Reactions to Oppression in Jamaica and South Africa :: Jamaica Oppressed Culture Religion Essays

Reactions to Oppression in Jamaica and South Africa "Bob Marley said How long shall they kill our prophets While we stand aside and look Little did he know that eventually The enemy will stand aside and look While we slash and kill our own brothers Knowing that already they are the victims of the situation" Lucky Dube, Victims Lucky Dube is a reggae artist from South Africa singing in a fight against oppression in his country. Like Jamaica, South Africa has been oppressed since the days of the European colonizers. The only difference is some Africans lost their land and others were stolen from their land. In this paper, the reactions of Africans (Jamaicans included) to oppression will be surveyed through politics, religion, and music. This will be done through a comparison of these ideas between South Africa and Jamaica. Both these countries have been subjected to nearly 400 years of oppression of Europeans over Africans. The oppression of the indigenous people of South Africa began with the colonization by the Dutch through the Dutch East India Company. The cape of South Africa proved to be a perfect resting spot for ships on their course from Holland or India. (Lapping, p. 1-2) Conflict was inevitable and finally after 7 years of settlement the indigenous Khoikhoi attacked the colony. The Khoikhioi could not match the firearms of the Dutch. (Lapping, p. 3) Van Riebeek, who proceeded over the colony had now gained superiority over the indigenous people, imported slaves, and settled the freeburghers. The freeburghers were settled on large farms, which required strong laborers. This is where the slaves came in handy since the colony did not like the Khoikhoi labor. As the freeburghers and the slaves married, a population called the Cape coloreds arose. No more Dutch were sent since this was to be a refreshing post. In 1688, after an outbreak of religious persecution in France, some two hundred French H ugeuenots arrived. (Lapping, p. 3-5) As the colony grew, the farmers (Boers) began to move forward inland. The conflicts between them and the indigenous people increased. By 1702, fights began breaking out with another indigenous culture, the Xhosa. The white mans claim to the land, ‘We were here first.’ This is however not true because the Portuguese had traded with the Xhosa before the Dutch arrived. These were not the only inhabitants of the interior, there were as the Sotho, which are now present day Botswanans and the Zulu.

Step into my Parlor… : Perceptions of Cultural Survival among the Kyapo and Yanomani :: Essays Papers

Step into my Parlor†¦ : Perceptions of Cultural Survival among the Kyapo and Yanomani When caught in the web of global media, the â€Å"cultural survival† of indigenous communities becomes a potent international issue. As affirmed in a 1997 UN declaration, international communities receive, â€Å"with gratitude, the message of harmony and respect for all life brought to us by ancient [indigenous] people whose culture may†¦make a worthy contribution to the world community† (Neizen 2). With the â€Å"politics of shame† winnowing away at the public integrity of Brazil, the two cultures of the Kayapo and Yanomami are strategically set in the international web as endangered peoples suffering â€Å"onslaught of civilization†, yet still worth some â€Å"contribution to the world†. Yet to what degree is their â€Å"worthy contribution† qualified by dominant international definitions of their ‘culture’? The global reception of "threatened" indigenous cultures is colored with pre-existing values and assumptions. In contrast to the dominant consumerist culture pulsing in global politics, indigenous groups are seen to offer elements of fantasy rather than diplomacy, and provide a kick-back to the â€Å"primitive† ideology of early man. As the general public enjoys indigenous romanticism like a favorite Hollywood movie, romanticizing indigenous cultures through media is quite common. Yet, romanticism creates an indigenous cultural dichotomy. Sustained interaction with governments broker change among indigenous people and elements of culture assimilate. Interaction provokes Kayapo demands for goods â€Å"from fish hooks to cooking pots† (Rabben 48). The Kayapo became dependent on whites â€Å"for goods they wanted but had no way of producing themselves† (47). Dominant society assumes that â€Å"cultural survival† is only achieved by preserving a static and untransformed people. To safe guard indigenous authenticity and exotic appeal, the common assumption is such that native ways of life must not be influenced or changed in anyway. However, to survive as a people in the modern world, indigenous cultures must be aware of their civil rights, for negotiations with imperialistic governments are essential. In 1981, the Kayapo were cheated out of 99.99% of their mining profits because they did not know â€Å"enough arithmetic to perceive the trick† in the white man’s contract (71). Only after years of litigation were they able to win 5% profit. The Yanomami are constantly pressured to â€Å"assimilate into Brazilian society as the poorest of the poor† rather than remain a fractioned culture (86). â€Å"Cultural survival† thus becomes a question of protecting the collective rights of an indigenous people from governmental abuse, while educating the people to the extent that they people may choose and protect their own future in a world of inescapable influence.

The Hoover Dam and Its Construction Essay -- Hoover Dam Research Paper

Outside of China, the United States is the most-dammed country on the planet. Counting only dams taller than fifty feet high, the U.S. has some 5,000 dams that range from giant hydroelectric dams such as the Grand Coulee in Washington State to flood control dams in the southeast and dams that provide water for irrigation in California. Overall the United States has as many as 2.5 million dams of one sort or another. The design and construction of many of these dams took place between 1930 and 1975. This 45 years period is known as the golden age of dam building, starting with the construction of the Hoover Dam beginning in 1931. By the 1970s the golden age of dam construction began to come to an end with increased concerns of the impacts of dams on their surroundings. To better understand this time period I will look at the construction of Hoover Dam during the 1930’s followed by an examination many of today’s arguments for and against dams [i]. The need for a dam on the Colorado River was known decades before construction actually began due to the numerous destructive floods of the Colorado River. A need for water and electricity was also discovered to help with the development of the West. But there were many factors standing in the way such a large-scale construction project. Finally, in 1927 a bill detailing the project passed in Congress. Many construction companies began to look over the proposals but most agreed that the plan was too ambitious, too difficult, the project site was too unforgiving, and that the technology was not available to build a dam of that size[ii]. Hoover Dam is located in the Black Canyon, on the Colorado River, about thirty miles southeast of Las V... ...onomic impacts of the dam, the impacts of removal, and the economic costs. Notes [i] Davy, Emma. â€Å"Robofish† Current Science March 2, 2001: 10. [ii] http://www.hooverdam.usbr.gov/ [iii] http://xroads.virginia.edu/~MA98/haven/hoover/front2.html [iv] http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/hoover/ 5 Robbins, Elaine. â€Å"Damning Dams.† E Jan 1999: 14. 6 Franklin, Chris. â€Å"Let the Colorado River run free.† Earth Island Journal Spring 1997: 23. 7 http://www/irn.org/ 8 â€Å"Not so fast; Eliminating dams; Why dams can be green.† The Economist March 3, 2001: 4. 9 Wade, Beth. â€Å"Bringing down the dams.† American City and County June 1999: 20. 10 â€Å"Knocking down dams – A good year for alewives.† The Economist July 29, 2000: 32. 11 http://www.saveourdams.com/ 12 McMahon, Richard Jr. â€Å"Let’s not damn the dams.† The Business Journal January 28, 2000: 47.

CASE STUDY: CISCO SYSTEM INC. Essay

Cisco Systems, Inc. is a leading supplier of communications and computer networking products, systems, and services. It was founded in 1984 by Len Bosack and Sandy Lerner. The company’s product line includes routers, switches, remote access devices, protocol translators, Internet services devices, and networking and network management software. Cisco serves three main market segments: large organizations, including corporations, government entities, utilities, and educational institutions; service providers, including Internet service providers, telephone and cable companies, and providers of wireless communications; and small and medium-sized businesses whose needs include operating networks, connecting to the Internet, and connecting with business partners. Increasingly, Cisco’s products are appearing in the consumer marketplace. Cisco operates globally, deriving roughly 44 percent of its sales from overseas business. ï  ¬Challenges and Risks Faced in NPI 1.Time-to-Market Pressure Cisco had to launch the new product extremely quickly There is only one year for Cisco to launch the Viking product to market with low cost. Otherwise, the market share might loss. However, it is about 3 to 5 years for Cisco to launch a high-end product. To meet such tighten schedule, it is imperative for Cisco team to perform a very collaborative operation and concurrent engineering in whole supply chain and NPI phase 2.Cost Pressure Bandwidth prices were constantly falling and customer expected continuous improvements in price-performance on their equipment. The competitor keeps intensive discount on price. Cisco had to implement most cost effective-supply chain at launch and product design. 3.Immense Technical Complexity The product router contained about 300,000 components, about 30 times more than in a small business router. How to successfully launch such a high complexity product in a low cost contract manufacturer like Foxconn requires Cisco monitor and cooperate with CM carefully. 4.Outsourcing Production of Complex Machines In order to put all the pieces together with the highest quality, reliability and on-time performance required in the demanding service provider market. Cisco faced the challenges inherent to outsourcing production of such a complex machine, and therefore Cisco would have to work closely with the contractor to reduce production and supply chain risks. 5.Continuous Cost Down Pressure from Emerging Market Cisco needed to ensure that router would be attractive to service providers worldwide. Emerging markets were the fastest-growing part of Cisco’s business, which needed lower cost, so keeping the router’s costs was important to its global success.

Ethics in Ir Essay

Introduction: when thinking about how the world works IR scholars usually subscribe to one of two dominant theories, realism or liberalism. One, classical/neo-realist thought, is more pessimistic about the prospects of peace, cooperation, and human progress whilst the other, liberalism/idealism, is more upbeat and sanguine about human nature and human possibilities. In this lecture, we examine each worldview in depth†¦ at the end I’d like you to think about which, if any, view you subscribe to†¦ II. International Relations Theory A. What is theory? One word often used to describe theory is â€Å"paradigm†. According to Ray and Kaarbo, a paradigm is simply a way of thinking about and approaching an area of scientific or scholarly inquiry that is widely accepted within a particular discipline. 1. In other words, a paradigm provides a simplified map of reality; it takes the complexity of the real world and reduces it to a core set of assumptions that make global events that seem so isolated, unrelated and complicated more comprehensible. 2. So thats what theory and paradigms are all about: they help us systematize and simplify a very complicated world. Good theory is generally simple (see Ockham’s Razor†¦ William of Ockham said [a long time ago! ] that â€Å"when you have two competing theories that make exactly the same predictions, the simpler one is the better. â€Å"), accurate, and elegant. -William of Ockham 3. Note that to be valuable, a paradigm of world politics needn’t explain every event. This is b/c theory, by nature, simplifies reality so that certain things are missed. This simply can’t be helped. 4. Ray and Kaarbo (p4) make the point that studying theories â€Å"allows students of international relations to analyze global politics in the future, long after they finish reading this book or taking courses on the subject. When students learn only history or contemporary issues†¦ their knowledge of global politics is limited in time because new issues and events are always arising. † In short, by studying theories of IR, you will be able to see events in a broader, more analytical, more systematic framework rather than a limited and time bound one†¦ analytically, that’s vital. 5. In this lecture we will be examining two dominant paradigms in world politics: Realism and Liberalism (along with sub-theories within the same larger paradigm) III. The Realist Worldview A. Let’s start with a quote from Thomas Hobbes (1651), whom many characterize as probably the major citidel of the modern theory we call classical realism: -The stylish Mr. Hobbes  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Cover of his seminal work, â€Å"Leviathan† â€Å"Hereby it is manifest that during the time men live without a common power to keep them all in awe, they are in that condition which is called war; and such a war as is of every man against every man†¦ To this war of every man against every man, this also is consequent: that nothing can be unjust. The notion of right and wrong, justice and injustice, have there no place. Where there is no common power, there is no law; where no law, no injustice. Force and fraud are in war the two cardinal virtues. † 1. You should note from the above that realism embraces a more pessimistic view of world politics, state relations, and the possibility of â€Å"perpetual peace†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ That’s why I started with this b/c Hobbes’ more pessimistic view of the world really underscores the theory we call classical realism (and which is now called structural/neo realism) B. Definitions and Description of Realist Theory. 1. According to professors Kegley & Wittkopf (31), classical realism is â€Å"a paradigm based on the premise that world politics is essentially and unchangeably a struggle among self-interested states for power and position under anarchy, with each competing state pursuing its own national interests† 2. Ray and Kaarbo (p4) write that realism is â€Å"a theoretical perspective for understanding intl. relations that emphasizes states as the most important actor in global politics, the anarchical nature of the intl. ystem, and the pursuit of power to secure states’ interests. † 3. The founding father of this theory is the Greek historian Thucydides, who wrote the seminal account of the war between Athens and Sparta. In his history of the Peloponnesian War, Thucydides argues that the war broke out b/c Athens was concerned about Sparta’s growing power. His writings greatly influenced theorists and statemen ali ke through the next two thousand years, including the modern proponents (Morgenthau, Kissinger, Waltz, James et al) of classical and neo-realism†¦ 4. In short and in sum, realists see international relations as driven by the unrelenting and competitive pursuit of power by states in the effort to secure state interests. 5. For realists, the most important source of power is military capability, and the acquisition and use of that military capability makes the realists’ world one prone to violence and warfare. 6. At the core of this theory is that world politics takes place within a context of anarchy (ie the absence of world govt. which is different than how the world of domestic politics functions), which Thomas Hobbes likens to a state of nature. In this state of nature, Hobbes argues that because there are no rules, no laws, no enforcement mechanisms etc, that conflict turns into war (he calls it a perpetual â€Å"war of all against all†) which is why INSIDE countries, people consent (ie the so-called social charter) to live under a government that makes and enforces laws, order, security, etc. In this state, people don’t have absolute freedom BUT they sacrifice some liberty to that govt. in order to get order and security†¦ 7. In world politics, we don’t have this, ergo, realists argue that we live in a â€Å"state of nature†, or in a world of perpetual conflict. Therefore, the violence, chaos, death and destruction that often accompany world politics reflect the â€Å"war of all against all† that intl. anarchy directly implies†¦ 8. Realists also assume that states, or countries, are the â€Å"key actors and determine what happens in the world† (Ray and Kaarbo: 5). Ray and Kaarbo (p. 5) add that â€Å"states can, if they choose, control all other actors, according to realism. † 9. State interests, rather than human rights or ideological preferences, are the reason behind every state action. Ray and Kaarbo (p. 5) suggest that â€Å"it is the maximization of power that is in a state’s interest. Thus, everything a state does can be explained by its desire to maintain, safeguard, or increase its power in relation to other states. † 10. In the world of anarchy and state sovereignty, there is no higher authority to impose order, and there is no intl. 911 number for states to call when their interests are threatened. States must therefore provide for their own defense and protection. Realists refer to this effort by states to defend their own interests as SELF-HELP (usually though the acquisition of military capacity or joining alliances†¦ ) 11. In short and in sum, without an â€Å"intl. orld authority, they must look out for their own interests† which realists suggest is all about securing and maintaining their power. To realists, this is the only rational way to behave in an anarchic intl. realm†¦ 12. The implications of all of the above for realists is somewhat obvious: war is inevitable†¦ this is b/c in a world with no higher power to impose orde r and resolve disputes, with almost 200 sovereign actors looking to defend their interests via self-help, and where efforts at self-help and self-defense can threaten other actors in the system, states sometimes need to use force to resolve disputes with other states†¦ 3. Realists conclude a few other things–the possibility of cooperation and change is limited, that world politics is not primarily about good and evil, that power trumps justice, and that the road to order lies through the balance of power†¦ a. Ray and Kaarbo site Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait as an example of how states act to maximize their power above all else†¦ C. The core of classical realist theory is best summarized in the form of 10 assumptions: 1. People are by nature narrowly selfish and ethically flawed 2. Of all people’s evil ways, none are more prevalent or dangerous than their instinctive lust for power and their desire to dominate others 3. The possibility of eradicating these instincts is a utopian â€Å"pipedream† 4. International politics is a struggle for power, â€Å"a war of all against all† 5. The primary objective of every state–the goal to which all other objectives should be subordinated to–is to promote its NATIONAL INTERESTS 6. The anarchical nature of the intl system dictates that states acquire sufficient military capabilities to deter attack by potential enemies and to exercise influence over others 7. Economics is less relevant to ntl security than is military might 8. Allies might increase a state’s ability to defend itself, but their loyalty and reliability should never be assumed 9. States should NEVER entrust the task of self-protection to intl security organizations or intl law 10. If all states seek to maximize power, stability will result by maintaining a balance of power IV. The Liberal Worldview A. As in classical realist theory, I will start the discussion of liberalism with a quote from one of the founders of this paradigm, Immanuel Kant (1795): -The perspicacious Dr. Kant  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚     Ã‚   -Kant’s towering â€Å"Toward Perpetual Peace† â€Å"But the homage which each state pays (at least in words) to the concept of law proves that there is slumbering in man an even greater moral disposition to become master of the evil principle in himself (which he cannot disclaim) and to hope for the same from others†¦ For these reasons there must be a league of a particular kind, which can be called a league of peace (foedus pacificum), and which would be distinguished from a treaty of peace (pactum pacis) by the fact that the latter terminates only one war, while the former seeks to make an end of all wars forever. † 1. You should note from the above that liberalism, or idealist theory, embraces a more optimistic view of world politics, state relations, and the possibility of â€Å"perpetual peace†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ That’s why I started with this quote by Kant’s more optimistic view of the world. B. Definitions and Description of Liberal Theory 1. According to Kegley & Wittkopf (2006: 28), liberalism is â€Å"a paradigm predicated on the hope  Ã‚  Ã‚   that the application of reason and universal ethics to international relations can lead to a more orderly, just, and cooperative world, and that international anarchy [lack of a hierarchy/world government] and war can be policed by institutional reforms that empower international organizations and laws† 2. Ray and Kaarbo (p. 7) define intl. liberalism as â€Å"a theorectical perspective emphasizing interdependence between states and substate actors as the key haracteristic of the intl. system. † 3. Liberalism, or what many also call idealism/idealist theory, can be traced back to Kant’s â€Å"Toward Perpetual Peace† though more recently, in the period b/n WWI and WWII, the major intellectual challenger to the realist paradigm was idealism. Idealists questioned many of the basic tenets of realism a nd suggested that it would be possible to transform the world of power seeking and war into one in which peace and cooperation among states might prevail†¦ 4. Idealism, in contrast to realism, suggests a well-intentioned but utopian perspective that realists believe was out of touch with how the real world actually works†¦ which is why the word idealism was shelved for the world liberalism, which couldn’t be tarred as fuzzy headed and out of touch†¦ 5. Unlike realists, liberals believe that significant global cooperation is possible and that we can move beyond the power politics at the heart of the realist paradigm. 6. For liberals, the key assumption is that peace and cooperation among states can produce absolute gains for all. As long as your state is better off as a result of cooperating with others, the gains of others should not matter†¦ realists are only concerned with relative gains (why intl. trade isn’t the end all be all for classical realists, esp. if you will empower a rival) 7. BTW, whilst Kant argued that the natural state of humankind is one of war and conflict he also importantly suggested a state of peace can be established. He argues that this â€Å"perpetual peace† can be established, esp. through the (1) the creation of a loose â€Å"federation of free states† whose members were committed to maintaining intl. rder and security, (2) the â€Å"spirit of commerce† which in Kant’s view is â€Å"incompatible with war† and which â€Å"sooner or later gains the upper hand in every state†, and (3) the creation of republican govts in which executive power is checked by an independent legislature 8. Liberals argue that realist explanations of an archy and self-help are wrong b/c they miss the REAL nature of world politics in the modern world: COMPLEX INTERDEPENDENCE, which has become the â€Å"dominant feature of global politics† (Ray and Kaarbo: 9). a. Complex interdependence means that there are multiple channels among a variety of actors in intl. politics. b. Where realists see states as the only important actors, liberals see a world where there are a variety of non-state actors (such as multi-national corporations, intergovernmental organizations, and governmental organizations), share the world stage with countries. c. They also argue that multiple issues, not just military security, are vital to the global agenda†¦ C. Modern Liberalism based on the following set of assumptions: 1. Human nature is essentially â€Å"good† 2.

Effects of Having a Boyfriend/Girlfriend Essay

Introduction Do you know what the use of boyfriend/girlfriend? As a student , do you keep on falling in love? Being love by someone can help the student to admire life? Significance of the study This study is about the negative and positive effectiveness of having a boyfriend/girlfriend and its part can be a self concern to enhance the capacity of the students to learn in balancing their time in having a boyfriend/girlfriend, This is a small contribution to the students concerning about its self. The goal of this research paper is to help the students to see how the lovelife can change their life , whether positive or negative. The paper is also designed to gather the opinion of the students on how they look at their love life. The output of this project can be a source material for future improvement. Statement of the Problem see more:effects of having a romantic relationship while studying This study intends to investigate the negative and positive effectivity of having a boyfriend/girlfriend to junior students of St. Thomas Academy Specifically , this study aims to answer the following questions: a.) Does having a boyfriend/girlfriend help them a lot? b.) Does it affect their life here at school or outside of the school? c.) Do their behavior change when they feel love? d.) Are they aware of the consequences of having a boyfriend/girlfriend will bring? e.) Do they understand the true meaning of love in their boyfriend/girlfriend? Scope and limitation of the study The scope of this study are the juniors or the 3rd year students of St. Thomas Academy. The researcher chose them because as far as the researcher see almpst all of the 3rd year students are having a boyfriend/girlfriend. The respondents have more experience in having it. The limitation of this study are only those students ithat are already have or already had a bf/gf and they are the only who are allowed to participate in the research.

Strategic Analysis of ALDI Essay

1. Introduction Albrecht Discount Inc., globally known as Aldi, is a German based family owned global discount chain of supermarkets. Aldi constitutes of two independent groups, that are Aldi Nord (North) and Aldi Sud (South) legally and economically independent but family related (Aldi Sud Business, 2013). It is the market leader in the industry of international grocery retailing and owns and operates chain of discount grocery stores in Europe, Australia and United States. It’s stores retail and supply general merchandise and food including meat products, fresh meat, frozen and refrigerated foods,  sweets and snacks, dairy and bakery products, beverages and pantry items in addition to home care and personal care products (Report Linker, 2013). In the present Aldi Inc.’s strategic analysis is carried out to identify and evaluate its strategies against its business environment to critically analyze whether the strategies pursued by Aldi are effective in maintaining its market leader position or not. In doing so environmental analysis of international grocery retailing industry is carried out to bring about the opportunities and threats the industry is facing and SWOT analysis is carried out to shed light on Aldi’s strengths and weaknesses and opportunities and threats the industry is facing on the whole. Aldi’s strategies are then evaluated against the SWOT to analyze the effectiveness of its strategies in maintaining its market position. 2. Brief Background on Aldi Aldi Inc., was founded by Karl Albrecht and Theo Albrecht in 1913 in Essen and started trading in bakery products, later in 1914 Karl Albrecht’s wife Anna Albrecht opened the first grocery store. In 1919 they acquired a commercial and residential building in Essen and enlarge the grocery store. 1945 the brothers took over the family business and opened more stores and by the end of 1948 they were four Albrecht stores. In 1954 Albrecht expanded further more and opened its stores outside Essen and branch enlargement took place with 77 stores with core business as food self service. In 1961 two legally separate groups were established known as Aldi Sud and Aldi Nord yet the family remained connected. 1962 first ALDI – Albrecht Discount branched was opened in the discount principle and entire branch network was changed into ALDI format. Gradually internationalized its business by first entering in Austria with acquisition of Hofer retail chain, then further expanded in Germany, entered in the United States, UK, Ireland, Australia, Switzerland, Slovenia and Hungary, in that order (Aldi Sud Facts and Figures, 2013). Aldi Group is active in nine European countries and in European market is one of the leading retail companies and a well known retail chain all over the world. Aldi Sud is into retail food trade and comprises of 31 companies located in Southern and Western Germany and Aldi Nord operates its own branch network of 2500 outlets in the northern and eastern Germany (Aldi Sud  Business, 2013; Aldi Nord, 2013). Aldi Group has more than 10000 stores worldwide with annual turnover of 75bn yet its core market is Germany (Fitzgerald, 2013). Aldi stores are known for their efficiency, no frills stores, low levels of staff, few big brand names and modest opening hours (Fitzgerald, 2013). Their main core competency is cut price through cost cutting, selling cheap and low quality products(Grocery.com, 2013) and its mission is â€Å"simply smarter shopping† (Aldi US, 2013). Aldi’s big rivals include TESCO, Morrison’s, Sainsbury, Asda, Carrefour and Lidl (Sky News, 2013; Butler and Bowers, 2013). The Albrecht’s has expanded into new territories but remains a closely guarded company and never disclose its profit margins citing commercial sensitivity and do not share much information with other branches managers (Fitzgerald, 2013). Aldi has to triple its staff and check outs to cater to the extra one million customers coming to its 500 stores in UK. The firm shunned premium big brands for its cut price own versions of premium ranges to attract new customers looking for cheaper products (Steiner, 2013). The retail market is seeing intense competition and big retail supermarkets are losing market share to discount stores and up market grocers such as Aldi all over Europe and other international markets. 3. Market Identification of Aldi It is an intensely family owned private company. Both Aldi Sud and Aldi Nord operate in retail markets however Aldi Nord mainly in Europe whereas Aldi Sud operates in the United States and Australia among other international locations. It has Aldi stores are located in Germany, Austria, Australia, Denmark, France, Belgium, Greece, Ireland, Hungary, Netherlands, Luxemburg, Poland, Slovenia, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, United states operating in 36 states and United Kingdom (Grocer.com, 2013). Its customers are mainly ‘do it yourself’ shoppers and bargain hunters (Grocer.com, 2013). Aldi in 2013 has outshined its biggest rivals in UK with doubling in annual profits and sales increase of 40.6% being a cut price grocer and holds 3.7% of market share in UK (Steiner, 2013; Sky news, 2013). It earned profit of 157.9 million in 2012 from 70.5 million in 2011 and sales increased from 2.7 billion in 2011 to 3.8 billion in 2012. It opened 34 new stores that were crucial in its strong performance in 2012 (Steiner, 2013). Aldi Ireland revenues increased by 30.7% in 2012 outstripping its German rival Lidl,  opened 3 more stores, in addition to 40 stores in Ireland that are being refurbished or extended. Together Lidl and Aldi control 12.5% of Irish grocery market (Fitzgerald, 2013). Aldi United states’ annual revenue is $68,700 million (U.S) with 1400 stores in 36 states employing 11,000 employees (Grocer.com. 2013). Aldi SUD in Germany consists of 31 independent companies, with more than 1820 branches, employing more than 33,600 employees (Aldi Facts and Figures, 2013). Aldi Nord operates in Eastern, Western and Northern Germany with around 2500 outlets (Aldi Nord, 2013) 4. Environmental Analysis International grocery retailing industry is facing intense competition and become a real battleground, retailing giants are offering plenty of price discounts to attract customers, that is seriously impacting their suppliers and pressure to regulate the sector is growing (Fitzgerald, 2013). The following section analyzes in detail the opportunities and threats the retail grocery industry is facing through PESTEL Analysis. 4.1 PESTEL Analysis 4.1.1 Political factors Legislators of European countries are being pressurized to regulate the retail market because intense competition and price cut is negatively impacting the manufacturers and suppliers (Fitzgerald, 2013). Retail companies are being accused of paying the lowest price to their suppliers, which is harming their business seriously, and are on the brink of collapse. Political campaigns are being carried out and interest groups are asking customers not to buy products their because of that (Osborne, 2012). 4.1.2 Economical factors Economic slowdown in developed countries and Euro zone crises has affected the industry greatly as customers with less income to dispense are forced to shop for cheaper and retailers owned goods swallowing their brand and switching from expensive brands. High flying retail giants are feeling the pinch as there was considerable drop in their sales and profits and more and more customers are switching to discount stores and up market grocers  (Butler and Bowers, 2013). Cash strapped households due to shrinking in their budgets as a result of high inflation that is not proportional to wage rises are flocking to discount stores (Sky News, 2013). The below graph shows consumer retail expenditure five year growth rate of UK (Verdict, 2009). Figure 1: Total consumer retail expenditure of UK- five year growth rate (Verdict, 2009) Burgeoning population, rise in immigration, developed nations beginning to emerge from recession and economic recoveries, falling in unemployment rates, urbanization leading to renewal of growth in retail industry. Disposable income, GDP and consumer spending are the macroeconomic factors that affect retail industry directly (Reuters, 2012). Asia pacific is dominating the industry as it driving the increase in global retail trade, representing 35% of the global retail market and will grow highest among all other regions between 2012 and 2017 (Reuters, 2013). 4.1.3 Social and cultural factors Consumers are becoming more and more socially responsible and considering increasingly the social impact of their purchases and supporting mainly those retailers who are also socially responsible and assert sustainable practices. Consumers are avoiding retailers who they think are irresponsible, encourage sweat shops, exploit suppliers, and outsource manufacturing and carryout unethical practices. Consumer preferences are changing more rapidly than ever before and retailers are struggling to cope up with their changing preferences. Economic recession is giving rise to generational differences, as whole generation experiencing recession are using money more cautiously and less credit cards (Mack, 2013). 4.1.4 Technology factors Technology is changing the way consumers shop retail products and the way retail businesses operate in bad and good ways. Online retail shopping has increased in manifolds along with creating more awareness among consumers, leading to price comparisons to find the best deal across the world. It is presenting both opportunity and threat as technology is helping in boosting retail stores performance but also forcing them to adapt to new changes  brought forward by technology or else give way to competitors who are doing so (Mock, 2013). Technological growth such as mobile commerce has provided opportunity for retailers to better interact with customers and give them more convenience and better service (Reuters, 2013). RFD Radio Frequency Identification Device has facilitated end to end tracking of ingredients and better stock control through business intelligence tools (PWC, 2013). 4.1.5 Environmental Factors Retail chains are being pressurized to be more socially responsible and adopt sustainable practices as their low price strategies are affecting the suppliers and the environment as a whole. Retailers are also accused of harming the environment as they are blamed for increased consumption of food products and causing global food insecurity and also for increased used of harmful plastic material for packaging. They are also accused of indulging in unethical practices to drive the products prices down and not caring for the environment (UNEP, 2003). To minimize this negative trend retail chains have to sustainable materials for packaging and carrying and in turn putting that costs on consumers (Osborne, 2012). 4.1.6 Legal factors Tax issues such as VAT, excise duties, environmental and property taxes, HR taxes, cross border transactions tax issues, corporation taxes and compliance with laws and legislations and increasing costs of corporate social responsibility are presenting challenges to retail industry and increasing their cost of operations. Accounting regulations like adopting of IFRS and passing of Sarbanes Oxley legislation on demand of stakeholders heightened the regulatory pressures on the retail and consumer industry (PWC, 2013). 4.2 Key Trends affecting the industry Consumers are switching from up market retail chains to low price retail chains (Butler and Bowers, 2013). Price inflation of retail products putting more pressure on retailers to decrease its impact on customers and cut down on profit margins (Butler and Bowers, 2013). E commerce and M commerce are increasing leading to increase in online retail (Mack, 2013) Customers are more aware and comparing prices online to gain best deal (Mack, 2013) Burgeoning population, urbanization, economic recovery are renewing growth  in retail sector (Reuters, 2013). Consumers preferences are changing more rapidly than before (Mack, 2013) Consumers are seeking more convenience and using other mode of payments like credit card, debit card etc. (Osborne, 2012; Mack, 2013), New consuming habits such as value shopping in FMCG products and clothing, luxury shopping in furniture and technology (PWC, 2013). Trends towards retailers being more socially responsible and sustainable retailing (PWC, 2013). Consumers supporting local suppliers and against outsourcing (Fitzgerald, 2013) Customer polarization that is have are shopping in up market stores, have not shopping more in low price stores, driving the growth of the industry (Sky News, 2013). Global retail trade growth is driven by Asia Pacific markets and will see highest growth rate. 5. SWOT Analysis 5.1 Strengths Highly efficient stores, staff levels are kept low, operates with only few big brand names and opening hours are fairly modest (Fitzgerald, 2013). High brand value and large extended network of branches covering major developed markets in the world. Continuous expansion in new markets to cater to increased footfall of customers. Basic packaging and limited advertising to keep costs low. Cost advantage derived from economies of scale (Fitzgerald, 2013) Own cheap luxury brands giving stiff competition to expensive luxury brands (Fitzgerald, 2013) Increase in sales mainly coming from new stores (Butler and Bowers, 2013) Discount pricing are impressively cheaper attracting shoppers away from bigger retail giants such as Tesco, Sainsbury Cherry pick bargains offered by Aldi increasing the number of shoppers (Butler and Bowers, 2013) Robust growth over the years (Fitzgerald, 2013) Good for buying staples (Ferruza, 2011) 5.2 Weaknesses In England Aldi does not accept payments through credit card restricting customers who want to pay through credit cards (Osborne, 2012) Charges  customers for a carrier bag (Osborne, 2012)  Low staff levels not able to handle increased customer footfall Reputation damaged because of recent horsemeat scandal and employee spying accusations (Snoops, 2013; Stuart, 2013; The Guardian, 2013). Serious limitation of product selection only 2800 products varieties are offered while other supermarket offer 30000 and shopping cart has to be rented for a quarter, (returned later after cart is kept back) (Grocery.com; Ferruza, 2013) Less glamorous store , interior ambience of stores is not so great, stores are like warehouses, does not decorate shelves, spends very less in packaging, stocking and transportation (Grocery.com, 2013) Stocks low quality products (Ferruzza, 2011). Less glamorous stores, ambience not attractive in stores, it’s like warehouse style store, no frills Stocks low quality products Limited product selection Low level of staff Charges for carrier bags and shopping carts Does not accept payment through credit cards Reputation damaged due to horse meat scandal and employee spying Sells mostly own brands label and limits the number of outside brands Very low advertising and store promotion and only in-house advertising Opportunities Economic recovery in development markets, burgeoning population, urbanization renewing growth Technology such as m-commerce and e-commerce increasing sales Customer polarization increasing discount retailers sale Economic slowdown in the past, inflation and high unemployment rate forcing customers to buy cheaper products Global retail trade growth is high in Asia pacific region and driving the market Price inflation moving customers to discount stores Threats Customers inclination towards sustainability, corporate social responsibility and preference to local suppliers threatening the cost efficiency of discount stores Taxation, and heightened regulations Technology creating operational complexities Consumer changing consuming habits and preferences threatening the industry 6. Identification and evaluation of the Strategies pursued by Aldi Aldi’s competitive strategy is to gain competitive advantage over its rivals through efficiency. Its competitive strategy is low cost leadership that it derives from economies of scale, cost efficiency, low staff level, low quality products, limited product selection and high bargaining power with suppliers (Fitzgerald, 2013; Butler and Bowers, 2013; Steiner, 2013). Its strategy to achieve its mission of simple smarter shopping it has implemented the following strategies in view of its changing business environment. 6.1 Strategies implemented by ALDI Constant rolling out new stores with increased size between 10,000 and 15,000 sq.ft in all countries it is operating (Fitzgerald, 2013). Backward vertical integration, producing cheaper luxury products to attract consumers who are  switching from expensive luxury brands (Grocery.com; Fitzgerald, 2013). Renovation and expansion of existing stores (Fitzgerald, 2013). Started using advertising campaigns to attract more up-market customers to promote its own luxury brand labels deviating from its past strategies (Butler and Bowers, 2013). Increased checkout points and staff level in its store to cater to extra one million customers coming to its stores all over Europe (Steiner, 2013). Delivering high value to customers who are looking for cheaper deals through efficiency in transportation, presentation and packaging (Steiner, 2013). Online sales and apps for attracting internet savvy consumer and engaging customers through social networks (Aldi App, 2013). Sustainable sourcing and reducing environmental impact through recycling and minimum packaging (Aldi Nord, 2013). 6.2 Critical Evaluation of the Strategies In view of Aldi Inc.’s SWOT and the strategies it has implemented it can be said that Aldi’s strategies are in sync with its changing business environment and taking advantage of its strengths and minimizing its weaknesses. By expanding its store sizes, renovating and redecorating its existing stores and opening new stores of bigger sizes it has tried to minimize its weakness of less glamorous warehouse type store. And by opening more stores consistently over the years it is taking advantage of burgeoning population that is resulting in increase of customer footfall (Fitzgerald, 2013). It has also taken care of its weakness of low staff level and increased staff level and checkouts to cater to increased customer footfall (Steiner, 2013). It has started rolling out advertising campaigns for promotions to attract luxury customers and elevated its market positioning by retailing luxury products and changing its reputation of a retailer of low quality products (Butler and B owers, 2013). Aldi is gradually moving from discount store principle to convenient store principle, opening stores in affluent locations, offering luxury products, delivering both value and quality to broaden its consumer base (Skynews, 2013). Through vertical backward integration it has taken advantage of the opportunity presented by the consumer shifting from expensive luxury products to comparatively cheaper luxury products by producing its own luxury label offering them at less price. Broaden its customer base by opening stores in affluent  locations and changing its positioning from a discount store to a convenient store, this is to take advantage of opportunity presented by economic recoveries of developed countries. It has sustained its cost efficiency competitive advantage by lessening costs on packaging, transportation and offering cherry deals. Aldi apps facilitate m-commerce, and it also sells online and interacts with customers using social networks, thus it is taking advantage of op portunities presented by digital media technology. It has minimized threat presented by environmental factors by adopting recycling and has become more socially responsible by adopting sustainable practices for sourcing to minimize the threat presented by customers inclination towards sustainability. However Aldi has not fully taken advantages of other opportunities such as taking advantage of growing Asia Pacific market, it is operating only in Australia and has not yet entered Asian countries where high growth is expected and many governments have opened foreign direct investment in retailing. Price inflation of products and heightened laws and regulations will threaten its cost leadership strategy and in future might increase its operational costs and it may not be able to sustain its competitive strategy for long however it has not taken any measures to address these threats. Increasing staff level will increase its labor costs adding to its operational costs further. 7. Conclusion Aldi Inc. is evolving and implementing strategies to take advantage of opportunities and thwart threats presented by its environment by exploiting its strengths and reducing or eliminating its weaknesses. It has resulted in success as Aldi has experienced great success in 2013 with increased profit and sales compared to other supermarket chains however it may not be able to sustain its competitive advantage for long because prices and costs are increasing and profit margins are decreasing with retail market being saturated in developed countries, it has to expand its operations into new markets for sustaining growth and maintaining market leader position. 8. References Aldi App, (2013), Smart Phone, Aldi App, Aldi Us, Available at https://www.aldi.us/en/services/smartphone-app/, Accessed 25 November, 2013. Aldi Nord, (2013), â€Å"Business†, Aldi Nord, Available at http://www.aldi-nord.de/unternehmen.html, Accessed 28 November, 2013. Aldi Sud Business, (2013), â€Å"Aldi Sud Business†, Aldi Sud, Available at https://unternehmen.aldi-sued.de/de/ueber-aldi-sued/unternehmen/, Accessed 24 November, 2013. 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