Employment Law Compliance Plan Essay

I have researched several employment laws for Mr. Stonefield’s Landslide Limousine Company and there are four laws that I will outline for Mr. Stonefield to consider complying with in his new business venture. I will discuss in this memo the Civil Rights Act of 1964 regarding employment discrimination, The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 regarding people with disabilities, Equal Pay Act of 1963 regarding wage discrimination between men and women, and lastly the Texas Minimum Wage Act regarding the least amount of an hourly wage payable in the state of Texas. I will give a brief summary of each of the four Acts and consequences for noncompliance. Civil Rights Act of 1964 The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is regulated and enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). As a new business, if you receive any federally funded monies such as grants, assistance, or subsidies The  Civil Rights Act of 1964 applies to you. The EEOC â€Å"enforces laws that prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or age in hiring, promoting, firing, setting wages, testing, training, apprenticeship, and all other terms and conditions of employment† (The United States National Archives and Records Administration, n.d., para. 3). The Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it unlawful for employers to â€Å"fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise to discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions or privileges or employment, because of such individual’s race, color, religion, sex, or national origin† (The United States National Archives an d Records Administration, n.d., para. 2). The Civil Rights Act has been expanded to include subsequent legislation. According to the United States Government Manual of 1998-99, â€Å"the EEOC enforces laws that prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or age in hiring, promoting, firing, setting wages, testing, training, apprenticeship, and all other terms and conditions of employment† (The United States National Archives and Records Administration, n.d., para. 3). Protected classes now include race, color, creed, sex, and age. As you can see, the spectrum of inclusion has been increased to protect the employee. Consequences for noncompliance Once a business has been found to be in violation of The Civil Rights Act of 1964 the penalties are substantial. Consequences for violating The Civil Rights Act can result in federal funding can be withdrawn for a specific time or terminated and monetary fines. Marion Shaub, a former Federal Express (FedEx) truck driver, sued her employer after she reported anti-female comments, hostility, and retaliation when she reported the incidents. The EEOC reports â€Å"The jury found Federal Express liable for a sex-based hostile work environment and retaliation and awarded Ms. Shaub $391,400 in back pay and front pay, $350,000 in compensatory damages for emotional pain and distress, and $2.5 million dollars in punitive damages† (United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission [EEOC], 2004, para. 2). Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 â€Å"prohibits discrimination  against people with disabilities in employment, transportation, public accommodation, communications, and governmental activities† (United States Department of Labor [DOL], n.d., para. 1). The ADA requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees that have disabilities or may have accessibility requirements to be able to use public accommodations. Under the ADA, disabilities include physical and mental conditions with varying degrees of severity. A few examples are deafness, blindness, missing limbs, epilepsy, cancer, and mental retardation. The Department of Labor provides assistance with the ADA but four federal agencies are responsible for enforcing the ADA. Those four agencies are the EEOC, The Department of Transportation (DOT), The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and The Department of Justice (DOJ). Consequences for noncompliance As with The Civil Rights Act of 1964, withdrawal and termination of federal funds is possible of companies that violate The ADA. One example is Bates v. United Parcel Service (UPS). This particular case brought against UPS brought to issue â€Å"the hearing standard that is part of the DOT physical† (Case Law Find Law, 2015, para. 9). The plaintiffs contended that even with a hearing disability and not passing the DOT hearing test they were still able to operate vehicles that were below the required gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 10, 001 pounds. UPS agreed to pay $5.8 million and to create a program that was implemented nationally throughout UPS. Equal Pay Act of 1963 The Equal Pay Act of 1963 states, â€Å"Employers may not pay unequal wages to men and women who perform jobs that require substantially equal skill, effort and responsibility, and that are performed under similar working conditions within the same establishment† (Society for Human Resource Management [SHRM], 2015, para. 2). What this means is that men and women are to be given equal pay for doing the same types of work however, the work does not have to be exactly the same but equal, within the same employer. Skill, effort, responsibility, working conditions, and establishment are factors that employers must keep in mind when paying wages to men and women doing similar jobs in similar work environments. Wage differences can exists when merit, seniority, or any other factor exists as long as it is not a person’s  gender. When there are wage differences the burden of proof falls on the employer to prove why the difference exists. Consequences of noncompliance Corning Glass Works violated the Equal Pay Act by paying male employees who work a night inspection shift a higher wage than females doing the same inspections during the day inspection shift. Corning Glass also tried to correct this by opening up the night inspection shift to women and implemented a unionized shift differential to equalize pay however, employee employed prior to the changes continued to receive higher wages continuing to create a difference in pay. The Secretary of Labor brought the charges against Corning to collect back wages for the women who had been violated. Texas Minimum Wage Act The Texas Minimum Wage Act (TMWA) provides information about rights and duties for both employees and employers. The TMWA establishes the minimum wage at $7.25, requires employers to provide a written statement of an employee’s earnings, outlines provisions for agricultural workers, provides exemptions for different types of employers, and civil penalties for violations. All employers must display the current Texas minimum wage poster in an obstruction free area so that all employees can see what the minimum wage is and their rights as workers in Texas. Recommendations for Compliance In closing, compliance with Federal, State, County, and City laws is strongly recommended. Landslide Limousine Company can be shut down and fined heavily for violations brought by employees. The burden of proof is on you as the employer and understanding all of the laws applicable to your business is necessary. Investigations by any of the federal departments who are responsible for investigating and enforcing the employment laws can tie up your resources for months, possibly years. However, not all judgments go against the employer. My recommendation is to understand the laws, document well, keep pristine records, and do your best to remind within the guidelines for employers. References Case Law Find Law. (2015). BATES v. UNITED PARCEL SERVICE INC UPS. Retrieved from http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-9th-circuit/1242057.html Society for Human Resource Management. (2015). Equal Pay Act of 1963. Retrieved from http://www.shrm.org/legalissues/federalresources/federalstatutesregulationsandguidanc/pages/equalpayactof1963.aspx The United States National Archives and Records Administration. (n.d.). Teaching With Documents: The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Retrieved from http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/civil-rights-act/ United States Department of Labor. (n.d.). Disability Resources Americans with Disabilities Act. Retrieved from http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/disability/ada.htm United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (2004). Federal Express to Pay over $3.2 Million to Female Truck Driver for Sex Discrimination, Retaliation. Retrieved from http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/2-25-04.cfm

Cross Cultural perspectives

The company decided to use was Struck Corporation. Struck has been an iconic symbol in the coffee industry here in the United States. It is a place where people go to meet, work; do school work, and many other things. Struck Corporation has created an atmosphere that makes people feel okay with spending six dollars or more on a latte. Although its great success in the United States and many other countries, Struck has really struggled to thrive in Europe. Struck CEO Howard Schultz traveled to Italy in 1983 and was really inspired by their espresso bars.He saw the potential in the concept off coffee house thriving in Seattle. Schultz really took that idea and sculpted it into everything the American people were looking for. As the company grew and expanded into other countries, it eventually came full circle and ended up back in Europe, where the idea began. This would prove to be more off struggle than expected. You would think that Struck would thrive in a country that lives off cof fee and tea. The espresso and latte experience in Europe is an everyday thing; apart of the culture.Struck is having a difficult time bringing an American version of a coffee shop to Europe. Its reputation of having a fast food type atmosphere isn't doing the trick. The European people need a more intimate experience. One problem that Struck is having in Europe is the way they serve the coffee. The iconic paper cup and sleeve isn't cutting it in Europe. I feel it portrays a cheaper product. Also, Struck has a fast food type environment. When in Europe the coffee shops are sit down restaurants almost. Struck needs to learn how to adapt to the European cafe culture.Struck very modern look and dcore have not been keeping up with the elaborate dcore of the cafeg's in Europe. In 2012 the New York Times captured a picture of a beautifully decorated coffee shop. It had big comfortable velvet chairs that filled the room. Chandeliers line the ceilings and just a beautiful atmosphere. To my s urprise it was a Struck. They were successful in creating an atmosphere that holds to European tradition. In Europe you do not go to a coffee shop to be waited on. Even though they do have servers they do not work on tips.All of this is very different from an American coffee shop. Struck has really perfected coffee shops here in America. Instead of an elaborately decorated room, it's more Of a modern and sleek area for enjoying your favorite cup of coffee. Also, there are no servers coming to your table, but energetic baristas brewing amazing coffee with a smile and a small conversation. Struck may be on to something in Europe trying to adapt to their way of doing things. In order to keep turning a profit out in Europe they must continue to disguise themselves as a local coffee shop.In the New York Times article In Europe, Struck Adjusts to a Cafe Culture where they quote local coffee goers. Daphnia Monitor 19 year old Parisian said, â€Å"We see stars like Kim Sardinian in all the magazines walking around with a Struck,† and, â€Å"My friends and I come because it's hip. † What this tells me is that the American lifestyle is being mimicked. Especially when very famous influential people are going to Struck regularly. There are several viable solutions for Struck in Europe. The key would be to not spend extra money but to shift the money that is being spent.When opening new stores, Struck would have to go about the dcore in a different way. Change from paper cups and sleeves to mugs and plates, and still stay true to being environmentally friendly. Last, the training and Struck team should never change. Struck can change the dcore by going from a modern look and shift it to very elaborate looking decorations. Interior decorations in Europe don't have the same color schemes as we have here in the United States. Having big comfortable chairs of some kind of fabric instead of modern chairs and leather couches.Incorporating chandeliers and mirrors to make the rooms kick bigger and fancier. One major misconception of Struck in Europe is the iconic coffee cups and sleeves. Unfortunately this is perceived as a lesser product, even though this is not the case. This will save money in several different types of cups, sleeves, and much more. A coffee cup that can be rewashed and reused will save a lot of money and will take very minimal water to wash. Also, adding Rupee's favorite treats to accompany the drinks will be a great addition. If the ambiance was altered and the cups changed, the consumer will not know he difference.They are judging the coffee before they even get a chance to taste it. Some are lured in by the fact that it is an American company enjoyed by the stars. American celebrity endorsements and maybe invitations to store openings would help raise customer interest. Customers will continue to drink it as long as it is portrayed and interpreted as cool or hip. Lastly, the employee training is key. This is something th at must not be tainted no matter what changes around them. Customer involvement and connection has been and continues to be absolutely crucial part of Struck success.This is what separates Struck from any other coffee shop American or European. Continuing to hire fun, charismatic, and hardworking people no matter what culture and nationality is essential to the company thriving anywhere. Also, putting the Correct people in management is a key part Of the team. In conclusion, there are several WAP to lure in the European people to Struck. Adapting to European culture can and will be very beneficial. SSH fitting the image slightly but keeping the priorities in tact will be essential. Changing from paper to glass mugs will help lower costs and bring people onto the stores. Cross cultural perspectives The international market is the primp situation for all companies, even though almost every organization experiences growth as time passes. The main goal of almost every big business Is to be able to reach the largest market and enable growth; the international market. There are many different things that International markets bring to an organization, advantage wise, for Instance a bigger brand name, international market shares, Investors, or even growth that will allow the capability to be able to manufacture many products for a lot less expensive labor cost.Even though most companies want to go big or go home, there are bound to be many different obstacles and difficulties in making the bigger picture happen. Between going national and international, there are so many deferent moral and social responsibilities that must be overcome as the organization progresses through the ranks to be a worldwide international organization. The organization that I choose is the Levi Strauss compa ny, I love the Jeans and there is an over abundant amount of information available to the public about the history of their organization.Levi Strauss and Company, which Is based In San Francisco, California has actually been one of many different companies that have been able to overcome all the adversity and become an International organization and one of the largest retail sale producers In apparel. The organization has their headquarters in California, but they are able to operate and be successful with their different plants and operations in 110 different nations across the globe. Breaking down the split of what their income as a company is generally split from the United States and outside the border to a ear 50/50 split.Actually, Levi Strauss has recently been dealing with issues with foreign organizations to incorporate stockholders, media sites, investment companies, and even employees' right's unions. There were noted to be a lot of different reasons that people were getti ng upset with Levi Strauss and Company, but one of the major reasons Levi Strauss and Company incurred so much trouble was in their two plants in Bangladesh. There was mass confusion about the laws and stipulations In that country compared to the united States.What was stated Is that Levi Strauss was ring employees that were below the minimum age requirement, but in all actuality, in Bangladesh, there are different laws as to how old an individual must be to work in a similar plant as Levi Strauss and Company. The minimum age for an individual to work at a manufacturing plant comparable to Levi Strauss and Company is sixteen. When one looks at the history of Bangladesh, there is nothing out of the ordinary to see children, ages fifteen and younger to be out in the workforce and helping with their families household income.One issue in Bangladesh to be specific is their lack f producing a birth certificate to prove age, another issue that has been brought up is the lack of nutrition for the supposedly younger kids, who most likely look younger than they actually are. Even though these younger people are working In different Levi Strauss' plants, these types of situations are very evident and continuous even though the Conditions of Engagement for and from Levi Strauss and Company. Levi Strauss isn't the first one to be in the microscope from external stakeholders for child As an ethical international company, Levi Strauss seems to have the moral views of he majority of people. To ensure they stay ethical, there are a few things that the organization must follow like the encouragement of dialogs interactions, motivation of involvement in making decisions, adjusts personal as well as company goals and conducts, imposes direct responsibility for expecting and addressing ethical crises.These would be the most basic ethical requirements required by Levi Strauss along with an international anti bribery plan, a global rule of business actions, and An anti- corruption plan. During the year 2008, the organization was once again in the spotlight from many external pressures by the way they were breaking different child labor laws, like the way that Uzbekistan has been doing the same thing. Not only did Levi Straus help take care of the issue, but they have confessed that they have worried about the problem for a very long time.Following the different problems, Levi Strauss and company went through major changes including no use of any product coming from Uzbekistan. Being involved in such a critical matter, Levi Strauss and company took added measures to relieve the pressure and stress from the child labor laws by not only ruminating employees that were part of the infractions, but would continue to help assist them with full pay and benefits contingent on them going to school and completing that for themselves and their families.Laws against labor of underage is definitely a major concern for Levi Strauss, but unfortunately with having 110 differe nt countries subject to the same standards, there are always other obstacles for the organization to overcome because they are such a large international organization. One of the other obstacles that happens more often than almost anything is discrimination in the workplace. This has actually become more of a recognized problem and enforced almost worldwide, not Just in the United States.Many attempts to regulate discrimination are moral and the practices therein are sure to find their way into problems. In Vietnam, operational corruption is one of the biggest moral challenges to overcome, and it includes Levi Strauss and Company. Corruption in organizations has been noted to take away three to four percent of the world's total gross domestic products each year. In one of the latest researches, 67% of business proprietors inVietnam presume that they will have to pay for a bribe at some stage in a particular year to carry on in business operations (Inrush & Areola, 2010) These two ex amples are not even scratching the surface as to what an international organization must face on a daily basis to keep their head above water and to keep themselves profitable. The way that Levi Strauss and Company have been able to continue to be successful is the fact that they were able to instate one set of written rules and guideline to have as a basis for all of their companies and plants around the world to abide by.This type of action is Just a preventative method that instills the idea and provides a little insurance plan to help prevent allegations of wrongdoings. Levi Strauss and Company is much like all international companies in the way that they have to uphold their integrity and ensure that they are conducting business in a throughout the company, a simple memo will not suffice. There must be people all over the world at all the different plants making sure that the code of ethics provided by the company are met and are not too specific to follow by all employees.If t hese hypes of actions have been thought of years ago, there probably would never have been an issue in Bangladesh and the underage labor that was happening and they could have avoided that completely. Many, many businesses are striving for the international market in today's society. They are all wanting growth and potentially higher earnings. Social and Moral factors are often overlooked and ignored when businesses are up and coming. There will never be a way for one method or one set of rules to govern any international company from one end to another.Arrangements according to the environment and he nation are essential clues to help adjust for each little market in the bigger picture of international business. The more of the little things each international companies do to ensure moral and social obligations, the longer and more thriving their business will become and continue to prosper. References Five compliance and ethics issues to consider in Vietnam. 2010, Gregory Inrush & Fernando Areola. Retrieved from http://knowledgeable. Thunderbird. Dude/ research/2009/11/04/Vietnam/ Levi Strauss & Co. (Unknown) 2010. Retrieved from http://en. Wisped. Org/wick/Levi_Strauss_&_Co. Cross Cultural Perspectives For many years, Nike Inc has been known worldwide as the champion of athletic gear producers, being a global leader in business and marketing. The company experienced a tremendous growth between 1970s and 1990s, dominating the global athletic footwear and apparel market (Cartey, 2002). However, in 1990s, Nike started facing a fierce criticism for its unethical practices of conducting business in developing countries.Critics accused Nike for poor working conditions, exploitation of cheap overseas labor, and violation of minimum wage and overtime laws in countries, such as China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Mexico, where the company had outsourced its manufactures. Instead of using ethical means to developing a global brand, Nike used child labor and every possible cheap way to increase its profits. Like many other U. S. companies, Nike manufactures its products in third world countries. Workers in these manufactures may earn as little as 12 cents per hour, working in unsafe, even dangerou s working environments.These manufactures are called sweatshops, and have triggered many objections from human right organizations for violating the basic human rights. Victoria Carty (2002) explains that: The Internet has significantly accentuated awareness of the controversies surrounding Nike’s business culture and practices. Information regarding corporate abuses has spread quickly through cyberspace, bringing bad publicity to new levels of awareness, and has facilitated mobilization among activists.It has also provided the resources and environment essential for organized mobilization in the form of a new social movement (NSM). When the labor activists and scholars began observing Nike’s labor practices, they discovered systematic violations of workers’ rights in Nike factories. Their findings resulted on health and safety absences in the working environment, discrimination against trade unions, forced overtime, unfair wages, and increasing production quota s whenever workers met them.Since assembly line workers in developing countries could not have success against the exploitation, citizens from the international community begun advocating for them and started an anti-Nike campaign to confront these unethical issues and demand corporate social responsibility and respect for human rights. These manufactures, on the other hand have allowed developing countries to expend their exports and improve their economies. Therefore, many debates have developed about globalization and global labor practices.While critics seek regulations to restrict the use of sweatshop labor, economists think that such regulations will harm the world’s poor. Proponents, who support sweatshops, argue that free trade without labor restrictions generates future prosperity and, therefore, better working conditions for the host country, by providing developed countries with access to cheaper goods. In turn, opportunities to exploit cost advantages in export ma rkets are greater. Based on their research, even terrible jobs provide some positive outcomes to a society, by benefiting others, who are not part of this employment.Workers can also earn job-related skills and provide benefits to the society at large. Eventually, a durable economic growth will improve the economic and social conditions of these people. That is why the economist Paul Krugman supports Myerson’s economic theory that â€Å"The overwhelming mainstream view among economists is that growth of this kind of employment is tremendous good news for the world's poor† (Arnold & Hartman, 2005). Sweatshops are the optimal solution for a developing nation’s economy.According to Arnold and Hartman (2005), â€Å"†¦the argument states that, however much we may not like some of what we see in the labor conditions of developing nations, this is the market at work; and the market works to generate overall improvements in economic welfare for a society. † They consider a moral obligation to perform actions that better enhance the overall satisfaction of these societies. Therefore, they argue, as many sweatshops as possible must be created and maintained. Is their evaluation legitimate?Generally, market economies have the potential to create tremendous economic growth in poor countries; ethical responsibilities would be that businesses which seek to benefit from that growth not do so by exploiting the human and natural resources of host countries (DesJardins, 2011). Although free markets generate benefits, certain boundary conditions hold firm. The relation between workers and their employers should be such that workers are fully informed about occupational health risks and their employment is truly voluntary, not through coercion.People must be able to make rational decisions about their self-interest, and no child should be held to the terms of any contract they enter into. Critics of sweatshops argue that workers may agree to work under poor conditions, because they have no other option to earn income, and they may not have enough information, prior to being employed in those sweatshops. Once they have made such choices, it would be extremely difficult for them to get out of a labor agreement and return to the previous circumstances.That is why the fact that workers agree to work under poor conditions does not mean they agreed to the kind of conditions they face. DesJardins (p. 280) explains that â€Å"Someone who chooses to surrender her money to an armed robber is also relatively better off than she otherwise would have been, but this fact does not justify the actions of the robber. † So, there is not a well-functioning free market in these countries. In contrast, they cause a social disruption, because people leave from their villages to depend on public social services in urban areas.An increased population in urban areas worsens sanitation and housing resources. Job losses from the closed factorie s in these countries result in a higher poverty. What should Nike do to show an ethical responsibility to business in these host countries? First, it should not tolerate any discretionary exploitation in the contractors it employs—for example, when managers try to extort sexual favors from vulnerable workers. Second, it should insist that the established labor laws be obeyed and also that governments enforce those rules uniformly.This will do away with impure structural exploitation. Third, it should press for structural solutions that end the exploitability of labor and do its fair share to repair the background circumstances that make taking unfair advantage possible. Certainly it should not lobby for policies that perpetuate or strengthen the structural conditions that permit businesses to exploit workers. In 1990s Nike started facing criticism from different human right organizations for poor labor conditions of its workers in foreign countries, in particular in Asian cou ntries.Nike has violated the minimum wage and overtime laws in these countries and has used the exploitation of the poor people to gain billions of dollars. These events have triggered many critics and economists to discuss and analyze the situation from a variety of ethical frameworks. Nike has tried to take actions to curb its practices and observe these manufactures to ensure that child labor is not being used. However, there is still much to do for applying the same ethical responsibility standards inside U. S. as well as in international business. Cross Cultural Perspectives For many years, Nike Inc has been known worldwide as the champion of athletic gear producers, being a global leader in business and marketing. The company experienced a tremendous growth between 1970s and 1990s, dominating the global athletic footwear and apparel market (Cartey, 2002). However, in 1990s, Nike started facing a fierce criticism for its unethical practices of conducting business in developing countries.Critics accused Nike for poor working conditions, exploitation of cheap overseas labor, and violation of minimum wage and overtime laws in countries, such as China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Mexico, where the company had outsourced its manufactures. Instead of using ethical means to developing a global brand, Nike used child labor and every possible cheap way to increase its profits. Like many other U. S. companies, Nike manufactures its products in third world countries. Workers in these manufactures may earn as little as 12 cents per hour, working in unsafe, even dangerou s working environments.These manufactures are called sweatshops, and have triggered many objections from human right organizations for violating the basic human rights. Victoria Carty (2002) explains that: The Internet has significantly accentuated awareness of the controversies surrounding Nike’s business culture and practices. Information regarding corporate abuses has spread quickly through cyberspace, bringing bad publicity to new levels of awareness, and has facilitated mobilization among activists.It has also provided the resources and environment essential for organized mobilization in the form of a new social movement (NSM). When the labor activists and scholars began observing Nike’s labor practices, they discovered systematic violations of workers’ rights in Nike factories. Their findings resulted on health and safety absences in the working environment, discrimination against trade unions, forced overtime, unfair wages, and increasing production quota s whenever workers met them.Since assembly line workers in developing countries could not have success against the exploitation, citizens from the international community begun advocating for them and started an anti-Nike campaign to confront these unethical issues and demand corporate social responsibility and respect for human rights. These manufactures, on the other hand have allowed developing countries to expend their exports and improve their economies. Therefore, many debates have developed about globalization and global labor practices.While critics seek regulations to restrict the use of sweatshop labor, economists think that such regulations will harm the world’s poor. Proponents, who support sweatshops, argue that free trade without labor restrictions generates future prosperity and, therefore, better working conditions for the host country, by providing developed countries with access to cheaper goods. In turn, opportunities to exploit cost advantages in export ma rkets are greater. Based on their research, even terrible jobs provide some positive outcomes to a society, by benefiting others, who are not part of this employment.Workers can also earn job-related skills and provide benefits to the society at large. Eventually, a durable economic growth will improve the economic and social conditions of these people. That is why the economist Paul Krugman supports Myerson’s economic theory that â€Å"The overwhelming mainstream view among economists is that growth of this kind of employment is tremendous good news for the world's poor† (Arnold & Hartman, 2005). Sweatshops are the optimal solution for a developing nation’s economy.According to Arnold and Hartman (2005), â€Å"†¦the argument states that, however much we may not like some of what we see in the labor conditions of developing nations, this is the market at work; and the market works to generate overall improvements in economic welfare for a society. † They consider a moral obligation to perform actions that better enhance the overall satisfaction of these societies. Therefore, they argue, as many sweatshops as possible must be created and maintained. Is their evaluation legitimate?Generally, market economies have the potential to create tremendous economic growth in poor countries; ethical responsibilities would be that businesses which seek to benefit from that growth not do so by exploiting the human and natural resources of host countries (DesJardins, 2011). Although free markets generate benefits, certain boundary conditions hold firm. The relation between workers and their employers should be such that workers are fully informed about occupational health risks and their employment is truly voluntary, not through coercion.People must be able to make rational decisions about their self-interest, and no child should be held to the terms of any contract they enter into. Critics of sweatshops argue that workers may agree to work under poor conditions, because they have no other option to earn income, and they may not have enough information, prior to being employed in those sweatshops. Once they have made such choices, it would be extremely difficult for them to get out of a labor agreement and return to the previous circumstances.That is why the fact that workers agree to work under poor conditions does not mean they agreed to the kind of conditions they face. DesJardins (p. 280) explains that â€Å"Someone who chooses to surrender her money to an armed robber is also relatively better off than she otherwise would have been, but this fact does not justify the actions of the robber. † So, there is not a well-functioning free market in these countries. In contrast, they cause a social disruption, because people leave from their villages to depend on public social services in urban areas.An increased population in urban areas worsens sanitation and housing resources. Job losses from the closed factorie s in these countries result in a higher poverty. What should Nike do to show an ethical responsibility to business in these host countries? First, it should not tolerate any discretionary exploitation in the contractors it employs—for example, when managers try to extort sexual favors from vulnerable workers. Second, it should insist that the established labor laws be obeyed and also that governments enforce those rules uniformly.This will do away with impure structural exploitation. Third, it should press for structural solutions that end the exploitability of labor and do its fair share to repair the background circumstances that make taking unfair advantage possible. Certainly it should not lobby for policies that perpetuate or strengthen the structural conditions that permit businesses to exploit workers. In 1990s Nike started facing criticism from different human right organizations for poor labor conditions of its workers in foreign countries, in particular in Asian cou ntries.Nike has violated the minimum wage and overtime laws in these countries and has used the exploitation of the poor people to gain billions of dollars. These events have triggered many critics and economists to discuss and analyze the situation from a variety of ethical frameworks. Nike has tried to take actions to curb its practices and observe these manufactures to ensure that child labor is not being used. However, there is still much to do for applying the same ethical responsibility standards inside U. S. as well as in international business.

Analyzing Aristotle Essay

The soul and the body are different forms. While the body is visible and mortal, the soul is invisible and immortal. He suggests that although the body dies and decays, the soul continues to exist. I do believe there is life after death, everyone must eventually die, and it cannot be avoided. However, even though death is a fact of life, it is a topic that many people prefer not to talk about. This avoidance of discussion is usually due to the denial of one’s own death and the denial is usually due to fear. The fear is, for many people, a fear of the unknown. In my opinion i believe that when humans die, the body and the brain dies, but the mind still exists and it creates our afterlife according to our own beliefs and expectations. If a person believes there in nothing after death then there will not be a dream, it will be as if the person is asleep forever without dreaming. 2) Yes, I agree that the universe is purposeful. The purpose of the creation, every though you have is creating your tomorrow. The universe has mysterious ways of revolving what we do day by day. For example Karma: The sum of a person’s actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in life. – Aristotle said: â€Å"Yet there is God, though not perhaps the simple and human god conceived by the forgivable anthropomorphism of the adolescent mind. † Aristotle represents God as self-conscious spirit. A rather mysterious spirit; for Aristotle God’s never does anything; he has no desires, no will, no purpose; he is activity so pure that he never acts. He is absolutely perfect; therefore cannot desire anything; therefore He does nothing. His only occupation is to contemplate the essence of things; and since He himself is the essence of all things, the form of all forms, his sole employment is the contemplation of himself.

Controlling Project Performance and Project Closure Essay

Controlling Project Performance and Project Closure - Essay Example This is advantageous in that the facility can procure latest technology without having to undergo renovation of the facility. The facility also doesn’t have to provide financing for the equipment without generating income(Daniel 2014). This is helpful especially to those that want to use top notch technology while controlling costs. Fast tracking also has its own down sides. Late release of documents, increases chances and frequency of mistakes and conflict in information provision in specification and plans. The contractor needs periodic adjustments due to reliance on incomplete documents to provide schedules and pricing. This means that both change orders and contingency funds must be utilized in a bid to offer compensation to the contractor. By using fast tracking, all parties; the contractor, owner and architect engage in a flexible and open relationship. The owner must not expect cost cutting and saving in both construction and design(Daniel 2014). Fast tracked projects arrive over budgeted and are late than other procurement strategies. It hence becomes prudent for the owner to access both the risk, relationships with both architects and contractors and sophistication levels of the project. This project with a S.P.I of 0.8 means that its below the mount level thus will experience a normal range of losses and profits. The project therefore is viable to prosper depending on the actions of project management team to oversee that all factors such as shares, dividends and investments all contribute to the growth of the project(Daniel 2014). The project having a C.P.I of 1.2 means that it is way above supernormal profits. therefore this project will make unrealistic sense hence could lead to much anticipation for growth then end up in collapsing. The monitoring of performance on projects is based on indices. While Cost Performance Index usually represents the amount of work completed on a project for each spent unit. Schedule Performance

Role of circulating practitioner in and outside a theatre room Essay

Role of circulating practitioner in and outside a theatre room - Essay Example Through expertise in theatre issues surgeons go as far as seeking assistance from specific scrubs who are well conversant with the procedure to be undertaken hence its adept to train and be able to learn more while on practical theatre situation (Zatlin, 2005, p. 19). This calls for a dedicated person to carry out the roles of circulating practitioner in a theatre. As a second year student, we are obliged to practically face the situation during internship to equip us with the relevant information and skills that shapes our focus and perception of what awaits us after the completion of the studies (Waldie, 2007, p. 39). However, being an scrub does not enable an individual to be certain while handling instruments and disposables within the theatre, this could be confirmed through an incident that happened during a procedure when a scratch pad was misplaced within the theatre hall just to base all blames on me despite being innocent oblivious of the consequences that would follow should I be found guilty of an offence not committed (Wicker, 2010, p. 84). I have to ensure that all the instruments brought to the theatre are sterilized and able to perform the procedure in accordance with the surgeons’ perception being a life saving procedure a lot of care should be taken in order to accomplish the procedure. This includes a confirmation that all the people within the theatre hall are putting on in accordance with the rules and codes of ethics in medics (Wicker, 2010, p. 87).... for the instruments to be brought to the theatre hall, in fact no one is allowed to leave the theatre hall when a procedure is on (Thomson,, 2002, p. 106). I have to ensure that all the instruments brought to the theatre are sterilized and able to perform the procedure in accordance with the surgeons’ perception being a life saving procedure a lot of care should be taken in order to accomplish the procedure. This includes a confirmation that all the people within the theatre hall are putting on in accordance with the rules and codes of ethics in medics (Wicker, 2010, p. 87). Through effective procedure there would be uni-effetive patient recovery and care for instance, the instruments that are supposed to be used only once should not be re used in any way under what come may (Pudner, 2000, p. 53). This is one of the ways through which poor patient handling arises from causing un-expected complications which would be avoided through following procedural implications within the theatre hall (Zatlin, 2005, p. 24). The key function within the practice is that patient care and preoperative environment entirely relies on our practice. It is within the health and safety rules state that accountability and responsibilities under which the duties are to be performed within the theatre. Hence any fault that arises within the theatre must be dealt with beyond reasonable doubt so ascertain that the patient care is maintained within our practice (Waldie, 2007, p. 42). In the process, we have to countercheck the instruments and affirm their states before, within the procedure and afterwards to ensure that the quality of services to deal with both appropriateness and efficiency in reducing harm to the patient under procedure (Thomson,, 2002, p. 123. Disease control and management

Industrial Growth and Competiton Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Industrial Growth and Competiton - Essay Example According to Perloff (2012) Pigouvian tax can be described as a corrective measure undertaken by state or a body with authority usually inform of imposing tax to restore or limit any inefficient market activities. Taxation is applied on a firm that produces negative externality to other firm or the well-being of the entire community. The aim is to equalise the amount of tax imposed to the negative externality. Let us examine a case of a paint manufacturing firm that pollutes a nearby river using various cost concepts. With the absence of any regulation control measures, the firm can maximise its production activity without thinking of the impact imposed on another firm for example, a boat renting firm to families and individual for recreational purposes. In a typical market analysis, the paint manufacturing firm’s output and price relation can be presented in figure 1 below. In the figure 1 below, there are three main cost concepts: marginal social cost (MSC), marginal private cost (MPC), and Marginal Damage cost. Perloff (2012) defines these costs as follows. The private marginal cost refers to all the direct cost incurred by the firm or producer in creating goods or services. He also defines marginal damage as the additional cost to a firm producing additional unit of a product that impose negative externality on others. Further, he defines social damage cost as the summation of private marginal cost and marginal damage to a producer. This can be illustrated graphically in figure 1 below. Initially, the firm’s output level was at Q0due to absence of any regulation. The firm’s primary focus on this particular market scenario, where there is no any form of regulation on production, focuses on how to maximise production output at any given time. However, the need to reduce pollution leads to introduction of a pigouvian tax to make the firm comply with existing production regulation and be mindful of other

Management Dissertation Proposal Proforma Research

Management Dissertation Proforma - Research Proposal Example Yes Degree Programme: MBA in Finance & Accounting Specialization Track: General _______ Finance ---X--- Marketing_______ [Please check as appropriate] Other___________________ (please specify) DATE: January 10, 2012Aims of dissertation Background of the research Financial markets across the world have been reporting increasing integration within the as well as across different boundaries. There are several factors that have drastically grown the financial markets in the last decades particularly in the developing countries and some of these factors are globalization, deregulation and advancement in technology (Abraham, Seyyed, and Al-Elg, 2001). Financial markets around the world are not uniform and this is the reason why an investor is able to make more profits then he should have by capitalizing on the opportunity created because of differences in prices (Masih, and Masih, 2002). Gain of one investor would result in the loss of another. However, if these markets are integrated and made uniform then an investor would not be able to make such gains (Stulz, 1981). With the passage of time, financial markets around the world have being integrated among themselves. The term market integration is referred to as a market where there are no obstacles for investors like legal restrictions, taxes, transaction costs etc (Solink, 1974). There are several advantages or benefits for integration among stock market and this is the reason why investors, financial analysts as well as policy markets have been paying considerable attention towards this subject. Some of the most important advantages of market integration are that investors investing in different parts of the world would expect the same amount of return from the investment as arbitrage opportunities would not exist. Also as the expected return would be the same therefore if an investor would like to earn higher return then it would have to take more risk and thus reward to risk ratio would be balanced. Also becaus e of market integration, the overall economy becomes more stabilized. It also encourages more people to make investment as there would be fewer chances of loss of investment as the overall productivity of the country would improve. If the Kuwait market is integrated with the global financial market, then the overall productivity and efficiency of the country would improve and more investment opportunities would emerge in the country. Also this would encourage more local business as well as foreign investors to invest in this market thus the GDP of the country would improve. These are the most important benefits that Kuwait market or any other market would experience if the financial market is integrated with the global market. Integration of financial market has become an important topic in today’s world as investors are able to invest in different markets in order to make the most of the opportunities prevailing in different regions (Kearney, and Lucey, 2004). Different scho lars and researchers have been focusing on this topic and considerable amount of research has already been done in order to analyze the impact of

Nursing for Health and Wellbeing 2011 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nursing for Health and Wellbeing 2011 - Essay Example Most homes are potentially hazardous that would increase the risk of falls. Survey reveals among older subjects that they had at least one environmental falls hazard. Older people report falls inside the home. There should be evidence that these hazards are potential or causally linked to falls. Apart from the evidence of falls history among older people linked to household hazards, stronger evidence are available from studies where household hazards were identified first and subsequent falls were monitored. Further, frail people suffered more frequent falls but they were not due to environmental hazards. Studies indicate healthy people are likely to fall more frequently due to environmental hazards. Thus environmental hazards are likely to cause falls in vigorous older people than in frail older people. Since the patient Mr. Sylvester is a vigorous category (as he is able to live alone), he is more prone to falls. Risk-taking behavior in vigorous older people is the likely cause for more frequent falls. Home hazards alone cannot be a single cause for falls.

Free speech video assignment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Free speech video assignment - Research Paper Example the the promotion of the film and the film, under the First Amendment, are protected speech, and so is the filmmaker, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, aka Sam Bacile. This paper examines the video and explains whether the filmmaker had a First Amendment right to make the film; it offers a vivid legal explanation as to why the filmmaker First Amendment right cannot be violated. Additionally, the paper looks at how the mainstream American media covered the story, how the United States government treated the issues, the filmmaker’s interpretation and explains how, assuming that I made the film, I would have handled the alleged uproar. The paper also answers the question of whether the U.S government should arrest and criminally prosecute the maker of the anti-muslim film, â€Å"The Innocence of Muslims†. FREE SPEECH VIDEO ASSIGNMENT After the distribution of the â€Å"The Innocence of Muslims†, the anti-muslim video via YouTube, protests ensued in the Middle East, in Cairo , outside the American Consulate, in Libya, which led to the killing of four Americans, among them, the American Ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens. ... Additionally, a debate with regards to whether the filmmaker, who joined the ranks of Delph and Jones, had the First Amendment right to make the film. The First Amendment of the U.S constitution establishes protection of individual rights belief, conduct and speech, in other words, rights to freedom of expression and religion. According to Nowak & Rotunda (2004), freedom of expression constitutes the freedom of assembly, freedom of press, to petition and freedom of speech. Therefore, by default, the U.S constitution is set to by all means protect the freedom of speech, even violent and hat filled speech (Cohen, 2012). The filmmaker or producer and the film distributor have the First Amendment right, since the promotion of the film and the film are protected speech and neither the promotion of the film nor the film create something like the infamous â€Å"shouting fire in a crowded theater† (Chertoff, 2012). In determining whether the filmmaker and the film distributor had Firs t Amendment right, it is important to consider whether the film, considered as speech, was intended to incite violence or was an incitement to riots – the film or speech should have not only led to violence, but the filmmaker must have intended the film to incite riots/violence. The â€Å"The Innocence of Muslims†, or the anti-muslim video did produced violence, but it is clear that it was not the filmmaker’s intention for the film to produce violence; the film did not also produce violence immediately. For this reason, the filmmaker has First Amendment rights since the film/speech is protected by the First Amendment. There is no way that the film produced by Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, aka Sam Bacile qualify as an incitement

How Does a Rational Investor Build the Optimal Portfolio and Should Term Paper

How Does a Rational Investor Build the Optimal Portfolio and Should International Securities Be Added to That - Term Paper Example Investors are therefore supposed to keep one of the optimal portfolios on the effective level and the rest to adjust to the market risk. The latter is reached through the leverage or de-leverage of that portfolio with positions in a risk-free investment such as government bonds. The following paper presents the utility of the MPT for contemporary decision making. The objective of the investor is discussed to find an efficient allocation of assets and liabilities which implies investor's balance and efficiency of an investment. Active portfolio managers constantly buy and sell a great number of common stocks. Their job is to try to keep their clients satisfied, and that means consistently outperforming the market so that on any given day, if a client applies the obvious measuring stick-"How is my portfolio doing compared to the market overall"-the answer is positive and the client leaves her money in the fund. To keep on top, active managers try to predict what will happen with stocks in the coming six months and continually churn the portfolio, hoping to take advantage of their predictions. On average, today's common stock mutual funds own more than one hundred stocks and generate turnover ratios of 80 per cent (Lewis, Mizen 2000). Index investing, on the other hand, is a buy-and-hold passive approach. It involves assembling, and then holding, a broadly diversified portfolio of common stocks deliberately designed to mimic the behaviour of a specific benchmark index, such as the Standard & Poor's 500 Price Index (S&P 500).Compared to active management, index investing is somewhat new and far less common.

Obesity and Calories Essay Example for Free

Obesity and Calories Essay But you also know that most diets and quick weight-loss plans have about as much substance as a politician’s campaign pledges. You’re better off finding several simple things you can do on a daily basis — along with following the cardinal rules of eating more vegetables and less fat and getting more physical activity. Together, they should send the scale numbers in the right direction: down. 1. Once a week, indulge in a high-calorie-tasting, but low-calorie, treat. This should help keep you from feeling deprived and binging on higher-calorie foods. For instance: †¢ Lobster. Just 83 calories in 3 ounces. †¢ Shrimp. Just 60 calories in 12 large. †¢ Smoked salmon. Just 66 calories in two ounces. Sprinkle with capers for an even more elegant treat. †¢ Whipped cream. Just 8 calories in one tablespoon. Drop a dollop over a bowl of fresh fruit for dessert. 2. Treat high-calorie foods as jewels in the crown. Make a spoonful of ice cream the jewel and a bowl of fruit the crown. Cut down on the chips by pairing each bite with lots of chunky, filling fresh salsa, suggests Jeff Novick, director of nutrition at the Pritikin Longevity Center Spa in Florida. Balance a little cheese with a lot of salad. 3. After breakfast, make water your primary drink. At breakfast, go ahead and drink orange juice. But throughout the rest of the day, focus on water instead of juice or soda. The average American consumes an extra 245 calories a day from soft drinks. That’s nearly 90,000 calories a year — or 25 pounds! And research shows that despite the calories, sugary drinks don’t trigger a sense of fullness the way that food does. . Carry a palm-size notebook everywhere you go for one week. Write down every single morsel that enters your lips — even water. Studies have found that people who maintain food diaries wind up eating about 15 percent less food than those who don’t. Plus: 8 Kitchen Cabinet Makeovers for Weight Loss 5. Buy a pedometer , clip it to your belt, and aim for an extra 1,000 steps a day. On average, sedentary people take only 2,000 to 3,000 steps a day. Adding 2,000 steps will help you maintain your current weight and stop gaining weight; adding more than that will help you lose weight. 6. Add 10 percent to the amount of daily calories you think you’re eating, then adjust your eating habits accordingly. If you think you’re consuming 1,700 calories a day and don’t understand why you’re not losing weight, add another 170 calories to your guesstimate. Chances are, the new number is more accurate. 7. Eat five or six small meals or snacks a day instead of three large meals. A 1999 South African study found that when men ate parts of their morning meal at intervals over five hours, they consumed almost 30 percent fewer calories at lunch than when they ate a single breakfast. Other studies show that even if you eat the same number of calories distributed this way, your body releases less insulin, which keeps blood sugar steady and helps control hunger. 8. Walk for 45 minutes a day. The reason we’re suggesting 45 minutes instead of the typical 30 is that a Duke University study found that while 30 minutes of daily walking is enough to prevent weight gain in most relatively sedentary people, exercise beyond 30 minutes results in weight and fat loss. Burning an additional 300 calories a day with three miles of brisk walking (45 minutes should do it) could help you lose 30 pounds in a year without even changing how much you’re eating. 9. Find an online weight-loss buddy. A University of Vermont study found that online weight-loss buddies help you keep the weight off. The researchers followed volunteers for 18 months. Those assigned to an Internet-based weight maintenance program sustained their weight loss better than those who met face-to-face in a support group. Plus: 15 Foods You Should Never Buy Again 0. Bring the color blue into your life more often. There’s a good reason you won’t see many fast-food restaurants decorated in blue: Believe it or not, the color blue functions as an appetite suppressant. So serve up dinner on blue plates, dress in blue while you eat, and cover your table with a blue tablecloth. Conversely, avoid red, yellow, and orange in your dining areas. Studies find they encourage eating . 11. Clean your closet of the â€Å"fat† clothes. Once you’ve reached your target weight, throw out or give away every piece of clothing that doesn’t fit. The idea of having to buy a whole new wardrobe if you gain the weight back will serve as a strong incentive to maintain your new figure. 12. Downsize your dinner plates. Studies find that the less food put in front of you, the less food you’ll eat. Conversely, the more food in front of you, the more you’ll eat — regardless of how hungry you are. So instead of using regular dinner plates that range these days from 10-14 inches (making them look forlornly empty if they’re not heaped with food), serve your main course on salad plates (about 7-9 inches wide).

Electromagnetic Propulsion Technology Essay Example for Free

Electromagnetic Propulsion Technology Essay Electromagnetic Propulsion Technology is based on the concepts and applications of electromagnets to enable propelling of an object. This is perhaps the most researched and worked on areas of electric propulsion with greatest possible application in public transport as well as advanced aerospace propulsion systems. For public transport, it’s been a magnetic levitation technology which is also known as Maglev that has transformed the vary way of public transport. Electromagnetic Propulsion Technology based Magnetic levitation transport is a form of transportation that relies on electromagnetic force for suspension, guidance and propelling. This technology when applied for mass transit system can enable transportation at 500 to 600 km/h (Bonsar, p1; Jahn Choueiri, p134) . As a concept, magnetic levitation train was developed by a German Scientist Hermann Kemper and on Aug. 14, 1934, the patent was granted. But it was in Britain, world’s first magnetic levitation service was introduced as a link between two terminals at Birmingham airport. The distance was of 400 meters with top speed at around 10-mph. In Germany, the TRANSAPID project connects Berlin and Hamburg. The train will move with a speed of 292 kph and would cover the distance of 292 km in flat 60 minutes. In Japan, the advancements have led to the feasibility of moving trains at a speed of 500 kph and on a 7-km test track began in Miyazaki Prefecture, the manned two-car vehicle has been tested and found to register a speed of 400.8 kph in 1987 and a maximum speed of 531 kph in a manned vehicle run on December 12. Again in 1999, the train attained a maximum speed of 552 kph in a manned vehicle run (Maglev, p8). Maglev follows the system levitation based vehicular movement on the guide way while using electromagnetic forces between super conducting magnets on the vehicle and coils on the ground. This enables the train to move or float about 10 mm above the guide way on a magnetic field. The train as whole is propelled by the guide way and hence there is no on board engine to pull the train. The whole pulling is enabled through the switching of magnetism. Its basic principle could be understood with the help of magnets. As it is widely known that in case of magnets, you know that opposite poles attract and like poles repel. This principle of attraction and repulsion actually forms the basics behind electromagnetic propulsion based Maglev technology. Electromagnets are used in the above mentioned technology and temporary magnetic pull is created and objects are attraction through a small magnetic field. The three vital components to this system are: A large electrical power source Metal coils lining a guideway or track Large guidance magnets attached to the underside of the train  ­In the above mentioned list of components, one can figure out that the train doesn’t need any engine and hence this is the most important difference between the maglev trains and other conventional trains. The train as a whole is not pulled in a particular direction rather they are propelled and guided in the magnetic field created by electrified coils in the guideway walls and the track (Bonsor, p2). Conclusion: As it has been already mentioned, Maglev is the short for magnetic levitation according to which floating and guiding of trains is enabled as per the principles of magnets. Maglev has its own set of advantages as well as disadvantages. The primary advantage of a maglev train is that of maintenance. As the train floats along and there is no contact with the ground and also there are no moving parts, the possibilities of any wear and tear get reduced. The trains as well the track would rarely need any maintenance and hence the higher cost of installation gets compensated in long run. Apart from this, the other important advantage is the total reduction of friction and noise which actually translates into high speed and extremely fast mode of transportation (Maglev, p 28). Now comes the disadvantages; Maglev guide paths are more costly than any conventional railways system when installation comes into picture. This disadvantage gets amplified with the fact that Maglev system requires a complete new set of infrastructure. The railways infrastructure available for usage is of no use for implementing Maglev and hence a totally new set of system would be implemented. The conventional system would lose its utility and couldn’t have a mutual existence with maglev (Maglev, p 28). Hence, after a very careful and thorough research, the final verdict is that the Principle of Magnetic Levitation when applied for mass transit would transform the way people move in the future and might provide an able substitute of all expensive air transport. Reference: Bonsor, K. â€Å"How Maglev Trains Work†. 2008 http://science.howstuffworks.com/maglev-train.htm Jahn, R. G. â€Å"Ã’Physics of Electric Propulsion,Ó† McGraw-Hill, New York. 1968 Magnetically Levitated Trains (Maglev) http://www.123eng.com/seminar/Magnetically%20Levitated%20Trains%20(Maglev).pdf Jahn, Robert G. Choueiri, Edgar Y. â€Å"Electric Propulsion† Encyclopedia of Physical Science    and Technology, Third Edition, Volume 5 2002

Contemporary Gay American And European Movies Film Studies Essay

Contemporary Gay American And European Movies Film Studies Essay The subject of homosexuality in cinema, much in the same way as it is in real life, is something that causes much debate amongst the general public. Being perhaps one of the most controversial topics in modern society, the representation of gays in all media, not just film, becomes an important insight into the ever changing landscape of societys views on homosexuality. It is for this reason that the study of these representations becomes important, as through the analysis of both the media that contains the homosexual depictions as well as the reaction of the public, we gain a greater understanding of the role that homosexuality plays in our society. I will be examining the popular debates and theoretical approaches towards contemporary gay cinema, as well as both separately analysing and comparing key examples of modern films that deal with issues of homosexuality from America and Europe. The theoretical approach most well suited to the subject of study that I have chosen would be that of Queer Theory. A reasonably recent critical theory, Queer Theory focuses strongly on the ideas of gender, sexuality and social/sexual identity through gay interpretations of different texts. Use of a critical approach so strongly linked with the subject of my dissertation such as this will allow for a much better understanding of the subject matter and a greater ability to deconstruct my chosen films. In regards to the close analysis portion of the dissertation, Brokeback Mountain (Ang Lee, 2005) is the film that I have chosen as the focus of my study for American gay cinema, with Bad Education (Pedro Almodà ³var, 2004) as the focus of the Euro pean study. Both of these films I believe are strong examples of gay cinema from their respective countries, as both have two gay lovers as the central characters of the narrative, but more importantly, addressing the issue of their homosexuality and how it affects their lives and relationships is the core issue of the narrative. There are a number of key issues that I plan to discuss within this dissertation, in regards to both the critical study of contemporary gay cinema section and the close analysis of the films. First and foremost I wish to simply establish what the most prominent critical approaches towards gay cinema are and how the approaches apply to modern gay films. This will then allow me to discuss in more detail the representation of homosexuality put forward in these films and how these various depictions affect the image of homosexual in cinema as a whole. In the film analysis section I am aiming to deconstruct the two portrayals of homosexuality in the separate films to discover the different ways in which these cultures chose to treat this issue, not merely establishing the differences but discussing what might have caused them in the first place. However I also wish to look for similarities between the two pieces, to find out if there are any aspects involved in illustrating gay life that are universal and not affected by culture or society. The most effective method of research for a project such as this would simply be to study the vast assortment of books and journal articles from throughout cinema history written on this subject, as although homosexuality within cinema may be seen as a relatively uncommon subject, it has been a frequent part of critical discourse in film for many years. By reading the collected works of authors speaking on the subject of gay cinema I will be able to increase my knowledge in the area as well as find a number of core materials to work from and reference within the dissertation. Part B: Literature Review One such core book that I will be focusing on throughout the project will be The Culture of Queers (London: Routledge, 2001) by Richard Dyer. As a prominent writer in the field of gay culture and gay cinema, studying the works of Dyer is integral in gaining a full understanding in the matter of homosexuality within film. The book covers a variety of topics, from the discussion of homosexual imagery in different mediums and genres, to the discussion of actors known (or suspected) to be gay such as Rock Hudson and how it affected their career. The range of issues raised in the book make for a more well rounded view of gay culture and society, thus making it easier to critically discuss and analyse texts dealing with such issues. There is another book by Richard Dyer, The Matter of Images (London: Routledge, 1993; 2002 2nd ed.) that deals with similar issues, but focuses specifically on the ideas of representation. While not entirely focused on homosexuality like the previous book, there are multiple chapters dedicated to different aspects of gay representation, such as problems in the representation as gay people as typical, homosexuality and film noir and male sexuality in the media. With discussing representation being one the key points of the dissertation, being able to see professional examples of what I am attempting, focusing both in the same area as the project and on other topics, will help to greatly improve my ability to analyse representations in the film analysis section. It will give me a knowledge base to both reference from and build upon with my insight and information, allowing for more in depth and academic look at my chosen films. One of the other core materials for this dissertation, that has a perhaps even more direct link to what I am trying to achieve is the book Brokeback Mountain (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2010) by Gary Needham, which examines both the Brokeback Mountain film and the original story by Annie Proulx. In much the same way as I intend to do the book discusses the association between the film and homosexual critical discourses, most specifically Queer Theory, which as mentioned is one of the key theoretical approaches for the project. It also talks about the relationship the film and its homosexual subject matter with various genres within cinema, those being Indie cinema, Westerns and Melodrama. By comparing how gay sexual identity is portrayed through the context of those different genres I will then be more capable when it comes to making comparisons between America and European gay cinema later in the dissertation. It is important to have a varied source of reading material to work from, so as well as the collection of books that I will be working from, I will also be using a number of articles from online film journals as reference. In comparison to a book where the author can make their point over multiple chapters and hundreds of pages, a journal article author must make their point in a much more concise manner due to the limited space allowed by their particular journal. One of the primary examples of an article that I will be using is All I Desire (Sight and Sound: v14, June 2004), written by Paul Julian Smith. In this article he discusses the Bad Education, so in addition to being able to study material in a different style of writing to that of books, which could improve my own ability to make my points more succinct and concise; it also gives me an example of a critical analysis of one of my chosen films for me to work from. Part C Structure Introduction (1000 Words) The introduction will cover a basic overview of the dissertation and the questions that it will be discussing in later chapters. Beginning with a small history of gay culture in cinema it will briefly talk about the idea of homosexuality and its involvement with cinema throughout the years in a general sense while giving the basic information that the later chapters will be building upon. Then there will be a short summary of the structure, talking separately about each of the dissertations chapters by explaining what you will be covering in that chapter and what questions you hope to answer through them. Chapter 1: Debates on Contemporary Gay Culture (2000 Words) In this chapter I will start to expand upon the information put forth in the introduction, going into much greater detail on the subject of gay culture and its representation throughout media history leading up to modern times. I will introduce the idea of Queer Theory and discuss its history and various applications in media and society. Using the gathered reading materials I will then begin discussing the various critical discourses associated with the specific subject of gay cinema and examining the ways in which they are connected with the more general Queer Theory. I will talk in some detail about the effect that the presence of gay culture and sexuality on film has on the general public, as well as how those reactions then affect gay culture as a whole. Chapter 2: Gay American Cinema and Brokeback Mountain (2000 Words) This is where I begin the process of bringing in the close analysis of my chosen films into the dissertation, focusing specifically on my American example of gay cinema, Brokeback Mountain, and the critical study surrounding it. I shall examine the films content focusing on the representation of homosexuality and building upon the chosen reading material such as the previously mentioned Brokeback Mountain book by Gary Needham. I will discuss various topics such as the issue of male sexuality, the representation of the gay protagonists in the context of American culture, and whether it meets or subverts the typical conventions of its genre(s). Chapter 3: Gay European Cinema and Bad Education (2000 Words) Continuing the close textual analysis portion of the dissertation, this chapter will focus primarily on my European example of gay cinema, Bad Education. Again building upon my collected reading material I will begin to deconstruct the representations of the gay protagonists, both within the films own European (specifically Spanish) context, but also beginning to delve into its connection with the American example. Comparing the different views of gay culture and sexuality presented in these films, the nature of the theoretical approaches surrounding them and the reactions of the differing national general publics will reveal whether or not there is a universal aspect of representing gay society, or whether the cultural and historical differences between countries create differing views on the way homosexuality should be portrayed on film. Conclusion (1000 Words) The conclusion will discuss in less detailed information the points that have been discussed throughout the dissertation. It will go chapter by chapter through the end results of all the key points of discussion that were raised through the study of the various theoretical approaches and reading materials during the project. I will then return to the key questions mentioned in the introduction and discuss how and if these questions were properly addressed, speaking briefly about how the answers to these questions fit into the idea of gay cinema as a whole. Part D Work Plan and Bibliography Between December 6th and mid-January I aim to have all the necessary books and journal extracts, with specific important extracts highlighted to use as references and discussion points. By the end of January I will make a rough draft of the introduction, and by the end of February I plan to finish the first draft of chapter 1 and start work on chapter 2. I will finish chapters 2 and 3 by the end of March and have the first draft of the full dissertation by mid-April. I will then use the remaining time until May 7th to go over everything and make any necessary changes. Current Bibliography Aaron, Michelle (2004) New Queer Cinema: A Critical Reader (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press) Benshoff, Harry M. (2005) Queer Images: A History of Gay and Lesbian Film in American Genre and Beyond (Maryland: Rowman Littlefield Publishing) Dyer, Richard (2001) The Culture of Queers (London: Routledge) Dyer, Richard (2002) The Matter of Images 2nd ed. (London: Routledge) Griffiths, Robin (2007) Queer Cinema in Europe (Bristol: Intellect) Griffiths, Robin (2007) Cinema and Sexuality (Buckingham/Philadelphia: Open University Press/McGraw Hill) Morland, Iain (2004) Queer Theory: Readers in Cultural Criticism (New York: Palgrave Macmillan) Needham, Gary (2010.) Brokeback Mountain (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.) Russo, Vito (1987) The Celluloid Closet: Homosexuality in the Movies (New York: Harper Paperbacks) Smith, Paul Julian (2004) All I Desire Sight and Sound Vol.14, No.6 Sullivan, Nikki (2003) A Critical Introduction to Queer Theory (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press)

The Uplifting Tale of Today Will Be a Quiet Day Essay -- Today Will Be

The Uplifting Tale of Today Will Be a Quiet Day  Ã‚        Ã‚   Some readers see death, but when I read the story "Today Will Be a Quiet Day" by Amy Hempel, I find it to be a light hearted, first-hand account of people coping with transition. Even its location in the table of contents under the heading "Childhood and Adolescent" (Barnet), implies that the story is not about death at all. A newly defined family, one man, a boy and a girl, is faced with the aftermath of divorce and explore among themselves the intricacies of life. The story gives us sublime but keen insight into the transition and adjustments these three people make in this story. The children’s transition is marked by a rivalry, one that surfaces early on in the story and is portrayed through delightful banter and retorts. The children’s bantering relieves some stress created by the unknown tiny steps they are taking in establishing a new type of relationship with their father in the absence of their mother. At no time do the children’s harmless antics towards one another escalate as indicated by critic Tara Baker when she explains that their arguments become deeper than the usual childish bickering. Baker seems to believe the children’s digs into one another are being fueled by difficult situations they have had to deal with lately (170). Brian Motzenbecker supports my idea that the parents are divorced but finds symbolism in what the children discuss and the father’s "quips" (174). I can suggest to the contrary that these stories within the story are meaningful but not symbolic at all. The rapid succession of jumping from one topic to the next suggests to me that the need for conversation without a break is necessary. It keeps everyone from simultaneously t... ...d happily due to the father being able to encompass the entire day’s events into his affirmation. The natural resilience his children display is admirable and probably has much to do with how he and their mother raised them. They show a type of frustration that is both contained and civilized. They avoid expressing their emotions too much throughout the story. Their lives are continuing, and at this point I’m sure the children know that even their father is going to be "all right." Work Cited Baker, Tara. "Is Today Really Quiet?" Ode To Friendship Ed. Connie Bellamy. Virginia Beach: Gann Designs, 1997. Hemple, Amy. "Today Will Be a Quiet Day." Harper Anthology of Fiction. Ed. Sylvan Barnet. New York: HarperCollins, 1991. Motzenbecker, Brian. "Does It Spell Disaster?" Ode To Friendship. Ed. Connie Bellamy. Virginia Beach: Gann Designs, 1997.      

Satire :: Literature Analysis, Art, Informative

Satire is a literary work in which the follies of its subject are attacked through irony, derision, or wit, usually to fulfill a corrective purpose. Those who satirize are called satirists. Satire is an art, and while making a point, it should do it in such a way that the reader doesn’t feel assaulted, or moralized. No one likes a moralizer. Satire’s more eye opening than judgmental, and is conveyed through distortion, exaggeration (as well as understatement), paronomasia, ambiguity and innuendo, comparison and zeugma, similes and metaphors, oxymorons, and parables and allegories. Satire has existed since the beginning of human stupidity, or fault. Among the earliest records discovered from the B.C., there have been forms of social commentary. Greek playwrights would incorporate parodies into their plays, bards from the middle ages would sing of society’s defects, by the 17th century, satirical books were published and sold. Nowadays, satires exists in various forms, such as The Simpsons, Spike Lee films, and The Onion. There are three main genres of satire: Horatian, Juvenal, and Menippean. Horation satire is usually good natured, Juveanlian satire is a bit more hard core, and Menippean humor is chaotic and disorganized, with no form of prose. There’s an idea that’s been progressively formulated, and that’s that satire needs to be humorous. This isn’t true, however, that is how it’s displayed today. The humor of satire isn’t upfront—it’s subtle and deadpan. Insane things will be said and done and the joker will be utterly earnest throughout it. Buster Keaton was a straight comic, barely smiling during his films, Ali G has the most outrageous interviews with celebrities and politicians and, somehow, doesn’t crack up.

Tourism Essay -- Traveling, Service Qualities

It is generally agreed that tourism is fragmented. It is made up of various sectors or subsidiaries such as transportation, accommodation, attractions, amenities, catering, entertainment, eating and drinking establishments, shops, activity facilities (Leisure and recreation), and many others. These sectors provide products and service for individuals or groups o tourists who travel away from. Consequently, tourism is an amalgam of the products and services that its various subsectors make available or tourists. The provision of these products and services depends on the linkage between various sectors and their mutual interactions. Tourism is the most wide-ranging industry, in the sense that it demands products rom many sectors of the economy (Edgell, 1990) and employs millions of people in different sectors. For example, airplanes and buses must be manufactured to transport tourists; computers must be produced to make hotel booking and airline reservations; Steel, concrete, and glass are need to build hotels and restaurants; fabrics are needed to make cloths; meat, wheat, and vegetables must be grown to feed visitors. No other industry has so many linkage and interactions with so many sectors of the economy (Edgell, 1990), and delivers so many different kinds of products and services to consumers. Suppose we take a tourism provider as the example for this paper. Without any doubt they should have some sort of service which posses some competitive strategies. According to page et al (2001) in Williams and Buswell (2003) the careful management of the tourist experience is an absolutely vital and complex requirement. So here some examples of services and experience which can provide by a tourism coordinator are follows: .. ...roviders set up certain policies that are deemed comparable to their image and being suitable to their target market. Those policies particularly initiated by management or a service team (Kandampully et al, 2001). They may be developed through a formal process or may automatically evolve from experience and preferences. Policies may be detailed in company documents or simply published by word of mouth throughout the organization. In spite of the system, service policies set the standards for the provision of guest services in the company. Service standards can be only as good as the resultant performance. Although service policies may establish rules and performance standards for staffs while they are not perform effectively. Some companies develop wide-ranging service policies only to motivate staff while they fall short in performance (Kandampully et al, 2001).

Fifth Business Essay

Robertson Davies wrote a novel that explores the psychological issues of the human condition and this novel is called Fifth Business. The characters in this novel often create false images and in several points throughout Fifth Business they deal with experiences and incidents in unique ways. One of the human species greatest abilities is the ability to mask emotions, thoughts and actions by lying and concealing the reality of a situation. In this classic novel, there is a constant battle between appearance and reality in most, if not in all of the characters involved. Boy Staunton and Dunstan Ramsay seem to be very close friends, but they have always had a secret rivalry in their relationship that consists of jealousy and differences. Dunstan Ramsay hides how he really feels towards Diana Marfleet, and Leola Cruikshank hides who she really is to fit the standards set for her by her husband Boy Staunton. The battle between appearances and reality is shown on a number of different occasions in Fifth Business. For example, this battle surfaces between two of the main characters, Dunstan Ramsay and Boy Staunton. The relationship between these two is a very complex one. They appear to be both friends and enemies to each other. From the very beginning of their friendship when they were young boys, Boy is always trying to make Dunny feel less than what he is. Boy had more of an attachment to materialistic objects compared to Dunny and although Dunny never has an intention of competing with Boy, Boy sees Dunstan as a rival. On the other hand, Dunny shows how unimportant materialistic objects really are to him. I though twenty-four dollars was plenty for a ready made suit, and four dollars a criminal price for a pair of shoes. I changed my shirt twice a week and my underwear once. I had not yet developed any expensive tastes and seen nothing wrong with a good boarding-house. † (Davies, 111) But as they grow up and Boy becomes a successful business man, he helps Dunstan with his financial investments by giving him advice and own personal knowledge. â€Å"I was filled with a sour scorn that I now know was nothing but envy, but then I mistook for philosophy. I didn’t really want the clothes, I didn’t really want the girl or the booze, but it scalded me to see him enjoying them, and I hobbled away grumbling to myself like Diogenes. † (Davies, 113) Boy spent his energy on making sure he was always above Dunny and Dunny secretly envied boy despite the exterior of friends they gave off to the world. Furthermore, when looking at Diana and Dunstan’s relationship, the reader finds yet another example of the battle between appearances and reality. Dunstan makes it appear that he is in love with Diana, when in reality, he is not. Not only does he make it appear that he is in love with her, but he also shows just how easily someone is able to hide the truth – separating reality from appearances. Diana wants a life with Dunstan. She is ready and willing to settle down with him and start a family and because they were going to bed together, Diana was under the impression that Dunny felt the same way she did. Dunny does nothing to make her think that he does not have the same romantic feelings as she does and because of this appearances collide with reality. That did not include Diana. She seemed to assume that it did, and perhaps I was unfair to her in not checking her assumptions as soon as I became aware of them. But, to be frank, I liked having her in love with me; it fed my spirit, which was a low ebb. I liked going to bed with her, and as she liked it too I thought it was a fair exchange. † (Davies, 81) Dunny even admits that he became aware of her feelings and her thoughts and failed to tell h er the truth for his own selfish reasons. He states that he liked having Diana in love with him to boost his own self-esteem and he also admits he hid his true feelings because he liked going to bed with her. Dunny’s defense for his decision is his age. â€Å"I was too young to be truthful about such a matter† (Davies, 83) Thus, this relationship shown in Fifth Business shows that the ability to hide reality with a different appearance is easily attainable. Another example of this battle between appearance and reality is shown in the constant self-identity fight going on within Leola Cruikshank. In this situation, Leola is pressured to change who she is to fit to the extremely high social standards of her husband, Boy Staunton. Boy is constantly tearing his wife down by behaviour such as dressing Leola differently, making her learn a new language and changing her small town girl persona to that of a high society woman. â€Å"She did not see why she should become stuck up and talk as she had never talked before, and behave in ways that were unnatural to her. † (Davies, 144) Reality is fighting appearance in this situation. The reality of the situation in Boy and Leola’s early years of marriage is that Leola was just being herself, and Boy made it clear that that was not good enough. Before Boy shaped her into someone different, Leola’s real, natural personality made a regular appearance. â€Å"If Boy let her shop alone she always came back with what he called ‘another Mary Pickford rig-out’, and if he took her shopping in Paris the session often ended with tears, because he sided with the clever shopwoman against his indecisive wife, who always forgot her painfully acquired French as soon as she was confronted with a living French creature. (Davies, 144) Leola cannot handle the pressures of trying to please her husband by being somebody who she is not. Leola ends up crying and slowly starting to hate her life and herself for not being able to maintain her high social reputation. She is unable to maintain the appearance Boy had created for her and reality is shown after Leola ’s suicide. The theme of appearances versus reality rises in Fifth Business quite often. This conflict is shown through Dunny and Boy’s relationship, as they seem like friends, but on the interior they have secret rivalries against each other. It is also shown when Dunny fakes his feelings for Diana and lastly, it is shown in Leola’s act to be the perfect trophy wife when in reality, she is not. The characters in Fifth Busniess often create false images and pretenses seperating the appearance of a situation from what they actually are in reality and because of that, Robertson Davies novel Fifth Business shows a great contrast between appearances and reality.

Does the Internet have a democratising effect on society? Essay

Internet has revolutionized the way of doing work in today’s modern world. Businesses are increasingly becoming online because of the wide spread of internet facility available every where. Now it is just a matter of click and one gets his order delivered at his door step. Where ever there is computer, there is internet access also available. Today people feel incomplete without computer and internet because internet makes us connected with the world. It provides a social feeling of comfort and togetherness, anyone having internet access is not alone in the real sense. With ever falling computer prices and internet usage rates, now all classes of people are able to afford the computer and simultaneously use internet. (Cavalier , 2005) Any media to which the whole population can access and communicate on just about anything has an over all democratizing effect on that population. The word ‘democratize’ basically means making available to all. So when we talk about the democratization effect of internet, it means that the internet can be accessed by every one. Radios, television, newspapers all make people literate and let information flow to them but internet is not limited to this extent. The percentage of people involved in producing and consuming knowledge is far greater for internet as compared to any other media. Therefore, it is fair and just if we call internet a democratizing agent. (Browning , 2002) There is information available on any topic at all on the internet. People can access online dictionaries, encyclopedias, journal articles, and search on research engines just sitting at their home. This has widened the knowledge base of the people. This huge information available on the internet has rendered it to have a democratizing effect because anyone any where can have access to information available on widest possible range of subjects. People who are illiterate on a certain subject gain information through the internet and are able to give well prepared lectures on that topic. Even people are now able to access internet free of cost at public libraries, universities, colleges etc. This means that internet has actually led to the democratization of information. The world is witnessing high growth rates in the use of Internet at homes as well as organizations. People have 24/7 connectivity available thanks to the developments in LAN and WAN. Moreover, information is available in all major languages over the internet so even non-English speaking people do not face any kind of trouble in accessing information which they require. People are not bounded from expressing themselves and their presented information can circulate to different corners of the world. The democracy of internet has led to an increase in the public awareness on crucial issues and has granted them freedom to express their thoughts openly even against the government which cannot be done in person. With the increased connectivity, more and more people are becoming aware of their environment and what is going on around them. They can discuss political and national issues over the internet with others and share information. Data related to the government as well as one’s country is easily accessed by the people and they get to know their real economic situation. Internet has democratized the politics and media. News is being transmitted through the internet plus political campaigns are also being carried on the websites. An example would illustrate the democratizing effect of internet on political campaigns. Political candidates and parties are raising more and more money through internet in the form of funds and donations. People try to convince others over the internet to donate for political campaigns and internet has increased the number of donors (Shane , 2004). Previously, people were not willing to donate for political campaigns but with the increasing democratizing effect of the internet, politics is gaining popularity and people are getting involved in political discussions and campaigns.

Medical Tourism in South India

MEDICAL TOURISM IN SOUTH INDIA – A SWOT PERSPECTIVE OF INDIAN MEDICINE SYSTEM J. Swaminathan AVCCE Health is wealth! (Ayurveda To Yoga) ABSTRACT The Indian Systems of Medicine include Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy is ancient and has the roots in traditional system of medical treatments in tune with the Mother Nature. Medical Tourism is the emerging industry next to the IT boom and India is the second best destination as of now. Especially the Indian Systems of Medicine, in South India can become the leader in medical Tourism Industry. This paper tries to appraise the facts and future possibilities based on a SWOT perspective. Introduction Without sound health we cannot achieve anything in our life, nor enjoy what ever we have. In service sector the concept of Medical Tourism is catching up at lightning speed across the world. The act of traveling to other countries for medical, surgical and other forms of healthcare along with recreation is called Medical Tourism. People from advanced countries, including the United States and Europe, see a benefit in traveling to developing third world countries, like India, Thailand, Philippines, South Africa, and etc. hile combining medical treatments with inexpensive vacation. According to a study conducted by the Confederation of Indian Industry and Mc Kinsey consultants (2004), 1,50,000 foreigners visited India for treatment, with the number rising by 15 percent a year. The number has increased to 2, 72,000 in 2007 and has crossed the 3 lakhs mark in 2008. ASSOCHAM has predi cted that this will grow by 22 to 25% in the coming years. Scope The main demand for medical tourism is generated from millions of Indians who live abroad, though a growing number of foreigners are also keen on speedy and in expensive treatment. They are influenced by two important facts: India now has many world-class private hospitals and the alternative medicines are available in abundance. Foreigners are visiting India for serious medical help as well as rejuvenation therapies and other specific purposes. Medical Tourism has been a popular concept in countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Costa Rica, Hungary, India, Israel, Jordan, and Lithuania. South Africa specializes in medical Safaris-visit the country for a safari, with a stock over for plastic surgery. Due to liberalization of our economy and internalization of health care profession, India has entered the industry in only recent times. India’s corporate hospitals are fully equipped with up market and efficiency. The Indian Systems of Medicine also has become a valid reason for them especially in preventive cure and alternative medicines. Medical Tourism is poised to be the next Indian success story after Information Technology. According to recent study of ASSOCHAM, in 2008 the size of industry was estimated Rs 1500 crore and it would grow into Rs. 9500 crores by 2015 with an annual growth rate of 30 %. The Indian government has predicted that India’s $ 17 billion –a-year health care industry would grow by 13% in next four years. Indian Systems of Medicine (ISM) The Indian Systems of Medicine include Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy together characterized under the department of AYUSH in the union health and family welfare ministry. During the ninth plan, with an expenditure of more than Rs. 1,000 crore, a quantum jump in outlays on schemes for development and promotion of AYUSH system of medicine has been achieved during Tenth and Eleventh Plan. Indians are known for their hospitality and warmth. India has an incomparably rich heritage in ancient systems of medicine that make up a veritable treasure house of knowledge for both preventive and curative health care. Around 1000 BC when Indian Systems of Medicine (ISM) were fully documented in Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita. Thus, ISM is considered to be one of the oldest organized systems of medicine for positive health and cure of human sickness. The most important and massive ancient compilation of the school of medicine is known as Charaka Samhita. It contains several chapters dealing at length with internal medicine. About six hundred drugs of plant, animal and mineral origin are described in it. But traditional medicine was ignored when western medical knowledge and procedures were introduced into the country. Once again the same has regained its limelight. Ayurveda : Ayurveda means the â€Å"science of life† in Sanskrit. It is one of oldest and the best documented among the ancient systems of medicine. From the Charaka Samhita (600 B. C) and the Susruta samhita. Yoga & Naturopathy : Yoga is not really a system of medicine. Its objectives are self- realization and spiritual union with all –pervasive divine cosmic power. But certain intermediary practices and yogic attitudes have proved beneficial for reducing stress, preventing many lifestyle-related diseases, and promoting general health and well being. Naturopathy is based on the fundamental principles of airbed. The basic tenet of Naturopathy is to live according to the laws of nature: disease occurs due to the accumulation of toxins in the body, and to cure the ailment, the body is purified with the use of natural methods, dietary regulations and exercise. Unani : The Unani system originated in the fourth and fifth century BC in Greece under the patronage of Hippocrates (460BC-377)and Galen. The system is based on the humoural theory that good health depends on the balance of the four humours: blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile. Siddha : Siddha means a â€Å"master† thus the name denoted the mastery of such practices. The most famous of the siddha was Nagarjuna, whose rasatantra forms the basis of this system. The distinctive features of siddha are its reliance on minerals and metallic compounds, and its emphasis on rejuvenation therapies. Homeopathy : The term homeopathy comes from the Greek word ‘ homios’ means like and ‘pathos’ means suffering. Homeopathy works by looking at the symptoms, will take into account the individual’s mental, physical, emotional,and spiritual health before deciding the treatment. Homeopathy is based on the principles that ‘like cures like’. Current State of Affairs The American Medical Association (AMA) has conducted a cost comparison study of health care in different countries. The surgical procedures and the dental treatment procedures have a cost advantage – approximately 1/6th of the cost in USA. Also the waiting period for even a simple surgery is minimum 6 months and specialty treatments are 9-12 months in USA / UK which is almost instant in India. AMA has proved though there are many countries less expensive than USA, India is the least expensive compared to European and Asian countries. Table 1: Summary of Medical care, Medical Manpower facilities available under Indian Systems of Medicine Facilities |Ayurveda |Unani |Siddha |Yoga |Naturopathy |Homeopathy | | | | | | | | | |Total | |Hospitals |2398 |268 |231 |8 |18 |230 |3203 | |Beds |42963 |4489 |2401 |135 |722 |10851 |61561 | |Dispensaries |13914 |1010 |464 |71 |56 |5836 |21351 | |Registered |453661 |46558 |6381 |0 |888 |217850 |725338 | |Practitioners | | | | | | | | Source: Department of Ayush, —- Health & Family welfare, Government of India. The Indian Systems of Medicine is given more importance in southern India. The state like Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and other states in India plays a key role in medical tourism. Kerala-The Pioneer State Kerala has pioneered health tourisim in India. Kerala has strongly focused on Ayurveda and its wide array of treatments and medications, good facilities are also available in other traditional forms of medicine as well as in modern medical treatment. Kerala is Capitalizing on its Rich Cultural Heritage and alternate Medical Therapies. Karnataka’s Foray The government of Karnataka has ambitious plans to make Karnataka the top health tourism destination not only in India but internationally. In fact, the government is setting up a Bangalore International Health City Corporation for provision of a wide variety health care products and treatments. Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu has multi speciality hospitals that offer the best medical treatment at surprisingly low rates. In the state various other forms of medicine, viz, Siddha, Ayurveda, Unani, Nature Therapy and Yoga are also practiced, which the foreigners are inclined to patronize. The Tourism Department is taking steps to promote the â€Å"illness to wellness† concept by developing tourism with health care. Andhra Pradesh The famous Nizamia General Hospital is the one of its kind probably in the whole world to use Unani system of medicine, since 1938 and treating almost 1500 outpatients every day. The state made rejuvenation theraphy , alternative medicine, yoga and traditional healing systems as its main tourist attraction. Maharastra’s Unlimited Potential This state, as a gateway to India, offers tremendous potential to develop medical tourism. The latest addition in Mumbai is the Asian Heart Institute at Bandra-Kurla complex, which offers state-of-the art facilities for all types of heart complications and even preventive cardiological treatment to avoid heart alignments and keep under control a host of heart problems. This institute in collaborating with the Cleveland Institute, U. S. A offers ‘Five Star’ services at reasonable prices. Medical Infrastructure In India, it is estimated that there are 15,000 hospitals, 8,75,000 hospital beds, 5,00,000 doctors, 7,37,000 Nurses, 170 medical colleges, 3, 50,000 retail chemist outlets. Around 18,000 new doctors are added every year. Almost 80,000 additional beds are still required. Given below is a SWOT Analysis of the Indian Systems of Medicine and Medical Tourism Industry in its current state: |STRENGTHS |WEAKNESS | |Quality Service at Affordable Cost |No strong government support / initiative to promote medical | |Vast supply of qualified doctors |tourism | |International Reputation of ospitals and Doctors |Low Coordination between the various players in the industry– | |Diversity of tourism destinations and Experiences |airline operators, hotels and hospitals | |Traditional and Ancient systems of Medicine |Customer Perception as an unhygienic country | | |No proper accreditation and regulation system for hospitals | | |Lack of uniform pricing policies across Hospitals | |OPPORTUN ITIES |THREATS | |Fast-paced life style increases demand for wellness tourism and |†¢ Strong competition from countries like Thailand, Malaysia and | |alternative cures. |Singapore. |Increased demand and Shortage of supply in National Health |†¢ Lack of international accreditation – a major inhibitor. | |Systems in countries like UK, Canada. |†¢ Overseas medical care not covered by insurance providers. | |Demand from countries with underdeveloped healthcare facilities. |†¢ Under – investment in health infrastructure. | |Demand for retirement homes for elderly people especially |†¢ Identifying a real and ideal practitioner is a major problem in| |Japanese. |India. | |Personal touch by the doctors in India. |†¢ Exploitation of tourists | |Traffic system is well developed and easy to go from one country | | |to another country. | |Medicines and labour cost is low as compared to developed | | |countries. | | Role of Government The role of Indian Government for success in medical tourism in Indian Systems of Medicines are †¢ To Regulate functioning of hospitals to build consumers’ trust. †¢ To encourage private investment and FDI in medical infrastructure and policymaking for improving medical tourism. †¢ To provide conducive fiscal policies – providing low interest rate loans, reducing import/excise duty for medical equipment. To Facilitate hassle free visa process and institute visa-on-arrival for patients. The government should 1. Build the ISM Brand Abroad based on – high quality service, value for money and destination diversity. 2. Promote Inter-Sectoral Coordination like aligning the activities of various players – Tourism Department, Transport Operators, Hotel Associations, Escorts personnel etc. 3. Information Dissemination using Technology about ISMI and enabling online transactions. 4. Standardization of Services like pricing, hygiene and quality standards. Role o f Private Sector 1. Increased participation in building infrastructure 2. Integrate Horizontally by providing end-to-end healthcare solutions to consumers. 3. Joint Ventures / Alliances: Tie ups with foreign institutions MEDICITIES – A self-sustained healthcare hub with super specialty hospitals of international standards, ancillary facilities, research institutions, health resort, rehabilitation centers and residential apartments may be floated through a public-private partnership. Conclusion : India’s growing economy and the world’s high cost medical treatments are the bright opportunities for promoting Medical Tourism. To gain an competitive advantage over other countries the government may use our unique, ancient and traditional Indian Systems of Medicine as a USP and can participate in developing the needed infrastructure facilities, creating network and connectivity with health, tourism and other related industries, tie-ups with other countries. The sky is open for ISM Medical Tourism.