In on the Moral and Legal Status of Abortion, Mary Essays - Ethics

In on the Moral and Legal Status of Abortion, Mary Anne Warren discusses a few arguments against abortion, namely bringing into play whether the fetus is actually a person, or "not a member of the moral community". She defends that abortion is a morally sound action. Don Marquis, in his essay An Argument that Abortion is Wrong, takes the opposite stance. He claims, "that abortion, except perhaps in rare instances, is seriously wrong". The first thing we read in Warren's article is the thought experiment first conceived by Judith Thomson. It's an analogy that uses a normal person, male or female, and a famous violinist. Let's say the Society of Music Lovers kidnaps you, and hooks you up to this dying violinist. If you choose to unhook yourself, the violinist will die, but if you let him stay hooked up to you to use your kidneys, then he will be cured and both of you will be free. Thomson asks what a person's obligations in this situation are, and, to be consistent with Warren's argument, she says it would be ridiculous to be stay in bed with the violinist, and thus you are able to leave at any time. You shouldn't feel responsible for the death of the violinist. But Marquis, in his essay, points out that, while good for dealing with abortions due to rape, the analogy doesn't hold up. Thomson draws to our attention that in pregnancy a fetus uses the woman's body for life-support, but the woman doesn't use a fetus's body for life support. Thus, in an abortion the life that is lost is the fetus's, not the woman's. This leaves us with a standoff. I think this overall analogy is not significantly helpful for either side of the argument. Warren then discusses whether or not abortion is actually the killing of a "person", calling into question when a fetus matures to the point of personhood. She defines the moral community as having some of these six characteristics: sentience (capacity to have conscious experiences), emotionality (capacity to feel sad, angry, happy, etc.), reason (capacity to solve new and relatively complex problems), capacity to communicate (by any means), self-aware ness (concept of oneself), and finally moral agency (capacity to regulate one's own actions). This is clearly very sketchy, because infants and mentally or physically challenged people are still referred to and thought of as "people", or "members of the moral community", despite a lack of many of these traits. Both articles address this idea of personhood, but neither one really wins. The good thing with defining personhood biologically, saying it's a person at conception, quantifies itit gives a definitive time, not some subjective date when certain sentient or reasoning qualities are met, and this lessens the confusion. But I still agree somewhat with the view held by Warren that fetuses can't reason or fend for themselves nor do really anything other than exist. So again, I don't think either side has a stronger case, because both Warren and Marquis have points that basically offset one another. An interesting thing that Marquis then does is go on to talk about FLO, or "future like ours". He claims that killing deprives a person of a future that is like ours, and says that abortion is killing a fetus that will have a future like ours. Taking someone's entire future away from them is the worst of crimes, and he argues that abortion is this kind of deprivation of future. Killing an adult is an awful thing to do because it takes away that adult's future, a future that is of great value. The same goes for aborted fetusesthey had a future that would be valued but it was taken away from them. Warren also argues that a woman has a right to life, so she can make a decision that she sees fit, since her body belongs to her and only her. In response to this, Marquis says that, except during rape (when he believes it is permissible), a fetus has just as much of a right to life as the woman, and therefore an abortion is wrong. Marquis concludes that abortion is seriously wrong, except in unusual cases (rape, incest,

South Korea †A Role Model For The Developing Nation

South Korea – A Role Model For The Developing Nation Free Online Research Papers South Korea A Role Model For The Developing Nation During the 1988 Seoul Olympics, visitors from worldwide had the opportunity to witness the prosperous and modernized Seoul city. Hardly for anyone can imagine that thirty-five years ago Seoul was just a place with ashes and rubbles. For all South Koreans, the transformation from post war ruined land to a well-developed nation was considered their national pride. During the 30 years recovery span, the Gross National Product (GNP) raised from $100 in 1960 to astonishing $2800 in 1987 (Eckert). Also, the per capita income had increased from $700 in 1976 to $1624 in just three years (Eckert). Many economists and scholars were very surprised by such achievement as they considered such transformation as â€Å"The Miracle on the Han River†. As of today, many developing countries began to view South Korea as their role model: â€Å"Korea is now regarded as an economic model to be emulated by other nations†. (Steinberg 124) However, such tremendous achievement would never happened without president Park Chung Hee’s establishment of a solid government guidance system, precise foreign policy decision and efficient use of compare advantages of the country. His thinking and ideological approach were very similar to the Japanese colonial government in Korea. As of today, although many Koreans disagree with President Park’s dictatorship, however, his contribution in modeling the strong Korean economy had always been admired. Thus, he was addressed as the â€Å"father of Korean economy.† On May 16, 1961, when general Park’s overthrown the new popular elected government. By the time he assumed the power, the United States government was uncertain what had taken place in South Korea. There were suspicions that South Korea might have fallen to a crypto-communist. After his succession overthrown the previous government, Park took his first step in building a solid network to control his people by established a military style supervision system [Guide Capitalism]. He appointed retired military staff to serve as local government leaders thus his command will be carried from top officials from the central government to the local officials in every single township. After consolidate his central power, Park also began to introduce his new economic development. He established three powerful agencies to support his development plans: The Economic Planning Board (EPB), The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), and The Ministry of Finance (MoF). His development pla n began with obtaining control of the enterprises across the nation. The government persecuted business leaders who were profiting from the corruption in the South Korean government. Twenty-four leading businessman were arrested. The leader of Samsung, Lee Byung Chull avoided the persecution because he was out of the country at the time. After Lee returned to Korea he met with Park and agree to follow Park’s economic developing program. Lee and other business leaders ended up with paying fines to keep their businesses. After obtained control of large enterprises, Park began to ensure his government’s dominance of financial sectors by nationalized all the banks from South Korea. The government was able to supervise the transaction flow from every bank in the country and it has the authority to set the interest rates. The government even had power to intervene all commercial loans induced from foreign banks. Park then established the Office of National Tax Admin istration (ONTA). This is an agency to insure that the flow of expenditures and profits distribute to the approved sectors. The agency also had the authority to shut a business down if such firm violated the official guidelines and regulations. Park also established the fourth agency, Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA), which is responsible when discovered any worker, began to demonstrate his/her suspicion towards the labour law he/she will be putdown by the police and other security forces. Park’s thinking and ideological orientation was decidedly Stalinist. However his predilection for central planning and autocratic control probably came from his experiences in the Japanese army. The Japanese army had no sympathy for notions of free markets and in Manchukuo undertook a Stalinist-style development program. Park’s style of governance emphasised on military control that can be traced from the Japanese colonial period where Japanese colonial government also relied on its military power to govern Koreans. When the Japanese occupation began in 1904, Japanese government have stationed troops in Korea. These troops served as peacekeeper in Korea and as punisher to ensure Koreans would follow instructions given by the Japanese colonial government. Similar to president Park’s centralized banking system, the government took full control of the Korean currency and introduced Japanese banking into Korea to protect the Japanese enterprises to invest in Korea. They established the Oriental Development Company (ODC) to sell low interest loads to the Japan businesses in Korea to help these companies to grow. The colonial government also took away the military, imperial and untitled land in Korea and distribute them to the Japanese enterprises in Korea (total of 380,926 acres). In o rder to ensure the tax revenue, the Japanese took land survey and established property fixed taxes. In addition, similar to Park’s military government, the colonial government established also had its police system (Seirei) to govern Koreans. Seirei’s responsibility included regulating local court, ensure the operation of tax system and provide surveillance of communities. The idea of Park’s military surveillant government, centralized financial and commercial sectors are very similar to the plans that Japanese colonial government implemented. The establishment of foreign relation played a very significant role during President Park’s regime: â€Å"The influence of foreign powers in shaping the country’s economy has been extraordinary. Korea’s crucial geopolitical position at the crossroads of northeast Asia has brought the peninsula into intimate and sustained contract with the two most dynamic and expansive economies of the twentieth century, Japan and the United States†. (Eckert 389) Over the years, there had been continues debate related to the co-operation between South Korea-U.S-Japan. Many Koreans claim that the Korean economy can still maintain a stable growth even without outside assistance. However, it is obvious that President Park’s export strategy had indeed became a boost for the Korean economy. Since the Korean War ended in 1953, the Korean peninsula suffered the humongous damage that cast by the war. Since then, because of the help from the U.S, which provided large amount of economic assistance, the First republic was able to rebuild. Between 1946 and 1976, the U.S supplied a total of $12.6 billion economic and military assistance to Korea (Eckert). Also, the U.S government had financed about 70% of South Korea’s imports and 80% of fixed capital in transportation, manufacturing and electric power (Eckert). It also helped with the growth of textile industry that in the 1950’s the average growth of textile industry reached to 24% per year (Eckert). During the second republic, the U.S government also provided significant help to Park’s government. For example, it helped to establish the Korea Development Institute (KDI) and Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) in order to provide trainings to Korean economic and industrial technocrats. In addition, the U.S AID Mission in South Korea had also taken a role in tutoring president Park in economics and served as his economic advisor at that time. The most important is that U.S military led Koreans to participate in the Vietnam War and brought to the Koreans with unexpected economic bonanza. During the war, Korean military have received a huge amount of foreign exchange (estimate $660 million to $926 million) from U.S compensation to participate in the war, which accounted for 20% of foreign exchange and 4.4% of GNP in 1970 (Eckert). Not only the military had benefit by the war, business sectors also received huge revenue during the war. For example, the private businesses (Chaebols) such as the founder of Hanjin Cho Chung-Hun, who set up a land and marine transport company in South Vietnam. His company assumed the responsibility of the operation from U.S army and received huge amount of profit from the service. Similarly, another chaebol Hyundai, was able to benefit though the Vietnam War by serving as a major contractor for the U.S army in South Vietnam. The company later was able to grow and expand their international construction business in Middle East countries. Between 1974 and 1979, the top ten chaebols were able to earn estimated revenue of $22 billion (Eckert). Such â€Å"construction export† had also benefit the Korean government where the foreign reserved had grown from $2,961 million into $4,937 million between 1976 and 1978 (Eckert). On the other hand, Japan had also played a significant role in the economic growth during Park’s era. In 1965, President Park established the c ontroversial normalization relationship with Japanese government. Japanese brought in a total of $1.4 billion investment over ten years which accounted for more than half of the total foreign investment in Korea (Eckert). President Park’s efficient use of comparative advantage of the nation was another important factor for the rise of the South Korean economy. In the beginning of 1960’s, president Park began with a series of five years plans for his re-construction plan. He began with focusing on the light industry for the first and second five years plans. Park chose his investments priority into industries that had short capital turnover and require manpower instead of heavy machinery. This is because he understands that Korea had great comparative advantage in labour force but has fairly short capital and poor technology. Then, during the early 1970’s, Park’s government witnessed the U.S force retreat from the Korean peninsula and he also noticed that the relationship between United States and People’s Republic of China had been vastly improved. Park’s government felt the urgency to develop their own self-reliant military support thus he began to his Heavy and Chemical Industry (HCI) plan. â€Å"Park government felt that it could no longer rely completely on the United States for its supply of sophisticated arms for its defence. It also believed that if it could manufacture arms, it could also export them.† (Steinberg 136) In order to achieve the industrialization in South Korea, Park began to invest extensive funds to develop heavy, chemical and defence industry such as production of steel, machinery, automobile, electronic, and shipbuilding. As a result, the outputs of heavy chemical industry have changed from 28.6% of total production in 1962 into 56.8% in 1986 (Eckert). Such dramatic change provided a clear path for Korea marching towards a semi-advanced nation. On the other hand, the Japanese colonial government also took advantage of Korean labour force during their occupation in Korea. The Meiji restoration had not only re-shaped the Japanese political structure but also helped with the development of economy. The average income in Japan increased and Japanese enterprises began to seek for cheaper labour elsewhere. These enterprises then began to recruit cheap labours from Korea to work in Japan. Also, during the occupation period, the rice production in Korea was also relatively cheaper than Japan. The Japanese colonial government thus recruited a large amount of tenants to participate in rice production and ship these rice back to Japan. â€Å"It was thus Japanese colonialism that ultimately laid the foundations for a modern transformation of the economy. To appreciate how far reaching they were, one need only compare photographs of Seoul in the late Choson period with similar photographs taken in the mid-1930’s†. (Eckert 190) In conclusion, the result of Korean economy transform was astonishing. The total export increased from less than $30 million in 1960 into huge $47,280 million in 1987 (Eckert); and $41, 020 million import accounted in 1987, which occupied 75% of the GNP (Eckert). Also, the total employment rate climbed from 30.6% in 1964 to 52.4% in 1985 (Eckert). These numbers provided a strong evidence of how successful Korean economy has transformed under President Park Chung Hee’s era. Meanwhile, his strategies can also be traced from the Japanese colonial period. As of today, Korea became a role model for many developing countries from the Third world. President Park Chung Hee indeed was a nation hero who changed the South Korea from devastation to a prosperous nation after the Korean War. As it states in the World Bank Report: â€Å" [Park] has transformed (South) Korea from one of the poorest developing countries, which heavily dependence on agriculture and a weak balance of payments financial almost entirely by foreign grates, to a semi-industrialized middle income nation with an increasingly strong external payment position and the prospect of eliminating the current account deficit in the next 5-10 years† (Koh 34) Work Cited Eckert, Lee, Lew, Robinson, Wagner, Korea Old and New: A History, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts 1990 Gills B.K Korea Versus Korea: A Case of Contested Legitimacy, Routledge, New York, London 1996 Koh, B.C The Foreign Policy Systems of North and South Korea, University of California Press, Berkeley, L.A, London ,1984 Peattie, Mark R. Japanese Attitudes Toward Colonialism 1895-1945 (Essay), Steinberg, David I. The Republic of Korea: Economic and Social Change, Western Press, Boulder and London, 1989 A Comparative Study of South and North Korea, National Unification Board, Seoul, Korea, 1988 A Handbook of Korea, The Korean Overseas Culture and Information Service, Seoul, Korea Research Papers on South Korea - A Role Model For The Developing NationBringing Democracy to AfricaPETSTEL analysis of IndiaAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeQuebec and CanadaNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceDefinition of Export Quotas19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2Analysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaThe Effects of Illegal Immigration

Crime and Human Rights Violation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Crime and Human Rights Violation - Essay Example Although some of them would enter such competition voluntarily for the prize money or prestige, majority of them could not refuse for being slaves or prisoners stripped of rights granted to other human beings. Albert Camus, the mid-20th century philosopher, discoursed in â€Å"The Rebel† (Camus 6) the illogical defense of violation of human rights by the holder of power. No one can question the atrocities and genocide committed before the start of the Common Era. But it would seem absurd that such acts were committed by people in power in modern times when people are expected to act and behave with civility. Camus might had been exasperated and disappointed with the turn of events in modern society since the powerless majority are subjected under the control of the authority expected to protect the people but nevertheless becomes the oppressor and tyrant. The discourses and politico-philosophical essays of Camus might be rooted to his family and childhood experiences (Albert C amus pars. 4-6). He grew up in a poor family and in an impoverished environment. He also experienced a hard life during the war. He was a socialist all throughout his life but an anti-communist. The Algerian Communist Party was at odds with the Le Parti du Peuple Algerien, which he considered as more people oriented and to which he was a member. His views and discourses surely reflected his own experiences. Barbaric and inhumane treatment of people in the distant past were common as part of conquest areas and territories. Even the common people would gleefully watch criminals or war prisoners being tortured or whipped to death in public places. Gladiators killing each other in the arena serve as an entertainment for the rulers and the people. It can be deduced that inhumane treatment of slaves or criminals is part of the culture of the people then. The values and social perspective of the people in a particular society were reflected even to the entertainment and recreational aspect of their lives. Many of the prisoners and slaves were taken as captives from other tribes or communities. Invasion of one territory is made for the purpose of controlling the people of that place and make them subject of the invader. The invader would also want to control the territory and all its resources, food, minerals, livestock, etc. to serve the needs of the people of the invading group. Thus, in the olden times, the conquered people were treated as inferior in society with lesser rights or no rights at all. As a resulted, there are groups in society which were not treated as an equal or as a human being. Or worst, they were viewed as mere animals that can be mutilated at the pleasure of the authorities. Severe punishments were already influenced by the perspective of the ruling elite of the time. In the pre-Common Era China, for instance, punishments given by the leaders were severe on the notion that people were naturally evil and must be punished severely (Lambert, Legali sm par. 2). At around 2000 BCE, humans were sacrificed and buried beneath the foundations of buildings (Lambert, A More Advanced par. 3). Invading nations in the past think of themselves as superior than the rest of the nations. They think that they had more advanced civilization, knowledge and systems. These nations may have had advanced military

Symposium and Phaedo determine why Socrates is spared the tragic fate Essay

Symposium and Phaedo determine why Socrates is spared the tragic fate of many old Greek heroes - Essay Example In his analysis, Socrates seeks the interpretation of love from Diotima, a priest of Zeus. Socrates gives the genesis of love, which emanates from Resource and Poverty. To him, Resource is the father of Love and Poverty is the mother of Love. Socrates further argues that Love has many dimensions, it can be patient, harsh, beggarly or deceptive and, therefore, it balances itself into these virtues depending on the situation at hand (Conford, 56). Socrates further argues that people have the desire to procreate, physically and mentally, and for them to bring forth children of high intellect; they have to become philosophers as this will ensure the immortality of their children. This analysis of Socrates in the Symposium makes him a Great Greek hero. Phaedo depicts the death of Socrates; just as Symposium, it is a work by Plato. It analyzes the beliefs of Socrates just before being executed by the Athenian courts for not believing in the Athenian gods (Conford, 32). This analysis by Plato emanates from Phaedo, a student of Socrates. The analysis of Phaedo represents Socrates as a great Greek hero because of his philosophical views of death. Socrates introduces the Greeks into the notion of life after death, arguing of the immortality of the soul. He gives four reasons as such: The third argument is on the fact that visible, mortal and real thins are not the same as invisible, immortal and unreal. The Soul is invisible, therefore, cannot pass the same process as the body which is physical. In conclusion, Socrates compared to Achilles, is greater. Achilles was a warrior but did not embrace wisdom and knowledge whereas Jason is depicted as loving power. Jason and Achilles were warriors who pursued their goals through violent means while Socrates pursed solutions to his problems by searching on wisdom. To Greeks, knowledge is more beneficial that courage or even power, because

Phrase that makes you think Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Phrase that makes you think - Essay Example The moment that you failed to do what they entrusted you with, you will be a disgrace to them. That example that I gave is done everyday without them being aware that it follows a certain phrase, â€Å"with great power, comes great responsibility†. Another example is when a local cop is granted the power to question people on why they drive in a barbaric manner. One temptation for the cop is to directly arrest the person in denial and get his cash as a sign of â€Å"release†. For some people who do not know or are not familiar with this phrase, they are tempted to be corrupt. I believe that once this quote is failed to be followed, they intend to be corrupt by default. In conclusion, this phrase could remind us repeatedly that we are all tempted to use our powers for doing bad things, and that we have to be careful because we are the masters of our own hands. This phrase would also help people to be aware on their current positions and that of they have to use it wisely .

Medical Tourism In India: A Proposal

Medical Tourism In India: A Proposal Medical tourism- the concept of traveling far and wide for better medical treatment is not a novel idea, only the term. The globalization of the health care sector and the massive demand for low cost-high quality treatment in recent times has caught the attention of many developing countries that have the adequate resources and potential to meet these demands. The profitability and the lucrative nature of the medical tourism business has now put this trade, high on the agenda of both the Indian government and the private health care providers. Today, medical tourism has become a commonplace practice with a large number of people around the world since usual constraints like language, finance, difficulties in global travel and fear of the unknown are no longer acting as barriers to the tourists who seek medical treatment in foreign countries. Countries like India, Singapore, Malaysia etc have developed strategies specifically with the aim of tackling such issues and rendering themselves as the ideal medical tourism destinations. Although India is emerging as the hot-spot medical tourism destinations within the Asia-Pacific and other regions of the world, it seems to be facing tough competition from other big players of this industry who have projected an equally good reputation for themselves and are reaping the benefits of this business. Therefore, it is imperative for India to continuously rethink and reform its marketing strategies to gain competitive advantage and increase its market share in the health care sector. It is an undisputed fact that medical tourism is a rapidly growing industry and creating inroads into the Indian economy. There are a large number of stake holders in this industry in South East Asia including countries like Singapore and Malaysia. There are various marketing strategies being used for propagating this industry. My endeavor would be to seek the gaps that exist and suggest remedial action. Being from the medical fraternity and having had the opportunity to treat a number of overseas patients, the concept of medical tourism has generated a great deal of interest in me. I believe that there are some deficiencies in the marketing strategies for health tourism in India that need to be looked into and improvised. The aim of my research would be to propose marketing strategies that would boost the Indian Medical Tourism for the future. 3. Preliminary review of literature There are three sections of the literature review:- i) Historical aspects- inception and evolution ii) Medical tourism in India- the present scenario iii) Probable concerns and pitfalls of the Indian medical tourism industry. i) Historical aspects- inception and evolution The concept of constructing health complexes around hot springs goes back to as old as the Sumerian civilization (circa 4000BC) where health care facilities comprised of grand elevated buildings with flowing pools. The hill tribes of Switzerland of the area presently know as St. Moritz, during the Bronze Age (circa 2000 BC) recognized the benefits of bathing and drinking in iron-rich mineral springs. The discovery of bronze drinking cups used by them in thermal springs in Germany and France possibly signifies health pilgrimages within these cultures. As per written historical accounts, bathing and healing complexes were erected around therapeutic springs in Mesopotamia, India, Greece and China. The concept of medical tourism emanated as trips to sacred baths and hot springs. However, it is the Greeks who have to be given the credit for laying the foundations for medical tourism networks. Greek medical tourism. Asclepius was considered to be the god of medicine according to Greek mythology. In his honor, Asclepian healing temples had been constructed throughout Greece by the 4th Century BC. These temples were established near the mineral springs which were considered to be the prime Healthful Locations. The system of medical tourism during this period was as follows:- Patients and their attendants came to Asclepia temples seeking treatment for various ailments. At Epidaurus, the port temple, treatment included gymnasia, palaestra (exercise area), bathing springs and a dream temple. There was a retinue of priests, caretakers and stretcher carriers who attended to the patients before they were granted final appointment with the mighty priest. Patients made sacrificial offerings according to their status- the poor left shoes; Alexander the Great left his breastplate. Roman Medical Tourism. The hallmark of ancient Roman medical tourism centered around hot water baths called Thermae. These centers of medical treatment were posh establishments. Some of these centers comprised of art galleries conference halls, theatres and sometimes sport stadia. Because of the active trade with Asia, the Roman baths augmented medical tourism activities like Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic massage and various aspects of Buddhist spiritual healing at some Roman Thermae. Japanese Medical Tourism-Onsen. ONSEN means hot mineral springs in Japanese. Medical tourism in Japan centered around these hot mineral springs which were enriched by surrounding volcanic soil. It attracted a variety of people including hunters, fishermen, farmers and warriors. It was believed that these mineral springs were effective in alleviating pain, healing wounds and recuperation. A thousand years later, this form of medical tourism in Japan is still an ongoing phenomenon. Indian Medical Tourism. India has been the home ground of alternative system of medicine for the past 5000 years. Aspects of medical tourism include yoga, eastern cultural, spiritual and medicinal compilation with meditation thrown in. India has been a Mecca for alternative medicine practitioners. A new boost was given to health tourism in the 1960s with the New Age movement in the US. This New Age movement seeks Universal Truth and the attainment of the highest individual human potential and is characterized by an individual approach to spiritual practices and philosophies and the rejection of religious doctrine and dogma. With this movement, India had once again become the most sought after destination for thousands of western pilgrims. Indias deep commitment to health care infrastructure and technology furthered the mass influx of medical tourists. India is now one of the worlds oldest medical tourism destinations and has gained popularity over the years over other destinations. European Medical Tourism. European medical tourism came into existence with the rediscovery of the Roman baths in the 16th century. With the rediscovery of the Roman baths, Baden Baden , Aachen and most notably Bath, became spa towns. By the 1720s the spa towns came to be frequented by Aristocrats and gentlemen of leisure from other parts of Europe and even royal patronage. Michel Eyquem de Montaigne, French royal inventor of the essay was the most noteworthy medical tourist of this time. He traversed the continent for 9 years for the cure of his gall bladder problem. He is widely believed to be the father of luxury travel and has helped to write one of the earliest documented spa guides for European tourists. Health Tourism-New world. English and Dutch colonists in the 1600s, constructed log cabins near mineral springs in the newly discovered Americas. By 19th century the American reformists made it a habit to travel to remote Western springs that were rich in medicinal properties. Today, there are no physical, economical and cultural barriers that separate nations from one another. Coupled with the flattening global economy, ease of international travel and lenient trade policies has opened the vistas of medical tourism destinations around the globe. This has made affordable health care availability to patients who find it difficult or impossible to access such health care facilities in their own countries. Inflated health care costs are driving the patients to medical tourism destinations like Thailand and India for sophisticated procedures at a fraction of the price. Long waiting periods for medical treatment is another factor that is making patients seek treatment abroad. Also, lack of comprehensive medical insurance has attracted thousands of patients to seek treatment abroad. Medical tourism today has become a global phenomenon with many countries expanding their offerings, including unique tourism opportunities for example South Africa is promoting medical safari in a big way. ii.) MEDICAL TOURISM IN INDIA-the present scenario Medical Tourism India or Health Tourism India is a developing concept that has gained tremendous popularity and is attracting people from all over the world for their medical and relaxation needs. The treatments most commonly include knee transplant, cosmetic treatment, dental treatment and cardiac surgery. India is now a favorable medical tourism destination as its infrastructure and technology are at par with USA, UK and Europe, enabling it to provide treatment centers and hospitals that are best in the world with world class facilities. These factors coupled with visits to some of the most alluring and awe-inspiring places of the world have brought about the merging of tourism with medication giving rise to the concept of Medical Tourism. India is promoting health tourism through depicting the high-tech healing of its private healthcare sector. The Indian government is marketing the concept of traveling to India for cheaper and world-class medical facilities to foreigners, with the intention of encouraging the growing Indian medical tourism industry. The policy of the Indian government to merge medical expertise and tourism was announced during the 2003-04 budgets when the finance minister Jaswant Singh propounded India to become a Global Health Destination. According to a study conducted by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the field is so lucrative that it has the potential to become a $2.3 billion business by 2012. Around 150,000 foreigners visited India for treatment during 2004 and since then, this number has increased by 15% every year. In recent times, India has emerged as the Global Health Destination due to the following advantages: 1. Medical services are provided at almost 30% lower cost than the Western countries and are the cheapest in South-east Asia. 2. India has a large population of doctors and paramedical staff who have good knowledge of spoken English. Therefore language is a major comfort factor that attracts so many foreign tourists to visit for the purpose of medical and health tourism making it easier for overseas patients to relate well to Indian doctors. 3. Indian doctors expertise in various surgical procedures including cardiac surgeries, liver transplants, orthopedic surgeries and other medical treatments. 4. Indian hospitals offer a wide array of high quality treatment procedures comprising of joint replacements, cardiothoracic surgery, dental care, cosmetic treatments and more. iii) Probable concerns and pitfalls of Indian medical tourism industry Review of literature suggests the following concerns that need attention if one has to augment and boost the medical tourism sector. Concerns of the consumers Some of the consumers feel that India is unhygienic, polluted and bureaucratic. There is no appropriate accreditation system for the hospitals. Concerns about medical insurance which is underdeveloped, inadequate and has few global players. overseas companies refuse reimbursements. There are also concerns about terrorism, communal unrest and bad connectivity between cities and towns. While some of these concerns are genuine, most of them are mere perceptions. Concerns of the promoters From the promoters point of view, the concerns that have emerged revolve around lack of regulations concerning ethics and systemic support, lack of infrastructure deficiencies like electricity, power supply and water, inadequate land reforms, taxation anomalies, funding constraints, implementation lacunae and bureaucratic bottlenecks. 4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND OBJECTIVES. India seems to be an emerging medical tourism destination offering great opportunities in terms of creating new jobs and generating sources of revenue for the Indian economy. It is therefore imperative that the impetus gained so far should not be jeopardized and measures should be adopted to improve the present situation by developing and implementing new strategies. Research questions 1. What is the present state of Indian medical tourism? indicating assessment of the present situation. 2. What are the drawbacks or felt impediments of the medical tourism trade sector? indicating an analytical structuring of the data. 3. What are the ways to improve medical tourism in India through better marketing strategies? an assessment of the lacunae in the existing marketing strategies. 4. Is the government doing enough to support the medical tourism industry? an assessment of the governmental leaning towards the industry. Research objectives 1. To develop pragmatic marketing strategies for health care institutions involved in medical tourism in India. 2. To assess the impact of the government action on the present marketing strategies for foreign patients. 3. To make a marketing plan model for the Health tourism industry in India 5. RESEARCH PLAN Research perspective My research approach is based upon the words of the renowned anthropologist Clifford Geertz man is an animal suspended in webs of significance he himself has spun. I take culture to be these webs, and the analysis of it is not to be an experimental science in search of law but an interpretive one inn search of meaning (Jewell,S.2010). It therefore forms an interpretivist approach. Since the medical tourism industry is a business and management perspective, any research into this field would fall into the gamut of positivist and interpretivist approaches. My research is essentially a qualitative one since my data collection is mainly secondary in nature. Furthermore, my research is theory forming where in I shall be using the inductive approach to analyze the data. My research also involves the assessment of factors of concern that are related to the health tourism industry of India. It would be my effort to sift out the relevant factors and analyze them from the point of view of deve loping marketing strategies. Research design The approach that best answers my research questions fits into the modified cross sectional design. Here, the research design revolves around the collection of data that is occurring naturally over a designated period. My research design also involves mainly quantitative data and some qualitative data too. My research is based upon observation and document analysis. The cross sectional design also gives information on aspects of who, what, how many, where, and the how and why. Data collection methods I shall be collecting my data through analysis of secondary data. I also intend to submit questionnaires to the stakeholders and the major players of the medical tourism in India with the aim of seeking relevant data that would help me in answering my research questions and fulfill my research objectives. Secondary data: the secondary data would be collected through the following; Written materials- various websites, websites of homepages of key players, magazines and journals, books and publications. I would also be looking for government publications, laws and acts related to this subject. Non-written materials- media, television etc. Most of the data from outside the individual organization will yield information about the medical tourism industry. While, data that is collected from the organizational websites would give information on how things are done within the organization and their modus operandi. ii. Questionnaires: I will be sending the questionnaires to all the major players in the Indian medical tourism industry. The questionnaires will be used to obtain data for quantitative analysis in order to assess the functioning of various medical tourism facilities in India. The idea of using questionnaires is that a large quantity of data can be made available covering a wide range of database for quantitative analysis. A good amount of objectivity can be incorporated and the results would be of valid and reliable nature. Analysis of data Having collected all the qualitative and quantitative data, I would subject it to appropriate analysis and apply relevant statistical tests of significance to ensure that the results are valid, reliable and give a reasonable level of generalisabilty. I aim to deduce the relevant marketing strategies being used and to assess their impact on the industry. I shall be presenting the analyzed data in the form pie diagrams, bar charts and other forms of statistical presentations. LIMITATIONS Validity and reliability Since my data is mainly secondary in nature it is presumed that global players in the me dical tourism industry would not putting false data to propagate their business ventures. From this point of view my data would be valid as well as reliable. As my data is being collected from internet, websites of various stake holders, magazines etc. I am confident that stake holders at this level of global competitiveness would not be putting up false data or information for promotional activities that could jeopardize their reputation. However, the limitations of validity and reliability I foresee to come across would be from the questionnaires I would be sending to the stake holders. The disadvantage I feel I would face using the questionnaires is that some people may not respond, may take a long time for returning back and the response rate cannot be predicted. However despite these limitations, I expect to be able to generate valid information and data for quantitative analysis. I shall be sending these questionnaires to the concerned stakeholders through their homepages and their websites and try and elicit as much response as possible from them. Generalisabilty My research design is based upon the study of an industry and does not impinge upon a case study research. All factors being studied can be considered as offshoots of a single industry. For e.g. the legislation aspects would be covering the entire industry and not a single institution or a hospital. Secondly, my aim is to give broad based generalized guide lines on the recommendations for improving medical tourism in India. My attempt therefore would be to collect and analyze data from where generalisabilty can be achieved. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS I will abide by the Coventry University BES ethical guidelines. I will conduct my research honestly and present all the data accurately. I will get the low risk approval form signed by my supervisor to get his approval before I begin my research. I shall take all precaution to ensure and respect the rights and integrity of subjects if any. I shall treat all the data confidentially and would ensure that it would not be used for any other purpose other than that intended. Since my data collection is mainly secondary in nature, my research work is considered to be a low risk from the ethical point of view. I shall keep all the raw information on ethics and the data collected for audit purposes. PLAGIARISM I will paraphrase; reference and cite the sources used by me, to acknowledge the work of others and avoid any sort of plagiarism. Michael Porter: Impact of Strategic Management Theory Michael Porter: Impact of Strategic Management Theory The field of strategic management is complex and multi-faceted. Strategic management has been defined in many different ways. The basic tenet of the Positioning School is that strategies are generic positions in a competitive marketplace and are based on analysis by a consulting firm. Michael Porter, indisputably one of the most influential thinkers on management and competitiveness in the world laid the groundwork for strategic positioning in 1980 with his book Competitive Strategy in which he presented his Five Forces model. His 1985, work, Competitive Advantage, described his activity-based view and introduced his Value Chain model. Since the publication of these influential works, their popularity has continued due to their general applicability and ease of use. Keywords: Michael Porter, strategic management, Five Forces Model, Value Chain Model, Porter, Positioning School. The Influence of Michael Porter The field of strategic management is complex and multi-faceted. Numerous definitions have been proposed in an attempt to prescribe the essential elements of management strategy and to discover a methodology to satisfy once and for all the needs of managers seeking to maximize their organizations potential in the dog-eat-dog business world. Strategic management has been defined in many different ways based on the organizations mission, policies, sector, structure, objectives, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, key success factors or decisions, capabilities, planning, implementation, and sustainable competitive advantage (Sadler, 2003). Generally, strategic management is the means by which organizational managers seek to bolster the success of their businesses via a series of competitive maneuvers. Such maneuvers may be taken with regard to the external environment in which the firm is currently operating or in relation to the organizations internal capabilities (or inabilities) (Sadler, 2003). Mintzberg, Ahlstrand and Lampel (as cited in Sadler, 2003, p. 15) developed a method of organizing these numerous schools of thought into three major groups labeled the Prescriptive, Descriptive, and Configurational Schools. The Descriptive group consists of those schools which seek to describe strategic management in terms of how it is formed in practice. The Configurational group encompasses one single school of thought which has two facets, the first seeking to describe the organizations state and context, and the second endeavoring to depict the strategy-making process. The Prescriptive Group is composed of those schools which venture to define strategic management in terms of how it should be formulated, as opposed to how it is formed in practice (see Descriptive Schools above). Within the Prescriptive group reside the design, planning, and positioning schools. The design school seeks to define strategic management as a conceptual process, and the most recent manifestation of this approach is the SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) Analysis, developed by Ken Andrews in the early 70s. SWOT analysis aims to analyze the firm in terms of internal factors strengths and weaknesses, and external environmental factors opportunities and threats, in order to gain a competitive advantage. The planning school, on the other hand, focuses primarily on the future and has as its principal goal the formulation of decisions and actions that will guide the organizations actions and define its purpose. Michael Porters seminal and best-known work, Competitive Strategy, laid the foundation of the positioning school. The basic tenet of this school is that strategies are generic positions in a competitive marketplace and are based on analysis by a consulting firm. A renowned business management theorist and commonly recognized as the father of modern management theory, Porter is a respected professor holding the prestigious Bishop William Lawrence University Professorship at Harvard Business School. He is a prolific author; since 1976, he has written some 18 books and more than 125 articles on competition and strategy. Porter has advised management in numerous U.S. and international companies and governments worldwide and has won many honors and awards for his work in economics and strategic management theory. Michael Porter is indisputably one of the most influential thinkers on management and competitiveness in the world. Michael Porters Theories Porter is best known for the prescient theories illuminated in his 1980 work Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors. The hallmark of Porters works, Competitive Strategy presented Porters five forces model, five elements that affect an industrys profitability, and his generic strategies which are intended to counter those forces. In his follow-up piece, The Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance, published in 1985, Porter developed his Value Chain Model, a framework for activity-based competitive analysis of a firm. Porters Five Forces Model Porters five forces are classified as industry-level (vice organizational-level) determinants of long-term profitability in an industry. These economic and technical characteristics are said to be foundational, key factors to industry success and affect such critical industry elements as prices, the degree of investment necessary for competitiveness, market share, potential profits, and profit margins, and industry volume (Childress Kirkwood, 2006). The five forces are industry competitors, pressure from substitute products, bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, and potential entrants. These five forces acting in unison comprise the competitive environment in which the firm must operate. The nature of competition within the industry is affected by factors such as the size of competitors the number of competitors, changes in demand for products, asset specificity, the strength of exit barriers and competitor variety and is generally considered to be the most powerful force. Competitive tactics employed by one firm may affect the entire industry (Mayo, Grigoroudis and Zopoundis, 2006). Pressure from substitute products affects the industry by imposing an artificial price ceiling. Decreases in customer switching costs and increases in the price of substitute products are causes of competitive pressure. The threat of substitutes varies inversely to the price of substitute products and consumers switching costs (Mayo, Grigoroudis and Zopoundis, 2006). The bargaining power of suppliers affects competition particularly when there are many, limited substitutes for raw materials exist, or when switching costs increase. When suppliers raise prices, or reduce prices or services or the quality of goods or services, competition intensifies. When suppliers reduce quality or services or increase prices, competition increases (Mayo, Grigoroudis and Zopoundis, 2006). Buyers affect competition when they are able to negotiate lower prices, distribution and quality. The number and concentration of consumers and product differentiation are influences. Switching costs and the power of buyers to backwards integrate are factors as well (Mayo, Grigoroudis and Zopoundis, 2006). High entry (and exit) barriers are a deterrent to companies seeking to enter new industries. New entrants alter the competitive climate by increasing capacity and competition for market share and by adding new resources. Entry barriers may take the form of capital requirements, economies of scale, product differentiation, switching costs, access to distribution channels, cost of promotion and advertising, and so on (Mayo, Grigoroudis and Zopoundis, 2006, p. 835). Porters model is versatile, popular and widely used. From banking to brewing, numerous examples of studies conducted using Porters model to analyze the competitive climate of a variety of industries can be found easily. Several of these are summarized below. Finnish publishing In a study investigating the effect of the internet on the consumer Finnish magazine publishing industry using Porters five forces model (Ellonen, Kuivalainen et al., 2008) conducted semi-structured interviews of eight industry experts. The researchers identified specific examples of some of the forces shaping competition within that industry. They chose Porters model as the vehicle for their analysis because it is a useful tool for examining the industry structure and assists in the analysis of industry competitiveness. They noted that the internet had intensified rivalries among competitors by making proprietary information and that competitors habitually benchmarked each others websites. Financing and support functions were recognized as barriers to entry. As for the treat of substitute products and services, the most significant threat was identified as the internet itself because it offers readers alternative ways to spend their leisure time and their money. Notably, however, neither the bargaining power of buyers (both consumers and advertisers) nor the bargaining power of suppliers was considered a significant hazard. Online banking Smith (2006) studied the online banking industry and, like the authors in the study of the Finnish publishing industry, used Porters five forces model to identify the strategic forces affecting the industry. Smith chose Porters model because it provides clarity, ease of understanding, and is insightful when examining a complicated and complex issue like strategic management. Smith noted that economies of scale and product differentiation, capital requirements, limited distribution channels, and government regulation were substantial barriers to entry in online banking. Conversely, the bargaining power of suppliers is relatively weak as is the bargaining power of buyers, chiefly due to the low-cost or free nature of online banking services. Pressure from substitute products is considerable. Traditional banking offers customers a personal touch and some do feel online services are secure enough. Other substitute products are credit unions, ATMs and other financial institutions and credit card companies. Not surprisingly, Smith found that competition is intense in the online banking industry. This is largely due to the increasing popularity of computers the internet with each successive generation and the cost savings gained from using online services. European beer Niederhut-Bollmann and Theuvsen (2008), in yet another example of the versatility of Porters model, analyzed the dynamic competitive environment of the European (German and Croatian) brewing industry. Niederhut-Bollmann and Theuvsen chose Porters model, they say, because it is powerful, thorough, and provides a flexible framework for this type of analysis. The authors of this study provided a detailed look at the competitive forces affecting both the German and Croatian brewing industries. Moreover, they offered an extensive analysis of the generic strategies which various breweries had adapted in order to position themselves in the face of the industrys competitive pressures. Porters Generic Strategies Porter postulated three generic or broad alternative strategies which may be pursued as a response to the competitive pressures. They are termed generic strategies because they are broadly applicable to any industry or business. They are differentiation, cost leadership, and focus. A focus strategy may be further defined as cost focus, differentiation focus, or cost and differentiation focus (Ormanidhi Stringa, 2009). A differentiation strategy may be based on actual unique product features or the perception thereof, conveyed through the use of advertising and marketing tactics, in the eyes customers. Obviously, the product or service feature must be one the customer needs or desires. Moreover, such enhanced features and designs or advertising and marketing will increase costs, and customers must be price-insensitive willing to pay for the differentiated product or service. This willingness to pay for the differentiated product of service is what provides the company relief from competitive pressure, cost pressure specifically. Firms pursuing a cost leadership strategy must make lower production and distribution costs their priority (Thomas, J., 2006). By keeping their cost lowers than those of their competitors, firms using cost leadership can still price their products up to the level of their competitors and still maintain higher gross profit margins. Alternatively, these firms can price their products lower than those of their competitors in the hope of achieving greater market share and sales volume at the expense of gross profit margins (Thomas, J., 2006). A focus strategy is based on a particular market, customer, product, or geographic. A Focus strategy is a concentrated, narrowly focused niche strategy (Mayo, D., Grigoroudis, E. Zopoundis, C., 2006). It will normally be employed by smaller companies or small target markets. Products and services may be customized to the extent that customers are allowed input throughout all stages of production. European brewing In the case of European breweries mentioned above, Niederhut-Bollmann and Theuvsen (2008) noted that one German brewer used a cost leadership strategy to undercut larger competitors prices by as much as 50 percent. Another brewer used national brands to increase customer loyalty in a differentiation strategy. Klosterbrauerei Neuzelle, founded in 1589, uses traditional brewing techniques for a small local market, a focus strategy. The authors note that although Porter, in his original work, warned that a firm should choose one specific strategy, he later (2001) accepted that a hybrid strategy (lower operating costs and premium prices) may be appropriate. Japanese industry Allen, Helms, Takeda, White, (2007) studied the use of Porters generic strategies in Japanese firms. According to the authors, the traditional style of Japanese management in which all employees of a company share risks and gains of the operation; layoffs are a last resort, even during economic crises; and lifetime employment with a single company is expected, is often cited as a primary cause of the ongoing Japanese recession (p. 70). Recently the Japanese government implemented the Porter Prize in an attempt to spur improvement in the competitiveness of Japanese industry. Several small and medium-sized forms have received the prize presumably due to their strategy of operating in niche markets, a focus strategy. Larger corporations, those who operate under the keiretsu, or lineage system have not substantially participated in the program arguably due to the characteristic inability to react to change and over-reliance on a group decision-making style inherent in the keiretsu system. The authors believe that encouraging Japanese firms to vie for the Porter Prize will enable those firms to become accustomed to employing competitive strategies and become more profitable. Michael Porters Five Forces Model is still popular today due to its broad applicability and because it is easy to use. Competitive Strategy laid the foundation for the Positioning School of strategic management philosophy. Porters Five Forces Model and his generic strategies have substantially influenced strategic management thought for the last thirty years and will undoubtedly continue to do so. The Value Chain Model In 1985, Porter followed up and built upon his Competitive Strategy with Competitive Advantage. In Competitive Advantage, Porter developed the concept of a sustainable advantage and introduced his Value Chain Model. Porter referred to his own model as an activity-based view because used the activities of the firm to analyze the organizations competitive advantage. Value, Porter said, was defined as the sum total that a buyer is willing to pay for what the firm produces or delivers and is measured as total revenue or price times the number of units sold. Economically speaking, the firms value must exceed its costs, or it is not considered profitable. Competitive analyses, therefore, must be focused on those value-generating activities which influence the companys costs and provide a means for strategic differentiation (Patnaik and Sahoo, 2009). The value chain, according to Porter, is part of the larger value system comprised of the individual value chains of industry suppliers, constituent firms, distributers and buyers (Patnaik and Sahoo, 2009). Interestingly, the term value system has been as widely accepted as value chain has; the term industry value chain is more popular (Dommisse and Oosthuizen, 2004). The purpose of the value chain model, according to Porter, was to systematically examine all the activities a firm performs and how they interact (as cited in McPhee Wheeler, 2006). Sheehan and Foss (2009) undertook to examine the intellectual underpinnings of the theory Porter laid out in Competitive Advantage. They note Porters proposal that the true value of the firm was not its products or services, but the aggregate value of the chain of individual activities that went into the production process and the only way to identify a means of identifying potential sources of competitive advantage was to examine the firm in terms of these activities. They summarized the key characteristics of Porters activity-based model. The unit of analysis was the activities the firm performed. The value chain focuses on the business or industry level. Activity drivers cost and value drivers play a key role. Activity drivers are the factors that are the firm can influence in order to position the firm as either low cost or differentiator compared to ones competitors. Activities were categorized as either primary or supporting activities. Primary activities were defined as those which directly create customer value. Primary activities are related to production and sales of the product, delivery of the product, and after-market sales (Value Chain, 2005). Structure Primary activities Inbound logistics comprises those activities involved in receiving, storing, handling, and distributing materials to the manufacturing or operations department. Manufacturing activities include those activities involved in converting the inputs received into the final product. Outbound logistics activities are those activities which are involved in the shipping, storage, and final distribution of the end product. Marketing and sales activities are those which are aimed at persuading the customer to buy and pay for the product, e.g., advertising, promotion and pricing. Finally, service activities include all activities concerned with maintaining or enhancing the value of the delivered product such as installation and repair services (Value Chain, 2005). Supporting activities Support activities serve to enhance the value (create added value) already created by the primary activities. Support activities include corporate structure, human resources, technology development, and purchasing. Corporate structure includes those activities related to management including planning, financial and accounting, legal, public relations, and quality management. Human resources activities include recruitment and hiring, training, and pay and benefits. Technology development involves R D functions such as new product development and design. Purchasing encompasses activities relate to the procurement of supplies and raw materials. The models popularity Porters model is indisputably popular. Ormanidhi and Stringa (2009) examined Porters model in comparison to several other strategies: Structure-Conduct-Performance, the New Industrial Organization and Game Theory, the Resource-Based Perspective, and Market Process Economics. The authors cite as proof a study that found Porters Competitive Strategy referenced in nearly half of the articles published in the Strategic Management Journal from 1986 to 1990. They believe Porters model is a most apt methodology for competitive analysis for several reasons. Porters model is most suitable because of its well-defined structure; it provides an analytical framework of definite criteria. Porters value chain model is practically suited for empirical analysis because it facilitates the comparison of firms and analysis of their competitive performance. Another reason Ormanidhi and Stringa mention for their preference of Porters model is its conceptual clarity; its terminology is consistent and easily understandable. Furthermore Also, Porters model complements other strategies such as game theory and the resource-based model. The last reason is inherent in Porters definition, that is, it is a generic strategy that is sufficiently general that it is applicable to various types of industries such as service and manufacturing firms. Manufacturing White and Pearson (2001) proposed in a study of the manufacturing value chain using the JIT concept and technological advances related to systems integration, the establishment of customer service levels on par with overall management objectives in order to improve organizational performance. They used Porters value chain model to demonstrate how the application of JIT systems throughout the manufacturing process enables the organization to integrate its activities in a continuous improvement process. In each stage of the Porter model, primary activities and support activities, the authors illustrate how the application of JIT techniques can optimize the manufacturing process. Retail Dommisse and Oosthuizen (2004), utilized Porters model in a study of the U.K. retail life insurance industry and introduced an evolutionary a concept referred to as value chain deconstruction which, they say, is gaining acceptance. Based on Porters model, value chain deconstruction theory is largely a result of the proliferation of new technologies and regulatory measures. Analysts, they declare, have observed components of the traditional value chain fragmenting to form new or merge with other industries. This relatively new, conceptual models main advantage, according to the authors, is that it clearly highlights the areas in the value chain where the traditional strategies of differentiation, cost leadership and focus can be applied (p. 18). Thus, Porters model persists as the foundation of new and emerging concepts of strategic management. The field of strategic management is complex and various definitions have been proposed based on the different aspects of organizational infrastructure. One means of organizing the numerous schools of thought was proposed by Mintzberg, Ahlstrand and Lampel (as cited in Sadler, 2003, p. 15) who described three major groups labeled the Prescriptive, Descriptive, and Configurational Schools. Michael Porter, renowned scholar, author, advisor, and recipient of a myriad of rewards for his work, laid the foundation of the Positioning School, which falls into the Prescriptive Group. Porters is best known for the theories illuminated in his 1980 work Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors in which he presented his Fve Forces Model five elements that affect an industrys profitability, and his generic strategies which are intended to counter those forces. In The Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance, published in 1985, Porter developed his Value Chain Model, a framework for activity-based competitive analysis of a firm. These two monumental works have influenced academia and management since their inception. Widely popular and broadly used, these prescient theories have influenced strategic management philosophy the world over. Across the spectrum of industry types, from Japan to Europe, the impact of Porters works is indisputable. Undoubtedly, Michael Porters influence will continue to be felt in the halls of business for years to come.

Dolores Huerta :: essays research papers

1. Dolores Huerta was a member of Community Service Organization (â€Å"CSO†), a grass roots organization. The CSO confronted segregation and police brutality, led voter registration drives, pushed for improved public services and fought to enact new legislation. Dolores Huerta wanted to form an organization that fought of the interests of the farm workers. While continuing to work at CSO Dolores Huerta founded and organized the Agricultural Workers Association in 1960. Dolores Huerta was key in organizing citizenship requirements removed from pension, and public assistance programs. She also was instrumental in passage of legislation allowing voters the right to vote in Spanish, and the right of individuals to take the driver’s license examination in their native language. Dolores Huerta moved on to working with Cesar Chavez. Dolores was the main person at National Farm Workers Association (â€Å"NFWA†) who negotiated with employers and organized boycotts, strikes, demonstrations and marches for the farm workers. 2. Possibly when Dolores Huerta first started working and really was unknown. Employers were not intimidated by her. Dolores would hear sexist comments and would ignore them. Dolores soon proves to anyone who doubted her why she was the negotiator and why she was important to the United Farm Workers union. Once she was heard people started to respect Dolores. Soon enough Dolores Huerta was given the nickname â€Å"Dragon lady,† because she was a fierce negotiator and organizing the rights of farm workers. 3. Dolores Huerta was the main negotiator during the Delano grape strike. In 1965 Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez were approached by Filipino members of the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee ("AWOC"). AWOC wanted higher wages from the Delano are grape growers. AWOC wanted to negotiate new contracts with their employers but they needed the help of Huerta and Chavez. The NFWA was still new and growing although Huerta thought that NFWA was not ready to attack corporate America she could not refuse to help AWOC. The two unions formed into one union called United Farm Workers union. Under this the union Dolores began the battle with the Delano grape growers. Dolores organized over 5,000 workers to walk off their job and to strike until they could reach an agreement with their employers.

A role for transportin in the nuclear import of Adenovirus core proteins and dna

The research paper of Hindley and colleagues (2007) describes the function of the protein transportin in the entry of adenovirus-associated proteins in a cell.   Adenoviruses are microbial organisms that contain genetic material that has been highly compacted by the help of adenoviral core proteins.The DNA packaging facilitators have been known as terminal proteins and three types have been characterized by previous studies (Robinson et al., 1979).   It has been determined that these terminal proteins exist as two units, each one associates with the 5’ end of the DNA strand.   One of the terminal proteins, called protein VII, is created by the deletion of the terminal 24 resides of the precursor polypeptide preVII.The precursor protein, composed of 197 amino acid residues, is produced by the protease enzyme of the adenovirus right after the generation of new viral microorganisms.   It has been determined that the processed protein VII makes up most of the core protein content of an adenovirus and it situated in close proximity to the DNA strand of an adenovirus.   Another core protein that is present in significant amounts in an adenovirus is protein V.This 369-residue polypeptide has been postulated to link the core to the adenoviral coat.   The third core protein, termed Mu, also shows the ability of package viral DNA.Previous research has shown that the core proteins V and VII have the capacity to send signals that would dictate importation of material into the nucleus as well as compaction of nucleolar material (Wodrich et al., 2006).   However, the authors of the research article were aware that there has been no research effort conducted in order to determine the relation of these two terminal coreproteins and the process of importation of materials into the nucleus.The proponents of this research paper then set off to investigate the specific associations that between the import signals and the terminal core proteins.   In order to examine this relationship, the proponents of the research extracted the import receptors that were involved in the viral import process.   Isolated terminal core proteins were also prepared.A cell import experimental setup was developed in order to test each import receptor against each of the terminal core proteins.   The receptors were introduced to an established cancer cell line (HeLa) in order to determine whether any association will take place.   Simple import routes were also tested using the protein importin, which has the ability to associated core proteins.Both precursor and mature core proteins were tested in order to determine the temporal interactions that occur within an adenovirus.   In order to compare the action of other binding proteins with the core proteins, the protein transportin was also employed in the binding assay.   Pull-down assays were also conducted in order to catch a glimpse of the actual protein-protein associations within particular stag es of the adenoviral cycle.The assays showed that the binding protein transportin was necessary for the success of core protein V to attach to the nucleolar material of the adenovirus.   This result suggested that the packaging of nucleolar material can not be triggered by any type of binding protein but by a specific one such as transportin.The pull-down assays also showed that precursor and mature core proteins behaved differently within an adenoviral organism.   This observation provides an explanation why a significant number of amino acid residues have to be deleted from the precursor protein preVII.   The truncation actually does not only make the polypeptide shorter but specifically helps in the identification of particular signal motifs that would trigger further packaging of genetic material within an adenovirus.

Gender Roles in Society

Gender Roles in Society Meghan FindleyComm 1010August 7, 2007Gender Ads; The Sexes In The Cross HairsThe 21st century has brought and evolved new styles of communication that has shaped the way our society thinks, behaves, and lives. A large influence that has existed throughout the creation of mass media has been gender roles. The evolution of our society has also caused the gender roles within mass media to also evolve. Mass and mediated communication have become the number one source for the public to witness these gender roles created by companies paying to display their message. Females in ads portray the roles of strippers, mothers, business women, and the single, money spending girl. Men are portrayed as businessmen, either blue or white collar, athletes, truck owners, or tobacco using cowboys. The media creates or uses well known stereotypes about the different sexes to target specific consumers in order to get their attention.Sarah Jessica Parker at the 2009 Tribeca Film Fest...Companies distribute the existence of their products using mediated communication. Mediated communication uses electronic texts to create some type of symbolism to the viewers. The process these companies distribute their messages over large distances to large groups of people by the means of modern technology is called mass communication. Professionals have mastered the use of mass and mediated communication. These types of communication is the basis on how individuals receive and precept the gender roles created by advertising agencies for these specific companies. Each product seen on television or the internet has a target. Companies know what men, women, and children want for the most part, and they will do whatever they can in order to cause the consumers desire to rise to a point where they must buy the product.Women have a very diverse role in advertising. Agenda settings are mastered by advertising agencies. They determine...

Why Dead Fish Float Upside Down

Why Dead Fish Float Upside Down If youve seen dead fish in a pond or your aquarium, youve noticed they tend to float on the water. More often than not, theyll be belly up, which is a dead giveaway (pun intended) youre not dealing with a healthy, living fish. Have you ever wondered why dead fish float and live fish dont? It has to do with fish biology and the scientific principle of buoyancy. Key Takeaways Dead fish float in water because decomposition fills the fishs gut with buoyant gases.The reason fish typically go belly up is because the spine of the fish is more dense than its belly.Healthy living fish dont float. They have an organ called a swim bladder that regulates the amount of gas present in the body of a fish and thus its buoyancy Why Living Fish Don't Float To understand why a dead fish floats, it helps to understand why a live fish is in the water and not on top of it. Fish consist of water, bones, protein, fat, and a smaller amount of carbohydrates and nucleic acids. While fat is less dense than water, your average fish contains a higher amount of bones and protein, which makes the animal neutrally buoyant in water (neither sinks nor floats) or slightly more dense than water (slowly sinks until it gets deep enough). It doesnt require much effort for a fish to maintain its preferred depth in the water, but when they do swim deeper or seek shallow water they rely on an organ called a swim bladder or air bladder to regulate their density. How this works is that water passes into a fishs mouth and across its gills, which is where oxygen passes from the water into the bloodstream. So far, its a lot like human lungs, except on the outside of the fish. In both fish and humans, the red pigment hemoglobin carries oxygen to cells. In a fish, some of the oxygen is released as oxygen gas into the swim bladder. The pressure acting on the fish determines how full the bladder is at any given time. As the fish rises toward the surface, the surrounding water pressure decreases and oxygen from the bladder returns to the bloodstream and back out through the gills. As a fish descends, water pressure increases, causing hemoglobin to release oxygen from the bloodstream to fill the bladder. It allows a fish to change depth and is a built-in mechanism to prevent the bends, where gas bubbles form in the bloodstream if pressure decreases too rapidly. Why Dead Fish Float When a fish dies, its heart stops beating and blood circulation ceases. The oxygen that is in the swim bladder remains there, plus decomposition of the tissue adds more gas, particularly in the gastrointestinal tract. Theres no way for the gas to escape, but it presses against the fishs belly and expands it, turning the dead fish into a sort of fish-balloon, rising toward the surface. Because the spine and muscles on the dorsal side (top) of the fish are more dense, the belly rises up. Depending on how deep a fish was when it died, it might not rise to the surface, at least not until decomposition really sets in. Some fish never gain sufficient buoyancy to float and decay under the water. In case you were wondering, other dead animals (including people) also float after they start to decay. You dont need a swim bladder for that to happen. Sources Chapin, F. Stuart; Pamela A. Matson; Harold A. Mooney (2002). Principles of Terrestrial Ecosystem Ecology. New York: Springer. ISBN 0-387-95443-0.Forbes, S.L. (2008). Decomposition Chemistry in a Burial Environment. In M. Tibbett; D.O. Carter. Soil Analysis in Forensic Taphonomy. CRC Press. pp. 203–223. ISBN 1-4200-6991-8.Pinheiro, J. (2006). Decay Process of a Cadaver. In A. Schmidt; E. Cumha; J. Pinheiro. Forensic Anthropology and Medicine. Humana Press. pp. 85–116. ISBN 1-58829-824-8.

Friedrich Nietzeche Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Friedrich Nietzeche - Assignment Example On the other hand, slave morality embraces the standards of what is beneficial to the powerless. The morality holds that the independent and strong people possess evil attributes (211). In effect, the slave morality advances virtues such as humility, sympathy, and kindness. Thus, the two types of morality have remarkable differences. The master morality gives the masters a sense of fullness, including ability, wealth, and power. In this respect, the noble people perceive themselves as the originators of value, and can decide on what is good or bad. Such masters do not need the outside force to affirm their goodness because they believe devotion for greatness is in them (212). Thus, Nietzsche thinks that master morality is superior because it emphasizes strength, freedom, power, and egoism, and concern less with the externals. The morality evokes fear, inflicts suffering, and exploits the people in the lower order. In essence, the masters consider the non-masters in the society contemptible. To them, the non-masters are secondary and insignificant. Nietzsche thinks that religion and democracy fall under slave morality because the two tend to ease the suffering of the people. The expression of the slave morality adheres to the moral standards inherent in religion and democracy. Hence, the religion and democracy exemplify the same ideology as in slave morality. In effect, the religion and democracy exhibit the ideology of herd, majority, and convention contained in the slave morality. Similarly, religion and democracy embrace values such equality, pity, and humility that typify slave morality. Thus, Nietzsche uses the values to classify religion and democracy under the slave morality. In my opinion, relativistic morality cannot be defended. The relativistic morality tends to exaggerate the extent of diversity among cultures. Notably, the superficial differences among the cultures mask the underlying shared agreement. I

BENEFITS OF ISO-9001 COMPLIANCE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

BENEFITS OF ISO-9001 COMPLIANCE - Essay Example Volumes of research have shed light on the positive implications of using the managerial system; this volume intends to discuss the benefits delivered by the use of the ISO 9001 unified management system. There are a number of organizational benefits that lay in support of the use and implementation of the ISO 9001. Studies reveal that, while the motivating force behind certification of company quality may be in relation with the markets the advantages are that come along with the general organizational improvement. Under this system, the operations of diverse organizational functions are integrated and optimized. Organization owners further benefit from time saving in functions engineering due to dissemination of product standardization. The system brings efficiency of product processes through better working instructions. The managerial system also helps in achieving quality and boosts the sales revenues and customer confidence in the organization.When organizations employ the use of the ISO 9001 management system, their customers are privileged with a number of benefits. The customers benefit from services and products that conform to their requirement. Secondly, the customers get the trade commodities on a very reliable and dependable basis. Furthermore, the clients of such companies with ISO 9001 are assured that the services and products are ever available on their request. The customers additionally get quality products from these organizations and lastly products that are maintainable.