Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Baja Mining Boom of The 1870s
Baja Mining Boom of The 1870s Preface The Baja mining boom of the 1870ââ¬â¢s is a subject that has not been extensively explored. Little has been written on this topic making literature work on the event limited consequently the event has appeared as if it never had any importance. It is for this reason that the subject was chosen for this paper. The writing of this paper relied on the limited available resources to discuss the history of the Baja mining boom as well as its impacts.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Baja Mining Boom of The 1870ââ¬â¢s specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Introduction Mining refers to the extraction of minerals from under the earthââ¬â¢s surface. Minerals such as gold, copper diamond among others are some of the most popular mined elements. In the process of mining, people explore the underground in search for these elements in a process that involves digging deep into the underground. This paper seeks to discuss the Baja mining boom that took place in the second half of the nineteenth century. The paper will look into its causes as well the effects that it had on peopleââ¬â¢s lives. Baja California mining boom of the 1870ââ¬â¢s The history of mining in Baja stems from the wars that took place in Mexico in the middle of the nineteenth century. During this war, a gold rush phenomenon took place exposing foreigners to a possibility of precious minerals in the region. The local population were previously aware of the existing minerals but were rather not informed of the value that could be attributed to such minerals. The locals thus mined and used such minerals as gold in the same manner as they handled other minerals like quartz whose value is lowly considered. The war, through gold rush, then exposed the existence of the valued minerals to foreign states that were then attracted to the region for the exploration of the minerals. It is the arrival of foreign miners from count ries such as the United States among others that enlightened the local residents of the importance and economic value of such minerals as gold which were lying in their land unexploited. The initial mining exercise attracted miners from regions that included the United States among other countries. The relation between the mining and the Mexican war therefore establishes the history of the mining to have originated from about the middle of the nineteenth century. The culmination of the Mexican war in the year 1848 was almost immediately followed by the explorations. Foreign miners flooded the then discovered Baja mines and eventually led to the exhaustion of the mineral resources in these mines. Foreign miners then left the region as they had no more business in an already resource depleted land (Taylor 1).Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Discoveries into new mines we re later made and intense mining resumed in the southern regions of Baja. The mining and trade in the minerals led to the establishment of an economic centre along a route path that resulted from the mining and trade of minerals. The activities at the discovered mines greatly increased to an extent that military forces had to be deployed to the mining regions to protect the resources and the miners as well as control illegal trade that would characterize smuggling of the mined minerals to other countriesââ¬â¢ black markets. The period of the years of 1870s and 1980s saw a tremendous increase in mining activities in the region that led to convergence of a population and establishment of a town in the region. The later discovery after the initial depletion of gold mines developed to a mining boom that was experienced in the years of 1870s and 1880s in the regions of Baja (Taylor 1). Causes of the Baja mining boom The development and later explosion into boom of mining activities in Baja was catalyzed by a number of factors. With the mining activity being traced to the earlier war of the mid nineteenth century, the particular war can be credited to the establishment, development and later explosion of the mining activity. It was during this war that the foreign community was exposed to the existence of gold resources in the region. Advances were then made as foreigners flooded the region to explore and mine the resources. This inflow of foreign miners into Baja had in itself a number of implications to the mining process in the region (Michael, William and Susan 1). The immigration brought in people who were experts in mining mineral resources and had international expertise on the area of mining. With vast experience from their countries and technical skills and knowledge in mining, the mining process in Baja was bound to positively respond to the sufficient and efficient labor supply that the region experienced. The increased number of miners in the region a lso reflected an increased quantity of minerals that could be obtained from the regionââ¬â¢s mining. The inflow of foreign miners that increased the number of miners as well as improved technologies used in mining contributed to the increased output realized from Baja mines which later resulted in the regionââ¬â¢s mining boom (Taylor 1).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Baja Mining Boom of The 1870ââ¬â¢s specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Even though Baja hosted a number of foreigners long before the nineteenth century, mining of gold into a considerable boom was not experienced until in the late years of the century. Europeans were for example in the region by the early years of the sixteenth century but they never explored the mining possibilities in Baja. One of the major factors into the development of mining in Baja which later culminated into a boom was the discovery of the minerals. The conside red boom was that of gold and other minerals in the region. The mining must have started as a small scale activity as the market and even the value of the minerals were not yet identified by the natives of the land who never took financial considerations over the minerals. The discovery of the minerals can be understood in a number of ways. First is the actual discovery of the existence of the minerals in Baja. This was however done by the natives long before the war that took place just before the middle of the nineteenth century. The native discovered and mined the resources though they did not attach much of economic value to the minerals. This fostered the conservation of the resources as there were no forces to drive the exploitation of the resources to depletion. The next element of the discovery of the minerals was the exposure of the international community to the vast mineral deposits that were in Baja (Baldwin 1). Following the war that took place in the region in the year 1848, foreign communities got to know of the existence of gold reserves in the region. This discovery by foreigners who also had knowledge of the economic value that minerals such as gold are attached to, fuelled the movement of people from other states and countries into the region of Baja in order to extract gold and earn money from the process. This further led to the discovery of the economic value of gold by the natives who had been illiterate concerning the matter. The knowledge of the existence of gold and other minerals together with economic value of gold and desire for money among the natives then drove them into the search for gold in the mines. Economic attachment being an incentive, miners concentrated in the benefits of their mass productivity yielding an outstanding gold mining in the region of Baja in the forth quarter of the nineteenth century resulting in the boom. Another factor that led to the mining boom in Baja in the late nineteenth century was the existence of foreign companies in the region by that time. These companies had established developments in the region, a fact that had attracted a considerable population into the region. This population, coupled with the influx of foreign miners into the area provided vast labor that was required for the full exploitation of the resources in the mines. The series of discoveries of different information that pertained to the minerals as well as the converged population of natives and foreigners in Baja were therefore significant causes of the boom in mining that was experienced in the region in the nineteenth century (Baldwin 1).Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Economic impacts of the boom The establishment and development of mining in Baja was in itself an economic activity. It was also coupled with a large number of other activities that had economic value. The establishment of mines in regions of Baja resulted in polled populations that led to formation of towns around the mines. These populations were majorly people who sort work at the mines in the search for gold and other minerals. The development of mining in the region therefore created employment opportunities for people and its further boom led to increased employment opportunities or even increased incomes of miners and other stake holders in the mining industry in the region. The mine together with its boom thus had the impact of economically benefiting the immediate population of Baja through direct employment. The boom which seemingly popularized mining in the region also led to a wide spread of mining activities in the region of Baja. It is reported that ââ¬Å"by the end o f the nineteenth century, gold was mined from several placesâ⬠(Minnich and Vizcaino 109) in the region of Baja. This means that the boom in mining that was experienced in Baja in the years of 1870s stimulated further exploration of mining opportunities in the region. As a result, the Baja boom is seen to have initiated further economic activities through further explorations into mining opportunities. With these expanded mining sites in terms of numbers of mines, the boom can be considered to have facilitated economic activities in the regions Baja. This also translated to increased employment opportunities and established increased incomes for miners (Minnich and Vizcaino 109). The expansion of mining that followed the boost also meant the expansion of complementary activities to mining. Processes associated with mining such as ââ¬Å"smelting, running stamps, pumps and ore crushersâ⬠(Taylor 1) were also to be on the increase. All these processes were energy dependent a nd used wood as a source of that energy. The implication is that the demand for wood to be used as a source of fuel increased in Baja. There was therefore another induced economic activity that was then fuelled by the boost in mining. There were also therefore associated increased employment opportunities as more suppliers and harvesters were needed to meet the increased demand for wood by the mining industry (Taylor 1). There is a general trend that is always realized in the mining industry when it comes to the output level that can be obtained from a given area or territory. It also follows from principles of economics that an increase in supply of a commodity will have economic impacts to other elements that surround the subject commodity. The mining boom that was realized in Baja meant that the output level of minerals that were extracted from the region realized a significant increase in quantity. This increase in the level of production of minerals such as gold and copper amon g others had direct impacts on the entities or individuals that owned or controlled the mines, the people who worked in the mines as well as the entire region in which the mining boom was realized. Though the timing of the minerals might be different, the economic principles remain the same as pertains to the effects that such booms pose to the environment. Though mining booms are characterized by a number of negative side effects such as displacements, it also caries with itself a number of benefits to those who are directly involved in the mining activities. One of the positive effects of a mining boom is the increased amount of labor that is absorbed into the mines in order to extract the minerals. Increased discovery of more mines in Baja opened ways for more people to be employed in the new mines that were realized as well as absorbing more people in mines that proved to be richer in the minerals. Consequently, more employment opportunities were created for people in the event of increased capacity of mines. The increased number of employment opportunities coupled with increased income for miners then had an impact on the general economic status and living standard of the people who worked in the mines as well as their immediate dependants. The boom in the Baja region also had an impact on the territorial management of affairs as well as the regionââ¬â¢s income. After the onset of the boom for example, military personnel were sent into the mining regions in order to protect the territoryââ¬â¢s mining generated income from smuggling of the minerals into the neighboring countries. The governmentââ¬â¢s move to send its forces for the protection of the mining regions was an indicator of the governmentââ¬â¢s vested interest in the mineral resources that were being extracted from its territory (Taylor 1). The governmentââ¬â¢s interest in an economic activity is derived from the activityââ¬â¢s general impact on the territoryââ¬â¢s overall po pulation. A boost in any economic activity such as the Baja mining always have general effects like increased income for people in general terms as a result of increased productivity levels. This is normally transmitted into increased level of expenditure. The general economy thus experiences a boost in terms of cash flow in the economy as well as the per capita income and expenditure (Rolfe et al. 142). Economic boosts were also derived from the revenues that government obtained from income earners in the mining industry. Increased income level for workers in the Baja mines implied that the government was entitled to increased taxes from these people, assuming the pay as you earn system of taxation model. The increased payments that were made by mining companies to workers, contractors or agencies in the mining sector were reflected in the government tax department (Rolfe et al. 142). As a result of the boom, the mining companies experienced increased output of minerals which was s imilarly reflected on the companiesââ¬â¢ revenues. These increased revenues were then consequently reflected in the taxes that were collected by the government. The mining boom in Baja in the late nineteenth century was thus characterized with benefits that were experienced by individuals who engaged in the mining as well as the entire community of Baja (Rolfe et al. 143). Environmental impacts of the mining boom The establishment and expansion of mining in Baja that eventually culminated into the boom also had environmental effects on the region. The use of wood in the processes of mining and processing of the mined minerals was, for example, reflected on the regionââ¬â¢s environment. The usage exerted more pressure on trees which were cut in order to provide wood for the mining processes. The rate of degradation of the environment must have thus increased with the increase in the level of mining in the region. This increased cutting of trees was therefore in the first place harmful to the environment. This practice of cutting of trees especially in a relatively large scale also has secondary effects apart from the direct destruction of trees. One of the secondary impacts of the cutting of trees is the disturbance that is caused to inhabitants of the forest based environments. Wild animals such as lions, giraffes, monkeys among others depend on the vegetation first as their source of shelter then as their source of food. Destruction of such vegetation in the name of sourcing for wood for mining processes therefore induced a threat to the survival of these animals. Extreme unsafe exposure of animals can have an effect on their existence. The cutting down of trees as a result of the mining boom also had the direct secondary impact of deforestation. The increased level of mining following the boom induced an increased rate of tree cutting in the region and its environment thereby causing an established level of deforestation. Consequently, impacts of defor estation such as reduced levels of rainfall and further exposure of soil to erosion were thus results of the mining boom. Drought and wind erosion were therefore bound to occur in the region as a consequence of the mining (Minnich and Vizcaino 109). Mining booms in any particular place also have a general impact of displacement from the exact mining region. Mining entails the physical exploration of land which is in most cases taken to the underground as further search for the mineral resources are made deeper into the earthââ¬â¢s underground. This implies an immediate total destruction of all features that existed on the ground surface of the region in which mining is to be undertaken. As a result, there would be complete removal of the ground cover as well as the displacement of human beings as well as animals that lived in the region prior to the commencement or expansion of mining as a result of a boom. This implies migration of people from their original homes in the mining areas to new habitats in search of shelter. Such displacements can be translated into congestion in other regions which would then mean poor living standards caused by overcrowded social amenities. Animals on the other hand can be endangered by such displacements if they fail to identify a suitable place in which their feeding and survival habits can adjust to. Also directly associated with the survival of human beings and animals is the destruction of the environment which is a source food to both human beings and animals. Such was the case as realized in Mongolia following a coal mining boom in the area. There were a lot of complains from people who were against the issue of expansion of mines on the grounds of the impacts that such expansion would cause to the people and their animals. About half of the population in Mongolia was reported to have been against the expansion of mines in the region following a mining boost. Displacement of people from their homes can have the impact of nomadic lifestyle especially to people who for one reason or another fail to settle after they are displaced by the boom in mining (Guardian 1). Conclusion Mining in regions of Baja started earlier than the mid nineteenth century. The war that took place at the time then exposed the existence of mineral resources to international community, some of whom had known the economic benefits that these minerals could yield. Consequently, miners infiltrated the region and discovery of mines led to the later boom. The boom however brought with it a number of both positive and negative effects. Baldwin, Margaret. Memories of early days in Baja California. San Diego History, n.d. Web. Guardian. Mongoliaââ¬â¢s wilderness threatened by mining boom. Guardian, 2011. Web. Michael, Meyer, William, Sherman and Susan, Deeds. The Course of Mexican History. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011. Print. Minnich, Richard and Vizcaino, Ernesto. Land of chamise and pines: historical accounts and c urrent status of northern Baja Californias vegetation. California: University of California Press, 1998. Print. Rolfe et al. Lessons from the social and economic impacts of the mining boom in the Bowen Basin 2004-2005. Anzrsai, 2007. Web. Taylor, Lawrence. The mining boom in Baja California from 1850 to 1890 and the emergence of Tijuana as a border community. Jstor, 2001. Web.
Monday, November 4, 2019
St. Augustines Role in the Development of Christianity Essay
St. Augustines Role in the Development of Christianity - Essay Example St. Augustineââ¬â¢s Role in the Development of Christianity The name of St. Augustine is also among such courageous and dauntless personalities, who devoted their life for the uplift of Christianity in his surroundings without displaying any irresoluteness in the face of hardships. St. Augustine of Hippo enjoys very respectable status in the list of the Christian saints, who had rendered exceptional services for the growth and development of the contemporary worldââ¬â¢s largest religion i.e. Christianity. He not only dedicated his entire life for the development of Christianity, but also introduced, interpreted and elaborated the fundamental concepts of the belief in order to convey the Christââ¬â¢s true message to the masses during the era when adopting and supporting Christian teachings served as taboo and forbidden act in the eyes of law and society at large. The Christians were persecuted, tortured and even killed at the hands of pagans and Jews in Africa and Rome respectively. ââ¬Å"Christians posed a problem for Roman rulers beca use Christians refused to worship Roman gods. This refusal was seen as opposition to Roman rule. Some Roman rulers also used Christians as scapegoats for political and economic troubles.â⬠(mmoloneyiths.com) Augustine was born in Numidia, North Africa in 354 A.D. It was the time when Christian faith was in its budding in the entire region. The paganism prevailed all over Africa, and the people, converted to this new faith, were looked upon with extreme suspicion and abhorrence. Being the son of a pagan father, Patricia, and devout Christian mother, Monica, the young Augustine had least interest in Christianity in his early youth. Being an energetic and carefree youth, he spent most of his time in dissipation and revelry making. Hence, he was neither interested in paganism, nor did he display any inclination towards her motherââ¬â¢s conversion. However, he had developed great taste for philosophy and maintained aptitude for reading. ââ¬Å"After a rather unremarkable childhoo d, Augustine drifted through several philosophical systems before converting to Christianity at the age of thirty-one. At the age of nineteen, Augustine read Cicero's Hortensius, an experience that led him into the fascination with philosophical questions and methods that would remain with him throughout his life.â⬠(ccel.org) Since St. Monica, his mother, had dedicated her life for the cause of her religion, she vehemently lamented over Augustineââ¬â¢s sticking to the pagan faith. Somehow, the circumstances observed astounding change, and Augustine started abhorring dissipation; eventually his social life was confined to reading and brooding. The remarkable mysterious call, inviting him to adopt the path of virtue and glory was too powerful to resist. Consequently, he embraced Manichaean faith viewing it as the right path to be followed. Somehow, his discussions with his friend Simplicianus and his motherââ¬â¢s insisting forced him to study the new religious doctrine. St . Ambrose of Milan played decisive role in his conversion, and he adopted Christianity not just to imitate others; rather, he entered the faith on the concrete foundations of his deep study, meditative examination and thorough analysis of the Christian teachings. Augustine has recorded the account of his conversion in his wonderful ââ¬Å"The Confessions.â⬠After conversion, Augustine dedicated himself for the cause of Christianity. He declared his conversion to Christianity as the outcome of countless bounties of his Lord upon him. He studied, taught and spread the basic philosophy of religion, and
Saturday, November 2, 2019
International Business - Export Business Plan - China Essay
International Business - Export Business Plan - China - Essay Example Thatââ¬â¢s why economists and pundits expect that Chinaââ¬â¢s GDP (presently 3rd largest) will easily surpass the Japanââ¬â¢s GDP (presently 2nd largest) in next few months or within a year. China has not become an Asian tiger in just 10 years rather it has covered a long journey in past 30 years. In fact, the open-door policies of successive Chinese governments and their business friendly strategies not only attracted the private sector in China but also the foreign investors who shifted their assembly lines, plants, manufacturing units and factories to China to make the most of its cheap labor and infrastructure to become competitive and maximize their profit margins. In short, the business friendly policies although enabled China to now become a 2nd largest economy and ââ¬Ëa place to produce goods for customers across the globeââ¬â¢, however, these strategies, policies and tactics have adversely affected its environment. Many industrial cities such as Beijing (capital), Shanghai, Chengdu and Guangzhou in China have seen an increase in pollution as factories dispose their waste including, paper, dye, fertilizer, chemical waste, and many other different products. Also, the increase in standard of living has increased the demand of cars, automobiles and other means of transport. Simultaneously, the demand of fossil fuels has skyrocketed in recent years, thereby heavily contributing in environmental pollution. Many different organizations especially the manufacturing businesses such as consumer goods producers, plastics, chemicals, cement, textiles, fertilizers, pharmaceutical etc. get rid of their industrial waste by dumping it in lakes, rivers, and canals, thereby contaminating the water and making it pernicious for any human-being to drink. It must not be forgotten that these rivers, lakes and canals are the main source of drinkable water for millions of Chinese residents. (Halasz, 2009) Taking the above facts and
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Read a story and analyse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Read a story and analyse - Essay Example One of the interesting aspects of this case is the other characters mentioned in the story. For instance, Mary left Alison (her six-month-old daughter) in the house and went to see her mother. Was the mother not aware that Alison did not accompany Mary? Is there a possibility that her mother was not aware of Alisonââ¬â¢s existence? This case covers a large number of light issues, but avoids some of the details that would have assisted the judges to determine if Mary was insane or mentally incapacitated, or if she was sane but just careless. Mary also went to her fiancà © and lived there for a while before realizing that something was not right. Didnââ¬â¢t her fiancà © question Mary of Alisonââ¬â¢s whereabouts? Is there a possibility that her fiancà © was not aware of Alisonââ¬â¢s existence? With the parties being witnesses in the case, such questions would have assisted in gauging the awareness and Maryââ¬â¢s mental capacity. As part of the judiciary, trying to understand Maryââ¬â¢s reality would be the first assessment. Her levels of prioritization are completely wrong. She considers pursuing her individual interests and forgets any other parties in her life, including her daughter. In the first case, the case presents Mary as to have intentionally killed Alison. She says that she had left Alison in the house knowing that she would be dead in a few days. Whatever the case, most people might argue that Mary was not mentally capacitated to raise a child. Most people who abandon their children would have at least the courtesy to leave the baby at a location where another person might take care of the child. However, Mary would opt to leave the baby in her house with a stranger who was disabled, rather than have the child survives. However, she also says that while she was in California with her fiancà ©, she began to feel that something was wrong. It is evident that her testimony is rather conflicting. For instance, the case above indicates that Mary might have intended to kill
Monday, October 28, 2019
Framing Decisions Essay Example for Free
Framing Decisions Essay Millhouse on his situation came up with his conclusion upon relying on the structure contained by how the selling was presented to him. No matter how, it is possible that Millhouse had been into a great deal of confusion when he was deciding. It was present in his mind that the company is in need of that supplementary part and is in search of materials that are of good quality. And that this seller has been instinctively conscious of the probable framing Millhouse could have in mind. At the same time, this seller has this skill to do sales talk and persuading a customer was indeed an easy thing on his part. He was capable to handle the situation. A good offer from the salesman was initiated and the selling price was specified: less than 40 cents a day just like the price of a soda. It was presented positively that at the end, the company would be satisfied by a high service utility by just spending likely of only a soda a day. The soda became the entity of assessment and it helped Millhouse comprehend the gains more gamely than the losses. He was also glad that he was not alone to see the benefits of purchasing these goods. He ended up deciding with this framework to buy them because he was swept away by the promises of the benefits presented by the salesman. In looking on the alternative sense, what if Millhouse thought of looking out for better material possible? What if he conducted first price comparison of same material? What if he made calculations in the aggregate expenditure upon purchasing them and rather compares it with the benefits it can give and or with some? The alternative frame could have come up with other results depending on how an individual reacts on a certain presentation of a problem. Factors affecting the alternative framework greatly molds our way of decision making. Also, group decisions may be at variance thoroughly from a one person decision in provisions of endings and/or procedures. So, it states clearly that one can strongly influence the other and by that, moral considerations are being deserted for oneââ¬â¢s own good. References Framing. February 05, 2008 retrieved from http://framing. behaviouralfinance. net/
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Sustaining Competitive Advantage Of Nestle Marketing Essay
Sustaining Competitive Advantage Of Nestle Marketing Essay Sustainability can occur in two ways: firms may differ with respect to resources and capabilities and the differences persist and isolating mechanisms analogous to barriers to entry may work to protect the competitive advantage of firms. 6.1 Resources and Capabilities A firms resource identifies its capabilities. Resources are the productive assets owned by the firm. Capabilities on the other hand refer to a companys ability to make use of its resources in a highly productive manner. Individual resources do not confer competitive advantage, they must work together to create organizational capability. It is capability that is the essence of superior performance. 6.1.1 Resources Tangible Resources Basically, there are three types of a firms resources: tangible, intangible and human resources. Tangible resources are the easiest to identify and evaluate: financial resources and physical assets are identified and valued in the firms financial statements. According to Nestle Annual Report 2011, Nestle Group reported sales of CHF 83.6 billion and 7.5 percent organic growth on top of good growth in recent years. The net profit on a continuing basis was CHF 9.5 billion, up 8.1 percent. At December 2011, Nestles property, plant and equipment were valued at CHF 9041 million. Intangible Resources Resources may also be intangible, such as reputation or a stock of patents and copyrights. Brand name is the most important resource among the intangible resources. Brand name and other trademarks are form of reputational assets: their value is in the confidence they instill in customers. The brand valuations involve estimating the operating profits for each brand, estimating the proportion of net operating income attributable to the brand, and then capitalizing these returns. The value of companys brands can be increased by extending the product/ market scope over which the company markets those brands. Nestle has eight productà lines or categories overall. The strategy used by Nestle is theà family brandingà orà corporateà branding in which word Nestle is attached to allà the brandsà in all categories. In 2001, Nestles brand value was more than 13000 million US dollars and it has became the largest producer of consumer packaged beverages and foods in the world, which has claimed the 23rd position in the Interbrands list of 100 most valuable brands in the world (Nestle Brand Strategy, 2012). Human Resources The human resources of the firm are the expertise and effort offered by its employees. For example, the combination of Nestles knowledge of biotechnology in coffee with the expertise, Nestle has on the ground in Mexico which will help to achieve sustainable Robusta coffee production in the region (The Nestle People Development Review). In addition, Nestle has a great research and development team. James Gallagher and Andrea Pfeifer were the masterminds behind the research on the La-1 cultures in the LC-1 yogurt. They were also the two that decided on selling LC-1 as a functional food. This enabled Nestle to position the product in a way that differentiated it among the other products in the market (Nestle LC1, 2005). 6.1.2 Capabilities Capabilities are what a firm can do. Organizational capability requires the expertise of various individuals to be integrated with capital equipment, technology, and other resources. For instance, in Asia, Nestles strategy has been to acquire local companies in order to form a group of independent regional managers who know more about the culture of the local markets than Americans or Europeans. The strong cash flow of the company enabled it to engage in wide-scale foreign direct investments and sufficient flexibility for takeovers of local firms able to provide the company with a stronghold in the market. Apart from that, Nestle has employed a wide-area strategy that involves producing different products in each country to supply the region with a given product from one country. For example, Nestle in Indonesia specializes in soymilk products because of the cheaper and easy access to soymilk in the country with soymilk products for distribution in other Asian markets (Nestle LC1, 20 05). Furthermore, Nestle provides an example of a company that has a strong configural advantage in the marketing, distribution and manufacture of food products. Nestle has developed an explicit international brand architecture that consists of 10 worldwide corporate brands, 45 worldwide strategic product brands, 25 regional corporate brands, 100 regional product brands, 700 local strategic brands and approximately 7000 local brands. On the production side, it has 522 factories in 81 different countries providing manufacturing capabilities in key markets. The broad geographic coverage allows Nestle to realize sales from industrialized countries as well as the increasingly important emerging market countries and to transfer information and experience from one market or region to another (Craig and Douglas, 1999). In addition, Nestle has become the first major confectioner to remove artificial colors, flavors and preservatives from its entire range. The company, which is behind leading bran ds including KitKat, Smarties and Quality Street, has changed the recipe of 79 products to remove suspect chemicals. In total, more than 80 ingredients have been replaced with alternatives, mostly from natural sources such as carrot, hibiscus, radish, safflower and lemon (Poulter, 2012). 6.2 Isolating Mechanism Isolating mechanisms limit the rivals from eroding a firms competitive advantage. There are two different types of isolating mechanism which are (1) impediments to imitation and (2) early mover advantage. 6.2.1 Impediments to imitation Impediments to imitation are the mechanism that impedes the existing firms and potential entrants from duplicating the resources and capabilities of the incumbent firm. There are four important types of impediments exist which are legal restrictions, superior access to inputs/customers, market size and scale economies and intangible barriers. Legal Restrictions We are going to look at the legal restrictions and superior access to inputs/customers of Nestle. Firstly, the legal restrictions such as patents, copyrights and trademarks, as well as governmental control over entry into markets through licensing, control rights and certification can impede imitation. Nestle has files over 250 patent applications per year and manages a global patent portfolio of about 20,000 patents. Nestle has now entered the top 100s World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) list and is the top patent applicant for the food and beverage industry. Leading edge technologies and highly differentiated products, solutions and benefits are key to Nestles four growth drivers and its global brands such as Nespresso, Nan, Nescafe, Nido and Purina. Protecting these technologies, products, solutions and benefits significantly contributes to sustaining the competitive advantage coming from Nestles unmatchedà RDà capability and product and brand portfolio. For exampl e, on 22 February 2006, Nestle had applied for a patent on genetically modified coffee plants with a blocked enzyme, designed to improve the solubility of the coffee powder. The patent covers the technical process, genetically modified plants as well as the use of coffee beans for the manufacture of soluble coffee. With this patent, coffee growers will become even more dependent on Nestle (Greenpeace, 2006). Superior Access to Inputs/Customers Secondly, superior access to inputs/customers means that the firms can obtain high quality or high productivity inputs, such as raw materials or information than its competitors will be able to sustain cost and quality advantages that competitors cannot imitate. With every bite or sip of a Nestle product, Nestle has to assure the highest possible standards all along the supply chain from raw materials via manufacturing, packaging and distribution, to the point of consumption. Every Nestle factory has a laboratory that systematically analyses raw materials and ingredients. Nestle products are checked on the production line and in their finished state to ensure that they meet the company strict standards, as well as national and international regulations (The World of Nestle, 2006). 6.2.2 Early Mover Advantage Early mover advantage is the benefit produce by being the first to enter a market with a new product or service. Early mover advantages include; becoming a market leader in a new; establishing a new leading brand; being able to charge a premium until competitor products appear enhanced reputation, design, and copyright protection and possibly setting an industry standard to which other competitors may have to aspire. There are four different isolating mechanisms fall under the category of early mover advantage which is learning curve, reputation and buyer uncertainty, buyer switching costs and network effects. Reputation and Buyer Uncertainty We are going to discuss the reputation and buyer uncertainty and network effect on Nestle. For experience goods, a firms reputation for quality provides a significant early mover advantage. Once the firms reputation has been created, the firm will have advantage competing for new customers, increasing the number of customers and further strengthening its reputation. The motto of Nestle is Good Food, Good Life, so delivering the qualitative products to the customer is their main objective. Nestle Pure Life (NPL) was first offered in Pakistan by Nestle Pakistan Limited in 1998. People felt need of Pure, safe and clean water because of impurities in water especially in the industrialized cities like Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad etc. Nestle identified this opportunity and launched NPL that satisfied the customer needs and Nestle become market leader in the water industry. The customers of NPL showed interest on NPL because of trust on Quality of Nestle, at the heart of which there are qua litative products and its long term commitment to deliver better products to consumers. Being the market leader, the market share of NPL is 78 percent that is much higher than its competitors (Ahmad, 2011). Network Effect The network effect is the result of word-of-mouth testimonials where the customer values the product depending on how many others are using the product. There is many ways for the customers to get the information about a companys product. Actual networks are where the consumers are physically linked. Nestle, the 144-year-old Switzerland-based food company created a Fan Page on the social media site, Facebook, where its millions of customers can get information and discuss the company and its products. While a simple and seemingly begin move, the company demonstrated foresight in opening a new channel to better communicate with their customers (A Business Lesson, n.d.).
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Confucius Essay -- Confucius Philosophy
As Confucius' philosophy still remains in the heart of many Chinese people, his images of the greatest professional teacher of all time, the greatest philosopher in Chinese history and his influence toward the future and the past 2000 years of Chinese civilization has made his thought the essence of the Chinese culture. He always said the importance of teaching could change the future of the civilization. And he also encouraged his students to explore the various things to learn, but be very selective and careful. The purpose of Confucius' teaching was practical and designed to help each person improve his character and conduct, and perhaps become prepared for an official position in the court. According to one passage in the Analects, Confucius taught four things: culture, conduct, loyalty, and truthfulness.1 Culture consisted of literature and music. Confucius suggested the value of each: "Let a man be stimulated by poetry, established in character by the rules of propriety, and perfected by music. ââ¬Å" These pursuits were means by which one may achieve the higher ideal of following the Way.â⬠2 The gentleman extensively studies literature and restrains himself with the rules of propriety. Thus he will not violate the Way. "3 And also " Set your heart upon the Way. Support yourself by its virtue. Rely on goodness. Find recreation in the arts."4 Confucius put the moral duties before the arts as the essential activities of the gentleman. "A young man's duty is to behave well to his parents at home and to in love to all, and to cultivate the friendship of the good. If, when all that is done, he has any energy to spare, then let him study the cultural arts."5 Confucius taught many topics around these subjects, but the most importance of these is the propriety, ritual and the Way of being a Gentleman. From these to achieve the Jen. Confucius had one overwhelming message: if we are to achieve a state of orderliness and peace, we need to return to traditional values of virtue. These values are based entirely on one concept: Jen, which is best, translated as "humaneness." This humaneness is a relatively strange concept to Western people, because it is not primarily a practicable virtue. The rules of propriety offered a code of accepted behaviour that demonstrated to themselves and others tha... ...ragement of personality development will never be forget. As the Chinese people and the world stepping into the next millennium, Confucius will be in the minds of many people, as they think of the greatest teacher in Chinese history. Bibliography Notes 1. Analects 7.24 Cf. A. Waley, The Analects of Confucius (London, 1938) 2. 2. Analects 8.8 3. Analects 6.25 4. 4. Analects 7.6 5. 5. Analects 1.6 6. 6. Analects 1.12 7. 7. Analects 8.2 8. 8. Analects 3.4 9. Analects 6.16 10. Analects 3.18 11. Analects 13.5 12. Analects 13.13 13. Analects 15.32 14. Analects 8.13 15. Analects 12.19 16. Analects 14.8 17. Analects 1.5 18. Analects 17.23 19. Analects 2.15 20. Analects 9.24 21. Analects 16.4 22. Analects 16.5 23. Analects 3.3 Confucius, Raymond Dawson (Oxford University Press, 1981) 24. Analects 12.1 Confucius, Raymond Dawson (Oxford University Press, 1981) 25. Analects 17.9 26. Analects 3.23 27. Lin Yutang, Wisdom of Confucius, p.81-82 28. 28. Ibid. p.82 29. 29. Ibid. p.83 30. 30. Ibid. p.67-68 31. Hsu, Cho-Yun, Ancient China in Transition p.161,163 32. 32. Analects 12.4 33. 33. Analects 16.7 34. 34. Analects 16.10
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