An investigation of the role of SIS in The (Especially, In A Rural Part Of Our Planet)expand Health Servicing

Introduction Strategic information systems are concerned with aligning information systems with a firm’s business strategy to achieve competitive advantage (Arvidsson, Holmstrom & Lyytinen, 2014). Strategic alignment between information systems and the business involves a timely and appropriate fit between the business strategy, processes, and infrastructure and the IT infrastructure, strategy, and processes to achieve harmony in the management of information systems and the business (Gerow, Thatcher & Grover, 2014). Through such alignment, the performance of a business is positively affected (Yayla & Hu, 2012). The overarching argument for this is that firms perform well when IT resources including knowledge assets, managerial and technical IT skills and physical IT infrastructure elements are aligned with the business strategy, and when suitable structures are employed in effectively managing the IT resources and supervising their deployment (Coltman et al., 2015). This alignment is ever important in the current environment where new information technologies continue to fundamentally alter conventional business strategies by allowing firms to function across the boundaries of function, time, and distance by leveraging these technologies (Bharadwaj et al., 2013). This report discusses the role of strategic information systems in expanding the health service in rural areas. Specifically, it focuses on the implementation of a telemedicine program for managing diabetes for patients in rural areas by a hospital in an urban centre. The investigation focuses on the planning and the implementation of this technological solution by considering the perspectives of different stakeholders. The report starts by discussing literature on telemedicine in diabetes management. Telemedicine and Diabetes Management The management of diabetes and its associated complications is quite costly. Targeted glycaemic control is necessary for minimising the complications of this chronic condition. Conversely, less than 70% of individuals with diabetes are attaining targeted glycaemic control, showing that effective management of the disease continues to be a challenge (Fatehi et al., 2014a). Patients in rural areas are unable to attain targeted glycaemic control partly because of poor access to specialised healthcare providers. Because of the increasing need for quality healthcare and the declining availability of clinicians, information and communications technologies have demonstrated the potential for improving access to healthcare services and reducing the costs of delivering healthcare (Fatehi et al., 2014a). Telemedicine involves providing health and medical services remotely using ICT. Telemedicine facilitates the expansion of healthcare by bridging the physical gap between consumers and healthcare providers thus reducing costs. Synchronous telemedicine entails consumers and healthcare providers interacting in real time by relying on communication technologies. For instance, video conferencing, where there is exchange of image and voice in real time, is increasingly becoming popular in telemedicine in the delivery of various healthcare and clinical services at a distance (Fatehi et al., 2014b). Verhoeven et al. (2010) systematically reviewed asynchronous and synchronous teleconsultations in diabetes and reported that these offer a reliable, cost-effective, and feasible solution for the delivery of diabetes care. Video conferencing is used in collaborative goal setting, nutrition counselling, self-management training, and diabetes education for patients (Siriwardena et al., 2012). According to Faruque et al. (2016), telemedicine is helpful in the provision of care t o individuals with diabetes especially those in rural areas who are unable to travel to healthcare facilities due to large distances. Therefore, telemedicine, especially teleconference, is a technological solution for managing diabetes for individuals in rural areas who are underserved by specialists. The next section explains the methodology used to obtain stakeholders’ views on the adoption and use of teleconferencing for diabetes management. Methodology This report collected data using interviews to understand the implementation of telemedicine for expanding access to healthcare services for people with diabetes in rural areas. The report included the views of various perspectives including patients, healthcare providers at the hospital, and in the rural areas to understand the adoption and implementation of this information system. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with these stakeholders in locations and time that were convenient for the stakeholders. The interview was based on the interview schedule found in Appendix 1. These interviews were digitally recorded followed by verbatim transcription. After transcription, the interviews were analysed using coding (Vaismoradi et al., 2016). The coding led to the identification of various thematic categories including the strategic intent of adoption of telemedicine, benefits of telemedicine, and challenges during implementation as explained in the section below. Findings and discussion Strategic intent of implementation of telemedicine The telemedicine intervention was adopted by the hospital after it was discovered that some of the patients from the rural areas were not coming for the follow- up appointments to get information on ongoing management of their diabetes. An endocrinologist at the hospital stated that: I noticed that some of my patients were not coming for their appointments†¦ I looked at their records and realised that they were unable to do so because they came from rural areas. Therefore, we had to find a way of ensuring they got the much-needed information and support to manage diabetes at home The hospital identified the need for providing cost-effective care for their diabetes patients in rural areas who were unable to access specialised care in their communities. The hospital considered the adoption of telemedicine as a way of providing quality care while minimising unnecessary patient admissions due to diabetes complications. Thus, this was a critical component of the hospital’s strategic intent. According to Coltman et al. (2015), having a strategic intent involves the allocation of resources and engaging in activities to assist in achieving their objectives. In line with this, the stakeholders at the hospital had to consider how the telemedicine program will improve access to healthcare for patients with diabetes in a cost-effective manner. The CEO of the hospital said that: We recognised that the telemedicine would provide us with an opportunity for providing the required care to our patients†¦ However, we had to consider the overhead costs to set-up the telemedicine infrastructure both on our side and the rural side. Additional funding was required for this initiative. The implication of this is that the hospital had to set aside funds for the telemedicine infrastructure and this entailed working with managers from the finance and IT departments. The manager from the IT department determined the costs of using telemedicine intervention in terms of initial costs and ongoing upgrades to achieve a sustainable system. The IT manager identified a cost-effective technological solution provider for the information systems that was required for the provision of diabetes care and support to patients from rural areas. The manager from the finance department and the CEO worked together in determining how to get the funding for this initiative. The initiative was funded using funds from the hospital’s contingency budget. Furthermore, the CEO of the hospital had to talk with administrators and nurses, and pharmacists in the rural areas to participate in the project as they critical to its success. This is captured in this statement â€Å"we realised th at we needed professionals on the ground to provide some aspects of the care. We approached healthcare providers to get their buy-in into this initiative’’ (hospital’s CEO). Therefore, the strategic intent of the hospital in the implementation and use of video-conferencing in reaching individuals with diabetes in rural areas and providing them with the necessary care reflects a strategic alignment between IT and business, particularly, strategy execution. Specifically, the hospital adopted a strategy execution alignment where the business strategy influenced the IT infrastructure, but this was constrained by the business infrastructure (Gerow et al., 2014). In other words, the hospital’s business strategy was to provide quality care in a cost-effective way to individuals with diabetes in rural areas. In turn, this strategy influenced the IT infrastructure in terms of the kind of technological solution required to meet the business strategy. Therefore, the hospital ended up selecting videoconferencing as the appropriate IT infrastructure. However, this was constrained by the hospital’s business infrastructure in terms of skills and processe s in the provision of diabetes care and support to individuals in rural areas. The telemedicine initiative involved using interactive video-conferencing between a multidisciplinary diabetes care team from the hospital and the patients in the rural homes. The multidisciplinary team consisted of diabetes specialists including diabetes education experts, nurses, endocrinologist, and ophthalmologist who provided personalised care to diabetes patients based on their clinical status. The patients were provided with tablets that allowed them to engage in video conferences with the multidisciplinary team on a daily basis. The patients shared with the specialists about their psychological, emotional, and physical health during the interactive video conferences. Furthermore, the patients’ health data including glucose levels, blood pressure, and weight were automatically captured by the tablets and transmitted on a daily basis to the clinicians. The outcomes of the consultation between the specialists and the patient were then communicated to the physician in the rural area to facilitate care coordination. According to a local physician, â€Å"the implementation of this initiative required a change in how care was delivered to individuals with diabetes†¦the hospital’s care team got in touch with me and communicated their daily consultations with patients to ensure that I was prepared to provide the necessary care at the local level†. This approach to the implementation of video-conferencing reflects strategic information systems planning to achieve alignment between the business and IT. In particular, this planning was characterised by the identification of the required IT applications together with the necessary change management, resources, and infrastructure for implementing the technological solution (Maharaj & Brown, 2015).Benefits of telemedicineThe diabetes specialists were positive on the potentiality of video-conferencing in enhancing and expanding access to diabetes services to individuals in rural areas to prom ote self-management of the disease. A diabetes education expert said that: This technology increased my ability to provide education on exercise and diet modifications to my patients by talking to them via the video-conference, and this has empowered our patients to manage their diabetes in their homes. Patients were enthusiastic that the telemedicine would support the clinical needs even though they had no or limited experiencing in using video-conferencing. Some of the patients stated that: I didn’t have experience when it comes to telemedicine. But, I knew that it would be benefit me by providingwith ongoing support and information for diabetes management at home (patient 1) I had never used video conference before, but it provided me a way to talk with the physician and get timely advice and guidance on managing my diabetes (patient 2) In recognition of the limited experience that patients had in video-conferencing, the hospital’s IT department together with the external technological solution provider offered the required training. According to the IT manager at the technological solution provider: We collaborated with the hospital’s IT department in sending out individuals to provide training to the patients. The patients were taught on how to use the video conference system and provided with the necessary equipment. The stakeholders highlighted the benefits of video-conferencing for diabetes management for the patients in the rural areas. The statements below capture some of the stakeholders’ perspectives. During the video-conferences, we used the daily clinical status reports of the patient, and we were able to discuss appropriate interventions to implement with the patient. This benefitted the patients because they got personalised interventions, information, and support (Hospital endocrinologist). I got e-prescriptions from the healthcare team, and when the patients picked their medications, I talked to them about complying with their medications. By collaboratively working with the healthcare team, the quality of care of patients improved in terms of medication compliance (Rural Pharmacist) The use of video conference has contributed to preventing unavoidable admissions for diabetes for these patients. The daily support and education they got from us has improved care coordination and connections between the patients and us to minimise the use of emergency departments (Hospital ophthalmologist) A few months after the implementation of this project, we had seen a reduction in the admission of patients with diabetes in our area (Rural physician) I had problems before in controlling my diabetes because I did not have access to the kind of doctors who provide the necessary care†¦ but this changed with the daily video conferences (Patient 3) I am satisfied with information and guidance I get from the consultations with the doctors each day in managing my diabetes. I no longer need to travel to the hospital to get the care I need (Patient 4) The stakeholders’ perspectives highlight the impact of teleconferencing on the delivery of healthcare services to diabetes patients in rural areas. These perspectives have received support in literature. For instance, patient satisfaction is highlighted in the study by Fatehi et al. (2015) in an assessment of patient satisfaction levels with remote consultations for diabetes via video conference in a virtual outreach clinic using a cross-sectional survey. The results revealed that the patients were generally satisfied with remote consultation as they had no problem with building rapport with the clinical specialists over video conferences (Fatehi et al., 2015). Furthermore, the positive impact of telemedicine on the management of diabetes has been shown in the literature. Specifically, Huang and colleagues (2015) carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials on the impacts of telecare intervention on glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes. I t was demonstrated that patient monitoring by telecare demonstrated significant improvement in glycaemic control in comparison with patients monitored by routine follow-up (Huang et al., 2015). Weinstock et al. (2011) also found that improvement in glycaemic control related to telemedicine was sustained over a period of five years among medically underserved patients with diabetes. In their randomized controlled trial, Steventon et al. (2014) discovered that telemedicine led to modest improvements in glycemic control among patients with type 2 diabetes over 12 months. Self-management as a critical aspect of diabetes management in telemedicine has been investigated by Young et al.(2014) who focused on the effect of person-centred health behaviour coaching model delivered through telehealth with patients with diabetes living in underserved, rural communities was assessed. The results showed that the interventions led to significantly higher scores in self-efficacy, which supported self-management of the disease (Young et al., 2014). According to Steventon et al. (2014), the greater self-care and oversight related to telemedicine might lead to fewer unplanned hospital admissions.Challenges during implementationImplementation of the technological solution was accompanied by some challenges. One of the major challenge identified by the stakeholders was unanticipated technical issues. This is explained by the IT manager at the hospital: Sometimes the video conferences failed because of a drop in the internet connection. This meant that the encounter could not take place. When this occurred, communication occurred via cell phones to address important issues. The technical issues had a negative impact on the interactions between the patients and diabetes care team. According to the endocrinologist, Sometimes in the middle of the video-conference, the connection dropped. I could wait till past the time I had allocated for that specific consultation. Mostly, by the time the connection was up again, I would be consulting with a different patient at the hospital, and I missed my encounter with the patient in the rural area. In those cases, I worked with the rural nurses via a cell phone to communicate important information about the patient. Technical difficulties in teleconference are due to problems with accessing broadband in rural areas, which is still lagging behind urban areas. Patients’ homes might lack high-speed cable internet that has more bandwidth capabilities and a highly reliable signal, and this causes connection problems during video conferencing (Batsis, Pletcher & Stahl, 2017). Schulz et al. (2014) reported in their study that 25% of all video conferences consultations experienced a drop in internet connection. Consequently, it is suggested that unanticipated technical issues with implementing teleconferencing should be anticipated and this highlights the importance of providing strong IT support with ongoing updates in protocols for patients in rural areas (Slusser et al., 2016). Another challenge reported was issues with reimbursements. This was identified by the finance manager at the urban hospital. She said that: I had problems with suitable billing of encounters between the patients and the doctors and capturing this. Sometimes, I billed an encounter, but the insurer failed to pay or took longer to do so. I had to go through convincing them [insurers] that the consultation actually occurred by talking with the patient and pharmacists or nurses in the rural areas for confirmation. One of the patients also talked about this issue by stating that, â€Å"after talking with the doctors on the video conference they tell you to pick up the drugs at your pharmacy and when you get there, you are told there are problems with your insurer in terms of payment. I had to call my insurer to follow up and address this issue’’ (patient 5). According to Batsis et al. (2017), low reimbursement is a problem for the lasting sustainability of telemedicine systems in a fee-for-service model. This problem is due to limitations that are placed on the type of telemedicine covered by health insurers. Conclusion In conclusion, this report has focused on the strategic information systems in expanding the health service in rural areas. This has been achieved by examining the implementation of video-conferencing between individuals with diabetes and diabetes specialists in the provision of diabetes care to patients in rural areas. This report has highlighted how the hospital ensured alignment between its business strategy of providing cost-effective diabetes care to individuals with diabetes in rural areas and the use of the video-conferencing as its IT infrastructure. The hospital had to plan for its strategic information systems by identifying the appropriate IT infrastructure, processes, and changes to how care was delivered to the targeted population in rural areas. The analysis revealed how the implementation of video-conferencing addressed the interests of the different stakeholders including the hospital, diabetes specialist care team from the hospital, the patients, and healthcare pro viders at the local level. Thus, the implementation of this technological solution was beneficial to all the stakeholders. Overall, this report highlights how strategic information systems are vital in the expansion of health service in rural areas. References Arvidsson, V., Holmstrom, J., & Lyytinen, K. (2014). Information systems use as strategy practice: a multidimensional view of strategic information system implementation and use. Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 23, 45-61. Batsis, J., Pletcher, S., & Stahl, J. (2017). Telemedicine and primary care obesity management in rural areas-innovative approach for older adultsBMC Geriatrics, 1-9. Bharadwaj, A., El Sawy, O., Pavlou, P., & Venkatraman, N. (2013). Digital business strategy: toward a next generation of insights. MIS Quarterly, 37(2), 471-82. Coltman, T., Talon, P., Sharma, R., & Queiroz, M. (2015) Strategic IT alignment: twenty-five years on, Journal of Information Technology, 1-10. Faruque, L., Wiebe, N., Ehteshami-Afshar, A., Liu, Y., Dianati-Maleki, N., Hemmelgarn, B., Manns, B., & Tonelli, M. (2016). Effect of telemedicine on gylcated haemoglobin in diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. CMAJ, 1-25. Fatehi, F., Armfield, N., Dimitrijevic, M., & Gray, L. (2014b). Clinical applications of videoconferencing: a scoping review of the literature for the period 2002-2012. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 20(7), 377-83. Fatehi, F., Martin-Khan, M., Gray, L., & Russell, A. (2014a). Design of a randomized, non-inferiority trial to evaluate the reliability of videoconferencing for remote consultations of diabetes. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 1-7. Fatehi, F., Martin-Khan, M., Smith, A., Russell, A., & Gray, L. (2015). Patient satisfaction with video teleconsultation in a virtual diabetes outreach clinic. Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics, 17(1), 1-6. Gerow, J., Thatcher, J., & Grower, V (2014). Six types of IT-business strategic alignment: an investigation of the constructs and their measurement. European Journal of Information Systems, 1-27. Huang, Z., Tao, H., Meng, Q., & Jing, L. (2015). Effects of telecare intervention on glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. European Journal of Endocrinology, 172, R93-R101. Maharaj, S., & Brown, I. (2015). The impact of shared domain knowledge on strategic information systems planning and alignment. South African Journal of Information Management, 17(1), 1-12. Schulz, T., Richards, M., Gasko, H., Lohrey, J., Hibbert, M., & Biggs, B. (2014). Telehealth: experience of the first 120 consultations delivered from a new refugee telehealth clinic. Internal Medicine Journal, 44(10), 981-5. Siriwardena, L., Wickramasinghe, W., Perera, K., Marasinghe, R., Katulanda, P., & Hewpathirana, R. (2012). A review of telemedicine interventions in diabetes care. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 18(3), 164-68. Slusser, W., Whitley, M., Izadpanah, N., Kim, S., & Ponturo, D. (2016). Multidisciplinary paediatric obesity clinic via telemedicine with thin the Los Angeles metropolitan area: lessons learned. Clinical Paediatrics, 55(3), 251-9. Steventon, A., Barsley, M., Doll, H., Tuckey, E., & Newman, P. (2014). Effect of telehealth on glycaemic control: analysis of patients with type 2 diabetes in the Whole Systems Demonstrator cluster randomized trial. BMC Health Services Research, 1-12. Vaismoradi, M., Jones, J., Turunen, H., & Snelgrove, S. (2016). Theme development in qualitative content analysis and thematic analysis. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 6(5), 100-110. Verhoeven, F., Tanja-Dijkstra, K., Nijland, N., Eysenbach, G., & Van Gemert-Pijnen, L. (2010). Asynchronous and synchronous teleconsultation for diabetes care: a systematic review. Journal of Diabetes and Science Technology, 4(3), pp.66-84. Weinstock, R., Teresi, J., Goland, R., Izquierdo, R., Palmas, W., Eimicke, J., Ebner, S., & Shea, S. (2011). Glycaemic control and health disparities in older ethnically diverse underserved adults with diabetes: five year results from the Informatics for Diabetes Education and Telemedicine (IDETel) study. Diabetes Care, 34, 274-9. Yayla, A., & Hu, Q. (2012). The impact of IT-business strategic alignment on firm performance in a developing country setting: exploring moderating roles of environmental uncertainty and strategic orientation. European Journal of Information Systems, 21(4), 373-87. Young, H., Miyamoto, S., Ward, D., Dharmar, M., Tang-Feldman, Y., & Berglund, L. (2014). Sustained effects of a nurse coaching intervention via telehealth to improve health behaviour change in diabetes. Telemedicine and E-Health, 828-34. Appendix 1: Interview Schedule Please explain why the hospital decided to implement videoconferencing in providing diabetes care to individuals in rural areas What was involved in the planning for the implementation of the technological solution Did the hospital work with external stakeholders in the implementation process How did the implementation of the technological solution affect the aims of the hospital and its specialist clinicians How has the use of videoconference affected your (patient) access to diabetes care Were there any challenges that were experienced during this processIf so, which ones To obtain answers to these questions and/or get a Custom Essay for you research, feel free to reach out to us and place an order today.

The Theory of the Canadian Politics

Power and control is what the Canadian government try†s to establish. Government engagement in business is becoming too strong as â€Å"in 1992, 6 of Canada†s 100 largest corporations were operated by, government or government agencies throughout Canada†, (Canadian Democracy pg. 88). The problem with government control in business is that it restricts sole proprietors from investing in certain aspects of business such as Ontario†s liquor industry. In order to restrict government control of business three issues need to be taken into consideration; laws allowing privatization on crown corporations, more government attention establishing social issues that are out of reach to Canadian entrepreneurs for example education and health care. Furthermore incorporated laws need to be developed in order to minimize government control. As Canada moves into the 20th century economic policies are becoming too government controlled and as a result of this Canada is leaning towards a government run bureaucracy. Minimal government control of Canada†s business will contribute significantly to a more prosperous Canadian economy. Which is why it is important for government control to be minimal and allow for privatization of crown corporations. In Ontario liquor sales are down 22% compared to a provinces such as Quebec who have a privatized liquor industry. Since Ontario currently has a greater population than Quebec, obviously liquor sales are higher due to privatization of the industry, which allows more business to be established which makes it more convenient for the consumer to buy because there are many more liquor stores. However the liquor industry is only one of the primary companies that are government controlled. â€Å"Canadians who buy their gas at Petro Canada who watch CDC, TVO or Radio Quebec or who watch other provincial educational T. V networks, who travel Via rail or who pay electricity bills†(Canadian Democracy), are all contributing to government run alliances. To prove privatization has been successful the Quebec liquor industry, as well as the MBA programs at Universities such as Queens and McMaster are both that privatization is a success. Since the government was unable to fund such programs to it†s potential, privatization was an obligation in order to have an efficient program (statistics shown on Queens and McMaster university web pages). Students in the MBA programs at these schools agree that privatization was effective as they now have more advanced resources to work with. Clearly facts have proven that a privatized business/program/industry, is more beneficial not only a Canadian economy but as well as society. Another problem that Canadian†s face is that the government doesn†t focus enough of his attention on social issues concerning Canadians such as; education, health care, environment, welfare, foreign inspections on imports and Income tax. Many of Canada†s collage and university students are moving to the United States because the job opportunities are more abundant and income taxes are much lower. â€Å"Because the bulk of the education is paid for by the government (taxpayers) we are effectively subsidizing US industry by providing skilled labor. Many conservative people argue that this is one reason why students should bear the entire cost of their education. This alternative would close the post-secondary door on many poor people in this country† (www. watleo. ca/~cdsmith/txs/education). An alternative is that the government should turn aside the money that they are currently paying colleges and universities into student loans. Once the student graduates and receives employment this loan could be paid back in the form of income taxes. However if the student decides to work in the US their income tax will no longer compensate for the student loan, as they will have to pay off the loan personally. This method of educational funding would increase the number of students attending post secondary education because finance is a capital reason why some students do not attend collage or university. Another issue facing the Canadian education system is private schools vs. public schools. Canadian statistics prove that students attending private schools are more likely to attend university compared to people enrolled in the public system. The government needs to offer better educational funding in order to provide additional teachers to cut class sizes, as well as more resources. These changes will decrease class size, which will offer more one on one student to teacher attention that will help students prepare for a higher education. Healthcare is another major social issue that the government needs to establish; it is important for Canada to reduce the cost of basic healthcare services. Although Canada†s healthcare administration costs are low compared to the US, the US is associated with higher levels of medical research and development as well as increased amounts of advanced equipment i. e. â€Å"the city of Philadelphia has more MRI machines than all of Canada combined†(www. watleo. uwaterloo. ca/cdsmith. health. html. com). In Canada there are many people who abuse the healthcare system, in order to stop this, government should stop charging a basic fee for medical services and offer a tax refund for those who do not use the medical service provided. This would increase the efficiency of the current universal medical system in Canada and wouldn†t cost the government any money, as the refund would be proportional to the savings, because not as many people would then use the medical system. In addition to social issues in need of government assistance, environmental funding is needed to research issues such as air pollution, water conditions, the ozone and animal habitat which is always an on going environmental issue. On the topic of environment and health, the Toronto Star reported that inspection laws associated with NAFTA need to be stricter as poisonous strawberries imported form Mexico are currently being sold in the Canadian market. The National Post is reporting that 85% of Canadians are upset by the amount of money they pay in tax. StatsCan figures released on April 14th state that Canadians incomes are not keeping pace with economic growth. â€Å"We†re all working harder than ever and we†re not seeing our take home pay rise. It†s got to stop. Governments must take action to cut taxes and increase real take home pay†(Ontario PC Party). The government also needs to flatten income taxes because each province in Canada pays a different income tax rate Quebec than BC being the highest. We could also lower our income taxes if we were to be like the US and impose income tax on inheritance and lottery winnings, which would allow government to reduce personal income tax. A further social government issue that needs to be worked on is welfare. Welfare laws need to be modified because people on welfare have no incentive to look for a job or enroll in training. Welfare fraud is a big issues in some provinces of Canada (fraud and welfare abuse cost Ontario taxpayers an estimated $100 million last year), as well Canada needs to eliminate welfare payments to jail inmates as this is contributing to the millions of dollars wasted each year. It is made clear through the facts and evidence stated why the government needs to focus more upon social issues such as welfare, taxes, education, healthcare and foreign import laws. These government run programs are out of reach to entrepreneurs. Thus Canada needs the government to concentrate and control theses issues, rather than infringing upon Canadian business and economy. Lastly Since research has proven no laws limiting legitimate government control over large companies these laws need to be established and enforced because the government already has to much control over the Canadian economy. Laws need to be created in order to monitor government control and creation of monopolies. Trough extensive research currently there were no laws found that entail government control of business. Government already has a big impact on the pass of laws so this could be why there are no laws limiting their control of business i. e. Ontario liquor, CBC, Via rail, TVO, Petro Canada etc. However the part of business the government must stay in charge of are companies that produce money, the mint, nuclear power plants, army, police forces etc. These are all government run agencies that can not be privatized due to obvious reasons. If anyone could produce money than the Canadian dollar would have no value and the Canadian economy would crash, i. e. the Russian economy. The issue concerning too much government control over business that can be run by entrepreneurs can be resolved by passing â€Å"fair† laws concerning government control over business. This law would limit the amount of control and what the government can control in the Canadian economy. In conclusion as facts have proven above Canadian economic policies are becoming too government controlled, which is resulting in a government run bureaucracy. As government monopolies are becoming to strong it begins to decrease entrepreneurial opportunities for Canadian citizens and is why all business should be privatized. If the government were to allow privatization of some industries it would allow for more job opportunity, profit and a better Canadian economy. As well the government should concentrate more on social issues concerning Canadians such as healthcare, education, taxation etc, these issues could be emphasized on more by privatizing some crown corporations. Lastly law issuing limiting government control is allowed will result in a more prosperous economy. Therefore if all of these issues are handle more efficiently as outlined than Canada†s economy will be booming and it will create more opportunity in the job market for Canadian citizens.

Life expectancy Essay

Every country measures life expectancy as an index to express the average of years for a person to live in the scale of mortality indicator of a certain period (OECD, 2007). This index is usually affected by particular conditions such as health, education and specific factors of the country or territory. These characteristics have become this index one of the most important signs to quantity human development all over the globe. Although the modern world has brought an increasing of longevity, it is not necessarily associated with a better life quality, the inequalities between rich and poor societies seem to build an enormous gap in the quality of life, which contributes as well to the age of a person. This essay will discuss two reasons that affect the indicator in developing countries and the possible solutions. Health conditions are usually a vital contributing factor of liveability. The World Health Organization (1948) defines health as â€Å"a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity†. In this context, we could say that prevention of diseases lead to a healthy population thus a higher life expectancy. But transferring this into the developing nations’ context the imminent differences are immersed the lack of the quality in health care system, because â€Å"outside the rich countries, average health is strongly correlated with income† (Cutler, 2006). Even though in least-developed countries the reason of mortality and life expectancy are easy to identify, in the case of developing economies the distribution of resources and social inequalities appear to be the main motives. In the case of Mexico there were 70,281 deaths in 2013 due to diabetes type 2 (International Diabetes Federation, 2013), many of these deaths because of bad diet habits and restricted access to health care services. The access to quality health services could make a difference for nations’ life projection. Governments may invest a significant part of the budget in providing health care conditions to the society. Campaigns against increasing diseases can be another option, as illnesses like obesity is gaining territory in developing countries. For example, Mexico is now the most obese country in the world (WHO, 2013) for the high calories content in the food, and that will affect the life expectancy of the current and the future generations. Level of education is another crucial factor of life expectancy. Schooling is directly correlated with salary levels, and that  leads to better access to health services, improvement of productivity and well-being (Rahman, 2012). Knowledge is not only important for creating as well as maintaining a career, but is also a factor in sustaining a healthy body and preventing diseases. One of the most important outputs is that most educated people exercise moderately. In other words, the expenditure of education is an investment that has implication not just in the improvement of income level of individuals, but in the living conditions of population. Education would also improve the quality of labour force that plays a major role in the modern economic growth process. â€Å"The cultivation of intelligence through education, what economists call ‘human capital,’ does not make people only more productive but also better decision makers. Hence, education should be considered a factor that enhances well-being† (Papavlassopulos and Keppler, 2011). It is necessary to highlight the importance of management and financing for schools personnel and the training of new teachers, this way societies could have a well prepared population that can be able to take decisions that affect their lives in a positive way. For example, qualified people may look for a better job and improve life quality with the only result of having a good quality of life thus a higher life expectancy. In conclusion, in recent years the integration of life expectancy rank to determine not just human development rates but to introduce it to ascertain models and economic evaluations. Life expectancy summarises in one statistic number the structure of a society. There are some social and economic relevant factors that affect life expectancy in general, and in the case of developing countries the index is lower than the global average. All developing economies should concentrate the effort in increasing the investment in education and health care services to enhance economic well-being and with this, to improve the life expectancy index of population.

Rather than being a medium for western culture alone, the internet Essay

Rather than being a medium for western culture alone, the internet actually helps promote and strengthen the societies - Essay Example Governance and Democratization Early this year, Egypt and parts of the Arab world experienced one of their most successful revolutions in history. This revolution was organized with the help of the internet and specifically social networking tools. The people of Egypt organized themselves and through proper coordination and communication, they were able to change their country in a manner never witnessed before in any country. This revolutionary event was seen by many as what can be achieved through people power. Without the internet the Egyptian revolution would probably have taken a very different route than it did. The Egyptians were able to push for proper leadership and their democratic rights because the internet empowered them to do so. Another country that has made major gains in the democratization process is China (Lagerkvist, 2010). The country’s leadership is slowly but surely becoming more democratic as citizens become more empowered to fight for their rights usin g information technology tools such as the internet. Through the internet, citizens in a country are able to know how they are being governed. Many governments have adopted the use of the internet in service dissemination. This means that citizens can access the services from the comfort of wherever they are. The internet also empowers the people to communicate more effectively with their leaders. They can give feedback on the kind of services they want and they can use the same technology to demand for changes where they deem fit to do so. In other words, the internet has enabled citizens in different countries keep track of how their governments are doing their work and this helps in the overall development of the nations (Kalathil and Boas, 2003). Learning and Development Education is key to development and this is evidenced by the rate at which countries having high literacy levels have developed. Many nations in Asia, Africa and South America have for a long time been classifie d at the bottom in terms of literacy. However, the situation is slowly changing as more and more people from these countries seek education in different ways. The internet has played a major role in revolutionalizing the learning and development in nations outside the West. Many learning institutions in these countries have incorporated online learning into their programmes (Schell, 2007). This makes learning more effective, thus giving students the kind of education they need to lead productive lives in future. Those seeking higher education do not have to travel long distances to do so. Renowned institutions in the west have high class programmes which they offer online. This makes it easy for individuals in other countries to access the education offered in these institutions from wherever they are. These improved educational opportunities empower societies in non-western countries to develop at the same level as their counterparts living in western nations (Howard and Jones, 200 4). Business and Economic Development Most third world countries have had to struggle with the problem of unemployment for a very long time. Many youths in these parts of the world had been without any meaningful source of income before the internet age. However, things have drastically changed for the better in terms of employment opportunities among the young

Critique a professional journal article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critique a professional journal article - Essay Example It is even essential for educational institutes who are dealing with students suffering from the disorder of autism. It is even useful for parents who want to ensure that their children are free from this widely spread disorder (Konkel, 2014). The article cites a study which proves a correlation between autism experienced by children who live near the fields that are being treated by pesticides. There have been no previous studies that focus on these two variables together (Konkel, 2014). This article can be a starting point for researchers to identify whether there is a causal relationship between children experiencing autism and living near field that are being treated with pesticides. The article can even be quite useful for parents who live near such fields. If mothers who live near such fields read this article, they may chose to relocate in order to ensure that their children do not end up suffering from this disorder. The article can be an eye opener for the government to take notice and implement necessary actions to decrease the number of children suffering from this disorder. Every day various teachers come across students who are suffering from the disorder of autism. These children need special consideration from their teachers. Teachers need to actively take part in ensuring that these children are safe from risk factors that can further make the conditions worse for such children. As a special education teacher a teacher needs to ensure that the children who have already developed the disorder remain away from the environment that poses a threat to children suffering from this disorder. Teachers can even educate parents of such children regarding steps they can take to ensure the wellbeing of their child. Teachers can inform the parents about the threat and can advise relocation. They can even inform pregnant women to relocate for the health of their unborn child. Since this is a very first study conducted on the variables, it is quite

Summary 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Summary 4 - Essay Example It goes without saying that the story of the life and deeds of this great man are now intermingled with numerous mysteries and myths. Thus, it is still unknown when St. Benedict was born, though â€Å"tradition teaches† that he was born in 480 and died in 547.1 According to Gregory the Great, who was St. Benedict’s biographer, the saint lived from 480 up to 543.2 St. Benedict was born in â€Å"the province of Nursia of honourable parentage and sent to Rome to study the liberal sciences†.3 However, at the age of fourteen Benedict abandons the school and starts his glorious way of a virtuous man and spiritual shepherd.4 He starts living in solitude in one of the caves of the mountains not far from Rome. Soon he starts living in monasteries where he inspires other monks (and other people) by his virtues. Admittedly, the life in monasteries was the necessary background for the creation of his code of rules. It is noteworthy that he could read Latin which made it poss ible for him to get acquainted with works of Cassian and other prominent monastic writings.5 At this point it is necessary to point out that in his biography Gregory the Great also mentions numerous miracles worked by St. Benedict. Of course, this cannot be regarded as facts from the saint’s biography. ... d and God has not abandoned his people; he continues to bless them with holy persons†.6 It goes without saying that Benedict did lead a virtuous life and made a lot of rightful things to become such a symbol for millions of people. He established 12 monasteries and never stopped teaching monks and other people to live rightfully. However, the major work of St. Benedict is his Rule which he, presumably, wrote in Monte Cassino.7 The Rule contains the major guideline for monasticism which â€Å"was and is still used in many monasteries and convents† worldwide.8 The reason why the Rule has become the guideline for millions is quite simple. The principles articulated by St. Benedict were simple and rightful. The Rule is properly structured and is written in a form of preaching, or rather exhortation. In the first place, Benedict reveals the aims he is eager to achieve in his Rule. In the Prologue he states that only obedience and rightful work can bring monks to their Holy Fa ther. In the Prologue Benedict calls monks for changes: â€Å"It is now the hour for us to rise from sleep†.9 Thus, St. Benedict claims that there is a need to change some wrongful ways and turn to God. It is important to note that in his Rule Benedict points out some misdeeds. For instance, he warns abbots of â€Å"more care for fleeting, worldly things†.10 The major reason why Benedict’s Rule has been accepted in the entire western world is that it promulgated basic principles of Christianity. The Rule shows the way to make Christian monasticism rightful. Notably, St. Benedict pays much attention to the role of the Abbot. In fact, St. Benedict depicts the â€Å"rightful† Abbot, who is patient, reasonable, and virtuous. According to Benedict the rightful Abbot should inspire his disciples by his deeds,

Indian economy(international business) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Indian economy(international business) - Essay Example The value of the Indian Rupee against the U.S. Dollar is presently unfavorable. The economic boom of the last few years that had created new markets for the disposable wealth of the affluent middle class is also accompanied by high interest rates. Although the government’s decision to increase interest rates is done to balance the welfare of the poor with the economic boom, it is certainly expected to pull back the rate of growth. The growth rate of around eight percent, seen in the last four years, is bound to fall as a result. This prospect has made Indian business leaders a little uncomfortable. While large corporations can overcome this hurdle by borrowing from other countries, the small and medium scale businesses will undoubtedly suffer. Since the starting of the liberalization and deregulation phase, the country has largely come to depend on private corporations for infrastructure development. The successive governments during the last 15 years have been reluctant to initiate infrastructure projects – as raising taxes would result in unfavorable public opinion. But a country’s economic advancement is inevitable linked to its infrastructure and one cannot manifest without the other. This flaw had already started to expose some limitations. The meager budgetary allocation for highways and railroads had led to a substandard transportation facilities. Government investments in energy, water-treatment and sewage-treatment plants had been disproportionately low. Such a scenario will not lure trans-national companies to set up operations in India as it had done in the past. They may alternatively look east towards countries like China, Taiwan and Philippines that are more advanced in this regard. India’s English speaking elite have been the backbone behind the recent prosperity. It is to this section of the population that many jobs from the United States and Britain are outsourced. But the standard of education had failed to adapt to the

Article Summaries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Article Summaries - Essay Example 1-2). GDP estimation in the US begins with a best level estimate that is usually produced once every five years. It is typically calculated on an annual and quarterly basis. The annual estimates uses data collected from surveys done by the National Census Bureau’s covering about 150,000 reporting units. On the other hand, the quarterly estimates come from the monthly surveys done by the Census Bureau covering about 35,500 reporting units (Landefeld et al. 4-5). The estimates done every five years also incorporate new definitions and ideas that update the accounts to keep with up-to-date with changes in the economy. A method called â€Å"commodity-flow† is, for example, used by the Bureau of Economic Analysis to develop best level estimates for final sales based on product category (Landefeld et al. 7). The bureau also uses price-times quantity method to provide estimates for products with inconsistent data (Landefeld et al. 9). Estimates for investment, exports, imports, and government components also have their unique methods of determination. The final expenditures for the federal government, for example, are determined using budget data (Landefeld et al. 11-19). There are, however, several challenges associated with GDP measurement and determination of national accounts. There is no enough data for measuring sector services. There are also components that are difficult to value. There is, therefore, need to develop comprehensive estimation methods that can value all products by virtue of their nature (Landefeld et al. 22) The article is informative and provides detailed information concerning GDP and the methods used in its estimation. I particularly appreciate the author’s contribution in detailing the history behind the development of the framework that estimates GDP. It is, however, unfortunate that in spite of the developments

With a multicultural team, barriers to communication can be major Essay

With a multicultural team, barriers to communication can be major obstacles. How can understanding the cultural values overcome this - Essay Example The significant aspect lies on the basis of these societal and industrial cultures bringing about an imperative basis for the organizational culture to exist in the most basic sense. (Becker, 1999) One must understand that the organization cannot exist in seclusion and it has to remain in constant touch with the society in which it exists and the industry under which it finds competitors for its own selves and the strategic alliances, mergers and unities that form as a result of the same. Now the foundation lies merely on the manner under which the strategic and the tactical moves are adopted by this organization under study and how best it delivers towards the needs of the stakeholders, customers and employees working for the benefit of the organization itself, both from the short term perspective as well as an investment in the long run. (Marx, 1999) Hofstede has focused his works on the cultural differences that exist at individuals working within the different segments of a business and he has raised pretty interesting discussions here. He has removed the impression that is present of the individuals acting like each other and working towards a common goal. He has said that the organization wants to reach at a particular point in time within the future. Rather he has looked at it from a different perspective. What he has stated is that it is difficult to come to terms with the cultural differences that the employees bring with them and hence it gets frustrating at times to get the work done in a complete manner. (Jackson, 2004) One should believe that what Hofstede has taught through these cultural dimensions is true as little effort is paid to the fact that diverse employees bring about successful results for the organization. The organizations are also not in agreement with this ideology, which is quite shocking. However one should believe that the cultural managers and

Starbucks company Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Starbucks company - Research Paper Example Another short term objective for Starbucks Company is to increase the customer’s awareness on Starbucks environmental concerns. Actively planning and setting short term environmental goals will achieve a long term reputation of environmental appreciation for Starbucks. Functional Tactics Functional tactics can be used by Starbucks Company to implement a strong action plan that generates positive results for the company. Functional tactics include training employees, creating a new serving materials and common areas that are environmentally friendly. Including a recycling unit in every Starbucks is a functional tactic that will increase customer awareness and help achieve short and long term objectives. Implying these functional tactics will give Starbucks and increased competitive advantage over competitors who do not show environmental concerns. Policies to Aid Strategy Execution Starbucks Company has used policies in the past to aid in completing objectives. Policies ensure that employees are empowering the company and completely understand the objectives that the company is trying to achieve. Currently Starbucks Company has implemented a policy that focuses on the customers’ needs. Managers must follow a specific policy that enables them to properly handle any issues that arise with customers. Starbucks also has a policy that empowers the Starbucks brand.

Information Technology Training Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Information Technology Training - Essay Example In any business organization, the core responsibility of the management is to ensure the consistency of its stakeholders' relationships, to establish that the planned output can be achieved with the planned inputs of labour, capital, and materials. For each of these relationships, there is a corresponding financial flow. Herein, the firm receives sales revenues from its customer, makes payments for to its suppliers, meets its wage bill and its tax bills and pays a return to its investors (Brancheau, Janz and Wetherbe, 1996). These are being totalled and summarized in the business value statements while the competitive environment- the relationship between the firm and its rivals-determines the degree to which the business value can be created. The purpose of any business strategy is to put together a set of relationships which maximize and meet the needs of any industry and to minimise problems. The merging of information technology and the business strategy in order to ensure growth and competitiveness of the company is often called strategic alignment. This happens when the Information Technology management performance merged with the most essential strategies and core proficiency of the business organisation (Burn, 1993). When both of these are being aligned, the capability of the Information Technology (IT) becomes consistent and amalgamated with the central strategic path of the organization as a whole, which allows different stakeholders to create a particular Information Technology linked business forces and organizational strategic ways and directions. The strategic alignment of the business strategy and the information technology management is not only risk-taking to the efficacy and efficiency of the organization to create a business value in using Information technology. The complexities of achieving business success through increased efficiency, effectiveness and competitiveness, combined with innovative applications of IT, has heightened the awareness of both IT and business managers towards more strategically oriented approaches for planning and management (Luftman, Lewis & Oldach, 1993). Some studies suggest that no business or corporate strategy is complete if there is no information systems strategy. For most firms it is the business strategy that increasingly is dependent on, or made possible by, investment in appropriate information systems. For some, however, the corporate strategy may be linked closely to information systems, especially if information technology provides the infrastructure through which the firm positions itself in its sector or plans to diversify or integrate into another sector. Using Information technology in a business signifies different advantages and disadvantages. It is said that people are living through an era in which organizations within industrialized societies are experiencing a prolific growth in the development and deployment of information and communications technologies. The development of an IT-strategy discourse has thus been partly the result of technology developments. It also reflects however a more widespread concern

Social Change According to Foucault and Fromm Essay Example for Free

Social Change According to Foucault and Fromm Essay For many years before Michel Foucault and Erich Fromm put forward their respective theories on social analysis, Karl Marx’s concepts on the contradiction between social classes based on the relations of production were dominant in providing theoretical and practical guidance of forces promoting social change. As a result, revolutions were waged by the forces of social change, which later on gave birth to the world’s biggest socialist countries, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the People’s Republic of China. Other countries in Eastern Europe, Asia, and Latin America followed suit, with leading revolutionary organizations also espousing basic Marxist doctrines. Due to the successes achieved by such revolutions, many sociologists and academics began accepting the correctness of Marxism and socialism as an alternative social system to capitalism. However, even before the 1950’s, major weaknesses in the socialist systems as practiced by the Soviet Union and China began to emerge. Such weaknesses led sociologists to reconsider their admiration of Marxism without necessarily compromising their stand for social change. Erich Fromm, who belonged to the Frankfurt School which advocated the adaptation of Marxism to the realities of the 20th century, observed the excesses of the Soviet Union under Stalin and became critical of the model of social change advocated by the Soviets as well as radical socialist revolutionaries. Michel Foucault, on the other hand, who was a member of the French Communist Party, became disillusioned with the party’s continuing support of the Soviet Union and with its position in France’s national politics. Both Foucault and Fromm, at one point, considered themselves adherents to Marxist social analysis and its theory and practice of social change. This does not, however, mean that they can be compared to Marxist-Leninist revolutionary theoreticians in terms of strictly adhering to the concepts of dialectical materialism, socialist revolution, and communism as the ultimate objective. They upheld only essential part of Marxism that is characterized by humanism and its stand for progressive social change in order to achieve humanist concerns. In doing so, both Fromm and Foucault managed to develop respectively their own distinct perspectives on the methods of analyzing society. Such theories were not truly devoid of Marxist elements but, nevertheless, these were meant to be applications of some of Marx’s ideas to the more contemporary social issues. Consequently, they also proposed novel concepts on how social change must be achieved, all of which essentially do not espouse violent revolutions or the authoritarian one-party state structure that socialism in practice has been known for. Because of this, both Fromm and Foucault were criticized by Marxists and socialists even within the academic circles to which they belong. Foucault’s Discipline and Punish: the Birth of the Prison is a study on the social foundations and the theoretical concepts in the establishment of the modern prison systems. The study focuses on the Foucault’s observation and historical research on the development of the penal system in his native France. However, his findings and conclusions are proven to be relevant not just for his particular society alone but for all modern societies in Europe and North America. Before Foucault came out with his ideas in Discipline and Punish, most of the conclusions regarding the development of the prison system were based on the notion that reformists within the state were decisive in introducing more humane forms of punishment. The reformists, allegedly, just happened to become more compassionate through time and had determined that criminals and other deviants should no longer be subjected with corporal punishments done in full view of the public. Foucault argued that the invention of the prison was the decisive factor why such public corporal punishments were no longer the preferred mode of penalizing criminals. In this regard, he asserted on the idea that that it was not the government or the powerful bloc of people running it that grew the moral conscience which prompted them to discard corporal punishments but the introduction of a new form technology that allows disciplinary measures instead. Foucault cited the Jeremy Bentham’s Panopticon as the embodiment of such technological advance. With this concept, he subscribed to the Marxist theory that man’s ideas are not independent of material objects but is influenced by it. Here lies the essence of Foucault’s view on social change; that it cannot be achieved merely because man’s ideas willed it but that it should be based on material conditions. Foucault explained that society is itself a prison. He wrote that â€Å"prison continues, on those who are entrusted to it, a work begun elsewhere, which the whole of society pursues on each individual through innumerable mechanisms of discipline† (Discipline and Punish). With the state above it and with the existence of different forms of hierarchies in schools, churches, and organizations, society is essentially held together by a structure of disciplines. Because of this, it is necessary for penal systems to be established in order for society to survive. Without it, there will be chaos that can lead to the disintegration of society itself. To this effect, it appears that Foucault is an apologist for the existence of prisons or the maintenance of status quo. In his book, he pointed out that â€Å"in its function, the power to punish is not essentially different from that of curing or educating† (Discipline and Punish). Thus, he insisted that the state is necessary. The coercive apparatuses of the government must be maintained. This does not, however, mean that Foucault had departed from the progressive standpoint of social change. He explained that it prisons are indispensable facilities but these are also subject to changes. However, such changes should not lead to the elimination of the prison system but to the improvement of its conditions in order to make it more effective in disciplining and rehabilitating the incarcerated. Since society is like prison, it is clear that Foucault advocate social change but not the extent of destroying the state and ultimately the concept of modern society itself. For him, the key to social change is clearly not revolutionary cataclysm but discourse. Intellectual discourse is the venue in which social issues are addressed and solutions that encourage the transformation of society are achieved. He placed emphasis on the importance of intellectuals in social change, whose work is â€Å"is not to mould the political will of others; it is, through the analyses that he does in his own field, to re-examine evidence and assumptions, to shake up habitual ways of working and thinking, to dissipate conventional familiarities, to re-evaluate rules and institutions and to participate in the formation of a political will (where he has his role as citizen to play)† (Green 1997 p. vii). Erich Fromm’s Escape from Freedom, which came out in 1941, was influential in introducing a new perspective on analyzing society. While most of the earlier methods of social analysis were based on observations of human interaction within a society, Fromm focused on the psychological and philosophical aspects of individuals. Consequently, his analysis on society is primarily dependent of the individual’s mental and moral state and not on the structures or hierarchies in the political, economic, and cultural spheres. In this sense, he deviates from the Marxist theory that man’s ideas are shaped by forces beyond his subjective control. In Escape from Freedom, Fromm explained that man is inherently an advocate of his own freedom but he also seeks a particular order or hierarchy of power that would guarantee the advancement or the defense of such freedom. While he was critical of capitalism, he was also disillusioned with the socialist alternative as practiced by the Soviet Union. Because of this, he found the medieval societies more beneficial towards man than either capitalism or socialism. He articulated that medieval societies were indeed inadequate in providing freedom to the individual along contemporary definitions but then the individual was also not alienated. Instead, â€Å"in having a distinct, unchangeable, and unquestionable place in the social world from the moment of birth, man was rooted in a structuralized whole, and thus life had a meaning which left no place, and no need for doubt†¦There was comparatively little competition† (Escape from Freedom). Fromm believed that people did not sense any form of exploitation or oppression during the medieval era because an individual â€Å"was born into a certain economic position which guaranteed a livelihood determined by tradition, just as it carried economic obligations to those higher in the social hierarchy† (Escape from Freedom). It is clear Fromm places so much emphasis on the human being’s psychological factor in analyzing society and even in achieving social change. Contrary to Marx who stressed on the conflict or hatred between social classes and the inevitability of social transformation through revolutions, Fromm stated that â€Å"love is the only sane and satisfactory answer to the problem of human existence† (Art of Loving 1956 p. 133). In elucidating about freedom, he wrote in Escape from Freedom that human beings naturally desire freedom but they also fear it so much. The excesses in the capitalist culture are proofs how such abuse of freedom has become detrimental to society. Because of this, Fromm does see the necessity of social change. However, his eclectic mix religious eastern and western religious mysticism with social critique has resulted into a standpoint for social change without the necessary concrete exposition on how this can be achieved. Both Michel Foucault and Erich Fromm stood for the necessity of social change. However, they differ in the means of analyzing society. Foucault based his on the premise of power relations in society while Fromm on the innate human nature of freedom and love. Foucault considers the material structures as the principal factors that affect social change. Fromm, on the other hand, points out that it is the will of human beings that is decisive. What is common to both, however, is the necessity for dialogue. Foucault sees the importance of intellectual discourse in order for social reforms to be initiated. For Fromm, such dialogues are necessary so that men will come to agree on the vital changes that should be achieved. For the left, however, especially the Marxists from which they were associated in their earlier years, both are reformists or even conformists. For them, the theories of Foucault and Fromm only serve as an excuse for the continuation of the status quo. References Foucault, M. (1975). Discipline and Punish. Retrieved 12 May, 2010. http://www. sparknotes. com/philosophy/disciplinepunish. Fromm, E. (1956). The Art of Loving. New York, NY: Harper. Fromm, E. (1941). Escape from Freedom. Retrieved 12 May, 2010. http://www. scholierenliefde. nl/Frommenglisch. html. Green, R. L. (1997). English with an Accent: Language, Ideology, and Discrimination in the United States. London, UK: Routledge.

Brazils Banking Infrastructure and Business Structures

Brazils Banking Infrastructure and Business Structures Business Environment: Brazil is ranked 116th in World Bank’s Ease of doing business ranking. The infrastructure changes that have been done over the past few years have helped Brazil move up in the listing. It can be seen that Brazil ranks the highest in Getting Electricity (14th) and the lowest in Paying Taxes. It can be seen that the Brazilian government has been bringing out a lot of policies in order to makethe business environment easier. There have been vast changes in the category of resolving insolvency and as a result it has moved further towards the standards of the developed countries. Business Structure: Organizational and Managerial Factors Most companies in Brazil tend to be organized and stick to strict hierarchy in the organization. The information flows in a strict and structured way up down the various chains of command. Most of the decisions are made by the top most officials in the organization chart. While dealing with a Brazilian company it is always best to first understand the flow of command in the firm and get to know who makes the ultimate decision. Since most of the time a lot of foreign firms waste their time negotiating with someone who is not the deciding authority. Another point to remember is that most of the time the organizational chart shown by a Brazilian firm does not exactly depict the flow of command. There may be a few who hold more power than the person above them due to various reasons like internal politics, power of personal relationships etc. Environmental Factors: History: Brazil was under the rule of the Portuguese until the early 1800s. It was discovered by the Portuguese explorer Pedro Alvares Cabral. Brazil was broken into colonies and the colonies contributed their revenues to both the colony and the state. Coffee, Sugar and gold were the primary products exported from Brazil during this period. As the 18th century dawned Brazil was influenced by its neighboring states and fought for its independence. On September 7, 1822 Brazil was declared independence and was led by King Joà £o’s son Pedro as the regent. He was a liberal leader. He promoted education, improved communications, developed agriculture and encouraged immigration from Europe. The coffee boom began during his period. He abolished slavery. After Pedro Brazil was under the rule of both communist ruler, military rulers like Castello Branco who was pro-US and pro capitalist ruler like De Silva. Cardoso played an important role in the history of Brazil. He was at the helm of Plano Real which drastically reduced the inflation. The president , Dilam Rousseff of the Worker’s party, followed De silva in 2011. Many were skeptical about her being the candidate to fill De Silva’s shoes but she has been quite effective. Demographic: The population of Brazil is about 198.7million with most of them in the South East region (42.58%) and the north east region (27.50%). The North and the North east are underdeveloped regions of the country. The industrial and the commercial activities are concentrated in the south and the south eastern regions. Despite the vast territory of Brazil more than 80% of its population lives in the urban areas. The major cities of Brazil are Sà £o Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Salvador. Political: Brazil is a federal presidential representative democratic republic state. The president acts as the head of both the state and the government. The current President is President Dilma Rousseff, who came into power in 2011 after President De Silva. She belongs to the Workers’ Party and she is up for elections this year. She was the first woman president of Brazil. She faced a lot of challenges during a four year period. 2013 protests in Brazil: The 2013 protest was also called the 2013 federation cup riots or june journeys or the V for Vinegar Movement. This is an ongoing public demonstration in most of the Brazilian cities led by the MOVIMENTO PASSE LIVRE (Free Fare Movement). The riot started off as a small protest against the increase in bus, air and metro tickets. But as time and the support by masses increased it went on to become a riot against bigger problems like corruption and police brutality. During this riot President Rousseff was also blamed for using public funds for preparations for the 2014 World Cup. There was general dissatisfaction among the masses about the lack of social services in the country. 2014 Elections: The Presidential elections in Brazil will be held on October 5, 2014. There are four contenders: Dilma Rouseseff of the Workers’ Party, Eduardo Campos of the Brazilian Socialist Party, Aà ©cio Neves of Brazilian Social Democracy Party and Randolfe Rodrigues of the Socialism and Freedom Party. Prior to the June protests, current President Rousseff had exceeded approval ratings of 60%. But after the riots the ratings fell to a devastating 38%. But the polls increased to about 53% after her promise of spending 50 Brazilian reais in infrastructure. As of now President Rousseff is leading the polls. Economy: The currency of Brazil is the Brazilian Real. The GDP growth rate is about 1.9%. The GDP(PPP) per capita is about USD 11340. Inflation rate is about 5.68%. The post war Brazilian economic policy has been designed to accept high levels of inflation. It was found that high levels of government deficit were the reason for the inflation. Plano real and the new currency have reduced the inflation drastically. The GDP of Brazil is about USD 2.435trillion and has a current account deficit of 3.66% of the GDP. Brazil has always been a welfare state. With poilicies like the Bolosa Familia the state provides numerous benefit offerings to it citizens. This helped in bringing thousands of people out of poverty. The north eastern region that is poorest in Brazil was the most beneficial out of this program. Brazil was once called the Belinda, a country where a small part of the country is well off like Belgium and the rest are poor like India. But this is fast changing thanks to welfare programs like Bolsa familia and Fome Zero. About 50 million people were pulled out of poverty. This has helped the country climd the imcome level ladder internationally. A country that once looked like Congo looks like the Brazil that everyone wished to see. The income level of the country has increased substantially. Despite this there has been a slowdown in the country’s economic growth due to various reasons such as lack of proper infrastructure and withholding of investments by investors. The 2013 riots enhanced this further since the investors are skeptical about investing in a country that is going through a civil unrest. The drop in investments was the main reason for the slowdown in the economic growth. Custo Brazil or the â€Å"Brazil Cost† is one of the primary reasons for the reduction in investments. Brazil Cost includes high taxes, red tape, faulty infrastructure and scarcity of qualified labor. The 2014 presidential election of Brazil might have an impact on the investment scenario of the Brazilian economy. Many investors are withholding their investments, waiting for the new government to form. Infrastructure: The Brazilian economy was a consumption led one for the past four years. It followed what is now popularly called as the 3Cs model ( credit, consumption and commodities).Now that he demand has been created and people’s livelihood has become better they expect more. The per capita income of the country has increased which means that he lifestyle has changed. Now that they make a better living than before they are not just satisfied with the basic necessities but they want better roads, airports, ports, etc. Thus the government has to shift to a more pro infrastructure investment policies. The 2013 riots in Sao Paolo was solely due to the lack of infrastructure and increase in bus, air and metro tickets. Following which President Rousseff promised to spend 50 million Reais in improving urban public transportation. Market Opportunities: Sectors like air transportation, telecom industry, oil and gas and mining have been experiencing higher than average over the last few years. The government of Brazil also spent around $470 million in developing the airports, roads, ports, energy generation and distribution systems as well as the infrastructure necessary for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics. Petrobas, the Brazilian oil company, is planning for expansion and this will create a lot of opportunities for global businesses. The reserves found in 2006 and 2007 exceeded 60 million barrels which put Brazil among the top oil producing companies. Brazil is also one of the largest IT markets among the other emerging markets. The largest spending in this sector was the telecom followed by IT services and computing hardware. Big events like the papal visit in 2013 and World Youth Day created a lot of opportunities the past years. And future events like the 2016 Olympics and 2014 Football world cup is expected to create even wider platform for markets to flourish. FDI: Brazil is the leader among the Latin American countries for FDI. It contributed about 43.8% of the total investments in the region in 2011. Its geographical location is an important factor for this rise in investments. The economy of Brazil is diversified and hence is an attractive location for investments. It has abundant natural resources, flourishing tourism and a wide range of exports. A large portion of the investments into the country is in the IT sector and the industrial sector comes second to it. Risks and Potential Bottlenecks: Infrastructure: Infrastructure has always been a problem in Brazil. In the past government spending on infrastructure was about 0.6% of the GDP. This was way lesser than what would be required for a 4.5% GDP growth rate. Realizing this, the government of Brazil has decided to invest heavily in infrastructure. Although this sounds reassuring the reality is that most of the projects are still in the analysis stage and execution of public investments have proven to be ineffective. The airports and roads are congested, ports are clogged, the railroads are obsolete and the other forms of transportations are inadequate. The sales of light vehicles have been five times higher than that ten years ago thus increasing existing urban traffic. However the government does not seem to have recognized this, as the investments have not been in pace with the growing economic development. The inefficiencies created due to infrastructure bottlenecks subtract about 10-15% of the country’s GDP. Labor union: The employee interests in Brazil are protected by its constitution under the Consolidation of Labor Laws and the Social Security funding and Benefit Plan. There are mainly four labor unions in Brazil. Sindicato dos bancà ¡rios ( banker’s Assoscation) Sindicato dos metalà ºrgicos ( metal workers’ assosciation) Sindicato dos comercià ¡rios ( Commerce Workers’ Assosciation) Sindicato dos professores (Teachers’ Union) The labor unions for liberal professionals are not very well known due to its small number of participants. Every labor union is associated with one of the three main organizations: CUT- Central à ºnica dos Trabalhadores Conlutas- Central Sindical e Popular- Coordenaà §ao Nacional de Lutas Forà §a Sindical Financial Market: Capital Market: Brazil’s capital Market development is a key issue in fostering savings and investment. The savings and investment levels of Brazil as a percentage of GDP are very low. Thus developing the capital markets would provide incentive for savings and help in allocating the investments efficiently. Developing the liquid markets would also mean that the absorptivity capacity of the economy gets better. Most of Brazil’s capital markets are mainly focused on short term instruments. It can be seen that the yieldd curve is flat indicating that the short term interest rates are high and the degree of indexation of debt holders are high too. This flat yield curve contributes to a low secondary market turnover ratio thereby restricting overall market development. Equity Market: Brazil’s stock exchange is BOVESPA. The Brazilian equity market has been growing at a fast rate both in market capitalization and transaction volumes. The equity market capitalization of Brazil as percentage of its GDP was about 49.62% in 2011. This included investments form all kinds of investors like individuals, institutional investors, financial institutions and foreign investors. The NOVA MERCADO was a list of corporate governance practices that have to be followed by the companies that are trading on the BOVESPA in addition to the practices that are to be followed by the law. The NOVA MERCADO helped in raising the standards of corporate governance practices in the Brazilian companies. It brought transparency and minority shareholder protection as a requirement in the way the companies ran their organizations. Despite this the number of companies listed on the BOVESPA is very less. Especially industry composition in the stock exchange is focused only in some key areas. Ov erall the equity market development in Brazil is very low when compared to its neighbors and other developed countries (Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, US, UK, Germany, China and Korea). Public Policies: Fome Zero: Foem Zero is a government program started by President De Silva in order to eradicate hunger and extreme poverty in Brazil. It covers a wide range of fields such as education by starting schools in remote areas, low cost restaurants ( similar to soup kitchens in the US), creating water cisterns in Brail’s semi-arid areas, educating people about healthy eating habits, distributing free medicine, eradicating malnutrition, and giving access to microcredit. There are a few criticisms about the program. Some experts say that the program did not take effective steps to combat the income inequality in Brazil. Bolsa Familia: Bolsa Familia is the largest social welfare program in the world. Around 26% of Brazil’s population benefit out of this program. About 13.8 million families are benefited by this scheme. It was under President De Silva under the Fome Zero program. The main aim of this program is to eradicate poverty and hunger in Brazil. Under this program, families below a certain income level receive cash payments from the government on the condition that the children be sent to school and vaccinated regularly. It has been 11 years since the program was started and it still continues to benefit most of Brazilian citizens. It gives 10 to 100 Euros per month depending on the income level of the family and the size of the family. Although the scheme has been beneficial to millions of family there are criticisms about its effect on productivity on the country. The scheme was able to pull most of Brazilian population out of poverty but there has been a decline in the factor productivity of the country. Criticisms: Although these programs have reduced the poverty levels significantly there have been criticisms that these programs are being used as an electoral strategy by the Workers’ party and there is no real benefit out of them. This shows that there is definite hierarchical work environment in organizations. Telecom Industry: The telecom sector is the most promising sector in Brazil. Brazil has modern technologies in the center and the south portion of the country but the north and the north eastern regions lack even the basic analog PSTN telephone lines. The government is trying to correct this. The total market revenue in the telecom industry is about $116billion. Within the telecom industry the telecom equipment market is the largest with a total market size of $13.674millions. Opportunities: The Brazilian market for telecommunications is expected to grow. The mobile market is on the verge of a boom. The number of Facebook and twitter users has increased vastly. Brazil has 50 million clients on Facebook, with a development rate of 144% for every year, making it the second biggest nation on Facebook after the U.S. The Apple Application Store in Brazil as of late started offering games in April 2012, and not just is Brazil now the greatest application advertises in Latin America, yet its year-on-year income outpaced the U.S. Application Stores income development. Brazilian application deals developed 83% in the most recent year, contrasted with 44% development in the U.S. Brazil positions sixth on the planet for App Store income development. Information expenses costs are dropping in Brazil as bearers offer aggressive estimating arrangements. With prepaid arrangements as the most famous model, the significant carriers are putting forth information plans from 20 to 25 cents for every day. A few carriers are actually offering no-charge access to information substantial administrations like versatile feature streaming. Because of government backing as barters that sway telecom transporters to buy 4G data transfer capacity at focused costs, Brazil is laying the preparation for across the board 4g right to gain entrance. Each of the four of Brazils significant telecom organizations acquired licenses for 4G rapid Internet capacities in the late closeout and have vowed to prepared their 4G systems by 2013, preceding the World Cup. Over the long run, these telecoms organizations are relied upon to offer 4g in all Brazilian urban communities with a populace of 100,000 or all the more by the end of 2016. Brazil is creating the conditions to have a prevailing portable market: the legislature is supporting new activities, imperative Oems have plants in the nation and the customer base is monstrous. As its put in the worldwide versatile business develops through the following few years, designers, ambitious people and gurus might be savvy to acquire a stake in this versatile outskirts before the aggressive scene gets immersed. Competitors: Akwan Information Technology AstraSat Global Village telecom TIM Brasil Brasil Telecom Intelig Telecom Oi Telecommunications Star One Why Brazil? : Brazil is one of the fast growing economies in the world. The huge population creates a large market for any kind of industry. Demand has already been created and any new product will be accepted. Although the economic growth has slowed down the upcoming infrastructure projects will give a reason for the investors to invest in the country. President Rousseff, after the june riots, has promised to spend about 50 million reais in infrastructure. Upcoming event like the 2014 Football World Cup and the 2016 Olympics will create a lot of job opportunities in the country. The property market is also booming as the livelihoods of people have become better they are not just satisfied with mediocre things but they crave for more thus generating ore demand for properties. Tourism is also a booming sector in Brazil. More specifically ecotourism is being vigorously promoted in Brazil and it is one of the world’s fast growing industries. Thus these reasons makes Brazil an attractive market for investment.

History And Culture Of Klutch Cultural Studies Essay

History And Culture Of Klutch Cultural Studies Essay History of Kutch Kutch has a very rich and vibrant history. People have migrated in and out of Kutch from countries like Afghanistan, Sindh, Britain and Africa for centuries and the various stone implements found by explorations in and around the place verify that it was inhabited from prehistoric times. In fact, traces of the astonishing Indus Valley civilization (3000 to 1500B.C.) have been discovered at Dholavira- Kutch. It was referred to by Alexander the great as `Abhir`, which means the shape of tortoise. It had always remained a place of a lesser population, especially in the 9th century. Kutch has also experienced frequent earthquake since medieval times. The earliest earthquake recorded in Kutch dates back to 16th June 1819. Since then, over 90 earthquakes of varying intensity have struck the region, but none as severe as the most recent one in 2001. Kutch in Ancient Period (3000 B.C to 920 AD) Rann was not an arm of the sea during the early days when Alexander the great visited these places in 325BC. The eastern branches of the Indus River emptied the most important channel into the Rann and Kutch was a kind of extension of Sindh on the other side of the larger freshwater lake, which could be easily crossed. The Mauryan Empire broke of the Gujarat, Kutch and Sindh provinces and passed under the rules of Greeks from Bactria in 140-120 BC. Bactrian rule over Gujarat, Kathiawad and Kutch was ended by Sakas in the 1st Century and ruled upto the 3rd century. After that Samudragupta attacked the Sakas and ended their rule. Kutch in Modern Period (1500 AD to 2001) Much of Kutch history in the 13th, 14th and 15th century has witnessed a lot of violence through massacres, plunder and arson. In 1510, Rao Khengarji I a successor of Odha, (second son of Rato Raydhan) assumed power with the full approval of the Sultan of Ahmeddabad. He thus became the founder of the dynasty that was to rule Kutch till its merger with the Indian Union in 1948. Khengarji I`s capital was Rahper. This was later shifted to Bhuj in 1549. After the Partition of India in 1947, the province of Sindh, including the port of Karachi, ended up in Pakistan. The Indian Government constructed a modern port at Kandla in Kutch to serve as a port for western India in lieu of Karachi. There was a dispute over the Kutch region with Pakistan and battle broke out just months before the outbreak of the Second Kashmir War. Architecture The architecture that is followed in the construction of the houses in the Kutch region, and Gujarat as a whole, is called Bhonga and is commonly found in the rural areas. It is a tent like structure which has been in use in Gujarat and the Kutch region for over 200 years now. It consists of a single cylindrical shaped room and has a conical roof supported by cylindrical walls. The durability, sturdiness and the reason that this type of architecture is well suited to the desert condition makes it a very common sight across this region. Also, failure of the Bhongas in the last earthquake caused very few injuries to its occupants in spite of their collapse. These Bhongas are similar to the normal mud houses and is usually inhabited by the poor people. Places of Importance Bhuj is the headquarters of the Kutch district and apart from its strategic and administrative importance, it is also a beautiful place famous for its amazing landscape. Mandvi is a port situated along the coast, which is a tourist destination famous for its handicraft, tie-dye, silverwork and interesting architecture like Vijay Vilas Palace. It also showcases a few houses which have a blend of Indian and European styles of architecture and a lighthouse. The Mandvi Beach is also a place of importance with Water Sports and other forms of tourism developing along its coast. White Rann, named so due to the huge salt content in the desert making it look like ice, is a very common tourist attraction and the picturesque beauty of the place has made it an integral part of many movies as well. The Rann Utsav, a cultural event, happens here in the greater Rann of Kutch every year in December. It is organised by the Gujarat tourism department annually and is an opportunity for visitors to attend folk dance and music concepts, watch artisans at work, visit handicraft villages, see the historical monuments in the state, and go trekking as well. The Little Rann of Kutch and its environs, the Wild Ass Sanctuary is the last home of the Indian Wild Ass. Other species that could be seen during wildlife viewing drives in the sanctuary are the Nilgai or blue bull antelope, Blackbuck or Indian Antelope, Chinkara or Indian Gazelle, the endangered Indian Wolf, Desert and Indian Foxes, Jackal, and smaller species characteristic of the desert habitat. At the edge of the Little Rann of Kutch are lakes and marshes that attract waterfowl in numbers beyond comprehension. Huge flocks of flamingos, pelicans, cranes, storks, geese and ducks can be seen in winter. The Little Rann is also one of the few places in India where the Lesser Flamingo is breeding successfully. The place Banni (meaning bani hui, or ready made) gets its name from its geological past, the land was formed from the sediments deposited by several rivers that flowed through the region over several thousand years. People say that prior to the earthquake of 1816, the river Indus flowed right through Banni and the local farmers reaped rich harvests. After the earthquake, the rivers changed course and the place now is almost featureless, arid grassland fed only by the seasonal monsoons with very few farms seen. Due to the high salt content of the soil the vegetation is sparse and plants we came across most were salt tolerant shrubs like Mesvak , Lana, Ooeyen, Lai and Sedge. Places of Worship Hazipir, Karodpir, Mata Nu Madh, Narayan Sarovar, Koteshwar, Godhra, Vaishnav Devi, Gundala, Ghadsisha, etc. are places which are of interest to one and many. Each of them have a story to communicate and they each hold historic and religious importance in their own respective ways. Economy and Industries: Indias fastest growing state in the last decade has been the state of Gujarat. The Kutch region of Gujarat provides investors with both resources and the benefits of investment. The most important feature of the Kutch region comes geographically with two major ports Mundra and Kandla located in the region. These ports are closest to the Gulf and Europe and major trade occurs through both these ports. Kutch is home to a lot of small truck drivers. There are also NRI industrialists and businessmen who contribute to the economy of the region. The Kutch region is also blessed with abundance of natural resources like lignite, bauxite and gypsum. Most of these minerals are used for electricity generation by the Gujarat Electricity Board. The industry scenario in the region can be best described as making rapid strides. Companies of TATA Power, Adani and Sanghi Industries Ltd are housed in the region. Ancilliaries and support systems are also developing in the region at a fast pace. Due to all these the demand for non agricultural land has gone up at an astounding pace thereby accompanied with sky rocketing land prices. An acre of land available for Rs. 500 just 7-8 years ago is now sold at Rs.5 Crores. Although these stories are unheard of in the land of Kutch since its inception, they are becoming the reality of today. Due to such explosion, poor peasants lifestyles have gone a dramatic change and they are consuming brands like lottery winners. There are so many cases in which many people have opted for retirement from their farms and have sold it off to these corporate for a fat price tag and are now enjoying the fruits of their ancestors hardwork. Traditional industries such as salt, manufacture of shawls, handicr afts and silver items still exist in the region. The People of Kutch Kutch due to its geographic location is inhabitated with people from various regions. People have migrated from neighbouring regions of Marwar, Afghanistan, Sindh (now Pakistan).There are several nomadic, semi-Nomadic and artisan groups living in Kutch. The major communities include Jadejas, Lohana, Nishars, Darbars, Khatris, Rabaris and Ahirs. The majority of the population of Kutch follows Jainism as religion the Vanki Tirth temple situated in Mundra district considered to be one of the most elegant temples for Jains attracts over thousands of pilgrims every year but Hindus and Muslims are also in sizeable number in this region. Especially the Banni region is home to a number of nomadic Sindhi-Speaking Muslim group such as Dhanetah Jaths, Hingoras and Samma. There are also Sikhs residing in this part of the state the gurudwara for whom located at Lakhpat in Kutch was the house that Guru Nanak stayed in during his journey to Mecca. A person from the region of Kutch is known as Kutchi. Most of the Kutchis are strongly connected to their roots. They have strong social and cultural values imbibed in them. They say a Kutchi is born with entrepreneurial skills and business acumen. This goes to show, as a large number of Kutchis are businessman in small or big way (Adani, Euro Group, Nilkamal, Everest Group, Prince Plastic, Amarsons, Premsons, Benzer and Anchor etc). They also give a lot back to the region where they hail from. They build schools, hospitals, dharma shalas (dormitories), temples, bhojnalaya (free meals for all). They also provide ample job opportunities for all the youth hailing from that place. They train them and also trust them with utmost responsibilities. This is without any merit or skill based and is purely on the basis of a CSR role that they play for the communities that they are born in. They are these big names which are the stones on which a whole village is developed. Kutchis follow a patriarchal system and the male child still holds an important position in the house, they believed if its a male child he will be part of family business and if its a female she will be married off soon. There is some difference as to how a girl child is brought up and a male child. Kutchis till early 2000 did not lay special emphasis on education. Now the mindset is changing with people moving to cities. They want their children to be educated; kids today have aspirations to become doctor, engineer, and cricketer. Education now is an important consideration even for girls and there are girl schools that have been constructed. But even in the 21st century a girl child is engaged in as early as the 8th standard and is taught how to run a house at a tender age. Although now things are changing and girls are getting equal importance in a lot of families. A Kutchi believes in maintaining relationship throughout his life. Relationship is as important to him as money is. Also customs and traditions are extremely important to him. There are set practices which he follows for every occasion, the places of worship are extremely important and many in numbers. People of Kutch are very welcoming to people from other communities. Due to a large population of Hindus, Muslims and Jains etc, all the festivals are celebrated with a lot of exuberance. Most people are very warm hearted and treat everyone equally. For their own community Kutchis have also created sanatoriums for people to come and stay as hotels cannot be built everywhere. This reflects in the warm hospitality which they offer to any stranger who walks into their house and is offered a cup of tea and bidi. They feel honored and privileged if they are offered a bidi in anyones house. These are 2 conversations starters and also customs around which the whole community revolves around. Entertainment, socializing, conversations, rituals, etc. are all an offshoot of the warmth that they infect people with. Post the earthquake there has been a lot of developmental work done in the region of Kutch. There have been several industries set up, power plants have been constructed. Job opportunities have been created for the people and due to this there has been increase in the purchasing power of people. Now they have more disposable income in their hands and they have also become brand conscious. Social Status Kutch is home to people from all strata of the society, there are large business houses which come from Kutch and there are also people who live on daily wages. The social status of people varies from SEC A to SEC E2. There are people who belong to the working class and house wife as a concept is predominant in Kutch. Kutchis have been following a joint family structure since a very long time but off late due to migration and other factors slowly the families have started moving into nuclear structure. Even if the families have moved into smaller units, kutchis are still a very closely knit unit, they look after each other and ensure that every member of the family at least gets his daily bread. Most of the employment opportunity is first passed on to family members then people from kutchi community and then to the outside world. Culture Kutchis pride themselves on their rich culture and heritage and reflect the same through their dressing, language and even food habits. Costume The people of kutch have unique set of costumes as against the conventional wear. They normally wear embroidered work .Mirror work is also an important part of their outfit. In different parts of Kutch you will see different set of designs on the outfit as the workmanship of each region differs. A particular community in Kutch can be recognised on the basis of the costumes they wear for example, a rabari woman will always be seen in a black open blouse or odhnis which cover her face, the Jat women always wear red or black Chunnis. Chaniya Choli is another important costume for the women of Kutch. In Rural areas women wear abhla(mirror work) chaniya choli. They wear kanjari which is a long blouse embroidered with mirror work and choli. The men in Kutch wear a white outfit, they wear a white dhoti (lungi) and a khami and a white jacket .Another traditional costume of the men in Kutch is the Kaidiyu which is again white in color. The bottoms of these people are tight at the feet so that no insects enter them while they are working on in their fields. Bandhani print of Kutch is really famous in Indian and abroad and is in huge demand across market. The bride and her family is supposed to wear a special kind of Bandhani called as Gharchoda. This is still prevalent in the cities where a lot of expat kutchis get married. Widows can be recognised by a typical Red saree which she wears without any ornaments as accompaniments. Music Kutch has a rich heritage of traditional folk music. Musical instruments are also related to origins of people in Kutch, their taboos, their style of worship etc. It allows us to understand social and religious traditions. Some of the musical instruments of Kutch include Bhorrindo: A folk instrument which is a simple vacant dirt ball or like an egg twisted with three to four holes Dak or Dhaku: Dak is similar to Damru and is made up of hour glass frame with vellum heads. The Cords are pressed hard and released in quick succession to give the effect Dholak: One of the most important instruments in the folk music of Kutch. which is played at all major occasions be it a small event or the navratri functions Jodia pawa: A pair of double flutes is also known as Alghoza. It is mainly played by the shepherds in the desert. It is used in folk dances. One of the renowned artist of the same is Musa Gulam Jat from Kutch Morchang: A simple device made out of brass .It has an outer frame fortuning the instrument and in the shape of a harp. Color Kutch is a place which is filled with a lot of vibrancy even if its known as land of desert. Be it the costume the people they wear or the color of their house they make use of bright colors such as blue, pink yellow and red. Rannoutsav, the combination of White Desert and vibrancy of Gujarat, is also a celebration of colors amidst the land of white sand. Language Predominant language is kutchi influenced by sindhi and gujarati owing to its geographical location. The script of Kutchi language has become extinct and so Gujarati script is occasionally used. Gujarati as a script and language has also become more popular because of people moving out and the schools being gujarati medium. Rituals festivity The Kutch Festival colorfully attired dancers, music concerts, Sindhi Bhajan performances, Langa Desert Music and shops selling embroideries and jewelry are the hallmarks of the Kutch Desert Festival Makar Sankranti  and Kite Flying Festival  (14 January) Uttarayan Significance Suns direct rays reach the  Tropic of Capricorn  to mark the end of winter season. It is celebrated by flying kites the threads are glass strengthened and the purpose of the fighter kites is to cut the other kites thread and be the winner. At night, kites with  Chinese lanterns  are flown and held aloft. Food Undhiya, sugar cane juice and local sweets to celebrate the day. The Rann Utsav The Rann Utsav is the annual cultural extravaganza of the region held in the months of December and January. The Rann Utsav seeks to bring out to the world the uniqueness and rich diversity of the region. Though focus has always been on traditional art and culture, this year it has evolved with the addition of dances and pageants. Most notably, visitors are made to feel a part of the programs and are invited to perform. The Rann Utsav though is mainly for the urban population and the rural crowd tend to shy away from the festival. Tourism has grown by leaps and bounds, more so with the roping in of Amitabh Bachchan as the brand ambassador of Gujarat. Handicrafts Artistry Bandhani traditional handiwork of tie and dye. Bandhanis are very closely associated with deep rooted social customs. It is treated as a symbol of married life and is worn by Hindus and Muslims during their marriage. It is also worn during major festivals like navratri and diwali by women across caste and age. Decorative arts of pottery, embroidery, printed and woven textiles, wall paintings, jewellery and leatherwork Lodai (the potters are here are muslim and slip decoration executed by women is highly regarded) and Khavda ( clay bunga round hut made from mud and wood with a conical roof) important regions of districts known for clay crafts which are more than normal pot making Diverse embroideries   aari  embroidery carried out for the royalty and wealthy families. Traditionally women in rural areas do the embroidery for their dowries. Important resource centers for embroidery in the region are Shrujan, Kutch Mahila Vikas Sangathan (KMVS), Kalaraksha and Women Artisans Marketing Agency (WAMA). Ajarakh printing a very complex hand printing technique using wooden blocks and  natural dyes. The printing is done by a lengthy process which can take up to a couple of months for the most complicates pieces. Ajarakh is being practised today in Dhamadka and Ajarakhpur villages in Kutch. Mud work Artistic wall pieces made with mud and mirror work are used to decorate homes. Leather artisans products like leather shoes, sandals, mirrors, small pouches, etc. The very high skilled artisans decorate the articles by doing embroidery or cutting various shaped windows in the leather. These artisans can be found in the villages like Sumarasar, Nirona, Zura, Bhirandiyara, Hodko,  Khavda, etc. in and around the Banni region. Handloom weaving shawls, yardage, jackets, etc. woven out of wool, cotton and acrylic yarn. Bandhani is carried out on the shawls in some cases. The biggest center for this is Bhujodi village near Bhuj. Food and Drink Jains,  Buldhmins  and some other caste perform strict vegetarianism making Kutch a predominantly vegetarian district. As for Jains they also refrain from eating  kandmool  food grown below the ground such as  potatoes, garlic,  onion,  suran, etc.  Beef is an ultimate taboo since Hindus consider the cow holy even though they might practice various levels of vegetarianism. The usually Kutchi Cuisine consists of Roti or Rotlas, Curd, Butter milk, Dal, Curry, Vegetables, Papad, Kachumbar. Dry rotlis or Theplas and Khakras and Sev (of Gram Flour) are made and stored as food during travelling etc.. Staple food Rotlas made of Bajri (millet)  which the local relish with Butter milk or Chhas, Butter and Jaggery or Gud.Khichhdi made of rice and dal (pulses). Beverages Tea  is the most popular drink in this region and is enjoyed irrespective of sex, caste, religion or social status.  Most people drink it with milk and sugar and like it sweet but strong. . Tea without milk is offered when people are visiting host to mourn death of relatives and is hence never served to guests on normal occasions. Delicacies Khaman dokla, Gathia, Undhia, Muthia, Raita, Dahi wada, Kachori, Bhajia, Bhaji made of brinjal, bitter gourd and ladys finger,etc. Snacks Dabeli, Puri Shak, Pav Bhaji, Bhakarwadi, Papdi, Kadak, etc. Desserts Adadiya, Gulab Pak, Son Papdi, Mohan thal, Pedas, Halwa, Gulab Jamun, Jalebi, etc. Seeds of Dhaniya or Dhana dal, Betal Leaf or Pan with Supari is served after food as mouth freshner. Consumer Insights Consumption Pattern in Kutch has seen a steady change in the past two decades with increase in media proliferation. More brands are targeting Kutch as a potential market owing to their considerable disposable income. Kutchis are becoming more and more aware of the brands available across segments. Companies such as HUL , PG, Pepsi, Parle, Brittania, LG, Samsung, Maruti are expanding their distribution channel to reach out to these consumers. Brand Awareness: It was important to study and understand the brand awareness level in the villages of the Kutch region. The most pertinent sector of consumption is the FMCG category. Hardly anyone in the villages of Kutch possesses an automobile, as a result of their economic status, but SUVs were common among the urban population of Kutch. It was fascinating and somewhat surprising to learn that young girls in the villages of Kutch know about brands such as Nissan Micra, although that was attributed to Ranbir Kapoor. The power of celebrity endorsements was there for all to see. In the household, the most common brands which were spotted were Bournvita, Nycil, Ponds and Salora among others. Most of them used the local brands when it came to cooking ingredients like milk, ghee, oil etc. According to the retailers, FMCGs in small packs sell better than large packs and Clinic Plus is a fast seller. Confectionaries like Cadburys Perk, Hide and Seek are some of the brands the kids consume. Apart from this though, there are also cases of selling of counterfeit and local brands which have similar packaging as that of the original brand. A few instances were noticed in the case of packaged drinking water, analgesics and FMCG products. Impact of advertising on consumer behavior: Upon interaction with the natives of the Kutch region, it was found that celebrity advertising had the maximum impact among the younger population. Also, after the 2001 earthquake in Bhuj, there was a marked change in the buying pattern due to higher disposable income. Consumer durables are a huge market in Kutch and television and refrigerator are some of the products which have started finding their way into every household. People have also started becoming brand conscious. Electronics stores such as LG have opened outlets in recent times. Media Consumption: Television is one of the major media vehicles. People of this region are mainly hooked on to the soap opera, Gulaal , which showcases the culture of the Kutch region. There are also different perspectives to this soap where one fraction believes that the Kutch region has not been depicted properly, while the other are happy with the serials depiction of the culture and practices of the region. There is also a slow trend in moving from traditional CRT TVs to LCD screens. Newspapers are also an important medium in the region. In the villages, mainly the regional newspapers like Divya Bhaskar and Sanj Samachar are circulated, while in the urban areas English dailies such as DNA and Times of India are widely read. The radio is used as a mass medium too. People are tuned into their favorite radio channels and communication is mainly through news, music or commercials. Impact of Social structure: The society is predominantly male dominated. The villages follow a structure where the village headman or sarpanch is the one who takes the decisions aided by his council. The villages in the Kutch region provide equal opportunities to women. As in case with most of the rural population of India, women are married off at a very young age, having barely finished school. How this structure impacts the buying behavior is seen from the fact that although the chief wage earner is the male (in most cases), the woman of the house buys the products for daily use.