Resource Based Strategies used by Coca Cola

Resource Based Strategies used by Coca Cola Established in 1944, The Coca Cola Company (Coke) is based out of Atlanta, Georgia and produces Coca Cola, an aerated soft drink. It was originally developed by John Pemberton as a patent medicine in the late 19th century and bought out by Asa Friggs Candler a businessman with astute marketing tactics. John Pemberton formulated the Coca Cola recipe at the Eagle Drug and Chemical Company in Columbus, Georgia as a coca wine called Pembertons French Wine Coca. The CCC produces a concentrate which is sold to licensed Coca Cola bottlers all over the world. These bottlers have exclusive contracts with the CCC and produce the final product in cans and bottles from the concentrate by mixing it with filtered water and sweeteners. The product is then sold, distributed and merchandised to Coca Cola retailers and vending machines. The company also sells the concentrate for soda fountains to food service distributers and restaurants. Coke was first sold in bottles in 1894 while the cans of Coke were first sold in 1955. Coca Cola attempted to change the formula of the concentrate and merchandized it as New Coke. Follow-up taste tests disclosed that most of the consumers favored the taste of New Coke to both Pepsi and Coke but the same was not accepted by the public leading to a backlash. We will be studying this aspect of the company in this report. Pepsi is the major competitor and usually second to Coke in sales, but it outsells Coke in some markets. Coca-Colas advertising has significantly affected American culture. In 2006, Coca-Cola introduced My Coke Rewards, a customer loyalty campaign, where consumers could earn points by entering codes from packages of Coca-Cola products in their websites. Core Competencies Firms are repositories of capabilities as determined by the social knowledge structured by organizing principles. (Kogut, Zander) New knowledge can be created on the basis of combinative capabilities of the firm. Core competencieds of a firm can be firm specific and those that are in public domain (Belcher, Hassard Procter 1996). These can be applied into a core competency grid which consists of all possible meanings of core competencies with respect to a firm. It involves product, process and administrative competencies. Coca Cola has its product competencies in its brand name and the distinct taste that Coke offered. Coca Cola has become an indispensible component of the American culture. The companys brand name and popularity and identity all over the world are what make it saleable to all types of individuals. It is able to create products that taste goods and is liked by many people. However, in case of New Coke, the new product in itself was an attack on the Coke brand name and hence not accepted by the product. Coke has firm specific competencies as its model of licensed bottlers and a secret concentrate have not been successfully imitated by the competitors. The company makes use of a formula for their product that is top secret and it helps them achieve uniqueness in its industry. According to this view, firm-specific core competencies evolve only when there is a desire by the company or the customers to develop them. (Duarte Snyder 2003). The company makes use of a formula for their product that is top secret and it helps them achieve uniqueness in its industry. The next core competency is the administrative competency. The public domain competencies are a part of the human category of administrative competencies and can be well-defined procedures for administrative activities, for instance organizational structure, administrative capabilities etc. (Deal Kennedy 2000). Coke has a well organized organization structure which gives it administrative competency. It ensures that the company performs well and achieves its targets. The total core competencies of Coca Cola can be summarized as strong brand value, franchise network, cost controls, distribution network and administrative control. Therefore, the core competency of Coca-Cola can be shown in a grid as follows: Reference: Strategic management and core competencies, Anders Drejer Resources and Capabilities The figure below shows the method Coke uses to interface between strategy and firm. We can see that they are moving from emphasis on the Environment Strategy to a Firm Strategy. With regards to the decisions made by Coke, the following are the two notable points: Internal resources and capabilities are used for formulating strategy rather than external market focus The primary source of superior profitability is competitive advantage rather than industry attractiveness The figure below shows the process through which Coke links its resource, capability and competitive advantage. The organizational capabilities in order to implement its strategy and attain competitive advantage are also given below. Coke follows a strategy of leveraging its brand building capabilities to attract and retain consumers for its products. Thus, the competitive advantage of Coke is its Brand. The organizational capabilities of Coke in each functional area can listed be as follows: FUNCTIONAL AREA CAPABILITY Corporate Function Multidivisional Coordination International Management Financial Control Management Information Developed, Formal Vertical and Horizontal Structure Research Development Market Research Operations Supplier Relationship Product Design Suited to consume needs Marketing Brand management Reputation for Quality Market Trends Sales Distribution Speed of Distribution Effective Sales Promotion and Execution Organization Culture, Structure and Human Resources Coca-Colas HR policy follows think globally and act locally. Thus, Coca-Cola is a multi-local company. Although Coca-Colas headquarters is in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, it is more than U.S. company with some operations overseas. Nearly 80% of the companys operating income comes from its businesses outside the United States and it operates in over 195 countries worldwide. Coca-Cola manages them through 25 operating divisions making up six regional groups: North America, the European Union, the Pacific region, the Northeast Europe/Middle East (NEME) group, Africa and Latin America. Each group has a president, accountable for the businesses in his area. Each business has its own unique qualities and can stand on its own, but has the advantage of being in a group. The common element in Coca-Cola is its ability to make each location different, and allow it to conduct its business in the way that is appropriate for the local market. The culture is comprised of diversity and this allows the global HR to maintain the link between businesses and the corporation. Another support tool for HR in Coca-Cola is the HR development committee which was used nearly 10 years ago within the finance division with every functional area of the company now having one. The role of the committee is to identify talent within the function and then develop the talent to reach its potential and conduct talent assessments. Coca-Cola has also globally developed work place rights principles and a work place safety policy in order to provide safe and healthy working environment. The 92,800 suppliers to Coke around the world also have to practice these guiding principles. The vision that Coca-Cola has for its employees is Be a great place to work where people are inspired to be the best they can be. The values of Coke, which are guidelines for he action of its employees, can be as follows: Leadership: The courage to shape a better future Collaboration: Leverage collective genius Integrity: Be real Accountability: If it is to be, its up to me Passion: Committed in heart and mind Diversity: As inclusive as our brands Quality: What we do, we do well Coca-Cola adopts the process of role culture, i.e. where all employees have a defined job to carry out and is normally split into a number of functions across hierarchy. Role culture is best applied in a hierarchy organizational structure in a large company and works well the roles of every employee have been pre-determined and they are in line with regulations and policies of the company. For example, Coca Cola has divided itself into various functions like accounts, marketing etc. There is also hierarchical ordering of office like are marketing director, brand managers, sales operatives etc. This type of culture is logical rational. Coke has also invested resources in the development of formal programmes designed to promote mentoring relationships as part of their human resource development strategy. They believe that this will help them build a competitive advantage through their employees and to create a high-performing organization. But the challenge is to maximize and/or optimize HRDs contribution to business success. Coca-Cola uses the technique of mentoring and coaching to develop their employees. Mentoring is the process of building a formal relationship where the mentor is an experienced and higher designated employee who is likely from a different department and thus no reporting relationship is involved. Mentoring helps the mentee understand the organization and their role and also helps him to learn about the culture, mission and context of how things get done. The advantages of mentoring programmes are that the mentee adopts the work culture of the organization better, increases performance, has incr eased commitment to the organization, increased job satisfaction, low-cost but highly relevant learning, and better cross-functional knowledge. Coaching is an interaction that is used for the purpose of developing performance and provides goals, techniques, practice and feedback. The purpose of coaching is to help an employee increase his competence and the probability of success. Coaching can occur downwards, upwards or laterally in the hierarchy. Coca-Cola Foods identifies five different types of coaching: modeling, instructing, enhancing performance, problem solving and inspiration, and support. Coca Cola Value Chain Analysis The value chain model, developed by Porter, is used to segregate a firm into its strategically relevant value generating activities in order to understand the behavior of costs and the existing and potential sources of differentiation. It is a systematic way of examining all the activities a firm performs and how they interact so to analyze the sources of competitive advantage. The value chain of the non-alcoholic beverage industry (in which the Coca Cola Company lies) contains five major activities. These activities include inbound logistics (suppliers), operations, outbound logistics (buyers/ customers), marketing and sales, and service. The value chain analysis of Coca Cola Company is shown below Figure: Porters Value Chain Analysis Inbound Logistics The Suppliers The suppliers of Coca-Cola include Ogilvy and Mather, Jones Lang LaSalle, Spherion, IBM, IMI Cornelius, and Prudential. The above companies supply to Coca Cola materials like ingredients, packaging, machinery, software etc. The Standards Coca-Cola has put certain regulations and standards in place which the suppliers (mentioned above) must adhere to. The company has named these guidelines as The Supplier Guiding Principles. Some of the guidelines include Compliance with laws, standards and regulations Freedom of association and collective bargaining Wages and benefits, work hours and overtime, health and safety, environment, etc. The Assessment Coca-Cola continually makes efforts to assess their suppliers by the help of third parties through interviews with contract workers and employers. If the supplier do not adhere to the supplier guiding principles or has any other issues, they are given some amount of time to take corrective measures; if not, Coca-Cola has the right to terminate their contract with these suppliers. Operations The Secret Formula Coca Colas core operation is the concentrate and syrup production. The company supplies this concentrate to the bottlers where the production of cola happens. Other activities that impacts Coca Colas business occurs across the value chain through systems distribution networks, bottling operations and sales and marketing activities. The challenges The company addresses the issues by cohesively working with their partners (bottlers, suppliers etc.) to reduce the overall effects at each level of the manufacturing process. They look at the problem from a holistic view by understanding the overall environmental impact of their business through the entire lifecycle of their products ranging from raw material procurement to the production, delivery, sales and marketing of the product. Outbound Logistics The Distribution System Coca Cola has the worlds largest distribution system. They operate in over 800 plants around the world. They operate in more than 200 different geographic locations and market more than 2,400 beverage products. They have distribution reach varying from hypermarkets such as Wal-Mart, fast food restaurants such as McDonalds to small Kirana stores in rural parts of India. The Bottling Partners Coca Cola has more than 300 bottling partners. These partners range from small family owned operations to publicly traded businesses. In order to work cohesively and meet the need of all their customers, Coca Cola has implemented the Coca Cola System in which they work together with their partners and develop strategies to benefit the full ecosystem. Sales and Marketing The Marketing Strategy Coca Cola is primarily a marketing company. They market more than 2,400 products to the consumers. They market worlds top four (by sales) beverage drink brands. Creativity is a vital strategy for Coca Cola. They work hard on their marketing strategy in order to deepen their brand connection with their customers. As a result, innovation plays a very important role in the company. Their marketing strategy is directly linked to the consumer ranging from advertising, to point of sale, to ultimately usage of a Coca Cola drink. They apply innovation is every dimension of the supply chain which includes new product development, increasing brand equity, packaging and designing various new advertising campaigns. Service Servicing their Customers Activities that maintain and enhance a product value include customer support, training and development, installation and maintenance. Coca Colas customers range from large international retailers like McDonalds, KFC and restaurants to smaller independent businesses and vendors like Kirana and regional stores. They provide customized services tailored to meet their customers needs. Servicing their Partners Coca Cola also supports their retailers by enabling them with the necessary training to help their businesses become more profitable and effective. They have set up Customer Development and Training Centers which are available to more than 21,000 independent retailers. They provide free training to the retailers in areas such as marketing, finance, operations, general management and customer service. Launch of New Coke The Number One position of Coke was endangered by the time Roberto Goizueta became chairman in 1981. Hit by competition from Pepsi, Coca-Cola launched a sweeter version of Coke by replacing its old formula in 1985. This was called the New Coke. Pepsi had launched a Pepsi Challenge, a series of taste tests which highlighted that Coca Cola could be easily defeated with respect to taste. Coca-Cola spent $4 million on market research. According to the research, it was concluded that Coke drinkers were more likely to shift from Coke to Pepsi or any other brand if it was available in the store, while most Pepsi drinkers strongly preferred Pepsi. The research suggested that the tangy and acidic formula was felt to be harsh by the younger generation. The decision to change their formula and pull the old Coke off the market came about because taste tests showed a distinct preference for the new formula. The new formula was slightly smoother with a sweeter variation and lesser tang. Coca Cola was already successful with launching Diet Coke. Hence, this time they focused more on the product rather than the demographics with the market inclining towards sweeter drinks. Coca Cola had to scrap the Original Coca Cola and introduce New Coke in its place as two competing products couldnt have been shelved at the same time. New Coke was finally introduced with the tagline The Best Just Got Better. The early response to the change was positive and the companys stock jumped with the announcement. The market research showed that 80% of America was aware of the New Coke within 48 hours. The sales rose by 8% for the same period last year. However, Coke faced a lot of problems during rollout. Pepsi took advantage of the busy Coke officials and used Print Media to declare themselves as the winner of Cola wars, thus undermining the PR and publicity activities for New Coke. This induced a sense of doubt and thus hampered the image of New Coke in front of media and public in general. The company feared boycotts from its customers and bottlers and the talks about reintroducing the old formula had already begun. Coke had been established in the Americans culture and became a fundamental part of their identity, and the change was not accepted well by the public. The customers refused to buy New Coke. Their protests, Coke came to realize, were over the very idea of changing the drink which had been embedded into their tradition rather than the sweeter taste into which it had been changed to. The company now feared boycotts from its consumers and its bottlers. The talks about reintroducing the old formula had already started by this time. The Turnaround and Aftermath Soon after the feared boycotts from its customers, Coca-Cola executives announced the return of the original coke in just less than three months after the new Cokes introduction. The company continued with the production of new Coke and named the old product Coca-Cola Classic, more commonly Coke Classic and later just Classic Coke. Many who tasted the hastily reintroduced formula were not convinced that the first batches really were the same formula that had supposedly been retired that spring. This is, in fact, partially true because Coca-Cola Classic differed from the original formula as all bottlers were using high fructose corn syrup instead of cane sugar. The company found out that the time, money and skill that was spent into consumer research on the new Coca-Cola could not reveal the deep and abiding emotional attachment to original Coca-Cola felt by so many of its customer. At first it looked as if Cokes worst fears had come to pass as Pepsi pulled into the lead, running yet another ad teasing Coke by suggesting that the whole thing was very confusing and consumers should just stick with Pepsi. But by the end of the year, Coke Classic was substantially outselling both New Coke and Pepsi, putting the company back into the number-one position it has enjoyed ever since. New Coke, by contrast, had dwindled to a mere three percent in market share. Coke spent a considerable amount of time trying to figure out where it had made a mistake, ultimately concluding that it had underestimated the public impact of the portion of the customer base that would be alienated by the switch. This narrative would not emerge for several years afterward, however, and in the meantime the public simply concluded that the company had, as Keough suggested, failed to consider the publics attachment to the idea of what Cokes old formula represented. Innovation and new product development The new Coke fiasco exposed two major issues with the Core activities of the company. The company did not understand its own brand The company did not understand its consumer decision making process The companys key asset as well as core competency was brand building. However this episode showed the understanding of the brand as a part of American culture was lacking. The episode although showed the company the attachment to the brand and showed the value of the brand hence this helped them understand their resources. The company did not understand the decision making process of the consumer as the consumer is affected by the brand and if blindfolded and made to sip the product the effect of the brand is not present. This episode showed the company that the brand cannot be separated from the product. This also changed their methods of market research which included both branded and unbranded tests. We shall analyze the innovation process as this is one of the key aspects of the whole issue. The method of market research prior to the New Coke was based on 3 processes: Taste tests: The blind taste tests were overwhelmingly positive; it showed that the new taste was better than old Coke and Pepsi. Focus groups: This was a key indicator and if this was followed then the issue could have been avoided. In the Focus groups, most participants said that it would take some getting used to. 10-12% was very angry and alienated at the change. This should have been explored. Surveys: These were given the highest weightage, as with most surveys they very positive in convincing the new management. There was a clear need to improve the new product development as well as the innovation process. Victor Behrmann, the head of the groups proficiency center Eurasia, Europe, and Africa, revamped the new product development process by two methods, He set up innovation centers in 108 countries, these countries accounted for more than 40% of the revenue of the Coca Cola Company. The center in Brussels is an example of such innovation centers. The Brussels innovation center belongs to the system of global innovation centers. The centers undertakings include: Development of product innovation Packaging Marketing and sales tools Quality control. It is responsible for producing more than 500 innovations a year. The portfolio worked on includes: sports drinks juice and juice drinks coffee water flavored water energy drinks teas carbonated soft drinks (CSDs) Syrups and milk-based products Some of the examples of innovations that have emerged from the innovation center are re-sealable canned beverages that are on-the-go and Point of Purchase cooler solutions. The second major change was the introduction of the stage gate model. The stage gate is called so because a stage is a particular phase of work and a gate is a decision making point. Every stage is followed by the gate which is a go/no-go decision. The gate opens and allows the project to move to the next stage. The gates are also used for quality control in a project. The different options at a gate are: Returning to the same stage (improvement); Termination Suspension; Proceeding (positive decision) Behrmann stressed that speed and efficiency are vital in the stage-gate process. The stage gate process requires additional roles or Human Resources to be available to run the process. The Human Resources required and their tasks are: We have analyzed the stage gate model of the Coca Cola Company which was worked upon by one of our members and we have classified some of the activities and stages of the model. Stage Gate Model It is a more structured decision making process and would involve a lot more people than the old methodology. Hence more decision makers, one of whom could have raised a doubt and sent the project back into the stage for further brand research. The highlighted part of the stage gate diagram shows where this most likely would have happened. There are branded and unbranded taste tests and the branded taste test would have brought out a reaction which would have been checked at the gate hence this would have been prevented. Stage Gate in practical Use A real-life example of the product development process: ILKO International project.

American Civil War and United Fruit Company Essay

In, â€Å"Testimony: Death of a Guatemalan Village,† Victor Montejo describes events surrounding the military regimes occurring throughout Guatemala. The book itself is an eyewitness account detailing one instance of violence between the indigenous peoples village’s â€Å"civil patrol† and the army. This occurrence leads to the execution and imprisonment of many villagers. Even though the book is mainly a testimony by one person, in which he discusses the personal conflicts and struggle between himself and the army, the account is structured around the Guatemalan civil war and the conflict between the government and civilians. The Guatemalan Civil War occurred between the years 1960 to 1996. It was a battle between the government of Guatemala and the numerous leftist rebel groups who were supported by the Mayan indigenous, poor, and working class. This civil war began as the many poor realized that their government had little concern for them, as the elites in the country owned most of the land. Much of the land was also owned by multinational corporations, such as the U. S. wned â€Å"United Fruit Company† in the 1940s and 50s. The result of this unequal land ownership, which also contributed to an unbalanced distribution of wealth, led to an oppressed population living in extreme poverty. These local hardships were ultimately the driving force behind the rebellious leftist groups As military leaders began to have control of the government by the 1960’s and through the 1970s, physical violence became a method used to overthrow political opposition. As other countries in Latin America had their own revolutions; Guatemalan citizens looked to them as a source of inspiration for their attempts to take control of their country. The example of Cuba became a stepping stone and a clear example for Guatemala as Fidel Castro was successful throughout the Cuban Revolution in Cuba and was able to overthrow the Batista family. Other examples included the Sandinista guerilla movement who successfully completed a revolution in Nicaragua in 1979, and in El Salvador where the FMLN guerillas also appeared to be having similar results. However, these regimes are appealing at first, but after having them continue for long periods, much conflict ensued which contributed to much loss for the poor rebels and their fight for sovereignty. Looking at Montejo’s testimony, Maria Lupe’s testimony, and the cold war in Guatemala; we will examine how these violent regimes appeared to the civilians, their effects on society, and their connection to the civil war. Victor Montejo describes several political instances that have led to the people’s desire for a revolt against the acting government. He mentions that former president Lucas Garcia left many things â€Å"undone;† though not much information is given for background information of Garcia, we can conclude that he was responsible for the growth of the military’s power and an initial cause for the dissent of the poor. He also mentions Garcia’s successor, president Efrain Rios Montt and his lack on taking the government out of the hand of the military. Montejo states â€Å"no president would be able to control the situation because the military were the ones in charge. Later on Montejo reveals that under Lucas Garcia’s administration’s military; â€Å"paramilitary, police, and priests, were kidnapped, tortured, and killed; or rather anyone who had influence in the town who spoke out against the government. † As the government paved ways to try to economically stabilize the state, many of its poor suffered, and regimes occurred to support the poor, leading many to suspect communistic or socialist identities, and a desire for government change. With the military being in control, with help and support coming from the U.  S. , the army was used to stamp out the leftist guerrillas who were pushing for a new government that would support the people. Looking at Montejo’s testimony, we see the creations of civil patrols, a group of men designated by the military government to protect their town from the guerillas. However, some of these patrolmen were thought to also secretly support the guerrillas and under a confused set of operations, attacked the army and; according to Montejo’s testimony, many villagers were killed. The army also rob and burn down parts of the village. In one case, a young man who was part of the patrols is shot and as he laid dying, reveals that the uniform worn (in that particular day) by the army was similar to the ones the guerrillas would wear, except that the guerrillas didn’t cause any harm as they walk through the village. This has a lot to say about how the civilians saw the government’s military, and how they saw their repressive state; being something they had to do without question due to fear. Taking a look at the testimony alone, we can also see how society was effected. Out of Montejo’s brief background detailing the ailures of the presidents and the absolute repression faced by the civilians, we can conclude that the governments force to keep the guerillas unsuccessful was limited and pushed society into rebellions. In other words, as the army continued to torture and persecute the innocent, many found it necessary to fall into the hands of the guerrillas in order to stamp out their oppression. Maria Lupe’s account is similar to Montejos. She describes her hardships as a house wife, working on a plantation of a rich land owner. Her husband worked for 50 cents per day, and her payment was in food. She mentions moving closer to the north in a town called Ixcan, hoping for better jobs. At about two years the member of the guerrilla army for the poor began entering the town, recruiting people, and telling them that they were fighting so that they could all live better lives. After she had met with the guerrillas, she realized that their interests were aligned with hers. The guerillas and â€Å"companeros† as the group was called, effected society for the better; they were able to construct support within the community, almost â€Å"communistic† in style; sharing food, selling materials, and taking care of each other. She mentions that spies were beginning to infiltrate the village and set up a military commissioner. Just as Montejo, suspicion of guerrilla collaboration was dangerous and could lead to death. She eventually becomes involved with this group which enables her to feel secure, and at some point is given arms for protection. She also mentions that the †companeros† made efforts to include women and support women’s roles in society, outside of the home, giving women more of a say in the community. We see an opposite reaction as to how the civilians felt about the guerrillas that is only slightly mentioned in Montejo’s testimony through the eyes of the dying patrolmen when he mentions that the guerrillas never attack them. The government military’s efforts was to remove any dissent, particularly those of the guerrillas. The hatred for them is revealed in Montejos testimony, as he is constantly beaten by the army because of the suspicion of him being a guerrilla. He eventually flees the country for fear that they may target him again under false pretenses. In Lupe’s account the military is the enemy, and when suspicion arises, she is arrested and detained for several months, leaving behind her children; she later flees and leaves the community, having to work for low wages again in another town. Lupe’s case shines a light upon the guerrillas, they are almost portrayed as saviors. She never discusses the government’s military repression into great detail, but we see here that civilians showed a bit of amnesty toward the guerrillas and favored their motives against the repressive government. The history of these conflicts stem from the effects of the Guatemalan civil war. Initially, it began as a â€Å"social revolution,† a stance against neo-colonialism. Through 1944 to 1954, Guatemala experienced the â€Å"Ten Years of Spring† a time when two democratically elected Presidents; Arevalo and Arbenz, stressed reform, nationalism, and new constitutions. The Arbenz reforms stressed the importance to remove any outside corporations and instead focused on independent commerce within the country. He was able to move Guatemala from a semi-colonial system to an independent country. He did this by moving the country’s economy from a feudal system to a more capitalistic one. He was also able to raise the standard of living for most of the population. In order to do so, he confiscated large estates and redistributed them to the peasants, he also seized unused â€Å"United Fruit Company† and railroad lands to benefit his people. His most controversial step was his opposition to the â€Å"Declaration of Caracas,† which aligned all of Latin America with the United States to ensure the â€Å"success† of democracy. He instead supported solidarity against U. S. interventions. This lead to wide speculation by the Eisenhower administration, and concluded that Guatemala was moving toward communism. This led to a huge U. S. infiltration on the Guatemalan government. The U. S. trained and armed proxy forces in Honduras who later joined the conservative Guatemalan military to overthrow Arbenz. These coups are the ones who will become responsible for the military takeover that plagued Guatemala for many years, and which are highlighted in Montejo’s and Lupe’s accounts. By June 1954 a new military junta in Guatemala formed, supported by the U. S. nd established the â€Å"National Committee of Defense Against Communism,† which allowed for the arrest and death penalty of â€Å"subversive† activities. By September 1954, General Carlos Castillo Armas, who was supported by the U. S. becomes president of Guatemala. He then forces society to reverse many of the Abrenz reforms; revoking voting rights for illiterates, which made up half of the population, forced peasants to leave the acquired lands, banned political parties and peasant organizations, and restored the secret police. By the 1960s, a 36 year civil war had begun, with the U. S. supporting the authoritarian government. With the onset of the civil war, we see the outcomes which shaped Montejo’s and Lupe’s testimony, and the hardships the civilians faced and the effects on society; being banished from lands that were given to them, having to abandon jobs and a thriving economy due to outside efforts to contain â€Å"communism. † For three decades the civil war was fought, a fight, one might say, to reclaim what belonged to Guatemala from greedy outsiders and those wanting to ensure their own success, while the poor Indians had no say in government and were forced to remain loyal to a government that did not share in their interests. Luckily, the civil war came to an end and the violent regimes once waged ceased. However, through the eyes of Montejo and Lupe, we are able to see the lives of the civilians that had to live under the repressed state and the attitudes these people shared for their government, leaving an important legacy for all people to witness, that regimes started by the poor where necessary in order to create a society where everyone had an equal share to the same rights as the elites.

Greenpeace and the 21st century Environmentalism Essay

In today’s expanding and growing population in local economies, various technological changes and improvements have been happening that have been an important catalyst towards development. However, corresponding to these innovations that shape human lives is a threat that critics have often attributed as a setback for development. These are societal and environmental problems deemed to be a vital cause of concern as evidence and manifestations have been appearing more rapidly. But amongst these two problems, one important facet has been affected the most: the environment. With the rising challenges that man faces with the environment, various groups have stood up and started to make a stand towards environmental degradation. An example of such organizations is Greenpeace. The organization has continually lobbied for legislation as it tries to create law-binding solutions and increased awareness with the overall aim of environmental sustainability. This, in turn, has sparked a new phase of social, political and economic concern, which was later coined ‘environmentalism. ’ With all of these, it can be argued that since its inception, Greenpeace has adopted a role towards creating environmental awareness and protection. It has continuously been adapting towards the betterment of both global and local societies. In the end, as new issues and challenges emerge, the organization is committed towards adjusting and administering proper avenues for change. Prior to 1960’s, the drive for environmentalism has been a spurting one and occurred at a minimal level. Boston Review argues that â€Å"until the late 1960s, much (not all) of environmental protection in the United States occurred via private law suits and judge-made common law† (p. 1). However, this aim proved to be biased and limiting as it created temporary solutions and non-accountable judicial bodies. (Boston Review) Since the creation of Greenpeace in 1971, the period has been classified to be an important era for environmentalism as recognizable and large scale changes started to take place. Various legislating bodies across America have recognized the importance maintaining and preserving the environment for future exploitation and usage. Moreover, the system during this time was more accountable; in taking responsibility of actions and democratic in nature; by providing fair and equal provision of processes, which greatly improved the outcome of various decision making and regulation among concerned groups. Boston Review mentions that â€Å"between 1970 and the present, much (not all) of environmental protection has occurred via a remarkably ambitious, complex, and cumbersome system of national regulation† (p. 1). Defining Environmentalism Before dwelling further on the contributions of Greenpeace towards local and international societies, one must look at the focal and foundation of the organization’s endeavors – environmentalism. To fully grasp such concept one must be able to define the parameters and evolution of environmentalism and link it towards how Greenpeace operates. Looking at the concept, one can define environmentalism to be the goal towards preservation of the natural environment. However, since its conception, the term has reached out in various fields and areas that made the term dynamic and continuously evolving. Tao of Prosperity points out that â€Å"in defining environmentalism, we must recognize that it is not a monolithic movement† (p. 1). With all of these, it can be argued that the term environmentalism takes a holistic approach and embraces various dimensions and norms in society and therefore creating a balanced approach. Bidinotto stipulates that environmentalism thought is â€Å"the view that everything in nature exists in a perfectly harmonious balance–a balance ever threatened by the activities of Man† (p. 1) This means that the environmental movement has been moving towards the creation of better practices on the basis of experiences learned in the process of harmonizing and interaction with society. It is in here that they form their own respective views and points out what needs to be done. The Strands of Environmentalism Since its initial creation, the term environmentalism has evolved into various forms and various strands of the movements have been seen in the years. Though these groups vary in their thoughts, their contribution and mindset remains to be united and aimed towards one goal but various alternatives of practice. Looking at it, these facets have been credited as hues of environmentalism. Examples of these groups include (1) dark greens, (2) light green and (3) bright green environmentalism. The first strand deals with the belief of dark green environmentalism. The ideals of this strand are extreme in nature and are unwilling to compromise their objectives among other groups or organizations. Environment Support mentions that â€Å"Dark Greens have a more radical point of view, believing that we need to change our worldview drastically in order to be in harmony with the earth† (p. 1). Moreover, the philosophy of the group revolves around the concept that â€Å"all living things have the same right to live and flourish† (Environmental Support). The second strand deals with Light Green environmentalism. Compared to Dark Greens, this people advocate a lesser way of promoting environmental security. Looking at their beliefs, Light Greens believe that â€Å"belief that all living things have the same right to live and flourish† (Environmental Support). In addition, these groups propose reforms to important movers of society by cooperating and bargaining towards changes. Also, the promoters of this strand seek to have a positive relationship with the conventional ideologies. Environmental Support points out that environmentalism should not be approached â€Å"as a separate ideology but as something that needs greater importance within political schools of thought like conservatism, socialism, and liberalism† (p. 1) The last strand involves a new approach towards environmentalism. The Bright Greens, which was coined in 2003, seeks to promote a new outlook of the concept towards the future. (Environmental Support) Seeing the current developments in today’s society, the group seeks to exhaust the positive effects of technological innovations and apply it to the environment. Environmental Support mentions that the process can be achieved by using â€Å"new technology, improved and modified designs of products, plus eco-communities and sustainable lifestyles† (p. 1). Furthermore, the supporters of this claim argues that by using alternative measures backed up by technology such as renewable energy, biotechnology and nanotechnologies, environmentalism is achieved. In the end, the group favors advancement and progress but with responsibility and taking into consideration the environment. Looking at this, there is a â€Å"need to adopt open-source models of information exchange, so ideas and innovation can grow and be shared and develop as fast as possible† (Tao of Prosperity). This means that environmentalist must continuously open communication lines so as better sharing of information necessary for change can be possible. Linking Greenpeace and the strands Environmentalism After pointing out the relevant hues of environmentalism, it is better to point where Greenpeace can be associated with. The formation of Greenpeace is a reaction towards the clamor for environmental protection and security. Moreover, it is an activism in its organizational form; a grouping of individuals who fight for one common goal. Looking at the facets of each strand, the organization can be associated with the Light Green Environmentalism. Greenpeace creates avenues of cooperation among various organizations and governments to create a consensus towards creating better outcomes for the environment. Environmental Support mentions that the â€Å"groups belonging to this category are Greenpeace, Sierra Club, and Friends of the Earth† (p. 1) However, Greenpeace has gradually been diversifying and adopting a different environmentalist approach (Bright Green) while retaining important and valuable objectives of environmentalism. Take for example, the case of the regional office of Greenpeace in USA. Many scholars attribute their current programs and schemes aimed at the balance of the three hues of environmentalism. Shaiko argues that â€Å"Greenpeace U. S. A. exhibits characteristics of both and new social movements and is thus classified as an organizational hybrid† (88). Quoting Eyerman and Jamison, both argued that: â€Å"Greenpeace is environmentalist because behind its non-ideological ‘profile’ lies a continuation of the basics of environmental cosmology: that modern societies have reached the limits of growth, that the consumption of resources has reached dangerous and crisis proportions and that there is a need for fundamental social change if society is to survive† (114) II. Tracing the roots: Greenpeace The beginnings of Greenpeace began during the time when there was a renowned interest in testing nuclear weapons. The story of the organization begins in 1971 when activists sailed towards a destination where nuclear testing was taking place – Amchitka. Greenpeace International mentions that â€Å"Amchitka was the last refuge for 3000 endangered sea otters, and home to bald eagles, peregrine falcons and other wildlife† (p. 1) Greenpeace International mentions that â€Å"in 1971, motivated by their vision of a green and peaceful world, a small team of activists set sail from Vancouver, Canada, in an old fishing boat. These activists, the founders of Greenpeace, believed a few individuals could make a difference† (p. 1) Looking at it, the relevance of Amchitka was indeed important in the point of activists. This is because the event proved to be a catalyst towards the creation of the organization and a plight to stop nuclear testing at a far greater level. Though the nuclear testing took place on the same year and the team of Dorothy and Irving Stowe, Marie and Jim Bohlen, Ben and Dorothy Metcalfe, and Bob Hunter were prevented from arriving in the island; it raised international clamors seeking its protection. After such, an international organization; Greenpeace, was founded and recruited millions of followers. The Rainbow Warrior One important aspect of Greenpeace’s history is its prized ship – the Rainbow Warrior. According to Greenpeace International â€Å"it was renamed ‘Rainbow Warrior’ after the Warriors in a North American Cree Indian prophecy: ‘When the world is sick and dying, the people will rise up like Warriors of the Rainbow† (p. 1). It is a symbol of the first collaborative effort by members towards one particular objective. Also, it is a significant symbol towards the organizations commitment towards worldwide consensus to protect and save the environment. Their first efforts were to sail towards Iceland and advocate the abolishment of commercial whaling. (Greenpeace International) After that, the Rainbow Warrior has been associated as an instrument for environmentalism. Though it was bombed in 1985 allegedly by the French Government due to its contributions towards pressuring the state against nuclear testing, the spirit that it carried was always part of the organization. (Greenpeace International) Currently, the new Rainbow Warrior is a manifestation of old traditions of the organization and a mixture of new environmental friendly technological developments – a symbol of Greenpeace’ past and present. Greenpeace International mentions that â€Å"it is also a showcase of environmentally friendly technologies including solar panels for hot water, a specially designed fuel-saving wind/motor propulsion system, and a recycling system for engine heat† (p. 1) Core Values and Structure For any organization to function according to their objectives and goals, one must have a firm foundation of structure and core values. With regards to Greenpeace, their foundation and values are structured heavily on environmental protection and democracy. Greenpeace International mentions that â€Å"in developing our campaign strategies and policies we take great care to reflect our fundamental respect for democratic principles and to seek solutions that will promote global social equity† (p. 1) Looking closely, the core values of the organization revolve on the following: â€Å"(1) ‘bear witness’ to environmental destruction in a peaceful, non-violent manner, (2) use non-violent confrontation to raise the level and quality of public debate, (3) exposing threats to the environment and finding solutions we have no permanent allies or adversaries, (4) ensure our financial independence from political or commercial interests and (5) seek solutions for, and promote open, informed debate about society’s environmental choices† (Greenpeace International).

Racism And Racism - 732 Words

Sexism, racism and heterosexism are happening in contemporary America till this day. The media reflects everyday struggles that Americans face based primarily on their gender, race and sexual preferences. Many innocent Americans are getting killed in protests and rallies while they defend their rights. Everyday millions of Americans are faced with backlash from their community, state and even their own country for who they are! Heterosexism is the prejudice against homosexuals. Many Americans believe that heterosexuality is the way everyone should be, meaning that you must only be attracted to the opposite sex. They believe that if you are gay, lesbian and or bisexual that you are not in the norm. The LGBTQ community,†¦show more content†¦In modern America racism still goes on throughout all fifty states. Racism is the discrimination towards someone based on their race. In August 11,2017 a far-right rally went on in Charlottesville, Virginia it was composed of white supremac ists many holding confederate flags and some in KKK attire. The KKK which is an abbreviation for the Ku Klux Klan is a group that is anti-black and for white supremacy only. During this rally a 20 year old African American was assaulted and beaten by a group of white supremacist KKK members. He was beaten because a group of people thought they were above him just based on the color of his skin. Recently a protest broke out on October 20, 2017 in Gainesville, Florida. Richard Spencer, who is an open white supremacist, was scheduled to speak at the University of Florida but was greeted with students chanting â€Å"say it loud, say it clear, Nazis are not welcomed here.† Many students were also holding signs that read â€Å"go home racist† attempting to make Richard Spencer flee their school. Sexism till this day is still alive in America. It is the discriminating behavior towards the opposite sex primarily women. Women are getting paid 77 cents per dollar a man makes, me aning women are not given the equal pay as men. In the essay â€Å"Sexism and Language† author Alleen Pace Nilsen talks about the language that is used to talk about women in an insulting way. Nilsen talks about how when a man isShow MoreRelatedRacism : Racism And Racism1544 Words   |  7 PagesTo understand whether or not racism is learnt, we first have to divulge into the nature of racism. It is usually assumed that racism has been a part of civilisation since civilisation started, that it is embedded into how people work and that no matter what, it will always exist. Another assumption is that racism derives from the capitalism of the slave trade by white elitist men seeking to dehumanize people for economic gain, and used racism as a way to mask their financial motives to justify enslavementRead MoreRacism : Racism And Racism1003 Words   |  5 Pagesracism: Racism-â€Å"the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.† Imagine, 5 black men. Singing a church song still faithful for hope. Chained and cuffed together. Flies follow them as they walk by in the dry hot desert. With the white oppressor behind them yelling nasty words that poison their brain. Yet they still sing and wait and keep faith. In some statesRead MoreRacism : Racism And Racism953 Words   |  4 PagesRacism in America â€Å"Racism is a refuge for the ignorant. It seeks to destroy. It is the enemy of freedom, and it deserves to be met head-on and stamped out.† - Pierre Berton Racism is the unjust hate for any people who are simply different for a various array of reasons. It is all around us and always will be, but that does not give us the right to be passive on the subject. This discrimination against culturally diverse people is hurting our â€Å" land of the free†, one racist remark at a time.Read MoreRacism : Racism And Racism1181 Words   |  5 PagesThis issue of racism is popular by name but tends to be sugar coated by the way people see it. In order to truly understand racism you need to take a bite into the topic in order to get a taste of what it is really like. Racism comes in many different forms and can be seen many different ways. But why even care about racism at all? Why does it even matter? One would think that with such a harsh background regarding racism in America it would no longer exist in society today. But sadly that is notRead MoreRacism : Racism And Racism989 Words   |  4 PagesRacism in America Racism discrimination has been one of our society’s most horrible social problems. In the words of the famous Martin Luther King judging an individual by the color of their skin rather than the content of their character can be a very dehumanizing experience that can have lasting effects on an individual life. Racism in America has not come to a cease. Racism promotes negative personal relations between people of different cultures. I believe slavery started around the 1500sRead MoreRacism : Racism And Racism996 Words   |  4 PagesCovert Racism Introduction Racism; ‘the belief that races have distinctive cultural characteristics determined by hereditary factors and that this endows some races with an intrinsic superiority over others’ (Collins English Dictionary 2012) and thus leading to ‘abusive or aggressive behaviour towards members of another race on the basis of such a belief’ (Collins English Dictionary 2012). Over time, racism has transformed from a blatant and overt form into a passive style of prejudice and discriminationRead MoreRacism : Racism And Racism1751 Words   |  8 PagesRacism Social Justice Topic Issue Corbin Metz H R – 3013 University of Oklahoma Racism Social Justice Topic Issue Today in our society, racism is a very popular social justice topic issue, which affects many of the lives of those around us on a daily basis. Individuals as well as organizations and institutions widely commit the act of racism and these issues are embedded in their policies, procedures, and practices (Calgary). The first signs of racism beginning to arise in the worldRead MoreRacism : Racism And Racism1971 Words   |  8 PagesRacism has come to be a very important topic in today’s society. Many are talking about the injustices when it comes mostly when it comes to African-Americans and Caucasians in authority. Many have deemed the incidents of Trayvon Martin, Freddie Gray, Sandra Bland, Walter Scott, Akai Gurley, Tamir Rice, the Spring Valley High School video, and even the Charleston Shooting to name a few as reactions to racism. Out of the people talking about these events, only a few really know the meaning of racismRead MoreRacism : Racism And Racism2243 Words   |  9 PagesRacism, a topic which has become especially touchy in modern times. It is quite clear that racism is alive not only in the United States, but across the globe. Though the topic is widely talked about, nobody really does anything to stop it. People will be quick to elaborate on the fact that it should be stopped, then make no changes themselves. Yet do they truly understand the concepts of racism and what it really means to be racist? Granted everybody understands that it is racist to hate a groupRead MoreRacism : Racism And Racism1094 Words   |  5 PagesRacism has been an issue that has caused controversial debates for years. It is a topic that stirs up lots of emotions within people and continues to be an argument for all. When there has been a shooting between a white and a colored or a cop and a colored person, people blame it on racism. They state that since the white cop shot the black man it simply means the cop was racist. Then the people want to speak that j ustice needs to be served and the cop needs to be put in prison or released from