The Failed Offensive

The year 1961 saw the attempt of Cuban exiles to replace the Cuban government led by Fidel Castro, and it was on April 17 on the same year when aerial bombings were launched as an attack by a coalition backed by the United States against Cuba which later came to be known as the Bay of Pigs Invasion. Although the United States helped in the planning and in the funding of the invasion, it failed right after the night landing of the invasion was discovered which led to the defeat of the invasion just within three days.It is because of the immediate discovery and the reports about the invasion which practically enabled the Cuban government of Castro to frustrate the invasion and capture a large number of invaders. The consequence of the failed invasion is for Castro to start obtaining nuclear warheads from the Soviet government in the fear of another invasion backed by the United States, thereby leading to the Cuban Missile Crisis. History The history of the Bay of Pigs invasions stems b efore the time of the Kennedy administration.Miller and Miller observe that the strains between the relations of Cuba and America stems back from immigration issues. They observe that: As the number of immigrants increased, relations with Cuba began to deteriorate after 1959. In June 1960 U. S. oil refineries in Cuba refused to process Russian crude oil. The Cuban government retaliated by nationalizing the oil refineries. On July 5, 1960, the Cuban government nationalized all U. S. property in Cuba.In retaliation, the United States canceled Cuba's sugar export quota. This action amounted to an economic sanction against Cuba (Miller and Miller, p. 53). In the following years, the tension between the two countries grew and the desire to free Cuba from the leadership of Castro intensified. Miller and miller notes: Attempts to free Cuba from Castro's regime began under the Eisenhower administration, and under the Kennedy administration, U. S. -Cuban relations continued to deteriorate.Le ss than three months after becoming president, Kennedy authorized an invasion of Castro's regime by Cuban exiles on April 17, 1961. Regrettably for the United States, the 1,500-man exile force was defeated in less than 72 hours. The invasion increased Castro's political power and popularity. As William Goodwin, a White House advisor, stated: â€Å"It made him even more of a hero as the man who had defended Cuba against the greatest power in the world (Miller and Miller, p. 54). â€Å"Almost a year before the actual Bay of Pigs Invasion, the U. S. Central Intelligence Agency recommended to then-President Dwight Eisenhower a plan to equip Cuban exiles and use them for action against the newly established socialist Cuban government led by Fidel Castro. Since it was the policy of the American government to provide military, logistics and strategic assistance to guerilla forces fighting the government of Castro, the CIA pursued to train Cuban exiles for the mission.Among the first plan s to be adopted for the invasion is to land the Cuban exiles near the city of Trinidad, Cuba since the site gave a handful of choices for the brigade of Cuban exiles to exploit at the height of the invasion in the coming days. At the least, the site gave the exiles the advantage of a beach landing and of returning to the mountains for a possible retreat as the necessity would arise. However, the progress of the plans to invade Cuba led to several changes such as the change in the landing spot for Brigade 2506 from Trinidad to the Bay of Pigs.As a result, contacts with the rebels situated in the Escambray Mountains were cut thereby reducing the military support the Cuban exiles needed. Further, senior KGB operatives Osvaldo Sanchez Cabrera and â€Å"Aragon† warned the Cuban government about the forthcoming invasion, thus giving Castro and his military men the time to anticipate and plan their counter moves against the U. S. -backed offensive. All these changes in the invasion plan under the helm of President Kennedy after seeking information to his advisors if the overthrow of Fidel Castro could be tied with weapon shipments.The Invasion The invasion could be divided into at least three actions: sea, air and land offensives. The invasion was initiated with three flights of B-2B bombers on the early hours of April 15, 1961. As aircrafts with the markings of the Cuban Fuerza Armada Revolucionaria (CRAF) flew over and bombarded the airfields of Antonio Maceo International Airport, San Antonio de los Banos and Ciudad Libertad, counter air attacks against the CRAF, named Operation Puma, were also formed.In the attempt to paralyze the air force of the Cuban government through the air attacks, the first air operations failed primarily because the air strikes were discontinued as opposed to what was original intended. There was a second attempt to foil the air force of the Cuban government by launching another air attack. However, the second plan was cancelled b ecause President Kennedy hoped to make the operation look as if the Cuban exiles were the ones responsible in the attacks and not the U. S. government.By doing so, the American government can easily deny accusations of being held responsible for the operation. The cancellation of the air assaults on the air fields of Cuba largely contributed to the failure of the invasion and the deaths of many Cuban exiles. Almost two days after the failed air strikes, approximately 1,300 Cuban exiles landed at the Bay of Pigs situated at the Cuban southern coast. Armed with weapons provided by the American government, the exiles intended to proceed to Havana in the hopes of gaining local support.At first, the invaders were able to suppress the ground militia at the beach, forcing the Cuban forces to surrender. It was under the prerogative of President Kennedy to use air force to support ground troops but he never opted to do so. As a result, the armies of the government of Castro were able to stop the invading forces at the Bay of Pigs. Naval offenses also took a crucial role in the offensives, with the invader ship Blagar fighting off Cuban aircrafts and with the naval forces of Castro losing at least one ship, the P.C. Baire. The aftermath Although the exact number of deaths for the Cuban government is widely disputed, it can hardly be argued that the death toll went by the thousands. Interestingly, even though the casualties among the Cuban government were higher in contrast to the invading forces, the Castro government ended up gaining as much as $53 million worth of food and medicine in exchange for the lives of the captured exiles who were sentenced to thirty years in prison for treason.However, negotiations for the release of the captured exiles took almost twenty months which started from the demand of Castro for 500 large tractors to his demand of $28 million. In the end, 1,113 prisoners were released in exchange for $53 million worth of food and medicine; the funds were supposedly obtained from private donations. It was also reported that President Kennedy hesitated to back the ground forces of the Cuban exiles with further air strikes because Kennedy did not want a full scale war. In doing so, Kennedy effectively abandoned the Cuban exiles fighting on the ground against the forces of Fidel Castro.More importantly, the CIA believed that the invasion would lead to a spark in the sentiment of the people against the government of Castro thereby gaining the support of the Cubans with the offensive. In its entirety, Erich Weede observes that the failure of the invasion reinforced the ironies in the decisions and motives of the United States. Weede argues that: The Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in 1961 was the most important case of vacillation and inconsistency: President John F. Kennedy would have liked to get rid of Fidel Castro and to replace him by a more friendly government, but he did not want to send in U.S. troops when Cuban exiles were not up to the task. The Bay of Pigs disaster only reinforced Castro's hostility toward the United States (Weede, p. 136). Thus, one of the consequences of the failure in the Bay of Pigs is the increased hostility of Fidel Castro towards the United States, which also led to his forging an informal alliance with the Soviet Union, a nation which has been a firm opponent of America. The observation of Weede reinforces the idea that Kennedy was playing things safe, owing to the fact that Cuban exiles were the primary ‘tools’ in engaging the Cuban government into a hostile battle.Piero Gleijeses further notes that one of the causes of the failure of the Bay of Pigs invasions is the â€Å"miscommunication between the CIA and the White House† and that it would have been â€Å"politically costly for Kennedy to have aborted the operation† (Gleijeses, p. 2). He stresses the point that: The Bay of Pigs was approved because the CIA and the White House assumed they were sp eaking the same language when, in fact, they were speaking in utterly different tongues (Gleijeses, p. 2). Gleijeses’ observation indicates that the â€Å"miscommunication between the CIA and the White House (Gleijeses, p.2)† contributed to the failure of the Bay of Pigs invasion, stemming back to the discontinuation of the plans first determined prior to the attacks at the Bay. At the aftermath of the failed attempt to invade Cuba right from the Bay of Pigs, Lucien Vandenbroucke observed that Kennedy and his advisers â€Å"did not carefully weigh competing alternatives and then select the invasion of Cuba as the best policy† without taking into account the fact that â€Å"Castro had over 200,000 men in arms and the benefit of the Guatemalan precedent† (Vandenbroucke, p. 472).He further noted that: Carried out deftly enough to conceal the American hand, [the Bay of Pigs invasion] promised to deal with Castro while preserving the United State’s imag e. In short, then, the rational actor model suggests that the lack of other viable alternatives prompted the choice of the invasion, which appeared best in terms of a rational cost-benefit analysis (Vandenbroucken, p. 472). There is little or no disagreement over the failure of the Bay of Pigs invasion which resulted to the increased tension between the United States and Cuban governments.As the tensions increased, Fidel Castro apparently looked for ways to strengthen his military capabilities and, thus, the military aid by the Soviet Union in terms of nuclear warheads was a tempting option to be easily discarded. The years that followed soon paved the way for the Cuban Missile Crisis which further smeared the capabilities of the Kennedy administration to handle tough situations which involve the security of the United States.Had the Bay of Pigs invasion been a success, there were promising chances for the American government to further launch successful offensives against the Castr o government with the aid of the Cuban exiles (Dominguez, p. 20). Works Cited Dominguez, Jorge I. â€Å"Us-Cuban Relations in the 1980s: Issues and Policies. † Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs 27. 1 (1985): 20. Gleijeses, Piero. â€Å"Ships in the Night: The Cia, the White House and the Bay of Pigs. † Journal of Latin American Studies 27. 1 (1995): 2. Miller, Willard E. , and Ruby M. Miller. â€Å"The U. S.Invasion of Cuba: The Bay of Pigs. † United States Immigration: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 1996. 53, 54. Vandenbroucke, Lucien S. â€Å"Anatomy of a Failure: The Decision to Land at the Bay of Pigs. † Political Science Quarterly 99. 3 (1984): 472. Weede, Erich. † Patterns of International Conflict During the Cold War and the Contemporary Challenge. † Economic Development, Social Order, and World Politics: With Special Emphasis on War, Freedom, the Rise and Decline of the West, and the Future of East Asia . Boulder, CO: Boulder Lynne Rienner Publishers, 1996. 136.

The Host Chapter 45: Succeeded

Healer Knits Fire and Cerulean walked through the door together. The Healer handed me a tall glass of water. It didn't feel as cold as the first-my fingers were cold with fear now. The dark-skinned woman had something for me, too. She handed me a flat rectangle with a handle. â€Å"I thought you would want to see,† Knits Fire said with a warm smile. The tension flooded out of me. There was no suspicion or fear. Just more kindness from the souls who had dedicated their lives to Healing. Cerulean had given me a mirror. I held it up and then tried to stifle my gasp. My face looked the way I remembered it from San Diego. The face I'd taken for granted there. The skin was smooth and peachy across my right cheekbone. If I looked carefully, it was just a little lighter and pinker in color than the tan on the other cheek. It was a face that belonged to Wanderer, the soul. It belonged here, in this civilized place where there was no violence and no horror. I realized why it was so easy to lie to these gentle creatures. Because it felt right to talk with them, because I understood their communication and their rules. The lies could be†¦ maybe should be true. I should be filling a Calling somewhere, whether teaching at a university or serving food in a restaurant. A peaceful, easy life contributing to a greater good. â€Å"What do you think?† the Healer asked. â€Å"I look perfect. Thank you.† â€Å"It was my pleasure to heal you.† I looked at myself again, seeing details beyond the perfection. My hair was ragged-dirty, with uneven ends. There was no gloss to it-homemade soap and poor nutrition were to blame for that. Though the Healer had cleaned the blood from my neck, it was still smudged with purple dust. â€Å"I think it's time I called the camping trip quits. I need to clean up,† I murmured. â€Å"Do you camp often?† â€Å"In all my free time, lately. I†¦ can't seem to keep away from the desert.† â€Å"You must be brave. I find the city much more comfortable.† â€Å"Not brave-just different.† In the mirror, my eyes were familiar rings of hazel. Dark gray on the outside, a circle of moss green, and then another circle of caramel brown around the pupil. Underlying it all, a faint shimmer of silver that would reflect the light, magnify it. Jamie? Mel asked urgently, beginning to feel nervous. I was too comfortable here. She could see the logic of the other path laid out before me, and that frightened her. I know who I am, I told her. I blinked, then looked back at the friendly faces beside me. â€Å"Thank you,† I said again to the Healer. â€Å"I suppose I'd better be on my way.† â€Å"It's very late. You could sleep here if you'd like.† â€Å"I'm not tired. I feel†¦ perfect.† The Healer grinned. â€Å"No Pain does that.† Cerulean walked me to the reception area. She put her hand on my shoulder as I stepped through the door. My heart beat faster. Had she noticed that my pack, once flat, was now bulging? â€Å"Be more careful, dear,† she said, and patted my arm. â€Å"I will. No more hikes in the dark.† She smiled and went back to her desk. I kept my pace even as I walked through the parking lot. I wanted to run. What if the Healer looked in her cabinets? How soon would she realize why they were half empty? The car was still there, in the pocket of darkness created by a gap between streetlights. It looked empty. My breath came fast and uneven. Of course it should look empty. That was the whole point. But my lungs didn't calm until I could glimpse the vague shape under the blanket on the backseat. I opened the door and put the backpack on the passenger seat-it settled there with a reassuring clatter-then I climbed in and shut the door. There was no reason to slam the locks down; I ignored the urge. â€Å"Are you okay?† Jared whispered as soon as the door was closed. His voice was a strained, anxious rasp. â€Å"Shh,† I said, keeping my lips as still as I could. â€Å"Wait.† I drove past the bright entrance and answered Cerulean's wave with one of my own. â€Å"Making friends?† We were on the dark road. No one was watching me anymore. I slumped in the seat. My hands started to shake. I could allow that, now that it was over. Now that I'd succeeded. â€Å"All souls are friends,† I told him, using my normal volume. â€Å"Are you all right?† he demanded again. â€Å"I'm healed.† â€Å"Let me see.† I stretched my left arm across my body, so he could see the tiny pink line. He sucked in a surprised breath. The blanket rustled; he sat up and then climbed through the space between the seats. He pushed the backpack out of the way, then pulled it onto his lap, testing its weight. He looked up at me as we passed under a streetlamp, and he gasped. â€Å"Your face!† â€Å"It's healed, too. Naturally.† He raised one hand, holding it in the air near my cheek, unsure. â€Å"Does it hurt?† â€Å"Of course not. It feels like nothing happened to it in the first place.† His fingers brushed the new skin. It tingled, but that was from his touch. Then he was back to business. â€Å"Did they suspect anything? Do you think they'll call the Seekers?† â€Å"No. I told you they wouldn't be suspicious. They didn't even check my eyes. I was hurt, so they healed me.† I shrugged. â€Å"What did you get?† he asked, opening the drawstrings on the backpack. â€Å"The right things for Jamie†¦ if we get back in time†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I glanced at the clock on the dashboard automatically, though the hours it marked were meaningless. â€Å"And more for the future. I only took what I understood.† â€Å"We'll be back in time,† he promised. He examined the white containers. â€Å"Smooth?† â€Å"Not a necessity. But I know what it does, so†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He nodded, digging through the bag. He muttered the names to himself. â€Å"No Pain? Does it work?† I laughed. â€Å"It's amazing. If you stab yourself, I could show you†¦ That's a joke.† â€Å"I know.† He was staring at me with an expression I didn't understand. His eyes were wide, like something had deeply surprised him. â€Å"What?† My joke hadn't been that bad. â€Å"You did it.† His tone was full of wonder. â€Å"Wasn't that the idea?† â€Å"Yes, but†¦ I guess I didn't really think we were going to make it out.† â€Å"You didn't? Then why†¦? Why did you let me try?† He answered in a soft almost-whisper. â€Å"I figured it was better to die trying than to live without the kid.† For a moment, my throat was choked with emotion. Mel was too overcome to speak as well. We were a family in that one instant. All of us. I cleared my throat. No need to feel things that would only come to nothing. â€Å"It was very easy. Probably any of you could get away with it, if you acted naturally. She did look at my neck.† I touched it reflexively. â€Å"Your scar is too obviously homemade, but with the medicines I took, Doc could fix that.† â€Å"I doubt any of us could act so natural.† I nodded. â€Å"Yes. It's easy for me. I know what they expect.† I laughed briefly to myself. â€Å"I'm one of them. If you trusted me, I could probably get you anything in the world you wanted.† I laughed again. It was just the stress fading, making me giddy. But it was funny to me. Did he realize that I would do exactly that for him? Anything in the world he wanted. â€Å"I do trust you,† he whispered. â€Å"With all our lives, I trust you.† And he had trusted me with every single human life. His, and Jamie's, and everyone else's. â€Å"Thank you,† I whispered back. â€Å"You did it,† he repeated in wonder. â€Å"We're going to save him.† Jamie is going to live, Mel rejoiced. Thank you, Wanda. Anything for them, I told her, and then I sighed, because it was so true. After reattaching the tarps when we reached the wash, Jared took over the driving. The way was familiar to him, and he drove faster than I would have. He had me get out before he pulled the car into its impossibly small hiding place under the rock slide. I waited for the sound of rock against metal, but Jared found a way in. And then we were back in the jeep and flying through the night. Jared laughed, triumphant, as we jolted across the open desert, and the wind carried his voice away. â€Å"Where's the blindfold?† I asked. â€Å"Why?† I looked at him. â€Å"Wanda, if you wanted to turn us in, you had your chance. No one can deny that you're one of us now.† I thought about that. â€Å"I think some still could. It would make them feel better.† â€Å"Your some need to get over themselves.† I was shaking my head now, picturing our reception. â€Å"It's not going to be easy, getting back in. Imagine what they're thinking right now. What they're waiting for†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He didn't answer. His eyes narrowed. â€Å"Jared†¦ if they†¦ if they don't listen†¦ if they don't wait†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I started talking faster, feeling a sudden pressure, trying to get him all the information before it was too late. â€Å"Give Jamie the No Pain first-lay that on his tongue. Then the Inside Clean spray-he just has to inhale it. You'll need Doc to -â€Å" â€Å"Hey, hey! You're going to be the one giving the directions.† â€Å"But let me tell you how -â€Å" â€Å"No, Wanda. It's not going to go down that way. I'll shoot anyone who touches you.† â€Å"Jared -â€Å" â€Å"Don't panic. I'll aim low, and then you can use that stuff to heal 'em back up again.† â€Å"If that's a joke, it's not funny.† â€Å"No joke, Wanda.† â€Å"Where's the blindfold?† He pressed his lips together. But I had my old shirt-Jeb's raggy hand-me-down. That would work almost as well. â€Å"This will make it a little bit easier for them to let us in,† I said as I folded it up into a thick band. â€Å"And that means getting to Jamie faster.† I tied it over my eyes. It was quiet for a time. The jeep bounced along the uneven terrain. I remembered nights like this when Melanie had been the passenger†¦ â€Å"I'm taking us right to the caves. There's a place the jeep will be fairly well hidden for a day or two. It will save us time.† I nodded. Time was the key now. â€Å"Almost there,† he said after a minute. He exhaled. â€Å"They're waiting.† I heard him fumbling beside me, heard a metal clank as he pulled the gun from the backseat. â€Å"Don't shoot anyone.† â€Å"No promises.† â€Å"Stop!† someone shouted. The sound carried in the empty desert air. The jeep slowed and then idled. â€Å"It's just us,† Jared said. â€Å"Yes, yes, look. See? I'm still me.† There was hesitation from the other side. â€Å"Look-I'm bringing the jeep in under cover, okay? We've got meds for Jamie, and we're in a hurry. I don't care what you're thinking, you're not going to get in my way tonight.† The jeep pulled forward. The sound changed and echoed as he found his cover. â€Å"Okay, Wanda, everything's fine. Let's go.† I already had the pack on my shoulders. I got out of the jeep carefully, not sure where the wall was. Jared caught my searching hands. â€Å"Up you go,† he said, and lifted me over his shoulder again. I wasn't as secure as before. He used only one arm to hold me. The other must have had the gun. I didn't like that. But I was worried enough to be grateful for it when I heard the running footsteps approaching. â€Å"Jared, you idiot!† Kyle shouted. â€Å"What were you thinking?† â€Å"Ease up, Kyle,† Jeb said. â€Å"Is she hurt?† Ian demanded. â€Å"Get out of my way,† Jared said, his voice calm. â€Å"I'm in a hurry. Wanda's in perfect shape, but she insisted on being blindfolded. How is Jamie?† â€Å"Hot,† Jeb said. â€Å"Wanda's got what we need.† He was moving fast now, sliding downhill. â€Å"I can carry her.† Ian, of course. â€Å"She's fine where she is.† â€Å"I'm really okay,† I told Ian, my voice bouncing with Jared's movement. Uphill again, a steady jog despite my weight. I could hear the others running with us. I knew when we were through to the main cavern-the angry hiss of voices swelled around us, turning into a clamor of sound. â€Å"Out of my way,† Jared roared over their voices. â€Å"Is Doc with Jamie?† I couldn't make out the answer. Jared could have put me down, but he was in too much of a hurry to pause for that second. The angry voices echoed behind us, the sound constricting as we entered the smaller tunnel. I could feel where we were now, follow the turns in my head as we raced through the junction to the third sleeping hall. I could almost count the doors as they passed me invisibly. Jared jerked to a halt and let the sudden stop slide me down from his shoulder. My feet hit the floor. He ripped the blindfold from my eyes. Our room was lit by several of the dim blue lanterns. Doc was standing rigidly, as if he'd just sprung to his feet. Kneeling beside him, her hand still holding a wet cloth to Jamie's forehead, was Sharon. Her face was almost unrecognizable, it was so contorted with fury. Maggie was struggling to her feet on Jamie's other side. Jamie still lay limp and red, eyes closed, his chest barely moving to pull in air. â€Å"You!† Sharon spit, and then she launched herself from her crouch. Like a cat, she sprang at Jared, nails reaching for his face. Jared caught her hands and twisted her away from him, pulling her arms behind her back. Maggie looked as if she was about to join her daughter, but Jeb stepped around the struggling Sharon and Jared to stand toe-to-toe with her. â€Å"Let her go!† Doc cried. Jared ignored him. â€Å"Wanda-heal him!† Doc moved to put himself between Jamie and me. â€Å"Doc,† I choked. The violence in the room, swirling around Jamie's still form, scared me. â€Å"I need your help. Please. For Jamie.† Doc didn't move, his eyes on Sharon and Jared. â€Å"C'mon, Doc,† Ian said. The little room was too crowded, claustrophobic, as Ian came to stand with his hand on my shoulder. â€Å"You gonna let the kid die for your pride?† â€Å"It's not pride. You don't know what these foreign substances will do to him!† â€Å"He can't get much worse, can he?† â€Å"Doc,† I said. â€Å"Look at my face.† Doc wasn't the only one who responded to my words. Jeb, Ian, and even Maggie looked and then did a double take. Maggie glanced away quickly, angry that she'd betrayed any interest. â€Å"How?† Doc demanded. â€Å"I'll show you. Please. Jamie doesn't need to suffer.† Doc hesitated, staring at my face, and then let out a big sigh. â€Å"Ian's right-he can't get much worse. If this kills him†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shrugged, and his shoulders slumped. He took a step back. â€Å"No,† Sharon cried. No one paid any attention to her. I knelt beside Jamie, yanking the backpack off my shoulders and tugging it open. I fumbled until I found the No Pain. A bright light switched on beside me, pointed at Jamie's face. â€Å"Water, Ian?† I twisted the lid open and pinched out one of the little tissue squares. When I pulled Jamie's chin down, his skin burned my hand. I laid the square on his tongue and then held out my hand without looking up. Ian placed the bowl of water in it. Carefully, I dripped enough water into his mouth to wash the medicine down his throat. The sound of his swallow was dry and painful. I searched frantically for the thinner spray bottle. When I found it, I had the lid off and the mist sprayed into the air above him in one fast movement. I waited, watching his chest until he inhaled. I touched his face, and it was so hot! I scrambled for the Cool, praying it would be easy to use. The lid screwed off, and I found that the cylinder was full of more tissue squares, light blue this time. I breathed a sigh of relief and placed one on Jamie's tongue. I picked up the bowl again and dribbled another mouthful of water through his parched lips. His swallow was quicker this time, less strained. Another hand touched Jamie's face. I recognized Doc's long bony fingers. â€Å"Doc, do you have a sharp knife?† â€Å"I have a scalpel. You want me to open the wound?† â€Å"Yes, so I can clean it.† â€Å"I thought about trying that†¦ to drain it, but the pain†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"He'll feel nothing now.† â€Å"Look at his face,† Ian leaned in beside me to whisper. Jamie's face was no longer red. It was a natural, healthy tan. The sweat still glistened on his brow, but I knew it was just left over from before. Doc and I touched his forehead at the same time. It's working. Yes! Exultation swept through both Mel and me. â€Å"Remarkable,† Doc breathed. â€Å"The fever has cooled, but the infection may remain in his leg. Help me with his wound, Doc.† † Sharon, could you hand me -† he began absentmindedly. Then he looked up. â€Å"Oh. Ah, Kyle, do you mind handing me that bag right there by your foot?† I scooted down so that I was over the red, swollen cut. Ian redirected the light so I could see it clearly. Doc and I both rustled through our bags at the same time. He came up with the silver scalpel, a sight that sent a quiver of unease down my spine. I ignored it and readied the bigger Clean spray. â€Å"He won't feel it?† Doc checked, hesitating. â€Å"Hey,† Jamie croaked. His eyes were open wide, roaming the room until they found my face. â€Å"Hey, Wanda. What's going on? What's everyone doing here?†

Porter Five Forces Analysis Essay

The entrenched position of the Indian market leaders in IT industry like TCS, Infosys, Wipro, CTS, Tech Mahindra; The changing environment demands fresh thinking to gain the cutting edge advantage. This paper attempts to look at the various macro and micro environmental factors operating in the industry using. The model of strategic analysis by Michael Porter, i. e. to analyse the bargaining power of buyers and suppliers, the threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes, intensity of rivalry, impact of technological changes, growth and volatility of the market and the influence of government and regulatory interventions. These variables affecting the industry have been categorised as favourable or adverse depending on the influence on the profitability of the industry. Some strategic initiatives, which can be adopted, to leverage the favorable forces and prevent the adverse ones have been identified. This paper attempts to analyse the various macro and micro environmental factors operating in the industry to provide a basis for devising strategy. IT INDUSTRY OVERVIEW INTRODUCTION India IT industry is one of the world’s successful information technology industries. Measured by the age of many industries, the IT industry in India is still in its infancy. Yet its growth and development has caught the attention of the world so much so that India is now being identified as the major powerhouse for incremental development of computer software. The reason for this attention is not the actual size of the industry but its rapid growth rate over the nineties and subsequent decade. It has grown from US $ 150million (source: NASSCOM) in 1991-92 to US $ 64 billion in year 2008. The industry’s contribution to India’s GDP has grown significantly from 1. % in 1999-2000 to around 5% in FY06, and has been estimated to cross 5. 5% in FY2010. The sector has been growing at an annual rate of 28% per annum since FY01. The Indian IT industry can be mainly categorised into following sectors IT services, IT enabled services and BPO, Research & Development, Software Product and Hardware. IT INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE The size of the Indian IT industry, accordin g to NASSCOM, is US$ 64 billion as of year 2008. It has been growing with an annual rate of 28% since 2001. The Indian IT industry can be broadly divided into two markets: domestic market and exports market. The elements of each of the above forces and the extent and /or effect of each element in the context of the IT industry have been analysed and enumerated below. Porter’s framework, however, does not address three important variables variables-Government and Regulatory Interventions, Technological Changes, and Growth and Volatility of Market Demand. These variables have been included in the model proposed by George Day (Day, 1990), which evolved from Porter’s model and have been analysed in this study study. Aparna Parthasarathy –PGXPM 05-Term5 Page 5 Strategic Management – Industry Analysis Assignment 2009 Â  Degree of rivalry denotes the intensity of competition within the industry. As the industry is still in its growth stage, there is enough room for expansion for existing players and new entrants. With the entry of many multinational companies (MNC) are opening their operations in India to leverage the low cost advantage provided by India, has increased the completion ratio (CR) of the industry. Also as there is no huge capital investment required to start a new company, the industry see a very large numbers of small and medium-size companies operating in a niche market. Presence of such large number of players has made the industry as one of the most competitive industry in the market. : High Commoditized Offerings low-cost, little differentiation high industry growth Strong Competitors Few number of large companies Numerous or equally balanced competitors Lack of differentiation or switching costs Capacity augmented in large increments High strategic stakes EXHIBIT: Â  Aparna Parthasarathy –PGXPM 05-Term5 Page 6 Strategic Management – Industry Analysis Assignment 2009 Â  We choose the top 3 IT companies from above pie chart for the analysis. Predicting what will come in an industry that evolves on an almost daily basis is a thankless and almost futile task. Things change at such a rapid rate, and many of the technologies are so fluid, that a shift in direction can occur in weeks rather than months. If we think that today’s Internet and e-commerce opportunities are technically advanced, we have not seen anything yet. Not only will the existing uses of the Internet get more and more advanced, but new ways will be found to exploit the opportunities it provides. The delivery of these services will not just be dependant on new formats and programming, but also on the mediums that deliver them. For this to happen, certain changes will need to take place, not just technological, but legal as well. Protection of consumers needs to be examined, as well as

Personal growth Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Personal growth - Assignment Example I would score myself a 7 out of 10 when it comes to physical wellbeing consideration. I have very few health issues for my age, I look young and radiant, and I rarely get a cold. I have always relied on natural remedies and good so I believe my diet pays me off with a better physical health. The only problem is that I have never had any form of exercise, so I believe it can benefit me further. For my spiritual wellbeing, I would probably give myself a 6. I have recently come to understanding that it is possible to be spiritual and religious at the same time. I care about the welfare of others and I am compassionate. I find myself responsible for others as well and feel a connection to them. I try to send out loving and positive thoughts to everyone else. I would consider my psychological wellbeing to be a 5 out of 10. I care about others and am loyal, but I am always worked up and stressed out. Under pressure, I lose my sense of relaxation and then struggle getting back to normal. For this reason, I believe that meditation and yoga can help me remove the stress from my daily routine and channel happy and positive thoughts in myself. After the assessment, I have put in meditation and exercises as essential goals for personal development. I will focus on strengths, toning and cardio-training three days a week for an hour. I will also add in meditation as an essential part of my life and carry out an early morning yoga session every day preferably out in my gardens. This will help me find outer peace, inner peace and mental health (Goenka, 2003). Spiritually, I would like to connect with my inner person and find a deeper meaning and purpose in my life. For physical wellbeing, I plan to exercise regularly on cardiovascular machines such as elliptical trainers and lift weights to reduce my body fat and increase my lean body mass. I will follow up my routine with a stretch

Walmart Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Walmart - Research Paper Example Thus, the legacy of Wal-Mart began with this legendary entrepreneur and former military veteran Sam Moore Walton. He opened his first store in 1962 in Rogers, Arkansas. Wal-Mart grew significantly in the 1970s (Murphy, 2008). The first Wal-Mart distribution and official Wal-Mart Home Office opened in Bentonville, Arkansas in 1971. Forbes magazine ranked Wal-Mart number one among competitors for the eighth year straight in 1983. Walton had invested 345% of the capital just to open the first Wal-Mart store. On April 5, 1992, Sam Walton passed away. Just before his passing President George H.W. Bush presented him with the Medal of Freedom during a ceremony at Wal-Mart headquarters, this award is the nation’s highest civilian honor (Soderquist, 2005). International success Ever since then, Wal-Mart grew to twenty four stores in Arkansas, and had already reached up to $12.6 in sales. By 1968, Wal-Mart had opened its stores outside Arkansas in Missouri, Oklahoma, Claremore and Sikes ton. To this date Wal-Mart International Operations expand a cross twenty six markets. However, it was soon known as the top most retailing outlet in the world. Wal-Mart had seen immense growth ever since it was opened. The strategies and the milestone were right on the track of perfection. The history of Wal-Mart is the perfect example to learn how to manage growth without losing sight of your values. Wal-Mart stock was offered for the first time in New York Stock Exchange in 1972 (Frank, 2006). With this infusion of capital, Wal-Mart grew to about 276 stores in 11 states within a decade. By the 1980’s, the Sam’s Club members-warehouse store was opened. Then the first Supercenter was opened in 1988, which features a complete grocery and 36 departments of general merchandise. The sales had grown immensely from $1 billion to $26 billion only in 1980. In the 21st century, there are 10, 185 Wal-Mart stores throughout the globe in 27 countries, 2.2 million associates emplo yed and more than 176 million customers a year. Internal and External analysis Walton knew that the major factor that has to be controlled is the payroll. If he wanted to continue keeping the costs down, he had to clearly look into the payrolls and the recruitment. Walton wrote in his autobiography, "No matter how you slice it in the retail business, payroll is one of the most important parts of overhead, and overhead is one of the most crucial things you have to fight to maintain your profit margin." The way Walton controlled the payrolls was to hire as less people as he could, and pay them more than he had to for that job (Robert, 2005). Because of this unique approach, Walton was always opposed by the unions and he had to fight them. He wanted to give the best life to all the Americans whether benefiting them with low priced goods or whether by employing them on a pay above average. His employees nevertheless accepted this and loves working with Walton. Even when Wal-Mart reached other countries, Walton used to travel country to country to keep in touch with his employees. He also gave his employees a stake at the company. He introduced a profit sharing plan that allowed the employees to put in a certain percentage of their wage in the stock purchase. As a truck driver stated that Walton told him 'If you'll just stay with me for twenty years, I guarantee you'll have $100,000 in profit sharing' †¦

Frequency Distribution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Frequency Distribution - Essay Example However, the distribution looks skewed to the left with a longer tail starting at 25. There is also a second peak at 35. The frequency distribution tells us that the margin of victory is between 10-15 and occasional margin of victory at 35 above. 3. Based on the Frequency distribution and the Histogram chart, the distribution of the data has 3 peaks at 111-119, 127-135, 159-167. This means that the data may contain three types or categories because it is not normally distributed. The frequency distribution tells us that the different brands of vehicles can be categorized into three, depending on their vehicle quality ratings. The number of defects per 100 vehicles would depend on where the vehicle brand belongs. 4. Based on the Frequency distribution and the Histogram chart, the distribution of the consumer fraud complaints is centered on 30 to 49 years of age. The distribution follows a normal bell curve. This means that younger and older people has filed less consumer fraud complaints than those at the middle age. Younger people aged 19 and under files lesser complaints as shown by the negative skewness of the distribution. 5. The table was made into a chart that easily analyzes the trends in terms of investment type. Since the data is categorized into investment types, the data is color coded according to its type. Since the table is a time-series with data from 1996 to 2002, the x-axis of the graph is labeled with years. With this type of column graph, the reader can easily identify the different percentages per year as well as the different trends over

Maintaining the Flow of Global E-Commerce Data (Case 2) Case Study

Maintaining the Flow of Global E-Commerce Data ( 2) - Case Study Example On the contrary, philosophy in the United States identifies a level of freedom. There is no government regulation on data privacy and the regulation responsibility relies on individual organization. Even though government agencies act as watchdogs for self-regulation, there is no formal framework for punishing non-compliance. The main difference, therefore, is that while the European Union has a regulated environment for data flow, the United States lacks such a regulated environment. E-commerce relies on technology such as the internet for transmission of data from parties to a commercial communication or transaction. The European Union regulations for data privacy restricts transfer of data to regions that lack a formal regulatory framework on data privacy buy the safe harbor eliminates this rule on the United States. The exemption applies to organizations that meets the Union’s requirements for data safety and allows free transfer of data. The implication of the safe harbor and data privacy is therefore a facilitated E-business because of free transfer of data from the European Union to the United States. Absence of free harbor would prohibit such data transfer and stop E-commerce between the United States and the EU and between organizations in the United States and their subsidiaries in the EU (Morgan and Boardman 217). Conventions such as the establishment of the directive by EU to establish standards for data privacy are legal regulations and binds member states. If the EU and the United States could not agree on the standards then the EU regulations would prohibit data flow to the United States. This would stop E-commerce between the United States and members of the EU because parties in the United States would not receive data from entities from the European Union. The communication barrier would paralyze E-commerce between people from the two regions. This would further have adverse effects on the two economies.

Philadelphia Primate Head Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Philadelphia Primate Head Study - Essay Example Some decades ago, the federal government had to suspend the funding of the University’s Head Injury Clinical Research Laboratory. The reigning president back then, Sheldon Hackney, further issued a directive to stop the institution’s use of animal experiments aimed at discovering the best treatment for victims of trauma-related brain damage. The directive served as a timely response to a preliminary report by the National Institute of Health (NIH) aimed at halting a particular baboon research project (Meyer 1). In my honest opinion, the use of primates in studies should be abolished because it is disrespectful to anatomy, unjust and goes against the ethics of beneficence and non-maleficence. In May 1984, Animal Liberation Front (ALF) activists intruded the deserted Philadelphia campus of The University of Pennsylvania and took several videos of animals suffering during various head tests (Orlans 71). The videos captured more than 60 hours of enforced baboon-suffering through bombarding of the primates’ heads using pistons in order to induce brain injuries. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) made claims that the videotapes showed actions of repeated violations of federal policies that govern the humane use of animals in research laboratories (Orlans 71). In the experiments, scientists disregarded the use of surgical asepsis and employed a very insignificant amount of anesthesia to the primates’ bodies. Beneficence refers to an action done for the benefit of others through prevention/removal of harm ("Beneficence vs. Nonmaleficence" par.1). The principle demands that all physicians should refrain from harming their patients. The researchers i n Philadelphia, therefore, through causing the baboons tremendous levels of pain, disregarded the need to observe the principle of beneficence. The painful act also illustrates a significant deal of injustice to the animal. I am of the opinion that, even if an animal has to die,

Human Rights in Saudi Arabia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human Rights in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example Political prisoners arrested and killed during a demonstration with no charge The ruling party, which consist of the al-Saud family, tolerate no forms of political and the dissents are harshly treated beyond the human rights standards. The government deploys the tactic of arbitrary detention without charge or trial thus amounting to gross violation of human rights. The prisoners are also subjected to staging sham trials lacking the minimum requirements for any judicial process. The government supporters who have voiced their mild allegations of the ruling class have also found their way into kangaroo courts or subjected to imprisonment without trial.3 The political prison is full beyond capacity since its projected to hold about 10, 000 prisoners yet it now has over three times this number. This number of political prisoners is extremely high considering it is a country of about 27 million people most of which are young adults. The crisis of imprisonment keeps on getting worse at the dawn of each day since more and more people are arrested and imprisoned on unclear grounds. The prisoners are made to live and endure in critical inhumane conditions with less medical care and lack of other basic needs required in standard prisons.4 This makes the prisoners suffer as they serve their imprisonment some of which die in the course of their sentences. The family members of the prisoners are rarely awarded an opportunity to visit their imprisoned relatives in those dilapidated conditions and thus are less aware of the jubilations faced by their people.5 The government of Saudi Arabia has shown little interest in helping the prisoners, most of which who are because of a political challenge against their dynasties. The government feels that this is the best means of treating the prisoners to remove any kind of political uprising, which may challenge their authority and leadership. The government conditions are so severe that even the released prisoners are still pressured with travel bans and other forms of threats to avoid. Those who fight for human rights are also subjected to employment bans, teaching bans, and imprisonment of other family members and close relatives so that they stop their calls for change in the autocratic leadership witnessed in Saudi Arabia. 6 Women Rights This is the country where women lead stranger life than any other part of the word. In Saudi Arabia, women are treated like second-class citizens, as they are not allowed all the privileges enjoyed by women.7 Human rights in Saudi Arabia is amongst the most talked about yet the murkiest topic in the country due to low regards women are held. The challenges facing women in Saudi Arabia range from political to legal disenfranchisement along with curtailed liberties that make their life extremely uncomfortable in their daily lives.

What effect did the Rise of Science have on theories of Educational Essay

What effect did the Rise of Science have on theories of Educational Practice - Essay Example Education empowers individuals to lead their lives autonomously, participate in the community activities, and pursue their goals. Through education children acquire culture, which ultimately helps them orient their social conduct in the right direction. School is just another and a superficial means, of education. A large proportion of education is ingrained from other agencies (Dewey, 1926:4-5). Education and learning are closely related and are, at times, used synonymously. History of education can be dichotomized as the development of curricula and development of learning and teaching In the primordial world, education concerned only with cultural transmission. Since there was little that changed in everyday life, education too changed and deviated little, from set standards. The aim of education was merely to make the children fit enough to take up their roles in tribes. In those societies education was achieved through oral instruction or imitation. As the human life became more complex, there arose the need to impart education in vocational skills like hunting, farming, and animal husbandry. During the rise of ancient civilizations and development of languages, education became more formal and complex. The birth of formal education system is variously attributed to the Egyptian, Chinese, and Mesopotamian Civilizations between 3000 and 1500 B.C. In the Egyptian society, education was only carried out by priestly class that held sway in the society and enjoyed political clout as well. The priests dispensed, to a group of elite students, esoteric knowledge of subjects like science, medicine, and mathematics. Mesopotamian civilization had a tradition of teaching children belonging to the upper crust of the society. Education consisted of learning subjects like law, mathematics, and astrology. In the ancient Chinese civilization, education was about development of secular values, moral uprightness, use of rituals, and music. Later, toward the 1st

Animal Testing Is Cruelty and It Is Abusive Essay Example for Free

Animal Testing Is Cruelty and It Is Abusive Essay Is animal testing cruelty or science? This is the question that many people ask to themselves, and is one of the many controversial topics in today’s society. In my point of view animal testing is cruelty because animals can’t talk for themselves so they get kill and hurt, and we also violated their right by doing this. Anjo a member of the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) said â€Å"Animals feel pain; they have a right to decent life† (Nancy Day 2000, pg. 12). It is difficult to determine how many animals are used for research, but experts agree the number is declining. Research use animal for experiments because animals’ bodies often react in ways that are similar to the ways in which human bodies react. Animal research proponents say that almost every major medical discovery in the last hundred years has involved experiments on animals. â€Å"Jonathan Balcombre of the Humance Society of the United States estimates that between 15 to 20 million vertebrate animals are currently used each year in the United State and between 60 and 80 million are used worldwide† (Nancy Day 2000, pg.13). According to Chris DeRose, founder and president of Last Chance for Animals said, â€Å"I’d give my own life to cure cancer. I don’t, morally and ethically, however, have the right to kill a single rat; I don’t care what preposterous justification they try to use?†(Nancy Day 2000, pg.14). Many animal activists are opposed to animal experimentation on moral ground because by getting animal for experimentation we are violating their right. Animal research proponents say the morality is in saving human lives. They point to the millions of people whose lives have been saved or improved through research on animal. Between these two positions, influenced by tides of public opinions, government regulation, cultural differences, and ethical considerations. Most people agree that some guidelines or regulations should control animal experimentation. Peggy Carlson, a physician in the Washington D.C. area and a research scientist for the Humane Society in the United S tate, â€Å"As an emergency room physician I often see the suffering of patients ill and dying from diseases that could have been avoided if more resources were devoted to prevention, if healthier dietary guidelines were advocated, and if more research applicable to humans was conducted. I also know that behind this human suffering is another level of suffering, more hidden from view: the suffering of animals used in costly and needless experiments that benefit no one†( Vaughan Monamy 2009, pg.29 ). Peggy Carlson concluded that the practice of using animals for experimentation to mimic or to study human diseases is often unreliable and occasionally misleads scientific investigation. Not only that but million and billions of dollars are wasted in animal experimentation. Animals are used in experiments for three general purposes: to find out how biological systems function or what factors affect behavior; to educate and train students in medicine and science; and to test drugs, chemicals, or products to determine their safety and effectiveness. Neal Barnard said, â€Å"Animal tests have caused a very substantial loss, in terms of loss of money, in terms of the loss of good minds being devoted to a very, very limited methodology, and in terms of indicating that c ertain things are true which weren’t true†( Chris Hayhurst 2000, pg. 27). One alternative to using animals for medical experimentation is to use human beings instead. If this seems shocking, keep in mind that human experimentation is already a very large and important part of medical research today. Many scientist claims that people are living longer because of animal experimentation, but studies have shown this to be false. â€Å"Researcher in Boston and Harvard University’s found that medical measures (drug and vaccines) accounted for at most between 1 and 3.5 percent of the total decline in mortality in the United State since 1900. The researchers noted that the increase in life expectancy is primarily due to the decline in killer epidemics, such as tuberculosis, scarlet fever, smallpox, and diphtheria. The facts about these infectious diseases are that they were declining before and in most cases long before specific therapies became available. The decline of these diseases was most likely due to such factor as improvement in sanitation, hygiene, diet and standard of living† (Vaughan Monamy 2009, pg. 50). However, medical research has played an important role in improving people’s lives without animal experimentation. â€Å"The list of advances made without the use of animal is extensive and includes the isolation of AIDS virus, the discovery of penicillin and anesthetics, the identification of human blood types, the need for certain vitamins and the development of X-rays. The identification of risk factors for heart disease and probably one of the most important, the discovery for decreasing death from heart attacks was made through human population studies† (Nancy Day 2000, pg.58). As we see in the previous paragraph many medical solution were found without conducting animal experimentation. I also found that this discovery were more accurate and less expensive compare to animal experimentation. One of the major problems with animal experiments is that the results frequently do not apply to humans. Irwin Bross, Ph.D., former director of biostatistics at the Roswell Institute for Cancer Research testified before congress in 1981 that â€Å"while conflicting animal results have often delayed and hampered advances in the war on cancer, they have never produced a single substantial advance either in the prevention or treatment of human cancer.† ( Nancy Day 2000, pg.45) Animal tests that attempt to predict which substances cause human cancer have also been shown to be unreliable. If studies have shown that the experimentation on animal has shown to be unreliable why does scientist keep wasting their time killing innocent animal. Instead they should try to find difference source that could help find a solution to cancer. When I was researching, I found that neurological diseases are another major cause of death and disabilities in the United States. Again, animal experimentation in this area has not correlated well with human diseases. In 1990 an editorial in the Journal Stroke noted that 25 compounds that have being proven effective for treating stroke in animal models over the last 10 year have not proven to be effective for the use in human’s strokes. Stephen Kaufman, M.D., reviewed animals model of such degenerative neurological disease as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s and conclude that â€Å"animal models designed to improve our understanding and treatment of these condition have had little impact and their future value is highly dubious†(Chris Hayhurst 2000, pg. 20). According to the International League of the Right of animals; â€Å"all animals are born with an equal claim on life, are entitled to respectful treatment, and have the right to live freely in their natural environment.† Some people refused to accept that animals have rights because animals cannot reason, write, speak, or crea te art, just because of these their life deserve less consideration than human lives† (Nancy Day 2000, pg.72). However, according to Tom L. Beauchamp, â€Å"research indicates that many animals exhibit the same types of mental capabilities as humans† (Nancy Day 2000, pg.74).Chimpanzee provide excellent example of animal intelligence. The fact that chimpanzee can use tools, recognize and decode symbols, and perform tasks on command proves that the distinction between people and animals is dubious at the best. â€Å"It is clear that animals are intelligent beings, but it is not necessary that they have intelligence in order to be worthy of rights. If a creature’s moral significance depends in the intelligence, then people with little potential for intelligence – brain damaged humans, the mentally retarded, or the comatose would not be worthy of the same consideration as fully functional humans† †(Chris Hayhurst 2000, pg. 81). All human and nonhuman life, regardless of its intelligence, is unified by one important quality: animal, like humans, possess the capaci ty to suffer. Despite whether animal have intellectual abilities, it is impossible to argue that animal do not feel pain; an animal in pain screams and writhes just as a human does. Ingrid Newkirk, the founder of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), describes this essential similarity: When it comes to having a nervous system and the ability to feel pain, hunger, and thirst a rat is a pig is a dog is a boy(Nancy Day 2000, pg. 100). One of the major problems with animal experiments is that the results frequently do not apply to humans. Irwin Bross, Ph.D., former director of biostatistics at the Roswell Institute for Cancer Research testified before congress in 1981 that â€Å"while conflicting animal results have often delayed and hampered advances in the war on cancer, they have never produced a single substantial advance either in the prevention or treatment of human cancer† (Nancy Day 2000, pg.113). Animal tests that attempt to predict which substances cause human cancer have also been shown to be unreliable. If studies have shown that the experimentation on animal has shown to be unreliable why does scientist keep wasting their time killing innocent animal. Instead they should try to find difference source that could help find a solution to cancer. When I was researching, I found that neurological diseases are another major cause of death and disabilities in the United States. Again, animal experimentation in this area has not correlated well with human diseases. In 1990 an editorial in the Journal Stroke noted that 25 compounds that have being proven effective for treating stroke in animal models over the last 10 year have not proven to be effective for the use in human’s strokes. Stephen Kaufman, M.D., reviewed animals model of such degenerative neurological disease as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s and conclude that â€Å"animal models designed to improve our understanding and treatment of these condition have had little impact and their future value is highly dubious†(Vaughan Monamy 2009, pg.112). Two other areas where animal experimentation has been both consumptive of health care dollars and unproductive are psychology and addiction. Using animals to test therapeutic drugs has also proven unreliable. Penicillin kills guinea pigs and hamsters, but it is very beneficial for humans. Thalidomide, a tranquilizer formerly prescribed for pregnant women with morning sickness, caused serious birth defects in more than 10,000 children, but does not cause birth defects in numerous species of nonhuman animals. The significance of pain should not be judged by the value of the sufferer—a friend, an annoying classmate, or an animal. If morality requires us to refrain from inflicting pain upon other people, then it should require us to refrain from inflicting pain upon animal as well, and, according to Richard Ryder, consultant with the Political Animal Lobby. We can treat different species differently, but always we should treat equal suffering equally. In the case of nonhumans, we see them mercilessly exploited in factory farms, in labratories, and in the wild. These are major abuses causing great suffering, yet they are still justified on the ground that these creatures are not of the same species as ourselves. The main difference between animals and humans is the ability to make ethical judgments. Animals cannot distinguish between right and wrong; humans can. Some opponents of animal rights maintain that since animals do not have the ability to make moral decisions, they do not deserve moral consideration. Actually, the reverse of this argument is true: â€Å"The human capacity to act morally obligates us to prevent animal suffering. It does not give us license to cause it† (Vaughan Monamy 2009, pg.88).

Showing cardiovascular and ventilatory responses at rest and during exercise Essay Example for Free

Showing cardiovascular and ventilatory responses at rest and during exercise Essay Abstract Objective: The objective of this experiment is to analyse how the cardiovascular and respiratory parameters are affected by steady state exercise. Method: The experiment was split into two stages, rest and exercise. A spirometer, an ECG, a Douglas bag and a blood pressure monitor were used at rest on the subject. In the exercise phase a Douglas bag and the blood pressure monitor were used to measure the subject’s volume of air and blood pressure respectively. Results: A positive correlation was calculated for the heart rate, total volume, oxygen consumption, CO2 production, pCO2, and % of CO2, minute volume, ventilation rate, mean arterial pressure and the number of breaths when the subject was exercising. The pO2, the %O2 and the respiratory quotient showed a negative correlation in the exercise phase. There was no significant change in the diastolic pressure in the exercise phase. The change in tidal volume, the systolic pressure and the pulse pressure during the exercise phase showed to vary against theoretical values and would require further studies to explain these readings. Conclusion: In conclusion many of the parameters that were calculated supported previous experiments; however the tidal volume, the systolic, diastolic and the pulse pressure were not conclusive enough to observe any significant trend. Introduction The human body is a complex machine with many mysteries yet to discover. When the human genome project finished we had learnt much about our DNA and how complex the structure is. We had just scratched the service of our true potential. Our DNA plays a major role in whether we have a good or poor cardiovascular system. This is also the same for our respiratory system. Environmental factors also contribute to how effective our cardiovascular and respiratory system can be. Every so often people from different ethnic backgrounds complete against each other in events such as the Olympics and World athletic championship. Studies have shown that when exercise begins there is a rise in the cardiac output that is a consequence of an increase in the stroke volume and heart rate due to the increase in blood circulation, there is a redistribution of the blood to the working muscle by vasodilation and vasoconstriction of the arterioles (coote, 1995). With this the body adapts to changes during steady state exercise to optimise the performance and to prevent any injuries than can occur. Steady state exercise is when the body is performing at a moderate level of exercise producing a balance between production of lactic acid and the removal of lactic acid through oxidation (Thompson, 2008) Exercising on a daily basis results in an individual maintaining a healthy and balance lifestyle. A study in North America showed a group of elderly individuals between the ages of 55 to 70 performed aerobic exercises for four months. The results showed that the experimental group improved their maximal oxygen consumption by 27% (Steinhaus, 1983). This study shows that even at senior age, exercises improves the resting heart rate, systolic blood pressure at rest, sleep habits, well being, hemodynamic and overall lifestyle changes. This study also included anaerobic exercises which too showed an improvement of the individual’s health. On some occasions the production of lactic acid exceeds the removal of lactic acid. This usually occurs when the VO2max is between 55% and 65% in healthy and untrained athlete, however in highly trained endurance athletes this value can reach at 80% (McArdle, Katch Katch, 2006). This is known as the onset of blood lactate accumulation (OBLA), which refers to the level of lactate in the blood reaching around 4mM. L-1. Exercise physiologist traditionally used VO2max as the main benchmark to measure endurance exercise. This however does not fully explain all aspect of the athlete’s ability to do well in a race. An experienced long distance athlete commonly trains slightly above the point of OBLA (McArdle et al. , 2006). Currently measuring exercise intensity by the OBLA has been a more effective and accurate way in indicating the individual’s level of fitness (McArdle et al. , 2006) The causes for OBLA have not been conclusively proven; as many believe it represent the point of muscle hypoxia which is when there is an inadequate supply of oxygen that is being sent to the muscles (McArdle et al. , 2006, p 320). However the muscle lactate accumulation does not necessarily coincides with hypoxia, because the lactate in the blood can be formed even when there is a sufficient supply of oxygen. Nevertheless the imbalance between the production and elimination of lactate in the blood can cause OBLA (McArdle et al. , 2006). In this experiment the aims were to use different equipment to measure a range of cardiovascular and respiratory parameters and to investigate the ways in how the body of a healthy young individual responds to the changes when undertaking aerobic exercise at a stead state level at different intensities. The cardiovascular parameters were the heart rate, mean arterial pressure, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse pressure and the subject cardiac rhythm using an electrocardiogram. The respiratory parameters were the tidal volume, vital capacity, oxygen and CO2 percentage, the number of breath in each minute, ventilation rate, oxygen consumption, CO2 production, the respiratory quotient and to analyse how the aerobic response changes at different intensities. Material and method This experiment was performed by using the guideline set in the University of Hertfordshire ‘Level 1 Human Physiology Practical Booklet’ code number 1LFS003. The following changes were made and these amendments were about the level of resistance. At level two the exercise power was changed from 80W to 75W and the same went for level three from 110W to 100W. And instead of using only two levels that were indicated in the practical booklet at page 20, a third level was initiated which had a workload of 75W. When using the spirometry, instead of using a counter-balance gas holder with a writing pen attached to the counterweight, all spirometry parameters were recorded using the computer and the subject just has to inspire and expire through a tube that is connected to the computer. Results The subject’s BMI was calculated using his height and weight measured before the start of the experiment. The total practical time was three hours in which the first hour was used to measure the control variables and ECG. The remaining two hours were used to test the different physical levels and write down the data. The %O2 was measured in the Douglas bag decreased as the intensity of the exercise increased; while the %CO2 was increasing resulting in the pCO2 and the pO2 to increase and decrease respectively. Both the O2 consumption and the CO2 production increased with each level; however the rate of CO2 production was greater than the rate of O2 consumption causing the respiratory quotient to be higher than one. The number of breaths where increasing as the intensity of the exercise increased, but the value for the control was higher than each level. This caused the total volume of air in the Douglas bag to increase but the total volume of the control was higher than level one but not for level two or three. As the volume of air increased so did the ventilation rate and the minute volume. However the tidal volume did not have a linear pattern. Between the control and level one there was a sharp increase in the tidal volume, but during level two and three the tidal volume started to decrease. Figure 1 shows the CO2 production and the O2 consumption at the different exercise intensity. There was a large increase in the subject’s heart rate from the control to level one and from level one to level two, but from level two to level three the heart rate started the plateau. Figure 2 show how each exercise power affected the heart rate of the subject. The systolic pressure increased dramatically from the control to level one. But there was a decrease in the systolic blood pressure from level one to level two and eventually a rise in the systolic blood pressure from level two to level three. The diastolic pressure decreased from the control to level one and from level one to level two the diastolic blood pressure increased. At level two to level three the diastolic pressure decreased. Both the diastolic blood pressure at level one and three was lower than the control value, which caused the pulse pressure to be similar during level one and three but the pulse pressure during level two was very different. With the changes of the blood pressure that occurred during each level the mean arterial pressure increased gradually from the control to level three. Figure 3 shows how the blood pressures were affected by the change in the exercise intensity Before the exercise we tested the subject’s lung function by using a spirometer. Figure 4 shows the respiratory parameters of the spirograph. The ratio of the force vital capacity (FVC) and the force vital capacity expired in one second (FEV1. 0) was above the normal value of 85% (McArdle et al. , 2006, p 298). An electrocardiogram was also carried out to determine the subject’s heart rate and to analyse each wave of a single cardiac cycle. Figure 5 shows the ECG of the subject showing the different waves in a single cardiac cycle. The T wave represents the repolarisation of the ventricles, the P wave represents the depolarisation of the atria, the QRS complex is the depolarisation of both ventricles, as the ventricles is larger in size than the atria; the QRS complex has a larger peak and trough. The RR interval is the time taken for the R wave to appear again on the ECG (Fox, 2011). The ECG shows that the subject has a normal heart rate subjected to his age. Discussion Our major findings is that there is a decreasing trend in pO2, %O2, the respiratory quotient, and the diastolic blood pressure while there is an increasing trend in pCO2, %CO2, heart rate, systolic and mean arterial pressure, all respiratory parameters except for the O2 levels. As the exercise power increased the %O2 and the pO2 decreased which causes the working muscles to require more oxygen to keep up with the demands of the aerobic intensity. However the level of expired CO ­2 that is collected in the Douglas bag increased as the intensity increased. This is due to the increase production of CO2 in the working muscles during respiration. In all, the level of oxygen consumed and CO2 produced caused the respiratory quotient to be slightly above one. The respiratory quotient is the ratio between the total amounts of CO2 that is being produced to the amount of oxygen needed (McArdle et al. , 2006, p 240). During the exercise phase, the subject was catabolising the carbohydrates that he consumed prior to the experiment. As the values are very close to one, all the calories were derived from the carbohydrates that the subject consumed (McArdle et al. , 2006) The subject’s tidal volume increased from the control to level 1 where there was a peak at level one. The increase in the tidal volume from the control to level one was when the ‘demand for energy increases, the tidal volume increases by expanding into both the inspiratory reserve and the expiratory reserve’ (Smith Plowman, 2008). However during level two and three the tidal volume started to decrease. This cannot be explained as sources say that exercising actually increases the tidal volume (Garrett Kirkendall, 2000) and so further investigation is needed to be performed at different exercise power. The spirometer was used to measure the subject’s lung function and this instrument would have indicated if there are any obstructions present in the airways. By using the ratio between the FVC and FEV1. 0, the subject can be identified in having any lung obstruction or none at all (McArdle et al. , 2006). The spirometer produced an accurate value of the tidal volume at rest, while using the Douglas bag breathing forcefully can overinflate the bag which can produce an overestimation of the tidal volume. Also determining the number of breaths was difficult as the non returning breathing valve was moving very quickly to accurately count it. The parameters that were measured were the total lung capacity, inspiratory reserve volume, expiratory reserve volume, residual volume, vital capacity, functional residual capacity and tidal volume. The value of the subject’s tidal volume using the spirometer was 1. 5L. This value exceeds the average value of 500ml which has been given in many different studies of a young adult male (Normal breathing, 2010). This shows that the subject has a large lung capacity, indicating that the subject has maintained a good level of fitness. During exercise the heart rate increased due to the CO2 levels stimulating the chemoreceptors in the aortic arch which overall results in an individual inspiring more O ­Ã‚ ­2 and expiring CO2 quickly (McArdle et al. , 2006). With an increase in the heart rate the systolic pressure of the blood vessels also increased. Systolic pressure is the pressure in the aorta when the ventricles are contracting’ (McArdle et al. , 2006, p334), and due to the heart rate increasing at each level the systolic pressure correlates to the change in the heart rate. The diastolic pressure is the filling of blood to the arteries when the muscles are contracting. The trend, with the value at level two ignored, see that as the exercise power increases the diastolic pressure decreases. This is because the blood vessels dilate which in turn reduced the diastolic pressure (R. Noah, personal communication, June 7, 2000). The mean arterial pressure is the average blood pressure of an individual during a cardiac cycle. The value of the mean arterial pressure increased gradually when the exercise intensity increased because of the systolic pressure increasing at a greater rate than the diastolic pressure, which deceased relatively slow. The ECG and the blood pressure monitor were used to measure the subject’s heart rate and blood pressure respectively. Both ECG and the blood pressure monitor measured the heart rate as similar values when the subject was not exercising. While the blood pressure monitor only measures the heart rate, the ECG is used to detect if the patient’s heart is beating normally. The results from the ECG indicate the subject’s heart is beating at a normal rate and rhythm. However during the practical the value of the blood pressure during level 2 did not match with the other levels and the control. The systolic pressure was lower than the systolic pressure of the control. This is due to an error that was occurring with the machine when the subject’s blood pressure was being measured and the fact that the subject was perspiring which caused the machine to slip, making it difficult to acquire an appropriate reading. With the error present at level two the value for the mean arterial pressure was also an anomaly. To make sure how results were reliable a second reading for each level was planned however, there was a time constraint which prevented the use of calculating an average. During the beginning of the practical, the subject found it difficult to maintain the speed of 50 rpm which was prescribed in the practical booklet, which could have made the value inaccurate. Some other areas where this experiment can go further is the difference in the respiratory and cardiovascular parameters between different gender groups. They have been a few studies with regards to male and female such Leddy, Horvath, Rowland ; Pendergest (1997) which mentions the effects of a high or low fat diet on the cardiovascular factor between female and male runners. Another factor to consider is the use of age and how that affects the cardiovascular and respiratory parameters. Introducing subjects who have illnesses such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or other cardiovascular co-morbidities would show how the heart is working when it is damaged. The one problem is that the subjects would need careful monitoring by healthcare professional. As this experiment was focussing on the aerobic exercise, an anaerobic experiment can be implemented with subjects that are trained athletes and untrained athletes to see the difference in their cardiovascular and respiratory parameters. You could also include male and female subjects with the similar athletic background to perform some anaerobic experiments to see if there are any significant differences between the two. You could also introduce different ethnic groups and see if there is any significant difference in the results. Reference Coote, J. H. (1995): Cardiovascular responses to exercise: central and reflex contributions in JORDAN, D. , and MARSHALL, J. (Eds): Cardiovascular regulation (Portland, London, 1995), Garrett, W. E. , ; Kirkendall, D. T. (2000). Exercise and sport science. Philadelphia, Lippincott Williams ; Wilkins Leddy, J Horvath, P. , Rowland, J. ; Pendergast D. (1997) Effect of a high or a low fat diet on cardiovascular risk factors in male and female runners. . Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 29(1), 17-25 Normal breathing (2010) Amazing DIY breathing device. [online] Available at: http://www. normalbreathing. com/nb-word/DIY-device-short-2010. pdf [Accessed: 5 Jan 2013]. McArdle, W. D. , Katch, F. I. , Katch, V. L. (2006). Essential of Exercise Physiology. (3rd ed. ). Santa Barbara: Fitness Technology, Inc. McArdle, W. D. , Katch, F. I. , ; Katch, V. L. (2001). Exercise physiology: energy, nutrition, and human performance. Philadelphia, Lippincott Williams ; Wilkins. Smith, D. L. ; Plowman, S. A. (2008) Exercise physiology for Health, Fitness and Performance. (2nd ed . ). Baltimore: Lippincott Williams ; Wilkins. Steinhaus, L. A. (1983). Cardiovascular Response to Exercise Training in the Elderly. Unpublished thesis, University of Utah, Utah Thompson, G. , James, N. W. ; James, R. (2008). OCR PE for AS. Oxon: Bookpoint Ltd. Raizwan. N. (June 7, 2000). Blood pressure. Message posted on MadSci Network, archived at http://www. madsci. org/posts/archives/jun2000/960410763. Me. r. html. Appendix All the results that were made were placed into a table with each level indicated and the control as well. The table below shows the respiratory and cardiovascular parameters of the subject during rest and exercise. Table shows the cardiovascular and respiratory parameters of the subject at each level and the baseline of the O2  ­and the CO2 in the classroom. To calculate the mean arterial pressure you: As the mean arterial pressure indicates the average blood pressure of a human, the diastolic phase is longer than the systolic phase, hence the reason to multiply the diastolic pressure by two. By using the values of the blood pressure the mean arterial pressure can be calculated: The ventilation rate is the rate at which the air move into the lungs and out of the lungs. This can easily be calculated by the following equation: This is the value at the control level: When calculated the ventialtion rate it is more effective to calculate the mintue ventilation instead as this corresponds to the amount of air that enters and leaves the lung in one minute. This is also a pretty sraight forwards equation: The minute volmume is used to indicate a quantitive value to the minute ventilation as the minute volume is about the amount of air inspired and expired in one minute. The minute volume is the product of the tidal volume and the minute ventilation as shown in this equation: The partial pressure of the two gases, oxygen and CO2 are used to measuere the amount of oxygen and CO2 that are being expired by the body. The equations for the two gases are shown below: The oxygen consumption is the amount of oxygen that the person inspires and transported to the cells by haemoglobin. This is to measure the efficiency of the subject; how much oxygen is that person actually using? The equation is: The CO2 production is the amount of CO2 that is expired from the lungs by the process of gases exchange between oxygen and CO2. Through the process of respiration, the cells produce CO2 as a waste product, and with the help of diffusion, the pCO2 in the cells is higher than in the blood stream so diffusion takes place. The equation is: The respiratory quotient is used to measure what type of fuel the individual is consuming (McArdle et al. , 2006) and the equation is shown below. The peak expiratory flow is used to determine how fast the person is able to expire and is used to test the function of the lungs and to see if there are any obstructions are present. The equation and example are: The equation for the FEV1: FVC and example that was used during the experiment: To calculate the BMI: The value of the subject’s BMI was:

A Case Study At The HSBC

A Case Study At The HSBC Chapter 1 Literature Review 1.1 Overview of Corporate Social Responsibility The notion that business has duties to society is firmly well-established, despite the fact that in the past there has been a revolution in the way people view the relationship between business and society. Numerous researchers suggest that companies which indulge in corporate social responsibility obtain consumers positive product and brand evaluations, brand choice, brand recommendations, good attitude to firm, good image of the firm, purchase intention and even enjoy a premium price. Spurred at least in part by such evidences, more companies than ever before are backing CSR initiatives such as corporate philanthropy, cause-related marketing, minority support programs, and socially responsible employment and manufacturing practices with real financial muscle. Not surprisingly, this trend is also reflected in the pervasive belief among business leaders that CSR is an economic imperative in todays national as well as global marketplace. However despite the increasing importance of CSR, there is little research available about CSRs impact on consumers. According to Yoon (2003), it is not clear when and how CSR activities influence consumer evaluations. Recent researchers have suggested that a CSR activity might backfire on the company if the consumers have become suspicious and infer that the companys true motive for the CSR activity is only to improve its image to sell more products without trying to act for the sake of consumers 1.1.1 Defining Corporate Social Responsibility According to Kotler (1991), Corporate social responsibility is about doing business in a way that maintains or improves both the customers and societys well being; Fombrun and Gordberg (2000)s point of view is that, corporate social Responsibility is something that no sane chairman should be without. On the other hand, Petkus and Woodruff (1992) believe CSR includes both avoiding harm and doing good. Corporate social responsibility is viewed as a companys commitment to minimize or eliminate any harmful effects and maximizing its long run beneficial impact on society. Corporate social responsibility activities include numerous factors; namely meeting customer expectations, demonstrating commitment to environmental responsibility, improved environmental performance, staying ahead of the legislation, and increased employee motivation. Mohr, Webb, and Harris (2001, 47) define CSR as a companys commitment to minimizing or eliminating any harmful effects and maximizing its long-run beneficial impact on society. Though, Angelidis and Ibrahim (1993) define corporate social responsibility as corporate social actions whose purpose is to satisfy social needs, Lerner and Fryxell (1988) suggest that CSR describes the extent to which organizational outcomes are consistent with societal values and expectations. While some view CSR as an obligation, others, namely: Enderle Tavis (1998) define corporate social responsibility as the policy and practice of a corporations social involvement over and beyond its legal obligations for the benefit of the society at large. 1.1.2 Dimensions of Social Responsibility The dimension of social responsibility was propounded by Carroll (1979). It was proposed that organisations have to have 4 pillars that must be fulfilled to be good corporate citizens. They are: Economic Dimension. Economic responsibility is to be profitable for principals, by delivering a good quality product, at a fair price, is due to customers. Legal Dimension. Legal duties entail complying with the law and playing by the rules of the game. Ethical Dimension. Ethical duties overcome the limitations of legal duties. They entail being moral, doing what is right, just, and fair; respecting peoples moral rights; and avoiding harm or social injury as well as preventing harm caused by others (Smith and Quelch, 1993). Philanthropic Dimension. Interest in doing good for society, regardless of its impact on the bottom line is what is called philanthropic CSR that is giving back time and money in the forms of voluntary service, voluntary association and voluntary. 1.2 Evolution of the CSR concept. Even relatively contemporary, a theory of CSR can be divided into four eras based on several conceptual shifts (Lee, 2008). The first dominant theme emerged during 1950s and 1960s concentrating on ethics and social obligation of business. A pivotal study by Bowen (1953) contended that CSR is an obligation of businessmen to act in line with the objectives and values of society. CSR was posited as a complementary and corrective measure for some social failures in the laissez-faire economy. Friedman on the other hand was concerned with the insufficient skills of corporate managers to solve social problems and potential cost from uncertain outcomes that would reduce the maximization of shareholder wealth a true responsibility of business. Such an intellectual stalemate contributed to the shift from the emphasis on macro-social effects of CSR to an organizational-level analysis of CSRs effect on financial performance. CSR in the second period was central around enlightened self-interest in the 1970s. A conceptual breakthrough by Wallich and McGowan (1970) represented reconciliation between the social and economic interests of corporations. The authors argued that CSR supported the long-term interest of shareholders by strengthening the wellbeing of the society, which provided a crucial support structure and customer base for business operations. Most studies in this era focused on the content and implementation process of CSR to avoid conflict with business interests (Ackerman, 1973; Fitch, 1976; Murray, 1976). A major caveat in this conceptual reconciliation was the lack of a specific mechanism to identify a causal link between social responsibility and financial performance (Weick, 1976). In the 1980s, the tie between the economic and social goals of business became tighter in the corporate social performance model. The dominant theme represented the thirdgeneration of CSR. The multi-dimensional model of corporate social performance was proposed in a pivotal study by Carroll (1979). This model suggested the integration of economic and social objectives in a total CSR framework, featuring economic, legal, ethical and discretionary aspects. The model was modified by Wartick and Cochran (1985) to include principles, processes and policies. Wood (1991) further formulated a more pragmatic model incorporating related theories, such as organizational institutionalism and stakeholder management theory. The limitation of the CSP model was the lack of objective and behavioral measurement to be able to compare the social performance of different companies (Wood and Jones, 1995). An aim to generate business return from CSR is most prominent in the latest development of CSR through strategic management. In this perspective, the stakeholder model has become central to the new CSR paradigm (Jones, 1995). Based on the stakeholder theory (Freeman, 1984), Clarkson (1995) ameliorated the measurement problem in CSR through stakeholder identification, separation of stakeholder and social issues, followed by appropriate level of analysis. CSR becomes strategic when integrated into a companys core business competencies by serving as a filter through which strategic decisions are evaluated for their impact on the firms various stakeholders (Werther and Chandler, 2006). Strategic CSR then matches internal core competencies with the external opportunities to complement corporate mission and vision related to social responsibility (Du et al., 2007; Werther and Chandler, 2006). 1.3 CSR and Stakeholders According to Smith (2003), stakeholder theory is based on the principle that companies need to consider the effects of their actions on all constituencies (e.g. shareholders, customers, employees, suppliers, the environment, and the community), even if profitability is reduced. On the contrary, shareholder theory argues that the only responsibility of a company is to (legally) make profits for its shareholders. Mitchell (2001) argues that the shareholder approach increasingly dominates American companies. Furthermore, it is often interpreted as having one basic goal-maximizing stock prices. This, in turn, leads to a short-term perspective because growing proportions of Stockholders buy and sell stocks based on short-term information. Mitchell goes on to argue that companies are obligated to make profits, but there is nothing in the legal system that requires maximization of stock prices or that restricts the time frame to the short term. Nonetheless, a manager who does not produce sufficient earnings for shareholders risks his/her job and puts the company at risk of a takeover (Martin 2002). Martin (2002) further argues that when responsibilities to the community are seen as being likely to come at the shareholders expense, managers usually side with shareholders. He suggests that most socially responsible corporate behaviors are done specifically to enhance shareholder value. These are generally activities undertaken to comply with laws, regulations, or norms. They entail simply meeting the baseline of societys expectations; companies that do not meet basic expectations are likely to lose financially. On the other hand, there are many socially responsible actions taken by companies because managers believe they are the right things to do. Because these actions are outside the norms and may lead to financial losses, they are considered risky. 1.4 Social responsibility, Business Ethics and Corporate Governance. 1.4.1 Social Responsibility and Business Ethics Today, ethics has become more and more important with global business expansion. This is so, because of a raise in ethical and social responsibility concerns. There exists, however, according to Czinkota and Ronkainen (1998), a wide divergence in the level of importance attached to these two issues in different countries. Ethics as defined by Hoffman and Moore (1990) define ethics as what is good and right for people. An individuals perception about whether ethics and social responsibility contribute to organizational effectiveness is likely to be a critical antecedent of whether he/she even perceives an ethical problem in a given situation  [1]  . This is a practical view based on an argument that managers must first recognize that ethics and social responsibility to be imperative to organizational effectiveness before their behaviors will become more ethical and reflect greater social responsibility. Intuitively, ethics and social responsibility should have a positive impact on the success of an organization, because consumers make ethical judgments that are likely to influence their purchases. Consumers recognize organisations that are responsive to ethical and social factors. Consequently, business should care about ethics because adopting the right behaviour helps acquire and preserve good reputation overtime; because ultimately, it pays to do so. 1.4.2 Social Responsibility and Corporate Governance The definition of Corporate Governance differs depending on ones view of the world. Shleifer and Vishny (1997) define Corporate Governance as the ways in which suppliers of finance to corporations assure themselves of getting a return on their investment. Taking a broad perspective on the issues, Gillan and Starks (1998) define Corporate Governance as the system of laws, rules, and factors that control operations at a company. Irrespective of the particular definition used, researchers often view Corporate Governance mechanisms as falling into one of two groups: those internal to firms and those external to firms. Of course, firms are more than just boards, managers, shareholders, and debt holders. Over the years, Corporate Governance has evolved from the traditional profit-centered model to the social responsibility model. These two models illustrate the fundamental conflict that prevails today in Corporate Governance the Profit-Centered Model and the Social Responsibility Model are mutually exclusive. Each focuses on an opposite half of the corporations domain, even though the economic and social aspects of business are closely interrelated. In short, governance is viewed as a zero sum game. Because the economic role of the firm is fundamental to its survival, profit often drives out social considerations. Because knowledge increases when shared, collaborative partnerships between management and stakeholders can be economically productive. Like all partnerships, stakeholder collaboration is a two-way, working relationship that combines the capabilities of partners for their mutual benefit. According to Halal (2000), the wealth-creating role of business arises directly out of integrating stakeholders into a productive whole a corporate community (Figure 1). The corporate community model views the firm as a socioeconomic system in which wealth is created through stakeholder collaboration. This is not done to be socially responsible, but because it is a competitive advantage. Drew et al. (2006) identified five integrated elements that underpin a firms ability to manage risks, engage in effective Corporate Governance, and implement new regulatory changes: Culture, Leadership, Alignment, Systems, and Structure. Each of these elements relate to the others. For example, organizational culture is shaped by leadership practices. Systems support organizational structure and shape its culture. Alignment ensures each element is harmonized with the others so that, for example, explicit cultural norms are reinforced by leadership, and systems reinforce the culture. No one element s tands alone. After engaging in an examination process, board members can map organizational challenges against these elements, identify areas in need of improvement, and plan change management programs. Superior risk management programs and stronger firm governance capabilities result. The elements of CG addressed in Figure 2 could be considered as the core (i.e. management) of Figure 1 (i.e. corporate community model). Combining the models therefore represents the influence of Corporate Governance on CSR or corporate community. Figure 1 The basic cause of todays continuing conflict between profitability and responsibility is that managers do not seem to understand that these two interests can be united. Stakeholder collaboration is now the key to creating economic wealth. In the new perspective, stakeholder collaboration does more than gain resources and political support; it allows joint problem solving to increase the firms store of valuable knowledge. Future research needs to focus on the stakeholder assessment process and its translation into CSR objectives and policies. Therefore, adopting a process-based management systems approach as the foundation for a CSR management system will provide top management with a holistic view of the business that takes into consideration a single system approach to governance. This approach will provide management with internal control, clearly identify responsibility and will embed CSR in their organisation. This approach overcomes much of the criticism surrounding many current CSR systems approaches. Figure 2 The leadership style is also found to play an important role in socially responsible organizations. In this respect, transformational leader seems to be more effective, comparing with manager and transactional leader. Thus corporate governance as a critical element for driving excellence in CSR can be a source of competitive advantage for firms in its own right. 1.5 Consumer Behavior or Socially Responsible Consumer Behavior It has been observed that several personality trait variables affect how a consumer reacts to a companys corporate social responsibility activities. One trait that has been identified is called socially responsible or socially conscious consumer behavior. The socially conscious consumer is a consumer who takes into account the public consequences of his or her private consumption or who attempts to use his or her purchasing power, to bring about social change. According to Webster (1975, 188), the socially conscious consumer is a consumer who takes into account the public consequences of his or her private consumption or one who attempts to use his or her purchasing power to bring about social change. Mohr, Webb, and Harris (2001, 47) define this behavior as a person basing his or her acquisition, usage, and disposition of products on a desire to minimize or eliminate any harmful effects and maximize the long-run beneficial impact on society. Over the years, socially responsible consumer behavior has been seen as a lasting personality trait that engrosses the consumers self-concept. Persons, who are high on this trait, would not hesitate to modify their consumption behaviors in a variety of circumstances in order to struggle toward the ideal of improving society. Much research has been conducted on this trait. Measurement scales have not only been developed but related demographics and attitudes have also been explored. Roberts (1995) used the method of cluster analysis to segregate a group of socially responsible consumers. He estimated them to constitute 32% of the American population. According to him, when one compares this group to most Americans, the latter is more broadminded and environmentally concerned and has higher levels of perceived consumer effectiveness (perceived ability of individual consumers to influence environmental problems). 1.6 The Impact of CSR Activities on Consumer Behavior Consumers need to be aware of the level of CSR of a company so that this factor can have an impact on their purchase. The reason why, building awareness constitutes one of the major purposes behind cause related marketing which is a subset of CSR. Also, consumers are more likely to respond to a companys social responsibility record when they identify with the company  [2]  . Identification is enhanced when consumer perceptions of the companys character are similar to their perceptions of their own character. It is further argued that consumers judge a companys character based more on its CSR than on its business expertise. When consumers personally support the social issues that the company targets (called support for the CSR domain), they are likely to see greater congruence between themselves and the company. In two experiments, CSR was manipulated and its effects on the evaluation of the company were measured. They found that consumer support for the CSR domain significantly moderated the positive effect of CSR on evaluation. Ross, Stutts, and Patterson (199091), who used a non-probability sample, found that 53 percent of the sample, could recall a cause related advertisement for a product, and Webb and Mohr (1998) found that 79 percent of a sample could describe a specific cause-related marketing campaign after the concept was explained to them. Since CSR is a wide and multifaceted concept, knowledge about the social responsibility activities carried out by companies is relatively low. As a result, it is hard for consumers to acquire and store such information. Lack of awareness, therefore becomes the major inhibitor of customer awareness to CSR. Since 1993, according to reported surveys, firms supporting causes are enjoying a more positive image compared to other firms. Furthermore, the Cone Communications Press Release stated that two thirds or more of the sample said that they are likely to switch brands or retailers to those participating in cause related marketing. Demand from socially responsible consumers may increase in line with increasing promotion of a firms socially responsible activities; research by Sen and Bhattacharya (2001) suggests that consumers sensitive to the particular cause supported by a corporation (such as environmentalism) are more likely to react positively towards that corporation. On the other hand, in interviews with a convenience sample of 225 people, Ross, Stutts, and Patterson (1990-91) found that 49 percent stated that a firms support of a cause had been a primary reason for them to purchase a product, and 54 percent said that they are likely to. Also, most consumers do not understand the ethical dimensions of the products that they purchase (Auger et al, 2003, p. 299) but experimental studies have shown that once consumers acknowledge a firms socially responsible initiatives their evaluation of that firm (and its products) increases (Brown and Dacin, 1997). Furthermore, it has been established that certain demographics are increasingly likely to make consumption choices based on social grounds (McWilliams and Siegel, 2001, p 121). A national telephone study by Smith and Alcorn (1991) found that 46% of respondents were likely to switch brands to a company that donates to non-profit organizations and 30% sometimes buy products based on the charitable causes that the manufacturer supports. Porter and Kramer (2002) believe that strategic philanthropy1 at its most sophisticated can be responsible for enhancing the reputation of a company by linking the admirable qualities of the supported cause to its corporate identity. Moreover, it is believed that concentrating charitable donations and funding on a popular cause through a deliberate selection process may have a greater impact than generalized CSR (Porter and Kramer, 2002). Research by McWilliams and Siegel (2001) has found that not all consumers place a high value on the socially responsible actions of a firm; the price of competing goods can affect the demand for goods provided by socially responsible corporations. Studies conducted at Marymount University (1999) reported that 75 percent of consumers would avoid shopping at a store if it was known that their goods were produced under poor social conditions. Furthermore, it was found that the same consumers would be willing to pay $1 more for a $20 item given that the item was produced under good conditions. These studies show that consumers are willing to pay more for goods produced in a socially responsible manner. Indeed, the University of Maryland (2000) found that approximately 75 percent of consumers would pay an additional $5 at least on a $20 item if it was known that the item was not manufactured in a sweatshop. However, It has been suggested that income has a significant impact on demand for products from firms with a good reputation for CSR; low-income shoppers are seen to be more price sensitive than affluent shoppers. This means that affluent consumers are more willing (and able) to pay a higher price for said products (McWilliams and Siegel, 2001). A survey conducted by Creyer and Ross (1997) measured the attitudes of the parents of elementary school children towards ethical and unethical business behaviour. It was found that respondents expected companies to conduct business in an ethical manner and importantly, respondents stated that they would pay higher prices for products from an ethical company. 2.1 An Overview of Corporate Social Responsibility in the Banking Sector The Mauritian banking industry comprises of 18 banks, of which 5 are local banks, 8 are foreign owned subsidiaries, 1 is a joint venture and 4 are branches of foreign banks.  [3]  The banks are certified by the Bank of Mauritius to carry out banking business locally and internationally. Banks provide several traditional banking facilities and card-based payment services such as credit and debit cards, internet banking and phone banking facilities. Other services such as fund management, custodial services, trusteeship, structured lending, structured trade finance; international portfolio management, private client activities, investment banking, treasury and specialised finance are also offered by banks. The banking sector is now increasingly integrating CSR as a management strategy. External social activities are carried out to benefit the wider social community. The banking sector tops the list with a percentage of 1.2 per cent of profits before tax. For example, the Mauritius Commercial Bank (MCB), the leading bank in Mauritius, has promised 1 per cent of its profits before tax ( £460,000) for social projects this year and Barclays Bank (Mauritius) has dedicated Rs 400,000 for the fight against AIDS. While the State Bank of Mauritius launched scholarships to help the brilliant but needy students of the Gandhian Basic School, the Barclays Bank has adopted the fight against diabetes as its flagship cause. Thus it can be seen that corporate social responsibility is very much present in the banking institutions of Mauritius. There is a belief that the growing of businesses and development of stakeholders must go together. Consequently, more and more companies are participating actively in corporate social responsibility. 2.2 A Profile of HSBC Bank Mauritius Limited HSBC Bank (Mauritius) Limited is part of an international banking and financial services organisation with a network of some 9,500 offices in 86 jurisdictions. (MBA Profile of Banks, 2010) The history of the HSBC Group in Mauritius can be mapped out from 1859, when the Chartered Mercantile Bank of India, London and China (the predecessor of the Mercantile Bank Ltd) established a branch in Port-Louis. It started with community investment back then with the financing of one well-known project that was the construction of the Port Louis to Curepipe railway network, in 1864. In 1865, a decision was made to close the branch. The bank was represented by the Blyth Brothers and Co Ltd for the next half century. In 1892, the Chartered Mercantile Bank was renamed as The Mercantile Bank of India Limited and in 1916, it came back to Mauritius through the acquisition of not only the then Bank of Mauritius, which was previously a commercial bank but also its historic building in Place dArmes. Mercantile Bank conducted business from its main office at Place dArmes continuously. In 1959, the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited purchased the Mercantile Bank and in 1983, the name of the Groups operations in Mauritius was changed from the Mercantile Bank Ltd to The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited. In 1999, the international brand name HSBC was launched. Finally in 2002, HSBC started on a campaign to distinguish its brand from those of its opponents by describing the unique characteristics that make out HSBC, abridged by the words The worlds local bank. 2.2.1 Mission To be the worlds leading financial services company. We want to be the first choice for our customers and for our employees. If HSBC can be the best place to bank and the best place to work, we will have built a sustainable business that will deliver for the long term for customers, colleagues, shareholders and society at large. 2.3 Corporate Social Responsibility at HSBC Bank Mauritius Limited At the HSBC, there is a culture to manage business in a responsible and sensitive manner. There is a belief to have a duty towards customers, investors and employees to promote an ethical, responsible and sustainable corporate philosophy. The social initiatives undertaken by the HSBC are channeled into different levels, that is: Investing in communities Working together Protecting the environment Sustainable finance 2.3.1 INVESTING IN COMMUNITIES The HSBC aims to make a positive impact in all communities it operates. The community investment at the HSBC is mainly focused on two pillars which are education and environment. The educational support focuses on disadvantaged children such as orphaned children of the SOS Childrens Villages, on environmental and business literacy and environmental education and understanding. The HSBC Eco-Schools Climate Initiative was initiated in affiliation with the Foundation for Environmental Education. The intention of the programme is to encourage action on climate change by improving schools environmental good organization. 2.3.2 WORKING TOGETHER Employees At the HSBC, employees are believed to be their greatest asset. There is a perception to look harder so as to understand things more deeply. Staffs are driven by the belief that they can form a better future. Their priority is to exceed customer expectation. There is neither labeling nor discrimination and customers are rewarded for their commitment. Promoting Development The HSBC aims at promoting development of its employees not only through e-learning courses easily available both at home and at work but also through exchanges and overseas assignments. Committed to employees well-being HSBC employees have access to its gym to promote healthy living. Also available is an internal library with a collection of books on well being, yoga, healthy living and stress relief. The aim of the organization of the Health Week is to create awareness on the prevention of non-communicable diseases and to contribute by donating blood. Customers Customers are treated fairly and with respect. Despite being strict, the lending criteria take into consideration the customers ability to repay the loan. There is adherence to the MBA Code of Banking Practice. To maintain awareness about customer views, customer surveys are carried out. Suppliers Suppliers are required to abide by HSBCs policies and respect rights of employees. In case, after developing a plan to put a worry at rest, suppliers fail to improve, the HSBC stops working with them. 2.3.3 PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT The HSBC is very committed to the environment. In 2005, it became the worlds first carbon neutral bank. It is trying to optimize operations through environmental management systems. Water Saving Campaign In 2008, the HSBC teamed up with the Central Water Authority to launch a water saving campaign. It aimed to sensitizing the population about the scarcity of water and finding easy ways of saving water. Activities were organized; internally, through the theme of Be Part of the Solution where staff got the opportunity to visit the Meteorological Station of Vacoas and externally, through billboards, daily radio advertisements and tips in local newspapers and distribution of 12000 educational leaflets. Sustainability of Office Infrastructure and Internet Banking All in one device are being used to save energy. Consequently, there is a cutback in amount of equipment, consumption of electricity, toner cartridges and paper and maintenance cost. Through the use of internet banking, the HSBC is trying to provide its customers with their banking needs while at the same time trying to reduce printing outcomes. 2.3.4 SUSTAINABLE FINANCE Through sustainable finance, the HSBC is trying to incorporate the environmental criterion in its lending policies. Consequently, the organization will be able to assist its clients in building environmentally sustainable busin