Marketing Management- Marketing Plan

This plan is designed to report the external and internal factors that will influence the company's success in Haiti market. The topics covers in this plan include situation analysis, marketing strategy, tactical programs, implementation and budgets in carrying out the marketing activities which differentiate the business and product offering from our competitor and marketing strategy that drive the business to earn above average profit. 3 Company Summary 3. 1 Company Overview Seoul-Roy is a Haiti based restaurant serving Korean cuisine, the name Seoul-Roy is easy to remember and easy to pronounce.Seoul reflects the theme of the restaurant for serving Korean cuisine which is a famous destination in Korea, a megabits with a population of over 10 million and a leading global city in the world. Furthermore, â€Å"ROY' means â€Å"Delicious† in southern Thai dialects, to have a name meaning â€Å"Delicious Seoul†, conveyed the message that the restaurant having very high s tandard food. The restaurant name Seoul-Roy will surely leave an impressive memory in potential customer first impression that will attract the customer to visit the restaurant for the first time.Seoul-Roy will be operating seven days a week inclusive public holiday in operation 365 days throughout the year to ensure that customers have the opportunity to enjoy our delicious whenever they feel like it. Seoul-Roy is a medium size restaurant enhanced with cozy, comfy, friendly, and appetite tempting atmosphere for patrons through its modern contemporary casual dining style to unearth the feeling of refreshing and energize to dinners. The facility will be divided into indoor area for customer that is seeking cool comfy ambient and outdoor area for customer seeking a breath of fresh air.The cafà © will feature seating for approximately 100 patrons, desert bar, water fountain and liquor bar. 3. 2 Location This restaurant is planned to be situated at the empty land on Outthinking Road, n Clonk Rein area which is approximately 500 m from Tests and Prince of Songbook University. With hundred and thousand of local resident, university student and shoppers from other suburb visiting this area on everyday basis, it does instigate this area to be the perfect sites in town.Page | 2 Heretofore, I nonviolent Road Is one AT ten major connector Detente ten roads on the external circuit to the Haiti city which have high traffic concentration. In spite of this, there is ample parking space along the road that makes it handy for by passer to stop for dine in and appear to be a profit potential site. Moreover, the rent in this area is much cheaper comparing to the retail shops in major shopping complex such as Tests, Big C, Lee Garden Plaza and Central. 3. 3 2. Objective The objective to startup Seoul-Roy includes the following: A. B. C. D. E. Become premier food franchise serving fusion of Korean food and Thai Food. Provide highest quality fresh and delicious food. Ensure that e very prospect in promoting â€Å"Seoul-Roy' brand are explore and implement. Maintain and expand every possibility to achieve outstanding reputations. Create an ideal working environment for employee in promoting good communication and great team work. F. Achieving profitable investment return between 4-6 years. G.Achieving total daily customers of 7,000 patrons/month by the end of second year of operation. The objectives of marketing activities include: 0 To introduce Korean Cuisine to Haiti community and Songbook Province area. 0 To attract 50% of the target market and forecast potential customer. 0 To be perceived as the cleanest restaurant in the region. 0 To be perceived as restaurant serve delicious, quality, and tasty Korean cuisine in the region. 3. 4 2. 2 Vision and Mission Seoul-Roy mission is to bring to the market finest, freshest, and tastiest FusionKorean cuisine that is inspired by a combination of Korean and Thai cuisine in the Haiti. In conjunction to Seoul-Roy hig h standards of quality and cleanliness will ascertain Seoul-Roy growth into a reputable premier Korean cuisine in Haiti. The mission of Seoul-Roy includes the following: Page | 3 To bring to the market finest, freshest, and tastiest Korean cuisine. To ensure that all foods are serves to its highest level of freshness, nutrition, and gastronomic. To ensure that all order are serve with efficiency and effectiveness.The value proposition that the target market will pay for this 50% premium price is the superior customer service experience and high quality Korean cuisine. The company will ensure that the restaurant is always has a clear proposition of the claimed benefit for the services and products. In this, the company will always monitor the quality of the food produce to Page | 4 Seoul-Roy marketing Plan ensure mouth watering experience is offered to the customer and consistently advertise on the value proposition of the restaurant through advertising media. Situation Analysis Situ ation analysis involves evaluating the situation and trends in of Korean Cuisine in Haiti City which defines and interprets the state of the environment of the organization. A situation analysis provides the context and knowledge for planning and achieve above average profit for the organization. The analysis describes Seoul- Roy competitive position, internal environment, external environment and critical issues.In portraying a clearer understanding of the situation of Korean Cuisine industry in Haiti, the report further outline SOOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats) analysis of the organization. The situation analysis includes in this marketing plan includes: 0 0 0 External Environment Internal Environment SOOT Analysis 5. 1 External Environment The external environment affects firm growth and profitability which also a condition that creates threats and opportunities for firms that have major effects on organization strategic actions.The organization understands of external environment coupling Walt Knowledge on Internal environment Tort Its villous to develop Its mission and to take actions that result in strategic competitiveness and above- average returns. As shown in Figure 1, an organization's external environment is divided into three major areas which include the general, industry environment and competitor environment. The general environment is composed of dimension of broader society that influences an industry.As a result of this, the economic and population growth of Haiti will increase very rapidly. An increase people migrating to Haiti City coupling with vivid economic outlook of the city, it is righteous decision in investing in food business in Haiti City. Economic growth and population growth nutrient to better population income and demand for food as basic needs of life, therefore investing in Seoul-Roy will prove to be a successful investment. 5. 1. 1. 3 Socio-cultural Over the past decade, Korean Wave started to sweep acros s Asia country.The wave started with the popularity of Korean drama, Korean Language, Korean Cuisines and Handbook, the traditional Korean dress. CNN describe this phenomenon as kind of a syndrome where Asian people love to enjoy Korean stuffs. The Korean wave in Thailand got underway back in 2005 with â€Å"Dad]engaged†, a sop opera about the first female royal physician of Koreans Jones dynasty. The series gave Thailand a taste for traditional Korean culture, including Korean court cuisine and traditional medicine.Inevitably, Korean cuisine became popular and Korean culture started getting attention. As increasing growth of Korean Wave sweeping across Asia region and Thailand in particular, the startup of Korean Cuisine in Haiti which in the fourth densest city in Thailand will prove to be successful investment. 5. 1. 1. 4 laconically The increasing growth of electronic ordering system in the hospitality industry to increase employee efficiency and effectiveness has exerted a technological stress on he new establishing restaurant.Seoul will adopt ‘Gourmet Restaurant Management system standard, optional and hardware modules to manage the smooth flow of restaurant operation, promotion activities, member service and inventory management. The adoption of gourmets will enable Seoul-Roy to manage it cost effectively, carry out promotion activities smoothly and service member efficiently. 5. 1. Competitor Environment Hatchway's Korean Cuisine industry is still emerging, there is only one competitor in the market, Domino located in Diana shopping complex which serve Korean BBC cuisine.Of course there will be minor modification on the taste of the food to suite Thai culture appetite or definition of delicious food. In spite of this there are many competitor in the market if considering Thailand as a whole, this competitor includes: 0 0 0 0 0 Hanging restaurant Sang Goon Restaurant Slang BBC Buffet Drum Restaurant Adored @ Korean Town 5. 1. Industry Envir onment Although there is only one establishment providing the similar service to the market in Haiti, it is important that Seoul-Roy is establish soonest possible to be the market leader in this region before any competitors enter the market.In Haiti city, the Korean Wave Syndrome has Just sweep the communities, It is essential that this company is born in nearby future in ensuring company market competitiveness. 5. 2 Internal Environment Resources, capabilities and core competencies create the foundation of competitive advantage. Resource can be classified into two main categories include tangible and intangible resource, it have to cover spectrum of individual, social and organization to Wylye competitive advantage. Capableness exalts when resources nave Eden purposely integrated to achieve a specific task or set of tasks.Capabilities are often based on developing, carrying, and exchanging information and knowledge through people in an organization. Core competencies are capabilit ies that serve as a source of competitive advantage for an individual or organization over its competitors. 5. 2. 1 Resource Resources consist of two components, one is tangible and the other is intangible. As the company is currently in the preliminary planning stage, the company only have tangible asset of Baht 20,000,000.The intangible asset consists of the knowledge and management capabilities. Furthermore, the company group of people possesses period innovation, interest and passion in the Korean food. Although in the initial establishing stage the company has to hire a professional chef from Korea in designing the menu, Seoul-Roy management personal inclusive the chairman of the company will continuing learn the technique of Korean Cuisine culinary skill in mitigating these threats of skill impotency and dependence on external resource.Page | 9 5. 2. Capabilities Although the company is currently in the preliminary planning stage, the capabilities that the company possesses in clude: 0 Management Information System The many possesses effective and efficient data collection and information management system that will surely increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the company staff.Management The company has the ability to envision the future of Korean Cuisine in Haiti city, background in business management, years of experience in hospitality industry and information technology will be a competitive advantage in managing the company effectively. 5. 3 SOOT Analysts Strength 0 0 0 0 0 0 Seoul-Roy exterior is tidy and clean. Food price are delicious and tasty. Offer a good choice of menu variation. Knowledge in Business Management. Seoul-Roy employs well-trained staff.Financial resource Weakness 0 Seoul-Roy is newly established in the market. 0 Low profit margin. 0 Absence of important skills. 0 Management. Opportunities 0 Growth in Haiti population. 0 Increasing influence of Korean Wave in Thailand. 0 Haiti as centre of economics and tourism in Southern Region. 0 Economy growth of Haiti ensures long-term profitability. Threats 0 Stable of political unrest in Southern region. 0 Decreasing influence of Korean Wave. 0 Economy down-turn of Haiti city.

Dove and Manchester United †the Effectiveness of the Marketing Concepts and Principals Essay

I have been asked to produce a clear set of notes to go with my presentation of Dove and Manchester United fully comparing the effectiveness of the marketing concepts and principals. First of all I am going to start comparing the similarities of the aims of the two businesses. This is that Manchester United wants to become the best football club on and off the pitch. Dove has a similar aim which is trying to grow its brand of the real beauty campaign for women. This will be effective for both branding companies as they will become one of the top sellers when it comes to future high standards. Promotion Same- Manchester United and Dove communicate the promotion of their product by using the media like for e.g. TV. This leads to attracting more of the public households. Another technique used to promote their product is by In-Store displays, this leads to attracting customers as well as communicating where the item is going to be sold at. They both also promote on their websites this leads to more information on that product as well as other products of their brand being available. Different- The communication through TV can be different as Manchester United have their own channel called â€Å"MUTV†, whereas, Dove only provide a 5 minute advertisement on their product. The two different methods that Manchester united use are the pitch and the players themselves this is because a football club is part of leisure/ hobbies. This leads to fans seeing more of the product. Dove uses magazines to promote their Pro-Age product as this leads to attracting more females as this product is part of a real women campaign who are aged over 40. Effectiveness- Dove is effective in reaching its target market as they communicate the product using many ways of the media as they know that every household has at least one modern technology item so the message will definitely reach the target market. Place Same- Both Dove and Manchester united sell their products/services in the high streets because they know most of the public shop there. This leads to customers not having to travel long distances for the items they require. This is the only same technique both Dove and Manchester united use to sell their products. Dove- supermarkets- Boots, Super drugs, etc. Manchester united- Nike, JD, JJB, etc. Different- Manchester united sells a huge amount of its products portfolio through its website because it is faster for orders to be made and paid for. The website also allows fans to require information of the products sold and another reason it is appropriate is because the public (fans) know that the goods they have bought are original not copies. Dove does not recommend this method because it would refer for a large postal charge as depended on the weight of the product/s. Effectiveness- Dove’s choice of place to sell the product is very effective because it is in the high street where the local public go, so this leads to people not having to travel further than there high street to buy the product so they are what tend to be happy customers. This also would be recommended to other females so the brand gains more profit and this leads to having to manufacture and sell more of that product. Manchester united has chosen an effective place which is via their website. It is effective because this way customers get a wider range of items to choose from and buy. So this leads to selling more merchandise as people will want to buy more of their products e.g. if a person wanted to buy a mug and saw a larger variety of products then they will end up buying a lot more like for example buying an extra t-shirt and an extra mouse mat to go with their computer. Price Same- Dove’s pricing strategy for the Pro-Age product would be from  £2-15 depending entirely on the manufacturing size of the product like for example 15ml/ 30ml. They understand that the product is aimed at households with real women of all ages over 40 and all different ethnicity’s/ backgrounds. This also would depend on the same products pricing but of a different brand like for example Nivea, this would lead to competitors prices dropping to match or under-cutting the other brands so that the competition increases between all the leading brands. Manchester united, however, have to base their product pricing at a fixed rate with the competitors club/ business because fans will not be happy and will end up in an argument. The pricing depends on the individual name and number on the back of the t-shirt like for example Ronaldo- number 7 would be at the highest fixed rate as he is the best player for Manchester united. The prices vary from  £46-57 after that. Appropriate- Dove’s pricing is appropriate as it is used as a daily product so spending  £2-15 for a product is reasonable in this case. Manchester united’s pricing is also appropriate as they are popular to their fans especially and they have set their aim of becoming the best football club on and off the pitch so this would lead to gaining more profit. Product Type- Dove manufactures their products for beauty range of women. These are not just a limited type of women; these are women of all shapes and sizes, ethnicity and age over 40. The beauty products of Dove are required for every household as it is a leading brand product but it is also a product that helps allow women to pamper themselves and look after their skin. Manchester united, on the other hand, manufactures and sells their products to fans of the football club as this method shows the players and other fans supporting competitors that Manchester united has got a large supporting fan base showing wisdom to their team. This leads to helping Manchester united to achieve their aim of becoming the best football club on and off the pitch. Range- The range of products from Dove varies around the 100 real women beauty campaign. This is because they are focusing on achieving their aim which is to grow its brand in the real beauty campaign. Whereas, Manchester united set out a larger variety of products because they want to keep ahead of the competitiveness by producing a lot more products but keeping a fixed rate on prices, this leads to fans expecting more products being purchased into the market and spending more money this helps Manchester united increasing the percentage of profits. Compare- Both Manchester united and Dove want to be a successful brand focusing on their target market. They produce and manufacture a whole range of products developing their ideas to make them suitable for the target market. The only difference is that the target market for each individual brand are different towards one another as Dove target women over 40 and Manchester united target both boy/men and girls/women who are into football as part of either leisure time or as a hobby. Effectiveness- Dove is effective in producing the appropriate product range and type as they know exactly who their target market is. This helps them develop their ideas because the testing of the product helps the brand understand if their product is suitable for these women in the public or if it actually needs to be developed meeting the customer’s needs and wants from the product. Manchester united is effective in producing the correct range and type of products as well because they know who their target market is but the difference between Manchester united and Dove is that Manchester united has a fan base with all ages and also it targets men as well as women. I am now going to go onto comparing how Manchester united and Dove apply to the 4 principals of marketing to their products effectively. Then I going to go onto which of the two businesses has applied to the marketing principals effectively. Manchester united- for this I am going to give you an example of either a product/ service. So I have decided that my example will be of a service which is accommodating events like for example weddings, birthdays, etc. 1. The first one is â€Å"the understanding of the needs and wants of the consumer†. Manchester United would do this by communicating with the customer between the date that they came to see the accommodation and the date they want to use the accommodation for their event so in between that time they have to look after the customers wants and needs like for example the customer wants a wedding and the colour theme is white and pink so they have to give feedback to each other if there are any problems and if everything is going according to plan. 2. The second one would be â€Å"keeping ahead of competition†. They would do this by providing their accommodation at a cheaper price that others or by simply providing more quantity for the same price. Like for example if the price was for a particular amount of people say for example 350 then for the same price they can allow 420 people to come so that their reputation becomes higher than other accommodations 3. The third principle of marketing for the business would be the effective communication with consumers. This means that Manchester United as â€Å"Old Trafford would have to contact the customers who are locating their event at the accommodation informing them of any problems and also informing the customers if their needs and wants are being responded to. 4. The final principle for Manchester United â€Å"Old Trafford† would be the need of Utilising new technology for the customers and the employees at Manchester United. This would lead to all work being completed faster and if there are any changes to be made for the event then the whole description does not need to be re-written.

Christology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Christology - Essay Example Acts 2:32-32 says, â€Å"This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear†. Some other instances where this resurrection is the central theme are Acts 3:13-18; 4:10-12; 5:29-32; 10:37-43, and so on. Similarly, one can find this resurrection as the main theme in the Epistles. To illustrate, in 1 Corinthians 15, Paul provides a number of reasons why this resurrection is the basis of Christian faith. When some people in Corinth fail to believe in the resurrection of the dead, Paul explains the various dire consequences in the absence of resurrection. First, the act of preaching Christ will be futile, and hence, even faith in Christ will be useless. If Jesus were not resurrected from the dead, no one would be redeemed from sin as promised. That means all the preachers would be liars and Christians would be come a pitiable lot on the earth. Thus, one can see that it is this resurrection which gave the disciples enough courage and faith in what they preached. Secondly, the late 60s AD witnessed persecution of Christians by the Nero-led Roman government. In 62 AD, both Peter and Paul were executed, and this persecution continued till the early 4th century. In order to make the early Christians face the cruelties boldly, and to sacrifice their own life for this great cause, Jesus’ success over death acted as a catalyst (Vinzent 143). With this spirit, Romans 12:1 says, â€Å"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship†. Moreover, the Old Testament is full of prophesy about the resurrection, and for those who believed in Scriptures, the saviour is the one who would win over death. To illustrate, Hosea 5:15 reads, â€Å"I will go and return to my place, till they

Isetan Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Isetan Company - Essay Example Isetan Company I did my internship for 3 months at the buying office of Isetan in New York branch. It is located in the 40th street of Madison Avenue. I did the position of manager’s assistant and my main responsibilities were to research new American brands for Japanese buyers and to organize all schedule for fashion collections. This paper is written as the strategic analysis of Isetan, based on both internal and external business environments (SWOT and PEST analysis) The major strength of Isetan is its wide product range. Products like ladies wear, ladies accessories, bags and shoes, ladies cosmetics, and fragrances, watch, jewellery, babies/children wear, household/ interior goods, mean’s wear, men’s accessories, shoes, Men’s grooming, sports accessories etc are some of the products of Isetan. Isetan has products which can satisfy all the people irrespective of their age or gender and hence a family can depend Isetan for its complete purchasing needs. Another strength of Isetan is the research and development department. This department constantly monitoring the fashion trends all over the world and they were able to produce high quality fashion goods based on the changing needs of the customers. In other words, Isetan was able to foresee the trends in fashion and they were able to adapt themselves based on that. They never rely entirely on one kind of product for their business. Children, adults and old people, all are dealt with equal importance and hence all the customers who visit Isetan department stores will return with utmost satisfaction.

Issues about pedagogic design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Issues about pedagogic design - Essay Example Therefore, teacher is assumed to be the organizer rather than the main source of knowledge. After browsing Allwright and Hank (2009) â€Å"Method and the Learner†, I realized that my teaching style is similar to the teaching approach, design and procedure of socio-psychological approach to community language learning (CLL). CLL encourages the students to interact with one another to help them develop their ability to use a second language. Instead of leaving the leaving the learning and teaching process to the students, the second language teacher can also act as the teacher whereas the students are treated as learners. By showing the proper way of using a second language, teachers will be able to make the students apprehend the proper pronunciation of a word aside from making them learn the basic construction of grammar. My teaching style is closely related to Richards and Rodgers (2001) communicative language teaching in the sense that this approach and method in language te aching is focused on increasing the students’ communicative abilities. Increasing the students’ knowledge on second language is totally different from making them able to speak the language in public.

Memogate - Fact, Fiction and Political Lies Essay

Memogate - Fact, Fiction and Political Lies - Essay Example Analogous to Vietnam, the American troops and their allies dug into the urban areas using fortified structures that were seen as impenetrable for organized Taliban and Al-Qaeda troops. This had one major impact – conventional warfare was not possible in Afghanistan anymore as the Taliban and Al-Qaeda could not mount infantry or artillery attacks. Given the limited choices to act, the Taliban and Al-Qaeda turned over to guerilla tactics with special emphasis being placed on suicide bombing runs inside US bases in Afghanistan. Rising causalities inside the US bases as well as on roads throughout Afghanistan forced the US to act once more. In order to deal with the challenges at hand, the military’s top brass and the hawks in Washington decided to escalate troop levels in order to pursue a policy of â€Å"boots on the ground†. The rising troop levels and the enhanced military activity on ground meant that the Taliban and Al-Qaeda needed new places to hide. This was an obvious response from the Taliban and Al-Qaeda as they needed bases to train troops, plan and execute operations, plan for longer term strategies and the like. However, space in Afghanistan was running out for both the Taliban and Al-Qaeda who were on the run given escalated military activity. As a response to this, the Taliban and Al-Qaeda moved over into neighboring Pakistan’s tribal belt. ... The closely knitted extended family structure in the region which sponsored tribalism was also able to help the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in finding shelter. Even though it was obvious where the enemy was stationed, the US troops and their allies could not operate inside Pakistan as they had in Afghanistan. The sanctity of an international border was far too great to be desecrated along with the sensitivities of the Pakistani side. The US was quick to bring in drones to attack targets inside Pakistani territory but this had only limited effect as the results of surgical strikes are incomparable to the results of entire infantry and artillery movements. Consequently the Pakistani military and intelligence agencies were brought in to deal with the situation in the border tribal regions. The US and its allies expected compliance with their goals but the Pakistani intelligence structure had its own objectives lurking under the guise of cooperation. Continuous failure on the part of the Pakist ani military brass led the US and its allies to limit information sharing. As relations became more and more strained, the cooperation between the US and Pakistan came to an all-time low (Kronstadt). The military regime of Musharraf was replaced in time by a democratic government in 2007 that was looking for protection from the US from the very start. As the democratic government leaned towards the US and its objectives, results began to arrive. The Osama bin Laden raid in Abbottabad helped to effectively end the threat for once and for all. However such cooperation by the democratic government put it in direct opposition of the Pakistani military and intelligence agencies. Soon a new controversy in the form of the Memogate

GlobShops Management of Outsourcing to Date Case Study

GlobShops Management of Outsourcing to Date - Case Study Example The paper tells that in this age, globalization and introduction of internet facilities enhanced the pace of outsourcing. In order to amplify the productivity and profitability of an organization, the concept of outsourcing of information technology are recognized as one of the most important business strategies so as to improve the position and ranking of the organizations in the market among many other rival players. The prime aim behind such type of outsourcing or offshore mergers is to reduce the amount of cost that may amplify the total revenue and operating income of the organization. Keeping this aspect in mind, the global travel retail organization, Globshop also decided to outsource, the activities of information technology. Such a tactical and strategic decision is taken by the CEO of the organization, Mr. Roger Deen in order to mitigate the challenges aroused due to terrorist attract in the year 2001 in 11th September. In addition to this, Mr. Deen implemented such type of decisions, in order to amplify the competitive advantage and reliability of the business by outsourcing, informational technology activities to Indian firms at a quite cheap cost and easy shipping facilities. The prime aim of this paper is to evaluate the perspective of management of Globshop in regard to the process of outsourcing varied services of information technology. Along with this, it also highlights, the benefits and risks associated with such type of corporate strategies, rather than cost savings. Along with this, the pros and cons of the concept of outsourcing are also described with the help of various theories so as to analyze its effectiveness as a corporate strategy.

Dispute Between Workers Union And Employer Case Study - 17

Dispute Between Workers Union And Employer - Case Study Example The Union has appealed to the NLRB to set aside the election results. If I were on NLRB, I would set aside the elections because of the provisions of Taft-Hartley labor act. While the act allows employers the right to interact with employees with the aim of influencing union activities and actions, expressions into the interactions must not pose threats of reprisal. The case, however, identifies potential threats of reprisal, from the management, which could have intimidated union members and led to restraint from participation in the elections. From the supervisor’s repeated appearance in the vicinity, the union members had all the reasons to fear intimidation and harsh treatment from the management if the union won in the elections. It was also normal for the union members to believe that the supervisor was acting in his normal capacity as an agent of the management because that is his regular position. These arguments identify implied the threat of reprisal and mean that the employer, through its supervisor, breached provisions of the Taft-Ha rtley Act.

The Civil Rights Movement Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Civil Rights Movement - Research Paper Example This was while the latter had no time to care for their own families. This paper will examine the novel The Help, connecting its themes and events to those of the civil rights movement and other relevant issues. The Help offers insight into the provocative subject of racial, gender and class segregation during the civil rights movement era. Stockett’s novel is an intriguing novel that examines the lives of black maids during the civil rights movement in the early 1960s. Stockett shows the relationship between African Americans and the whites as a complex continuum of abuse, mistrust, hate, dependence, attachment and shockingly, love. Notably, Stockett wittingly portrays this array of emotions in a humorous and agile manner. However, her expression at the end of the novel shows that portraying these mixed emotions was not an easy feat. In a personal excerpt at the novel’s conclusion, Stockett notes that there is no trickier subject for a Southern writer than that of love between a white and a black person within the imbalanced world of segregation. Nonetheless, Stockett portrays these emotions with equal degrees of seriousness and humor. However, the absence of reference to one of the most critical mass struggles of the South gives a sense of inaccuracy with regard to the novel. The mass struggle in this case refers to that which shattered the Jim Crow structure in the South during the civil rights movement. ... Prior to the year, 1965, African Americans sought to break state disfranchisement but were unsuccessful. However, the motiveless attack of peaceful marchers by state troopers, in Alabama, forced Congress and President Johnson to counter the resistance of Southern legislators to allow African American’s enfranchisement. The Help centers on the lives of three characters. They include: Skeeter, a fresh grandaunt from an affluent white family aiming at a journalist career; Aibileen and Minny, black maids who consented to speak out about the tribulations of African Americans. The three set out on a project to expose the ills of racial segregation in the South. The trio’s project coincides with the upsurge of the second wave of the feminist movement. Although the novel revolves around feminist movement events that preceded the Women’s Liberation Movement and the foundation of the National Organization for Women (NOW) by feminist leaders like Betty Friedman, the novel s hows that women, particularly African American women, began seeking freedom from segregation before such movements become public (Maslin 16). While The Help does not provide a perfect description of the events of the 1960s by suppressing the budding feminism of certain characters, the novel still touches on many pertinent issues relevant to 1960s feminism movement and civil rights movement. The Help showcases the role of women’s feminism movements in the larger civil rights movement. Stockett uses different characters to describe the feminist issues at the center of the civil rights movement. Firstly, Skeeter’s independence and rebelliousness towards restrictions enforced by societal norms shows not only a hint of feminism, but also the progress of the civil rights

SLP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

SLP - Essay Example It is however the slowest in starting up of the three and it seems that the application has heavy files. The slowest of the three search engine to load a website is internet explorer. It requires twice as much time to load compare to chrome and even fails to load sometimes. There are only two utility of a website that I find useful for what I need which is for research work in school and recreation (social networking, interesting websites etch). So the important utility that I need is how fast does it load a certain website and how fast does it load videos and pictures. Of the three, google chrome loads the fastest which I find very useful to what I need. I have to be honest that I am quite impatient when I surf the net. Speed is very important for me that is why I was annoyed using internet explorer because it is very slow and has a lot of bugs evident with its constant failure to load. This experience made me realize that user experience is very important to make an application relevant and useful. So if I will create applications someday, I will bear in mind the need and experience of the users so that the application I created will become

Cuban Revolution Essay Example for Free

Cuban Revolution Essay My name is Juan Luis Sanchez and had lived well in my country Cuba before this new regime by a tyrant they call Fidel Castro. Although Fulgencio Batista was harsh and corrupt, my life was not very bad. Now it seems that things have changed quite a bit here in Havana. We have become what they call a communist state, and we have no political companion here in the western hemisphere. I was one who was opposed to the corruption I saw in Batista’s government, and though I wanted in some ways to help the peasants raise their standard of living, I was not prepared to have mine lowered in the process. I also was a bit disgruntled at the way the United States had a heavy hand in the politics of my country Cuba, but I am not sure now that Cuba will be in a very good position having incurred the wrath of such a powerful neighbor. This rift has apparently been sealed by a socialist tie we seemed to have developed with the sworn enemies of the United States, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR). Many of my comrades are no longer here in Cuba. I have not been able to find many of my professional friends—my personal attorney, family physician and several of my business partners, I have been told, have fled the country because of the threat that this new regime poses to their livelihood. Many of them now live in Miami, Florida. I am now experiencing what must have been the fears of my comrades that made them flee. My businesses relied heavily on several other business that were funded by U. S. nationals and that have come under attack in this new regime. My business, which was growing in the 1940’s and 1950’s, has been experiencing problems since the heavy U. S. ownership of 35% of the sugar industry has been altered. My business’s strategy seems to have changed greatly. It no longer sends a large portion of its produce to the United States, as relations between Cuba and the U. S. have broken down. This problem seems to be very serious, as I have read about a Bay of Pigs incident in which the United States lent support to some Cuban exiles in an attempt to overthrow Castro’s government. I also hear of a Cold War between the United States and the USSR in which our country has become involved. Recently, the USSR has removed some warheads and missiles from our territory, as the United States had threatened to invade Cuba if those things had remained. Though I have spoken of the business I used to run as â€Å"my business† I no longer seem to be in charge of it. When I showed up at the office, no one acknowledged me and I was not allowed to go in. The few comrades I had left in Cuba reported that their businesses had been taken away from them and were placed under the direction of the government. All the profits go to the government, which then rations out wages to former business owners. Our wages have been capped. All my extended property, I came to find, no longer belongs to me and I have lost my large house. Now I have to live in much smaller quarters and share the premises with other persons with whom I am not acquainted. The Cuban economy seems to be doing well, though I have heard that in the last decade (the 1960’s) it had experienced some trouble. Now, we have been receiving some help from the USSR as our investments and trade have now become heavily tied with this and other communist countries of Europe. Our large sugar industry, though no longer able to serve the United States, is guaranteed a market in these European communist states. Though officially the economy is doing well, I have become aware of a shadow economy that exists here in Cuba. It shades the fact that the U. S. dollar receives a higher value on the black market than it does on the official market. Still, the country does possess wealth, which it pours into governmental policies and the military. Though I should probably be relieved that the country is generating wealth, I am very uncomfortable with the fact that all that I have worked for in the past years has been taken from me. I feel I am entitled to a share in all the wealth that is being generated within the economy, yet I am allowed to share in none of this. I have lost all freedom to enjoy the fruit of my former and current labor. In fact, I find that the freedoms of Cubans have been curtailed to the extent that no voluntary organizations exist, nor is there any real scope for the common educated professional (or any common man) to enter the political arena. I, who once was heavily involved in the political aspects of my community, have now only a few alternatives for membership in organizations. I can become a member of one of two organizations of the Cuban Catholic Bishops known as a Carita, or I may involve myself in one of a few other religious institutions dedicated to Jewish, African, or Masonic religions. I have no dissenting voice when it comes to politics. Though this was largely the case under Batista, it now appears to be even more so. Apart from the friends I learned to have migrated, I have been told in secret that two of them were imprisoned for speaking out against the new regime. Yet, despite all the problems I have found and the freedoms that have been stripped from me, I have also noticed some very strange yet progressive occurrences here in Cuba. These seem to be in favor of those who were once peasants. I remember the days when, especially during sugar’s off-season, many peasants were in danger of starving to death because they were out of work. Even I had no choice but to lay off during that period many who worked for me. Now their lives seem to have improved, as they receive from the state rations that last all year round. Schools have only recently resumed operation here in Havana. I have been told that all the teachers and students had been temporarily sent to rural areas in order to teach the peasants there to read and write. As a result, our nation’s literacy rate has risen rapidly. Almost all the persons here can read and write at this point, and the literacy crash program is said to be almost complete. At this rate, literacy is expected to be at 95% by the 1990’s. The streets are also much cleaner here than they were before I woke up to this reality. We, as citizens, have all been made responsible for the cleanliness of our community. I myself have been placed in a group and am required to participate in sanitation activities. The healthcare appears to have improved the lives of the peasants, whom I had had a desire to help before the revolution took place. Indeed, some of those who worked for me had enjoyed the benefits of being seen by my personal physician. Despite this, I was well aware that many of their children died at early ages and that this fact was represented in a large portion of the population—an overwhelming number that I alone could not possible have hoped to reach. Now it seems that governmental reforms have helped solve this problem, as our infant mortality rate has dropped to about 9. 8 per 1000 live births. This is among the lowest rate in the entire world. We also have a system of health care that ranks as the best in Latin America, and our life expectancy has recently climbed to the levels boasted by the United States. Although my personal physician is no longer available, I find that I too do not have to worry very much about basic healthcare needs, as the Cuban state is now in charge of providing this to all its citizens. This is of great help to me, as I no longer find myself with the resources necessary to pay for these kinds of necessities on my own. Yet, although I am grateful for the help of the government in this area, I cannot help but remember the times when I as an upper-classed business owner could afford to pay for this and so much more. Luis, J. G. (2000). Cuban Revolution Reader: A Document History. Ocean Press.

The Level of Performance in Principles of Management Essay Example for Free

The Level of Performance in Principles of Management Essay Introduction The level of success of Bachelor of Science in Business Administration freshmen achieved in their midterm of first semester of college has far-reaching implications for students’ personal and professional lives. Student success has an immediate influence on a student’s self-esteem, persistence in elected majors, and perseverance in higher education. Success in early semesters at college also ultimately impacts students’ post-college experiences, such as career choice, personal income and level of success, and degree and nature of participation in community life. Thus, the experience a student has in the introductory college classes she or he attends can have a significant influence on the course of that student’s adult life. Management is not an absolute; rather it is socially and culturally determined. Across all cultures and in all societies, people coming together to perform certain collective acts encounter common problems having to do with establishing direction, coordination and motivation. Anyone that has worked in different jobs throughout their life can tell you that there are many different styles of management. Sometimes thats defined by a company, which sets rules and regulations about how managers must carry out their job duties. In other companies, each manager manages in the way he or she feels is most effective or most comfortable. The way management is handled in a company can usually be tied to a specific management theory. Our lessons will guide you through a variety of those theories. This study would let us know what could possibly be the problem that affects the performance of the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration freshmen. This may also be an instrument in expressing and letting the College Administration be more aware of the needs of the students. Statement of the Problem The study aimed to determine the level of performance in Principles of Management of the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration first year students in University of Northern Philippines. Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions: 1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of the following factors: a. sex, b. present address, c. home address, d. civil status, e. type of school graduated, f. occupation of father, g. occupation of mother, h. family monthly income? 2. What is the level of performance of the BSBA first year students in Principles of Management in UNP? 3. Is there a significant relationship between the profile of the respondents and their performance in Principles of Management? Scope and Delimitation The study focused on the level of performance in Principles of Management of the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration first year students in the University of Northern Philippines. The respondents were chosen by purposive sampling. There were 60 respondents represented the whole BSBA first year students. A questionnaire checklist was constructed by the researchers to determine the level of performance of the respondents in University of Northern Philippines particularly in the College of Business Administration and Accountancy. Theoretical Framework Business principles and management focuses on the basics of finance, marketing, operations, and management. The theme of career planning permeates the subject matter. The student will explore many career fields and will be encouraged to think about and plan success as a business professional in one of the many career opportunities presented in the course. The course examines business in real life situations. The student is encouraged to think about the ethics of business practice, including the goal of improving society through business, and the global impact of business operations, as well as the fundamentals of earning a profit and managing a successful enterprise. Marketing, financial management, business and technology, consumer credit, banking, savings and investment strategies, production and risk management are just some of the topics covered in this basic course. Anyone that has worked in different jobs throughout their life can tell you that there are many different styles of management. Sometimes thats defined by a company, which sets rules and regulations about how managers must carry out their job duties. In other companies, each manager manages in the way he or she feels is most effective or most comfortable. The way management is handled in a company can usually be tied to a specific management theory. Our lessons will guide you through a variety of those theories. We have lessons that will address theories including classical management, classical scientific, classical administrative, neo-classical, behavioural management and modern. Youll get to see real examples and be provided with explanations of all these different management styles. Our lessons will help you to understand what theories work best in different situations, so you can clearly see how to match a company setting to a management style. Lessons will also give you the cha nce to look at related concepts in management theory. For example, youll see how Maslows Hierarchy of Needs can be used in management and how it relates to the Needs Theory. Learn about the two types of managers. See how each type functions and what each type has to offer to his or her company and employees. Take a look at organizational change in relation to management, as well. There are many experts in the field of management who have contributed to management theories. We have lessons that will introduce you to these experts (like Max Weber, Frederick Taylor and Henry Gnatt) and explain their roles in the field. Our lessons cover research and concepts such as Gilbreths Motion Study, Fayols Principles of Management and the Hawthorne Effect. Study things like Mary Parker Folletts ideas on people-oriented management and a group-network approach to management. Learn more about theories, like Chester Barnards ideas on informal organization and acceptance theory of management. The purpose of the course is to enable you to think like a manager and to provide you with the basic information you need to be successful as a manager. You will learn the functions of management, the tools that managers use, and the vocabulary you’ll need to understand management and business communications and publications. By learning what managers do, you will be better able to function in a management position, integrate material from other relevant courses, and decide whether you are interested in a career in management. Managing people is not easy. However, it can be done successfully. And it can be a very rewarding experience. Remember that management, like any other skill, is something that you can improve at with study and practice.

Challenges and Opportunities for India

Challenges and Opportunities for India INTRODUCTION Background There have been profound scientific, strategic, technological, economic, political and diplomatic changes in the twentieth century and the early part of the twenty-first century which have altered the strategic orientation of nations the world over. There has been a sea change in the way nations perceive themselves and each other in the international system. The world is fast moving towards a knowledge based economy. China has emerged as a global economic power house, and closer Indo- US ties balance the power in Asia. Also a tie up between India America could contribute to a security paradigm for the global environment especially Asia. However Americas view on new world order is questionable. They view that with the fall of erstwhile USSR in the 1980s the world turned unipolar with the USA merging as the sole super power. The free will of executing the US agenda was evident in the 1990s like Invasion of Iraq. Once Russia resurrected under Vladimir Putin the US Europe nexus or the NATO and its expansion has threatened the existence of the most successful security organization like the United Nations. Later the world saw the US presence right at the doorsteps of Russia i.e. in Poland and the fight for the Arctic. Unnoticed initially , but noticed later by all, there came the third world countries like India, Brazil, South Africa, China and a few developed ones like Australia, New Zealand which formed a group which cannot be wished away. The IBSA (India- Brazil- South Africa forum) RIC (Russia India- China forum), Shanghai Cooperation etc cannot be wished away in todays world. So what is the new world order? The power houses change so rapidly, moreover the so called power houses like Europe and USA are today on the economic downturn. The subprime crisis of the USA and the unemployment situation is considered to be the worst since 1930s. So are these perceived power houses today in a shape to project their power outside their national boundaries? Does the new world order belong to the new power houses like India and China who have proved to be fairly insulated from these economic crises? But the ever increasing conflicts and the under development of nations especially those like in African continent, which cannot be ignored by the world community, is relevant. To add on, these are the Pandoras Box of richness that is gold, diamonds, minerals and the very green oil. However, it is prudent that these countries need assistance economically and materially and it is those countries which provide assistance who will control the resources. The US, European nations and China have been proactive in their approach and have been exploiting the resources of the African nations for decades. India though sharing a historical and traditional relationship with the African continent has failed to capitalize this relationship to further its economic and political goals. Africa other than being a repository of natural resources is also a conglomerate of fifty two nations with a large standing in all political organizations including United Nations. Statement of The Problem Utilizing the emerging situation in the world, with constant change of concentration of powers, it is imperative that India be proactive to have its share of the pie, specially being supported by the booming economy and its recognition worldwide. Hence this dissertation shall seek to analyse the emerging new world order, the growing opportunities for India in Africa and the changes required in its foreign and economic policies to exploit these opportunities. Justification for the Study In the fast changing world order, the opportunities presented to any developing country are enormous. Whether it is to restructure its own economy and bring up the standard of living of its population, or to enhance its clout in the global environment. Therefore it is imperative to analyze the changes required in Indias foreign and economic policy especially with respect to the African continent. The requirement of resources of a fast developing India is ever increasing and the demand is expected to outpace the supply in the near future. Africa is the repository of mineral resources that is already recognized by the world and the major players of the world have already taken a lead in exploiting the opportunities provided by the various African countries. With the emergence of India as a global player , it is pertinent that India takes corrective measures to ensure that the traditional and historical relations with the African nations is given further impetus to further the nations i nterest at an urgent basis. Scope In the backdrop of above, the study on Emerging new world order and challenges and opportunities for India will essentially attempt at providing an integrated framework of national policy towards Africa. The study will specifically focus on the following issues:- (a) Emerging World Order with respect to Africa (b) Indias role in the emerging new world order. (c) Growing opportunities in Africa. (d) Exploitation of the growing opportunities in Africa by the major global powers. (e) Indias involvement with Africa in the present context. (f) Scope for Indias involvement with Africa with respect to defense, economy, politics and the foreign policy. (g) Changes required in Indias foreign and economic policy. Method of Data Collection The primary source of data collection has been through books, periodicals and newspaper, Articles, however an attempt was made to tap some material on the internet and relevant issues have been included in the text. A bibliography of sources has been appended at the end of the dissertation. CHAPTER I EMERGING WORLD ORDER WITH RESPECT TO AFRCIA It has been clear for the past two decades that a global power shift from the â€Å"Euro-Atlantic â€Å" West to an Asia centered East has been in progress. This has far reaching implications not only for the nature of the international order as it emerges in the coming decades and great power relations, but also for the security environment. The shift has profound implications for the emerging world order due to the following reasons:- (a) Sustained high growth of economic and military power of China leading to perceptions and concerns about the â€Å"Rise of China†. (b) Robust economic growth of India under a resilient democratic political system. (c) Economic recovery of Japan after the stasis of late 1980s and 1990s. (d) Economic and political recovery of Russia and its renewed urge to play a global role along with its increasingly closer ties with China. (e) Rising prices of oil along with the prospects of beginning of its depletion in the next quarter century affecting energy security of developing as well as the developed world. (f) Emergence of a global financial crisis bringing to fore the limitations of unregulated market structure, warranting greater intervention by the state in regulating the financial system. In reality a diffused multipolar international order has been evolving into a polycentric system with six major players the USA, China, Japan, India, the EU, Russia impacting the future strategic environment[i]. At the same time economic development patterns in, Africa have become increasingly diverse over the last decade, with more and more success stories; Since the mid-1990s, 19 Sub-Saharan countries have had annual GDP growth of 4.5 percent or higher. The rise in the world price of oil is certainly a major factor at play for some of these countries. One-third of the worlds resource-dependent economies are in Africa. Yet even excluding the oil-rich countries, the fastest growing group of African countries (total 15 countries) has had an average growth rate of at least 4.5 percent. These countries host 34 percent of the regions people. By contrast, the 13 slowest-growing economies in Africa have seen less than 3 percent growth on average, with some having near zero or negative growth[ii]. These countries, many either engaged in conflict or having recently emerged from conflict, account for 20 percent of the regions people. The countries in Africa experiencing strong growth outside the oil- producing nations have been buoyed, in part, by global price increases in other primary export commodities. With the exception of raw materials, whose prices have been relatively stagnant, other commodities, including metals and non-oil minerals, have experienced noticeable increases in their price levels. This worldwide rise of com modity prices has been engendered in large part by the rapid growth of Asian developing countries, especially China and India. They contributed close to 40 percent of global import growth for precious stones, 30 percent for crude oil, and 20 percent for metallic ores. Their demand for these commodities is likely to grow, or at least not change from current levels, in the foreseeable future. Still, a number of countries in Africa are diversifying their exports, no longer relying solely on the export of a few raw commodities. Exports are increasingly composed of light manufactured goods, processed foods, horticulture, and services such as tourism. Some countries—such as Nigeria and South Africa—have been increasing their shares of exports in technology-based products. In fact, they are moving up the technology ladder and exporting low- to medium-technology products in sectors where Asian countries are increasingly putting less emphasis The ever increasing significance of the African continent is highlighted by the following turn of events. In 2008, several high-level meetings were organized with Africas concerns high on the agenda. In April 2008, the India-Africa Forum Summit was held in New Delhi with 14 Heads of State and Government and representatives of regional bodies. A comprehensive Africa-India Framework for Cooperation was established, covering economic cooperation in such areas as agricultural development, political cooperation, science and technology, social development, tourism, infrastructure, energy and environment, and media and communication. A joint plan of action and implementation mechanism is to be developed within a year. One of the stated aims of the framework is to reinforce South-South cooperation to enable Africa and India to have greater leverage in international forums. In May 2008, the fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD-IV) took place in Yokohama, with representatives from 51 African countries, including 40 Heads of State and Government as well representatives of African organizations and from many Asian countries. Japan pledged to double its official development assistance (ODA) over the next five years, focusing on infrastructure and agricultural development. The first Turkey-Africa Cooperation Summit was held in Istanbul in August 2008 with the participation of representatives of 50 African countries, among them several Heads of State and Government. Turkeys trade and investment relations with Africa have increased dramatically over the past few years and Africa is a major market for Turkish contractors. Turkey has also formalized relations with AU and with AfDB. In October 2008, a ministerial conference on economic cooperation between South Korea and Africa was held to discuss major economic development issues and share South Koreas economic development experiences with African partners. Other middle-income countries such as Brazil are also intensifying their economic and diplomatic ties with Africa. These developments are taking place against the recent backdrop of high growth in Africa, increasing demand for commodities, especially in emerging economies, and the search for low-cost locations for investments in simple manufacturing. They have helped halt the trend of Africas declining share of world trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) flows[iii]. __________________ Security Environment in 2025:Indias Interests and Strategies Air Commodore Jasjit Singh,AVSM,Vrc,VM, (Retd) USI JOURNAL JANUARY- MARCH 07 2 Africas silk road Harry.G.braodman. 3 United Nations Economic Commission Report on Africa, 2009 CHAPTER II INDIAS ROLE IN EMERGING WORLD ORDER INDIA RISING The centre of gravity of the emerging international order and strategic affairs is increasingly shifting to the Asian landmass (and contiguous island territories). The 21st century is likely to be Asia-centred due to some of the reasons outlined below: (a) Asian landmass is where the most far-reaching social, economic and political changes are taking place. How these countries manage change will largely influence the course of world events in the coming decades. (b) The region still has extensive un-resolved disputes extending from issues of sovereignty to ideological issues which are often constructed on religious extremism. (c) By 2015, seven out of ten largest economies would be Asian countries (including three out of the four top being Asian, the other country being the United States with its deep and extensive interests in Asia). (d) Seven out of nine nuclear weapon states are located in Asia (including the United States which has strategically shifted forward into the Asian contiguous oceans, has deployed nuclear weapons in Asia, and will remain an â€Å"Asian† power). (e) Worlds energy â€Å"demand heartland† composed of Japan, Koreas, China and India is in Asia. And so is the energy â€Å"resource periphery† extending from Siberia, Central Asia, Persian Gulf, North Indian Ocean, South China Sea, and East China Sea. Future needs and availability of energy resource base are likely to further emphasise the Asia-centred world order while enhancing the role of major centres of power. India as the worlds largest democracy is now on the move in economic and technological terms. It has successfully progressed in what can only be described as the human historys most ambitious experiment of transforming a traditional society into a modern one, of transforming an agrarian-based economy into a comprehensive industry-service sector- agricultural economy, rapidly increase social mobility transforming the country into a class-less society, and so on, all through processes of consultative politics. The World Bank estimates that India will possess the fourth largest economy in the world by 2020. Since independence India has made rapid strides and now has the worlds second largest pool of highly competent scientific and technological expertise while its software strength is likely to play a major role in the coming years. Indias economic growth, not as dramatic as that of China or the East Asia â€Å"Tigers† has nevertheless shown increasing rate of growth in every de cade since the late 1960s. Indias geostrategists have a changed perception vis-à  -vis the third world and other NAM countries, which the country was historically aligned to[iv]. India has used both â€Å"soft power† and â€Å"hard power† options to increase its influence on third countries. This perception is based on the following assessments: (a) India discontinued its government to government development cooperation with all but six bilateral donors (DFID, EC, Germany, Japan, USAID, and Russian Federation). Instead donors could assist NGOs directly. (b) India has gradually changed from a recipient of aid and assistance to a giver of aid. Minister of state for external affairs Rao Inderjit Singh stated in April 2005: â€Å"Our technical and economic cooperation programme ITEC [to 156 states] is almost four decades old. a rough monetary value to the wide range of training and other facilities that we have shared with our friends from Africa, I am sure he would estimate it at well above a billion dollars†. [32] (c) India Development Initiative (IDI) dedicates a $1.5 billion soft credit fund over five years through the Exim Bank for supporting development projects mainly in Africa. (d) India has leased an air base in Ayni in Tajikistan which it argues is for non- military purposes, but others see this is as part of Indias move towards increasing its strategic depth in central Asia. (e) India has assisted Afghanistan in projects that range from roads to hospi- tal building as a way of maintaining its influence in the region. It has extended more than $100 million in credit to the outlawed Myanmar regime, including for upgrading their railway. India has thus emerged as Myanmars second largest market, absorbing 25 per cent of the countrys exports. (f) India maintains its influence in several south Asian states like Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, as is well known. In this context India has gradually dis- engaged from the large southern groups that it once partnered and has played a key role in forming new groups like the G-4, G-15, G-20 and G-33. India has become part of many regional groupings, like India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA), Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Coopera- tion (BIMSTEC), as a more direct way of promoting South-South Cooperation as well as establishing a stronger political and economic relationship. This gradual but significant disengagement with the third world is driven by Indias great power perceptions. Its aid policies follow the intentions of the west in the creation of markets for Indian capital. The concept of â€Å"soft power† policies remains part of the neo-realist framework, where the interest of the state is primary, regardless of the impact on citizens. __________________ 4 CHENOY Kamal Mitra, CHENOY Anuradha M * From Economic and Political Weekly September 1, 2007. CHAPTER III GROWING OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICA As the ‘dark continent, Africa has typically been painted with broad-brush strokes, as a place of uncivilized people, as savage and superstitious, as tribalistic and nepostic. Africa is a vast and exotic continent of about 900 million people in 54 independent countries. It has a total area of over 30 million sq. kms, about three and a half times the size of the United States and 10 times the size of India. It is the second largest continent in the world after Asia. It stretches from the shores of the Mediterranean in the north to the Cape of Good Hope in the south. Africa is rich in mineral and natural resources with large parts of its terrain teeming with wild life and magnificent plant life. It possesses 99 percent of the worlds chrome resources, 85 percent of its platinum, 70 percent of its tantalite, 68 percent of its cobalt and 54 percent of its gold, among others. It has significant oil and gas reserves. Nigeria and Libya are two of the leading oil producing countries in the world. Africas enormous agricultural potential is vastly untapped. Africas vast mineral wealth and strategic significance have encouraged foreign powers to intervene in African affairs. African oil constitutes 8% of the worlds oil resources. Political Importance of Africa is further compounded by the fact that it comprises the 54 votes that African Union (AU) maintains in the General Assembly. With world markets in turmoil, an unexpected and overlooked continent may benefit from its very isolation. Opportunities The continent has witnessed a trend towards democratisation that is visible in multi-party elections across the continent and the emergence of a democratic South Africa. It is also visible in the launch of the New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD) through the joint efforts of South Africa and Senegal. This action plan promises to remove the tag of the Hopeless Continent. Yet all this has been accompanied by a steady drumbeat of optimism about the continent, and confidence in its prospects. Despite of the problems, the 48 countries of sub Saharan Africa (hereafter referred to as plain Africa) are, by several measures, enjoying a period of unparalleled economic success. And despite the turmoil in the worlds financial markets, international investors still think they can make money there. In 1990-94 annual GDP growth was a weak 0.9%; since then, growth has averaged closer to 5%. Before this autumns financial meltdown, the IMF was predicting GDP growth of 6.6% this year; now it is predicting only a slightly lower rate. Annual GDP growth per person was 1.1% in the late 1990s; from 2004 to 2006 it was around 4%. In 1990 47% of Africans lived in poverty; in 2004 41% did and, if present trends continue, only 37% will by 2015. Zimbabwe apart, most African countries have been bringing inflation down, even if the trend is now creeping up again, in line with the rest of the world. Many countries have been helped by better macro-economic management and big inflows of Western aid, investment and debt relief-as well as by more unquantifiable investments from Asia, particularly China, and the Middle East. The surplus petrodollars of the Gulf States have been flowing into East Africa. The IMF estimates that foreign investment and loans to Africa rose from $11 billion in 2000 to $53 billion in 2007. Much of this has stemmed from the commodities boom. Oil- producing countries such as Angola and Nigeria, and even war-torn Sudan, have supplied the soaring growth s, and much of the foreign investment has gone into extractive industries. Economic development patterns in Africa have become increasingly diverse over the last decade, with more and more success stories. Ghana, Africas first nation to win its freedom from Europe, recently celebrated its 50th anniversary of independence. This is both cause for reflection on the past half-century and a reminder of how young African nations are. In the past seven years we have seen the end of seven major conflicts: in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote dIvoire, North-South Sudan, Ethiopia-Eritrea, and Angola. We are on the verge of a peace deal in northern Uganda. Although conflicts are still ongoing in Darfur and Chad, and the peace is fragile in several other places, the trend in Africa is toward the resolution of conflict. More importantly, the capacity of African nations to deal with conflicts has risen dramatically. African peacekeepers are increasingly active not only in Africa but around the world. Most starkly, Africa is going through a very real economic resurgence. Economic growth is estimated at around 6.5 percent last year, the highest in memory, while inflation is in the single digits. High growth and low inflation are projected to continue this year despite a global economic slowdown. This success is not just in oil countries; about two dozen sub-Saharan African nations are enjoying real growth rates in excess of 5 percent. Only one nation Zimbabwe is really going backward quickly, a direct result of President Mugabes scorched earth policy of clinging to power at any cost. That sad nation is entering its ninth consecutive year of a shrinking economy, and inflation is now well over 100,000 percent. The striking thing about Africa today is really its massive economic potential[v]. After half a century of very low growth, combined with the colonial legacy which chopped up the continent into so many small countries, the economies of Africa are still tiny: Baltimores economy is about ten times the size of Ghanas, and more than twice the size of Nigerias. Only South Africa is larger, and not by much. The positive economic picture we now see in Africa is being driven by a host of factors, including a boom in commodity prices. But economic reforms inside Africa are also a big part. Macro-economic reforms undertaken over the past decade, with international assistance and encouragement, have brought down inflation and improved the investment climate. Countries are now turning to micro-reforms to make it easier to open, operate, and grow small businesses the true engine for turning poor countries into rich ones. We are also seeing growing foreign investment in Africa[vi]. This is obviously led by oil, gas, and mining, but there are exciting trends in other sectors, such as telecommunications, agribusiness, and business services. Countries such as Ghana are starting to build specialized back office services like India has done so successfully. We are also seeing more interest from private equity firms, hedge funds, and other non-traditional investors that bode well for Africas economic integration into global financial and business networks. Indicative of this interest, Africa was recently featured on the cover of Business Week for the first time ever. Another very encouraging trend is the returning of African professionals. Bankers who have gotten experience in New York and London are now going back and setting up their own investment firms and banks. We can see this clearly in the banking boom in places like Nigeria and Ghana. Africa is clearly on a positive trajectory in terms of conflict, democracy, and economic prosperity. But all of these are extremely fragile. 2007 was one of the best years in recent memory for the continent. __________________ 5 World Bank Report, â€Å"Can Africa Claim 21st Century†,2000. 6 Released on March 18, 2008 Source: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of African Affairs CHAPTER IV EXPLOITATION OF THE GROWING OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICA BY THE MAJOR GLOBAL POWERS POISED LIKE PANTHERS THEY STAND, JERKING LIKE LEOPARDS THEY[vii] POUNCE BRUTAL AS HELL THEY ACT, TACTICAL AS HARE THEY WITHDRAW NOT SEEN IN ACTION, WE ARE LEFT TO NURSE WOUNDS INFLICTED BY CLAWS UNSEEN WITH BUT CRIES FROM DISTANT LANDS OF HOW â€Å"THEY HAVE FINISHED THEMSELVES FOR THEY ARE UNCIVIL† LATER WE SEE†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE, PEACE NEGOTIATIONS, PEACE KEEPING OPERATIONS ICC INDICTMENTS, ARRESTS AND DETENTIONS, OF THE BEMBAS, TAYLORS, NOT OF OTHERS FOR TIMES BEFIT NOT WE HAVE SEEN RESETTLEMENT, NGOS STAFFED WITH SPIES, EXPLORERS SEARCHING FOR MAGICAL RICHES, OPPORTUNITIES OF ACCESS: GEO-MAPPING, MINERAL PROSPECTING, LAND EYEING IN WAYS AND BY MEANS BEYOND ORDINARY EYE. WE HAVE SEEN AND NOT SEEN, OUR DESTINY IN OUR HANDS OUR WEALTH BY , FOR OURSELVES,BLACKS AS KINSMEN, COMPATRIOTS, COMRADES AFRICANS SWUNG INTO ACTION AGAINST INFILTRATING EXPLOITAERS, SOWERS OF DISARRAY OUR SIGHT BLINDFOLDED WE LAMENT, AGAINST OUR PROGENITORS, CHIEFS THEMSELVES VICTIMS OF GLOBAL MISCHIEF KNOWERS OF TRUTH STRATEGICALLY PERPETRATE SABA- RWENGABO MAY 2007 The twin phenomena of a new 21st century global scramble for Africas strategic energy and mineral resources and the on-going global economic slump are admittedly taking a heavy toll on the continent s nascent democracy and security. This was the poignant conclusion of a high-level meeting of African experts and practitioners Convened by the Africa policy institute in Pretoria, South Africa in July 2009. The world economic slowdown, now ravaging African economies, comes on top of the global race for the continents resources crucial in the global political economy and security, especially mineral and energy resources. The new rush for Africa has increasingly drawn in cold war protagonists of Europe and Russia and more increasingly newcomers mainly China, and to a lesser extent, India, Brazil, South Africa, Korea and Malaysia. With the cost of food and fuel spiraling, commodity boom turning into bust, remittances from the African Diaspora falling, investments drying up and climate change taking its toll, questions remain about the implications of the new scramble for Africa and the both the swirling recession on the stability of the continents democracy and long-term security. The new scramble for Africa has unfolded against the backdrop of globalization in the post-Cold War era, which galvanized acute demand for African resources and the consequent integration of its economies into the global political economy. . With Africas relatively weak markets and unskilled labour pool playing a marginal role in the knowledge-driven global economy, the new race for Africa has targeted strategic mineral and energy resources such as oil and gas which have immense strategic importance in the global political economy and security calculations of major powers. But despite integration of African natural resources in the global economy, the African labour has become even more marginalised, with studies indicating that the â€Å"new scramble appears to be diminishing rather than increasing the prospects for employment of African labour and undermining the foundation of African livelihoods† . The trend by neo-liberal globalization to divorce the African from his resou rces is spawning new dynamics of intensified internal conflicts and creating a new fault line of conflict between Africa and the global order[viii]. Secondly, the demise of apartheid in 1994 marked the complete liberation of the continent with South Africa becoming a key leader in what has been enchanted as ‘African renaissance. However, as a result of rampant poor governance, corruption and internal wars from Somalia to Darfur (Sudan) and Kenya to Zimbabwe, African leaders failed to use the continents immense natural resources to ensure effective and pro-poor development. As such, while the newly liberated South African powerelite spearheaded the creation of a complex governance and security architecture within the aegis of the African Union to stabilize the continent, civil wars, poor governance corruption and unemployment intensified in the context of the new scramble for continents resources In turn, this has reinforced political instability and democratic crisis. The new scramble for Africa s natural resources, especially oil, is therefore, supported and sustained by the predatory African elites who are the major benef iciaries, while majority of the poor Africans at the periphery of the economy continue to be more marginalised from the economic benefits of the new scramble. Thirdly, the emergence of new economic powerhouses in the former ‘south including India, Brazil and, more saliently, China increased global competition for energy and refocused world attention on Africa as a new frontier in the search for alternative source of fossil fuels and land for growing bio-fuel and food crops to supply domestic and global markets, thus triggering the new scramble for Africa. The entry of China and other new players into the African scene increased competition with western powers for oil and mineral resources, but the jury is still out regarding the impact of the interests and strategies of these newcomers on Africas fledgling democracy and overall security. But Chinas policy of â€Å" not mixing business with politics† or the see- no-evil, hear-no-evil† policy on governance has collided with the West s emphasis on governance and human rights as a precondition for engagement with Africa, leading to non-cooperation between the two and intensifying the race for spheres of influence on the continent[ix]. Finally, in the last two years the continent has experienced the full weight of the raging global financial and economic recession which has shattered its economic growth and development prospects, threatened its economies and fostered a climate of political instability. The current global melt-down has intensified Africas serious socio-economic and political challenges relating to endemic poverty, unemployment, rising inequality, debt over-hang and the knock-on effects of climate change. But the effect of the global recession on the scramble for Africa and their implications on Africas democratic crisis are not patently clear. The current scramble for Africa is markedly significant in two ways. First, it is a scramble Challenges and Opportunities for India Challenges and Opportunities for India INTRODUCTION Background There have been profound scientific, strategic, technological, economic, political and diplomatic changes in the twentieth century and the early part of the twenty-first century which have altered the strategic orientation of nations the world over. There has been a sea change in the way nations perceive themselves and each other in the international system. The world is fast moving towards a knowledge based economy. China has emerged as a global economic power house, and closer Indo- US ties balance the power in Asia. Also a tie up between India America could contribute to a security paradigm for the global environment especially Asia. However Americas view on new world order is questionable. They view that with the fall of erstwhile USSR in the 1980s the world turned unipolar with the USA merging as the sole super power. The free will of executing the US agenda was evident in the 1990s like Invasion of Iraq. Once Russia resurrected under Vladimir Putin the US Europe nexus or the NATO and its expansion has threatened the existence of the most successful security organization like the United Nations. Later the world saw the US presence right at the doorsteps of Russia i.e. in Poland and the fight for the Arctic. Unnoticed initially , but noticed later by all, there came the third world countries like India, Brazil, South Africa, China and a few developed ones like Australia, New Zealand which formed a group which cannot be wished away. The IBSA (India- Brazil- South Africa forum) RIC (Russia India- China forum), Shanghai Cooperation etc cannot be wished away in todays world. So what is the new world order? The power houses change so rapidly, moreover the so called power houses like Europe and USA are today on the economic downturn. The subprime crisis of the USA and the unemployment situation is considered to be the worst since 1930s. So are these perceived power houses today in a shape to project their power outside their national boundaries? Does the new world order belong to the new power houses like India and China who have proved to be fairly insulated from these economic crises? But the ever increasing conflicts and the under development of nations especially those like in African continent, which cannot be ignored by the world community, is relevant. To add on, these are the Pandoras Box of richness that is gold, diamonds, minerals and the very green oil. However, it is prudent that these countries need assistance economically and materially and it is those countries which provide assistance who will control the resources. The US, European nations and China have been proactive in their approach and have been exploiting the resources of the African nations for decades. India though sharing a historical and traditional relationship with the African continent has failed to capitalize this relationship to further its economic and political goals. Africa other than being a repository of natural resources is also a conglomerate of fifty two nations with a large standing in all political organizations including United Nations. Statement of The Problem Utilizing the emerging situation in the world, with constant change of concentration of powers, it is imperative that India be proactive to have its share of the pie, specially being supported by the booming economy and its recognition worldwide. Hence this dissertation shall seek to analyse the emerging new world order, the growing opportunities for India in Africa and the changes required in its foreign and economic policies to exploit these opportunities. Justification for the Study In the fast changing world order, the opportunities presented to any developing country are enormous. Whether it is to restructure its own economy and bring up the standard of living of its population, or to enhance its clout in the global environment. Therefore it is imperative to analyze the changes required in Indias foreign and economic policy especially with respect to the African continent. The requirement of resources of a fast developing India is ever increasing and the demand is expected to outpace the supply in the near future. Africa is the repository of mineral resources that is already recognized by the world and the major players of the world have already taken a lead in exploiting the opportunities provided by the various African countries. With the emergence of India as a global player , it is pertinent that India takes corrective measures to ensure that the traditional and historical relations with the African nations is given further impetus to further the nations i nterest at an urgent basis. Scope In the backdrop of above, the study on Emerging new world order and challenges and opportunities for India will essentially attempt at providing an integrated framework of national policy towards Africa. The study will specifically focus on the following issues:- (a) Emerging World Order with respect to Africa (b) Indias role in the emerging new world order. (c) Growing opportunities in Africa. (d) Exploitation of the growing opportunities in Africa by the major global powers. (e) Indias involvement with Africa in the present context. (f) Scope for Indias involvement with Africa with respect to defense, economy, politics and the foreign policy. (g) Changes required in Indias foreign and economic policy. Method of Data Collection The primary source of data collection has been through books, periodicals and newspaper, Articles, however an attempt was made to tap some material on the internet and relevant issues have been included in the text. A bibliography of sources has been appended at the end of the dissertation. CHAPTER I EMERGING WORLD ORDER WITH RESPECT TO AFRCIA It has been clear for the past two decades that a global power shift from the â€Å"Euro-Atlantic â€Å" West to an Asia centered East has been in progress. This has far reaching implications not only for the nature of the international order as it emerges in the coming decades and great power relations, but also for the security environment. The shift has profound implications for the emerging world order due to the following reasons:- (a) Sustained high growth of economic and military power of China leading to perceptions and concerns about the â€Å"Rise of China†. (b) Robust economic growth of India under a resilient democratic political system. (c) Economic recovery of Japan after the stasis of late 1980s and 1990s. (d) Economic and political recovery of Russia and its renewed urge to play a global role along with its increasingly closer ties with China. (e) Rising prices of oil along with the prospects of beginning of its depletion in the next quarter century affecting energy security of developing as well as the developed world. (f) Emergence of a global financial crisis bringing to fore the limitations of unregulated market structure, warranting greater intervention by the state in regulating the financial system. In reality a diffused multipolar international order has been evolving into a polycentric system with six major players the USA, China, Japan, India, the EU, Russia impacting the future strategic environment[i]. At the same time economic development patterns in, Africa have become increasingly diverse over the last decade, with more and more success stories; Since the mid-1990s, 19 Sub-Saharan countries have had annual GDP growth of 4.5 percent or higher. The rise in the world price of oil is certainly a major factor at play for some of these countries. One-third of the worlds resource-dependent economies are in Africa. Yet even excluding the oil-rich countries, the fastest growing group of African countries (total 15 countries) has had an average growth rate of at least 4.5 percent. These countries host 34 percent of the regions people. By contrast, the 13 slowest-growing economies in Africa have seen less than 3 percent growth on average, with some having near zero or negative growth[ii]. These countries, many either engaged in conflict or having recently emerged from conflict, account for 20 percent of the regions people. The countries in Africa experiencing strong growth outside the oil- producing nations have been buoyed, in part, by global price increases in other primary export commodities. With the exception of raw materials, whose prices have been relatively stagnant, other commodities, including metals and non-oil minerals, have experienced noticeable increases in their price levels. This worldwide rise of com modity prices has been engendered in large part by the rapid growth of Asian developing countries, especially China and India. They contributed close to 40 percent of global import growth for precious stones, 30 percent for crude oil, and 20 percent for metallic ores. Their demand for these commodities is likely to grow, or at least not change from current levels, in the foreseeable future. Still, a number of countries in Africa are diversifying their exports, no longer relying solely on the export of a few raw commodities. Exports are increasingly composed of light manufactured goods, processed foods, horticulture, and services such as tourism. Some countries—such as Nigeria and South Africa—have been increasing their shares of exports in technology-based products. In fact, they are moving up the technology ladder and exporting low- to medium-technology products in sectors where Asian countries are increasingly putting less emphasis The ever increasing significance of the African continent is highlighted by the following turn of events. In 2008, several high-level meetings were organized with Africas concerns high on the agenda. In April 2008, the India-Africa Forum Summit was held in New Delhi with 14 Heads of State and Government and representatives of regional bodies. A comprehensive Africa-India Framework for Cooperation was established, covering economic cooperation in such areas as agricultural development, political cooperation, science and technology, social development, tourism, infrastructure, energy and environment, and media and communication. A joint plan of action and implementation mechanism is to be developed within a year. One of the stated aims of the framework is to reinforce South-South cooperation to enable Africa and India to have greater leverage in international forums. In May 2008, the fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD-IV) took place in Yokohama, with representatives from 51 African countries, including 40 Heads of State and Government as well representatives of African organizations and from many Asian countries. Japan pledged to double its official development assistance (ODA) over the next five years, focusing on infrastructure and agricultural development. The first Turkey-Africa Cooperation Summit was held in Istanbul in August 2008 with the participation of representatives of 50 African countries, among them several Heads of State and Government. Turkeys trade and investment relations with Africa have increased dramatically over the past few years and Africa is a major market for Turkish contractors. Turkey has also formalized relations with AU and with AfDB. In October 2008, a ministerial conference on economic cooperation between South Korea and Africa was held to discuss major economic development issues and share South Koreas economic development experiences with African partners. Other middle-income countries such as Brazil are also intensifying their economic and diplomatic ties with Africa. These developments are taking place against the recent backdrop of high growth in Africa, increasing demand for commodities, especially in emerging economies, and the search for low-cost locations for investments in simple manufacturing. They have helped halt the trend of Africas declining share of world trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) flows[iii]. __________________ Security Environment in 2025:Indias Interests and Strategies Air Commodore Jasjit Singh,AVSM,Vrc,VM, (Retd) USI JOURNAL JANUARY- MARCH 07 2 Africas silk road Harry.G.braodman. 3 United Nations Economic Commission Report on Africa, 2009 CHAPTER II INDIAS ROLE IN EMERGING WORLD ORDER INDIA RISING The centre of gravity of the emerging international order and strategic affairs is increasingly shifting to the Asian landmass (and contiguous island territories). The 21st century is likely to be Asia-centred due to some of the reasons outlined below: (a) Asian landmass is where the most far-reaching social, economic and political changes are taking place. How these countries manage change will largely influence the course of world events in the coming decades. (b) The region still has extensive un-resolved disputes extending from issues of sovereignty to ideological issues which are often constructed on religious extremism. (c) By 2015, seven out of ten largest economies would be Asian countries (including three out of the four top being Asian, the other country being the United States with its deep and extensive interests in Asia). (d) Seven out of nine nuclear weapon states are located in Asia (including the United States which has strategically shifted forward into the Asian contiguous oceans, has deployed nuclear weapons in Asia, and will remain an â€Å"Asian† power). (e) Worlds energy â€Å"demand heartland† composed of Japan, Koreas, China and India is in Asia. And so is the energy â€Å"resource periphery† extending from Siberia, Central Asia, Persian Gulf, North Indian Ocean, South China Sea, and East China Sea. Future needs and availability of energy resource base are likely to further emphasise the Asia-centred world order while enhancing the role of major centres of power. India as the worlds largest democracy is now on the move in economic and technological terms. It has successfully progressed in what can only be described as the human historys most ambitious experiment of transforming a traditional society into a modern one, of transforming an agrarian-based economy into a comprehensive industry-service sector- agricultural economy, rapidly increase social mobility transforming the country into a class-less society, and so on, all through processes of consultative politics. The World Bank estimates that India will possess the fourth largest economy in the world by 2020. Since independence India has made rapid strides and now has the worlds second largest pool of highly competent scientific and technological expertise while its software strength is likely to play a major role in the coming years. Indias economic growth, not as dramatic as that of China or the East Asia â€Å"Tigers† has nevertheless shown increasing rate of growth in every de cade since the late 1960s. Indias geostrategists have a changed perception vis-à  -vis the third world and other NAM countries, which the country was historically aligned to[iv]. India has used both â€Å"soft power† and â€Å"hard power† options to increase its influence on third countries. This perception is based on the following assessments: (a) India discontinued its government to government development cooperation with all but six bilateral donors (DFID, EC, Germany, Japan, USAID, and Russian Federation). Instead donors could assist NGOs directly. (b) India has gradually changed from a recipient of aid and assistance to a giver of aid. Minister of state for external affairs Rao Inderjit Singh stated in April 2005: â€Å"Our technical and economic cooperation programme ITEC [to 156 states] is almost four decades old. a rough monetary value to the wide range of training and other facilities that we have shared with our friends from Africa, I am sure he would estimate it at well above a billion dollars†. [32] (c) India Development Initiative (IDI) dedicates a $1.5 billion soft credit fund over five years through the Exim Bank for supporting development projects mainly in Africa. (d) India has leased an air base in Ayni in Tajikistan which it argues is for non- military purposes, but others see this is as part of Indias move towards increasing its strategic depth in central Asia. (e) India has assisted Afghanistan in projects that range from roads to hospi- tal building as a way of maintaining its influence in the region. It has extended more than $100 million in credit to the outlawed Myanmar regime, including for upgrading their railway. India has thus emerged as Myanmars second largest market, absorbing 25 per cent of the countrys exports. (f) India maintains its influence in several south Asian states like Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, as is well known. In this context India has gradually dis- engaged from the large southern groups that it once partnered and has played a key role in forming new groups like the G-4, G-15, G-20 and G-33. India has become part of many regional groupings, like India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA), Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Coopera- tion (BIMSTEC), as a more direct way of promoting South-South Cooperation as well as establishing a stronger political and economic relationship. This gradual but significant disengagement with the third world is driven by Indias great power perceptions. Its aid policies follow the intentions of the west in the creation of markets for Indian capital. The concept of â€Å"soft power† policies remains part of the neo-realist framework, where the interest of the state is primary, regardless of the impact on citizens. __________________ 4 CHENOY Kamal Mitra, CHENOY Anuradha M * From Economic and Political Weekly September 1, 2007. CHAPTER III GROWING OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICA As the ‘dark continent, Africa has typically been painted with broad-brush strokes, as a place of uncivilized people, as savage and superstitious, as tribalistic and nepostic. Africa is a vast and exotic continent of about 900 million people in 54 independent countries. It has a total area of over 30 million sq. kms, about three and a half times the size of the United States and 10 times the size of India. It is the second largest continent in the world after Asia. It stretches from the shores of the Mediterranean in the north to the Cape of Good Hope in the south. Africa is rich in mineral and natural resources with large parts of its terrain teeming with wild life and magnificent plant life. It possesses 99 percent of the worlds chrome resources, 85 percent of its platinum, 70 percent of its tantalite, 68 percent of its cobalt and 54 percent of its gold, among others. It has significant oil and gas reserves. Nigeria and Libya are two of the leading oil producing countries in the world. Africas enormous agricultural potential is vastly untapped. Africas vast mineral wealth and strategic significance have encouraged foreign powers to intervene in African affairs. African oil constitutes 8% of the worlds oil resources. Political Importance of Africa is further compounded by the fact that it comprises the 54 votes that African Union (AU) maintains in the General Assembly. With world markets in turmoil, an unexpected and overlooked continent may benefit from its very isolation. Opportunities The continent has witnessed a trend towards democratisation that is visible in multi-party elections across the continent and the emergence of a democratic South Africa. It is also visible in the launch of the New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD) through the joint efforts of South Africa and Senegal. This action plan promises to remove the tag of the Hopeless Continent. Yet all this has been accompanied by a steady drumbeat of optimism about the continent, and confidence in its prospects. Despite of the problems, the 48 countries of sub Saharan Africa (hereafter referred to as plain Africa) are, by several measures, enjoying a period of unparalleled economic success. And despite the turmoil in the worlds financial markets, international investors still think they can make money there. In 1990-94 annual GDP growth was a weak 0.9%; since then, growth has averaged closer to 5%. Before this autumns financial meltdown, the IMF was predicting GDP growth of 6.6% this year; now it is predicting only a slightly lower rate. Annual GDP growth per person was 1.1% in the late 1990s; from 2004 to 2006 it was around 4%. In 1990 47% of Africans lived in poverty; in 2004 41% did and, if present trends continue, only 37% will by 2015. Zimbabwe apart, most African countries have been bringing inflation down, even if the trend is now creeping up again, in line with the rest of the world. Many countries have been helped by better macro-economic management and big inflows of Western aid, investment and debt relief-as well as by more unquantifiable investments from Asia, particularly China, and the Middle East. The surplus petrodollars of the Gulf States have been flowing into East Africa. The IMF estimates that foreign investment and loans to Africa rose from $11 billion in 2000 to $53 billion in 2007. Much of this has stemmed from the commodities boom. Oil- producing countries such as Angola and Nigeria, and even war-torn Sudan, have supplied the soaring growth s, and much of the foreign investment has gone into extractive industries. Economic development patterns in Africa have become increasingly diverse over the last decade, with more and more success stories. Ghana, Africas first nation to win its freedom from Europe, recently celebrated its 50th anniversary of independence. This is both cause for reflection on the past half-century and a reminder of how young African nations are. In the past seven years we have seen the end of seven major conflicts: in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote dIvoire, North-South Sudan, Ethiopia-Eritrea, and Angola. We are on the verge of a peace deal in northern Uganda. Although conflicts are still ongoing in Darfur and Chad, and the peace is fragile in several other places, the trend in Africa is toward the resolution of conflict. More importantly, the capacity of African nations to deal with conflicts has risen dramatically. African peacekeepers are increasingly active not only in Africa but around the world. Most starkly, Africa is going through a very real economic resurgence. Economic growth is estimated at around 6.5 percent last year, the highest in memory, while inflation is in the single digits. High growth and low inflation are projected to continue this year despite a global economic slowdown. This success is not just in oil countries; about two dozen sub-Saharan African nations are enjoying real growth rates in excess of 5 percent. Only one nation Zimbabwe is really going backward quickly, a direct result of President Mugabes scorched earth policy of clinging to power at any cost. That sad nation is entering its ninth consecutive year of a shrinking economy, and inflation is now well over 100,000 percent. The striking thing about Africa today is really its massive economic potential[v]. After half a century of very low growth, combined with the colonial legacy which chopped up the continent into so many small countries, the economies of Africa are still tiny: Baltimores economy is about ten times the size of Ghanas, and more than twice the size of Nigerias. Only South Africa is larger, and not by much. The positive economic picture we now see in Africa is being driven by a host of factors, including a boom in commodity prices. But economic reforms inside Africa are also a big part. Macro-economic reforms undertaken over the past decade, with international assistance and encouragement, have brought down inflation and improved the investment climate. Countries are now turning to micro-reforms to make it easier to open, operate, and grow small businesses the true engine for turning poor countries into rich ones. We are also seeing growing foreign investment in Africa[vi]. This is obviously led by oil, gas, and mining, but there are exciting trends in other sectors, such as telecommunications, agribusiness, and business services. Countries such as Ghana are starting to build specialized back office services like India has done so successfully. We are also seeing more interest from private equity firms, hedge funds, and other non-traditional investors that bode well for Africas economic integration into global financial and business networks. Indicative of this interest, Africa was recently featured on the cover of Business Week for the first time ever. Another very encouraging trend is the returning of African professionals. Bankers who have gotten experience in New York and London are now going back and setting up their own investment firms and banks. We can see this clearly in the banking boom in places like Nigeria and Ghana. Africa is clearly on a positive trajectory in terms of conflict, democracy, and economic prosperity. But all of these are extremely fragile. 2007 was one of the best years in recent memory for the continent. __________________ 5 World Bank Report, â€Å"Can Africa Claim 21st Century†,2000. 6 Released on March 18, 2008 Source: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of African Affairs CHAPTER IV EXPLOITATION OF THE GROWING OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICA BY THE MAJOR GLOBAL POWERS POISED LIKE PANTHERS THEY STAND, JERKING LIKE LEOPARDS THEY[vii] POUNCE BRUTAL AS HELL THEY ACT, TACTICAL AS HARE THEY WITHDRAW NOT SEEN IN ACTION, WE ARE LEFT TO NURSE WOUNDS INFLICTED BY CLAWS UNSEEN WITH BUT CRIES FROM DISTANT LANDS OF HOW â€Å"THEY HAVE FINISHED THEMSELVES FOR THEY ARE UNCIVIL† LATER WE SEE†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE, PEACE NEGOTIATIONS, PEACE KEEPING OPERATIONS ICC INDICTMENTS, ARRESTS AND DETENTIONS, OF THE BEMBAS, TAYLORS, NOT OF OTHERS FOR TIMES BEFIT NOT WE HAVE SEEN RESETTLEMENT, NGOS STAFFED WITH SPIES, EXPLORERS SEARCHING FOR MAGICAL RICHES, OPPORTUNITIES OF ACCESS: GEO-MAPPING, MINERAL PROSPECTING, LAND EYEING IN WAYS AND BY MEANS BEYOND ORDINARY EYE. WE HAVE SEEN AND NOT SEEN, OUR DESTINY IN OUR HANDS OUR WEALTH BY , FOR OURSELVES,BLACKS AS KINSMEN, COMPATRIOTS, COMRADES AFRICANS SWUNG INTO ACTION AGAINST INFILTRATING EXPLOITAERS, SOWERS OF DISARRAY OUR SIGHT BLINDFOLDED WE LAMENT, AGAINST OUR PROGENITORS, CHIEFS THEMSELVES VICTIMS OF GLOBAL MISCHIEF KNOWERS OF TRUTH STRATEGICALLY PERPETRATE SABA- RWENGABO MAY 2007 The twin phenomena of a new 21st century global scramble for Africas strategic energy and mineral resources and the on-going global economic slump are admittedly taking a heavy toll on the continent s nascent democracy and security. This was the poignant conclusion of a high-level meeting of African experts and practitioners Convened by the Africa policy institute in Pretoria, South Africa in July 2009. The world economic slowdown, now ravaging African economies, comes on top of the global race for the continents resources crucial in the global political economy and security, especially mineral and energy resources. The new rush for Africa has increasingly drawn in cold war protagonists of Europe and Russia and more increasingly newcomers mainly China, and to a lesser extent, India, Brazil, South Africa, Korea and Malaysia. With the cost of food and fuel spiraling, commodity boom turning into bust, remittances from the African Diaspora falling, investments drying up and climate change taking its toll, questions remain about the implications of the new scramble for Africa and the both the swirling recession on the stability of the continents democracy and long-term security. The new scramble for Africa has unfolded against the backdrop of globalization in the post-Cold War era, which galvanized acute demand for African resources and the consequent integration of its economies into the global political economy. . With Africas relatively weak markets and unskilled labour pool playing a marginal role in the knowledge-driven global economy, the new race for Africa has targeted strategic mineral and energy resources such as oil and gas which have immense strategic importance in the global political economy and security calculations of major powers. But despite integration of African natural resources in the global economy, the African labour has become even more marginalised, with studies indicating that the â€Å"new scramble appears to be diminishing rather than increasing the prospects for employment of African labour and undermining the foundation of African livelihoods† . The trend by neo-liberal globalization to divorce the African from his resou rces is spawning new dynamics of intensified internal conflicts and creating a new fault line of conflict between Africa and the global order[viii]. Secondly, the demise of apartheid in 1994 marked the complete liberation of the continent with South Africa becoming a key leader in what has been enchanted as ‘African renaissance. However, as a result of rampant poor governance, corruption and internal wars from Somalia to Darfur (Sudan) and Kenya to Zimbabwe, African leaders failed to use the continents immense natural resources to ensure effective and pro-poor development. As such, while the newly liberated South African powerelite spearheaded the creation of a complex governance and security architecture within the aegis of the African Union to stabilize the continent, civil wars, poor governance corruption and unemployment intensified in the context of the new scramble for continents resources In turn, this has reinforced political instability and democratic crisis. The new scramble for Africa s natural resources, especially oil, is therefore, supported and sustained by the predatory African elites who are the major benef iciaries, while majority of the poor Africans at the periphery of the economy continue to be more marginalised from the economic benefits of the new scramble. Thirdly, the emergence of new economic powerhouses in the former ‘south including India, Brazil and, more saliently, China increased global competition for energy and refocused world attention on Africa as a new frontier in the search for alternative source of fossil fuels and land for growing bio-fuel and food crops to supply domestic and global markets, thus triggering the new scramble for Africa. The entry of China and other new players into the African scene increased competition with western powers for oil and mineral resources, but the jury is still out regarding the impact of the interests and strategies of these newcomers on Africas fledgling democracy and overall security. But Chinas policy of â€Å" not mixing business with politics† or the see- no-evil, hear-no-evil† policy on governance has collided with the West s emphasis on governance and human rights as a precondition for engagement with Africa, leading to non-cooperation between the two and intensifying the race for spheres of influence on the continent[ix]. Finally, in the last two years the continent has experienced the full weight of the raging global financial and economic recession which has shattered its economic growth and development prospects, threatened its economies and fostered a climate of political instability. The current global melt-down has intensified Africas serious socio-economic and political challenges relating to endemic poverty, unemployment, rising inequality, debt over-hang and the knock-on effects of climate change. But the effect of the global recession on the scramble for Africa and their implications on Africas democratic crisis are not patently clear. The current scramble for Africa is markedly significant in two ways. First, it is a scramble