Pharlap is strictly a non for profit organisation, it has no ties to any multinational corporations or the like. However, even though this group has no links to any financial companies it is interesting to see how finance on a national and global scale effect the group as a whole.
Occasionally, members are offered the chance to purchase memorabilia as a means to raise group funds. Items offered for sale are usually in the form of a polo shirt, key ring etc that portrays the Pharlap logo. All profits go into a group bank account. These funds are usually used to purchase horses and ponies from markets, with what ever being left over spent on the escalating expenses in travel costs, vet bills and feed expenditures once the horse has been placed within a home. Donations are also greatly excepted and appreciated (these donations are also greatly effected by the economy).Hence, the Pharlap network is linked to real life products through the goods that are purchased and occasionally by what is exchanged between group members, and other rescue organisations.
Dicken (2007) states, '[t]ransnational corporations are the primary movers and shapers of the global economy because of their potential ability to control or coordinate production networks across several countries (Dicken, 2007 p.437). It is in this way that Pharlap is effected by the global economy. When the economy is doing well, the prices of feed and horses at market are relatively affordable and many lives can be saved, however, on the negative side when the economy is doing poorly, feed prices are exceptionally high and as a consequence starved and emaciated horses flood the market, bringing the meat value of a horse down, and therefore allowing the knackeries to purchase a greater quantity of animals.
This weeks PPT slide by Dr Kuttainen best describes how the economy effects groups such as Pharlap, as previously mentioned above.
'Natural” Laws of Economics
1.The Law of Demand: The more people
want something, the more its price goes up
and vice versa.
2.The Law of Supply: A higher price
received for a produced good results in a
greater quantity produced.
3. The law of diminishing marginal utility.
As one obtains more and more of a
particular good, eventually the marginal
utility (value per unit) declines'(Kuttainen, 2013 p.5).
While Pharlaps main goal is to rescue and rehabilitate our equine friends, we are unfortunately limited and restricted by many factors. What has been discovered this week is that the economy is the main contributor to our failed attempts.
References
Dicken, P. (2007). Winning and Losing: An introduction. In P. Dicken, 5th Edition Global Shift (p. 437). London: SAGE Publications Ltd.
Equine, (2013) In Wikipedia. Retrieved September 20, 2013 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equus_(genus)
Kuttainen, (2013, September 15). BA1002: Our Space: Networks, narratives and the making of place, Lecture 8: Stuff.(p.5) Retrieved from: http://learnjcu.edu.au
Image Reference
Image 1: Dollar bill (2005) Retrieved from: http://worldofequine.webs.com
