The US Grill and Bar Restaurant Chain - Assignment Example

The US Grill and Bar Restaurant Chain CULTURAL ANALYSIS I Profile of Company Chili's is a US Grill and Bar restaurant chain that began in Dallas, Texas in 1971. The company specializes in casual dining and it serves American foods (Brinker International Inc, 2011). It is positioned as a major American informal restaurant and it serves burgers in a very informal setting. Chili's is known for its hamburgers. It is now producing nutritional meals and vegan meals. The company's brand is “welcome to Chili's”. In this report, the product that is being reported relates to the expansion of the company to Iraq. The products to be exported include the burgers and the other vegetarian products to a customer base in Iraq. II Discussion of Country Iraq is a Muslim country located partially in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf region. Iraq is built on the remnants of the ancient Babylonian Empire. It has gone through various historical periods like being part of the Greek Empire under Alexander the Great and the Roman Empire. The area in present-day Iraq became part of the Ottoman Empire and this passed to the British after World War I. Iraq became more autonomous after World War II and finally got into the hands of Saddam Hussein after a coup d'etat in 1979. Under Saddam Hussein and his Ba'ath party, Iraq became an ally to the West and it fought a war against Iran between 1980 and 1988. In 1991, after Iraq invaded Kuwait, the United States and other coalition forces entered Iraq and liberated Kuwait. In 2003, the US President, George W. Bush invaded Iraq and this led to a period of democracy, reforms and restructuring that exists today in the country. III Geographical Setting Iraq is bordered by Turkey, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Its main land area is dominated by sandy deserts (Fontan, 2009). Iraq has two main rivers, one of them being the Euphrates which has fertile alluvial plains that have led to the creation of major cities throughout the country (Baskhin, 2011). Iraq has a small coastline in the Persian Gulf region. The climate is hot and there are summers all year round (Bashkin, 2011). IV Social Institution The extended family is the basis of the Iraqi social system. It involves the grouping of different generations of the same family that is united through marriage (Every Culture, 2012). The nuclear family is defined by the extended family and there is a high degree of collectivism (Bashkin, 2011). Marriage in Iraq is seen as the joining of two families and this leads to strong connections to each other. Traditionally, the role of men and women are defined and fixed (Fontan, 2009). However, after the Iran-Iraq war where many men were recruited to fight in the battlefield, the nation included a liberal approach to women and their rights. Education Education is defined by the new constitutional government as an essential element for the nation's growth and development. Education plays a pivotal role in affairs of the state. Youth literacy in Iraq stands at around 83% (UNICEF, 2011). Primary school enrollment is at 92% (UNICEF, 2011). Primary school enrollment fell to 85% in the period of the Iraq war around 2003 however, the target is to increase it to 100% in 2015. (IAU, 2010). Now, Literacy rate for the whole population is at 78% whilst 22% of adults have no secondary education (UNICEF, 2011). University education is also huge in Iraq. The major universities include the University of Baghdad, University of Basra and other universities which has a collective enrollment of over 100,000 students (Fontan, 2009). Political Systems Iraq is a constitutional democracy that is ran by the constitution of 2005 which was put in force under the supervision of the United States and Coalition force after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. Iran's parties are represented by parties that are built along sectarian lines and have links to the various militias and armed groups of the country (Fontan, 2009). Iraq however has challenges with corruption and there is the threat of sectarian violence which indicates that there could be instabilities along the line. Legal System Iraq's constitution includes a criminal law that is based on a penal code which is meant to check assault, sexual assault, kidnapping and destruction of public property (Bashkin, 2011). Iraq maintains a civil law steeped in a blend of Islamic law and civil liberties of citizens. Iraq's legal structures are based on Islamic law and people get fair trials under Iraqi law and regulations. Iraq is a signatory to many international treaties. The copyright and patent laws are in line with global conventions. V Religion & Aesthetics Iraq is divided with a Shiite majority and a Sunni minority. The various people are grouped according to their identities and connections to the various groups. The Iraqi people are mainly connected to various religious dynasties and systems which play significant roles in defining the actions of their members. Shiites are about 63% of the population whilst Sunnis are about 31% (Bashkin, 2011). Also, there are minorities like Persians and Kurds who for under 10% of the population. Iraq's art scape is defined by ancient Babylonian art which is influenced by crafts that were learnt in pre-Islamic times and are practiced through apprenticeship (Fontan, 2009). The drama, music and visual arts of these traditional arms of the society are rich. However, the Islamic influence is much more dominant today. These Islamic cultures and systems dictate the culture and moods. VI Living Conditions Diet and nutrition of Iraq is in sync with the mainstream Arab world. People love to eat meat, rice, barley, wheat and dates prepared in the traditional manner and fashion. Livestock like sheep, goat and cattle are often slaughtered according to the principles of Hallal which is in line with the principles of Islam. Pork and hamburgers are forbidden as they are seen to be unclean under Islamic law. Housing has improved significantly under democracy. People now live in flats and other decent dwellings throughout the country whilst others remain in traditional settings (Fontan, 2009). Most households contain extended families (Fontan, 2009). Clothing and recreation in Iraq are strongly influenced by Islam. More people wear the jalbab or Islamic robes which are often white long-flowing robes. Recreation is influenced strongly by Islamic principles which determines what is permitted and what is not. Women are required to dress modestly. However, many western dressers exist in Iraq. Most of them include those who work in the formal sector. Sports are common. The most popular sport is soccer. Iraq has a new social security system that is a modification of the system that existed under Saddam Hussein. This include pensions and other contributions. Healthcare is free and citizens are enlisted under various health insurance drives. Languages The official language of Iraq is Arabic. However, Kurdish is widely spoke. Arabic is written and taught in school. Students are also taught English to enable them to communicate with the rest of the world. Executive Summary This section has identified that Chili's will be trying to export its products and services to Iraq. Iraq is dominated by Islamic structures and systems with traces of its Babylonian history. There are two main subcultures: Sunni and Shiite. Iraq is a democracy that is based on sectarian-inspired parties. Iraq has social systems that support collectivism. Although Western ideas are growing, the people have a strong attachment to their Islamic systems and cultures. However, there is hope that Iraq will continue to integrate into the globalizing world in the coming years. Sources Bashkin, O. (2011) The Other Iraq: Pluralism and Culture in Hashemite Iraq Palo Alto: Stanford University Press. Brinker International Inc (2011) Annual Financial Reports US Securities & Exchange Commission, Dallas, USA. Every Culture (2012) Iraq [Online] Available at: http://www.everyculture.com/Ge-It/Iraq.html#b Accessed December 11, 2012. Fontan, V. (2009) Voices from Post-Saddam Iraq: Santa Barbera: ABC-CLIO Inter-Agency Information and Analysis Unit (2012) Education in Iraq [Online] Available at: http://www.iauiraq.org/documents/486/Education-Factsheet-English-v2.pdf Accessed: December 11, 2012. Unicef (2011) Country Statistics – Iraq [Online] Available at: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/iraq_statistics.html Accessed: December 11, 2012. 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