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 The city is has been known for oil industry but this has been replaced by its comprehensive tourism industry, hosting of events and construction projects.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

Simple Explanation What Is FAFSA

Simple Explanation What Is FAFSA SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Have you heard your high school counselor or other students reference the FAFSA, and you didn't know what they were talking about? What is FAFSA, and what do you have to know about it?Well, if you're hoping to get financial aid for college, then it's criticalthat you know about the FAFSA. In this article, I will explain what the FAFSA is, why it's important, and the information you need to fill it out. What Is the FAFSA? FAFSA is an acronym that stands for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Colleges and universities use this form to determine your eligibility for federal, state, and college-sponsored financial aid, including grants, educational loans, and work-study programs. Therefore, even though the FAFSA is technically the application for federal aid, you have to fill it out to receive state and college-sponsored financial aid as well. If you're hoping for any government or school financial aid for college, you should file a FAFSA. How does the FAFSA determine your eligibility for financial aid? The FAFSA is used by the US Department of Education to calculate your Expected Family Contribution, or EFC, for college. Your EFC is a dollar amount that reflects how much you can afford to pay for college for the following academic year. The lower your EFC, the more aid you're eligible to receive. Your EFC is determined based on income, assets, and other household information you'll be asked to provide on the FAFSA. What Information Is Required on the FAFSA? You can check out the FAFSA worksheet to see all of the information you need to properly fill out the FAFSA. Now, I'll explain the information you need to enter on the form. Citizenship Status/Alien Number You need to be a legal resident of the United States or a US citizen to submit a FAFSA. However, if you're an undocumented immigrant, you have other options to get financial aid for college. Dependency Status For FAFSA purposes, most of you will be considered dependents, meaning that you're under the care of your parents. All dependents have to answer questions about their parents on the FAFSA. Due to varying family situations, this is the FAFSA definition of a "parent" for the purposes of filling out this form: "Parent" refers to a biological or adoptive parent or a person determined by the state to be a parent (for example, if the parent is listed on the birth certificate). Grandparents, foster parents, legal guardians, older siblings, and uncles or aunts are not considered parents on the FAFSA unless they have legally adopted you. If your legal parents are living and married to each other, answer the questions on the FAFSA about both of them. If your legal parents are not married and live together, answer the questions about both of them. In case of divorce or separation, give information about the parent you lived with most in the last 12 months. If you did not live with one parent more than the other, give information about the parent who provided you the most financial support during the last 12 months or during the most recent year you received support. If your divorced or widowed parent has remarried, also provide information about your stepparent. Financial Information Dependents have to report information from their parents, including their parents' previous year's adjusted gross income, government aid, untaxed income, and any other financial benefits. Your parents may be able to use the IRS Retrieval Tool to transfer their tax return information to your online FAFSA. Also, you have to report any financial benefits you received in the previous year, even if you're a dependent. What Happens After You File Your FAFSA? Student Aid Report After you file your FAFSA, if you provide a valid e-mail address, you'll receive your Student Aid Report, or SAR, in 3-5 days. Without a valid e-mail address, you'll receive your SAR via mail in 7-10 days. Your SAR will have a summary of the information you submitted on your FAFSA along with your EFC. Remember that your EFC does not determine the amount of aid you will receive from colleges; it determines the amount of aid you're eligible to receive. The EFC that displays on your SAR is a calculation based on the information you provided on your FAFSA. If there are any errors in your SAR, you can correct the information online. If your application is incomplete, your SAR will not include an EFC, but it will display text that specifies any issues that need to be resolved. In this situation, you'll also be able to complete your FAFSA online. Financial Aid Award Letters The colleges you list on your FAFSA will have access to your information electronically one day after it's processed. Colleges will use the information from your FAFSA to help determine what financial aid they offer you. Shortly after you receive your college acceptances, or even with college acceptance letters, you'll receive financialaid award letters from the colleges that accepted you. However, if you apply early decision or early action, you may have to wait until those who applied for regular decision receive their acceptance notices to get your financial aid award letter. The financial aid award letter outlines your financial aid package, including the amount of aid you'll be offered in grants, government loans, and scholarships. Subtract the amount of financial aid you're offered from the cost of attendance, and you can determine your out-of-pocket expenses for the upcoming academic year. Typically, you'll receive your aid award letters in March or April and have to commit to a college by May 1. Is the FAFSA Required? The FAFSA is only required if you want to be eligible for federal financial aid. Remember that most states and colleges also require the FAFSA to receive state or college-sponsored aid. If you or your parents can afford to pay the full cost of attendance to the colleges you apply to, then you don't have to file a FAFSA. If, based on your EFC, colleges determine that you can afford to pay the full cost of attending, you're unlikely to receive any need-based aid, even if you do file a FAFSA. Also, if you have received a scholarship that makes additional financial aid unnecessary, then you don't have to file a FAFSA. Keep in mind that regardless of whether or not you file a FAFSA, you or your parents can still take out loans to cover your college costs. What's Next? You need to submit a FAFSA to be eligible for valuable financial aid like the Pell Grant and work-study programs. Now that you understand the importance of the FAFSA, learn about how much college really costs. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: