Globalization will help the environment

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Many people, when thinking of big companies, picture selfish, uncaring men in business suits plowing down trees and forests and all kinds of wildlife to make room for parking lots. Opponents of free trade argue that, by giving businesses the power to expand to other countries without regulations, the environment would be harmed significantly. The truth, however, is that free trade will in fact help the environment. According to Globalization101, a website with in-depth information on the various factors that make up globalization, the free market would be the “best [tool] to solve environmental problems and lift people out of poverty, rather than greater regulation.”

Those opposed to free trade believe that regulations should be put in place that don’t allow certain developments if the businesses of these developments don’t abide by certain environmental rules. As companies will become more selective, they’ll be less likely to start up in poorer countries, causing them to lose the income and job possibilities this company could have given them. Increasing regulations will only make struggling countries poorer, resulting in them being even more unable to preserve the environment. More harm is done on the environment due to poverty and more regulations, than less regulations will.

Third world countries don’t have the luxury to protect the environment, as they themselves are struggling to survive. With more money, which can be obtained through businesses, they could also make or purchase new, cleaner technology. Only when a country can take care of the people can it afford to care for the environment. More regulations on free trade won’t only stop revenue but also force locals to use the land for profit, as they have less choices in making profit. It’s unfair for us to force other countries to protect the environment when they’re struggling to survive as it is. Allowing the free market to earn countries money will result in the protected environment we all hope for.

Government needs to do more

The one thing everyone can agree on is that we all love food.  No matter what kind of food you choose to eat, we all use food as a to socialize and connect.  When it comes to what we eat, however, our country is not making the best decisions that it can.  The government should do more to promote healthy eating and making smart dietary choices so that when we eat, we can eat smarter and healthier.  If the government does more to spread knowledge and information about the food we are eating now, we can still enjoy food and going out to eat, but we can benefit our bodies while enjoying food instead of damaging our bodies.

In my second post i talked about how going gluten free can reduce inflammation in our bodies and can lead to healthier diets.  With this information, the government should pass that knowledge on to all its people and not keep it a secret.  It is not fair to the people that have to still eat gluten filled foods that break their bodies down when there are healthier options out there.  If the government played a bigger role in the food industry, people like michelle obama whose main goal as the first lady was to reduce child obesity.  During her time when her husband was in office, she focused more on exercise than eating which is not good knowing that if we reduced the amount of gluten in our diet we could cut down on inflammation and the kids would not be as fluffy as they are now.

In my third blog post I talked about an article that addressed the government directly.  It talked about how the last thing that the government did to influence our dietary choices was in 2011.  Even when they do intervene in the food industry, it basically restates something or makes a law or act about something that has already been addressed in the a majority of restaurants and food manufacturers nationwide.  Things that restaurants and food manufacturers are not taking into consideration is the nutritional value of their food.  This is what the government should be focusing on because they are allowing our food industry to poison our bodies with the food that they are selling to us and advertising as healthy and good for our bodies.

In my fourth blog post I talked about how GM foods, which were introduced in 1994, have slowly made their way into all of our diets and has infiltrated our foods.  GM foods cause more problems than benefits for our bodies such as artificial allergies to some foods such as peanuts and soy.  GM foods are a way for manufacturers to grow things faster and cheaper, but that does not always mean healthier for the consumer.  These GM foods are slowly killing us and causing our dietary habits to evolve.  Our bodies are not used to all the GM foods that we now have in our diets and it is showing especially in younger generations.  The government should research GM foods and understand what they do to our bodies so that they can advertise against them or put in regulations for the food industry to follow.

Trump Beefs Up Immigration

The Trump administration has recently decided to pursue its policies on border and immigration enforcement, the policy also includes the rights to negate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which allows 2nd generation illegal immigrants to apply for a work permit. Border enforcement and the expulsion of unauthorized immigrants who are considered law-breakers has been part of his CPAC speech. Trump has also addressed a joint session of Congress for the first time as president during an evening event covered live on television. The most frequently cited and recent federal estimate is that 11.1 million undocumented immigrants live and work in the United States. The White House said Tuesday the estimate could be as high as 15 million.“We will have more actions, and the President continues to see that immigration is one of those issues that he was very, very clear and consistent on in the campaign. And we're going to continue to implement the policies that he talked about to keep the country safe,” Spicer said.

Trump's immigration policy hurting Americans

The economic value I studied is the idea that President Trump’s immigration policy is setting a backlash on Americans and more importantly immigrants. The travel ban has already started decreasing tourism in America from foreigners, causing billions of potential dollars to be lost. According to the Chicago Tribune, New York being the most travelled city in America for foreigners has already seen a 2% drop in tourism this year. This will mark the first decline in New York’s tourism in eight consecutive years. With Trumps plan in act the U.S. will lose about 4.3 million international visitors which will translate to 7.4 billion deficit of lost revenue. Critics such as John McCain believe this ban will only feed ISIS and help aid recruitment. The Syrian Civil War has already killed about 400,000 civilians and the number only increases everyday. Additionally, the US refugee program has been issued an 120 day suspension. The US will not accept more than 50,000 refugees a year, decreasing the 110,000 cap from the Obama administration.

Marketing to the LGBTQ+ community will lead to success

                                      Marketing to the LGBTQ+ community will lead to success

                      

                                                            

                                                             time.com

With the spending power of the LGBTQ+ community at a whopping $800 billion according to Business Insider, companies that make an effort to market to this community have a lot to gain. However, it does take a sincere effort and plan to successfully market to the LGBTQ+ consumer. Trite stereotypes and a lack of understanding of the nuances of the LGBTQ+ community will not lead to success when marketing to this community. Successful marketing to the LGBTQ+ community requires that companies recognize the diversity of this community and are sensitive to the fact that the LGBTQ+ community encompasses diverse individuals who do not always fit the stereotypes placed on them.

The LGBTQ+ community is diverse, made up of individuals from many different backgrounds with a range of beliefs and values.  In her article “How Advertising Depicts Gays and Lesbians,” Julia Hanna of the Harvard Business School asserts that the characterization of LGBTQ+ individuals in mainstream advertising is lacking in diversity.  She states that companies resort to stereotypes because they are uneducated as to the many different types of people in the LGBTQ+ community. These stereotypes actually turn off the the LGBTQ+ consumer.  One way companies can avoid this by using real gay, lesbian and transgender individuals in their advertising, including well known celebrities, which adds authenticity.  Another way to avoid stereotyping is to show LGBTQ+ individuals in average, everyday situations. Marketing successfully to the LGBTQ+ community requires accurately portraying that community.   

Despite the obvious financial benefit of marketing to the LGBTQ+ community, some companies still do not actively market to LGBTQ+ individuals. According to the huffington post companies such as Chick-fil-a, Urban Outfitters, and Exxon do not support of the LGBTQ+ community. Understandably, many people in the LGBTQ+ community refuse to buy from companies that do not support LBGTQ+ rights. The article “Understanding the Multi-Billion Dollar LGBT Market” points out that members of the LGBTQ+ community are loyal consumers. For example, 70% of LGBTQ+ adults would actually pay more for a product from a company that supports the LGBTQ+ community. Companies that do not support of the LGBTQ+ community not only stand to lose out on the potential positive impact on their business of this great market segment, but may be directly negatively impacted.

Without a doubt, the LGBTQ+ market segment offers tremendous opportunities to businesses that are willing and able to address the needs of these consumers. According to a Gallup, approximately 9 million adults in the U.S. identify as LGBTQ+.  And LGBTQ+ consumers have two to four times the buying power per person than other niche groups like Hispanics and African Americans.  To market to this group of consumers effectively, companies must be sensitive to the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community and avoid stereotyping the members of this community.  

   

That's a wrap

What compels students to be involved in Greek Life? I have concluded that people join to feel included. Young adults want to be able invited to social events if it’s a fundraiser, a dinner, or a party we as humans have the urge to make connections with people. The exclusiveness of Greek Life makes it even more inviting. To be in an organization you have to interview, dress up, get references all of these are challenging tasks so those who can accomplish this seem like a different breed. The article “Joining the Panhellenic Association” clearly explains the task. Also, being apart of Greek Life gives you a leg up on your future. In today’s society, we worship those who can go party on the weekends and then maintain a perfect GPA, who cares if you’re among drugs and underage drinking as long as you can take a snap story. Like “The Dark Power of Fraternities”, written by Caitlin Flanagan said it’s part of growing up.   I am not dissing on those who join, heck, I’ve wanted to be in a sorority since I knew what it was, but my motive for joining is so I can have an exclusive group of friends.

Advertisements are Responded to in Predictable Ways

The economic principle I examined was, “People respond to incentives in predictable ways”. There are many examples of how this economic principle can be applied to the real world. While studying advertising I found many examples of this principle. First, companies create incentives for their consumers through social media. Social media is the cheapest way to effectively advertise to a large audience. It is the cheapest way to advertise because it’s the easiest way to target specific audiences and certain demographics. This shows that through technology companies can target exactly who will be most interested in their product, leading to an increase in sales per view. Second, companies create incentives for consumers through bold and irrational claims.  Irrational advertising is when a company claims or shows that a product will do something for consumers that it will not actually do. Skechers used irrational advertising to sell thousands of shoes, convincing people the shoes would tone their legs and behind without any workout beyond their daily walking. The company even made claims about the shoes helping people lose weight.  Sketchers made millions of dollars before the FTC fined them and stopped the sale of the shoes. In many cases the FTC never comes to the consumers rescue. This demonstrates that if companies make bold claims about their product in advertising, consumers will listen and buy the product based on those claims. Third, repetition is used by companies to give consumers an incentive to buy their product. This means that messages are more effective when repeated. Overall, you can see that the placement and frequency of an advertisement greatly effects the influence an advertisement has on consumers.