American Popular Culture Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

American Popular Culture - Assignment Example This is an area that requires a study by someone whose interest is on the modern culture (popular culture and the cultural studies) either in America or the world. This has significant effects to the world at large. Ashby has reviewed on this very dynamic popular culture as well as the cultural struggle. He provides a readable narrative that finds the appropriate balance between the sufficient history and the complexity of this culture (Ashby, 132). Popular culture has continually commoditized the radical ideas that exist all over the world and has changed tastes and expectations of people significantly. Popular culture usually condones fantasy, gossip and sex as well as fraud by big fishes at higher places thus impacting the whole world by instilling these vices in the Americans and the world society at large. It is evident that gossip and sex scandals have increased in the recent past among the big names such as Presidents, musicians etc. President who have been involved in this in clude; Bill Clinton, South African President Yacob Zuma etc. It is democratic and continually reverberates with the always contested history of the modern days. The popular culture is a critical component with the kind of the market economy emerging and the wide values of the middle class. This also provides an opening for the fantasy, dreams and dissent as well as its commoditization. Ashby related the popular culture with the political conflicts which actually defined the American life as well as their identity. This actually started at war eras and this later lead to the emergence of mass media which brought about great change to the whole world. These mass media included; radio, television and also film. In the Cold War era there were some contradictory forces which defined America as free and with no class in the society later to intensify xenophobia and censorship which is seen as inclusionary versus exclusionary. Growth in music industry such as development and popularity of country music in the post war times brought the dark side of life as these songs mainly were on the loneliness, suffering and failed love as well as cheating. These vices have been condoned at the modern culture and they are on the increase and its fascinating history of values and cultural politics that reflects on family values as well as the terrorism that reminds about the cold war attacks. Extremists and evangelists argue that the best measures of ideological conflict are the conservative reactions which should be employed on the developments of the popular culture. It is believed that the American popular culture is giving a moral ruin throughout the mass media resources which has resulted to changed morals of the media sources of the other part of the world (Ashby, 240). However the popular culture is contain inspirational and instructive messages and therefore promotes diversity as well as the victories by the people who practice on this inspirational information. There are more dreams that exist and researchers as well as the artists across the globe will have more significant change to the popular culture. Popular culture is a dream machine which acts as a flagship of democracy in culture. This is a gateway that gives a chance for trash to be elevated to the highest places of wealth and fame thereby having great impact to the generation and generation being raised and no hope of getting back to where we came from. This is the effect of the democratic culture that has developed. Currently in

Nike Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nike Globalization - Essay Example Being the famous global sports brand, Nike is very much impacted by the changes that have been taking place in the global economic environment. This essay includes the discussion regarding the impact of globalization on Nike and its strategies. Task 1 Globalization is the key force that has changed the business scenario throughout the world significantly. Globalization which may be considered as the integrated internationalization of organizations as well as markets has impacted the corporations both positively and adversely. Today products are not manufactured for domestic customers only rather they are produced for the customers who are spread throughout the world. The world wide accessibility of internet, significant improvements in supply-chain logistics have led to a situation where companies can locate themselves anywhere in the world (Wheelen & Hunger, 2010). On the flip side, organizations have experienced the adverse effect of globalization as well. For instance, the mortgag e crisis that took place in US became a global financial crisis due to the integration of the financial systems of various countries and this integration is actually the result of globalization (Wheelen & Hunger, 2010).... However, original products of Nike are not available everywhere, instead of that products that are actually produced by the company’s franchisees are sold by using the Nike’s logo and its brand equity (Businessteacher, n.d.). Nike has been adopting strategies that are in accordance with the changes in the global business scenario. The company’s initial strategy was to gain competitive advantage in US by selling premium quality athletic shoes that are available at low cost. The company developed its production facilities in Japan so that manufacturing cost remains low (Saloner, Shepard & Podolny, 2008). With its products that are manufactured at reasonably low cost while not disturbing the desired level of quality, the company has been successfully dominated its main target market i.e. US. Once, enough brand equity and competitive advantage are gained in US, the company started to shift its focus on the other markets like Europe and Asia. Furthermore, when the pro duction cost in Japan started increasing Nike began production in countries like Korea, Thailand and Indonesia. In this way the company has successfully created an exclusive brand image in Asia as well (Saloner, Shepard & Podolny, 2008). Throughout its journey, Nike has properly identified and understood various aspects of globalisation and adopted strategies accordingly. Task 2 Globalization has both benefitted as well as affected the Nike’s brand image. Globalization has enabled the company to shift its production facilities from one country to another in search of ‘low cost resources’ and ‘economies of scale’. In other words, globalization has helped Nike to gain and sustain its competitive advantage in US by