Commodification and Globalisation in Dubai

Commodification and Globalisation in Dubai Dubai, one of the seven United Arabs Emirates (UAE), has captured the attention of the world as global city with a globally competitive economy. The city is has been known for oil industry but this has been replaced by its comprehensive tourism industry, hosting of events and construction projects. It is therefore evidenced that development of Dubai is line with concepts of globalisation and commodification. Globalisation is a function of Economy, Environment, Culture, Society and Politics, and effect on one result in effect on the other.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Commodification and Globalisation in Dubai specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Commodification is the process by which formerly non- economic things and relationships like institutions, objects, attributes, signs and even people are turned into commercial things whose prime purpose is sale in the market place, as Blunden (1975) explains. According to Mar xist political economy it refers to the extension of market trade to formerly non-market areas, and to the handling of things as if they were a tradable commodity (Blunden,1975) A commodity is typically associated with 3 types of values: use value referring to the design of commodities to meet certain need either physically or psychologically; Exchange value as they can be bought and sold in the market with money, and finally commodities have sign value as they act as mode of self-expression in a battle for social position. (Gottdiener, 2000, 26) In Dubai the global media has influenced the society by laying emphasis on the three value of a commodity. The use value of commodities implies that for every need there a product claiming to satisfy it. This has lead to continue product differentiation to meet the arising needs. Labour in Dubai has been heavily commodified with the growth of the fashion industry. The socialisation of women to do domestic work such as dressmaking, cooking, cleaning and caring for the children among others for free has changed. The Dubai shopping mall is a classic example of how the otherwise non-economic dressmaking has been commodified and the fashioners are making lots of money. The Dubai shopping mall travelhouseuk.co.uk/travelGallery/var/albums/General/festival/dubai_shopping_mall.jpg?m=1296818763 (p5)Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Leisure has been largely commodified in Dubai with distancing from work being perceived as prestigious and a symbol of honour. This is in agreement with Veblen’s observation that, conspicuous leisure; which means distancing oneself from industrial work attracts admiration. (Veblen, 1899). Commodification of labour, education, government service like education among others have been accelerated by globalisation, whose prime aim is to reduce people’s diversity by restric ting individuals’ freedom with the promise of economic gains. Another issue to consider is the increasing commoditization of the city and its impact in the eyes of tourists. According to what Galdauskas (2008) says, commoditization is a two-part complicated process which requires certain efforts and time. However, it must be kept in mind that the process allows to promote the place so that it could bring more profit and attract more tourists. However, Galdauskas (2008) warns that to achieve this goal, one will have to make sufficient alterations concerning the way the place looks and the facilities it can suggest to the newcomers (38). Thus, the question of national identity rises against the idea economical profit. To ensure the balanced correlation between the two, considerable efforts must be made. It is evident that both the part involving â€Å"dramatization of life on the stage† (38), as Galdauskas (2008) put it, and the one concerning the preservation of nationa l identity are leveled in Dubai. However, it does not mean that the process of commoditization must run uncontrolled in the city. Since one of the main concerns of the space regeneration is the idea of keeping the national identity, as Universidad de Barselona (1977) claims (77), it becomes clear that the key priority of Dubai citizen at present is to ensure that tourism can coexist with their national identity – otherwise they will be forced to abandon the former to preserve their sense of national dignity. Still, taking into account the culture of Dubai, it can be considered that its citizen can cope with preserving their national identity. Since people flood Dubai to indulge into sightseeing and all kinds of attractions, they bring certain misbalance into its established structure. Foreign elements in the clockwork of Dubai, they slowly make the city dissolve. To prevent Dubai from being gobbled by another culture, people have to undertake certain measures.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Commodification and Globalisation in Dubai specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Another aspect of the problem, the space regeneration, deals with the economical issues. In this case, the principle of mutual recoupment can be put into practice: thus, certain spaces can be restored using the tourism incomes. According to what Universidad de Barselona (1977) suggests, the balance between tourism and the space and place maintenance can be achieved once the â€Å"appropriateness to the work in relationship to the place† (133) has been achieved. However, to achieve this goal, the dwellers of Dubai will have to follow the main principles of the Consumption Theory. Thus, one of the first challenges which the dwellers of Dubai are going to face is how to level the supply and the demand. Utilizing the principle of rationality, as Sherman (2008) suggests (332), it will be possible to achieve the desirable r esult. However, there are certain issues which require special attention of the entrepreneurs and the government of Dubai. For instance, it is crucial for the city to take into account the principle of rationality. Thus, the chief goal of Dubai is to suggest its guests the necessary attractions and entertainments which they suppose to encounter in here. An advancement of an integration agenda between nations and it entails the widening of economic markets (Mittelman, 1997. pp. 2) globalisation has brought various benefits such as: growth of tourism industry through the movement freedom, enhanced trade widen access to information, rapid diffusion of creative and innovations, specialisation of work and benefit from large scale of production where countries produce what they can better and cheaply produce for local and export while they import what they cannot produce, enabling international relations and this has resulted to rapid economic growths as well as improved living standards. The immense impact of globalisation is felt in Dubai from all aspects of life i.e. Economy, Environment, Culture, Society and Politics. The great extent of globalisation in Dubai is demonstrated by its rapidly growing tourism industry with such baits for tourists as: Burj Al-Arab the only seven-star hotel in the world and an international icon of Dubai and Palm Jumeirah- an on-going project of the largest artificial island in the Arabian Gulf. The Dubai’s special features have been a major focus for the global media. (Elsheshtawy, 2004). The hosting of international sports has had immense gains for the Dubai’s economy. Although these prizes are won by the foreigners, they spend some of the money in Dubai. Also the fans of sport come in large numbers to watch the sports further contributing to the growth of tourism industry in Dubai. The city has become well-known for hosting famous tennis and golf tournaments, with Andre Agassi, Roger Federer and Tiger Woods promotin g Dubai. (Student Personal World Wide Web Pages.2) Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More †Golfer Tiger Woods tees off the Burj Al-Arab helipad nearly 1,000 feet above the ground† http://www-scf.usc.edu/~jhorowit/globalization.htm. The integration of Dubai with other emirates to form United Arab Emirate and a further collaboration between the UAE and other countries has opened its market to the foreign investors. â€Å"Dubai attracts foreign investors and corporations because of the considerable economic opportunities offered to businesses there.† (Hollis, 2000, 52) Off shoring is a classic example which entails transfer of commodities from one country to another. Globalisation results in the free movement of people from one region to another. Dubai continues to create global job opportunities for low waged workers. According to Lang LaSalle the employment rate in Dubai has grown to 8.3 percent per annum while the population is growing at 5.8 per cent per annum (2004). This means the economy will continue to get more workforces locally and from interna tional market. The high level of globalisation has had negative effects on Dubai society. Some of the negative impacts of globalisation include: the freedom of movement of people from one country to another has made it difficult for the natives to preserve their culture and religion. Islamic had been the predominant religion in Dubai but with globalisation, other religions come up. This resulted in change of weekend from Saturday –Sunday to Friday-Saturday in a bid to accommodate both Muslims who emphasis on holiness of Friday and Christians who respects Saturday-Sunday. There is a conflict between the native’s culture and the western. In a global market an economic recession affect the whole world with the poor and middle income population being hit harder. As Hari (2009) emphasized, because of the economical crisis in Dubai a number of workers suffered great losses; many of them were not paid and thus could not leave the countries. Hari observed that policemen intimi dated the workers who complained or left their stations. (2009, pp6). Other negative effects of globalisation in Dubai include the increase in the prostitution which is as a result of the rapid growth in tourism. Globalisation enhances capitalism resulting in poor getting poorer thus the poor population of Dubai has turned to illegal business like prostitution, drugs and arms smuggling and also terrorism, as Davidson (2009) mentioned (p. 247). Commodification and globalisation have had both positive and negative impact in Dubai with the former outweighing the later. It is important for Dubai government to come up with policies that will enhance globalisation and commodification for Dubai to be consistent with the national development goals. Government should try to bridge the gap between the poor and the rich and reduce instances of crime and prostitution as this will not only devalue humankind but it also increases disease transmissions. If Dubai has to remain a world class city, i t has to deal with social problems of its citizens. Reference List Blunden, A., ed. Commodification, Encyclopedia of Marxism. [Online] marxists.org/glossary/terms/c/o.htm. Davidson, Christopher M., 2009. Dubai: the vulnerability of Success. New York, Columbia University Press. Elsheshtawy, Y., 2004. Planning Middle Eastern cities, an urban kaleidoscope in a globalizing world, Stamford, CN, Cengage Learning. Galdauskas, K. et al., 2008. Serving culture: tourists, lobsters and restaurants of  Ogunquit, Maine. Ann Arbor, MI, Pro-Quest, Gottdiener, M, 2000. New forms of consumption. Oxford, Blackwell Hari, J., 2009. The dark side of Dubai. The Independent (London). [Online] independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/the-dark-side-of-dubai-1664368.html. Hollis, R. 2000. Managing new developments in the Gulf. Washington, DC.Brookings Institution LaSalle, J. L., 2004 Winning cities of the decade [Online] Available at: www-scf.usc.edu/~jhorowit/profile.htm. Sherman, H. J., et al ., 2008 Economics: An Introduction to Traditional and Progressive Views. Armonk, NY, M. E. Sharpe, Inc. Student Personal World Wide Web, n.d. The effect of globalization on Dubai’s economic development: Available at: http://www-scf.usc.edu/~jhorowit/globalization.htm- . [Online] Universidad de Barcelona, 1977 Urban Generation: A Challenge for Public Art. Barcelona, Edicions Universitat Barcelona. Veblen, T. (1899). The Theory of the Leisure Class New York, NY, New America Library

Clever inventions. The possibilities of the mind

Clever inventions. The possibilities of the mind Useful inventions of all time If asked about the biggest invention of our time, people would probably name the Internet. It allows us to connect with friends around the world and establish connections we never knew existed. You want to talk to your favorite celebrity or find out what has been going on in Eastern Asia? - Google will help you! A hundred years ago, we could not imagine the luxury of interacting with people miles away from us. The credit goes to Lawrence Roberts, the inventor of the first Internet prototype. However, apart from the global communication system, what can we name as the greatest invention? You may argue about the usefulness of this or that device, but we can assure you they have all made a fair contribution to our routine. Where would the mankind be, if it was not for the phone or text messages we are used to exchanging whenever we want to share information? On top of that, we should include some of the things that were necessary for the development of the human race: The wheel. The wheel is truly one of the inventions of the humankind, the value of which cannot be overlooked today. The concept of the first wheel was developed in 3500 B.C., and it was a blessing for everyone. People had massive problems with transporting goods and moving them from one town to another, so we guess this discovery was by far one of the most expected in the history of human civilization. These days, wheels are used everywhere, and the history we know was shaped with the help of this tool. The compass. Do you remember Captain Jack’s compass that showed the thing you wanted most? Well, magic aside, sailors used to navigate by the stars. Suffice to say, it was not a very safe methodic, as it forced them to skip their craft on cloudy evenings or in the daytime. Before the invention of the first compass, captains were bound to obey the mere changes of the weather, and had to wait until the sky was clear again. The situation changed, however, when the compass we know today was invented. The secret to successful navigating is the magnetized needle, which points north. The printing press. As we know, very few people had access to books back in the Middle Ages. The printing press appeared as a revolutionary device and changed the way we perceive printing today. Johannes Gutenberg decided to alter the course of history by inventing a special machine, which pressed ink to the paper so that the paint remained on the surface for long. This is another invention that led to the development of the human race, the importance of which cannot be overstated. The printing devices we have today allow us to immerse in the world of literature and become educated individuals through reading. The telephone. The invention of this device presents a series of experiments, which all led to failure. Many scientists struggled to build an electronic device, which would allow people to communicate via wires. However, electronic transmission did not seem possible until Alexander Graham Bell took the initiative in his hands. He invented the phone in 1876, and was awarded a patent for his discovery that led to revolutionizing the world of communication. He had a lot of successors, who tried to improve the said gadget, and fortunately, phones as we know them today allow to transmit electronic signals at long distances. The light bulb. It is hard to imagine our daily lives without this device. Electricity was in poor state when Thomas Edison decided he would change the face of the world we know. Of course, we cannot attribute this success to his personality alone, as many people played a significant role in inventing the light bulb, but generally, the credit belongs to Edison. Prior to this, we depended on natural lightning and the light of the candles. That was romantic, in some ways, and uncomfortable as well, as people had to work during the day and finish their chores before the sun went down. Now, we can sit up all night and be sure the lightning is bright and comfortable, thanks to the invention that Thomas Edison proudly patented. Penicillin. The story behind the invention of Penicillin is awesome. In 1928 there was a Scottish scientist named Alexander Fleming, who conducted a series of experiments in his private laboratory. During one of the experiments, he left a lid on a dish with bacteria opened. Later, he discovered that bacteria were dead as the dish became contaminated with mold. Later, Fleming found out that the mold was called fungus Penicillium, and it was cleared and purified by scientists to turn it into a strong medication, which changed the course of science and was a big history turn in the first half of the 20th century.

Warehousing and distribution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Warehousing and distribution - Essay Example Continuous improvement, on the other hand, is based on the lean and quality management approach. It is essential to understand this three approaches and how their application in a warehouse can help improve its operations. This paper will discuss, in detail the differences among these three approaches. The paper will highlight several definitions of the three approaches and point out the differences. This essay will also review how the application of lean principles in a warehouse can improve its operations. This essay will start by defining what continuous improvement is. It will give an overview of continuous improvement and a brief history of the concept. It will further define quality management and lean approach and compare this approach to continuous improvement in a warehouse or a distribution centre. It will give a detailed comparison between the quality management and lean approach versus continuous improvement. The essay will then discuss how lean principles can be applied in a warehouse or distribution centre. It will seek to define what lean principles are and what causes waste in the warehouse. The essay will focus on how the application of these lean principles improves processes used in a warehouse. Deming (2000) defines continuous improvement as a long-term approach to work aimed at achieving small, incremental changes in processes so as to improve efficiency and quality. Continuous improvement is also referred to as Kaizen. It is a constant, deliberate effort by an organization to better its information, products, services or processes. For an organization to attain the desired effect of continuous improvement, the changes have to be totally incorporated with a commitment to making them last. An organization should also hire the right personnel or train existing ones how to improve the process. Kaizen is a Japanese word that means change for the better but when translated to English, it means continuous improvement. Dr. W.

You are called to a small terraced house where a man in his 80s has Essay

You are called to a small terraced house where a man in his 80s has fallen. He is unsure about what happened but his carer indicates that he has a long and complex medical history - Essay Example Older adults are vulnerable to various health issues. Due to their advanced age, they are also likely to suffer from chronic diseases which require full-time care (Poon, et.al., 2003, p. 53). They are also vulnerable to senile dementia which compromises their memory and their normal mental functions. Communicating with these patients can be a major challenge. Moreover, health care interventions cannot be implemented in their behalf without an adequate and accurate assessment carried out on their person (Poon, et.al., 2003, p. 54). However, with limitations in the communication process, the assessment, planning, and treatment of the patient may be compromised. It is possible however to make an accurate review and assessment of the patient based on his current conditions, and based on a review of his history and current health care needs (Poon, et.al., 2003, p. 54). A discussion of these issues can also provide adequate strategies to address the health care needs of the patient. Moreov er, through the application of adequate communication strategies, it is possible to secure a thorough and appropriate plan for the patient’s care. Informed consent and its various applications are part of the core values of health care delivery. There are however specific problems which can be seen when working with vulnerable groups (Milligan, 2011). For those with disabilities or with health issues which limit the application of informed consent, informed consent is still possible and the health care giver still has the obligation to ensure that such consent is gained from the patient. In instances when a patient is unable to make a fully informed decision or does not have the mental capacity to make a decision, the Mental Capacity Act of 2005 must apply. In these instances, the care giver must consult with specific persons, and gain their advice in relation to the patient’s care, as well as what the patient’s

The Role of the American Soldier Essay Example for Free

The Role of the American Soldier Essay We live in a very conflicted world today. Billions of people live in poverty, and war is a reality for everyone. However, there is still hope for freedom and a decent quality of life for all people. The American soldiers are the people responsible for protecting and promoting these ideals. While they dont make the executive military decisions, its their loyalty and dedication towards spreading and protecting democracy and freedom that gives them the ability to do their job exceedingly well. One of the first things that make the American soldiers so good at their jobs is their belief in America. Soldiers are some of the most patriotic Americans because they believe so strongly in American ideals. I think that becoming a soldier and fighting for your country truly allows you to fully comprehend what your country is all about. American soldiers understand and believe in America, and this drives them to do their job and if necessary, die for their country. The United States of America is the worlds leading superpower, so why should we care about the rest of the world? It is because we have a moral obligation to not only protect ourselves, but to help protect innocent people around the globe from evil and tyranny. It is the responsibility of the American soldiers to fight for justice and to keep evil from harming our world. Overall, they are fighting to keep peace, whether its defending an attack or eliminating a threat. In 2003, the staff of Time Magazine did something that they had never done before. They didnt give the Person of The Year award to a single individual, but instead to a whole group of people, the common American soldiers. I understand why they made that decision. The American soldiers are dedicated to protecting America and making the world a better place. They believe so strongly in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness that they will die fighting for these ideals. This dedication to their country and beliefs allows them to play a key role in making a better future for humanity.

Compulsory Heterosexuality :: Sexuality Gender Society Essays

Compulsory Heterosexuality In today’s world, as humankind is still in progress, we have a much more liberated world compared to past. In terms of politics, we learned discrimination is not a honourable case to be involved in and we tried to minimize constraints reflected on â€Å"other† races, â€Å"other† nationalities, in short all of the others that are not similar to â€Å"us†. â€Å"Us† is, without doubt, white, Western man. Despite all the back-drawed prejudices of others in the name of liberation, respect and equality, it does not seem to be the situation for non-heteronormatives to live in a peaceful environment. Since I came to Amsterdam as an exchange student this term, I had the opportunity to experience daily-life with all the people from different sexes, genders not considered â€Å"normal† which is rarely the case in Turkey. Amsterdam made me face non-heterosexual world and I realized that these people do suffer from unequal rights mostly in other parts o f the world. I questioned myself as being far away from that topic in the past and it really made sense to me to investigate about supremacy of heterosexuals. In my opinion, only after we learn to respect all kinds of differences out of majority we are able to have liberal minds, which makes the world a better place to live for all people. That is the reason I decided to write my paper on compulsory heterosexuality. To come to main idea, my arguement will be dominantly on heteronormativity. I will try to prove that both heteronormativity and gender are social constructs, which means that they are all learned behaviours by society through culture, tradition and religion. I will show a world where any norms and taboos exist, to turn our origins of nature. I will support my arguement by the works of writers and researchers on that topic. My whole effort will be on to claim that there is nothing called heteronormativity by nature, it can not be. We can not rule out the genes and instinct behaviour of people. It is just a coverage, to live in a reproductive and moral society. My final idea would be to accept all forms of non-heterosexuality as being â€Å"normal† , just like heterosexuality, by ignoring all social constructs to open our mind to a brighter world. Review There is quite extensive research on studies of lesbians and gays and the compulsory heteronormativity. One major researcher is Adrienne Rich.

Homelessness in Ireland Essay

What is Homelessness The Housing Act 1988 defines a homeless person as somebody who has no reasonable accommodation to live in or lives in a hospital, institution or night shelter because of a lack of home. Human Dignity Issue Shelter is a basic human need, yet throughout the word there a people looking for a place to live with dignity. Being homeless is more than just not having a roof over your head – it usually means that a person’s security and belongings needs are also not met. You can become homeless for many different reasons. These could include: * Being evicted * Losing your job * Health problems * A disaster such as fire or flooding In 2009 there were up to 4,000 people reported to be homeless. 800 of them were children and two hundred of these children were under the age of 12. Abraham Maslow, an American psychologist, designed a pyramid to explain the basic needs required to protect human dignity. In this pyramid he not only names shelter as a basic human need but also names the need for security. Security needs include the need to be safe and protected when if homeless, is broken. To protect human dignity the local authorities have to take action. Duties of Local Authorities towards Homeless People While the 1988 Act does not impose a duty on housing authorities to provide housing to people who are homeless, it does clearly give responsibility to the local authorities to consider the needs of homeless people and expands their powers to respond to those needs. For example authorities may house homeless people from their own housing stock or through arrangement with a voluntary body. (Simon Community, St Vincent de Paul) The Act also enables the local authority to provide a homeless person with money to source accommodation in a non -governmental institution. In addition to the provisions relating to direct responses to people presenting as homeless, Section 10 of The Act enables local authorities to provide funding to voluntary bodies for the provision of emergency accommodation and long term housing for people who are homeless. The 1988 Act requires that local authorities carry out recurrent assessments of the number of people who are homeless in their administrative area, as part of their housing needs assessment. The Health Service Executive (HSE) has responsibility for the health and in-house care needs of homeless people. In terms of funding, this means that local authorities are responsible for the costs of providing accommodation while the HSE Areas will provide funding for homeless persons’ care and welfare needs, including in-house care. Making a Difference There are many charities and voluntary organisations towards homeless people in Ireland such as: * Simon Community * The Salvation Army * St Vincent de Paul * Sonas Housing * The Peter McVerry Trust One of the biggest in known charities is Focus Ireland. Focus Ireland is a non-profitable organisation made specifically to help homeless people. Ireland, though a relatively modern country has many people, even children ‘sleep rough’ every night and it is our responsibility to help them. References www.cpa.ie www.theirishcentral.com www.whycare.ie www.focusireland.ie www.citizensinformation.ie en.wikipedia.com