...Study on sales channel of Total S.A in sub-Sahara Africa Name University Affiliation 1.1 Introduction and Background Total S.A is a French multinational oil and gas company whose headquarters is in Tour Total, Courbevoie near Paris in France. Total S.A was one of the major six world oil companies when the French prime minister rejected the idea of a partnership with Royal Dutch Shell. He instead favored the idea of forming an independent French oil company because petroleum was considered as a very important in the case of new war with German (Total.com, 2015). It was formed in 1924 after World War I and was initially called French Petroleum Company (CPF). Initially, this company was a taken as a private sector company (Total.com, 2015). In the 1930s, Total S.A engaged in the oil exploration and production mainly in Middle East countries and after World War II, it diversified its exploration to Canada, Venezuela, and Africa as it pursued energy sources in France. In 1980, Total Petroleum North American wing controlled about 50% CPF it bought the refining and marketing assets of Vickers Petroleum. This action enabled it to have the capacity of transportation and networking over 350 service stations in 20 states. Between the years 1985 -2003, Total CPF rebranded itself to boost the popularity of its gasoline brand. The name of this company changed to “Total” when it became a public company as it was listed on New York Stock Exchange. In the early 1990s, the foreign ownership...
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...REGIONALISM IN AFRICA : A PART OF PROBLEM OR A PART OF SOLUTION Margaret LEE AAPS INTRODUCTION Regionalism, as defined in this paper, encompasses efforts by a group of nations to enhance their economic, political, social, or cultural interaction. Such efforts can take on different forms, including regional cooperation, market integration, development integration, and regional integration. African leaders have long envisaged regionalism as a viable strategy to pursue with a view to uniting the continent both politically and economically. While regionalism in Africa has taken on different forms to accommodate the changing national, regional, and international environment, all organizations that aim to integrate regional economies in Africa have adopted market integration as a component of their strategy, with a view to increasing intra-regional trade. Market integration is the linear progression of degrees of integration beginning with a free trade area (or in some cases a preferential trade area) and ending with total economic integration. The model for such integration is the European Union (EU). Notwithstanding the fact that market integration has failed miserably on the continent,1 it continues to be highly regarded by most African leaders as a solution to Africa’ growing marginalization within the world economy. The creation of NAFTA s (North American Free Trade Agreement) and the movement toward EU monetary integration, only served to reinforce the commitment African...
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...AFRICAN POVERTY Duncan Kennedy* Abstract: African extreme poverty is probably a function (although not solely) of the balkanized post-colonial geopolitics of Africa. It is also probably a function (although not solely) of the income distribution generated by a typically perverse African political economy, through its effect on the allocation of resources to development. As between these two causes, the second is probably much the more important. This reinterpretation puts considerably more of the blame for African poverty on the Western great powers than does the “poverty trap” analytic that is a common contemporary way of thinking about the African economic situation. INTRODUCTION This essay, which really is an essay rather than a sustained scholarly encounter with the problem, proposes an alternative to the “poverty trap” analytic for understanding extreme poverty in sub-Saharan Africa. The poverty-trap idea is well instantiated by the following quotation from Jeffrey and Lisa Sachs, and it is common among liberal Western commentators on African economy. For the world’s poorest people, daily life is a struggle for survival, with millions of impoverished people each year losing that struggle to famine, disease, environmental catastrophes, and violent conflicts that arise in conditions of extreme deprivation. . . . One basic point, not always remembered, is that impoverished countries lack their own budgetary resources needed to supply vital—indeed life-saving—services such...
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...1 Innovation in Africa: A View from the Peaks and Hilltops of a Spiky Continent* By David A. Wernick, Florida International University College of Business *From the forthcoming book Innovation in Emerging Markets, edited by J. Haar and R. Ernst (Palgrave, 2016). Please do not circulate or quote without consent of author. ABSTRACT: There is growing interest among scholars and practitioners in African innovation. Some contend that the continent's recent economic boom is largely a homegrown phenomenon, driven primarily by indigenous entrepreneurs developing local content for continental consumers. But is this true? To what extent is Africa's impressive economic performance in recent years the result of internal dynamics and which actors and institutions are most responsible? This chapter examines the state of innovation across the African continent, with a particular focus on sub-Saharan Africa. The authors identify key facilitators of innovation in the private, public, and non-profit sectors, as well as obstacles to the continent’s continuing innovation-led economic expansion. I. Introduction In a widely read 2005 article in the Atlantic Monthly, author Richard Florida argued that with respect to innovation, the world is anything but flat. Given the way that creative talent, technical expertise, and financial capital tend to cluster in a handful of hubs or “peaks” around the world – places such as New York, San Francisco, London, Berlin, and Tokyo – the world’s...
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...AFRICA’S DEVELOPMENT: THE IMPERATIVES OF INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND VALUES by MARTIN ODEI AJEI submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in the subject PHILOSOPHY at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA PROMOTER: PROFESSOR M. B. RAMOSE AUGUST 2007 Contents Declaration Acknowledgement List of Acronyms Key terms Summary vi vii viii x xi INTRODUCTION: DEVELOPMENT AND PHILOSOPHY i. Statement of the Problem ii. Against Economism iii. Critique of Competition iv. Poverty is Unnatural v. Thesis Statement vi. Methodology vii. Structure of Dissertation 1 1 1 5 6 9 10 15 CHAPTER ONE: DIMENSIONS OF DEVELOPMENT AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON AFRICA 1.1. What is Development 1.2. Development and Economic Growth 1.3. Schools of Development Thought and their Influence in Africa 1.3.1. The Modernization School and its Essential Claims 1.3.1.1. Growth Theory under Economic Liberalism 1.3.1.2. Evolutionary Theory 1.3.1.3. Functionalist Theory 1.3.1.4. Common Assumptions and Methodology 1.3.1.5 The Influence of Modernization on Development Practice in Africa 1.3.1.6. Critique of Modernization 1.3.2 Dependency Theory and its Essential Claims 21 21 25 27 27 28 29 30 32 34 36 39 i 1.3.3. The Theoretical Heritage of Dependency Theory 1.3.3.1. Structuralist Economics and the ‘Prebisch Thesis’ 1.3.3.2. Marxism 1.3.4. Common Assumptions of Dependency Theory 1.3.5. Criticisms of Dependency Theory 1.3.6. The Influence of Dependency Theory on African Development Practice...
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...Agriculture, growth and poverty reduction This paper was produced by the Agriculture and Natural Resources Team of the UK Department for International Development (DFID) in collaboration with Anne Thomson of Oxford Policy Management, Oxford. The authors are grateful to the UK Food Group for their additional contributions and comments. The paper reflects work in progress towards the development of new thinking on agricultural policy in DFID. It does not necessarily reflect the views and policy of DFID. This (working/supporting) paper is intended to stimulate public discussion. It is not necessarily DFID or UK Government policy. October 2004 Contents Executive Summary...................................................................................................... 3 1. What is the issue? .................................................................................................... 4 2. Agriculture, growth and poverty – what we know of the relationship ............................ 5 2.1 The context – the state of world poverty............................................................... 5 2.2 Agriculture’s recent performance – a picture of mixed progress............................... 7 2.3 Agricultural growth and poverty reduction – the evidence....................................... 9 2.4 Understanding how increased agricultural productivity reduces poverty ................. 10 3. Emerging issues and questions................................................
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...Imagine… a town of 5000 people where there is: no unemployment no pollution 100% recycling free health care a seemingly endless supply of a wide variety of organically gown produce – all incredibly delicious grown locally on some of the most fertile soil on Earth… in the heart of Africa! Imagine Africa rising! you will never see Africa the same way again! a project of Working Villages International Africa Rising: A MODEL FOR SELF-SUFFICIENT VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA Alexander Petroff Chapter 1 A New Economic Development Model This book is a practical blueprint for the revitalization of Africa. It envisions nothing less than the complete transformation of Africa into an economic and social powerhouse – from being the basket case of the world to a guiding light - showing the people of the world an example of living in peace with each other and in harmony with Nature. Although great thought and years of research have gone into the formulation of this entirely new economic development model, this book is not simply a treatise on economic theory, but rather a practical outline that is at this very moment being gradually implemented. Economies are confined by the laws that protect and govern their development. The policy changes put forth in this model are just that - individual economic policy changes put in place to allow the economy to develop in a way that is most beneficial to the citizenry of an African village. This model does not rely on a new...
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...(2010) The role of South Africa in SADC regional integration: the making or braking of the organization∗ Saurombe Amos University of South Africa Sauroa@unisa.ac.za Abstract. The economic and political strength of South Africa in Southern Africa is undeniable. South Africa is the strongest economy in Southern Africa and in the whole continent of Africa. Regional and global interests lie at the heart of South African’s foreign policy resulting in the need to create compromises that may disadvantage the SADC block. South Africa is the current chair of SADC and its leadership role is critical. The country is also the gateway to foreign direct investment to the developing world. This paper seeks to discuss the critical position which South Africa finds itself in. The challenge to provide leadership at regional and global level has also been compounded by the domestic outcry for a need to deal with issues at home. South Africa holds the key for the success of SADC both at economic and political levels. However SADC’s dependence on South Africa may turn out to be a stumbling block since there is divided attention. This has been shown by South Africa’s ‘go it alone’ approach when it comes to negotiating trade agreements, e.g. with the EU, as well as its unwillingness to compromise on the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) that the other SADC Members States are signing. What is obvious is that SADC needs South Africa but at the same time South Africa is at liberty to choose when...
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...starvation. In Africa most Africans are farmers; small farmers live life with less choice because he has less money. He has to always shop on a budget and buy what he can afford at the time. A big farmer has more of a choice to spend as he likes. The question is how can markets be developed in Africa? Over two decades ago the government of Africa said that the market must be liberalized. Liberalized meaning remove or loosen restrictions on. The food import bills have doubled more than what it was 20 years ago. Africa’s market problem is Africa’s market challenge. The prices of crops in Africa are the highest in the world. Africa is learning that markets don’t happen by themselves. The Chicago board of exchange was a big organization that farmers would use to exchange goods through the market. Common exchanges went down between the farmers. If farmers were to go make a trade and nobody was to be found farmers would lose money because they wouldn’t want to return home with the product that they arrived with. The ECEX which was established April 2008, which means the Ethiopia Commodity exchange. It was formed to ensure the development of an efficient modern trading system, which would protect the rights and benefits of sellers, buyers, intermediaries and the general public. The peace mill approach does not work. The government feels that the company may not be ready for full technology trading. Eleni feels and believes that Ethiopia can change Africa. In class...
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...indeed economic and social forces of globalization has changed the world of art. “There is a vast and varied literature on the social and economic impact of the globalization. Several analysts argue that globalization has fundamentally altered the nature of cultural processes, political dynamics and social interaction.” (Stoller 209) After reflecting on this statement, I believe that the Western World interpretation of the art may have predicted the way in which people interacted with African Art. Because African Artists, in most cases, did not have the chance share their story, the true sense of the arts was lost. The purpose of African art was not to satisfy the people themselves but it was meant to be spiritually engaging. “In West Africa religious crossroads are place stepped in religious significance… The crossroads is a metaphor that...
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...Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? presents a world where Earth has been completely ravaged by war, destroying both the natural environment and the vast quantity of animals that once populated the world. This drastic change to the natural world creates a situation where animals mean a great deal more than they do in our own world, and play a more central role in the lives and minds of everyone. As is the case when most things become scarcer, animals have become far more precious, valuable, and important in this new world. There are certainly a large number of animal lovers today, in the present day, and even some who refuse to kill animals such as ants or spiders, but nothing compared to the society in the novel. Animals are seemingly sacred, and to kill an animal, even a tiny bug, is almost unthinkable. Animals have become a status symbol, and to not own an animal is just not an option. People have to resort to fake electric animals to fit in and not stand out. The relationship between animals and humans has become something more than simply a companionship. As is shown in many of the questions on the Voigt-Kampff test, the main attribute of being human is empathy. This manifests itself in humans first as empathy towards other humans and, not far behind, as empathy towards animals. Not having an animal or not treating all animals with the utmost respect is akin to being an android - close to human but missing that crucial final component. Humans need their humanity, and...
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...own people when they stop playing politics at the expense of human misery. The major focus of the piece was primarily on how these leaders protect each other, no matter the circumstances and call it ‘the principle of state sovereignty’. Although Theodore T. Hodge was extremely uncharitable with his choice of words in a diplomatic sense I strongly believe he dealt with the pertinent issues he wanted to focus on. A little over a week ago, Ghana came out to join other nations in giving recognition to the National Transitional Council (NTC) of Libya and to accord them due diplomatic recognition following Muammar Gaddafi’s overthrow. When I heard this news, I felt Ghana-an oasis of peace- was brewing troubles already across the rest of Africa. And I heard a lot of comments from different quarters on why they thought Ghana should have remain silent and not rush into giving recognition to the NTC backed by the rebels. A prominent Ghanaian lecturer of international relation even said, ‘nobody would have beaten us’ if we did not recognize the NTC. Am sure he would not say that in the lecture hall. And a lot of others also opined that it was too early and premature on the part of the country and that maybe-yes maybe- it was some long hand somewhere shrouded in mystery that coerced us into making such a “hasty” decision. Try as I may, am not going to draw any conclusions here. I am not too sure which side of the coin I belong to myself. But methinks instead of sitting down and folding...
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...prominent and successful authors was James Mercer Langston Hughes. “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” was written by Hughes at the tender age of 19. This poem is reflective of four central topics: African-American ancestry, racial pride, slavery and spirituality. The most obvious use of literary art, symbolism, plays a tremendous role in this poem and is effortlessly laced throughout the seams of this intricate ode. “I've known rivers: I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins.” According to the most widely accepted theories on the origins of man, homo sapiens’ appear to have originated in Great Rift Valley in Africa. Above the “rivers” can be interpreted as ancient African ancestry. The writer knows from handed down accounts the story of his people’s lineage. If Africa is home to all of our births then this would explain the words chosen to describe the ancestors like “ancient as the world” and “older than the flow of human blood…” While using the Bible as a reference, it tells us that there are four rivers that originally flowed from the Garden of Eden. One of these rivers, the Perath River, is Hebrew for Euphrates. For this reason, I imagine the Euphrates River was purposefully placed as...
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...HIV prevention in Africa A continuing rise in the number of HIV infected people is not inevitable. There is growing evidence that prevention efforts can be effective, and this includes initiatives in some of the most heavily affected countries. One new study in Zambia has shown success in prevention efforts. The study reported that urban men and women are less sexually active, that fewer had multiple partners and that condoms were used more consistently. This is in line with findings that HIV prevalence has declined significantly among 15-29 year-old urban women (down to 24.1% in 1999 from 28.3% in 1996). Although these rates are still unacceptably high, this drop has prompted a hope that, if Zambia continues this response, it could become the second African country to reverse a devastating epidemic. This suggests that awareness campaigns and prevention programs are now starting to work. But a major challenge is to sustain and build on such uncertain success. What form should AIDS education take? Peer education A social form of education without classrooms or notebooks, where people are educated outside a 'school' environment but still have the opportunity to ask questions. Most peer education focuses on providing information about HIV transmission, answering questions and handing out condoms to people in a workplace, perhaps in a bar, or where a group of women gather to wash clothes. Most peer educators make contact with their target audience at least...
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...causing a decentering of their own culture. During the twentieth century such things as fashion, music, traditions, media, communication, and technology began to change and modernize to the times. Technology and communication has had an overwhelming growth since the nineteenth century. Some cultures such as music and literature has been passed down from generation to generation. There are many cultures that suffered decentering, such as Africa. The impact that the European culture had on Africa was devastating, as families and villages began to fall as men were sold or traded as slaves The African culture had many of their own traditions and their region flourished prior to the Europeans. The African nation lived quietly in large villages made up primarily of families, with each village having one leader. Art, music, and dance were a big part of the African culture. Part of their traditions was to dance at “stages of human development, the passing of the seasons or stages of the agricultural year” (Sayre, 2010, p. 253). In the earlier century Africa was once a prosperous nation. Ghana controlled all of the...
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