...A System Dynamics Study of Instability in the Colombian Coffee Market by Juan Fernando Perez Velasquez Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Philosophy in System Dynamics System Dynamics Group Department of Geography University of Bergen 2010 Abstract The coffee market in Colombia is highly unstable, being more unstable in the last 20 years (since the removal of the ICO agreement). During 1980 and 1990 the coffee price was varying around 8% around a mean and over the last 20 years it has been oscillating around 15% to 20% around a mean. The coffee market presents an 8 to 11 years cycle in price and production. Coffee market is well known for its volatility and for the crisis that producers are confronting, i.e., poverty, low prices, etc. The main causes for this crisis are the characteristic behaviors of the coffee market itself, which presents price instability, resource unsustainabillity, and inequity along the commodity chain (specially for coffee growers), the same characteristics of other commodity markets. In this paper we focused on the first of the causes, price instability, and so we created a System Dynamics model of the Colombian coffee sector that captures the structure of that market, the delays and feedbacks present on it. With this research we intended to answer the following questions: Why is the Colombian coffee market so unstable in price and quantity? And what can be done to reduce the instability...
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...of Colombia Michael N. Yuede Missouri State University Abstract This paper studies the Colombian culture and how it affects business relations. First, the Colombian country is explored, examining the geographical location and environment, demographics, economy, religion, and the historical, legal and ethical, and social context. Geert Hofstede’s, Fons Trompenaars’, and GLOBE’s models of national culture infer ways to behave in any given culture, and in this case, Colombia. Differences can be seen between the United States’ and Colombia’s culture after exploring the models, suggesting ways to adapt to the new culture and act appropriately in a business environment. After studying the models, the cultural descriptions and aspects, including Colombia’s collectivistic and high power distance nature, give future managers and expatriates the implications necessary to become legitimized in the eyes of other businesses and the government. Additionally, the implications help predict employee behaviors and motivators, as well as human resource management policies that should be implemented into the business. However, in order to fully understand the Colombian culture, an individual must live in that country for a period of time to experience the culture first hand. Environmental, Institutional, and Cultural Context of Colombia In order to better understand how to interact in a business environment in Colombia, it is important to know about the country itself, its history, and...
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...STATUS OF MICRO FINANCE IN CLOMBIA (MD. IBRAHIM KHOLILULLAH, DEPT OF AG.FINANCE, BAU MOB: 01718996557) INTRODUCTION Microfinance is the provision of financial services, such as credit, savings, and insurance services, to those who are most likely to be denied access to the traditional banking system. A typical client for a microfinance institution (MFI) is a person too poor to pay usual bank fees for savings accounts or other services or to provide sufficient collateral to back loans. Microfinance aims to bring out the skills of the poor and allow them to propel themselves out of poverty through providing financial services with which they can protect assets and grow microenterprises. MFIs have developed many innovative financial products to offer their clients beyond credit, such as microsavings, money transfer vehicles, and microinsurance. Microfinance is a growing industry throughout the developing world and comprises commercial banks, regulated banks, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and nonprofit organizations (NPOs). With approximately 17 million impoverished, there is a large market for the microfinance industry to capture; yet, in Colombia, it is not nearly as well established as in neighboring countries. Peru and Bolivia, for example, are among the world’s most competitive and innovative microfinance markets (The World Factbook). A NOTE ABOUT COLOMBIA Capital and largest city | Bogotá, D.C 4°35′N 74°4′W | Official languages | Spanish | Recognised regional languages...
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...Global Business Plan Week 7-Final Draft Subway in Colombia 04/15/2012 Table of Contents Content Page Number Table of Contents 2 Executive Summary 3 Module 1: Identifying Global Opportunities 4 Module 2: Analyzing International Competitors 7 Module 3: Assessing the Economic/Geographic Environment 10 Module 4: Assessing the Sociocultural Environment 13 Module 5: Assessing the Political Legal Environment 15 Module 6: Selecting a Global Company Structure 18 Module 7: Financing Sources for Global Business Operations 22 Module 8: Creating a Global MIS (Management Information System) 25 Module 9: Identifying Human Resources for Global Business Activities 27 Module 10: Managing International Financial and Business Risks 29 Module 11: Product Target Market Planning for Foreign Markets 31 Module 12: Designing a Global Distribution Strategy 32 Module 13: Planning a Global Promotion Strategy 36 Module 14: Selecting an International Pricing Strategy 38 Module 15: Determining Organizational Financial Results 41 Module 16: Measuring International Business Success 42 Conclusion 43 Bibliography EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (Created by John Isles) During the course of this business plan, many of the benefits of opening up a Subway restaurant in Colombia will be illustrated. Among the first items presented will be an analysis of startup costs. After a brief summary of the initial costs required, these...
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...The year 1819 was of little historical significance to most of the world. No major wars were fought. No leaders were assassinated; it seemed to be a year of unimportance. Highlights of the year would include Alabama’s admittance into the union and Colombia’s breaking free from the rule of Spain. However, the most important event of 1819 did not involve war, independence, or anything of the sort. That event was the publishing of Washington Irving’s short story “Rip Van Winkle.” The importance of this tale is deeply unrecognized by many people. Those who do realize this story’s significance consider “Rip Van Winkle” as the first writing that criticizes life in the newly independent United States. Throughout time, analysts have realized the subtle criticism of life before and after the American Revolution in this seemingly playful myth....
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...TB0245 Andreas Schotter Mary Teagarden Blood Bananas: Chiquita in Colombia No one laughs at the banana in its areas of origin. It is too serious a business, on which jobs and lives depend. Peter Chapman, Author of Jungle Capitalists. For Chiquita Brands International, a pioneer in the globalization of the banana industry, bananas are not only serious business, they represent an array of economic, social, environmental, political, and legal hassles. Since its founding more than a hundred years ago as United Fruit Company, Chiquita has been involved in paying bribes to Latin American government officials in exchange for preferential treatment, encouraging or supporting U.S. coups against smaller nations, putting in place dictatorships in Central America’s “banana republics,” exploiting local workers, creating an abusive monopoly, and now doing business with terrorists.1 For American multinationals, the rewards of doing business abroad are enormous, but so are the risks. Over the past decades, no place has been more hazardous than Colombia, a country that is just emerging from a deadly civil war and the effects of wide-ranging narco-terrorism. Chiquita found out the hard way. It made tens of millions in profit growing bananas in Colombia, only to emerge with its reputation splattered in blood.2 In 2004, Chiquita voluntarily admitted criminal responsibility to the U.S. Justice Department that one of its Colombian banana subsidiaries had made protection payments from 1997...
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...[pic] Coffee, Cooperation and Competition: A Comparative Study of Colombia and Vietnam Authors:[1] Adriana Roldán-Pérez Maria-Alejandra Gonzalez-Perez Pham Thu Huong Dao Ngoc Tien Research assistants (Colombia): Franz Xaver Riegler Stephanie Riegler Catalina Tabares Melissa Eusse Research assistant (Vietnam): Nguyen Thu Hang Table of contents List of figures 4 List of tables 4 Acronyms, abbreviations and definitions 6 Weights and measures 6 Abstract 7 1 Introduction 8 1.1 Research objectives 9 1.1.1 General objectives 9 1.1.2 Specific objectives 9 1.2 Research methodology 9 2 Literature review on the global value chain (GVC) of coffee 11 2.1 Theory of global value chains 11 2.1.1 Introduction to the value chain concept 11 2.1.2 Global commodity chains 12 2.1.3 Value chain analysis 13 2.1.3.1 Definition 13 2.1.3.2 Methodological aspects of value chain analysis 15 2.1.4 Governance 15 2.1.5 Barriers to entry and rent 16 2.1.6 Upgrading in value chains 16 2.2 Overview of the world coffee market 17 2.2.1 World coffee production 17 2.2.2 Production by type of coffee 18 2.2.3 Coffee producing countries 19 2.2.4 Stocks in producing countries 20 2.2.5 World coffee exports 21 2.2.6 World coffee consumption 24 2.2.7 The International Coffee Organisation and coffee prices 29 2.2.8 Mapping the global value chain of coffee 31 3 Analysis of Colombia and Vietnam’s participation in the coffee value chain 33 3.1 Vietnam’s...
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...14 December, 2013 The Impact of United States Drug Policy on Mexico and Colombia Drugs are not new to this Earth. Mankind has grown and consumed drugs for millennia. Marijuana, or more appropriately Cannabis, is indigenous to Central and South Asia, and has been consumed widely since 3000 B.C.E. (ElSohly 8). In more recent times (1938), Albert Hoffman synthesized Lysergic acid diethylamide, more commonly known as LSD, while searching for treatments for psychiatric diseases (Hoffman). Initially, many drugs were used in religious/spiritual functions. In several instances, the strong fibers of the Cannabis plant were used for building, much like jute, and the narcotic aspects of the plants were not even explored (ElSohly 8). However, today, drugs are frequently used recreationally, and as a result are highly profitable commodities. It is common knowledge that across the world, the vast majority of drugs are illegal or are restricted in some way. Almost nightly, proponents for the legalization of drugs, decriminalization of certain drugs, and the continued ban on drugs debate their positions through the media. This debate is a hot button issue that is almost entirely centered upon the views and policies of the world’s largest drug consumer, the United States of America (CIA Factbook). Governments and the media very often focus on drug consumption trends and drug flow into the United States, while largely ignoring Latin American perspectives and impacts on Latin America. Though...
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...MKT 533 Branding Strategy Cases Dr. Diane Badame Fall 2015 The price of this reader reflects a 20% discount on production costs, due to the early submittal of material by the instructor. Dear Student: Reproduction of copyrighted material, without prior permission of the copyright owner, particularly in an educational setting, is an issue of concern for the academic community. Unfortunately, the impropriety of much unauthorized copying is all too often overlooked by users in an educational setting. Although copying all or part of a work without obtaining permission may appear to be an easy and convenient solution to an immediate problem, such unauthorized copying can frequently violate the rights of the author or publisher of the copyrighted work, and be directly contrary to the academic mission to teach respect for ideas and the intellectual property that expresses those ideas. With that in mind, the University Bookstore has sought permission and paid royalties for all materials enclosed. The price of your reader reflects those necessary costs. This material comes from "Questions and Answers on Copyright for the Campus Community," Copyright 1993 by National Association of College Stores, Inc. and the Association of American Publishers. MKT 533 – Branding Strategy Dr. Badame, Fall 2015 UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MARSHALL GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS MKT 533 – BRANDING STRATEGY 1.5 CREDIT COURSE FALL 2015 ___________________...
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...Nuela, Jayson G. BSBA-II CAUSES OF EUTHANASIA The causes of euthanasia are usually advanced illness and a person's desire to end the suffering. The effects vary. Those who assist suicides can face criminal charges. They also have to live with ending a life, especially the life of a loved one. What is the difference between euthanasia and assisted suicide? Euthanasia and assisted suicide can be distinguished by considering the act without which the death would not occur. If a third party or a person performs the last act that intentionally leads to patient’s death, then it is called euthanasia. For example, giving a patient a lethal injection or putting a plastic bag over her head to suffocate her would be considered euthanasia. On the other hand, it is an assisted suicide when the patient himself performs an act that leads to death, but has been assisted by a doctor or some other person. Thus it would be assisted suicide if the patient dies after swallows the overdose of drug provided by his doctor for the purpose of causing death. METHODS OF EUTHANASIA When, however, an action or medication is withheld from a patient for the primary purpose of causing or hastening death, this is passive, or indirect, euthanasia. These measures may include the with-holding or withdrawal of ordinary measures such as food, water (hydration) and oxygen. Examples of passive euthanasia are: when food and water is withheld from sick or disabled newborn babies who might...
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...procedures. Abortions can occur spontaneously in which case it is usually called a miscarriage or can be purposely induced. Data shows that 40% of all women will have an abortion during their reproductive life. Some reasons for having an abortion can include financial stability, rape, age, incest, and maternal and fetus complications. 88% of abortions are done within in the first trimester (3 months). About 59% usually take place within the first eight weeks of pregnancy. After week 24 abortions are only provided if serious health problems occur. The earlier the abortion takes place the easier, safer, and less expensive abortions tend to be. There are different methods to getting an abortion depending on how far along you are. Typically if you are anywhere after seven weeks surgical abortions would be the best procedure. Back in 1973 the Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade case that all women have the right to have an abortion within the first six months also known as second trimester therefore is it legal to have an abortion. Prohibiting abortion would be violating the 9th and14th Amendment the Due Process Clause which includes a woman right to terminate her pregnancy. Some cons of debate against abortion because they believe that abortion will have a medical affect later on in ones’ life. Others think it can cause stress and psychological pain it’s serves as murder. There are plenty of families looking to adopt a child. Others believe once it is in the first trimester it is not consider...
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...Unintended Pregnancy And Induced Abortion in Colombia CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES Elena Prada Susheela Singh Lisa Remez Cristina Villarreal Acknowledgments This report was written by Elena Prada and Lisa Remez, both independent consultants; Susheela Singh, Guttmacher Institute; and Cristina Villarreal, Fundación Oriéntame. Haley Ball edited the report, and Kathleen Randall supervised layout and production; both are at the Guttmacher Institute. The authors thank the following current and former Guttmacher Institute staff members for providing assistance at various stages of the report’s preparation: Fernanda Abella, Suzette Audam, Akinrinola Bankole, Ann E. Biddlecom, Patricia Donovan, Gustavo Suarez and Jonathan Wittenberg. They also appreciate the valuable input of the following external reviewers: Deborah Billings, University of South Carolina; Teresa DePiñeres, University of California, San Francisco; Sandra García, Katherine S. Wilson and Rebekah Horowitz, all of the Population Council, Mexico; Pío Iván Gómez, Universidad Nacional de Colombia; Ana Cristina González, independent consultant, Colombia; Guillermo López-Escobar, Academia Nacional de Medicina, Colombia; Axel Mundigo, Senior Fellow, Guttmacher Institute; Melanie Peña, Gynuity; María Isabel Plata, Profamilia, Colombia; Mónica Roa, Women’s Link Worldwide, Colombia; and Luis Távara, Federación Latinoamericana de Sociedades de Obstetricia y Ginecología. In addition, the project benefited from invaluable advice and...
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...The Coca Cola Company is a global company that has been around for 126 years. During this time, the company had many changes in economic trends, information technology, competition, new products, categories, and strategies. Coca Cola primary product it´s Coke, followed by Diet Coke. In its product line Coca Cola has a total of 650 brands (U.S.A), 3500 brands worldwide. Forty-three percent of stores in the world carry Coca-Cola products. Everyday Coca-Cola sells 1.8 billion servings of its beverages all over the world. Human Resource management at Coca Cola Company has many resources and restrictions. It is a global company and it is difficult to create certain policies or procedures applicable in all divisions of the company, political and cultural diversity need to be taken in account. Management at the Coca Cola Company focuses on the acquisition of highly skilled and knowledgeable employees so that it can maintain its top position in the market. It provides conditions of employment that enables all employees to develop a sense of unity with the company and to carry their duties in the most willing and effective way. These strategies, policies, objectives and programs are in correspondence with the organization´s mission, objectives, strategies, policies and guide the management and union in taking decisions. | | ...
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...La Violencia in Colombia Author(s): Norman A. Bailey Source: Journal of Inter-American Studies, Vol. 9, No. 4 (Oct., 1967), pp. 561-575 Published by: Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Miami Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/164860 Accessed: 22-04-2015 00:41 UTC Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org. Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Miami is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Journal of Inter-American Studies. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 142.103.160.110 on Wed, 22 Apr 2015 00:41:27 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions A. NORMAN BAILEY Department of Political Science Queens College of the City University of New York LA VIOLENCIA IN COLOMBIA* F OR THE PAST TWENTY YEARS the South American republic of Colombiahas sufferedfrom a social phenomenonof such magnitude that it has defied not only the contemporaryjargon of sociologistsand political scientistsbut even the time-honoredterminolrebellion...
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...What is the current state of Latin American international relations, particularly relations with the United States? What is unique or “new” about the present situation? How much have we seen before? Make sure to discuss both economic and geo-political/security dimensions, and make reference to at least two historical periods, whether identified by particular doctrines, presidencies, or regimes of international relations. Current state of Latin Ameican international relations with the US— * Emerging independence from US—US is no longer the immediate partner of choice. Regional resentment of US perceived self-serving exercises of power * Economics: * Increased intra-regional economic integration—ALBA, UNOSUR * Expanding economic partners outside the hemisphere—China * Security: * States worry about subordination to the “gringos.” Address problems themselves or with immediate neighbors, rely less on US— * LatinAmerican presidents joined together to defuse tension between Colombia and Ecuador/Venezuela after Colombia’s March 2008 raid inside Ecuador * South American Defense Council (2008)—aimed at institutionalizing and coordinating “defense and security policies in the region while preventing and mediating conflicts within South America * United States: * Economic dependence on the region on the rise— * 50% of US energy imports (largest share accounted for by any region) * 32% of all US FDI ...
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