Globalisation and Culture  ACOM 465 Fall 2003

© Terrell Neuage

Week 4 21 – 27 September

Individuals, Groups and Corporations and Globalisation  

 

There will be a short test next week Thursday 2nd October covering material we have discussed in the first four weeks.

Next week is the end of Journal Part 1

The questions will come from Week 2, 3 and four. There will be some short answer and a few short essay questions. The questions will come from Tuesday presentations and from the readings.

 

Tuesday. 1

Banking World Bank pros and cons – video on World Bank. 1

Journal 1

(Thursday) 2

Bring to class Thursday. 2

Discussion Board: 2

Readings  for this week to be handed in class 30th September 2

Question 4/1. 2

Question 4/2. 2

Question 4/4. 2

Question 4/5. 2

Question 4/6. 2

Thursday. 3

1. videos. 3

2. Groups. 3

 

Tuesday

Individuals, Groups, Corporations and Globalisation. Are we being ‘globalised’ by individuals (think of celebrates), corporations (Nike, the Gap), Groups (special interest groups etc), governments or do you chose what part of other cultures you want to incorporate into your life?

 

The following sites will be discussed in class:

  1. Marketing of celebrities

a.       Nike -  Nike launched a campaign of jamming the jammers http://www.adbusters.org/creativeresistance/36/1.html (the ad) http://www.subvertise.org/details.php?code=674&PHPSESSID=f12cd143fe9442457b898c09132142cd

o       Nike defends itself http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/970000/video/_973324_codes_vi.ram

o       BBC news on Nike and the Gap http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/audiovideo/programmes/panorama/970385.stm

o       More video clips http://www.behindthelabel.org/sitemap.php#video

b.      Amount paid to celebrities http://www.organicconsumers.org/clothes/nikesweatshop.cfm

c.       Personal shoe protest http://abcnews.go.com/sections/business/DailyNews/nike010402.html

1.      ad for Nike sweatshop http://www.toolness.com/nike/

2.      ad for Nike sweatshop http://www.subvertise.org/details.php?code=580

 

  1. Multinational Companies
    1. The Effect of Multinational Companies on Development http://www.foundation.novartis.com/multinational_companies.htm
    2. Multinational Companies in the Geneva Area http://www.geneva.ch/multinationals.htm

 

  1. Marketing of Products
    1. Behind the label http://www.behindthelabel.org/  video – something to hide – (video is in the library – VidCas HD 2337 S78V 1999 –
    2. Bangladesh factories - http://www.nlcnet.org/bangladesh/1001/youngan.htm 

Banking World Bank pros and cons – video on World Bank

Journal

 

Journal Part One is due Thursday 9th October (four weeks)

 

THIS WEEK’S JOURNAL WILL BE FROM YOUR GROUP’S COUNTRY AND YOU ARE TO FIND TWO ARTICLES that show an interaction from that country and the United States:

  1. One article is to be on your group’s country and one instance of an issue with the United States affected its country that is negative (or they are having a cow about it, or they are spitting the dummy, etc)
  2. One article is to be on your group’s country and one instance of an issue with the United States affected its country that is positive (something our of the States is helping them)

 

(Thursday)

 In your group discuss the different sites that were found for this week’s viewing.

 

Bring to class Thursday

 

Find two online articles that discuss Groups and Corporations from your assigned group country, print them out and bring them to your group for discussion on Thursday the 25th.

 

Discussion Board:

  1. Discuss in two-three sentences an individual who is marketed by groups or corporation: hint, think of a sports star, the Pope, singer… and whether you are sucked in by them I mean whether you are affected by their trip. (1 point)
  2. Respond to someone else. (1 point)

 

Readings  for this week to be handed in class 30th September

Question 4/1.

From the site: ‘Digital Freedom Network’ read Eddie Koch’s article, Southern Africans use globalization to their advantage. http://www.globalpolicy.org/globaliz/econ/2002/0816safrica.htm

Why is it  ‘vital to nourish and support indigenous enterprises like those that are already working within international markets to debunk images of Africa as a destitute and unproductive basket case.’? Give two examples of countries that have used globalisation to their advantage that are discussed in this article.

Question 4/2.

If an individual such as Bertolt Brecht has an International Brecht Society for him [see http://polyglot.lss.wisc.edu/german/brecht/] 

A.     Does this mean he has been globalised?

B.     Have you ever heard of him?

C.     Do you know anyone who ever has? 

D.     Now that you know who Brecht is tell what he was influenced by aQuestion 4/3.

 

Question 4/4.

According to Norman Solomon (You Are Being Lied To, 2001), six corporations control the American media: who are they?  http://members.shaw.ca/charenton_/media.html Discuss how one of the countries that Solomon mentions is influenced by foreign media.

 

Question 4/5.

Read: High coffee prices leave bitter taste in mouths of impoverished farmers.  By Chris Gray

 http://archives.econ.utah.edu/archives/a-list/2002w38/msg00064.htm  sited: 19 September 2002What percentage of American households buy these four coffee products Maxwell House, Jacobs, Café Hag, Carte Noire?

 

Question 4/6.

Go to the World Bank and the World Trade Organisation sites:

http://www.worldbank.org/ and http://www.wto.org/

Go to an anti-World Bank site such as:  http://www.irn.org/wcd/worldbank.shtml and http://www.abolishthebank.org/en/

 

In three-five sentences why is the World Bank good or bad?

 

From your readings this week do you think the World Bank is helpful to other countries or is it a negative influence?

Thursday

1. videos

1.      Video ‘Global Assembly Line’ available in the library - VidCas HD 8039 O33 G56X 1986 ON RESERVE

2.      Video ‘Something to Hide’ available in the library VidCas HD 2337 S78V 1999

 

For next week’s question 5.

 

From the video ‘Global Assembly Line’ (for next week’s question five - )

 

  1. What is the difference in buying cost between the minimum wage in the States compared to the minimum wage in the Philippines?
  2. Besides the cost saving why do companies move overshore.
  3. What protections do the companies shown in Mexico use for their workers against toxic fumes etc?

What do workers in the Philippines leave their rice fields for? (to aspire to get what?)

 

From the video ‘Something to Hide’ (for next week’s question five - )

 

  1. What is a Free Trade Zone?
  2. What are three things that multinational companies look for in a cheap work force
  3. Do the workers want a union and if so why?
  4. What is the difference between a prison and a Nike factory in a Free Trade Zone?
  5. What does S.A.M stand for? (In relation to the chart shown of how many pieces of clothing need to be made)material
  6. What is the minimum wage for El Salvador?
  7. What percent of the workers are female?  What percent are female?

 

2. Groups

 

Find two online articles that discuss Groups and Corporations from your assigned group country, print them out and bring them to your group for discussion on Thursday the 25th.

 

4.     Corporations

 

McSpotLight see Mac the Knife  McLibel case

 

McDonald’s 2002 Worldwide Convention in Las Vegas

 

McDonald's Worldwide Social Responsibility Report

 

McDonald's(R) unveils "i'm lovin' it(TM)" worldwide brand campaign

There are several features that govern corporate behaviour (adapted from Jerry Mander):

  • profit
  • growth
  • aggressive competition
  • amorality
  • rigid hierarchy
  • dehumanising
  • exploitation
  • ephemeral and mobile
  • in opposition to nature
  • anti-democratic
  • homogenisation