Ms Goh's GP blog

Ng Jia Min 03/10

Sports have long been associated with leisure, entertainment, leading a healthy lifestyle and healthy competition. However, with the advent of globalization and mass media, the sporting industry has now transformed into a lucrative, commercialized business. Companies are now jumping onto the bandwagon and heavily using sporting events to promote their products. Countries are busy courting for opportunities to host sporting events to boost their tourist numbers and economy. The rise in commercialization of sports has sparked off comments that sports have been over commercialized. It is unfortunate that these worries may become a reality as the commercialization of sports has allowed the fundamental nature of sports to go to waste. Sports, as it seems, is no longer, about leading healthy lifestyles and being engaged in healthy competitions.
International sporting events have been known to be a gem to a host country’s economy. Along with the sporting events comes a tidal wave of sponsorship, tourist numbers and attention on the country. This effect is further propagated with the rise of mass media. People all over the world now have access to different forms of media that allow them to tune in to the sporting event. With greater attention on the country, there will be an influx of tourists, on top of the athletes and media, providing a boom for the economy, tourist numbers and international reputation. Before Singapore hosted the Formula One night race, not many would have known of the existence of this “Little Red Dot”. However when the spectacular night time rice on city streets kicked off its show, “suddenly everyone knows where Singapore is”, as quoted by Zak brown, who runs Just Marketing International, a motor-sports sponsor agency. When Singapore first hosted the world’s first F1 night race in 2008, it was hoped that the event will help boost her economy especially during the recession. Evidently, the commercialization of sporting events has such a big draw because of the massive benefits it has on the host country and their economy.
However, beneath the glamour of commercialization of sports lies the reality that the fundamental nature of sports is slowly fading away. To a common layman, sports is simply about keeping fit and leading a healthy lifestyle. While the commercialization of sports may fuel their interest in the sport, it is unfortunate that ideas that sponsorships and advertisements that sporting events tend to bring in undermine the value of sports. Before the Federation International de I’Automobile (FIA) implemented a ban on tobacco advertising in 2005, Marlboro logos were plastered all over Ferrari’s cars in the F1 circuit. In addition, MacDonald’s has been the official worldwide partner for the Olympics since 1996 and caterer in Olympic Villages. It is ironic that the messages that these corporate sponsors are sending out are contradictory to the healthy lifestyles that sports promote. It is simply hypocritical to imagine fit athletes gobbling down French fries and indulging in a cigarette or two. Viewers and spectators are led into thinking that cigarettes and MacDonald’s fit into the supposed healthy lifestyle that sports advocates. Sporting events have transformed into a business that need to attract sponsors only to get the event running. The notion of keeping fit is no longer innate in the purpose of sporting events.
Besides corporate sponsorships, the monetary incentives that sportsmen receive have become the sole motivation for them to succeed. The idea of sportsmen giving their best for the glory of the individual, country and sport has long been entrenched in society’s mindset since the dawn of the Olympics. However, with the introduction of monetary incentives, sportsmen are now rather working towards monetary rewards. The motivation of being first in any international competition has never been so immense and with the enticement of the incentives, athletes are willing to go to extreme lengths to place first. Being so centered in winning, they will no longer think twice about doping and consuming performance enhancing drugs to boost their chances. Such drugs will give them an added edge over other competitors especially in sports that require high levels of stamina and endurance. Despite checks and balances being in place, like the World Anti-Doping Agency, doping is still a major concern in the sporting industry. However, the competitive advantages that athletes will receive far outweigh the possibility of being caught. As long as economic returns that athlete will receive for winning a competition, the chances of doping will similarly increase.
In conclusion, the commercialization of sports is a double-edged sword. While the commercialization of sports have seen grown interests in sporting activity and the boosting of the host country’s economy through sporting events, the fact that sports has slowly become an overly lucrative business that have washed away the value of sports has become a reality.

PICTURES FROM
http://autoracingsport.com/f1-barcelona-wednesday-test-times-ferrari-in-top/
http://www.insidethegames.biz/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6996:healthy-eating-cafe-set-to-be-closed-down-for-london-2012-in-favour-of-mcdonalds&catid=84:london-2012-news&Itemid=89


TAN XINRU 06/10
Aristotle commented that ‘Education is the best provision for old age.’ Undoubtedly, in the 21st century, education is crucial to everyone, from individuals to the nations. It is the process of acquiring or imparting knowledge and it helps to build general reasoning and judgement and prepares one intellectually for a mature life. Education can make a person successful, a country powerful. It can also bring unfavourable impact on a country as well.
Firstly, education helps to boost a nation’s economy. As people gain more knowledge and skills, they are able to do demanding jobs. A skilled workforce is desired by multinational companies (MNC) than an unskilled workforce. They are able to take up jobs which require a higher level of knowledge on a specific field of expertise, like aerospace or biochemistry. When a majority of the workforce takes up those skilled jobs, the overall gross national product (GNP) will increase as well, as people gets higher wages jobs and are able to afford more goods and services. This reflects the good performance of the country’s economy. In Singapore, the government understand the importance of staying relevant and competitive in a globalised world, whereby professional development and continual learning is the key to improve the workers’ aptitude and the country’s economy. As such, it invests into CET or Continuing Education and Training programme under Singapore’s Workforce Development Agency (WDA) to allow employers to encourage the employees to pick up new skills and knowledge. This helps to add value to the workers’ career and ensure that they stay ahead of industry developments. A skilled workforce that has the least probability of getting eliminated will eventually improve the country’s economy.
Additionally, education also allows people to be more sophisticated in the way they think and behave. Education allows people to communicate verbally, write, listen and read, so as to further acquire a greater range of knowledge. It helps to build critical and logical thinking in individuals. One example is the debates done in schools. A debate is like a platform to allow students and others to express their thoughts justifiably and efficiently to other individuals over a controversial issue. One of its objectives is to trigger the audiences to discuss over the issue and to share their different opinions with each other. This allows them to gain insights of many different perspectives over one issue. It will irrefutably assist individuals in making sensitive decisions as they will be able to weigh the unforeseen pros and cons of their potential choice naturally, and also, able to find the best remedy to solve a cumbersome problem. Therefore, education helps to promote the maturity of the mind and it teaches individuals to make rational decisions.
However, education can result to decreasing fertility and birth rates of a country, in the long run. Education empowers a woman to be learned and able to make judgements for herself. Hence, with a higher level of education, most women will pursue their career goals first, before starting a family. Some might even forsake marriage as a result of greater financial independence and career progression. Even if they do marry, educated women tend to marry at a later age and conceive fewer children. Statistics shows that the total birth rate of Singapore has generally declined over the last 20 years, but the sharpest drop was for those between 25 and 29 years, falling from 12.75 births per 1,000 women in 2003 to 8.99 births per 1,000 women in 2008. Singaporean women are now mostly giving birth between the ages of 30 to 34. In addition, higher-educated women have fewer children than lower-educated women on average.
Despite the negative impact of how education has decreased the fertility and birth rates in Singapore, it still plays a huge role to reduce excessive population growth in less developed countries such as India. India’s total birth rate has decreased from 2.91 in 2003 per 1,000 women to 2.22 per 1,000 women in 2008. The Indian government has made education up to age 14 free and compulsory and has also set up educational talks for the citizens about contraceptive measures and effects of having a huge family. The educational policies made did help in elevating the burden the large and young population placed on the economy. Hence, education does play a vital role in controlling the population growth of a country.
From the above discussion, we can safely conclude that education creates significant impact on various levels. It can either improve the economy of a country, or direct the nation to face the prospect of an ageing population. It can also curb the excessive population bloom of a country. Most importantly, education cultivates a person and teaches him to make mature and reasonable choices.
---788words---


Picture shows that Indian women are getting more educated, as more have begun to pick up computer skills.
http://www.womenchalet.com/UserFiles/2009/6/19/Working-Women-at-a-glance.jpg


Picture shows aunties and the elderly learning to use computers. It shows the spirit of learning to ensure that they are not being left behind in this techno-savvy world.
http://my.88db.com/q-Computer+Classes+for+Seniors/1/

http://www.123rf.com/photo_4605742.html
Picture shows that more and more females are getting higher level of education over the years, thus resulting to lower birth rates in many modernised countries like Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore.


Picture showing one of the few activities done in schools to promote critical and logical thinking in students.

CHEANG KAI WEN 03/10
Sports and Economics
Cheang Kai Wen
03/10

The 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics was one that would go down into the record books for China. It was such a historical event not only because China was proven to be good enough to host the world’s most prestigious sporting event, but also because of the large sum of money spent on holding the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. But despite the large sum of money spent on hosting this sporting event, the Olympics not only brought about large amounts of revenue for China but also drove brands to expand and even go global.
With the Chinese government showering more than five times the expenditure spent on the Athens Olympics in 2004, the Beijing Olympics was dubbed the most expensive Olympic Games in history. Standing proudly in Beijing is China’s National Stadium, affectionately known as the “Bird’s Nest”. It was a $500 million project with a final capacity of 100,000 seats during the Games itself. Other than building the National Stadium, an estimated $2 billion was spent to build 12 permanent and eight temporary venues for the Olympics, including the National Aquatics Centre also known as the “Water Cube” and of course, the Olympic Village. To highlight China’s emergence on the world stage, the Chinese government also invested heavily in new facilities and transportation systems. Driven by the belief of the 2008 Olympics being a ‘face project’ whereby the best of the country was to be presented to the world, Chinese officials are extremely extravagant when it comes to beautifying things at all costs. This therefore accounts for the enormous amount of money spent on the 2008 Games.
Of course, with the Olympics being the world’s most prestigious sporting event, it will undoubtedly bring about revenue for the country. In a report published by the Chinese government, it stated that the Games made a profiting profit of about $16million. It also stated that the Games had about $171 million more in revenue than expenses. However, the $40 billion spent on the building fundamental infrastructures for the Olympics have not yet been taken into account.
Other than direct revenues and advantages that the 2008 Olympic Games generated for China, the Games did indeed bring about indirect benefits for sports brands that were involved. The Olympics have brought consumers closer to such sporting events and have in turn created a platform whereby brands can “communicate and connect” with consumers. This can be seen from the growing interest in sport among women. Reebok has therefore adopted a position that targets women not only in China but across Asia, including India, where it is the top athletic brand. Using the Olympics as a platform, Reebok also came up with specially designed shoes to advertise itself. With more and more such sporting events such as Youth Olympic Games, Winter Olympics and the Asian Games being held all over the world, it is only natural that the pressure to keep up with the growing competition has resulted in various marketing strategies from one company to another. Sports firm Puma, like Reebok has also strengthened its position as a sports-lifestyle brand with a basis in athletics and fashion. This has also proved to be the same for sporting brands such as Nike and Adidas.
Twelve months after the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, China’s home-grown badminton brand, Li Ning has decided to launch a new flagship outlet outside of China, in Singapore. While going global for international brands such as Adidas or Nike may not be anything unusual, it is indeed a huge achievement for Chinese sports brands. This unusual step out of homeland was due to the exposure the brand received during the Games itself. With badminton being the top five most popular and influential sports in Singapore, Li Ning’s opened its first international store in ION Orchard and is the first out of 70 to 100 overseas outlets. In its attempt to further its global expansion into Southeast Asia, Li Ning has made use of the 2008 Beijing Olympics as a useful platform to make itself known to the world by sending out the message of being able to perform breakthroughs since they are the official team sponsor of the world’s top badminton team. To ensure maximum exposure and reach of its message in Singapore, Li Ning has engaged in various advertisement methods. Popcorn bags at The Cathay will carry Li Ning advertisement. Five large posters located at Cathay Orchard Cineleisure are also deployed to by the firm to make their presence in Singapore known.
It is therefore evident that sports can bring about changes in the economy not only of a country but also of a firm. Unknown to the masses, sports encompasses a lot more than just the action involved, which is so often publicized. It is indeed a fact that the sporting arena does indeed bring about economic advantages and disadvantages.

References:
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/beijing/national-stadium.htm
http://www.media.asia/searcharticle/2009_07/Li-Ning-opens-first-flagship-store-outside-China/36391 http://www.media.asia/searcharticle/2009_08/Olympic-effect-drives-sports-brands/36591
http://www.jcdecaux.com.sg/content/news/20090731.htm
http://epiac1216.wordpress.com/2008/08/03/the-total-cost-of-the-beijings-summer-olympic-games/


PRATIKA YASHASWI 03/10
Sports and Economics


The economics of Cricket in India
India is a nation ravaged by such a feverish enthusiasm for the game of cricket that it can be an attribute to the nation’s unity. To illustrate this point: India has about 1/3 of the world’s poor residing in it. It is a place often associated with unhygienic slums, cheap labor and corrupted politics. It faces almost every imaginable urban problem at several levels. People tend to think of it as a dusty and dirty place, full of touts and chaos. In fact the current generation of students studying in India is told that they should study hard so that they can move OUT to cleaner, greener pastures and gain the coveted status of Non Residential Indians. Yet in these depressing circumstances, when India plays in a tournament, an entire nation is glued to their television sets, united in some kind of love for sport. All barriers of religion, caste and culture are broken. India becomes a cricket lover’s nation during the time of the Indian Premier League. People take days off from work, afternoon supplementary classes are cancelled in schools and children are either watching cricket or playing it. When India wins a cricket match the whole country erupts into applause and cheer. Sweets are distributed, beggars dance on the streets and people’s spirits are instantly lifted. All the problems India faces, all the causes for complaints, the malnutrition, the poverty, the hunger, the thirst, the backwardness, the dirty politics, everything is forgotten, everything vanishes in the light of a victory. When India wins a cricket match, forget everything, this is one place where we can win. As can be seen the amount of love for the game in the nation is bordering a mania, the craze for international football, soccer, and F1 is nothing compared to this infatuation.
Pair this potent addiction with an upcoming middle class in a booming economy and you have a highly lucrative market with many possibilities. Naturally, entrepreneurs find this sensation an extremely profitable exploit and this is where the economics of the sport comes in. It began with the 1996 World Cup propagated by the late Bill Sinrich, one of the leading sports executives of his day. The 1996 World Cup totally transformed the economic equation of cricket “..Cricket boards have benefited from bigger TV deals as the decade has worn on. Sky, for instance, paid the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) $475 million for four-year rights last year. The Indian Cricket Council (ICC), which reportedly had $25,000 in its kitty in 1997, has not missed out, netting comfortably over a billion dollars for eight-year rights for its events...” topping everything else, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), mints by the millions from telecasting the matches in major tournaments like the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Indian Cricket League (ICL). Nimbus paid $612 million for four-year rights to Indian cricket, and separate deals came in with the IPL and Champions League.
Cricketers are as famous as Bollywood celebrities, cricketers are loved and worshipped whether they win or lose. The money that comes from the sport is not restricted to the sponsorships and major tournaments alone but also in the merchandise and the marketing spin offs. Ask any child wielding a cricket bat his inspiration and role model and he churns out names like Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, and Anil Kumble who have each brought Indian cricket to greater heights since its position in the 60s. Cricketers are often brand ambassadors for a number of companies in India like Pepsi, Thumbs Up, Lays chips, Boost, Bournvita, and Zandu balm to name a few. They appear in many advertisements on television, for goods ranging from toothpaste to insurance. Sachin Tendulkar has endorsed more than 25 brands throughout his career of 20 years.
Hence, cricket is fueled and kept going mainly because of its surging market, advertising and marketing help bring the game to the world and keep it going. Hockey, the official national sport of India is not given to such a fan following or media coverage. Cricket is often considered the de facto national sport of India. A sport is kept alive because people keep playing it and it reaches a wider audience. India being of a large population of people, has a vibrant market demand for entertainment and owing to this, cricket is more sensational here than any other country in the world. While some may argue that the sport is being corrupted by mercenary pursuits, taking the focus off good playing and placing it on money, it is not true because despite all the mercenary benefits cricketers are under pressure to perform well and keep their sponsorships and advertising deals coming. Indian cricketers have been consistently ranked top in test matches in the Indian Premier league and in International cricket. Economics is what keeps a game alive.

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