Huntingtons’s Concept and Its Applicability to the Contemporary World Essay

Introduction Globalization and the trend in the politics has entered a new political schema after the World War II and as such, it is has drawn the interest of political theorists who had hoped to re-define and predict the future outcomes of global politics. Among the different approaches, what had really attracted the attention of the media and the interested crowd is Huntington’s concept on the Clash of Civilizations theory. Huntington’s stereotypical claims and predictions regarding future outcomes of global relations had uncannily matched with that of the drastic event of the Al-Qaeda’s attack on September 11 on the Twin Towers. The event, which had caught global attention,   is said to have been a direct pop-out from Huntington’s essay and that ‘event’ was resultant of the ‘clash’ between the differing cultures of the American superpower and the Muslims of Afghanistan. The ethnic conflict, albeit on global scale, would be the political pattern after the Cold War. The question is, is Huntington’s concept still applicable with the current trend of globalization? Here there is a basic assumption that conflicts arise from ethnic differences and it is on these differences which will feed the upcoming antagonism between the different nations. Al-Qaeda’s attack may have been likely ‘accidental’ and that his reasons were not purely ‘ethnic’ as in Huntington’s theory. In the paper, there is an attempt to investigate the flaws of Huntington’s Clash of Civilizations when placed in the larger context of globalization and international conflict. A thorough understanding of his paper first must be placated followed by criticisms and the more apt model that would fit the current trend for global political system. s The Clash of Civilizations is a theory proposed by political scientist Samuel P. Huntington in 1993 as a reaction to Fukuyama’s book. Herein, Huntington expanded on the shift of global patterns after the Cold War from the economic to traditional; whereby conflicts are more of culture clash. The globalization trend would function in the traditional cultural sense and will no longer be confounded on ideological clashes as in the philosophcal claims before. Huntington’s thesis is relatively simple to understand in the manner that he had oversimplified and reduced everything: â€Å"†¦It is my hypothesis that the fundamental source of conflict in this new world will not be primarily ideological or primarily economic. The great divisions among humankind and the dominating source of conflict will be cultural. Nation states will remain the most powerful actors in world affairs, but the principal conflicts of global politics will occur between nations and groups of different civilizations. The clash of civilizations will dominate global politics. The fault lines between civilizations will be the battle lines of the future†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . His basic premise is the culture clash as a primary source of conflict and he divided the Globe into different ethnic groups representing the different civilizations, each embodying different religion: African, Hindu, Western, Sinic, Orthodox, Islamic, Latin America and Japanese. From these different ethnic frontiers, will arise the future conflicts and he had cited the cases of India and Pakistan. What is most daunting of his perceptions is that the Superpower of America will face a decline and the shift will be on the combined powers of Sino-Islamic group. Equally daunting is Huntington’s concept that what had fueled this antagonism is the purposive role of teology in the different civilizations, most particularly, that of the Islams.

Media Coursework Report Essay

For my AS Media coursework, I chose to use fashion as the genre of my magazine. To help with my pre-production, I had to perform my own qualitative and quantitative research into fashion magazines and find out what my target audience of 15-19 year old girls would want from it. I went on to create the preliminary products which included the front cover and contents page, and from these the main products which were the alternative front cover and double page spread. These were all produced using Photoshop. I began by creating a questionnaire, as this is an effective way of finding out what my target audience will be looking for in a fashion magazine. I included 8 questions which asked some general questions into what the participant is interested in, and some into what they would like to see in a fashion magazine, to help me create my front cover and contents page. I gave 20 questionnaires out to other students aged 16-19 as this fits my target audience. By analysing the results of the questionnaire, I found out a range of information to help my design my front cover. The participants chose  £2.50 as the appropriate price and for the magazine to be produced monthly, which I will apply when creating the front cover. 80% of participants said they would be more likely to pick up the magazine if there was a celebrity on the cover. Therefore, I will ask a friend to pose as a celebrity to make it more appealing to my target audience. 50% of participants wanted to see interviews in the magazine and 30% wanted genre-specific features (in this case, it will be fashion, clothes etc.) which I will make sure to include in the contents page. I formed a focus group with other AS Media students in my class. They were all females, ranged from the ages 16-17, and had an interest in fashion, making them representative of my target audience. I asked them if I should put just one image on the front cover, or add smaller ones around the page to show what’s included inside. The feedback I received was very helpful, and led me to use just the one main photo for my preliminary front cover and  my main front cover, to keep the brand consistent. This keeps it looking professional and stops the page from looking overcrowded and trashy. By textually analysing fashion magazines currently on the market, I discovered a recurring theme among them. The bigger magazines (Vogue, Elle) have been around for much longer, and their cover stars overlap the masthead. However, when analysing Look, I noticed that the masthead overlapped the cover star, suggesting that this magazine is new and lesser known. From this, I decided to have the whole masthead of my magazine visible by audiences for my preliminary front cover as it is new and allows audiences to recognise the brand in future. I then chose to overlap part of the masthead on my main front cover with the cover star, as it is a later issue and audiences should then be able to recognise it. The content analysis allowed me to see what’s included in fashion magazines. This helped when compiling the contents page. Obviously the main part of a fashion magazine is the fashion itself. However, it also includes items related to hair and beauty, interviews, articles, advice and special features. I made sure to include all of these when designing my contents page, but I chose to keep the main focus on fashion. I decided to target my magazine towards teenage girls aged between 15 and 19. I thought this was a good range, as girls in their teens will have a more developed sense of style. From my institutional research, I discovered that many fashion magazines were targeted towards women in their 20s and 30s, and decided to aim mine at a teenage audience. Audiences for fashion magazines such as Vogue and Elle were predominantly female; therefore it was important to include items in the contents and on the cover that would attract a female audience. I also tried to use feminine colours where appropriate in the magazine to indicate the target audience. I also made sure my focus group was a good representation of my target audience, thus making sure they had a clear interest in fashion and fit the age category, which they did. I created my preliminary and main products using Adobe Photoshop which had all the necessary tools I needed to create a realistic and professional  magazine. By comparing my magazine in relation to Vogue, I am able to see the strengths and weaknesses of my production. I began by selecting the images I would use for each page. I used a Fujifilm Finepix S2950 to capture the photos. The models used direct mode of address as this is the most effective way of attracting the audience. I used a hairdryer to create the effect of wind blowing the model’s hair. I chose to use an image with a light background, with a model wearing spring clothing. I think this helped to make the cover look more professional as Vogue often incorporates the colours of the magazine to fit the season. I increased the contrast of the image to make it look brighter and more appealing. I then went on to create puffs around the image, and used only ‘Century Gothic’ font to keep it simple and sophisticated. I used a dark blue for the text as it contrasted well with the pink clothing that the model wore. I made sure to include small details as well, including the bar code, price and date to make the product more realistic. I was very pleased with the outcome of my preliminary front cover as it looked professional in relation to magazines on the market today, and had a similar style to that of Vogue magazine. My next task was the contents page, and from the research I did I was able to see what needed to be included. I wanted to keep it consistent, and so I used the same masthead from the front cover and used it at the top of the contents page. This was used in InStyle’s contents page. I also used the same colour scheme as the front cover, to show that the two are related. I kept the text in columns and split the content into sections, which is what I noticed InStyle and Vogue did when I researched them. I also noticed in the Vogue contents page that there was some information about the front cover image, so I decided to include that in my own, with information on where to buy the clothes. I was quite pleased with the result of my contents page, as I spent a lot of time on it. However, I felt that there was too much white space that could have been filled in. It may have been a good idea to add in some borders to give the page some depth. For the alternative cover, I made sure I kept the same font style and size for my masthead. This is because it is important to keep the brand recognisable. I asked my focus group if this was a good idea and they  agreed, saying it would keep it consistent and professional. All magazines do this, but fashion magazines such as Vogue and Elle often change the colour every month to fit with the theme. I have decided to do the same in my own production, by changing the colour of the masthead and the puffs to a maroon colour, to tie in with the month and season. It also contrasted well with the cover model’s blue dress. Like Vogue, I made sure I kept three puffs around the edges of the main image, to stop them from overlapping. I am really pleased with the outcome of this as I think it could pass as a real magazine. I then went on to create the double page spread in A3 size, and selected my image to cover the whole background. This meant there was no white space left around the edges, but there was still space to put some text. I wanted the image to take up dominant space on the page to catch the reader’s eye, which is what I noticed was used in Vogue’s double page spread. I brightened the image and removed some blemishes on the model to try and reach a flawless image, as perfection is one of the main selling points for a fashion magazine. I set the text out in two columns, as this is the layout that most magazines use, including Vogue. I used ‘Rage Italic’ for the headline, which is what I used for the headline on the cover, to keep a consistent house style. I also added page numbers to the bottom corners, as these small details help to build up a realistic product. I feel that my magazine is very similar to a professional product and would stand out in the market place. It follows the codes and conventions of a typical fashion magazine, and is aesthetically pleasing for the target audience. If I were to change anything, I would make the front cover masthead slightly larger, to make it more eye-catching.

Affirmative Action Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Affirmative Action - Research Paper Example Workforce diversity today has become a great virtue which increases the creativity of a company (Innovationmanagement, 2010). Despite all the benefits of affirmative action its active use in the U.S has created a new form of discrimination referred to as reverse discrimination. Reverse discrimination can be defined as the unfair treatment of the members of a majority group as a result of preferential policies intended to reduce discrimination against minorities (Dictionary, 2013). I personally think that reverse discrimination is a fallacy. Change is an inevitable part of society and a higher participation rate among minorities will consequently reduce the labor participation of the majority group. We should always remember the past when true discrimination led to the unethical and inhuman treatment of an entire race through slavery. A person that claims reverse discrimination should handle the pressures of the workplace instead of crying wolf. A way for people to increase their chances in the workplace is by acquiring formal training and

Management Process Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Management Process - Case Study Example Quoting The Guardian "In spite of the recession, and in contrast to rivals like Marks and Spencer and Debenhams, the company could report a 20% increase in sales to 2.3bn, for the year to the end of September." Primark has been flexible in understanding its customers' needs and offering them the latest at affordable prices. The company has been open to expansions and acquisitions. It has 193 outlets today, all over U.K and Europe, not to mention the parent country of Ireland. When its rival BhS wound up its operations in Ireland, in 1992, Primark was quick to seize the opportunity and set up a 50,000sq ft showroom in the upmarket area of O'Connell Street, Dublin. In 1995, it bought out BhS's One-Up discount chain and in 1999, it acquired 11 stores from Co-Op. In 2005, the company acquired 6 stores from 'Allders'. According to Sarah Segal, Primark is a high street retailer that has a line of brands and focuses on buying, logistics and supply chain management rather than branding, when compared to its peers like TK Maxxx. The buying team from Ireland and U.K travels worldwide to acquaint itself with fashion trends and look for inexpensive suppliers. Computerized customs clearance helps the company achieve speed to market. Dedicated warehousing and distribution facilities also help reduce time and cost for the movement of goods in the supply chain. New fashion trends have been copied quickly and thus products have reached their stores before the competitors. After carefully selecting the new fashion designs that would appeal to the target consumer, the company is quick to add stocks when these items are in high demand. Constantly updated records of daily sale and stock information sent to the warehouses helps in restocking fast selling items immediately. Quality While the company claims itself as a no frills seller, it has never compromised on the quality of the finished product. "Style, quality and affordable prices" are the attributes associated with Primark. Value for money is the idea behind this retailer's success. When a company can grow by leaps and bounds the way Primark has since its inception 1969 and continue to make profits much above the industry average even in times of recession, it speaks volumes about the quality of the products sold. It is hard to imagine that such a huge retailer does not need support through advertising campaigns. Obviously, the quality has to be so good that the company can sell products like hot cakes even during the recession. Cost Primark promises to deliver high fashion clothing at very affordable prices. True to its slogan "Look good, pay less," it offers clothes at very reasonable prices (like jeans for 4). Its success formula in keeping the cost low seems to be it target group: the fashion conscious below the age of 35.Outsourcing the workers from other countries where labour is cheap helps in significantly reducing the production costs. Here is a company that can afford to do away with advertising, thus saving the company billions of s that would otherwise have been spent on advertising. Susan Segal feels that their success is due to the fact that they are positioned clearly at the cheap end of the market, thus avoiding a middle of the bracket position like its

Literature Review on two topics (2000 words) Essay

Literature Review on two topics (2000 words) - Essay Example Therefore, this literature review discusses approaches pertaining to risks assessments in projects. Numerous scholars have examined various methods of assessing risks in projects. As such, the topic of methods of risk assessment is well presented. The authors selected by this study present imperative publication that can help one explain the subject of risk assessment comprehensively. Risk virtually refers to the possibility of loss, disadvantage, destruction or injury that may accompany a project. Risk assessment entails identifying a qualitative and quantitative cost of risks associated with the situation. The quantitative aspect examines the magnitude of the probable loss and the chances that the risk will occur. Risk assessment should be an evolving and learning practice, capable of adjusting to novel and dynamic demands of the project. According to McManus (2004), an ideal risk management plan should employ tactical procedures, methodologies and tools effective for predicting all probable risks accurately. Ideally, studies argue that the risk management refers to a concept of identifying risk, examining the risk and outline policies or approaches for lightening the risk. Ammar, Kayis and Amornsawadwatana (2012) state that risk assessments approach should involve analyzing the experiences of successful projects and engaging reliable professionals and analysts in the field. Methods of analyzing risks vary with the industries and the purpose of the assessment. An analysis may have a financial purpose, environmental or healthy impacts purpose. Studies have identified numerous methods of assessing risks. Risk assessment methods can be grouped into three broad categories: the qualitative, semi-quantitative, and quantitative (McManus 2004, p. 23). According to Wysocki (2012), qualitative assessments enable one to identify assents of priority and classify one that demands simple and rapid evaluation. The method is applicable often in situations

The Marketing Strategy Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

The Marketing Strategy Project - Research Paper Example This is a feasibility report for the establishment of nightclubs in the United Kingdom. An organization that is currently operating some nightclubs in the United States seeks to expand into the European market and is interested in targeting its preliminary efforts in the U.K. This country has a vibrant history of active nightclub life with the latest record labels and new artists being introduced here. The New York nightclub that has opened several facilities across the United States using the same principles of urban music, designer food and dà ©cor and good food and music and the organization has experienced some degree of success and is in a   healthy position to consider expansion into the European market. The U.K. scenario: The selection of the U.K. offers several advantages. Next, to the United States, it has the highest proportions of nightclub traffic. The common language of English used in the UK reduces barriers that may be created by communication difficulties.   New York City laws on smoking and noise control have resulted in the loss of some business for the nightclub and this is aggravated by the fact that the customers are not loyal to one club but are constantly on the lookout for the latest hot spot (Crains, 2004). However, in contrast, the UK offers the facility of a new Licensing Act that provides for a 24 hour, composite license to open and operate a nightclub, provide drinks, refreshment and entertainment. Several of the trendy new pop artists who are gaining popularity is from the U.K., as are film and media personalities including the famous Rowling. Consumers in the UK are young, savvy, trendy and contributing significantly to the success of nightclub-related ventures and new record labels. Therefore the UK offers an exciting new market for the U.S. Company to consider. On the negative side, a research study conducted by the Mintel group(2004) shows that nightclubs in the U.K. have been struggling for the past two years due to increased competition from other leisure time activities, including summer music festivals.

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

Microeconomics - Essay Example Now, there is only a single supplier of potato chip all across the region (Brigham, 1976). As all firms decided to merge together to create a single monopoly, now there will be barriers to entry in the industry as no further firms can enter the market easily and threaten the existence of existing firms. The firm is now protected against any other foreign threat as no other firm can enter the market to compete with it. This monopoly is owned by a single firm and so the business enjoys the benefit of having the entire market share to itself without any pressure or constraints. However, this monopoly is not a natural monopoly and so it can charge its customers with whatever price suits it and gain higher profits. A monopoly also produces goods and services by producing required quantity at a price where marginal cost equals marginal revenue just like any other market structure. But, it can also choose to set a price at which quantity is demanded where price might exceed the marginal cos t (Case, 1996). Monopoly is highly beneficial to society and consumers as well. Large firms usually attain the benefit of gaining from economies of scale. Economies of scale is increase in efficiency as the number of goods produced by a firm increases. Due to economies of scale, the Average cost curve goes downwards. If the fall in Average cost curve is very large so a monopolist can charge its consumers a lower price and generate a higher output than the monopolistic competition of the market. This way, monopolist maximizes the profits. Marginal cost becomes equal to marginal revenue at this point. This means that now the consumers can enjoy potato chips at a lower price than it was when the market was monopolistic due to huge producer surplus. The society gains as well (Allen, 2005). As this monopoly is privately owned, and not a government regulated natural monopoly, government does not have any say here. But it can produce revenues for the entire economy in form of more and more exports. This single firm can take advantage of economies of scale from its home economy and maintain a cost advantage through which it can exploit the international market and can sell at a relatively cheap rate abroad. Governments do gain when the economies prosper as now government receives more money in form of taxes which it can utilize in infrastructure and other welfare activities (Allen, 2005). However, the change from monopolistic market structure to monopoly does come with a lot of changes in profits and revenues. In a monopolistic competition, the industry comprise of a huge number of firms, each one of those have relatively small size as compared to total market. That is why; no firm can affect the overall market price because of its small size. But, in a monopolistic structure, firms can differentiate their output by having some control over price (Allen, 2005). The short-run equilibrium of monopolistic market is achieved by setting the price where marginal cost is equ al to marginal revenue. The profits of a firm arise by entrance of similar products by different firms in the market; where every firm competes for only a percentage of the total demand. Whenever a new firm enters the market, the demand curve shifts downwards due to which profits remain no more (Allen, 2005). Now due to large entrants of firms in the market, the individual demand curve shifts to the left. Here, the zero profit condition arises where