...Overcoming the Coffee Crisis Coffee is one of the most widely traded, produced, and consumed commodities in the world today, while globally, 2.5 billion cups of coffee are consumed daily (Ponte 2002, 1099) The drink itself is thoroughly enjoyed by many people, however the process of obtaining this desired commodity is economically and socially costly for many small or individual coffee farms. Many farmers and farm workers struggle to provide for themselves and their families due to the low prices paid by exporters, importers, and middlemen for their raw coffee beans. Some countries, however, have begun to implement regulations and guidelines in order to divert the uneven economical effects on the livelihoods of small farm owners and workers. We will discover that fair trade is the most vital system for small farm owners and workers who are looking to prosper in the coffee industry. Additionally, we will explore the façade that fair trade imposes to mainstream society and how the reality of fair trade is being obstructed by said façade. From raw coffee beans to the liquid cup of coffee we know and love, let’s now set out on a voyage to uncover the strains that are evoked on the people involved in the production process of this highly sought after commodity and ways in which the industry is evolving to facilitate small farm employees needs for sustainable livelihoods. Fair trade can provide peripheral economies with a sustainable coffee industry. Our journey begins in the southern...
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...College of Arts and Sciences CUREJ - College Undergraduate Research Electronic Journal University of Pennsylvania Year 2006 Corporate-NGO Partnerships for Sustainable Development Corinne Damlamian University of Pennsylvania, cdamlamian@gmail.com This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. http://repository.upenn.edu/curej/12 CORPORATE-NGO PARTNERSHIPS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT How corporations and nongovernmental organizations can work together, illustrated with examples from the Fair Trade movement. Corinne Damlamian “Senior Honors Thesis” “Submitted to the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Program at the University of Pennsylvania in Partial Fulfillment of Requirements for Honors” Thesis Advisor: Professor David Ludden May 2006 ~ Acknowledgements ~ I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to my thesis advisor, Professor Ludden of the History Department for his guidance and advice this semester. Thank you also to Dr. Danielle Warren of the Wharton School Legal Studies Department, for taking the time in her busy end-of-semester schedule to read my paper and give me much appreciated feedback. Finally, I wish to express my gratitude to my friends and family for their encouragement and support. Special thanks to my parents, especially to my mother for being the person who first sparked my interest in sustainable development which has driven me to write this paper. 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction PART I: Corporate-NGO partnerships...
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...Mayan civilization that spanned from the borders of present day Honduras up to Mexico, but which only a certain amount is truly known. The principal reason why I chose to focus on these people was to challenge myself to try and gain a greater understanding of why they engaged in such strange rituals as bloodletting and even human sacrifice? What prompted them to commit such acts? I proposed that the performance of these actions, as they seemed to be so entwined with their culture, must have had something to do with their religious beliefs but which ones exactly, and how did they originate? It was with this in mind that I conducted an investigation into the sacrificial blood rituals of Maya culture. Thus, from conducting library based research - using books, Encyclopedias and the Internet - I found out that the Mayans had created for themselves a complex Creation Myth and pantheon of gods. It was to supposedly sustain these gods, who were constantly fighting against one another, that the Mayan conducted bloodletting and human sacrifices, believing that in return the gods would provide them the water needed to grow their maize. The gods, replenished by this blood, were able to maintain the harmony of the universe by preventing any one group of gods from becoming too dominant. How many of these sacrifices were voluntary, or were people picked randomly or slaves forced to do it depends on the authors who you read. What I do feel though, is that many people have called the...
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...Professor Elena A. Iankova 264 Academic Building A Tel. (607) 777 6059 Email: eiankova@binghamton.edu IBUS 480A & IBUS 581A. GLOBAL BUSINESS RISK MANAGEMENT Spring 2015 MW 4:45-6:10 pm Room: AA 370 4 credits Office Hours: Wednesday 1:00 – 2:00 pm or by appointment Office: AA-264 Secretary: Bernie Cencetti Office: AA-361 Telephone: (607) 777-2674 Email: bbobal@binghamton.edu Course Objectives In an increasingly globalizing world, more and more companies are going abroad to pursue their major business objectives. What are the risks encountered by MNCs in their international business operations? How to evaluate, approach and manage these risks? This course aims to provide a general understanding of the field of global risk analysis and management. More specifically, you will learn about the development of the risk assessment industry and the major approaches to risk assessment. You will also get acquainted with the various types of risk that international businesses face in their operations abroad, and the major strategies for risk mitigation and management. We will pay special attention to political risks (asset expropriation, contract repudiation, legal and regulatory risks), 1 societal risks (activism of international non-governmental organizations, reputation and public image issues), and everyday risks (corruption). Through a combination of readings, lectures, guest speakers, case discussions and risk assessment projects you will develop practical skills in...
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...2005/ED/EFA/MRT/PI/9 Background paper prepared for the Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2005 The Quality Imperative The importance of mother tongue-based schooling for educational quality Carole Benson 2004 This paper was commissioned by the Education for All Global Monitoring Report as background information to assist in drafting the 2005 report. It has not been edited by the team. The views and opinions expressed in this paper are those of the author(s) and should not be attributed to the EFA Global Monitoring Report or to UNESCO. The papers can be cited with the following reference: “Paper commissioned for the EFA Global Monitoring Report 2005, The Quality Imperative”. For further information, please contact efareport@unesco.org The importance of mother tongue-based schooling for educational quality Commissioned study for EFA Global Monitoring Report 2005 Carol Benson, Ph.D. Centre for Research on Bilingualism Stockholm University 14 April 2004 Part A: Overview While there are many factors involved in delivering quality basic education, language is clearly the key to communication and understanding in the classroom. Many developing countries are characterized by individual as well as societal multilingualism, yet continue to allow a single foreign language to dominate the education sector. Instruction through a language that learners do not speak has been called “submersion” (Skutnabb-Kangas 2000) because it is analogous to...
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...FINANCE IN VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS—A SYNTHESIS PAPER microREPORT #132 OCTOBER 2008 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by DAI. FINANCE IN VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS—A SYNTHESIS PAPER microREPORT #132 The authors’ views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ................................................................................. 1 OBJECTIVE ................................................................................ 1 DEFINITION ................................................................................ 1 IMPORTANCE ............................................................................. 1 REPORT STRUCTURE ................................................................. 1 THE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS (VCA) FRAMEWORK ..................... 3 ANALYTICAL VCF FRAMEWORK WITH CASE-STUDY ILLUSTRATIONS ................................................................................ 7 UNDERSTANDING THE CURRENT CASH FLOW AND CREDIT STRUCTURE (ANALYTICAL PHASE) ............................................ 7 Intra-firm Finance ......................................................... 8 Finance Services Provision .......................................... 9 Inter-firm Finance (Governance) ................................ 10 UNDERSTANDING...
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...Introduction This study is to focus on the attitudes of the community towards violence against women, this study introduce: * the origin of domestic violence, * the definition of domestic violence against women, * how it affects the society, * forms of domestic violence , * the cause of domestic violence * A Review of Literature is to emphasize on the importance of the attitudes of the community towards the topic, the determinant, the suggested improvements and the limitations. This study will also conclude what is to be done to improve the attitudes of the community. Personal experiences and perspective The concern of this topic has sparked my interests as a Marketing student due to the recent reports of inhuman violent acts against women in India that has raised commotion all over the country, however this report is not pin-pointing at any countries, but as a general subject. You need also to link your topic and your personal experience to the theoretical perspectives (epistemologies and paradigms) that were discussed in class. Domestic Violence against Women The status of women has been seen as unequal to the status of men in terms of authority, opportunity as well as independence. Although the society has reached a tremendous change from degradation (1990s) to a position of equality (2000s), Violence against women which is defined as “an act of gender-based violence that results in, physical, sexual or psychological harm, or suffering...
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...Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies: Where Are We Today and Where Should the Research Go in the Future Garry D. Bruton David Ahlstrom Krzysztof Obloj Emerging economies are characterized by an increasing market orientation and an expanding economic foundation. The success of many of these economies is such that they are rapidly becoming major economic forces in the world. Entrepreneurship plays a key role in this economic development. Yet to date, little is known about entrepreneurship in emerging economies. This introductory article to the special issue on entrepreneurship in emerging economies examines the literature that exists to date in this important domain. It then reviews the research that was generated as part of this special issue on this topic. The article concludes with a discussion of the critical future research needs in this area. Introduction The quantity and quality of entrepreneurship research has increased dramatically over the last 15 years. Today, entrepreneurship research is some of the most widely cited in the management discipline, with leading journals dedicated to its study and well-recognized conferences supporting its development. The methods employed and the theory foundations used in entrepreneurship today are consistent with mainstream management research. However, entrepreneurship research can still be critiqued as almost exclusively focused on North American and European research sites. The exploration of domains outside of these two developed economic...
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...Arms Trafficking between the United States and Mexico: The Drug Trafficking Nexus Transnational Crime and Globalization By: Katrina T. Mason May 2, 2008 The United States is quite known for their proactive stances on the “War on Drugs”, “War on Terror”, and “War in Iraq”. Some view them as the international police and others view them as the international fiend, but it is in no doubt that the United States takes a very active stance in fighting what they believe is evil and wrong within the world. This is increasingly true for the evils that occur within its own borders such as the continued drug epidemic, domestic violence, child abuse, poverty, gangs, and prostitution (with the exception of Nevada). Unfortunately though, the United States’ stance on legal activities crossing from their own governance into neighboring states where the activity is illegal is not held with the same level of concern or dedication. A primary example of this double standard can be seen on the Mexican-United States border. This is not in reference to the debris from the giant wall being built on the Mexican border falling to the southern side, the young Americans fleeing across the borders to intoxicate themselves, or even the revolution of McDonalds springing up in towns throughout Mexico; but instead to the small arms and light weapons trafficking continually flowing down from the border states into Mexico causing alarming murder rates, economical...
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...Department of Economic and Social Affairs Commission on Sustainable Development Seventh Session 19-30 April 1999, New York TOURISM AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT THE GLOBAL IMPORTANCE OF TOURISM Background Paper #1 Prepared by the World Travel and Tourism Organization and International Hotel and Restaurant Association The Global Importance of Tourism prepared by the World Travel & Tourism Council and International Hotel & Restaurant Association A. Introduction Creating jobs and wealth 1. Travel & Tourism is the world’s largest industry and creator of jobs across national and regional economies. WTTC/WEFA research show that in 2000, Travel & Tourism will generate, directly and indirectly, 11.7% of GDP and nearly 200 million jobs in the world-wide economy. These figures are forecasted to total 11.7% and 255 million respectively in 2010. 2. Jobs generated by Travel & Tourism are spread across the economy - in retail, construction, manufacturing and telecommunications, as well as directly in Travel & Tourism companies. These jobs employ a large proportion of women, minorities and young people; are predominantly in small and medium sized companies; and offer good training and transferability. Tourism can also be one of the most effective drivers for the development of regional economies. These patterns apply to both developed and emerging economies. Contributing to sustainable development 3. The 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED),...
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...Starbucks Shared Planet - Our Responsibility MY CUSTOMIZED REPORT CREATED AT WWW.STARBUCKS.COM/SHAREDPLANET ©2009 Starbucks Coffee Company. All rights reserved. https://test.starbucks.com/SHAREDPLANET/customGRPage.aspx (1 of 108)6/1/2010 2:23:02 PM Starbucks Shared Planet - Our Responsibility Mission Statement Our Starbucks Mission To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time. Here are the principles of how we live that every day Our Coffee It has always been, and will always be, about quality. We’re passionate about ethically sourcing the finest coffee beans, roasting them with great care, and improving the lives of people who grow them. We care deeply about all of this; our work is never done. Our Partners We’re called partners, because it’s not just a job, it’s our passion. Together, we embrace diversity to create a place where each of us can be ourselves. We always treat each other with respect and dignity. And we hold each other to that standard. Our Customers When we are fully engaged, we connect with, laugh with, and uplift the lives of our customers— even if just for a few moments. Sure, it starts with the promise of a perfectly made beverage, but our work goes far beyond that. It’s really about human connection. Our Stores When our customers feel this sense of belonging, our stores become a haven, a break from the worries outside, a place where you can meet with friends. It’s about enjoyment...
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...indigenous new world cosmographies, illustrate the important sociocultural role the plant has played for millennia. However, modern society has elevated Zea mays far above the status of mere plant, fashioning it into a commodity intimately connected to systems of control and capitalism. Consequently, corn has played an essential role in colonization, industrialization, and the advent of overproduction. The beliefs and literature of numerous new world cultures, along with the literatures of modern Western cultures, offer a striking analysis of corn's current position in western society. The far-reaching impacts that corn has on our socioeconomic and subsistence systems reveal a great deal about globalization, commodification, and dominance. This paper examines corn through a cultural studies lens, documenting the influence of this iconic foodstuff and analyzing its effects over historical and cultural boundaries. 2 Corn has long been located at the center of indigenous new world cultures, as well as at the center of modern Western society, and its presence spans and transcends boundaries between cultures and time periods. Corn’s genesis as a foodstuff, and its ascension to the status of...
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...L I V I N G O U R VA L U E S Corporate Social Responsibility Fiscal 2003 Annual Report STA R BU C K S M I S S I O N S TATEMENT AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES To establish Starbucks as the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world while maintaining our uncompromising principles as we grow. The following six Guiding Principles will help us measure the appropriateness of our decisions: • Provide a great work environment and treat each other with respect and dignity. • Embrace diversity as an essential component in the way we do business. • Apply the highest standards of excellence to the purchasing, roasting and fresh delivery of our coffee. • Develop enthusiastically satisfied customers all of the time. • Contribute positively to our communities and our environment. • Recognize that profitability is essential to our future success. What It Means to Live Our Values at Starbucks We are very proud to present you with Starbucks third annual Corporate Social Responsibility Report, this year titled “Living Our Values.” Throughout our Report, we explain the measures we take to align our decisions and actions with Starbucks Mission Statement and Guiding Principles. The topics presented here relate to our definition of corporate social responsibility. They are subjects we also believe to be important to our partners (employees), customers, shareholders, suppliers, communities, and others. As information was gathered for each topic, we stepped back and asked ourselves if we are...
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...6Critical Sociology http://crs.sagepub.com Corporate Social Responsibility: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Subhabrata Bobby Banerjee Crit Sociol 2008; 34; 51 DOI: 10.1177/0896920507084623 The online version of this article can be found at: http://crs.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/34/1/51 Published by: http://www.sagepublications.com Additional services and information for Critical Sociology can be found at: Email Alerts: http://crs.sagepub.com/cgi/alerts Subscriptions: http://crs.sagepub.com/subscriptions Reprints: http://www.sagepub.com/journalsReprints.nav Permissions: http://www.sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav Citations (this article cites 30 articles hosted on the SAGE Journals Online and HighWire Press platforms): http://crs.sagepub.com/cgi/content/refs/34/1/51 Downloaded from http://crs.sagepub.com at LA TROBE UNIVERSITY on April 21, 2008 © 2008 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution. Critical Sociology 34(1) 51-79 http://crs.sagepub.com Corporate Social Responsibility: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Subhabrata Bobby Banerjee University of Western Sydney, Australia Abstract In this article I critically analyze contemporary discourses of corporate social responsibility and related discourses of sustainability and corporate citizenship. I argue that despite their emancipatory rhetoric, discourses of corporate citizenship, social responsibility and sustainability are defined by narrow business...
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...no. 1-0023 Starbucks Coffee Company* On an overcast February afternoon in 2000, Starbucks CEO Orin Smith gazed out of his office window in Seattle and contemplated what had just occurred at his company’s annual shareholder meeting. In prior years, the meeting had always been a fun, all-day affair where shareholders from around the country gathered to celebrate the company’s success. This year, however, Smith and other senior Starbucks executives heard an earful from the activist group Global Exchange. A human rights organization dedicated to promoting environmental, political, and social justice around the world, Global Exchange criticized Starbucks for profiting at the farmer’s expense by paying low prices and not buying “fair trade” beans. Not only did the activists disrupt the company’s annual meeting to the point that the convention hall security police asked the activists to leave, but they also threatened a national boycott if the company refused to sell and promote fair trade coffee. Although Smith strongly disagreed with using the shareholders meeting as a public forum, he knew there was a strong likelihood his company could face serious reprisals if it did not address the issues raised by Global Exchange. Fair trade began after World War II as religiously–affiliated, non-profit organizations purchased handmade products for resale from European producers. During the 1970s and 1980s, the concept evolved further into buying crafts from low-income, third-world producers...
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