Biography of Narendra Modi: A Political Phenomenon Essay

Narendra Damodardas Modi, popularly known as Narendra Modi is the current Chief Minister of the state of Gujarat and the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate for the 2014 general elections. He was selected by L.K Advani, the leader of the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) in 2001 to give a direction to the election campaign in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Mr. Modi was elected as Chief Minister of Gujarat on October 7th, 2001 and is the longest serving Chief Minister of the state. In the 2012 Gujarat legislative assembly election he won his fourth constituency term as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. A career that started as an errand runner for the RSS (Hindu Right wing group) is now perhaps on the way to reaching its zenith. Yes, Mr. Narendra Damodardas Modi has walked quite a distance wearing unflinching confidence on his sleeves. The Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate is a fascinating case study as the man opens up equal number of avenues for his critics as well as admirers. The man is admired for his economic policies and growth scenario in Gujarat, but he also bears flak for the dismal state of the Human Development Index in Gujarat. As the pendulum of the verdict sways to and fro for him, let’s have a deeper look into Narendra Modi’s biography. Humble Beginnings The idea of struggle was never very distant for Modi. He used to run a tea stall till the time RSS inducted him as a full-time member. With whatever minimal training he received from the party’s associates, he surged ahead and exhibited enough capability to be given the charge of the ABVP (the student wing of RSS). His diligence and dedication towards the party hardly ebbed despite the fact that he was simultaneously pursuing a Master’s degree in Political Science. This ‘average student’ from Vadnagar tutored himself to take greater steps on a national level. Family Although there isn’t enough about Modi’s personal life in the public domain,  the political discourse sometimes throws up bits of facts and stories. He was born into a middle class family of six in Vadnagar in Mehsana District (then Bombay state) to Damodardas Mulchand Modi and Heeradben Modi. He was bethrothed when quite young, but chose to walk away from the marriage and has remained a bachelor. Early days in Politics Narendra Modi was drawn to politics in his early teens and was a member of Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS). During the 1960’s India-Pakistan war, even though he was only a young boy, he volunteered to serve soldiers traveling through railway stations. As a youth, he became a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, a student body involved in anti-corruption. After having worked full time with them, he was then nominated as its representative in the BJP. Modi was also a campaigner in the RSS during his years in college and took on the task of encouraging the party members. Partnering with Shankersingh Vaghela, Modi began a strong cadre base in Gujarat. Narendra Modi has come from a humble background and is known for his simple lifestyle. He has a reputation of being a workaholic and introvert. Mr. Modi has tried to change his image from that of a Hindu Nationalist politician to that of a sincere administrator. The party began getting political attention and formed a coalition government in April 1990. After this, the BJP came to power in Gujarat in 1995. During this period, Modi was responsible for the Somnath to Ayodhya Rath Yatra and a similar trek from Kanyakumari in Southern India all the way up to Kashmir in the north. A careful observation of his rise to the national podium would evince how he remained glued to his fundamentals – continuing agitations during the nationwide Emergency, organizing Murli Manohar Joshi’s Ekta yatra (journey for unity), and impressing everyone with electoral strategy ahead of the 1995 state elections. As BJP tasted victory, Modi relished his newly ordained post of the party’s General Secretary. The workaholic and loyal ‘sevak’ moved to New Delhi to take up the new responsibility of managing the  party’s activities in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. Three summers whizzed past and Modi already had the post of National Secretary of the BJP under his kitty. First Stint as Chief Minister of Gujarat Times were turbulent in Gujarat with allegations of corruption and poor governance doing the rounds. After Shankarsingh Vaghela left the BJP, Keshubhai Patel was made Chief Minister of Gujarat and Modi became General Secretary of the party in Delhi. Weak handling of the effects of the Bhuj Earthquake in 2001 prompted the BJP’s national leaders to seek a new candidate as chief minister, after the removal of Keshubhai Patel. In October 2001, Modi was brought in to fill the vacuum and made Chief Minister of Gujarat despite his lack of experience in governance. Initially, the BJP was not very keen on having him at the forefront and the party was contemplating the position of deputy CM for him, which he refused. He wrote to Advani, and the then Prime Minister Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, stating that he was either â€Å"going to be fully responsible for Gujarat or not at all†. In July 2007, he became the longest-serving Chief Minister in Gujarat’s political history. In the Gujarat legislative assembly elections of 2012, Narendra Modi won the constituency of Maninagar over the Indian National Congress, with a majority of 86,373 votes. The BJP won 115 out of the 182 seats and formed its government in Gujarat. This was Narendra Modi’s fourth term as the Chief Minister. The following year in March, he was appointed as member to the BJP Parliamentary Board which is the highest decision-making body of the party. He was also nominated as a member of the party’s Central Election Committee. Taking Tough Calls His rift with the VHP started to show after his much-criticized decision of demolishing 200 illegal temples in Gandhinagar. This was just the trailer. Modi was also vocal about PM Manmohan Singh’s reluctance to revive anti-terror laws. He called for invoking tougher laws in states following  the 2006 Mumbai blasts. Time and again, he has judiciously chosen issues to pontificate and attack the central government. In the wake of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, Modi brought up the issue of security along Gujarat’s coast. The UPA government acted upon this immediately and sanctioned construction of 30 high-speed surveillance boats. Recently, he came down heavily on the Central government for its weak approach towards Chinese incursions in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh and infiltration by Bangladeshis on the Indo-Bangladesh border. Criticisms The Modi government came under bitter criticism following the 2002 Gujarat riots that betrayed the prevailing communal harmony within the state. Investigations were ordered into alleged abetment of crime. Modi’s image suffered a quake as a common consensus was established that pointed fingers at the chief minister for allowing communal violence in the state. Some demanded his prosecution for promoting enmity among different communities during the riots. His way of functioning has also been the topic of much debate in the political arena with commentators and subject-matter experts lambasting him for carrying the DNA of fascist leadership. His critics call him a self-centered autocrat who doesn’t care a hoot about the BJP. The Gujarat chief minister finds himself in the bad books of analysts as he is also accused of twisting facts to suit political motives on more than one occasion. In June 2013, when Narendra Modi’s was appointed as the chairman of the national campaign committee, L K Advani submitted his resignation escalating his objection against Modi’s appointment. But the BJP leadership remained rigid on its choice to put Modi in front of 2014 campaign. A self-made man Besides being a revered orator and a prolific writer, he is also a caring son and a man with his brand of humour. Those who have associated with him for long are of the opinion that the idea of power is exciting to him. Next time you wonder how he could garner so much of national attention, think of this. He underwent a rigorous training in the US on public relations and image  management. When it comes to taking lessons on brand building, Modi says there’s no greater inspiration than Mahatma Gandhi. His eulogies about Gandhi come from the fact that â€Å"He spoke of Ahimsa but carried a stick. He never wore a cap but the world wears a Gandhi Topi.† Modi’s careful metamorphosis from a Hindutva party man to a pro-development leader and change maker speaks volumes for his image-building ability. His 2-year long escapade into the Himalayas and co-mingling with the yogic sadhus gave him a fair understanding of Hinduism. That partly explains why people listen to him in rapt attention when he talks of ideologies. Face of Development – Favorite among the leaders of India Inc. Modi frequently refers to his P2G2 (Pro-people good governance) formula to substantiate his claims on holistic development. Some observers are of the opinion that Gujarat has been able to improve its agricultural output despite being a semi-arid state. The credit is given to the Gujarat government’s measures to scale up groundwater projects and initiatives to increase the use of micro-irrigation. India Inc. is almost unanimous in their verdict. They want Narendra Modi as the next PM. Reason? They seek a strong leadership that has a clear roadmap and actionable plans ready for execution. Indian business leaders from Ratan Tata to Mukesh Ambani seem to be convinced that for India to come out of its Gross Domestic Paralysis, a visionary and decisive leadership is essential. Empirical evidence suggests that Gujarat has been able to position itself as a lucrative destination for investment. Under his aegis, according to a political commentator, the level of corruption receded and technology parks have seen the light of the day. His iconic call for â€Å"Minimum Government and Maximum Governance† has frequently struck the chord with the masses. With so many brand images of Narendra Modi existing in a juxtaposed manner, it is to be seen which one suits his greater agenda and helps him in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

English Written Task Essay

Prescribed question: How and why is a social group represented in a particular way? Title of the text for analysis: Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe Part of the course to which the task refers: Part 3: Literature – text and context Key Points: †¢ Define masculinity in Okonkwo’s viewpoint †¢ Explore how Okonkwo never shows his emotions because of fear †¢ Describe the struggle of Okonkwo’s strength †¢ Discuss the importance of Okonkwo’s reputation of Umuofia †¢ Explain why Okonkwo emphasized on his masculinity Critical Response In Chinua Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart, interpretations of masculinity were challenged. Masculinity commonly means the characteristics related to men. Okonkwo, a strong wrestler and leader, had his own attributes of what manliness was. According to Okonkwo’s definition of masculinity, men were presented as strong. Anything that did not demonstrate strength was considered as weak, which was not in his definition of masculinity. While masculinity meant having qualities of a man, Okonkwo was represented to show how he perceived a man truly defined through the factor of fear and why he displayed manliness in this approach. Okonkwo was afraid of showing emotions, because revealing any sentiments showed flaws. Okonkwo liked Ikemefuna and treated him as if he was his own son. However, Okonkwo did not show any emotions towards Ikemefuna. He thought showing affection was a sign of weakness. Due to his fear of imperfection, Okonkwo felt the emotions inwardly. The only real emotion he ever brought to life was anger. â€Å"The only thing worth demonstrating was strength.† (Achebe, 1994, p. 28) Showing emotions such as happiness or sadness was a portrayal of tenderness, which Okonkwo hated. If Okonkwo showed any emotion at all, it would be evidence that he was weak. In one scenario, Okonkwo had to choose his reputation of a strong male authority or his devotion to Ikemefuna, the one he thought of to be his son. This huge struggle to prove Okonkwo’s strength was questioned when he was forced to kill Ikemefuna. Okonkwo killed Ikemefuna when Ogbuefi Ezeudu ordered him to not touch the boy. (Achebe, 1994, p. 57) The man cleared his throat, drew up and raised his machete, Okonkwo looked away. He heard the blow. He heard Ikemefuna cry ‘my father, they have killed me!’ as he ran towards him. Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak. (Achebe, 1994, p. 61) Okonkwo was afraid people would think that if he did not kill Ikemefuna, whom he loved, he would seem weak. His character to show others that he was not weak was a greater importance than his attachment for the boy. He wanted to be brave and keep his reputation as a wrestler and a leader of Umuofia. There was one instance that Okonkwo went against his definition of being manly. This showed the vulnerability of Okonkwo, which showed why he was afraid of being weak. Okonkwo became depressed after the death of Ikemefuna. He did not sleep and did not eat any food. (Achebe, 1994, p. 63) Okonkwo was compared to a â€Å"shivering old woman,† (Achebe, 1994, p. 65) showing that only woman showed their emotions. If a man could not get over the death of someone he loves, he was nothing more than a woman, who was generally the one that mourned the death of another. Being depressed over a death was a sign of gentleness, which Okonkwo did not desire. Shivering implies weakness because when people shiver, they shake, are unstable, and are not usually strong enough to hold themselves together. So, Okonkwo could not control himself in this situation. It also showed fear and a loss of composure, two things that a man should never express. The use of the word ‘old’ also showed how fragile he was becoming in this instance. It was a similar idea when Okonkwo thought he was old because old people in general were weak; as people get older, their heart and muscles were degenerated, so the quality was not durable. There was a reason why Okonkwo emphasized his masculinity. Okonkwo’s father, Unoka, was poor, weak, lazy, a failure and a coward. Unoka was in a lot of debt. He loved gentleness and idleness. He did not like the sight of blood. (Achebe, 1994, p. 6) In contrast, Okonkwo entered upon to be strong and hardworking, not wanting to be gentle or idle. The strong wrestler was not scared of blood at any moment, showing he was a strong individual that can deal with death of others. (Achebe, 1994, p. 67) From then on, Okonkwo wanted to show Umuofia that he was not similar to his father in any way; he wanted to be better than his father because he did not want to be known as a son of a borrower who did not give money back to the lender. As a result, Okonkwo worked to not be a failure like his father. He changed how he behaved as a man to be successful. (Achebe, 1994, p. 4) Okonkwo worked hard to have a title in Umuofia and to supply money for his family. Masculinity was shown in the fear of weakness because Okonkwo represented masculinity through his behavior. Masculinity was depicted in Okwonko’s fear of weakness. In some parts of this novel, Achebe showed the reader the wrong ways to be a man by showing what was weak, causing the readers to believe the complete opposite of how a man should truly act. Okonkwo was afraid of being weak because it would directly contradict his idea of how he should act as a man. He strived for strength and power. By showing his aversion of weakness to the readers, it gave Okonkwo’s definition of masculinity. Okonkwo viewed masculinity as strength, bravery, successful, and feelings of anger. Works Cited Achebe, C. (1994). Things fall apart. New York: Anchor Books.

How Does Timing and Positioning Affect Innovation

Timing plays an important role when It comes to Innovation. If a product Is not introduced to market at the right time, a product that could have otherwise been successful could fall. A successful company will Introduce a product when It Is fully- functioning and backed by critical partners. Other companies try to take a different route to success. There are different reasons why a company might Ignore the traditional route of entering market.One is that sometimes firms purposely enter the market without having any established strategic partnerships within the adoption outwork with the assumption that once the innovation starts becoming successful, the critical players will support the innovation on their own accord (Peasant & Told, 2011, p. 332). The problem with this Is that without the proper support, even if the product experiences unexpected growth in the beginning it is likely to never reach the bulk of their target market.It is Important for these companies to gain the benefit s of these strategic partnerships upon release of the product so that they can reach large-scale acceptance (Peasant & Tide, 2011, p. 332). Another reason why firms try to rush to market is to try and set the technological standard for an idea, along with to start recovering from their investments in the product. What firms sometimes do not realize is that when they rush their product into market, there are likely to be imperfections with its performance.The customers who buy the product early are the ones the firm should be striving to impress and the ones who have the highest expectations; they are oftentimes the most valuable customers. When the product Is not satisfactory, these customers could be disappointed which Is likely to affect their future purchases from your company. Like timing, the positioning of a product Is also Important to Its Innovation cycle. When a company decides to target a specific market like they should, the company needs to ensure that the features that Intrigue that target market are In perfectly working order.RIM proved that this was a successful route with the introduction of the BlackBerry and the enticing email In real-time feature (Peasant & Tide, 2011, p. 334). RIM knew that their target market were business workers who valued the email in real-time feature for when they were out of the office, so they made sure this eater worked perfectly among introducing it into market Along those same lines, if a product is not marketed toward the right target market, It Is likely to not be utilized to Its fullest capabilities.There could be numerous features that go unnoticed because the features are not relevant to the market it actually reaches. A lack to proactive targeting to the early adopters NAS been a big reason why businesses are known to fail after launch of their product (Peasant & Tide, 2011, p. 334). Reference Peasant, J. , & Tide, J. (2011). Innovation and entrepreneurship. (2nd De. ). Wiley. Retrieved from http://diver. V iticulture. Com/

Practical Considerations in Gene Therapy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Practical Considerations in Gene Therapy - Essay Example The important practical considerations pertain to applications, problems, ethics, communications, and prospects. Using the perspective of Culver (1994a), Cotrim and Baum explained that gene therapy is a procedure that â€Å"typically involves the insertion of a functioning gene cells to correct dysfunction or to provide new cellular functions.† Culver (1994a) is a physician’s handbook on gene therapy. In 1994, Culver (1994b) had already outlined a procedure for the clinical applications of gene therapy for cancers. When a medical situation involves defective genes, an option to use gene therapy arises. Some of the diseases that result from defective genes include immunodeficiency syndromes, muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, and many types of cancers (Cotrim and Baum 2008, p. 97). Another perspective on gene therapy comes from the United Kingdom Parliament Office on Science and Technology. According to the Office (2005, p. 1), gene therapy â€Å"involves the introduction of genetic material into a cell to treat disease.† Finally, another alternative definition of gene therapy is â€Å"transferring recombinant genetic material (DNA or RNA) to the host cell in order to change the gene expression in the host cell in order to change the gene expression in the host cell to attain therapeutic effect.† Most likely, the definitions we choose to adopt or highlight can be associated with the specific therapy or ailments on which we want gene therapy to work.

Miller Lites white label and increased sales Essay

Miller Lites white label and increased sales - Essay Example I support the company’s decision to change its packaging because it helped to boost sales. When the company decided to change to its original white packaging, it never expected that the brand will witness increased sales in the US. The decision to change the packaging has helped to boost the sales of the products. It, therefore, implies that the new packaging was the much-required effort that could help the brand. Miller Lite’s white cans enabled it to stand out from the rest of products on the shelves hence customers went for the brand. It may be dangerous to change the packaging to a completely different color since customers may not identify it hence reduced sales. Redesigning a product packaging can be disastrous as the case of Tropicana in 2009 where its restructuring resulted in a drop in sales of 20% and loss of millions of dollars (MacDonald 6). The decision by the company to rebrand Miller Lite can be placed under the product line extension. Line Extensions happens when a company decides to introduce additional items in the same brand name such as packaging (Chandrasekar 12). The company’s decision to change packaging only affected Miller Lite’s brand and may not affect other products produced by the company. The company did not also change the taste or color of the drink but only change the outer look. The new packaging helped to boost the sales of the brand although the company did not anticipate the increased sales. Line extension aims at helping a brand to register increased sales.

Motivation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Motivation - Essay Example This can be explained as the desire and will to make extra efforts in accomplishing objectives on behalf of the company at the same time as recognizing the capability of one’s effort in achieving personal needs. The intention of this essay is to give a methodical and in depth enlightenment into the trend of employee motivation and at the same time explain how the effect of motivation can be on the employee’s obligation and work performance in an organisation. This will be made possible with pertinent examples and hypotheses, pertaining motivation of employee. In order to produce a focused type of presentation the paper will be concluded by me through the presentation of executions that are practical of either any or more of the theories discussed on one particular organisation to determine what factors affect the discussed employee motivation hypotheses at that organisation. This will be done to examine how motivation is closely associated to the dedication and performa nce at work in any organisation. ... rent perspectives will be showcased in order to be the blueprint on what effect motivation has on employees in terms of their allegiance, dedication and the level of performance of work in the organisation. Subsequently a sample study on a relevant case concerning employee motivation will be presented and this will support the hypothesis on employee motivation execution in an organisation and how this has influenced the employee motivation and the allegiance in the company. Through this process I expect I would have achieved the main objectives set for this essay. Theoretical Background Motivation The word motivation is derived from the word ‘move’ and it simply means the inward drive that is crucial to guide people’s actions and behaviours towards goals either personal or organizational goals. Mullins, (2005) explains that â€Å"this ‘force’ is a degree to which an individual wants and chooses to engage in certain specified behaviours. On the other hand, the behaviours that are motivated are mostly choices done voluntarily controlled by the individual doing the said action and at the same time this can contain several step procedures that projects an individual towards a specific goal. In the business environment, the supervisor or the manager might act as the motivator, will want to prevail upon the factors that will motivate his or her staff who in this case are the employees for them to perform at their highest levels of productivity. Even though many theories exist that try to explain the motivation phenomenon, still, there are no specific answer that can describe exactly what motivates people to work. Employee Motivation This is the drive that makes the personnel to commit themselves in excelling to accomplish the goals and objectives that is quite

National Environmental Policy Act Research Paper

National Environmental Policy Act - Research Paper Example The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) was first passed in 1969, and it is one of the first laws ever written which establishes an encompassing national framework in the protection of the environment. It basically seeks to ensure that all agencies of the government give adequate consideration to the environment prior to undertaking any significant federal action which may affect the environment. This paper shall identity the most significant challenges facing the United States and/or the international community in resolving, identifying and/or dealing with this policy or issue or both. It shall identify and explain two different perspectives that contribute our understanding of the select issues. This paper shall define this issue/policy supported by research and analyses. Discussion There are various challenges which the United States and the international community are facing in relation to environmental policies and issues. When the Industrial Revolution hit its stride, the Earth’s climate and environment started undergoing changes; these changes were mostly seen in the agricultural and industrial practices (Berkeley University, 2004). Due to the increase in population and fossil fuel use seen through burning, toxic emissions, vehicle emissions, and deforestation, various gases have been introduced into our air which are harmful to living things, including human life. These gases are introduced into the atmosphere mostly as a result of human activity, activities which produce high levels of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide (greenhouse gases or GHGs). These are heavy gases and do not interact well with our ozone layer. As a result, our ozone layer is being slowly depleted (Berkeley University, 2004). This is unfortunate because the ozone layer shields us from the ultraviolet rays of the sun. These greenhouse gases also cause the greenhouse effect where these gases trap the heat in the atmosphere and cause higher earth temperature levels , otherwise known as global warming. The US environmental issues largely stem from its energy use. The US remains to be the largest energy consumer in the world and also the world’s largest emitter of carbon dioxide (Berkeley University, 2004). Motor vehicles are the main sources of carbon emissions in the US and in recent years, shifts of use from cars to larger vehicles have assisted in reducing carbon emissions. In 2001, the US consumed about 24% of the world’s main energy consumption. The US released about 1,883 million metric tons of carbon in 2001, and this is credited for 24% of the world’s carbon-related emissions (Berkeley University, 2004). In 2003, the US Department of Energy set forth its Climate Vision program which was meant to assist the President in reducing greenhouse gas intensity from 2002 to 2012. This policy included different federal agencies coordinating with industrial leaders to minimize GHG emissions during the time period set. Bush als o states that a $1.2 billion hydrogen fuel plan was aimed at establishing technologies which would produce, store and distribute hydrogen as a fuel during transport (Berkeley University, 2004). The FreedomCAR (Cooperative Automotive Research) was also launched in an attempt to establish hydrogen fuel cell technology and advanced automotive technologies, including hydrogen-powered fuel cell cars. The US energy consumption will likely increase in the coming years and as a

FBI Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

FBI - Essay Example Department of Justice 1). FBI is one of the powerful and the largest agency in the world that not only deals with the law enforcement but also aim to end terrorism. Its official mission is upholding the law through investigating violation of the criminal law, protecting the United States from external attacks such as terrorists’ activities, and providing leadership and support to both local and international authorities (U.S. Department of Justice 1). The FBI performs its responsibilities in accordance to the constitution and in line with the public needs. The FBI does have the power to prosecute or take charge of any case from the local agencies. FBI also has different divisions that are in charge of processing information and handling different incidents under the justice department. The three FBI divisions include the IT Management Division, the IT Services Division, and the IT Engineering Division (U.S. Department of Justice 1). The FBI operates on a culture that seeks to serve America and its citizens. FBI Agents cannot wiretap suspects unless they have a court order to do so and it is regarded as felony incase wiretapping is done without a court order. Director James Comey is the current head of the FBI department (U.S. Department of Justice

Ethical KM Training for Tata Steel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ethical KM Training for Tata Steel - Essay Example However, the essay will discuss how social, cultural and organizational issues affected system development process and information system. In addition to this, the essay will also focus on the taken measures by Tata Steel in order to overcome the ongoing issues. Earlier, Tata Steel was only a general manufacturing organization. But, the organizational management has realized that there are internal issues that may affect the business performance of the organization (McGrath, 2003). The management of the organization purposely adopted knowledge management aspect in the organization operational process to overcome organizational, cultural and social issues. In terms of organizational issues, the management of the organization was only focusing on the centralization process and strict hierarchical structure. This aspect affected system development process as centralized organizational structure and culture affected the motivation aspect of both employees other important organizational stakeholders. It is true that, The management of Tata Steel has adopted several programmes and development processes regarding knowledge management, but lack of employee engagement before the KM process affected strategy development and decision making process (Gr iffiths, 2012). Inadequate workplace diversity also created issues for the management of the organization. Before the implementation of knowledge management system in the other organizational process, the management of Tata Steel found out some culture related issues in the management (Hobhm, 2004). The employees of the organization were self-centric and they did not feel free to share their views and knowledge with others. It actually affected the collaborative workplace performance of the organization.  

Apple Inc’s supply chain Essay Example for Free

Apple Inc’s supply chain Essay Apple Inc is the company that create a great innovation product development such as ipod , iphone , ipad , Macbook . Apple’s products have been accepted about modern design, high quality and technology. Behind the success, Apple has a best supply chain management. The beginning of their supply chain start with the research and development product to make sure that can be making and have special things to surprise their customer. The products produce from a various sources of raw material in several countries. The major suppliers which make core components for Apple are the manufacturers in China and other parts are made from United States, Europe and other countries in Asia and then they transfer all components to assemble in China. The finished goods are stored in warehouse facility in Elk Grove, California for distribute to the customer who order via retail stores, direct sales and other distributors. The other distribution way is ship product directly to their customer by the assembler. The point of these supply chain that raise the customer satisfaction is the quickly distribution via airfreight and the protection for the uniqueness of their product by places electronic monitors in some boxes of components to track them from Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino. Advantage * They have high inventory return and don’t have to get the demand forecast for new product like other company because they have loyal customers that support their supply and have potential waiting when it is out of stock. * They have procurement advantages that smaller rival can’t match * They can ask a supplier for a price quote and make a special contract to secure strategic raw materials. It reduces a raw material problem and the inventory out of stock. * The high protection helps them to ensure that customer delight and surprise when the products hit the market. Disadvantage * Most of their key components come from China that is a cause of risky about any sort of man-made or natural disaster. It can make Apple’s supply chain to a halt. * They might lose the customer who care about supplier responsibility because of some supplier have a hour of work more than Apple’s standard labor policy, work a maximum of 60 hour per week and to get at least one day off per week, especially in the new product launch period

A Definition of Corporate Social Responsibility

A Definition of Corporate Social Responsibility Nowadays, the association of the words social and responsibility has become increasingly frequent. But in business world, there is another variant of these terms that prevail and it is the term Corporate Social responsibility (CSR). According to Archie Carroll (2008 p.19): though the roots of the concepts that we know today as CSR have been a long and wide-ranging history, it is mostly a product of the twentieth century, especially from the early 1950s up to the present time. Despite the fact that the concept of CSR has been present for such a long time, researchers still do not share a common definition or set of core principles (Andre Crane et al. 2008 p.4). This also brought about other questions on the interpretation of terms as being socially responsible and also is a firm capable of being responsible towards society. According to Wood (1991, cited in Moir, 1991, p.2), the basic idea of corporate social responsibility is that business and society are interwoven rather than distinct entities. Businesses are often assumed to have profit maximization for sole aim and ignore its responsibilities towards society. Milton Friedman (1970) said that the only one responsibility of business towards society is the maximization of profits to the shareholders within the legal framework and the ethical custom of the country. However supporters of CSR can also be found, Dave Packard (Co-founder of Hewlett Packard Company in 1939, cited in Harvard Business Review, 2002, p.54) claims that the assumption that people make of companies only making money is wrong. He also adds that: a group of people get together and exist as an institution that is called a company so that they are able to accomplish something collectively that they could not accomplish separately and simultaneously they make a contribution to society (Dave Packard, 1939). Votaw (cited in Garigga and Mele, 2004, p.51) wrote that corporate social responsibility means something, but not always the same thing to everybody. The diverging opinions can be categorized in two main points of view; one is that CSR is yet another means to maximize profit and the other is that CSR is here to help companies help society as a whole. CSR has been described in a number of various ways. Below are given different definitions of CSR: Corporate Social Responsibility is a commitment to improve community well-being through discretionary business practices and corporate resources. (Philip Kotler and Nancy Lee, Corporate Social Responsibility, Wiley, 2007) The social responsibility of business encompasses the economic, legal, ethical, and discretionary expectations that society has of organizations at a given point in time. (Archie B. Carroll, 1979) Shell: We all need to assess the impact our business makes on society and ensure that we balance the economic, environmental and social aspects of everything we do (Moody-Stuart, 1999). The diagram below gives a visual description of what constitute CSR: Source: www6.miami.edu/ethics/pdf_files/csr_guide.pdf According to Lance Moir (2001), the area defined by advocates of CSR increasingly covers a wide range of issues such as plant closures, employee relations, human rights, corporate ethics, community relations and the environment. Aspects of CSR Drivers of CSR Drivers, in this context, refer to the reasons behind the choice of a firm to adopt a more socially acceptable behaviour. These reasons can be classified as being internal and external to the firm. Internal drivers: Internal drivers are the pressures that originate from the internal environment of the firm. Examples of components that can constitute the internal environment of a firm are, employees, suppliers, competitors, top management, etc. Flatter organisations have considerably changed the approach towards how business was once done. Nowadays, employees put pressure on how the organization conducts business using certain societal values (M.G.V. Dongen, 2006 p.9). They are more attracted by the non-material aspects of the organisation that employs them. Besides, employees seeking a more socially responsible firm, managers now have the task to reconcile the profit-making need of the company with the responsibility towards society. But as Haigh and Jones (2006) mentioned, for business managers, business is first. ODwyer (2003, cited in Haigh and Jones, 2006, p.2) said that social considerations come second and providing only that such considerations would not open an exploitable weakness. Haig h (2006) adds that the paradigm that managers face simply prevents overall improvements consistent with social welfare. The capacity to integrate CSR policies in the core activities of the firm can also act as a driver. According to Porter and van der Linde (2000, cited in Haigh and Jones, 2006, p.2), CSR is competitive driver that requires appropriate resources. Integrating CSR in a companys activities can be a tedious process. The diagram below shows how CSR can be incorporated at different levels of the company. Source: MVO Platform, (2002, illustrated in M.G.V. Dongen, 2006 p.10), Different intensities of CSR CSR can also be undertaken in a set of separate activities geared towards improving social welfare. This can take the form of sponsoring of sports activities or engaging in charitable activities. Another view to consider internal drivers to CSR is to consider them to be national drivers. The table below gives a number of different national CSR drivers and a brief description of each of them. Source: Visser, W. (2008) CSR Drivers: The Forces Shaping Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility, CSR Inspiration Series, No. 3. External drivers: External drives refer to the external pressures that compel a firm to engage in CSR. The external environment of a firm can include market structure, customers, government, economic situations, competitors, etc. Businesses no longer evolve in a static environment, threats are no longer limited to local competitors and the market is now a global one. Similarly, adopting the culture of foreign firms has become a must and CSR is one of the main concerns of all firms in this century. Castells (2000, as cited in M.G.V. Dongen, 2006 p.7) says that globalization increases the importance of social networks of a company on a worldwide basis. Moreover, consumers are more concerned by the fact that whether the firm, to which they are loyal, is contributing to societys welfare. As Castells (2000, as cited in M.G.V. Dongen, 2006 p.7) mentions, a lot of information is obtained more rapidly by consumers and it is easier to keep in touch with the various activities undertaken by any firm. The govern ment also contributes in making company conscious of their duties towards society. According to the European Union and MVO Platform (2002, as cited in M.G.V. Dongen, 2006 p.7), Governments are now engaging in the role of stimulating companies to be social responsible, not pressuring them. In M.G.V. Dongens 2006 paper: In search of the link between corporate social responsibility and legitimacy she enumerated a number of external factors that encouraged firm to adopt the concept of CSR. A few of these points are: Transparency. A very important aspect for a company to be socially responsible is transparency. This can be included in the profit-factor but is more and more considered as a prerequisite for a company to be socially responsible. Due to new information sources, e.g. the internet, and the shift in the control mechanisms for organizations from purely governmental to include the organizations stakeholders, this revolution has an enormous impact on the visibility of an organizations business practices.(M.G.V. Dongen, 2006 p.8) Time. A shift can be recognized from purely focusing on short-term profits towards more long-term objectives, which is necessary because societal and environmental issues are mostly long-term issues. Therefore this shift in time-thinking is essential for CSR to be successful. (M.G.V. Dongen, 2006 p.8) Here also, external factors are often associated with international drivers. The table below describes some of them: Source: Visser, W. (2008) CSR Drivers: The Forces Shaping Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility, CSR Inspiration Series, No. 3. In order to link both national and international drivers the diagram below visually establishes a link between both of them. Source: Visser, W. (2008) CSR Drivers: The Forces Shaping Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility, CSR Inspiration Series, No. 3. 3.2 Theories of CSR Many authors have tried to grasp an accurate idea of what is CSR by devising models in order to better understand the various factors involved and their impact. One of the first approaches to tackle CSR by means of a model was made in 1971 by the Committee for Economic Development (CED). It made use of three concentric circles. The definition of the three circles was given in the Social Responsibilities of Business Corporation (1971) as follows: The inner circle includes, the clear-cut basic responsibilities for the efficient execution of the economic function products, jobs and economic growth The intermediate circle encompasses responsibility to exercise this economic function with a precise awareness of changing social values and priorities: for example with respect to environmental conservation, hiring and relations with employees, and more rigorous expectation of customers for information, fair treatment and protection from injury The outer circle outlines newly emerging and still amorphous responsibilities that business should assume to become more broadly involved in actively improving the social environment After this theory others were developed, but throughout time only a few of them prevailed. The first theory that must be considered is the pyramid of CSR developed by Carroll. The pyramid of corporate social responsibility According to Carroll, the four main components or categories that constitute the CSR pyramid are: Economic Responsibilities, Legal Responsibilities, Ethical Responsibilities and Philanthropic or Discretionary Responsibilities. The two tables below give a description of these four terms. Source: Archie B. Carroll (1991), The Pyramid of Corporate Social Responsibility: Toward the Moral Management of Organizational Stakeholders, Business Horizons Source: Archie B. Carroll (1991), The Pyramid of Corporate Social Responsibility: Toward the Moral Management of Organizational Stakeholders, Business Horizons The theory of the pyramid relies on the fact the various components are stacked on each other, the economic responsibility being the base and the philanthropic responsibility being at the top. The logic behind the pyramid relies in the fact that firms are expected to aim for profit maximization but it must also cater for the other responsibilities in the pyramid, which is comply with the law, comply with rules of society and finally act as a good corporate citizen. The diagram below is a representation of Archie B. Carroll pyramid of Corporate Social Responsibility. The Stakeholder theory Moir (2001) refers to the stakeholder theory as being used used as a basis to analyse those groups to whom the firm should be responsible. For Carroll (1991, cited as cited in M.G.V. Dongen, 2006 p.13), stakeholder concept personifies the social actors that organizations should consider with their CSR orientation. Stakeholders generally refer to the actors who are directly or sometimes indirectly affected by the actions of a company. Freedman defines a stakeholder as any group or individual who can affect or is affected by the achievement of the organizations objectives (Freeman, 1984:46). Stakeholders can be classified in two main categories; primary and secondary stakeholders. Clarkson (1995: 106, cited in L. Moir, 2001, p.8) gives the description of a primary stakeholder as one without whose continuing participation the corporation cannot survive as a going concern with the primary group including shareholders and investors, employees, customers and suppliers, together with what is defined as the public stakeholder group: the governments and communities that provide infrastructures and markets, whose laws and regulations must be obeyed, and to whom taxes and obligations may be due (Clarkson, 1995, p.106). Moir (2001, p.8) defines the secondary groups are defined as Those who influence or affect, or are influenced or affected by the corporation, but they are not engaged in transactions with the corporation and are not essential for its survival Source: Monique G. van Dongen (2006), In search of the link between corporate social responsibility and legitimacy The stakeholder theory focuses on a practical approach that explains an organizations need to address the various responsibilities (Dongen 2006, p. 13). The stakeholder theory relies on determining the most important stakeholder for the company and its responsibilities towards that stakeholder. In order to determine how the choice should be made, Carroll (1991) established two main criteria which are; power and legitimacy. Following Carrolls logic, in 1997, Michel et al develop a more detailed approach which includes a new dimension named urgency. The model develop was the the stakeholder salience model Power: the ability of those who possess power, to bring about the outcome that they desire (Mitchell et al., 1997). Legitimacy: the assumption that the actions of an entity are desirable, proper, or appropriate within some socially constructed systems of norms, values, beliefs, and definitions (Suchman, 1995). Urgency: exists when two conditions are met: 1) when it is time-sensitive, and 2) when it is important or critical to the stakeholder (Mitchell et al., 1997). The salience model helps to divide stakeholders in different groups and each of these groups is classified on the basis of having one or more the above characteristics. Mitchell (1997) defined the salience model as the degree to which managers gave importance to stakeholders claims. From this point of view, groups such as latent and expectant stakeholders were created and these groups were further subdivided on the basis of the number of characteristics they possessed. Moir stated that firms would pay most attention to those legitimate stakeholder groups who have power and urgency (Moir, 2001, p.9). Following this logic, an example could be the reputation of a company will have a great importance when it interacts directly with the public. In relation with CSR, Patten (1992 as cited in L Moir, 2006 p.9) gave the following example concerning the possible fluctuations in the level of urgency: environmental groups and issues became more urgent to oil firms following the Exxon Valdez oil spill. To sum up, stakeholder theory can help companies to point out stakeholders that can be sensible to CSR issues and generate a profit in these circumstances. 3.2.1 Mapping of CSR theories In addition to the above models, numerous other theories have been developed, but none of them gave an accurate framework which exactly defined what CSR was. Each and every writer who tried to build up a CSR theory ended up giving a personal opinion, hence creating confusion. Carroll (1994, p.14) described the situation as An eclectic field with loose boundaries, multiple memberships, and differing training/perspectives; broadly rather than focused, multidisciplinary; wide breadth; brings in a wider range of literature; and interdisciplinary. In addition to the above mentioned theories, Frederick (1987, 1998) tried to classify CSR in four main categories namely CSR1, CSR2, CSR3 and CSR4. Other attempts to define theories can take the form of the concept of corporate citizenship by Altman (1998), Issues Management by Wartick and Rude (1986) and Wood (1991) and Brummer (1991) classification of four CSR theories based on six criteria. In order to harmonize all these different models Elisabet Garriga and Domenec Mele (2004) grouped all the actual theories under four main headings namely; instrumental, political, integrative and ethical theories. Theories were placed in a group on the basis of their similitude, for example instrumental theories grouped models that were based on the assumption that organization are here only to make profits. The table below gives a brief summary of each group and the different theories composing them. Source: Elisabet Garriga and Domenec Mele (2004), Corporate Social Responsibility Theories: Mapping the Territory, p.62-63 3.3 Advantages and Disadvantages of engaging in CSR CSR is often view as a companys intention to do good for society, but there can also be times when behind the socially responsible mask the intentions are not the ones expected. In can be quite contradictory but although CSR is assumed to be good, it can have drawbacks. Advantages and disadvantages arising from CSR are as diverse as the domain in which the practices are applied, for analysis purposes standard or most common pros and cons will be considered. First pros or advantages of CSR will be considered. According to Bhattacharya et al. (2008), the first advantage of CSR is that in helps in the recruitment and selection process and more specifically within the competitive graduate student market. Kytle et al. (2005) continue by adding that CSR helps in risk management. Building a genuine culture of doing the right thing within a corporation can offset the risks of losing reputation because of any scandal or environmental accident (Kytle et al, 2005, p.10). Another benefit atributed to CSR is brand differenciation. Paluszek (2005) says that CSR can play a role in building customer loyalty based on distinctive ethical values. CSR can help in building customer loyalty by helping them feel that the company with which they are involved care for them. It must also be added that CSR has a significant impact on customers as well. According to Berger et al. (1995, cited in Maignan and Ferrell, 2004) consumers show more fervent support to companies committed to cause-related marketing, practices that help the environment, or business ethics. Furthermore, the studies conducted by Lichtenstein et al., (2004) proved that CSR helped to develop an emotional attachment with the company and hence it helped in boosting the percentage of sales. Sen et al., (2006) continued by saying that those conscious of actual corporate social activities had more positive responses to, and stronger identification with, the organisation, increased demand for trade and investment intent and demand to get a job with this type of organisation than those unaware of any initiative. In addition to the above advantages, others were published in the Investment News (2007) and they are listed below; Proactive enforcement of stricter quality and environmental controls reduces the risk of negative events (e.g. recalling defective products or fines for excessive polluting). Commitment to CSR increases the ability to attract and retain employees. Benefits include reduced turnover, recruitment and training costs. CSR practices enable corporations to be compliant on ethical issues and attract investors who enforce ethical filters One of the main disadvantages of CSR arises from the misuse of the initial concept behind it. Businesses are here to maximise profits and CSR is in direct conflict with this goal. As Malloy (2003) described corporations exist to provide products and/or services that produce profits for their shareholders. Another disadvantage attributed to CSR, is too use it as a marketing tool to promote the companys image. CSR can help companies to be more profitable. This can be proved by the action taken by British petroleum after the discovery of the global warming phenomenon and the promise to have a world beyond petroleum. Here also the investment News 2007 came with a list of arguments against CSR: Expenditure on CSR dilutes the funds available for shareholders. Corporate Management is not equipped to address social or environmental problems. Expenditure on CSR imposes additional costs which consequently reduce competitiveness Expenditure on CSR can only be made during periods of high profitability 4.0 Customer satisfaction According to marketing literature, higher customer satisfaction improves financial performance by increasing the loyalty of existing customers, reducing price elasticities, lowering marketing costs through positive word-of-mouth advertising, reducing transaction costs, and enhancing firm reputation (e.g., Anderson, Fornell, and Lehmann (1994), Fornell (1992), and Reichheld and Sasser (1990)). Many believe that customer satisfaction is the key to a business success. The advantages to the fact of obtaining satisfaction from customers are various but before considering all of them in details, a definition of the term must be given. Customer satisfactions definition varies in accordance to the domain in which it is used. For instance it will have a different meaning whether it is used in marketing literature or in other sectors. A definition of customer satisfaction from a service management point of view is that customer satisfaction refers to how the perception of the customer affects the value received in a transaction or relationship where value can be defined as the perceived service quality compared to price and customer incurred acquisition costs (cited in Blanchard and Galloway, 1994; Heskett et al., 1990) in comparison to the expected value to be generated from transactions or relationships with competitors (Zeithaml et al., 1990). From the marketing point of view customer satisfaction will be defined as a vital part of the strategy of an organization (Fornell et al. 2006) and a key driver of increased profits on the long-run and boosting market value (Gruca and Rego 2005). Link between CSR and Customer satisfaction A number of studies link customers directly to CSR initiatives. In order to undertake a proper analysis, at least three major dimensions can be considered. The first being Scotts (1987 cited in Luo and Bhattacharya, 2006 p.3) institutional theory and the second stakeholder theory (Maignan, Ferrell, and Ferrell 2005) suggest that a companys actions appeal to the multidimensionality of the consumer as not only an economic being but also a member of a family, community, and country (Handelman and Arnold 1999). Basing themselves on these three approaches Daub and Ergenzinger (2005) developed the term generalized customer. It can be defined as people who are not only customers who care about the consumption experience but also actual or potential members of various stakeholder groups that companies need to consider (Daub and Ergenzinger, 2005; Luo and Bhattacharya, 2006, p.3). Generalized customers derive more satisfaction from the transaction which involves a firm which is socially respo nsible. The second dimension rely on the aspect that establishing the link between the two components is the fact that being highly active in the CSR domain creates a favorable context that positively boosts consumers evaluations of and it gives a favorable image of the firm (Brown and Dacin 1997; Gà ¼rhan- Canli and Batra 2004; Sen and Bhattacharya 2001). Handleman and Arnold (1999) noted that consumers used the concept of positive word to mouth about firms that were committed to actions that were associated with institutional norms (1999, cited in Maignan and Ferrell, 2004). Studies by Berger and Kanetkar (1995), Barone et al. (2000) and Creyer and Ross (1997) resulted in the fact that consumers are willing to actively support companies committed to cause-related marketing, environmentally-friendly practices, or ethics (cited in Maignan and Ferrell, 2004). CSR initiatives constitute a key element of corporate identity that can induce customers to identify with the company. Indeed, Lichten stein, Drumwright, and Bridgette (2004, p. 17) note that a way that CSR initiatives create benefits for companies appears to be by increasing consumers identification with the corporation à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ [and] support for the company. Not surprisingly, identified customers are more likely to be satisfied with a firms offerings (e.g., Bhattacharya, Rao, and Glynn 1995; Bhattacharya and Sen 2003). The third dimension examines the antecedents of customer satisfaction (Luo and Bhattacharya, 2006, p.3). One example of a key antecedent can be perceived value and that has been empirically shown to promote customer satisfaction (Fornell et al. 1996; Mithas, Krishnan, and Fornell 2005b; Luo and Bhattacharya, 2006). In the actual case, all else being equal, customers likely derive better perceived value and, consequently, higher satisfaction from a product that is made by a socially responsible company (Luo and Bhattacharya, 2006, p.4).Another antecedents that is known to impact on customer satisfaction is the knowledge of the customer himself. Jayachandran et al (2005) added that improving customer knowledge represents another antecedent that has been found to enhance customer satisfaction. Although the three dimensions above establish a link between CSR and customer Satisfaction it does not indicate whether it is a positive or a negative one. Mac Donald and Rundle-Thiele (2008) pointed out that researchers have studied the impact of CSR on a number of factors, including word of mouth, attitudes, intentions, emotional attachment, shopping in-store, loyalty and brand identification, a limited number of studies have taken into consideration the relationship between satisfaction and CSR (Mac Donald and Rundle-Thiele, 2008, p.174). The only study that directly linked CSR to customer satisfaction was that carried out by Luo and Bhattacharya (2006). They studied Fortune 500 companies, to find that a direct relation between CSR and customer satisfaction existed. Their study identified that satisfaction as a link which formed a relationship between CSR and firm market value (Mac Donald and Rundle-Thiele, 2008, p.174). The diagram below depicts the relationship between customer satisfaction, market share and CSR as studied by Luo and Bhattacharya. Source: Xueming Luo C.B. Bhattacharya, 2006, Corporate Social Responsibility, Customer Satisfaction, and Market Value Despite the direct linking, researchers found cases where CSR was found to have a negative impact on customer satisfaction. Bhattacharya and Luo (2006, cited in Mac Donald and Rundle-Thiele, 2008, p.174) found that, firms which tend to lag in the innovative process, CSR actually reduced the level of customer satisfaction and, through a reduced amount of satisfaction; it adversely affected the market value. In some cases, it may be found that it is more appropriate to use customer oriented initiatives to increase satisfaction than CSR initiatives. CSR initiatives in this case could lead to wastage of precious resources which could have been used in a better way. CSR initiatives against Customer-oriented initiatives Pomering and Dolnicar (2006, cited in Mac Donald and Rundle-Thiele, 2008, p.174) studied that a banks CSR initiatives indicated that customers tend to be more responsive to customer-oriented initiatives, rather than those that had a social orientation. In this study, eight CSR initiatives were proposed such as dedicating one per cent of profit to community programs and launching an indigenous scholarship program. The success of these initiatives did not match the level of satisfaction obtained from customer-oriented initiatives. Pomering and Dolnicar (2006) concluded that consumers consideration for personal well-being may outweigh their consideration of broader social impacts. 4.2.1 CSR initiatives and Customer satisfaction In 2004, Bhattacharya and Sen (2004, cited in Mac Donald and Rundle-Thiele, 2008, p.175) proposed six dimensions to CSR. They are listed below, as published by KLD Research: employee diversity Supporting employees product impact on the environment overseas operations Supporting society 4.2.2 Customer oriented initiatives and customer satisfaction On the other hand, customer-oriented initiatives for the banking sector were also classified. Chakrabarty (2006) observed that customer oriented actions for the banking sector was not the same as for other sectors. Chakrabartys (2006, cited in Mac Donald and Rundle-Thiele, 2008, p.175) research resulted into four factors that determined the total level of customer satisfaction amongst a sample of more than 12,000 UK retail banking customers. They are listed in order of importance as follows: in-branch satisfaction economic satisfaction remote satisfaction ATM satisfaction Later in 2007, Manrai and Manrai (2007, in Mac Donald and Rundle-Thiele, 2008, p.175) came up with another set of four factors. In order of importance, they are: Problems attributed to the personnel Concerns of a financial aspect Concerns about the in-branch environment Convenience-related considerations

Pulmonary Embolism as Manifestation of Right Atrial Myxoma

Pulmonary Embolism as Manifestation of Right Atrial Myxoma A  case report and review of literature Abstract We present a case of a 55-year-old man who suffered from shortness of breath and syncope; he was sent to our department for suspecting pulmonary embolism. We proceeded Computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) and Transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) , confirmed the diagnosis which was caused by right atrial mass. After the surgery the patient was diagnosed as right atrial myoma (RAM) with pulmonary myoma emboli without no adverse event. The residual emboli were partially improved after one month anticoagulation. We reported this case and review of the relevent literature to help clinicians improve the understanding of diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary embolism caused by RAM. Key words: pulmonary embolism, right atrial myxoma, treatment Pulmonary embolism, most commonly originating from deep venous thrombosis (DVT) of the legs, ranges from asymptomatic, incidentally discovered emboli to massive thromboembolism causing immediate death. PTE is a life-threatening disease with a high morbidity. Annually, as many as 300,000 people in the United States die from acute PTE, which is much more common in China at present than 10 years ago (1). About 50-70% emboli of pulmonary embolism originated from deep venous thrombosis (DVT), most of which in lower extremities. Such patients without DVT should screen occult cancer. Although cancer associated venous thrombosis was widespread described, the emboli from benign tumor are less mentioned (2). Majority of the atrial myxoma complicated pulmonary emboli are tumoral, thrombotic emboli were less reported (3,4). We report a rare case of RAM with a pulmonary localization mimicking pulmonary emboli. Case presentation A 55-year-old man was admitted to emergency room with gradually increased shortness of breath for 2 months, syncope and right chest pain for 6 hours. He had a habit of long time sitting and a history of 20 pack-year smoking, and stopped smoking 10 years prior to admission. Initial assessment revealed cyanosis and right breath sound decreased. No pitting edema in lower extremities. Laboratory tests showed ALT 52IU/liter; 93IU/liter; D-Dimer >10ÃŽ ¼g/ml; NT-proBNP 3544 Ñâ‚ ¬g/ml; Troponin I 0.49 ng/ml. Arterial blood gases revealed severe hypoxemia, oxygenation index was 89mmHg; Electrocardiogram showed Sà ¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚  Qà ¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ ¢Tà ¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ ¢. CTPA revealed right main (Figure 1a), both lobar(Figure 1b,1c) and segmental (Figure 1d) pulmonary arteries(PA) multiple filling defects; right atrium irregular mass(Figure 1d). TTE showed enlargement of right chambers and a right atrial 54*47mm mass attached to the top wall, clear margin, irregular and partial rough on surface, l oose in internal structure, moving along with cardiac cycle, mild prolapse through the leaflets of the tricuspid valve and orifice of inferior vena cava, moderate regurgitation of tricuspid valves with mild pulmonary hypertension. Compressed venous ultrasonography showed negative in both lower limbs. The surgical approach was through a medial sternotomy under extracorporeal circulation. The right atrium wall was opened and a gelatinous consistency tumor with necrosis, fragile, measuring 40*50mm, adhering to the inter-atrial septum (Figure 2), a 30*20*70mm tumor embolus in the right main PA, the distal end was near right upper PA. The tumor cells expressed CD34 and calretinin, and were negative for CK and SMA. The histopathological examination confirmed myxoma (Figure 3) in right atrium and right pulmonary artery. The patient was treated warfarin (target INR, 2-3) for 1 month. Repeated CTPA showed left lower PA filling defect with no improvement after 2 months (Figure 4c), right and other left PA filling defect resolved (Figure 4a, 4b). 2 years follow-up he was asymptomatic. Discussion Cardiac tumors are less common, most of which are from metastasis. The incidence rate of primary cardiac tumors (PCTs) in autopsy ranges from 0.02 to 2.8†°. 30-50% of PCTs are myomas, 75% in the left atrium and only 10-20% arising in the right atrium, which may developing from embryonic or primitive gut rests (5,6,7). Histologically, they consist of an acid-mucopolysaccharide rich stroma. Polygonal cells arranged in single or small clusters are scattered among the matrix. The clinical manifestations of RAM may remain asymptomatic or appear with constitutional, obstructive or embolic symptoms according to the size, fragility, mobility, location of the tumor as well as body position and activity (5,8). Nonspecific constitutional signs, which present in 10-45% of patients with myxoma, are fatigue, fever, dyspnea, chronic anemia, weight loss, general arthralgia, and increase of IL-6, ESR, and CRP (8). Therefore the results of laboratory tests may mimic those for rheumatic disorders. These signs are more common for patients with large, multiple, or recurrent tumors, and usually recovered after resection (9). Pulmonary embolism of RAM fragments or thrombi from the surface may also occur, resulting in dyspnea, pleuritic chest pain, hemoptysis, syncope, pulmonary hypertension and right heart failure even sudden death. Acute abdominal pain was mentioned in two cases (10). Embolic event in cardiac myxoma is common, with the incidence ranging from 30% to 40% (5) . In the cases of RAM with pulmonary embolism, a smaller size, villous or irregular surface and multi-foci are most common factors associated with embolization (11). The duration period was ranging from 1 day to 3.5 years. The age of patients ranged from 17 to 76 years (mean age 42.8 years), with a higher incidence in women (20/35, 57%). In these cases RAMs are usually attached by a short pedicle to the inter-atrial septum (22/35), mostly in fossa ovalis, others are in free wall, crista terminalis, Koch triangle and multiple origins. Most of the patients were diagnosed with TTE (Transthoracic echocardiography), CT, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), others were with angiography and autopsy. In almost all cases treatment was surgical with removal of the intra-atrial myxomas and the pulmonary emboli, which are usually tumoral. Majority of such patients recovered well after surgery. Four preoperative deaths, two postoperative deaths were reported. Right atrial thrombosis, transient ischemic attack (TIA), ischemic hepatitis and renal failure were the rare complication (Table 1). TTE and TEE are the most commonly used diagnostic methods in the detection and initial description of atrial myxomas (23). TTE is nearly 95% sensitive for the confirmation of cardiac myxomas, and TEE reaches nearly 100% sensitivity (45). TTE facilitated bedside test to safely detect myxomas in fatal pulmonary embolism as in our patient. TEE produces explicit images of small tumors (1 to 3 mm in diameter), especially in fat patients with poor TTE images (46). The TEE also permits a clearer picture of the attachment of the tumor and more precise characterization of the size, shape, surface, inner structure and location of the mass (47). Although TEE is a semi-invasive diagnostic test with a very low rate of significant complications, lethal pulmonary embolism during TEE procedure has been reported (22). Superior to echocardiography, multi-detectors spiral computed tomography (MSCT) and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) are more accurate in determining the relationship to normal intra-cardiac structures and tumor infiltration into the pericardium, extension to adjacent vasculature and mediastinal structures, pulmonary arteries emboli and surgical planning (48,49). RAMs manifest as a low-attenuation intra-atrium mass with a smooth, irregular or villous surface on MSCT. Calcifications are seen in about 14% and are more common in right side lesions. Arterial-phase contrast enhancement is usually not apparent, but heterogeneous enhancement is reported on studies performed with a longer time delay (50,51). Varying amounts of myxoid, calcified, hemorrhagic, and necrotic tissue gives them heterogeneous appearances on T1 and T2-weighted images. Delayed enhancement is typical and usually patchy in nature. Steady state free preceesion (SSFP) sequences may slow prolapse through the tricu spid valve in diastole phase and can suggest the attachment point of a stalk lesion. Reconstruction of cine gradient recalled echo (GRE) images enables assessment of lesion mobility and attachment (52). 18F-FDG PET/CT can help the noninvasive preoperative confirmation of malignancy (41). Mean SUVmax was 2.8 ±0.6 in benign cardiac tumors and significantly higher in both malignant primary and secondary cases. (8.0 ±2.1 and 10.8 ±4.9). The SUVmax of myxoma is ranging from 1.6 to 4. Malignancy was determined with a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 86% with a cut-off SUVmax value of 3.5. A weak correlation between the SUVmax and the size of tumors is found due to the partial volume effect, cardiac motion and respirtatory movement (53). Angiography is an invasive investigation that presents an additional risk of inducing migration of the tumor and only suitable for suspected acute coronary heart disease (37). Surgical removal of the RAM with pulmonary embolism is the first treatment of choice and usually curative (44,45). The crucial aspects of surgery are measures for bi-caval cannulation to prevent intra-operative embolism (27), en-bloc excision of the myxoma with a wide cuff of normal tissue, removal of fragments in pulmonary arteries, and conducted under moderate or deep hypothermia, low circulatory flow or total circulatory arrest based on the extent and sites of the emboli (44). Surgical treatment leads to complete resolution with low rates of recurrence and good long-term survival. The overall recurrence rate is about 1–3% for sporadic atrial myxoma (5,54), which grows an average of 0.24–1.6 cm per year. The risk of recurrence pulmonary embolism after resection has been reported to be 0.4% to 5.0% and interval from excision to recurrence is reported ranging from a few months to 8 years (55). The reasons of RAM recurrence include multifocal origin, incomplete surgical resection, familial disposition or abnormal DNA ploidy pattern. Postoperative annual TTE, V/Q scan for long-term observation should be followed up to detect eventual recurrence of new myxoma and pulmonary embolism. Excision of the recurrent lesions may be the only choice of treatment because of the poor role of chemotherapy and radiation (28). Pulmonary emboli from RAM are usually tumoral, although discriminating myxomas from thrombi in pulmonary arteries is difficult. Daniel T et al (56) presented the first case of paradoxical pulmonary embolism in the presence of a left atrial myxoma withouingt intra-cardiac shunting, potentially secondary to a combination of hemolysis, hemeoxygenase-1 up-regulation, systemic hypercoagulability/hypofibrinolysis, and regional venous stasis. Pulmonary thromboembolism complicated to RAM improved by coumadin therapy in a refused surgery patient (40). In our case the surgery do not remove the right side emboli, while anticoagulation was helpful for residue emboli remission, which confirmed coexistence of myxoma and thrombi. We suggest anticoagulation may be the useful in unresectable myxoma with pulmonary embolism. The duration of anticoagulation in pulmonary thromboembolism is at least three months, but the course in patients with RAM is still unknown. Conclusion According to review of the literature, RAM may not be timely diagnosed, or even totally undiagnosed. Because of the fragile consistency of RAM, pulmonary embolism are the most common comorbidity and mortality disease, usually be fatal. Surgical removal of masses from the atrium and pulmonary arteries is almost uneventful. Although the association between right atrial myxoma and pulmonary embolism has been described, the presence of thrombi was less mentioned. We suggest anticoagulation may be a choice of treatment after operation, especially in incomplete resection cases. Annual TTE and V/Q are suggested for a period of 8 years when the risk of recurrence is reported. Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Help My Computer :: essays research papers

Help my Computer In today’s world the personal computer is as common as a toaster. Almost every household has at least one computer. According to a 2001 survey over 65% of the population in the United States uses a computer. We use the computer to surf the Internet, keep track of our finances, email friends and relatives and play games. There are limitless possibilities for the use of computers. They have made typewriters and filing cabinets and thing of the past. However like any other parts of our society the pc is not safe from being harmed. There are computer viruses and spyware applications that can attack your computer. If your computer has been freezing up, giving you strange illegal operation error messages, or just not working properly it may be time to rebuild it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rebuilding your computer isn’t as difficult as you may think. Most anyone who has some basic computer skills and who isn’t afraid of taking a risk is capable of rebuilding a pc. You need to allow three to five hours of your time. Rebuilding your computer involves formatting your local hard disk first, and then reinstalling your operating system again. You will lose any personal folders and files you have on the hard disk, and programs not included in the operating system will have to be reinstalled. You will need to copy off the data you created. This is the information that you created in Word, Excel or Powerpoint. You should also backup your email messages along with your Internet favorites. You may choose to copy the data onto a CD or if your computer is networked, then copy it onto another computer or a network drive.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Next you need to verify that you have legal copies of the computer operating system. A legal copy allows you the ability to get the most up to date computer patches. You need to get the most current software drivers for devices such as printers and scanners. The drivers are usually found on the CDs or disks that came with your computer and accessories. If you no longer have these disks, then you will need to download the latest drivers from the appropriate website. However, the newer operating systems like Windows XP and Windows 2000 usually contain the drivers needed to make these devices work. The next step to take is to reinstall the operating system. You will need the Windows CD and serial number that came with your computer for this.

Marketing Variable Mix Of Prod :: essays research papers

INTRODUCTION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Japanese have again burst into the technology industry with the introduction of their newest product, Aibo, the robotic pet dog. Aibo is a Japanese word short for â€Å"companion†, and it also stands for Artificial Intelligence Robot. This creature is able to navigate its environment and respond to changes. This highly innovative idea began back in 1994 when Toshi T. Doi, Sony Corporations lead engineer, enlisted an artificial intelligence expert named Masarhiro Fujita to formulate a robot with sophisticated sensors. Fujita took just two weeks to develop the first prototype robotic creature that led to this current venture. AIBO’S TANGIBLE PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  No larger than a Chihuahua and constructed primarily of magnesium alloy, Aibo is equipped with infrared sensors and cameras for eyes that allow it to judge distance and avoid walking into objects. It also has sensors on its head, in its paws, and an antenna for a tail. Aibo is programmed to enjoy being petted and dislikes being scolded, not unlike real dogs. It also shows happiness by wagging its tail and illuminating its green eyes. Aibo can perform some standard tricks such as sitting and begging, and it can even dance and play music. As sophisticated as it may be, Aibo can not respond to voice commands, and it requires a remote control that emits musical tones the robot recognizes as commands. AIBO’S AUGMENTED AND GENERIC PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Aibo’s augmented product attributes revolve around the Sony brand name. Sony is a well-established corporation in the electronics industry. It is the most recognized brand name in the world, evoking a status of quality and dependability. Aibo will have a considerable lure on customers keen on cutting-edge gadgets. The first of its kind in sophistication and advanced robotics, Aibo will carry a significant status for technology buffs and expensive electronic toy collectors who can afford them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  From a generic product perspective, Aibo is already winning over the hearts and minds of consumers. Its almost life like touches and actions such as the occasional yawn, flopping on its belly when it’s bored, and the wagging of its tail when it is happy is rapidly captivating people all over. For some, the appeal is in the joy of owning such a technological and futuristic marvel. For others, It may be the hope of companionship from and innate object, not unlike today’s interactive computers. For most consumers it is just plain and simple entertainment.

Regression Analysis and Marks

BRUNEL UNIVERSITY Master of Science Degree examination Specimen Exam Paper 2005-2006 EC5002: Modelling Financial Decisions and Markets EC5030: Introduction to Quantitative Methods Time allowed: 1. 5 hours Answer all of question 1 and at least two other questions 1. COMPULSORY Provide brief answers to all the following: (a) A sample of 20 observations corresponding to the model: Y = + X + u, gave the P P P following data: (X X)2 = 215:4, (Y Y )2 = 86:9, and (X X)(Y Y ) = 106:04. Estimate . 5 marks) (b) Prove that r2 = byx bxy , where byx is the least-squares (LS) slope in the regression of Y on X , bxy is the LS slope in the regression of X on Y , and r is the coe? cient of correlation between X and Y . (5 marks) (c) Present four alternative in†¡ ation/unemployment regressions. (5 marks) (d) Give one reason for autocorrelated disturbances. (5 marks) (e) Explain how we might use the Breusch-Godfrey statistic to test estimated residuals for serial correlation. (5 marks) (f) The fol lowing regression equation is estimated as a production function for Q: lnQ = 1:37 + 0:632 lnK + 0:452 lnL, cov(bk ; bl ) = 0:055; 0:257) (0:219) where the standard errors are given in parentheses. Test the hypothesis that capital (K ) and labor (L) elasticities of output are identical. (5 marks) Continued (Turn over) 1 ANSWER TWO QUESTIONS FROM THE FOLLOWING: 2. (a) Economic theory supplies the economic interpretation for the predicted relationships between nominal (in†¡ ation) uncertainty, real (output growth) uncertainty, output growth, and in†¡ ation. Discuss †¦ve testable hypotheses regarding bidirectional causality among these four variables. (25 marks) + yt b) An investigator estimates a linear relation for German output growth (yt ): yt = 1 + ut , t = 1850; : : : ; 1999. The values of †¦ve test statistics are shown in Table 1: Discuss the results. Is the above equation correctly speci†¦ed? (10 marks) 3. (a) i) Show how various examples of typical hyp otheses †¦t into a general linear framework: Rb = r, where R is a (q k) matrix of known constants, with q < k, b is the (k 1) least-squares vector, and r is a q -vector of known constants. ii) Show how the least-squares estimator (b) of about . an be used to test various hypotheses iii) â€Å"The test procedure is then to reject the hypothesis Rb = r if the computed F value exceeds a preselected critical value† Discuss. (20 marks) (b) The results of least-squares estimation (based on 30 quarterly observations) of the regression of the actual on predicted interest rates (three-month U. S. Treasury Bills) were as follows: rt = 0:24 + 0:94 rt + et ; RSS = 28:56; (0:86) (0:14) where rt is the observed interest rate, and rt is the average expectation of rt held at the end of the preceding quarter.FiguresX parentheses are estimated standard errors. in X (rt r )2 = 52. The sample data on r give rt =30 = 10, According to the rational expectations hypothesis expectations are unbi ased, that is, the average prediction is equal to the observed realization of the variable under investigation. Test this claim by reference to announced predictions and to actual values of the rate of interest on three-month U. S. Treasury Bills. (Note: In the above equation all the assumptions of the classical linear regression model are satis†¦ed). 15 marks) Continued (Turn over) 2 4. (a) What are the assumptions of the classical linear regression model? (10 marks) (b) Prove that the variance-covariance matrix of the (k 1) least-squares vector b is: var(b) = 2 (X 0 X) 1 , where 2 is the variance of the disturbances and X is the (n k) matrix of the regressors. (15 marks) b (c) In the two-variable equation: Yi = a+bXi , i = 1; : : : ; n show that cov(a; b) = 2 X= X)2 . (10 marks) X (X 5. (a) Explain how we might use White statistic to test for the presence of heteroscedasticity in the estimated residuals. 10 marks) (b) A speci†¦ed equation is Y = X +u, with E(u) = 0 and E (uu0 ) = ; where =diagf 2 ; : : : ; 1 Derive White’ correct estimates of the standard errors of the OLS coe? cients. s (15 marks) (c) Explain how we might test for ARCH e ¤ects? (10 marks) 2 2g . 3 Table 1. Test statistic Value of the test p-value White heteroscedasticity test 50. 72 0. 00 Box-Pierce Statistic on 82. 263 0. 00 Squared Residuals Jarque-Bera statistic 341. 754 0. 00 ARCH test 65. 42 0. 00 Ramsey test statistic 39. 74 0. 00 4

An Analysis of Lord of the Flies by William Golding Essay

Savage vs. Civilized The main concern of Lord of the flies is the conflict between the two competing drives that all humans have; to live by the rules and act right or to defy the rules and act on ones desires. Meaning Savage vs. Civilized. William Golding associates the instinct of civilization with good and the instinct of savage with evil. In the story the character Ralph is the protagonist who represents civilized, leadership, and order. On the other hand Jack is the antagonist and represents savagery and the desire for power. William implies that people are much more prone to the instinct of savagery than the instinct of civilization, especially without authority. In the beginning of the story, the meetings that the group has are very civilized and everybody abides by the rules. They form a society that has a leader (Ralph) and have a symbol of authority, which is a conch shell. They all listen to Ralph and use the conch shell to talk during the meetings; making the meetings very civilized. In the beginning they all do their part whether it be watching the fire, building things, going hunting for food, or getting water, they all did their part. As the story goes on most of the kids start slacking and the jobs are not being done well; they are becoming more savage. For instance the fire goes out when a ship passes, there is not much water in the coconuts, and only 2 people build the last shelter. The kids can’t even have a civilized meeting, and the conch shell is not being put to use as it should be. During the meeting piggy says† What are we? Humans? Or animals? Or savages? What’s grownups going to think? Going off- hunting pigs- letting out fires- and now! † By piggy saying this, it shows that the kids really are acting like wild animals and little savages. They are no longer thinking before they are doing things and have no sense of control or authority. They are beginning to go wild and the instinct of savage is kicking in.

Human Rights Violation of Biharis in Bangladesh Essay

Statement of the problem : Bangladesh is an impoverished country of over 160 million people. In its short history as an independent nation, Bangladesh has faced a major civil war, massive internal displacement, famines and frequent natural disasters. In addition, Bangladesh is hosting over 500,000 Biharis and in recent years it recognized the nationality rights of large numbers of Urdu-speaking minority. About half a million Urdu speaking people known as in Bangladesh as ‘Bihari’ or ‘Stranded Pakistanis’ currently live in 66 camps spread all over the country. They have become a marginally displaced community since 1971. The creation of Bangladesh in 1971 put these people in a stateless situation. Although they are residing in â€Å"refugee camps,† the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) does not recognize them as refugees. Therefore, they are deprived of the benefits and opportunities extended to the refugees by the UNHCR. As a consequence, the stranded Biharis in Bangladesh face multiple problems. Despite this recent progress, however, 37 years of non-recognition have left the Biharis living in abject poverty and vulnerable to discrimination. Human rights violation of stranded Biharis in our country is common scenery. These people are in the museum of exploitation. The Bihari camps are mainly in urban areas and are beset by severe overcrowding, poor sanitation and lack of basic facilities. The slum like conditions in these settlements have worsened over the years as the population has grown. With inadequate provision for clean water, waste disposal and sewage systems, they are chronic hygiene problems. Camp residents face discrimination in the job market and a severe lack of education and health- care facilities hampers community development. Read more:  Essay About Bangladesh Liberation War Discrimination and poverty are the key elements that lead to anti social activities They are still denied access to a Bangladeshi passport. No NGOs or UN agencies have taken the initiative to collect comprehensive baseline data from which to develop both short- and long term programmes for the social and economic rehabilitation of this community. In spite of getting citizenship document no changes have been made in the everyday life of camps as well as strategy and the policy of the government seems to be unchanged. What does it mean; are Biharis non citizens in the process of Digital Bangladesh that their national ID card and citizenship documents are not enough to prove them citizen? As a conscious citizen of Bangladesh and also as a student of Peace and Conflict Studies Department, I am very much interested in this field for doing a fruitful research. Because, I think at present time, this stranded Biharis is a great national concerning issue. If they remain marginal for a long time, our national security might be hampered and they can pose a serious threat to our socio- economic development. So in my research, I would like to focus that their current situation must be improved through the various initiatives of state Government, NGOs and other International Organizations. 1.1 Background of the Study: The case of the Biharis in Bangladesh is different from other cases of denial of citizenship because the government considered them as a foreign group of individuals that ought to return to Pakistan. In fact Biharis never resided in Pakistan, but originally entered East Pakistan as refugees fleeing India at the time of its accession to independence. Their movement to East Pakistan was due to a desire to escape from communal bloodshed and â€Å"to preserve their Islamic way of life†. They also saw Hijrat (migration) as an escape from the possibility of living in a Hindu majority India. Actually, the history of the Bihari goes back to the partition of India in 1947. During the period of united Pakistan (1947-1971), the Urdu-speaking Biharis were not incorporated with in the society of East Pakistan and remained as a distinct cultural-linguistic group. They generally associated and identified themselves with the West Pakistani society because of their cultural similarity and shared linguistic heritage. They supported the West Pakistani governing leaders in the process of capturing the economic and political power in East Pakistan. The Biharis consequently, enjoyed government patronage and preferential treatment in various sectors of the East Pakistan economy. Initially the arrival of Biharis and the positive discrimination of the Pakistan Government in terms of refugee rehabilitation were not resented by the Bengalis. But, the positive attitude of the Bengalis towards the Biharis was short-lived. During the Language Movement, the Biharis instead of supporting the Bengalis sided with the West Pakistani ruling elite. Further, in the 1954 provincial elections and in the 1970 general elections, they extended their support to the Muslim League, which symbolized the domination of the West Pakistanis over the Bengalis. They also opposed the Bengalis’ freedom struggle and many of them actively participated in the military actions against the Bengalis in the 1971 Bangladesh Independence War. The exclusive attitude of the Biharis and their pro-West Pakistani political activities culminated with the growth of an anti-Bihari sentiment among the Bengalis.The Bihari community never assimilated with the local people and maintained alliance with the West Pakistani regime against the interest of the Bengali people. When Bangladesh finally achieved independence, Bihari people wanted to go to West Pakistan, but could not do so immediately due to complication in repatriation process. This situation left them stranded in Bangladesh. They were promised of repatriation to Pakistan, but this promise was never fully materialized. After the war, thousands of Biharis were willingly deported to Pakistan. The 300,000 who remained in Bangladesh moved into refugee camps set up by the International Red Cross, awaiting flights to Pakistan that never came because of diplomatic wrangling. Today 40 years later the stranded Biharis and their descendents are still living in these camps. In 2008, a Supreme Court decision recognized their nationality rights. A large percentage of the adults were registered to vote in the 2009 election. But after decades of isolation and discrimination, they are still out from the fundamental rights for which they have been passing their days under sub-human condition in 66 shelter camps in the country. There we see that 94% are illiterate, almost double the national rate. Despite being registered as voters and recognized as citizens, many Urdu speakers still are also unable to obtain government jobs, access credit, get passports or obtain compensation for their property confiscated during the war. They do not have freedom of movement. 1.2 Rationale of the Research: Study of human rights is considered as one of the interesting and important courses of our Department of Peace and Conflict Studies. On the other hand, various social problems are main discussed phenomena for social researchers. In the context, the inhuman situation of Bihari people which they are experiencing in their daily lives is a matter of serious concern. There is very little research findings on this field. Some NGOs and individuals have worked on this topic; such as BRAC, RMMRU (Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit) etc but it is very poor comparing the importance and intensity of the problems they face. So I believe that my research on this issue will be able to add a holistic and incomparable introduction in the research field. In this regard, I think it is very much important and rationale to identify the root cause, and find solution to their problems of human rights violation. 1.3 Objective of the Study: The main and broader objective of the study is * To depict the human rights situation of the stranded Biharis and find out the root causes of various problems faced by them. Other Objectives: * To present a realistic solution of the problem regarding both Government and non-Government initiatives and also Biharis’ opinion on solution to their problem. So this paper tries to explore the socio-economic condition of the Bihari people, the problems they are facing now and their opinion about their resentments. 1.4 Research Question: The questions of the study are: * What are the rights, Biharis are yet to get as human being? * What types of human rights violation they face? * What initiatives are taken by national and international community for the better improvement of their miserable condition 1.5 Study Area: Biharis are a minority community who live in 66 camps in different districts of Bangladesh. All these camps are located in the urban areas. Bihari people are Muslims. Maximum Bihari live together at Geneva Camp, Mohammadpur in Dhaka. In Bangladesh Geneva Camp is the biggest place for them. For my study I have chosen Mohammedpur Geneva Camp which is located within Dhaka City Corporation Ward No. 45 in Dhaka city for data collection. I have visited the Geneva Camp to collect data from the residence in that camp. There are nine blocks in Geneva camp, which are alphabetically named. The camp is divided into two parts. Block A and B are located in one part and from block C to block I are in second part. The largest block is â€Å"C† and the smallest is â€Å"I†. I have visited almost every block for the collection of data and also visited the SPGRC office, the school named shurovi and the al-Falah Clinic. 1.6 Operational Definition of the Study : Bihari: Bihari, originally a Hindi word, literally means a person belonging to the Indian State of Bihar. In Bangladesh, ‘Bihari’ is a word usually considerd offensive for a non-local, speaking Urdu. Biharis did not come from the Indian State of Bihar alone. They came from other parts of India as well, and were largely distinguishable by their life-style that bound these people from their former homelands into an identifiable minority group with the commonly spoken and understood language of Urdu. In today’s Bangladesh, Biharis are the descendents of those optees and emigrants, who came to East Bengal after the great divide of India in 1947, many government employees under the British administration, were deputed to places in East Bengal. Among them, a large number of people came from the province of Bihar to serve in the railways, in the police, judiciaries and other civil departments (Ilias, Ahmed; 2003). The International Convention on Biharis held in Geneva in 1982 referred to them as non-Bangladeshi or stranded Pakistanis. The â€Å"Bihari† are such people who opposed the independence of Bangladesh, wanted to go to Pakistan but could not do so due to complication in the repatriation process. (Farzana, 2008). Stranded Pakistani: This title was given to the Urdu-speaking community after Bangladesh’s War of Independence in 1971. During the War, many members of this community sided with West Pakistan, and after losing the War they opted for repatriation to what is currently known as Pakistan rather than staying in the newly formed nation of Bangladesh, former East Pakistan. While waiting for repatriation, they were interned in camps. Many never made it to Pakistan, however, and were stranded in the camps. As a result, those who were left behind were labeled as â€Å"Stranded Pakistanis†. Human Rights: By Human rights, we mean a basic freedom and dignity that every person is entitled to. This entitlement is derived simply from the person’s status as a human being. Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled, often held to include the right to life and liberty, freedom of thought and expression, and equality before the law. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) gives recognition to the inherent dignity and to the equal and inalienable rights of every human. The 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees elaborates on Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which provides that â€Å"Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.† The Convention was the first in a series of treaties which turned the ideals of the Declaration into legally binding obligations. The language of the Convention is clear and compelling, defining a refugee as someone with a ‘well founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.† Refugee: The term ‘refugee’ is a term of art, that is, a term with a continent verifiable according to principles of general international law. In the legal sense, the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, 1951, whose scope of applicability was extended by the Protocol Relating to the status of Refugees, 1967, is the most important document on the definition of Refugee. According to Article 1 (a) (2) of the Convention, the term ‘refugee’ shall apply to any person who, owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country, Such refugees are usually mentioned as convention refugees (Malik, Tuhin, 1998). According to the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees 1951, and Statute of the Office of the UNHCR 1950 a person shall cease to be a refugee if; 1) He has voluntarily re-availed himself of the protection of the country of his nationality; 2) Having lost his nationality he has voluntarily re0acquired it; 3) He has acquired a new nationality, and enjoys the protection of the country of his new nationality; 4) He has voluntarily re-established himself in the country which he left or outside which he remained owing to fear of persecution. 5) He can no longer, because the circumstances in connection with which he has been recognized as a refugee have ceased to exist, continue to refuse to avail himself of the protection of the country of his nationality. The case of the Biharis comes under clause (III), for firstly many of them migrated to East Pakistan in 1947 using their option for Pakistan and secondly they were full-fledged citizens of Pakistan after 1951; But the UNHCR doesn`t recognize them as refugee. Therefore, they were deprived of the benefits and opportunities extended to the refugees by the UNHCR. As a consequence, the stranded Biharis in Bangladesh faced multiple problems. Geneva Camp: After the partition of India and Pakistan the Indian Muslims were entering into Pakistan. Some went to West Pakistan and some went to East Pakistan (Bangladesh). Then about 8 million refugees came here from India and Bihari were 2 million in number. After the liberation war of 1971 they lost their houses. On 10 March, 1971 the father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman said addressing to nation, â€Å"Non-Bengali who live in Bangladesh are the son of this soil. Our supreme responsibility is to save the life and the property of all citizens whether he is Bengali or Non-Bengali.† The act of January1, 1972 by the government order no.1 and the act of February 28, 1972 made extreme damage to them. They become helpless and shelter less. At that time International Committee for Red Cross (ICRC) came forward and made several camps in different places and brought them in camps for their safety. With this perspective the ICRC s the biggest camp ‘New Geneva Colony’ locally known as ‘Geneva Camp’ was formed at Mohammadpur in Dhaka. Since then a new movement of Bihari’s life starts without having fundamentals rights. The house given to each family by Red Cross was only 8 feet in wide and 8 feet in length. More than 25000 people started living in just only 44000 square feet area. Human Security: According to UNDP (1994) report, there are seven specific values of human security, such as economic, food, health, environmental, personal, community, and political security. Economic security refers to an individual’s enjoyment of a basic income, either through gainful employment or from a social safety net. Food security refers to an individual’s access to food via his or her assets, employment, or income. Health security refers to an individual’s freedom from various diseases and debilitating illnesses and his or her access to health care. Environmental security refers to the integrity of land, air, and water, which make human habitation possible. Personal security refers to an individual’s freedom from crime and violence, especially women and children who are more vulnerable. Community security refers to cultural dignity and to inter-community peace within which an individual lives and grows. Finally, political security refers to protection against human rights violations. The Bihari community in Bangladesh is deprived of all the above-mentioned seven specific values. 1.7 Limitations of the Study : As this research is a part of academic course so the sample size was small. Therefore, generalization of the findings is not logical. The research is confined only to Geneva Camp due to financial and time constraints. Better information can be achieved if the research could be conducted in other camps too. Due to internal clashes in these camps, the investigators may encounter some difficulties while interviewing. Non cooperation from the respondents was another problem that the researcher had to suffer most during the period of data collection. I was not behaved cordially and cooperation was not offered from the respondents as they were tired of answering such types of interviews on several occasions. Hearing the fact that the study will solely meet up the academic purposes, they were much unwilling to respondent deliberately.