...An unusual market Now, the two companies will be competing over a coffee frontier whose peculiarities might seem unusual to outsiders, if potentially lucrative. Colombia, with a population of about 46 million, is far bigger than some of the other countries where Starbucks operates. And it’s an increasingly influential country, where a rising middle class can afford a $3 specialty cappuccino. But chains continue to face an uphill battle. Colombians have only recently begun to enjoy the high-end, high-quality coffee brewed by baristas in New York or Rome. Colombians consume far less coffee than other top coffee-growing nations, such as Brazil. And the coffee they drink is often weak and blended with low-grade beans from Peru and Ecuador. Méndez said one of Procafecol’s biggest problems was getting Colombians interested in, and willing to pay for, Juan Valdez’s high-end brew. Starbucks — long one of the biggest buyers of Colombian coffee — has promised that all of the drip, espresso and packaged Colombian coffee it sells will be locally roasted and sourced. The company also says it will invest $1.5 million to help teach coffee farmers more sustainable farming practices A point of national pride Juan Valdez knows its biggest selling point over Starbucks is its direct connection to coffee growers, who have ownership stakes in Juan Valdez Café and receive royalties and other benefits from each cup of coffee sold. Still, the company says it needs to make sure consumers know...
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...The Life of a Gringo Cachaco A Gringo Cachaco, a North American from Bogotá, that's me. Bogotá - Colombia's capital - has a pace, rhythm, culture and dialect all its own, distinct from the Paisas, Costeños, Boyacense, Llaneros, Chocós or Andeans. Home to three of Colombia's top four universities, virtually every major Colombian corporation, its two most prominent symphonies, and a calendar-full of social, cultural and historical sites and events; Bogotá is "where it's at." As Lonely Planet says, "Bogotá is Colombia's beating heart… steeped in sophisticated urban cool." Daily we enjoy coffee that has made me forget my Starbucks Gold Card somewhere in storage, guanabana helado, limonada de coco (I prefer CON ron!), a fruit and vegetable array that is a vegan's paradise, Arepas! (you must taste to understand), flowers and trees which enjoy a (literal) 12-month growing and blossoming season, roasted corn on a stick which defies description, and fresh juices… well… flowing. The city has more than 1,000 urban parks, from small pocket-parks to the largest, Parque Simon Bolivar at twice the size of New York's Central Park. Bogotá's restaurant scene is a fast rising star in the culinary world. These treats are all enjoyed in an average temperature range that varies through the year only very slightly from a low of 9°C (48°F) to a high of 20°C (67°F). All of this at a moderate economic discount compared to North American or European suburban life. Of course, Bogotá has its downside....
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...and destroy not only the lives of the users; they devastate the environment they are grown and manufactured in as well. Since the 1970’s the illegal drug industry in Colombia encompassing everything from growing coca plants to the perceived government solutions have been destroying the lush Colombian ecosystem. Colombia is geographically superior to every other country in South America for three reasons. The first reason being that that it is the only country in the continent that shares a border with Latin America. Next reason is they have both pacific and Atlantic coastlines. The third reason is they have huge amount of biodiversity and unbeaten growing conditions. For these reasons along with a global high demand for illegal substances and certain indigenous plants have made illicit plant/drug production flourished in Colombia for over 40 years. The boom in demand for cocaine came in the 1970’s and has continued to today. In the year 2000 it was estimated Colombia is responsible for 75% of the worlds coca. (Energy & Ecology business editors, 2011) Not to mention the large-scale opium poppy and marijuana production occurring in Colombia. This illegal drug industry wreaks havoc on the Colombia’s Environment more specifically their forests. Deforestation has gradually been getting worse and worse in Colombia since the introduction of the illicit crop and drug trade. Slash and burning is one devastating technique in order to clear the forest for growing and manufacturing. ...
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...The problems, which have plagued the Republic of Columbia in recent years, started in the early 1960’s with the formation of Marxist-left winged guerrilla factions and right winged paramilitary groups. The drug trade, kidnappings, political corruption, and arms dealing have primarily funded these groups. However, in spite of these multi-billion dollar illegal organizations President Juan Manuel Santos has made significant progress in anti-drug legislation and de-militarizing paramilitary factions before opening peace talks between the Columbian government, FARC and the ELN. The concept of the strength of a sovereign state can be defined by several factors. In the case of Columbia, there are significant trends that show it is transitioning from a weak state into a strong state. These trends in state power can be broken down into 3 categories: hard power, soft power and smart power. Hard power is just that. Government controlled military, police and other law enforcement agencies. Since 2002, Columbia’s military and police forces have grown by 50%. President Santos served as Defense Minister for 3 years prior to his Presidency. In that time he implemented many changes, which resulted in destabilizing prominent cartels and guerrilla insurgents. In 2012 it is estimated that threats of terrorist actions and control by organized crime was reduced to less than 6% of the nation. This is a direct result of the demobilization of several illegal arms groups. Soft Power is...
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...Section 4 Brazil • Vargas took power in 1930 • Borrowed heavily from foreign banks to build a new capital interior • Goulart became president of Brazil in 1061 • The army overthrew him • Military government forced wages down and pressured labor unions to cooperate to cut production costs • Civilian government took office in 1990 • Corruption and crime flourished • Frenando Henrique Casado made economic reforms • Brazil changed ability to maintain this economic progress Argentina • Eva Peron is a powerful man • Juan Peron rose to power in Argentina in 1940 • Juan held the title to president , but it was Eva who everybody loved • Helped working class • When Eva died, Juan lost his greatest political weapon • 18 yrs. later Argentina endured series of military and governments struggling against both political and economic difficulties • Set out wage war against guerrillas and improve economy • Desapaparecidos are disappeared people • Free elections were held in 1983 • Fernando de la Rua became the new president in 1999 Peru • Had economic problem • Two major guerrillas were MTRA, Shining Path • Drug trafficking complicated Peru’s situation • Groups accepted money for cocaine business • Albert Fujimori took over country in Chaos • Mid-1996 population declined • In 2000 Fujimori fled the country amid a growing corruption scandal Columbia • A nation of turmoil following World War 2 • 1957 was so bad that the 2 major political parties agreed to form...
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...OUTLINE Introduction A. What effects can produce oil prices increase? a. Brief history and evolution in oil markets b. Causes of the increment in oil prices B. Colombia on the two sides of oil prices rise effects c. Brief description of effects d. Brief history of petroleum industry Body I. International context a. Global situation of oil prices b. Volatility and Dutch disease II. Colombia Case c. analysis of effects in the macroeconomic view: inflation and currency appreciation Conclusion A. Which are the solutions to control the harmful effects of oil prices increase B. What strategies are implementing in Colombia to deal with the effects of oil prices increase. Thesis statement Since the 1970s the world hadn`t experienced an oil increase like the one that is happening these days where many countries are concerned about the effects that this phenomenon can bring to their economies. As an oil exporting country, Colombia has to deal with a lot of challenge in order to transform all the revenues from petroleum into benefits to their society. However there are some effects that can bring some instability to this small economy, especially the one that international markets create a speculative bubble which can end in the Dutch disease. ‘The Dutch disease is a major market failure originating in the existence of cheap and abundant natural or human resources that keep the currency of a country overvalued...
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...TB0245 Andreas Schotter Mary Teagarden Blood Bananas: Chiquita in Colombia No one laughs at the banana in its areas of origin. It is too serious a business, on which jobs and lives depend. Peter Chapman, Author of Jungle Capitalists. For Chiquita Brands International, a pioneer in the globalization of the banana industry, bananas are not only serious business, they represent an array of economic, social, environmental, political, and legal hassles. Since its founding more than a hundred years ago as United Fruit Company, Chiquita has been involved in paying bribes to Latin American government officials in exchange for preferential treatment, encouraging or supporting U.S. coups against smaller nations, putting in place dictatorships in Central America’s “banana republics,” exploiting local workers, creating an abusive monopoly, and now doing business with terrorists.1 For American multinationals, the rewards of doing business abroad are enormous, but so are the risks. Over the past decades, no place has been more hazardous than Colombia, a country that is just emerging from a deadly civil war and the effects of wide-ranging narco-terrorism. Chiquita found out the hard way. It made tens of millions in profit growing bananas in Colombia, only to emerge with its reputation splattered in blood.2 In 2004, Chiquita voluntarily admitted criminal responsibility to the U.S. Justice Department that one of its Colombian banana subsidiaries had made protection payments from 1997...
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...Explanation of the purpose of the standard: Florverde is an initiative of ASOCOFLORES the Colombian association of flowers exporters. The aim of the combined action is to satisfy the requirements of Colombian’s flower 1st importer market the USA. The Florverde certification set up in 1996 enables the thousands of workers involved in the production of export flowers to live and work in acceptable conditions. The certification secures the main USA market and maintain best sustainable practices through annual audits. The main areas for standards include: basic labor regulations, personnel management, work and social welfare, water and irrigation, intergrated pest and disease management, traceability and records. Applicable countries: Colombia Applicable trade region(s): CAN (Andean community) Application to the chosen product: 1. Describe in a much details possible the specifications (e.g technical or environmental) for each standard you have found and to whom they apply (e.g workers, machinery,..) example 1 for working hours, staff must not work than 48 hours per week and must be aged above 18 years. example 2 Website address(es): www.florverde.org Possible market consequences for the supply chain: USA is the main market for Colombian flower exporters. The...
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...CAREER OVERVIEW Completed five years of upper school education at Iona Presentation College, Mosman Park, Western Australia. Achieved a Bachelor of Arts (majoring in History, Politics and International Relations), and First Class Honours (90%) from Notre Dame University, Fremantle, WA. Awarded a Parliamentary Internship to study at the University of Dublin and worked as a Political Intern in Parliament House, Dublin, Ireland. Studied abroad at the University of Saint-Louis in Madrid, Spain and International House in Bogota, Colombia. Travelled extensively through Europe, Central and South America, Mexico, India and Asia and have taught English internationally. Also undertook voluntary community aid work in Oombulgurri, East Kimberley and Varanasi, India. Throughout my tertiary studies, worked part-time and full-time as a Supervisor and Administration Officer at the Ocean Beach Hotel, Cottesloe. CAREER OBJECTIVE To secure a job as an English Teacher in Vietnam with a dynamic, reputable school and work in a challenging role that offers opportunities for knowledge acquisition, advancement, leadership and collaborative teamwork. TERTIARY QUALIFICATIONS Current Masters of Applied Linguistics. Monash University, Melbourne. Aug 2011 CELTA. (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults), International House, Bogota. Completed a four week course focused on teaching approaches and methodology, lesson planning, language awareness and phonology. The teaching...
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...Thanks Alberto, very interesting article and analysis. As in the article there is an interview of the formal financial minister of Colombia, I think it would be interesting to compliment it with my point of view of the Colombian situation. As you mentioned, Colombia has being relying its growth in commodities with no added value as oil, carbon, chemicals and gold; but with the internal war, the situation is a little bit more complicated. On the first hand, Colombia´s agricultural exploitation didn’t started too long ago as the level of war didn’t allow it. This means that the level of production is still far from its real potential, not only because productivity is very low, but also because the level of empty/nonproductive land is extremely high. As a result, even if we are talking about commodities, Colombia should keep on developing agriculture but in a more productive way. In this regard, three actions must be carrying on: * Very high investment in infrastructure: this is one of the biggest problems that faces the country, affecting both agriculture and industry. At the present there is barely river navigation, there are no train railways and highways are embarrassing. * Technology: Production in Colombia is very rustic and as a result, productivity is very low. Investing and promoting responsible agro industrial projects will allow the country to take profit of its amazing natural resources. * Empty land distribution: As a consequence of the war, nowadays...
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...FAO Experience Track The perspectives I have of Latin America were developed over 18 years of immersion as a local. Social awareness, familiarity of speech, understanding of issues that matter in the region vs. issues important outside of the region are second nature to me. I was born and raised in Colombia, and finished high school in Panama. The political environment of Colombia and Panama shaped my cultural awareness and political understanding of these two countries’ overall climate as well as neighboring countries in the region. My understanding of Latin America is complemented by 23 years in the United States, including 21 years of service as a Marine. The Marine Corps has a culture all its own, which I understand well through 7 years of enlisted and 14 years of commissioned service. My first-hand exposure and experience in foreign countries have left a continuing personal interest in following social and political events in Panama, Colombia, and Latin America as a whole. I follow significant events pertinent to the region. Many have impacted the economy and security of the United States as well. The transition of operations and management of the Panama Canal to Panama in December 1999, and current efforts by President Santos against the FARC are among them. The transition of the Panama Canal and its surrounding territories marked a historical event for Panama and the U.S. Panama’s political position strengthened in relation to its Latin American neighbors...
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...suburb outside of Medellin. Many would ask who the world’s most wanted man was at this time and it would be none other than El Padrino (the Godfather) Pablo Escobar. For those who do not know El Padrino he was the world’s largest cocaine distributor in the world. Even though many Colombians prospered from Pablo Escobar’s cocaine trade; was the financial gain worth the state becoming a narco-terror state; and introducing the world to a substance which would increase terror and corruption in two countries. Many Colombians and Americans would say no. Even though killing Pablo Escobar did not reduce the output of cocaine being imported into the U.S. and around the world. Many Colombians felt as if his death ended the narco-terror which paralyzed Colombia for almost fifteen years, but some Colombians believe that his good justified the means of his brutality. In the early 1970’s the United States started a campaign called the War on Drugs, President Richard Nixon declared “drug abuse enemy number one’ in 1971. Why did Richard Nixon take a hard line look at drugs with the Vietnam War taken place? Was it because, he looked at drugs as symbols of rebellion, political strife, and or social upheaval? Who knows what President Nixon’s reasoning for this new policy? After this policy was established earlier in the decade; there was a drug renaissance about a certain white powder, which would change the course of the United States forever. This drug renaissance came along with the perception that...
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...competitive price companies within the travel agencies. After seeing our companies wrong, we believe that we are prepared to expand into South America this upcoming year. With that being said and much research, our company can only expand into one country. Travel Express has consider expanding into Colombia and Panama. We believe that these two countries have a lot to offer our clients, and also countries where not that many traveling agencies have expanded. The three major factors that we researched in order to come with this conclusion are their economy and government, climate and seasons, tourism. BENEFITS AND RISKS OF EXPANSION IN COLOMBIA OR PANAMA Economy and Government Colombia’s Economy and Government Colombia is currently a democratic country, with a central government and separate powers. Just like in the United States, Colombia has Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary branches (“About Colombia,” 2014). Their current currency is Colombian’s pesos; one American dollar equals a bit over two Colombian pesos. With the Colombia peso being so weak compare to the American dollar; tourist are able to get more for their money. For example, they can vacation longer in Colombia, visit more tourist areas, buy higher quality...
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...Institutional, and Cultural Context of Colombia Michael N. Yuede Missouri State University Abstract This paper studies the Colombian culture and how it affects business relations. First, the Colombian country is explored, examining the geographical location and environment, demographics, economy, religion, and the historical, legal and ethical, and social context. Geert Hofstede’s, Fons Trompenaars’, and GLOBE’s models of national culture infer ways to behave in any given culture, and in this case, Colombia. Differences can be seen between the United States’ and Colombia’s culture after exploring the models, suggesting ways to adapt to the new culture and act appropriately in a business environment. After studying the models, the cultural descriptions and aspects, including Colombia’s collectivistic and high power distance nature, give future managers and expatriates the implications necessary to become legitimized in the eyes of other businesses and the government. Additionally, the implications help predict employee behaviors and motivators, as well as human resource management policies that should be implemented into the business. However, in order to fully understand the Colombian culture, an individual must live in that country for a period of time to experience the culture first hand. Environmental, Institutional, and Cultural Context of Colombia In order to better understand how to interact in a business environment in Colombia, it is important to know about the...
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...La Violencia in Colombia Author(s): Norman A. Bailey Source: Journal of Inter-American Studies, Vol. 9, No. 4 (Oct., 1967), pp. 561-575 Published by: Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Miami Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/164860 Accessed: 22-04-2015 00:41 UTC Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org. Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Miami is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Journal of Inter-American Studies. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 142.103.160.110 on Wed, 22 Apr 2015 00:41:27 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions A. NORMAN BAILEY Department of Political Science Queens College of the City University of New York LA VIOLENCIA IN COLOMBIA* F OR THE PAST TWENTY YEARS the South American republic of Colombiahas sufferedfrom a social phenomenonof such magnitude that it has defied not only the contemporaryjargon of sociologistsand political scientistsbut even the time-honoredterminolrebellion...
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