...this essay, I am reviewing a book entitled Why Nations Fail written by Daron Acemoglu, and James Robinson. The book was written in 2012, and the authors mention the ongoing Arab Spring as they were putting together their ideas in writing. This coincidence makes me wonder if these authors were also impacted by the information revolution or the information outburst as Nye (2013) often chooses to call. In fact, the authors did not mention the term ‘information revolution’ in the book; they simply state that Egyptians are on the street not because they are poor, as many scholars and political analysts suggest, but because power has resided in the hands of a few elites, and these elites have used political power to amass personal wealth at the expense of the bigger mass. But why the Egyptian revolution took place at this particular time, instead of a decade ago, for example? As far as I understand political theories, the answer lies behind globalization and information revolution which opened a new gate to information. That is, since billions of people around the globe are capable of reaching the internet (about 1.7 million according to Nye), many are able to read online news, or even watch them live as they are being broadcasted. Thus, it is possible to associate the Egyptian revolution or the Arab Spring to globalization and information revolution. Acemoglu et al, (2012) also indicate that Egypt’s ex-president, Hosni Mubarak gathered a huge amount of Egyptian wealth (about $70 billion)...
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...and markets. Today, so many different components, ingredients, and specialized business activities go into products that we’re often challenged to say exactly where they were made. Example: Japanese firm Matsushita furnishes the CD player in the Korean-manufactured Kia Sorento.) International business consists of all commercial transactions—including sales, investments, and transportation—that take place between two or more countries Increasingly foreign countries are a source of both production and sales for domestic companies (These global activities enable us to get more variety, better quality, or lower prices. Private companies undertake such transactions for profit while governments may undertake them either for profit or for political reasons.) Studying International Business is Important * Most companies are either international or compete with international companies * Modes of operations may differ from those used domestically * The best way of conducting business may differ by country * An understanding helps you make better career decisions * An understanding helps you decide what government policies to support (Global events affect companies of all sizes and industries. As a...
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...societies dysfunctions than a parody of the self, The Media helps to provide some sort of equilibrium in this world of ever changing, always yearning chaos. Some analysts have been tempted to disregard The Media. I haven’t. If society has a favourite child, it is The Media. Economic Factors Increasingly economic growth and innovation are being attributed to The Media. Of course, The Media fits perfectly into the JTB-Guide-Dog model, a classic economic system of analysis. National Debt The Media The results displayed in the graph are too clear to be ignored. Of course the national debt is in financial terms 'holding hands with The Media.' Supply Side Economic Tax Cuts Tax deductions could turn out to be a risky tactic. Political Factors Modern politics owes much to the animal kingdom. Comparing The Media and much of what has been written of it can be like comparing night and day. It is always enlightening to consider the words of the famous political Achilles B. Adger 'The success of any political system can...
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...as though it is the best way for society to live by, but honestly more than half of the people associated in politics are not there to help nor do they care or try to understand the struggle people go through, as I stated at the beginning of the semester. They only care about themselves and their pockets. As students, I believe we can and should reinforce the origins of politics. It sounds a tad easy than it actually is, but I strongly believe that if given the chance not only could society put a stop to the dirty game appearance of politics, it also teach us qualities of strength and leadership. It helps us voice our opinion and have a say in crucial issues. We should push ourselves to make right decisions in order to make our politics system less corrupt. This class has taught me that without politics there would be no existence of a society because there would be a lack of structure that would only lead...
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...influence a firm in its operations. These forces are more or less important and threatening to a company. They range from the customers to the competition, through laws and environmental regulations and encompass a very broad number of actors in any competitive environment. Political activity is perhaps one of the most important forces to monitor and manage for companies. It relates to the laws and regulations that shape the competitive environment, and companies have numerous opportunities and ways to influence them. In this regard, this paper will address the ways that firms have to manage the uncertainty of their environment through corporate political strategies. The analysis will start by clarifying the relations between the firm and its political environment, in order to see which topics deserve a stronger focus when developing a corporate political strategy. Then, a distinction will be drawn between corporatist political systems and pluralist ones, so to give an indication on which kind of strategy to choose. Finally, it will be possible to give more details about the means that companies have to pursue their corporate political strategy, considering that their relevance depends on the political environment at hand. I) The links between business and politics From Hillman and Hitt (1999, p.826) it can be said that politics set the grounds for business activities. By developing and implementing laws and regulations often applicable to the society at large, they directly...
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... and other groups. Under the picket-fence federalism the main focus was opposed to the urban situations and problems for the disadvantage. Picket-fence federalism was a way that the government went to help the individuals who were apart of the less fortunate through the help of different governmental agencies. List and explain at least three strategies states used to respond to welfare reform following the implementation of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996. Relate your answer specifically to state discretionary rule-making and changes in the categorization of case studies With the new opposed governmental relations involved over the years different presidential administrators wanted to bring change into the system. There were many different types of welfare reform that followed the implementation of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996. According to the text, during Clinton’s presidency, the foundation of New Federalism remained, however the main themes were regulatory reform and shifting decision making authority to state and local governments. (Denhardt, 2009). Because of congressional concern that welfare had become a way of life For some recipients, a key purpose of the new law was to promote work Over welfare and self-reliance over dependency. In support of this goal, the Law provides that states must require able-bodied recipients to participate In work or work-related activities and must impose a 5-year lifetime limit ...
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...long and short runs. In order to prove it we are going to find out what economic institutions are, why they are matte, what are the reasons behind different institutions in different countries and finally support it with historical facts. 1 Links between economic growth and economic institution What are institutions? The term “Economic institutions” can be defined in mach different way and have multiple meanings. On the one hand North (1990, p.3 ) defines institutions in a general wide way as “ the rules of the game in a society, or more formally, are the humanly devised constants that shape human interaction… In consequence they structure incentives in human exchange, whether political, social, or economic”. Hadgson (2004, p. 655) explains economic institutions as “ durable systems of established and embedded social rules that...
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...Rotman commerce Political Risk Assessment of Foreign Investment in Mexico Siyu Li 997707209 RSM491 Mexico is a democratic country in Central America that has a reputation for being a poor and dependent country. However, its democratic title and recent political movement has inched it toward stability politically. The country is comprised primarily of two parties with several smaller ones, much like the US and other countries, including the National Action Party (NAP), a conservative group, and more moderate Institutional Revolution Party (PRI). These two powers have experienced much deadlock and turmoil in the past few presidential elections to the dismay of Mexicans, who appear to simply be interested in the progress of the country and not necessarily just one political group. This paper’s intention is to outline the political ecology of Mexican government and offer a look into the risks and rewards possible from an economic standpoint as the result. Political movement of late has primarily involved the election of President Enrique Pena Nieto, a very young and idealistic leader who has nevertheless brought the country together politically by working both sides of the aisle and offering a moderate rather than liberal viewpoint. John-Paul Rathbone writes that “What made this display of Latin cordiality so notable, though, was that it took place on the second day of President Enrique...
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...Mexico: Drugs or Democracy Introduction Illicit drug trade between Mexico and the United States, estimated between $17 billion and $38 billion a year in 2009 by the Drug Intelligence Center, has a long and storied past. Cartels operated with relative impunity from government prosecution during the seventy year reign of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, (PRI). The movement from an authoritarian government system of the PRI to the liberal democracy initiated by the election victory of the National Action Party, (PAN), candidate, Vicente Fox, in 2000, disrupted the status quo. Election gains by PAN Representatives disrupted long standing agreements between the cartels and government officials which led to the increased violence that exists today. This paper will explore the history of the relationship between the cartels and the PRI. The effect of the increased violence from the cartels inhibits the efforts of PAN party officials to establish a lasting democracy. Literature Review Research shows the three distinct stages in the development of a cohesive relationship between drug cartels and government in Mexico and identifies the political and economic conditions that have allowed the drug trade to thrive. Comparing Mexico with Columbia, another narcotics state, provides an additional case study on the subject matter and highlights actions utilized successfully. A review of the current political and military efforts to curtail corruption within the government provides...
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...interest group throughout Mexico, however they are not politicians or directly take part in government. This is due the freedom of religion Mexico upholds to its citizens. Though there is freedom of religion in Mexico, Catholicism is the majority religion of most citizens. President Fox made it clear in 2002 that the Catholic church was an accepted influence when he kissed the pope’s hand during an official papal visit to Mexico (55). The success of an interest group is determined based on the influence it has over constituents as well as the efficiency of influencing legislation and initiatives passed by politicians to better the lives of members. Camp wrote that many Mexicans did not feel they could...
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...A Comparative Study of Walmart Operations in Canada & Mexico Table of Contents 1. Executive Summary…………………………...………………………………...…...2 2. Introduction………………………………………………………………………….3 3. Walmart and the Canadian Marketplace……………………………..…………3 A. Country Competitiveness B. Cultural Environment C. Political and Legal Environment D. Entry Strategies 4. Walmart and the Mexican Marketplace……………………………..………….10 A. Country Competitiveness B. Cultural Environment C. Political and Legal Environment D. Entry Strategies 5. Summary Comparison of Canadian and Mexican Markets…………………….18 6. Recommendation…………………………………………………………………….19 7. References…………………………………………………………………………...21 1. Executive Summary This report closely examines the operations of the world's largest retailer, Walmart, in Canada and Mexico. Assessments of market conditions in both countries have been conducted in terms of country competitiveness, cultural, political and legal environments and the strategies used by Walmart upon entry. Tying into these international business factors, specific aspects of international economic integration, monetary systems, social responsibility and corruption have also been reviewed. While being part of one continent and a common trade bloc (NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement), considerable differences between Canada and Mexico are apparent. These differences are individually analyzed on the following pages. Inevitably, they...
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...Diana Montes Ms. Hart American Literature 8th of April, 2015 Corruption in the government system and in the 1920’s Mexico is a country that has become known to be very corrupt to its people, and this is mostly because of its Institutional Revolutionary Party, also known as PRI. This political party dominated Mexico’s political institutions for approximately seventy years. Many of its members that have served in Mexico’s government have corrupted Mexico in some way. Some of them have taken money from the country for their own selfish needs and robbed their own people. The main theme in The Great Gatsby is “Excessive wealth and materialism leads to carelessness, corruption, and destruction.” In connection to that, Mexico’s Institutional Revolutionary...
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...Democracy The 1968 Student Movement in Mexico was a protest against the political, economic, and social order under the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). They criticized the PRI as party that claimed to represent the ideals of the Mexican Revolution of 1910, when in fact they had totally turned away from those ideals. The Mexican Revolution was a fight for all Mexicans to have freedom, democracy, and a more egalitarian society but its political momentum was halted by the PRI. Instead, the PRI and its leadership were too capitalist, right-wing, authoritarian, and oppressive. In response, the 1968 student movement sought the recalibration of society from one that was dominated by oligarchical, capitalist interests into one that was more socialist, democratic and equal. This was reflected in the six demands they wanted of the government, what they went to protest for, and in the way they structured their organization through revolving community leadership of its student committees. In effect, the way the student movement structured themselves was how they believed an ideal society in Mexico should be structured. A democratic society where everyone participated in the political process, where no one was left out, and where no one person or group had too much authority and power. Only the goals of egalitarianism, democracy, and social justice would reign supreme. To understand why the student movement of 1968 occurred in Mexico, one has to understand the history of the...
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...These are some top 10 tips for doing business in Mexico: 1) In Mexico, personal relationships are the heart of most business actions. Take time to grow strong and lasting relationships. 2) Even though the impact of foreign multinational corporation (MNC) cannot be disregarded, most indigenous Mexican companies will be hierarchical in structure. 3) People from the USA are `North America` rather than `American`. 4) Key decisions are made by small number of people at the top of the ranking. Ensure that you are dealing with the perfect people. 5) make sure that you send people of the right level of seniority to deal with Mexican colleagues. Do not insult people by sending your subordinate colleagues to work with older, more superior Mexican managers. 6) Mexican managers are tend to be instructional and presume to give direct orders to subordinates. 7) As in many hierarchical cultures, the manager subordinate relationship is a reciprocal one. In exchange for loyalty, the bosses take personal interest in the well-being of subordinates. 8) Please, try not to condemn other openly in meetings as this could be construed as a discredit and have a severe bad long-term impact on your relationship in Mexico. 9) Do not be astonished if standard of punctuality do not meet your expectations. Time is a commodity and begin and finish times should be viewed as estimates 10) Agendas are not always utilized in meetings and if they are available, it will not always...
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...Ann Fain September 2004 Political, Social and Economic Oppression 500 Years of Mexican Indigenismo For the last 500 years, the indigenous populations in Mesoamerica have been marginalized and viewed by first the Europeans and then by the Criollos and modern Mesoamericans as an inferior, powerless and primitive race. Subsequently, they have been forced to endure extreme social, economic and political inequalities, which originated during the colonial period and persist to present day. Although they have initiated countless protests and uprisings and are arguably the backbone of Mesoamerican economic development, they remain in a subordinate position in society and suffer considerably from the lack of education, inadequate health care, malnutrition and repeated human right violations. This essay discusses the disproportionate social, economic and political circumstances of the Mexican indigenous population throughout the last 500 years, and the institutions, ideas and attitudes that have persisted in terms of three major stages: the colonial period, post independence and the post revolution era. First, through the ecomienda system, Spanish political sovereignty, and social reorganization, the colonial period established the foundation for most of the oppressive institutions in Mexico today. Second, the post independence era did not bring sovereignty, equality and freedoms to the indigenous as it did to other sectors of Mexican society, but rather served to propel ...
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