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THE BASIC CONCEPTS OF ECONOMICS
This animated DVD was developed to introduce students to the central concepts of economics. Topics covered include: needs, wants, limited means (scarcity), choice and opportunity costs. Students will enjoy the humorous antics of Frank, the central cartoon character, who clearly demonstrates these key concepts through his wants and needs which are not always in moderation.
15 mins; Made 2006
Price: DVD $155.00 (members) $155.00 (non-members)
STEEL WAR
Not many political issues have created so much dissent throughout the world as the globalisation of trade. The system seems to work in a satisfactory way when we are looking at its results. But who is paying for it? Based on the recent conflict regarding the worldwide trade of steel, this program reveals how the global trading system functions, how countries fight for their own interests at the expense of others and how large parts of the world are benefitting from the cheap prices of products manufactured in low-wage countries.
58 mins; Made 2006
Price: DVD $155.00 (members) $155.00 (non-members)
THE CAPPUCCINO TRAIL
The Cappuccino Trail illustrates how free market economics and the manipulation of the world coffee market, control the manner in which destitute Peruvian farmers live. The exploration of this particular commodity will reveal much about the way in which markets are controlled by a number of forces, and how a new taste for organic foodstuffs, may just be the saviour of the South American coffee bean growers.
Price: DVD $145.00 (members) $145.00 (non-members)
TAKING CREDIT
Credit is not free money. It sounds a little obvious, but many people just don't make this connection and end up digging a large financial hole for themselves - and a bad credit rating that can follow them for years. Getting your personal finances right is one of the key skills of living in the modern world.
This program tells students how to do it right. With real examples from people who use credit well and those who don't, this is an honest and responsible look at personal finances - budgeting, credit cards, car loans, student loans and mortgages. This program provides basic explanations of credit cards and loans, the benefits and pitfalls of credit and how students can plan to use credit wisely.
Price: DVD $155.00 (members) $155.00 (non-members)
THE INDIAN MIRACLE
India is booming. Within a generation it will be the third largest economy in the world, overtaking Japan and Western Europe. But underneath this glittering surface lie some painful realities: tens of millions are born into poverty, religious tensions simmer and environmental pressures threaten to overwhelm the country. So what does the future hold for this colourful, vibrant and resourceful country? In this program we meet billionaires at the centre of the knowledge economy, scientists in the biotechnology businesses, Anu who has lived on the pavement of a Mumbai street her whole life and the debt-ridden farmers in the Punjab. A comprehensive look at this complex country.
Price: DVD $155.00 (members) $155.00 (non-members)
MARDI GRAS: MADE IN CHINA
This program follows the "bead trail" from a factory in China to the New Orleans Mardi Gras, poignantly exposing the inequities of globalisation. The program follows the stories of four female workers in the largest bead factory in the world, providing insights into their economic realities, self-sacrifice, and the severe discipline imposed by living and working in a factory compound. Interweaving factory life with Mardi Gras festivities, the program opens the blind eye of consumerism - exposing Western excess against the harsh life of the Chinese factory worker. Warning: contains some nudity and drunkenness.
49 mins; Made 2008
Price: DVD $155.00 (members) $155.00 (non-members)
ALWAYS COCA-COLA
The impact of Coca-Cola’s business on local economies and environments in India. Whether it’s Coke, Sprite or Bonaqua, all the brands available to thirsty fans at the World Cup belong to Coca-Cola.
Many of these drinks are produced in India, where Coca-Cola’s business practices have elicited widespread condemnation. Producing 0.33L of Coke requires 1L of water. In some villages near Cola factories, water levels have dropped by 60 metres, and as a result, harvests have fallen by more than 40%. Yet, Coca-Cola denies all responsibility. "There are simply too many people living here who are wasteful with water" states spokesman Rajiv Singh. This program investigates the impact of Coca-Cola’s business on the local economy and standard of living in affected parts of India.
Format: DVD in PAL format, 4:3 aspect ratio, English audio 2.0, region code 0 (all regions)
Duration: 29 minutes.
Price: DVD $99.00 (members) $110.00 (non-members)
ONE MAN, ONE COW, ONE PLANET
What does an environmentally sustainable food system that is capable of feeding everyone on the planet actually look like?
One Man, One Cow, One Planet is a film that takes us into the heart of the world’s most important renaissance - something that few of us are aware is even happening. Hoes rather than swords are at the frontline of a battle for agricultural control that is being fought over Indian soil. Its outcome could well determine the future of the entire earth. Using biodynamic-organic methods, farmers of India are reclaiming their lands and livelihood. At the same time they’re exposing the corporate mantra of infinite growth in a finite world for the environmental and human disaster that it really is.
Peter Proctor might be forgiven for being somewhat one-eyed about humus. At nearly 80 years old, he has a glass eye and is a bit deaf! For many years Peter travelled New Zealand as a farm advisor on behalf of the Biodynamic Farming Association. But in recent years he has been commuting to India, foregoing the comforts of urban retirement in New Zealand in order to work among Indian farmers. Now he and partner Rachel Pomeroy have moved to live there permanently. The combination of his enthusiasm and practical knowledge and her scientific bent is making a significant impact on rural communities throughout the continent.
Although one could disagree with the assertion that Peter is ‘the father of modern biodynamics’ he is without doubt, a pioneer of the movement in India. Yet despite being billed as the film’s star he doesn’t occupy centre-stage as much as expected. Instead, the film engages in dialogue with Indian farmers, scientists, business leaders, government technical officers and consumers as it pursues issues of sustainability, credibility and profit. This is a documentary focussed on how to address the agricultural crisis that the world faces. It is not a new-age movie about some guru promoting his own brand of global salvation. Peter and Rachel have taken to heart the Gandhian ethos of non-violent civil resistance and are participating in what has become a modern campaign for independence from economic colonialism.
Since 1993, 150,000 Indian small farmers have been driven to suicide as the noose of corporate dominance and elite globalisation tightens its hold on their means for independent livelihood. The false god of high yield delivers only higher costs and deeper debts. At the same time it locks farmers into a downward-spiralling dependency where life itself starts to seem meaningless and hopeless for them.
Yet India’s biodynamic farmers represent a remarkable intelligence at work. It’s audible in their speech, perceptible in their humour and visible on their faces and in their efforts. Have you ever seen so many well formed compost heaps or orderly rows of brick pits full of cow pat preparations? Across the continent there are some 200,000 biodynamic compost heaps quietly transforming waste materials into black gold!
Against the unrelenting machinations of today’s world, this film offers us the simplicity of a practice that seems almost too good to be true.
Duration: 56 minutes.
Price: DVD $99.00 (members) $110.00 (non-members)
GLOBAL BUSINESS: A Case Study of Volvo in Brazil
Over the past 8 years world famous Swedish auto maker Volvo has gained a foothold in the South American market by establishing a major manufacturing plant in Brazil. The video explores why Volvo sought to expand its global business by building its plant where it did, including geographical, operational, human resource and political considerations; how Volvo seeks to create a positive work environment for staff; environmental initiatives and objectives; community initiatives; the company’s contribution to Volvo’s global business; how the plant is managed.
18 mins; Made 2003;
Price: $145.00 (members) $145.00 (non-members) (incl GST)
GLOBAL CONNECTIONS: How we are connected to the rest of the world.
Every day we can see things in our lives that show us that we are connected with people all over the world. But exactly how is Australia connected to the other countries in the world, and what are our responsibilities? This video looks at how Australia is connected with the rest of the world in three key areas – trade and travel, communications, and global organisations and agreements. It features interviews with representatives from an expert firm (Staedtler Pacific), ABC News Radio, the United Nations, the department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. There is also a case study of AusAID, the Australian Government’s overseas aid program.
21 mins; Made 2003;
Price: DVD $145.00 (members) DVD $145.00 (non-members) (incl GST)
IMPACTS OF GLOBALISATION
This video investigates economic growth and development; contrasts in levels of development in the global economy as outlined by the United Nations Human development Report, and reasons for the differences; International convergence (the move towards market economies); the role of trade, investment, and trans-national corporations in the global economy; environmental consequences of globalisation.
Case study – the impact of globalisation on the Republic of Ireland, and the strategies that are being used to promote economic growth and development.
22 mins; Made 2004;
Price: DVD $145.00 (members) DVD $145.00 (non-members) (incl GST)
THE GLOBAL ECONOMY – Globalisation
Using various case studies, this video investigates the nature of globalisation and the global economy; trade and financial flows; free trade and protection; trading blocs and agreements; international economic organisations.
20 mins; Made 2003;
Price: DVD $145.00 (members) $145.00 (non-members) (incl GST)
THE GREAT DEPRESSION – PART 1 – Post War Boom and Bust
Global events leading to the economic depression of the 1930s. The Great depression had its roots in the First World War. This video examines the efforts of various countries, including the USA, Canada, Australia, Britain, Germany and France, to make the transition from war economies to more normal market conditions. It covers the post-war boom in manufacturing and wheat production in the USA and Canada; the prosperous “Roaring Twenties”; the effects of severe drought conditions in North America; and the economic, agricultural, and societal conditions that led to the “Crash of ‘29”. The program uses archival film and images to clearly depict the struggle of ordinary people to survive.
30 mins; Made 2004;
Price: DVD $145.00 (members) DVD $145.00 (non-members) (incl GST)
THE GREAT DEPRESSION – PART 2 – Reaction and Recovery
The global hardships of the 30s, economic solutions, the road to war. This second program concludes the Great depression story. It begins with the “Gold Standard”, its influence on world trade, and explains the circular flow of a healthy economy. Roosevelt’s “New Deal” in the USA is covered extensively, as is the establishment of work camps in Canada and the ensuing “On-to-Ottawa Trek”. As countries all over the world tried to protect their domestic markets, they placed high tariffs on imported goods. The effect of the Peace Treaty of Versailles on Germany is explained in the story of Germany’s build-up to the Second World War. The video concludes with Japan’s military expansion and the USA’s entry into the war.
28 mins; Made 2004;
Price: DVD $145.00 (members) DVD $145.00 (non-members) (incl GST)
THE NATURE OF ECONOMICS – Introduction to Economics Part 1
The economic problem arises because people have unlimited wants, but limited resources with which to satisfy them. We investigate the characteristics of wants and resources, and the principle of Opportunity Cost, and its application to everyday life.
21 mins; Made 2001;
Price: DVD $145.00 (members) DVD $145.00 (non-members) (incl GST)
THE OPERATION OF AN ECONOMY – Introduction to Economics Part 2
There are many different economic systems throughout the world, but they all have to address the same basic questions. We investigate these questions, and use the production of bread to show how resources are combined to create goods and services, and the benefits that arise from this process.
We also investigate the different sectors in an economy – households, firms, finance, government and foreign – and show how they interact using the circular flow of income. Practical examples illustrate the problems faced when an economy is in a state of extreme disequilibrium.
21 mins; Made 2001;
Price: VHS DVD $145.00 (members) $145.00 (non-members) (incl GST)
BEHIND THE LABELS: WORKERS IN THE U.S.
Saipan Lured by false promises and driven by desperation, thousands of Chinese and Filipino women pay high fees to work in garment factories on the Pacific Island of Saipan - the only U.S. territory exempt from labour and immigration laws. The clothing they sew, bearing the ‘Made in the USA’ label, is shipped duty and quota-free to the U.S. for sale by The GAP, J. Crew, Polo and other retailers. Powerful hidden camera footage, along with the garment workers’ personal stories, offers a rare and unforgettable glimpse into indentured labour and the workings of the global sweatshop. Behind the Labels takes the story from the factory floor to the streets, where protesters worldwide wage an ongoing battle against globalisation.
Price: $90.00 (members) $98.50 (non-members) (Incl GST) VHS only.
ETHICS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN BUSINESS
Increasingly consumers expect businesses to operate in an ethical and socially responsible manner. Many
businesses abide by a Code of Conduct, either company-specific, or an industry standard. This program
differentiates between ethical behaviour and social responsibility, showing two businesses as examples.
Firstly, ‘Bendigo Bank’ initiated the concept of Community Banks. This has proved successful with customers in small communities who suffered when the big banks left town. The second case study, ‘The Body Shop’, has a reputation for helping the community. Attitudes to their staff and the wider community are explained with clear examples. This program delves into positive aspects of businesses, which often go unnoticed in today’s global world.
Price: ) VHS $90.00 (members) DVD $110.00 (members) ) VHS $98.50 (non-members) DVD $115.00 (nonmembers) (incl GST)
THE SEARCH FOR GLOBAL JUSTICE
The message presented in this forceful program is clear: the current massive inequality in the use of the world’s resources must be addressed, if we all are to survive. The finger is pointed not so much at governments as at global corporations who are now seen as the dominant world powers. Economic growth cannot be reconciled with sustainability, yet it is the leaders of major corporations who make decisions that ultimately control the quality of life for everyone on the planet. The Search for Global Justice examines how the doctrine of economic growth is affecting life in various parts of the world, including India, Japan and the Pacific nations and the rising tide of alternative voices from within the world’s wealthy nations
Price: $90.00 (members) $98.50 (non-members) (Incl GST) VHS only
HUNGER IN THE WORLD EXPLAINED TO MY SON
In an increasingly rich world, thirty million human beings die of hunger every year, and hundreds of millions are malnourished. The personal wealth of the fifteen richest people on the planet is equivalent to the GDP of all the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa, and a child in the first world consumes as much as 50 children in the third world.
How is this possible? Why do we accept such a monstrous injustice? How can we even begin to explain such an absurdity?
The program explains regions of the world that have suffered catastrophes, natural disasters and famines such as Somalia, Afghanistan, Cambodia or North Korea, whose governments subject their populations to the bitterest poverty.
But importantly the video also shows men and women whose work it is to carry out development projects that not only are contributing to mitigating hunger, but are also managing to recover vast desert regions where, until very recently, life was impossible.
Price: DVD $90.00 (members) $98.50 (non-members) (Incl GST)
THE NEW RULERS OF THE WORLD. VHS Video by John Pilger
Award-winning journalist and film-maker, John Pilger filmed this powerful investigation of globalisation in 2001.
Focussing on Indonesia, Pilger exposes the use of sweatshop factories by famous-name brands. Who are the real beneficiaries of the globalised economy?
It's a superb discussion-starter and includes study notes. An essential resource for Globalisation, Development and Trade.
Duration 60 minutes
Price: DVD $90.00 (members) $98.50 (non-members) (Incl GST)
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
This video explores the challenge of how to balance global economic needs with protecting and preserving the environment that has existed throughout human history. Many people believe the environmental challenges facing the world today are greater than ever before, with industrialization causing severe water and air pollution and with greenhouse gas emissions strongly linked to accelerated global warming.
With world population totals at six billion, and with some projecting that number to double in the next fifty years, natural resources will become increasingly strained. Developed nations use a majority of the world’s fossil fuels, but many developing nations like China are rapidly industrializing and crave the material possessions of the modern world - with possibly dire consequences for the global environment.
To address this issue, the United Nations sponsored the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, which set hard deadlines for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. The ratification of Kyoto is a major global issue, as countries such as the United States reject the treaty’s conditions, arguing that it places an unequal burden on them to reduce emissions while developing countries face no restrictions.
Complicating the global environmental debate even further is the fact that, while few disagree that the Earth is warming, many wonder whether human activity is solely to blame, or even whether the consequences will be so dire. Despite the strong nature of the debate and much uncertainty about the future, it is clear that balancing economic development with environmental needs is still a major challenge, and will remain so for generations to come.
Produced: 2004 Format: Duration: 23 minutes. Age Group Suitability: Grades 9 to Adults
Price: $90.00(members) $99.00 (non-members) (GST Incl)