and land-lease deals as means to achieve economic development. In Madagascar, when 1.3 million hectares of agricultural lands were going to be sold to Daewod, the international community and local residents reacted in opposition, resulting in the government being overthrown (Perrine, Mathidle, Rivo and Raphael. 2011). The Ethiopian economic development model is one which seeks export-driven macroeconomic development at the expense of micro-level communities and residents, particularly those in remote regions. Ethiopian officials seem to use interchangeably the terms ‘empty’ and ‘unused’ with the word ‘uncultivated’, with little or no reference at all to the people who currently live on and use those lands. Thus, not only do levels of poverty a nd food insecurity increase but so too may political instability. The World Bank concludes that the risks involved with such land-lease investments are immense, and that land sales â€Å"often deprived local people, in particular the vulnerable, of their rights†¦ Consultations, if conducted at all, were superficial†¦and environmental and social safeguards were widely neglected† (Economist, 2011b, p.1). Such land–lease deals are becoming more commonplace, with large sales in Sudan, Egypt, Congo, Zambia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Kenya, Madagascar, Liberia, Ghana, and Mozambique (Economist, 2009; Economist, 2011b; Vhugen, 2011). Although there are land deals taking place outside of Africa, over 50% of the estimated 60-80 million hectares of such deals in the last three years took place there (Economist, 2011b), approximately an area the size of France (Vidal and Provost, 2011). The largest land buyers include China, India, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia; yet some of the largest deals are done with W estern funding (Vidal and Provost, 2011). Cases from Sierra Leone show that a lack of knowledge-sharing with locals, along with a plethora of false promises, has led to social, environmental and economic loss. Addax Bioenergy received the use of 40,000 hectares to grow ethanol for export to the European Union (EU). Local villagers were in turn promised two-thousand jobs and environmental protection of the swamps. However, three years into the project only fifty jobs materialized, while some of the swamps have been drained and others damaged by irrigation (Economist, 2011b). Those jobs that did exist paid USD $2.50 per day on a casual basis (Da Via, E. 2011). Clearly these are not isolated cases and action is required to stem the tsunami of sales of land in food-insecure areas. Recommendations * Re-evaluate the system: Up to twenty-five percent of crops are lost due to pests and diseases and the developing world loses up to an additional thirty-seven percent of harvested foods due to problems in storage and transportation. Every day 4.4 million apples, 5.1 million potatoes, 2.8 million tomatoes and 1.6 million bananas are thrown in the garbage (Global Food Security, 2011b). Systematic shifts that address this loss may focus upon local sustainability and buy local movements, rather than relying upon export commodities and global transport for the sale and supply of food stuffs. This requires participation that includes local ownership and collective decision making. * Provide Sustainable Solutions: Much of modern agriculture is mechanized, using oil-based chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. This system of agriculture is not sustainable. It needs to be remedied with a more sustainable approach to agriculture – which can be just as agriculturally productiv e (Barker, 2007). On example of how sustainable initiatives can be promoted and supported is the Equator Initiative, which provides financial prizes and knowledge sharing for community-driven efforts that reduce poverty through sustainable use of biodiversity. As many smallholder farmers are engaging in de facto sustainable agriculture encouragement and support, such as the Equator Initiative need to be scaled-up. * Regulate Land Grabbing: The World Bank has proposed guidelines, but does not have the means or authority to enforce them (Bunting, 2011). In order guidelines to be enforced, such as those developed by the World Bank, national governments must be involved, for this to take place greater coordination on the international level and advocacy from the NGO and public sectors is required. Madagascar demonstrates the power of collective action, as does Sudan and Cambodia, yet long-term and effective change will require governmental enforced regulation. * Establish Good Governance: The purchasing of land and forced displacement of peoples occurs not solely due to transnational pressure, but with government approval. Citizens and the international community must encourage, and work towards, better governance decisions. An international f ramework for responsible investing could be created. However, such a framework would remain weak and ineffective unless adopted and enforced by national governments. In order to ensure that investments are beneficial for both the investor and the community, this framework must ensure that food security and livelihood protection for the local communities (Shete, 2011). Further encouragement can levied on governance in tying good governance to official development assistance, such systems have been developed and enacted by the World Bank and others. * Monitor and Penalize Environmental Damage: Companies must be more strictly monitored with regard to environmental damage, both by the public and private sectors (Nunow, 2011). Monitoring and evaluation of investments ought to be strengthened with regulation and policy by the relevant national government and by international bodies. NGOs and communities can take inspiration from others who have taken transnational companies to court, and won. National government need to recognize the short-term benefits do not out-weight the long-term environmental damage, and seek compensation to rectify violations. The scale of land acquisitions demonstrate that such regulations will likely not significantly deter investments and investors, as efforts to do so in Tanzania demonstrate (Pallangyo, 2007). * Develop Rural Agriculture: Currently less than one percent of smallholder farmers use irrigation techniques in Ethiopia (CSA, 2009). An improvement in this regard will allow for increased productivity as well as year-round water availability. Facilitation of loans for the purchase of pumps (as smallholder farmers often lack financial resources to make such investments), as well as access to internal markets with infrastructural developments can improve community-driven and locally-owned productivity. * Undertake Land Reform: Changes on the national level will require land reforms, ownership reforms and recognition of traditional land rights. Such land reforms and rights have been evolving in Madagascar, following the rejection of the Daewod land-grab deal and the installation of a new government. Tanzania has also enacted progressive rights for recognizing traditional land title (Locher, 2011). This can also be done in conjunction with FAO, FIDA, UNCTAD and World Bank recommendations to guarantee and respect local land rights (Perrine, Mathidle, Rivo and Raphael, 2011). Wily (2011) identifies consistent and persisting failures of land rights and ownership caused by the leasing of lands without consent of customary owners. Concluding Remarks As highlighted by the Ethiopian case study, it becomes readily apparent that the forced relocation of rural farmers will likely increase the numbers of people living in poverty. Consequently, there will be an increase in the numbers of people in need of emergency food aid. Aggregate data on food security will not measure the importance of food sovereignty, nor do the data take into account unjust practices and environmental damage. The majority of Ethiopians are subsistence farmers, and depriving them of their land, rights and livelihood neglects the importance of human rights and environmental protection. One means to achieve the goal of national food security, as well as a reduction of required emergency food aid, is to increase effectiveness of rural farms. Communities themselves must engage and be active in resisting forced relocation and dispossession of their land and rights. Examples of such resistance include that of Madagascar and the Southern Sudanese movement, which advoca tes land belongs to the community and requires its involvement (Deng, 2011), as well as active community resistance to land grabs in Cambodia (Schneider, 2011). Communities must seek to be participants in the discussion, to be involved in the process and to voice their concerns. Food security of the wealthy at the expense of the impoverished will not work and requires new approaches. The prospect of attaining sovereignty over land and the food grown on it encourages smallholder farmers to continue their livelihood while seeking to increase overall food security. â€Å"In most poor nations, there are large gaps between actual and potential agricultural yields. But the best route to closing this gap usually is not super-sized farms. In most labour-intensive agricultural settings, small farms are more productive than large farms. They could become even more productive – and as a result likely minimise unrest – if developing country governments provide these family farms with secure land rights that allow farmers to invest in their own land and improve their harvests.† (Vhugen, 2011, p.1). The World Bank’s 2010 report found that land grabs ignored proper legal procedures, displaced local peoples without compensation, encroached on areas beyond the agreement, had negative impacts on gender disparity, were environmentally destructive, provided far fewer jobs than promised, leased land below market value and routinely excluded pastoralists and displaced peoples from consultations (Da Via, 2011). Furthermore, the World Bank concludes: â€Å"many investments†¦failed to live up to expectations and, instead of generating sustainable benefits, contributed to asset loss and left local people worse off than they would have been without the investment† (World Bank, 2010, p. 51). Adopting food sovereignty as a concept and approach will not solve these problems. However, it does allow for an expanded analysis of the complex issues at hand. No easy solution exists as neoliberal economics and structurally-adjusted trade liberalization conflict with human rights; as global food security is confronted by local food and land sovereignty; and, as the Washington Consensus is challenged by the Peasants’ Way. â€Å"It would be no exaggeration to suggest that the outcome of these convulsive transformations and contestations constitutes one of the greatest moral and political challenges of our times† (Makki and Geisler, 2011, p. 17). Challenges, however, are no reason to accept injustice and abuse of human rights. Actors with roles to play on every level can be a part of the solutions proposed above. Re-evaluating the food system and developing sustainable solutions begin on individual levels and are supported on the international marketplace. Regulation of land grabbing, improving governance, undertaking land reform and the monitoring of environmental damage rest more heavily upon national and international actors; yet these process can be driven locally with support from the international community, as demonstrated by the cases of Sudan and Madagascar. This is a call for action lest we find ourselves â€Å"academic Cassandras who prophesy the coming plagues, but do little to avert them† (Farmer, 2001, p. xxviii). References Ansoms, A. 2011. The ‘bitter fruit’ of a new agrarian model: Large-scale land deals and local livelihoods in Rwanda. International Conference on Global Land Grabbing 6-8 April 2011 University of Sussex, UK. Associated Press. 2011. Clinton warns Africa of ‘new colonialism’. [online] Available at: [Accessed 12 June 2011]. Barker, D. 2007. The Rise and Predictable Fall of Globalized Industrialized Agriculture. The International Forum on Globalization: San Francisco. Brown, Lester. 2011. World on the Edge. Earth Policy Institute: London. Bues, A. 2011. Agricultural Foreign Direct Investment and Water Rights: An Institutional Analysis from Ethiopia. International Conference on Global Land Grabbing 6-8 April 2011 University of Sussex, UK. Bunting, M. 2011. How Land Grabs in Africa could herald a new dystopian age of hunger. [online] Available at: [Accessed 24 May 2011]. CSA. 2009. Large and medium scale commercial farms sample survey 2008/09 (2001 E.C.). Central Statistical Agency Statistical Bulletin 446. Da Via, E. 2011. The Politics of â€Å"Win-Win† Narratives: Land Grabs as Development Opportunity. International Conference on Global Land Grabbing 6-8 April 2011 University of Sussex, UK. Deng, D. 2011. ‘Land Belongs to the Community’ Demystifying the ‘global land grab’ in Southern Sudan. International Conference on Global Land Grabbing 6-8 April 2011 University of Sussex, UK. Dominguez, A. 2010. Why was there still malnutrition in Ethiopia in 2008? Causes and Humanitarian Accountability. Journal of Humanitarian Affairs, 21 February 2010. Dwyer. 2011. Building the Politics Machine: Tools for Resolving the Global Land Grab. International Conference on Global Land Grabbing 6-8 April 2011 University of Sussex, UK. Economist 2011b. When others are grabbing their land. [online] Available at: [Accessed 24 May 2011].

Participant Observation and Grand Theory Essay

Bronislaw Malinowski, with his ground-breaking field work of the Trobriand Islander community in the beginning of the 20th century still today counts as a pioneer, if not the founder of the British Social Anthropology. In his famous book Argonauts of the Western Pacific. An Account of Native Enterprise and Adventure in the Archipelagos of Melanesian New Guinea that was first published in 1922 he develops an elaborate methodological framework for ethnographical research, also known as ‘participant observation’. This method will highly influence the anthropological way of approaching its field of study and hence its theoretical landscape from then on. Looking at Malinowski’s description of the clan system of the Trobriand community, his descriptive and specifying style of formulation becomes apparent: â€Å"Each of the four clans has its own name: Malasi, Lukuba, Lukwasisiga, Lukulabuta. (†¦) There are special combinations of the clan names with formative roots, to descrive men and women and the mixed plurality belonging to the same clan: Tomalasi – a Malasi man; Immalasi – a Malasi women; Memalasi – the Malasi people (†¦). Near the village of Laba’I, on the northern shore of the main island, there is a spot called Obukula, which is marked by a coral outcrop. Obukula is, in fact, a ‘hole’ (dubwadebula), or ‘house’ (bwala); that is to say, one of the points from which the first ancestors of the linage emerged. † (Malinowski 1929: 496 f. , italics in original) This very nuanced and case specific example of the material gained from his methodological approach gives rise to the question if Malinowski’s heritage of participant observation has forever distanced Anthropology from bringing forward grand theories? To be able to consider and discuss this question, it is important to first define what Malinowski circumscribed when he laid out his dogma for ethnographical research by the term participant observation. Secondly, a closer inspection of the dictum ‘grand theory’ is indispensable for our purpose and will be clarified in the second section of this essay. Subsequently, we will look at these two concepts and their relationship to one another in section three in order to approach the question whether Anthropology can be viewed as a science able to produce grand theories. I. Participant observation In the foreword to Argonauts of the Western Pacific Malinowski states that he has â€Å"lived in that [Trobriand Island] archipelago for about two years (†¦), during which time [he] naturally acquired a thorough knowledge of the language. [He] did [his] work entirely alone, living for the greater part of the time right in the village. † (1966: xvi). This statement already contains the essence of participant observation in fieldwork. The hallmark of this methodological way of collecting data is the immersion of the researcher into her or his field of study over a long period of time and the personal part taking in the interactions of the people in the community studied. When Malinowski defined this new approach of ‘first-hand’ observation he broke with the, at that time prevailing tradition of ‘armchair’ ethnography. In this prior approach, ethnographers compiled data gained from historical sources to deduce theories about certain aspects of a usually ‘native’ community (Osterhoudt 2010). One of the main contributions of Malinowski’s new method to anthropological theory was that by participating and observing behaviour in the sample community he found out that a discrepancy between actual behaviour and narrative statements exists. â€Å"The smoothness and uniformity, which the mere verbal statement suggest as the only shape of human conduct, disappears with a better knowledge of cultural reality. † (Malinowski 1979: 83). This discovery in itself already composes a point of criticism towards the preceding ethnographical ‘arm-chair’ approach to data collection and evaluation. Even though participant observation is based on a seemingly broad and intuitive research design, it would, however, be incorrect to assume that this approach would be free of any directive principles on how to collect relevant data. Therefore, Malinowski describes how first, the researcher must â€Å"possess real scientific aims† (Malinowski 1966: 6) and be familiar with the theoretical background of anthropology. Further, the researcher should live in the field among the natives all by herself/ himself, and lastly the researcher has to stick to special and strict scientific methods, such as drawing â€Å"tables of kinship terms, genealogies, maps, plans and diagrams† (idib. 1966: 10) to collect, prepare and record her/his data. The previous example of the clan system provides a sense of the detailed and case specific information that is obtained by the application of participant observation. Besides the kind of the data collected, it should also be looked at the area of research and Malinowski’s suggestion of the subject to be studied. He proposes that the â€Å"field worker observes human beings acting within an environmental setting, natural and artificial; influenced by it, and in turn transforming it in co-operation with each other. † (Malinowski 1939: 940). Thus, he focuses on the individual as a starting point and its relation to, and mutual dependence on a social group. The inquiries of a researcher will hence have to include a â€Å"specific study of the individual, as well as the group within which he has to live and work. † (idib. 1939: 950). The collective life within that group or society is widely to be seen in certain types of activities, ‘institutions’ such as the â€Å"economy, education, or social control and political system in place† (idib. 1939: 954). These institutions, as he points out, can be seen as a fruitful base to investigate the individual’s motives and values and they will provide â€Å"insight into the process by which the individual is conditioned or culturally formed and of the group mechanisms of this process. † (idib. 1939: 954). II. Grand Theory In the following, the dictum ‘grand theory’ will be specified and by doing so distinguished into two different tendencies of understanding the concept. Wiarda (2010) defines a grand theory in his book Grand Theories and Ideologies in the Social Sciences as â€Å"those large, overarching explanations of social and political behavior—liberalism, Marxism, socialism, positivism, corporatism, political culture, institutionalism, psychoanalysis, rational choice theory, environmentalism (Jared Diamond), sociobiology, and now chemistry and genetics—that give coherence to the social sciences, help us to organize and think about change and modernization, and give us models to understand complex behavior. † (Wiarda 2010: x) This definition of grand theory as an ‘overarching explanation’ is in line with Anthony Good’s (1996) understanding of a ‘generalizing science’ that produces â€Å"universal, descriptive and predictive laws† (idib. 1996: 34). Here a grand theory is understood as a theorem providing a universal and structural framework that gives meaning to particular and individual phenomena ‘on the ground’. In this process the â€Å"importance of the local and the contingent, (†¦) the extent to which our own concepts and attitudes have been shaped† (Skinner 1985: 8) builds also a part of the universal framework. The second tendency to conceive the idea of grand theory goes a step further and is mainly characterized by C. Wright Mills application of it. He vigorously criticised the concept in his book The Sociological Imagination (1959): â€Å"The basic cause of grand theory is the initial choice of a level of thinking so general that its practitioners cannot logically get down to observation. They never, as grand theorists, get down from the higher generalities to problems in their historical and structural contexts. This absence of a firm sense of genuine problems, in turn, makes for the unreality so noticeable in their pages. † (idib. 1959: 33) As this quote shows, Mills’ understanding of a grand theory goes beyond our first definition. In this second understanding Mills implies that scientists generating grand theories are engrossed in their endeavour to build abstract, normative and all-embracing frameworks and thus neglect the study of the ‘meaning’ behind their constructs. The individual with its particular values and interpretations, as well as variety on the scale of the actual area of research fall behind. III. Participant Observation and its relation to Grand Theory Taken the just outlined conception of grand theory influenced by Mills and putting it in relationship with Malinowski’s methodology of participant observation, the answer to our question whether or not Malinowski’s heritage barred the way of Anthropology to ever produce grand theories appears unambiguously to be ‘yes’. Participant observation in its very nature is close to the individual and aims to explore, over a long period of time, which social and cultural forces influence the human being in a specific setting. Therefore, with regards to Mills conception of grand theory, Anthropology has a birth defect called participant observation that will always prevent it from producing highly abstract grand theories, which stand in no relation to the circumstances from where they were deduced from. A closer look reveals that Malinowski’s understanding of the anthropological formation of theory aligns with Mills criticism towards highly abstract grand theories: â€Å"It would be easy to quote works of high repute, and with a scientific hall-mark on them, in which wholesale generalisations are laid down before us, and we are not informed at all by what actual experiences the writers have reached their conclusions. (†¦) I consider that only such ethnographic sources are of unquestionable scientific value, in which we can clearly draw the line between, on the one hand, the result of direct observation and of native statements and interpretations and on the other, the inferences of the author, based on his common sense of psychological insight. † (Malinowski 1966: 3) Here Malinowski differences between two approaches of data processing. One approach leads to mere ‘wholesale generalisations’ and the other approach also includes the ‘actual experiences’ the researcher faced on the local level that explain on what assumptions and observations her or his generalizations are based on. He hence supports the notion of Anthropology as a science of producing generalisations, as long as they are comprehensible and in direct relation to the reality on the ground. Malinowski’s ethnographies exist to a vast amount of descriptive details that are very specific to certain social groups or individual preferences and he has hence often been criticized as an ‘empiricist’ (see Firth 1957). Also, one could argue that his attempt to put his findings in a neat structured box with columns, as he has done in his article Group and Individual in Functional Analysis (1966) seem rather compelled. Nevertheless, he was able to provide social science with universal and generalizing frameworks on, inter alia, on how social institutions function in relation to society. He states that â€Å"social institutions have a definite organisation, (†¦) they are governed by authority, law and order in their public and personal relations, while the latter are, besides, under the control of extremely complex ties of kinship and clanship. † (Malinowski 1966: 10). Malinowski’s suggestion to use institution as a starting point for social and cultural analysis has â€Å"produced integrated descriptions instead of loosely classified catalogues of traits, and has stimulated the fuller recording of case material from actual behavior as a supplement to the listing of ideal patterns. † (Murdock 1943: 443). Following Malinowski’s ethnographic method and theory construction therefore aims to create a firm framework of the â€Å"social constitution† that â€Å"disentangle[s] the laws and regularities of all cultural phenomena from the irrelevances. † (Malinowski 1966: 10f. ). His approach is thus far more that only an accumulation of meaningless observations of an individuals life in a very specific society. Considering these arguments, Malinowski approach can, indeed, be seen as congruent with our first tendency to understand grand theory. The answer to our initial question should hence be that Anthropology is a science that can certainly produce grand theories in the sense of generalized frameworks and universalistic theories, without neglecting the importance of the â€Å"local and the contingent† (Skinner 1985: 12). Furthermore, Anthropology can be viewed as an established science with its own field of study being the human being and its social group as well as their mutual dependencies and influences. â€Å"Anthropology stands in a clear relationship to the other basic science, because it is concerned with studying phenomena at one clearly discriminate level vis-a-vis those other sciences. † (Good 1996: 32) IV. Conclusion and Outlook As just set out, if the question is, if participatory observation was the downfall of grand theory in the anthropological work field, my answer to it would be ‘no’, depending on the definition of grand theory. The science of Anthropology certainly had to withstand some rough winds of criticism, for instance as Wood (1996) lays out, with its strong focus on ‘meaning’ and â€Å"actors’ understanding of ‘facts’ rather than ‘facts’ themselves† (idib. 1996: 31). Some might even buy into Radcliff-Browns (1977) proposal that due to its inconsistency of attribution of meaning to commonly used scientific terms â€Å"social anthropology reveals itself as not yet a formed science. † (idib. 1977: 28). In my opinion, however, it was not the launch and implementation of participant observation as introduced by Malinowski in the late twenties of the 20th century that caused a rupture in Anthropology as a grand theory producing science. A more significant menace came 50 years later when Malinowki’s diaries that he wrote, while he was conducting research at the Trobriand Islands were published. These diaries unveiled the he spend a lot of time with Europeans during his fieldwork, and it unfolds the emotional difficulties that Malinowski as fieldworker experienced. Statements such as â€Å"this drives me to a stage white rage and hatred for bronze-colored skin† (Malinowski 1989: 261) imply that he was a man thinking in discriminating racial terms, who did not have such a good rapport with the people he studied after all. These disclosures and inconsistencies between his ethnographies and his emotional encounters raised serious doubts on the validity of Malinowski’s theoretical conception and methodological approach of participant observation, and thus questioned the anthropological stance as an established science in general. Especially James Clifford’s critique on Malinowski and his later to be published book Writing Culture: The Poetics and Politics of Ethnography (1986), together with George Marcus has created a controversy and critical debate with a strong impact on the anthropological work field. The writing culture debate resulted in a ‘crisis of representation’ that implied to question every ethnographical voice. This shaped a new postmodern â€Å"genre of self-reflective research report† (Clifford 1993: 119; trasnl. C. R. ), where the unanimous voice of the author has to be subject to a consistent reflexion process and the emphasis is put on polyphony and complexity. In my opinion, this postmodern ‘angst’ of the anthropological author to be too determinate in her or his statements and conclusions, led to a trend that was far more hazardous to Anthropology as a grand theory producing science, than the introduction of Malinowski’s participant observation methodology. To make myself clear, I am not claiming that the criticism on Malinowski’s diaries and the postmodern episode was in itself a curse on Anthropology. I highly value the positive impact it had, such as, inter alia, the sensitization of the ethnographer. He or she has to be aware of her or his own position of power in the society studied, and her or his mutual influences on the informants. However, when it comes to extracting and generating universal laws, I believe it is majorly important for Anthropology as a science to not dwindle in a postmodern bulge of relativizations, but confidently create grand theories with regards to the actual phenomena observed. Thus, I strongly agree with Anthony Good (1996) who states that â€Å"if anthropology is not a generalizing science, it is not worth doing. † (idib. 1996: 30; italics in original). Bibliography Clifford, James; Marcus, George E. , (1986) â€Å"Writing Culture. The Poetics and Politics of Ethnography. †, Berkley,: University of California Press Clifford, James, (1993) â€Å"Halbe Wahrheiten† In: Rippl, Gabriele (Hg. ): Unbeschreiblich weiblich: Texte zur feministischen Anthropologie, Frankfurt am Main,: Fischer-Taschenbuch-Verl. Firth, Raymond, (1957) â€Å"Man and Culture: An Evaluation of the Work of Malinowski†, New York,: The Humanities Press. Good, Anthrony, (1996) â€Å"For the Motion: Social Anthropology is a Generalizing Science or it is Nothingâ€Å" from Ingold, Tim (ed. ), Key Debates in Anthropology pp. 30-36, Oxon,: Routledge.

The Lego Case

1. What were LEGO’s main expectations and learnings from the relationship with the Flextronics? Expectations: a. Saving cost by outsourcing to low-cost countries: Prior to outsourcing, LEGO owned and operated production plants mainly in relatively high labor-cost countries, such as the United States, Switzerland and the South Korea. The main reason for this is that LEGO built plants close to its main markets to save transportation cost.But LEGO finally realized that the reduced labor cost in some labor-intensive countries outweighed the reduced transportation cost. Then they decided to outsource to Flextronics who has production capacity in low-cost regions; b. Subcontracting to Flextronics allowed LEGO to reach the economy of scale as well as reduce production complexity by combining its production with that of other Flextronics’ clients; c. Contracting production to Flextronics can help LEGO eliminate the risk of production price fluctuations. Learnings: a.LEGO learne d from Flextronics the importance of documentation and standardization of the production, which give LEGO Group transparency and often help LEGO manage the challenges of complexity and to identify the stronger and weaker parts and links of the production network. b. LEGO should consider more factors before they outsourcing. Things like Flextronics’ operation style, the cost and time of providing engineering support and training, and variable lead time incurred by global sourcing are really critical for making decisions. 2.What are the key challenges in maintaining a relationship like the one between LEGO and Flextronics. The key challenge in maintaining a relationship between buyer and supplier is how to reach an agreement that benefits both parties. Take LEGO and Flextronics for example, it’s a big problem for LEGO to solve the conflict between its need for flexible and Flextronics’ more stable and predictable operations. LEGO had wide range of products, includ ing many licensed products like Harry Potter and Star Wars, and each of its products consisted of different unique bricks.And it’s difficulty for LEGO to make a precise forecast with fluctuating demand. These two points made LEGO over-dependent on flexible production, which is totally against Flextronics’ operation style in which economies of scale is a key phrase. Since both LEGO and Flextronics require a profitable business model, it’s a great challenge to reach agreement that benefits both parties with difference emphasis. Also, LEGO has to consider how to communicate withFlextronics pertaining to making a clear plan for training and educating their staff so that they can be able to meet LEGO’s efficiency requirement quickly. 3. How can LEGO handle the supply chain complexity to improve knowledge sharing, flexibility and coordination? LEGO introduce a sophisticated planning system called sales and operations planning (SO&P) to its daily operation. SO&P can help LEGO monitor and coordinate different parts in supply chain and provide LEGO the visibility of its global operation, which usually involve numerous outsourcing partners.Besides, to maintain a good relationship with supplier over the long term, it’s reasonable to invest some resources to help the supplier achieve the level of performance required by LEGO. Through training and educating staff in Flextronics, LEGO can help Flextronics to build production capacity to meet the requirement of flexibility. Also, LEGO can put quality control personnel in factory to monitor production line and prevent quality variation. And frequent communication about production progress, updating issue and feedback is necessary for improving coordination and knowledge sharing.Building a sophisticated information system is of great help to improve supply chain flexibility and coordination, by conveying information seamlessly, it allows the supplier to get the visibility of sales and invento ry and adapt their own production to these information. This can eliminate the situation of overstock and out of stock. 4. What are the key considerations when outsourcing or offshoring production? Discuss them. To make a make versus buy decision, company should first consider the total cost of outsourcing.This cost should include not only the quotation from supplier but also the cost of monitoring the relationship, cost of providing training, education and engineering support to the supplier and cost of dealing with cultural and operational difference. Outsourcing globally is also subject to ethical and environmental violations. Buying company should conduct a comprehensive investigation of the supplier’s production and related issues like child labor, below-minimum wage and safety production. If the supplier violated any of these laws, it is usually the buying company that became the target of social media and NPOs.A company’s reputation can be greatly damaged due to the noncompliant supplier. If a buying company outsourcing its production, it may become over-dependent on supplier for production and finally lose the production ability, which may turn out to be a great disadvantage. Company should decide smartly which part of its business is appropriate for outsourcing. Besides, company should consider the variable lead time which is often impossible to control with outsourcing on global scale. Above all, it’s critical for buying company to make a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis to decide in-house production or outsourcing. . Describ the competitive environment of the industry and how it relates to LEGO’s choices? A number of toy companies had built production plants in China, statistic show that 90 percent of the world’s toys are made in China. This means many of LEGO’s competitors have price advantages over LEGO and it’s hard for LEGO to survive in some developing countries, which have relatively low purc hasing power. That lead LEGO make the decision to outsource its production to Flextronics who have production line in low cost countries.Competitors in toy markets are also compete for decreasing lead time which is critical in the eyes of customers. Customers usually don’t like to wait for long to receive the order, especially during the time before holidays when toys are brought as gifts for their kids. Variation in lead time often annoyed customers and triggered in market share losing. Since it’s difficult to control the lead time concerning to LEGO’s complex products with Flextronics’ stable and standardized production and operation style, LEGO decided to source back its production task.