Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Medical Tourism By Different Authors Health And Social Care Essay

In this chapter, a figure of definitions on Medical Tourism have been provided. The writer has besides included different facets on this burgeoning industry viz. its presence in the universe every bit good as the grade of its incursion in Mauritius, the construction of Health Tourism go throughing through a SWOT Analysis related to the Mauritanian context and so concluded with an overview on the bing legal models.Definitions of Medical Tourism by different writersMedical Tourism or Medical travel is the act of going to different states to undergo medical intervention such as decorative surgeries, dental surgeries, or general surgeries. Medical Tourism is a new term but non a new thought. Patients have been going since a long clip in hunt of better attention. Medical Tourism or wellness touristry has been defined by Connell ( 2006:2 ) as a â€Å" popular mass- civilization where people travel frequently long distances to other finishs such as India, Thailand, and Malaysia to obtain m edical services such as alveolar consonant, decorative and non-cosmetic attention and at the same clip basking their vacations † . He besides added that medical travel is the chase of medical attention aboard and coincident engaging in a more conventional signifier of touristry. Some dependable research literature has focused on the evident motivations of medical tourers in going abroad for medical intervention such as fiscal grounds, waiting times, and the inaccessibility of coveted intervention in the prospective medical tourers ‘ ain states of abode ( Awadzi and Panda, 2005, Connell, 2006 ) . Another definition was cited in the Medical Tourism study ( 2006 ) , where Medical Tourism was defined as any type of travel from one ‘s usual topographic point of abode to another finish to undergo medical attentions. Health Tourism has besides been defined by Goodrich & A ; Goodrich ( 1987:217 ) as the challenge on the portion of a finish to pull tourers by advancing intentionally its health-care services and installations adding to its usual tourer installations. Furthermore, Medical Tourism is a phenomenon that occurs when international patients travel across boundaries for their health care and medical demands. For case every twenty-four hours, 1000000s of North Americans, Europeans and Arabs are going to different states for medical intervention. Medical travel can besides be defined as â€Å" cost effectual † medical intervention in association with the touristry industry for international patients willing to execute any types of surgical processs ( India Medical Care, 2007 ) . Keckly and Underwood ( 2008 ) noted that Medical Tourism is when 1 is go forthing his topographic point of occupants in order to have intervention elsewhere. In add-on, harmonizing to Horowitz and Rosensweig ( 2007 ) have argued that, â€Å" medical tourers † attempt to happen latest wellness attention at sensible monetary values in states at variable degrees of development. Harmonizing to Awadzi and Panda ( 2005 ) , the term Medical Tourism refers to the seaward proviso of medical services in combination with the other touristry chances by utilizing comparative cost advantage as the purchase point. Research workers have documented that Medical Tourism is an action whereby patients of curable diseases choose to go offshore with the intent and assurance of having appropriate wellness installations. These patients expect to be offered a high category intervention in a really comfy ambiance. Medical Tourism does non intend that the tourers will be satisfied merely in the sense of site-seeing ; instead it means that these medical tourers are set abouting a extremely sensitive journey where their wellness is the chief focal point. An anon. research worker clearly defined the birth of Medical Tourism as â€Å" Knowledge, engineering, equipment, medical specialties, and other elements of health care system while traversing the national boundary lines without any restraint of nationality, race, faith or credo. Therefore, we can state that though different writers interpret the term Medical Tourism in their ain manner, at the terminal the significance remains the same.History of Medical TourismMedical Tourism is non a new construct. The history of Medical Tourism started with people going to other states for medical intervention. This is related back when Grecian tourists were going from the Mediterranean to Epidauria, a part situated in Saronic Golf. It was said that the â€Å" Saronic Golf † is besides known as the â€Å" Healing God † . Hence, it was recorded in the Medical Tourism history that Epidauria is the original finish for Medical Tourism. Later, in the 16th and 17th centuries, spa towns such as St Moritz and Bath became premier finishs for the European upper categories to comfort their unwellness. Hence, watering place may be considered as an early signifier of Medical Tourism ( Indian Tourism Medical Industry: growing chance and challenges by shikha Rastogi Grag & A ; Anu Bhawraj ) . During these centuries, people visited watering place because it was said that the mineral H2O found there was handling diseases such as TB, bronchitis liver diseases, among many others. Dental surgery, decorative surgery and other types of surgeries are comparatively a new phenomenon ( Understanding medicaltourism ) Furthermore, over the past few old ages, people have been going to many developed states for medical intervention. However, since this field is being seen as a high beginning of income, even developing states are advancing Medical Tourism. Medical tourers have understood this scheme and are increasingly nearing developing states due to their low-cost medical services.Health Tourism StructureHealth Tourism is the word coined to wrap the different components of supplying health care installations to international patients. Medical Tourism is of the subdivisions of Health Tourism. The construction of Health Tourism has been illustrated in Table below. As stated in Chapter 1 of this survey, the research worker will concentrate merely on Medical Tourism.Medical Tourism around the universeMedical Tourism is going an emerging cosmopolitan manner. Every twenty-four hours more and more people are choosing for medical attention aboard. We should therefore inquire ourselves: â€Å" Why do peop le prefer to go for long distances instead than having medical intervention in their states? â€Å" This reply relies in two elements: a ) cost and B ) quality of wellness attention. That is they look for a topographic point where they can acquire moderately priced top-class wellness intervention. With clip, foreign patients have been able to see many parts of the universe in order to run into the above mentioned two critical ingredients to measure up as a good Medical Tourism finish. Research shows that the below listed seven states are the most preferable Medical Tourism finishs in the universe:PanamaPanama is classified as the top Medical Tourism finishs, by pulling chiefly US and Canadian patients. It is considered as one of the best and celebrated topographic point in the universe to set about costmetic and non decorative interventions. This is because of its outstanding health care services, latest engineering, safety and low cost for medical attention and hospitalization.Tre atment in Panama is besides extremely regarded as physicians are bilingual, board certified and they used to work with the similar medical setup used by European medical touristry finishs. Factors lending for the addition in wellness touristry in Panama are its natural attractive forces, cultural diverseness and its strategic and geographic place. The common medical processs undergo by international patients are decorative surgeries ( healthtourism, all medicaltourism.com, Medical Tourism: Global Competition in Health Care by Devon M. Herrick )BrazilBrazil can be said to be the international Mecca for decorative and fictile surgeries. It is categorized as the universe ‘s 2nd taking market for the intervention of plastic surgeries. Many tourers, peculiarly adult females, travel to Brazil to heighten their physical visual aspects. Brazil has tonss of qualified sawboness and infirmaries equipped with sophisticated engineerings. Surgeons use the latest cutting-edge techniques to o ffer patients with interventions such as face lift, suction lipectomy and chest implants. Cosmetic and fictile surgeries are the most demanded intervention of foreign patients ( Nuwire Investors )MalayaBesides its cultural, antique and natural appeals, Malaysia is on the path to tag itself as a low priced and sophisticated health care hub in Asia ( By Elaine ANG ) . Malaysia is classified amongst the universe top six Medical Tourism finish ( Nuwire investors ) Medical Tourism has been spread outing quickly during these recent old ages. Peoples from several states are seeking health care intervention at that place. Malaysia has become a Centre of medical excellence because of its high quality medical installations and services and besides it has a great figure of good trained and qualified medical specializers ( Tourism Malaysia, 2007 ) Thirty five private infirmaries have been identified as the key drivers for medical touristry for this peculiar state. The figure of wellness travell ers in hunt of health care services in Malaysia has increased from 75,210 patients in 2001 to 296,687 patients in 2006, stand foring an addition of over 290 % over 5 old ages. Furthermore, the entire figure of medical tourer geting in the state has reached 425,500 in 2009. It has besides been estimated that in 2012 medical tourers in Malaysia would make 689,000. International patients and investors are attracted to Malaysia because of its favourable exchange rate, political & A ; economic stableness and high rate of literacy ( Nuwire investors ) The common medical interventions that international patients seek in Malaysia are: decorative intervention including nose job, oculus surgery, face lift, cardiac processs and birthrate interventions.Costa RicaCosta Rica is renowned to be both a popular touristry and Medical Tourism finish. It has first-class medical and wellness attention installations which are universe widely certified. The medical suppliers in Costa Rica offer modern engineering and protocols. Costa Rica is considered to be the lone medical finish in the universe that has 100 % of private infirmaries that have earned JCI accreditation which help s to hike up Medical Tourism in the state ( costaricanmedicalcare ) . There are several factors that have contributed to the success of Costa Rica as one of the top finish for international patients and some are political stableness, friendly environment, low-cost monetary value of interventions, high rate of literacy, geographically good located and quality of service. Some popular medical processs in Costa Rica are decorative and fictile surgeries, dental intervention, orthopaedic and ophthalmology.IndiaIndia has the lowest cost and highest quality as compared to all Medical Tourism finishs ( Report for National Center for policy Analysis, NCPA ) Many infirmaries are accredited by the JCI and there are tonss of extremely trained physicians. India ‘s Medical Tourism sector is spread outing at a really rapid addition with about 500,000 medical travellers in 2005 as compared to an estimated 150,000 patients in 2002. Experts estimate that wellness touristry could convey approxim ately $ 2.2 billons in 2010 ( University of Delaware ‘s u- day-to-day intelligence ) . Medical tourers prefer to take India as their health care finish because of the presence of efficient substructures and advanced engineering. Common interventions undergo by international patients in India cardiovascular, orthopaedic, rectification of eyes, dental attention, decorative surgeries, malignant neoplastic disease diagnosing and articulatio genus organ transplant.SiamThailand has gained the rubric as an unbelievable Medical Tourism finish. The Thai state has several infirmary internationally accredited infirmaries which offers diferent types of medical interventions, get downing from organ grafts to dental and decorative surgeries. The infirmaries use latest and sophisticated engineering and delivers outstanding quality of wellness attention to their patients.Reasons for taking Thailand as a medical finishPersonal attention is provided to patients ; Extra services such as linguistic communication interlingual rendition which are of great aid to foreign patients are offered ; High engagement of the Thai governement to advance Medical Tourism ; Presence of well-trained physicians from the United States ; Most of the physicians and staff speak English. ( Medical Tourism cooperation- Thailand functionary web sites )SingaporeSingapore is known for its effectivity in supplying outstanding health care services. It is a multi-faceted regional medical hub, both for medical services and besides the right meeting topographic point where wellness conferences and carnivals can take topographic point. Singapore is classified as a taking health care hub in Asia. It attracts about 200,000 international patients per twelvemonth. Singapore is a said to be a universe category metropolis. It is politically stable, peaceable and safe. One of the ends of the Singapore authorities is to pull over a million abroad patients in 2012. Its adjacent rivals are Thailand and Malaysia ( asiasmedicaltourism )Reasons for taking Singapore as a medical finishTop quality health care services A really orderly state Low-cost monetary values Political Stability Low offense and high security rateMedical Tourism in MauritiusThis subdivision provides an overview of Medical Tourism in Mauritius. We will look at the health care installations that are offered by the state to its patients. The grounds as to why Mauritius can be chosen as a Medical Tourism finish have besides been set out. This subdivision wraps up with some information on the medical substructures available in Mauritius.An overview of Medical Tourism in MauritiusMany research workers call Mauritius, â€Å" Charming Mauritius † as even without any luck doing natural resources, it has the ability to make economic pillars maintain its development. In its portfolio, sugar production, fabric industry, offshore banking, touristry and ICT are included and now a new economic avenue looks approachable and it is called the Medical Tourism. With around 1000 medical tourers in 2005, making some 12,000 in 2011, BOI is aiming about 100,000 in 2020. â€Å" Every ten old ages, as if by th aumaturgy, Mauritius has pulled out of the chapeau an economic pillar which has made of this island ‘the illustration ‘ to be emulated by African provinces † ( Invest Mauritius 2011 ) . Over, the past few old ages, Mauritius has experienced an addition in the reaching of international patients. Having batch of qualified physicians, medical forces and private clinics which are sophistically good equipped with the latest engineering, Mauritius is besides geographically good positioned to spread out its health care sector. As said by officers of BOI: â€Å" Maurice is clearly on path to go the centre of excellence in medical specialty and a high-tech hub of Medical Tourism † ( Muslim Times 2011 ) Medical Tourism is non a new construct in Mauritius as clinics have been handling tourers since 12 old ages. Medical Tourism is considered as a niche market for the touristry industry and go on to bloom due to the high service quality and intervention available in Mauritius. The monetary values of processs equal to one tierce of the European monetary values and this is one of the chief motivations for the high inflow of medical tourers. Furthermore, Mauritius has an upp er manus on other states as apart from the nucleus medical services, medical tourers have the chance to pass their recuperation period in an idyllic surrounding. The Mauritanian Government is non go forthing any rock unturned in its attempt to advance Medical Tourism. The most recent illustration lies in the Mauritanian National Budget 2012, whereby the authorization exempted VAT on decorative surgeries so as to do the cost of these processs more competitory. The expected reaction to this step is of class to hike the Medical Tourism activities. As per BOI ‘s records, the medical sector in Mauritius contributed about 3.7 % of the GDP over the past four old ages and the growing rate in this sector in twelvemonth 2011 is 6.3 % as compared to 2010. The figure of medical work force is besides increasing to suit for the addition in demand for medical services. Figure below shows the alteration in the entire figure of medical staffs for the period 2006 to 2010 ( BOI study 2012 ) Figure: Increasing tendency of Healthcare specializer over the past 5 old ages Beginning: invest MauritiusReasons for taking Mauritius as a Medical Tourism finishLarge web of professional private clinics Political and societal stableness Geographically good positioned Most of the physicians or other medical phase are multilingual State-of -art of medical installations Direct flight from and to Mauritius Compared to other states, Mauritius offers better intervention at lower monetary values Latest development in term of engineering and substructure Most of the physicians are trained in European statesMedical substructures in MauritiusMauritius is rather rich in footings of medical substructures. It besides encourages preparations of the medical professionals. Due to the friendly relationship that Mauritius has with other states, it benefits from the cognition of universities of states such as France, UK, China, Australia, Egypt, Russia amongst others. The handiness of health care substructures is illustrated in figure below. Figure: Medical Infrastructures in Mauritius ( Beginning: BOI booklet )Key drivers/ Players of Medical Tourism in MauritiusA figure of cardinal players/drivers are present in Mauritius to guarantee the growing of Medical Tourism. Some has been listed below: Apollo Bramwell Hospital ( ABH ) Fortis Darne Clinique Clinique du Nord Clinique de Greffe de Cheveux in Trou Aux Biches Dent attentionApollo Bramwell Hospital ( ABH )ABH is the largest health care group in Asia. Since 2006, a subdivision has been implanted in Mauritius. ABH Mauritius is situated in the territory of Moka. This infirmary has been built in such a manner that it can make international criterion of patient attention. Under one roof itself, one can happen a infirmary equipped with superior engineering and good qualified medical expertness. It has been constructed to supply first category medical installations for both national and international patient. ABH Mauritius is the largest private infirmary in Mauritius and in the Indian Ocean. It has all the necessary demands in term of latest sophisticated medical equipment and expertness to bring around international patients. Its purpose is to guarantee that patients are provided with top quality services and safety all degree. Below is a list of medical services and progress engineerings offered by ABH:The medical Servicess provided allocated to different divisions viz. :Heart Centers Department of Plastics and Cosmetic Surgeries Department of dermatology Department of physical therapy Department of Paediatrics & A ; Neonatology Department of alveolar consonant services Department of rhinolaryngology Super forte clinics and other Centers Furthermore, the nosologies section is to the full equipped with the latest equipment and accomplishments technicians. This consists of:Picture Archiving and Communication System ( PACS )PACS engineering is now used by most of the top infirmaries of the universe. It is an machine-controlled and filmless information system for obtaining, forming, reassigning, lading and showing different types of medical descriptions consisting of X raies, MRI and endoscopy. With this debut, ABH are able to offer the uttermost criterions quality of services. PACS allows fast broadcast of images to physicians in critical countries therefore minimising holds in diagnosing.Electronic Medical Record ( EMR )EMR refers to electronically maintained online medical records which replace the heavy and cumbrous physical files of the past which were restricted in handiness. EMR can be accessed at multiple locations by multiple users for cut downing mistakes in medicine and holds in monitoring patients.High Field Strength MRIMagnetic Resonance Imaging ( MRI ) with Achieva 1.5T SE provides uncompromised quality in disputing applications like big field-of-view for abdominal and chest imagination, unvarying fat suppression in all anatomies and consistent off-center imagination, across patients of all highs and organic structure weight.Whole Body MRIWhole Body MRI is effectual for measuring the full skeleton in patients with suspected bone metastasis ( malignant neoplastic disease that spread to the bone from other parts of the organic structure ) in a individual imagination scan – and it merely takes between 15 and 19 proceedingss. Besides its truth and adeptness, the fact that it is an MRI scan agencies it is non-invasive and there is no radiation hazard to the patient. Whole Body MRI can besides observe metastases in other parts of the organic structure besides the castanetss, such as in encephalon, liver or lungs. Therefore, it can be said with all its latest medical engineerings, ABH is good situated to go one of the most popular clinic in the Indian Ocean pulling medical tourers from African and European states ( Beginning: Apollo bramwell web site )Clinique Fortis DarneClinique Fortis Darne is one of the oldest clinics but yet modern medical service supplier in Mauritius. Strategically situated in the Centre of the Island, Clinique Fortis Darne provides first category medical installations with the aid of progresss engineering. Clinique Fortis Darne has batch of specialised sections in assorted countries of health care. The vision of Fortis Darne is: â€Å" To be a globally healthcare administration known for Clinical excellence and Distinctive Patient attention † . The clinic offers panoply of incorporate services through different centres. Below are the lists of medical services that Fortis Darne offers Table: Medical services offered by Fortis Darne ( Beginning: Fortis Darne Websites )Clinique du NordAt Clinique du Nord, Dr Mukesh Sookundun has been offering his services to Medical Tourists for the last past 12 old ages. It is a private clinic with epicurean suites. This clinic is situated near a white sand beach of Baie du Tombeau. Clinique du Nord has a squad of specializers, physicians, nurses and other trained staff. It is said that, they provide first category medical intervention to both their national and international patients. The specializers make usage of latest equipment and techniques. Clinique du Nord is one of the most reputable private infirmaries where there are international medical experts. Apart being the specializer in ENT, the infirmary is chiefly recognized for its medical installations that it provides to medical tourers. Hence, there are a broad figure of international patients who visit this Clinique. Below is the list of medical processs that Clinique du Nord offers ( Clinique du Nord Websites & A ; bo oklets ) Table: Medical intervention offered by Clinique du NordThe Indian Ocean Hair Grafting, Cosmetic Dentistry and Plastic Surgery CentreThis clinic is situated near one of the most attractive beaches of Mauritius, viz. â€Å" Trou aux Biches † . It is said to be a five star centre for hair grafting, decorative and fictile surgeries. This peculiar Centre has 12 old ages of experience. It makes usage of the latest engineering and techniques. Most of the physicians are universe renowned professionals ( Indian Ocean hair grafting web sites ) Table: Medical Treatment offered by The Indian Ocean Hair Grafting, Cosmetic Dentistry and Plastic Surgery CentreDent CareDent Care is located in the garden of an old sugar cane mill at Labourdonnais ( Mapou ) in the northern portion of Mauritius. It is good known in the universe of decorative and dental surgeries. Most of the physicians are trained in France and United States. Most of them are bilingual. They make usage of the most up to day of the month engineering. It is said that intervention at Dent attention can be around 50 % less than in other states. Available medical services are: Veneers and Crown Ceramic Inlaies Teeth Whitening Plastic surgeries ( Beginning: Dent care web sites )SWOT Analysis For Medical Tourism In MauritiusThe Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threat ( SWOT ) analysis is a utile technique and scheme for understanding strengths and failings and besides for placing both chances and Menaces that a concern can confront. A new entrant like Medical Tourism requires such analysis. This scheme will assist to hold a better thought on the place of Medical Tourism in Mauritius. This mechanism can therefore assist in the development of effectual and efficient selling schemes to advance Medical Tourism in Mauritius. The SWOT analysis for Medical Tourism has been designed as per tabular array below.SWOT Analysis TableTable: Swot Analysis2.7.2 SOME FACTS AND FIGURES OF MEDICAL TOURISM IN MAURITIUSAn intense research has been done to hold the latest interruption down on the reaching of Medical Tourists in Mauritius ; the research worker has received that of twelvemonth 2010, which has been illustrated below. However, a n of import information refering twelvemonth 2011 was received following a study conducted on health care suppliers in Mauritius whereby BOI made the undermentioned statement â€Å" Mauritius expects the figure of foreign patients seeking medical attention on the Indian Ocean island state to increase by 36 % in 2011 as compared to 2010 † . The same beginning added that â€Å" the figure may even increase to 15,000 and besides Mauritius has set itself a mark of pulling 100,000 foreign patients by 2020 † . This will presumptively lend about $ 1 billion yearly to the economic system. Figure: Number of foreign patients sing Mauritius in twelvemonth 2010 ( Beginning: BOI study ) The above Pie-Chart illustrates the states from which patients are largely from and besides the figure of medical tourers landed in Mauritius in 2010. Mauritius does non merely have a patronage in the Indian Ocean but besides in France and UK, with 22 % of Europeans acknowledging our medical services. These figures show that, small by small, Mauritius is making an individuality of it being a medical touristry finish. Figure: Medical Procedures undergone by foreign patients in 2010 ( Beginning: BOI study ) Figure: Number of foreign patients seeking intervention in Mauritius during the period 2006 to 2010 ( Beginning: BOI Survey ) Harmonizing to this graph, we can see that the reaching of International patients to Mauritius is so increasing. Hence, we can state that Mauritius seems to hold a bright hereafter in Medical Tourism.Price comparings of common medical processs SoughtTable: Price comparing in US Dollars for decorative surgeries Mauritius is largely sought by medical tourers for its decorative surgeries. In the position of holding an thought about the monetary value degrees of these decorative surgeries, the above tabular array has been worked out. The monetary value of six decorative surgeries have been looked up and compared with seven other states. The tabular array shows that on norm the charges in Mauritius are lower as compared to the other states. It besides looks that India can go a menace to Mauritius ( Source: BOI Brochure ) Table: Price comparing in US Dollars for Non- decorative surgeriesEthical and Legal IssuesMedical Tourism is a turning phenomenon and it is a possible net income devising sector for an economic system. Despite the fact that there are many benefits of being treated on board such as low cost and quality wellness attention, there are besides some hazards that are associated with Medical Tourism. These hazards can be classified as legal and ethical issues. There are major ethical jobs around Medical Tourism such as the illegal trading of variety meats and tissues for organ transplant. The World Health Organisation estimates that 10,000 illegal operations affecting human variety meats occur each twelvemonth ( The Guardian 2012 ) The illegal organ trade is the dark side of the otherwise legal Medical Tourism Industry ( The National, 2011 ) . These illegal minutess have been suspected in China and India in 2007. Additionally, in 2008 a major job cropped up in Thailand where it was said that physicians were so bemused with foreign patients that they started pretermiting Thai patients. Furthermore, the quality of infirmaries and their staffs give rise to a large issues it can be hard to verify the makings of physicians and other medical staffs. Besides in some instances, patients may non be covered under their personal wellness insurance as insurance Torahs vary from state to state and therefore it becomes a job for them to pay for the wellness attention services undergone. Among the legion jobs related to Medical Tourism, we besides have the hazard of international patients going with infective diseases. Therefore, any state looking frontward to advance Medical Tourism must take into consideration all the facets environing this country ( Understanding Tourism 2008 )Model Regulating Medical TourismMedical Tourism is said to see a dual growing, $ 100 billion in 2012 with a growing rate of 20 % to 30 % ( Times of India ) However, the absence of a planetary legal model is noticeable. As such, states sing Medical Tourism use their ain regulations and ordinances. To get down with in 2004, European-Union ( EU ) patients looking for health care in the EU provinces were requested to demo their European Health Insurance Card ( EHIC ) . This peculiar card has replaced the E111 signifier ( it is the old EU process guaranting patient ‘s reimbursement by the societal security of their place state ) and hence allowed the EU citizens the right of entree to healthcare in any EU member province. The services which they offered were hospitalization, physician audience, dental medicine and other services offered by the general wellness attention system within the EU merely and applicable merely to EU states. Furthermore, there are states that have taken the inducement to present â€Å" Medical Visas † . This allows patients to go to a peculiar state for medical intervention and remain for the continuance of their intervention. For case, India has taken this enterprise. In add-on, to do the entree to medical installations by foreign patients easy, many private clinics are using for accreditation from the JCI. Another state where Medical Tourism is turning is Thailand and it has introduced its ain regulations and ordinances. For illustration, processs for health care installations and licensing of medical physicians and other medical staffs are approved by the Ministry of Public and Health. In fact, the medical professional licensing is overseen by the Profession Commission of 19 members of different professions. The above illustrations show that there is no proper international government ordinance for Medical Tourism. As such each state tries to implement its ain model. Mauritius besides does non hold any regulations and ordinance regulating Medical Tourism.Chapter DecisionThis chapter is really rich in information on Medical Tourism. A figure of definitions as provided by different writers have been stated along with a short but really interesting history on Medical Tourism. It is evident that many states of the universe are concentrating on this value added merchandise and Mauritius is besides non dawdling behind. Over the past decennary there has been a mushrooming of healthcare service suppliers in Mauritius and the investors are really satisfied with the state of affairs. To back up this statement, testimony of foreign investors has been included in Appendix B. Furthermore, the writer has worked out a SWOT analysis to measure the deduction of this value added merchandise in Mauritius and has concluded by supplying some really utile information with respects to the legal issues and model modulating Medical Tourism.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Capital Punishment Essay

The death penalty has been around for many centuries and will probably be around for many to come. Although some citizens feel capital punishment is ethically wrong, it is necessary in today’s society for various reasons. Society must be kept safe from the barbaric acts of murders and rapist, by taking away their lives to function and perform in our society. Most criminals don’t take into account the results of their actions. If a person intending to commit a crime, sees another criminal put to death for the same crime he or she is going to carry out, the person might think before executing the crime. Edward Koch, who has been district leader, councilman, congressman, and mayor says, â€Å"human life deserves special protection, and one of the best ways to guarantee that protection is to assure that convicted murders do not kill again† (323). A person, who has been affected by a criminal’s work, would probably feel that the death penalty is fair. It’s hard to imagine how it would feel if one of your loved ones were murdered. Personally I would want the person who took my loved one’s life to suffer. In addition, most mother’s views would be quite similar. If a criminal was to rape a child the mother would more than likely want the death penalty for the rapist. Koch makes a similar point by saying, † Life is indeed precious and I believe the death penalty helps to affirm the fact† (322). Most countries in the world do not use the death sentence as a form of punishment. However, most countries have stiffer penalties for crimes. If the United States were to make a law like this it would be too harsh. Nonetheless, if on a person’s third offense of stealing, their hand were cut off then this would be more appropriate. Capital Punishment also has its negative effects. Life imprisonment without parole serves the same purposes as capital punishment at less cost without the debate of whether it’s right or wrong. Also, with capital punishment there is the chance of killing an innocent person. The poor and minorities have less money to spend on a good lawyer, so they are more at risk for an unfair trial. In comparison the Bible also says that capital punishment is not morally correct. The Ten Commandments in the Bible states, â€Å"Thou shalt not kill† (Ex. 20.13). Steve Hux the pastor at Cedar Creek Free Will Baptist Church says, â€Å"capital punishment is biblically wrong and one human life should not be put in the hands of another.† Still capital punishment’s benefits outweigh the negative effects. It’s very important to help keep crime off the streets and this is a firm way to do it. Capital punishment shows criminals that they will have to suffer their consequences. In conclusion, capital punishment is a just way of punishment. It allows victims families to have somewhat of a consolation, by knowing that vicious murders are off the streets. Finally, capital punishment provides a powerful way to make the statement: crime is wrong. The death penalty has been around for many centuries and will probably be around for many to come. Although some citizens feel capital punishment is ethically wrong, it is necessary in today’s society for various reasons. Society must be kept safe from the barbaric acts of murders and rapist, by taking away their lives to function and perform in our society. Most criminals don’t take into account the results of their actions. If a person intending to commit a crime, sees another criminal put to death for the same crime he or she is going to carry out, the person might think before executing the crime. Edward Koch, who has been district leader, councilman, congressman, and mayor says, â€Å"human life deserves special protection, and one of the best ways to guarantee that protection is to assure that convicted murders do not kill again† (323). A person, who has been affected by a criminal’s work, would probably feel that the death penalty is fair. It’s hard to imagine how it would feel if one of your loved ones were murdered. Personally I would want the person who took my loved one’s life to suffer. In addition, most mother’s views would be quite similar. If a criminal was to rape a child the mother would more than likely want the death penalty for the rapist. Koch makes a similar point by saying, † Life is indeed precious and I believe the death penalty  helps to affirm the fact† (322). Most countries in the world do not use the death sentence as a form of punishment. However, most countries have stiffer penalties for crimes. If the United States were to make a law like this it would be too harsh. Nonetheless, if on a person’s third offense of stealing, their hand were cut off then this would be more appropriate. Capital Punishment also has its negative effects. Life imprisonment without parole serves the same purposes as capital punishment at less cost without the debate of whether it’s right or wrong. Also, with capital punishment there is the chance of killing an innocent person. The poor and minorities have less money to spend on a good lawyer, so they are more at risk for an unfair trial. In comparison the Bible also says that capital punishment is not morally correct. The Ten Commandments in the Bible states, â€Å"Thou shalt not kill† (Ex. 20.13). Steve Hux the pastor at Cedar Creek Free Will Baptist Church says, â€Å"capital punishment is biblically wrong and one human life should not be put in the hands of another.† Still capital punishment’s benefits outweigh the negative effects. It’s very important to help keep crime off the streets and this is a firm way to do it. Capital punishment shows criminals that they will have to suffer their consequences. In conclusion, capital punishment is a just way of punishment. It allows victims families to have somewhat of a consolation, by knowing that vicious murders are off the streets. Finally, capital punishment provides a powerful way to make the statement: crime is wrong. The death penalty has been around for many centuries and will probably be around for many to come. Although some citizens feel capital punishment is ethically wrong, it is necessary in today’s society for various reasons. Society must be kept safe from the barbaric acts of murders and rapist, by taking away their lives to function and perform in our society. Most criminals don’t take into account the results of their actions. If a person  intending to commit a crime, sees another criminal put to death for the same crime he or she is going to carry out, the person might think before executing the crime. Edward Koch, who has been district leader, councilman, congressman, and mayor says, â€Å"human life deserves special protection, and one of the best ways to guarantee that protection is to assure that convicted murders do not kill again† (323). A person, who has been affected by a criminal’s work, would probably feel that the death penalty is fair. It’s hard to imagine how it would feel if one of your loved ones were murdered. Personally I would want the person who took my loved one’s life to suffer. In addition, most mother’s views would be quite similar. If a criminal was to rape a child the mother would more than likely want the death penalty for the rapist. Koch makes a similar point by saying, † Life is indeed precious and I believe the death penalty helps to affirm the fact† (322). Most countries in the world do not use the death sentence as a form of punishment. However, most countries have stiffer penalties for crimes. If the United States were to make a law like this it would be too harsh. Nonetheless, if on a person’s third offense of stealing, their hand were cut off then this would be more appropriate. Capital Punishment also has its negative effects. Life imprisonment without parole serves the same purposes as capital punishment at less cost without the debate of whether it’s right or wrong. Also, with capital punishment there is the chance of killing an innocent person. The poor and minorities have less money to spend on a good lawyer, so they are more at risk for an unfair trial. In comparison the Bible also says that capital punishment is not morally correct. The Ten Commandments in the Bible states, â€Å"Thou shalt not kill† (Ex. 20.13). Steve Hux the pastor at Cedar Creek Free Will Baptist Church says, â€Å"capital punishment is biblically wrong and one human life should not be put in the hands of another.† Still capital punishment’s benefits outweigh the negative effects. It’s very important to help keep crime off  the streets and this is a firm way to do it. Capital punishment shows criminals that they will have to suffer their consequences. In conclusion, capital punishment is a just way of punishment. It allows victims families to have somewhat of a consolation, by knowing that vicious murders are off the streets. Finally, capital punishment provides a powerful way to make the statement: crime is wrong.

Women Empowerment in India

http://papers. ssrn. com/sol3/papers. cfm? abstract_id=1320071 WOMEN EMPOWERMENT IN INDIA Purusottam Nayak and Bidisha Mahanta Email: [email  protected] co. in Web Address: www. pnayak. webs. com/ Abstract The present paper is an attempt to analyze the status of women empowerment in India using various indicators like women’s household decision making power, financial autonomy, freedom of movement, political participation, acceptance of unequal gender role, exposure to media, access to education, experience of domestic violence etc based on data from different sources.The study reveals that women of India are relatively disempowered and they enjoy somewhat lower status than that of men in spite of many efforts undertaken by government. Gender gap exists regarding access to education and employment. Household decision making power and freedom of movement of women vary considerably with their age, education and employment status. It is found that acceptance of unequal gender n orms by women are still prevailing in the society. More than half of the women believe wife beating to be justified for one reason or the other.Fewer women have final say on how to spend their earnings. Control over cash earnings increases with age, education and with place of residence. Women’s exposure to media is also less relative to men. Rural women are more prone to domestic violence than that of urban women. A large gender gap exists in political participation too. The study concludes by an observation that access to education and employment are only the enabling factors to empowerment, achievement towards the goal, however, depends largely on the attitude of the people towards gender equality.Introduction In the last five decades, the concept of women empowerment has undergone a sea change from welfare oriented approach to equity approach. It has been understood as the process by which the powerless gain greater control over the circumstances of their lives. Empowerme nt particularly includes control over resources and ideology. According to Sen and Batliwala (2000) it leads to a growing intrinsic capabilitygreater self confidence, and an inner transformation of one’s consciousness that enables one to overcome external barrier. This view mainly emphasizes on two important aspects.Firstly, it is a power to achieve desired goals but not a power over others. Secondly, idea of empowerment is more applicable to those who are powerless- whether they are male or female, or group of individuals, class or caste. 1 Though concept of empowerment is not specific to women, yet it is unique in that and it cuts across all types of class and caste and also within families and households (Malhotra et al, 2002). Women empowerment is also defined as a change in the context of a women’s life, which enables her increased capacity for leading a fulfilling human life.It gets reflected both in external qualities (viz. health, mobility, education and awaren ess, status in the family, participation in decision making, and also at the level of material security) and internal qualities (viz. self awareness and self confidence) [Human Development in South Asia (2000) as quoted by Mathew (2003)]. UNDP (1990) for the first time introduced the concept of Human Development Index (HDI) that evolved initially as a broader measure of socio-economic progress of a nation but it became popular as a measure of average achievements in human development for both the sexes.Contrary to the general belief that development is gender neutral, statistics show that women lag behind men all over the world including India in almost all aspects of life. It is for this reason that the focus on human development has been to highlight the gender dimension and continuing inequalities confronting women since 1995 (UNDP 1995). The Report noted that without empowering women overall development of human beings is not possible. It further stressed that if development is not engendered, is endangered.To bring out the facts and figures relating to deprivation of women two indices, namely, Gender related Development Index (GDI) and Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) were introduced. While GDI measures the achievements in the same dimensions and variables as the HDI, it also takes into account inequality in achievement between women and men (Anand and Sen, 1995). The greater the gender disparity in human development, the lower is country’s GDI compared to its HDI. The GDI is the HDI adjusted downwards for gender inequality.On the other hand, GEM indicates whether women are able to actively participate in economic and political life. Theoretically, the index can take values between zero and infinity, with a value of unity reflecting an absolute equality in the respective attainments of males and females. A value higher than unity would imply that females have better attainments than males. 2 Construction of GDI As we know HDI is a composite index o f three basic components of human development such as knowledge (Education Index), longevity (Health Index), and standard of living (Income Index) where: I1 ?Education Index ? , I 2 ? Health Index ? are constructed by (1) & I 3 ? Income Index ? by (2) : (1)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. I j ? X ij ? Min( X ) Max( X i ) ? Min( X i ) Log ( X ij ) ? Log ? Min? X i Log ? Max? X i ? Log ? Min? X i (2)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ I 3 ? To construct GDI the following three steps are involved: Step-I: For each dimension of education and health, indices are constructed for males and females separately using the formula (1) and for income index by formula (2); Step-II: For each dimension, Equally Distributed Index (EDI) is constructed using the formula (3) as follows: ?Male population Share Female Population Share ? (3)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ EDI ? ? ? Dimension Index for Male ? Dimension Index for Female ? ? ? ? ? 1 Step-III: GDI is calculate d by combining the three equally distributed indices in an un-weighted average using the formula (4): 1 (4)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. GDI j ? ( EDI1 ? EDI 2 ? EDI 3 ) 3 Construction of GEM Gender Empowerment Measure as we know focuses on women’s opportunity rather than their capabilities.It captures gender inequality in three key areas such as (a) Political participation and decision making power as measured by women’s and men’s percentage shares of parliamentary seats; (b) Economic participation and decision making power as measured by two indicators: (1) Women and men’s percentage shares of position as legislators, senior officials and managers; and (2) Women and men’s percentage shares of professional and technical positions; and (c) 3 Power over economic resources as measured by women’s and men’s estimated earned income.For each of these three dimensions, an Equally Distributed Equivalent Percentage (EDEP) is calculated as a population weighted average according to the general formula (5): ? Female Popn. Share Male Popn. Share ? (5)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ EDEP ? ? ? ? Male Index ? ? Female Index ?1 The EDEP for political participation and economic participation are each divided by 50 to construct the corresponding indexed EDEP whereas for economic resources simple EDEP is taken into consideration. All these three indices are averaged to construct the GEM.Planning Commission (G. O. I. , 2002) used a third index, namely, Gender Equality Index (GEI) in the National Human Development Report. The methodology for construction of GEI is the same as that of HDI. The point of departure involves expressing the index as a proportion of attainment level for females to that of males. Secondly, in estimating the index, the economic attainments for males and females have been captured by taking the respective worker-population ratio, unlike the use of per-capita monthly expenditure as in the H DI.This has been done, primarily, to avoid taking recourse to apportioning consumption or income, between males and females at the household or at an individual level, using criteria that could always be debated. Educational and health attainments have been captured using the same set of indicators as in the case of HDI. Besides these three indices, a number of other socioeconomic and political indicators are being widely used to measure women empowerment (G. O. I. , 2005-06). Review of Literature A number of studies have been undertaken on women empowerment at the global level and in India.Some studies dealt on methodological issues and some on empirical analysis. Moser (1993) focused on the interrelationship between gender and development, the formulation of gender policy and the implementation of gender planning and practices. The work of Shields (1995) provided an exploratory 4 framework to understand and develop the concept of empowerment both from a theoretical and practical p erspective with a particular focus on women’s perception of the meaning of empowerment in their lives. Anand and Sen (1995) tried to develop a measure of gender inequality.Pillarisetti and Gillivray (1998) mainly emphasized on the methodology of construction, composition and determinant of GEM. Bardhan and Klasen (1999) criticized GEM as an inadequate index of measuring women empowerment at the aggregate level. Malhotra et al (2002) in their paper prepared for the World Bank highlighted methodological issues of measurement and analysis of women empowerment. Chattopadhyay and Duflo (2001) in their paper used a policy of political reservation for women adopted in India to study the impact of women’s leadership on policy decision.They found that women were more likely to participate in policy making process if the leader of the village community was happened to be women. Mahanta (2002) sought to explain the question of women’s access to or deprivation of basic huma n rights as the right to health, education and work, legal rights, rights of working women’s, besides issues like domestic violence, all the while keeping the peculiar socio-cultural situation of the North East in mind.A workshop organized in 2003 by the Institute of Social Sciences and South Asia Partnership, Canada addressed the issues like â€Å"Proxy Women† who after being elected to Panchayat bodies were merely puppets in the hands of their husbands, relatives and other male Panchayat members; and emphasized on training programme for their capacity building. Assam Human Development Report (Govt. of Assam, 2003) threw some light on inequality in the achievement between men and women of Assam in different spheres of life.The report viewed that poverty, violence and lack of political participation were the main issues of concern for South Asian Women, and Assam was no exception. The study of Kishor and Gupta (2004) revealed that average women in India were disempower ed relative to men, and there had been little change in her empowerment over time. Parashar (2004) examined how mother’s empowerment in India is linked with child nutrition and immunization and suggested women to be empowered simultaneously along several different dimensions if they and their children were to benefit across the whole spectrum of their health and survival needs.Sridevi (2005) in her paper 5 provided a scientific method to measure empowerment. Study of Cote de Ivoire revealed that increased female share in household income leads to increased spending on human development enhancing items (as quoted by Ranis and Stewart, 2005). Blumberg (2005) viewed that economic empowerment of women was the key to gender equality and well being of a nation. This would not only enhance women’s capacity of decision making but also lead to reduction in corruption, armed conflict and violence against females in the long run.Karat (2005) in her works discussed the issues of v iolence against women, their survival, political participation and emancipation. Panda and Agarwal (2005) focused on the factor like women’s property status in the context of her risk of marital violence and opined that if development means expansion of human capabilities, then freedom from domestic violence should be an integral part of any exercise for evaluating developmental progress. Desai and Thakkar (2007) in their work discussed women’s political participation, legal rights and education as tools for their empowerment.Deepa Narayan (2007) made an attempt to measure women empowerment for different countries and regions by using self assessed points on a ten steps ladder of power and rights, where at the bottom of the ladder stood people who were completely powerless and without rights and on the top stood those who had a lot of power and rights. Figueras (2008) in her work studied the effect of female political representation in State legislature on public goods , policy and expenditure in the context of India and opined that politician’s gender and social position matters for policy. Barkat (www. goodgovernance. rg) while discussing the present status of women in Bangladesh opined that although women as mothers are held in high respect at the individual level, there was an unclear understanding of empowerment of women as a process of awareness and capacity building leading to greater participation in decision making and control over her own life. Thus, from the above review of literature it is evident that quite a number of studies have already been undertaken on women empowerment and related issues. Entire gamut of literature has centered mainly around conceptual and measurement issues and the constraints to women empowerment.The present study in this respect is 6 an attempt to highlight the status and trend of women empowerment in India by taking into consideration various dimensions of it. The Case of India As far as India is con cerned, the principle of gender equality is enshrined in the Constitution and finds a place in the Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties and Directive Principles. The Constitution not only grants equality to women but also empowers the States to adopt measures of positive discrimination in favour of women. Historically the status of Indian women has been influenced by their past.There is evidence to show that women in the Vedic age got most honored positions in the society (Seth, 2004). They had the right to education. They were free to remain unmarried and devote their whole life to the pursuit of knowledge and self realization. The married women performed all the works and sacrifices equally with their husbands. They were educated in various disciplines of knowledge such as astrology, geography, veterinary sciences and even in martial arts. There were instances of women taking part in wars and fights. They were highly respected within and outside home.Gradually due to s everal socio-political changes, especially during the middle age, the glorious status of women declined. The urge for equality on the part of Indian women started getting momentum during the colonial times. Noted social reformers and national leaders like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Annie Besant, Sorojini Naidu and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar made selfless efforts to create awareness among women about their status and were quite successful in removing various social evils such as sati pratha, child marriage, and polygamy. They also encouraged widow remarriage and women education.The reformers were successful in creating a base for development of women and theirs strive for equality. In course of time Indian society got transformed from traditional to a modern one. Consequently women became more liberal and aware of various ways of life. Since they are quite capable of breaking the traditional barriers imposed by the society are now challenging the patriarchal system though in a limited scale. Since independence, the Government of India has been making various efforts to empower women. In various plan periods, the issues regarding women empowerment has been given priority.From fifth five year plan onwards there has 7 been a remarkable shift from welfare oriented approach of women empowerment to development approach. The National Commission for women was set up by an Act of Parliament in 1990 to safeguard the rights’ of women. The 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Constitution of India provided opportunity to women to take part in active politics. The year 2001 was declared as the year of women’s empowerment for enhancing their status. To achieve the goal, the government introduced different programmes, identified strategies, established different institutions and made various legal provisions.In spite of all these efforts and actions, women in India still lag behind the men. According to 2001 Census, female literacy rate in the country was 54. 2 per cent as a gainst 75. 9 per cent in case of males (G. O. I. , 2001). The situation was much worse in the rural and remote areas of the country. In spite of women going for higher education they face exclusion from their male counterparts and are alienated in various positions in governance. The incidence like early marriage, female feticides and infanticide, dowry, bride burning, rape, molestation, kidnapping etc are very frequent.In recent times, the record of crime against women indicates an increasing trend. The position of women in the country in the social, economic and political fields is by no means equal to that of their male counterparts. Besides low female literacy, there are many other factors that have contributed to gender biasness. Girl child is still given less priority in certain parts of India. Past studies indicate that it is the people’s perception in general that the birth of a girl child is less desirable and evokes less happiness than that of a boy child (Seth, 200 5). It is ingrained in the Indian psyche, cutting across religion, caste and region.Since her birth she is victimized in all spheres including education, employment, nutrition and social status. The World Economic Forum (2005), in its first gender gap study placed India at 53rd position among 58 nations, which shows a significant gap in male and female achievements. In the same study, the rank of India in terms of political empowerment was 24th at both primary and grassroots level. The National Population Policy 2000 specifically identified the low status of women in India as an important barrier to the achievement of goals towards maternal and child welfare (G. O. I. 2000). 8 Indicators F Life Expectancy Adult Literacy Gross Enrolment Seats Share in Parliament Share of Professional & Technical Persons Gender related Development Index Gender Empowerment Measure 1990 M NA 57 NA NA NA F 1995 M F 2000 M F 2005 M 2007-08 F M NA 29 NA NA NA 60. 4 60. 3 63. 3 62. 5 65. 0 61. 8 65. 3 62. 3 35. 2 63. 7 43. 5 67. 1 47. 8 73. 4 47. 8 73. 4 45. 8 63. 8 46. 0 61. 0 56. 0 64. 0 60. 0 68. 0 7. 3 92. 7 8. 9 91. 1 9. 3 NA 90. 7 NA 9. 8 NA 90. 2 NA 20. 5 79. 5 20. 5 79. 5 NA NA 0. 401 (R-99) 0. 226 (R- 101) Source: UNDP 0. 545 (R-108) NA 0. 586 (R-98) NA 0. 600 (R-113) NAUNDP in its various Human Development Reports since 1990 till 2007-08 have placed India at a very low level of development regarding the position of women in terms of various indicators such as adult literacy, gross enrolment, share of seats in parliament and the professional and technical positions held by them (as shown in the box above). Though data are not provided for GEM indicator after 1995, GDI values reveals that women are consistently lagging behind. India has been placed in the 113th rank with a GDI value of 0. 600 as against a rank of 89 with GDI value of 0. 753 in case of Sri Lanka (UNDP, 2007-08).The rank of India has also gone down from 99 in 1995 to 113 in 2007-08 and has been fluctuating from year to year National Human Development Report (G. O. I, 2002) brought out information on indices on GDI and GEM. GDI showed marginal improvement during the eighties. GEI increased from 62 per cent in the early eighties to 67. 6 per cent in the early nineties. This implies that on an average the attainments of women on human development indicators were only two-thirds of those of men. At the State level, gender equality was the highest for Kerala followed by Manipur, Meghalaya, 9 Himachal Pradesh and Nagaland in the eighties.Goa and the Union Territories, except for Delhi, had gender equality higher than the national level. In the nineties, Himachal Pradesh had the highest equality, whereas Bihar was at the bottom and witnessed a decline in absolute terms over the earlier period. In general, women were better off in the Southern India than in the Indo-Gangetic plains comprising mainly the States of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. States like Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh in the south and H aryana and Jammu & Kashmir in the north made considerable progress in improving the status of women vis-a-vis men on the human development indicators.States that did well in improving their female literacy levels are also the ones that substantially improved their gender equality. On the whole, gender disparities across the States declined over the period. NFHS-III (G. O. I. , 2005-06) collected information on large number of indicators of women empowerment such as relative earnings of wives over their husbands’, control over the use of these earnings, participation in household decision making, freedom of movement, gender role attitude, freedom from domestic violence, etc.Data on some of these indicators of women empowerment are examined and findings are presented in the following paragraphs. Decision Making Power Decision making power of women in households is one of the important indicators of women empowerment. It is found that only 37 per cent of currently married women participate in making decisions either alone or jointly with their husband on their health care, large household purchases, purchases for daily household needs and on visiting their family members and relatives (Table 1).Forty three per cent participate in some but not all decisions and 21 per cent do not participate in any of the decision. As high as in 32. 4 per cent cases the decision regarding the purchase of daily household needs is taken mainly by the respondents whereas the decisions like visit to her relatives are in most cases taken alone by husbands or jointly. Decision like major household purchases is taken jointly in most of the cases. A very less number of women alone take this type of decision. About 27 per cent of total respondents take their own health care decision alone. 10Women’s participation rate on household decision making not only varies from rural to urban areas but also gets affected by their background characteristics like age, educational status, husband’s education, employment status etc (Table 2). Urban married women are observed to be more empowered than that of the rural women. Empowerment of women increases with the increase in their age. Women who are more educated and employed are relatively more empowered. About 46 per cent of total women in the age group 40-49 years participate in all the four decisions compared to 15 per cent belonging to the age group 15-19 years.With higher spousal educational status women’s participation in decision making increases. About 21 per cent of women with no spousal education do not take part in any decision making at all as compared to 17 per cent of women with spousal education of 12 years or more. Employment also provides an advantage to women regarding their ability to decision making power. Employed women are more likely to participate in all decision makings. In urban setting and in nuclear type of family, women have more autonomy in household decision making. Freed om of Movement Free mobility of women is another indicator of women empowerment.The data reveals that about half of women are allowed to go to the market or to the health facility alone (Table 3). Only 38 per cent are allowed to travel alone to places outside the village or community. While not all women are allowed to go to these places alone, only a minority are not allowed to go at all. Compared to urban women, rural women have less mobility. Women’s mobility is also affected by their background characteristics like age, education, marital status, type of family etc. Table 4 reveals that freedom of movement increases with age though it does not vary linearly with education.Seventy per cent of the women of the highest education group are allowed to go alone to the market as against 49 per cent of women with no education. Employment is associated with greater freedom of movement. Only one in five never married women go to all of the three places compared with about one in th ree currently married women and two in three formerly married women. Nuclear residence and urban setting are also associated with greater freedom of movement. 11 Women of urban areas are freer than that of the rural women. Similarly as high as 37 per cent of women of nucleus families are freer regarding their movement as compared to 29. per cent in case of the non-nucleus families. Acceptance of Unequal Gender Role Women’s protest against unequal gender role in terms of their attitude towards preferences for son, wife beating etc. is another indicator of women empowerment. The data presented in Table 5 reveal that 54 per cent of women in India believe wife beating to be justified for any of the specific reasons. Similarly 35 per cent women believe it to be justified if they neglect their house or children. However, agreement with wife beating does not vary much by women’s age and household structure, but decline sharply with education.It is to be noted that even among the most educated women, at least one in three agrees with one or more justifications for wife beating. In rural areas women are generally more agreeable to wife beating than in urban areas. Agreement is lower among never married women as compared to ever married women. Access to Education Women’s access to education which is one of the important sources of empowerment can be measured by gender gap in literacy rates and enrolment in different stages of school education. The literacy gap between men and women was as high as 21. 7 per cent in 2001 (Table 6).Though the gap was fluctuating from 18. 3 per cent in 1951 to 23. 9 per cent in 1971, it has been showing a marginal declining trend since 1981. Table 7 shows enrolment by stages from 1951 to 2001-02. It is clear that participation of girls at all stages of education has been steadily increasing over time. However, the overall performance of participation has not been satisfactory as it had been below 50 per cent at all stag es of education Access to Employment Table 8 shows the employment and cash earnings of currently married men and women. Data reveal that only 43 per cent of women in the age group of 15-49 2 years are employed as against 99 per cent of men in the same age group. It also reveals that gender inequality exist in the arena of employment. As compared to 51% women employed for cash only, the corresponding figure for that of the males is as high as 72. 5%. Similarly a very few males are employed for kind only (3. 4%) as compared to females engaged for kind (11. 6%). Twenty four per cent women are not paid at all for their work whereas this proportion is as low as 5% for men. For women earning cash is not likely to be a sufficient condition for financial empowerment.Employment and cash earnings are more likely to empower women if women make decisions about their own earnings alone or jointly with their husband rather than their husband alone and if these earnings are perceived by both wives and husbands to be significant relative to those of the husbands. Table 9 in this connection shows the extent of women’s control over earnings on the basis of background characteristics like age, education, place of residence, household structure etc. It is seen that women’s control over cash earnings increases with age. In the age group 15 19 years only 17. per cent women alone take decision about the use of their cash earnings as compared to 28. 3 per cent in the age group 40-49 years. Similarly husband mainly takes such decision in case of 20 per cent women in the age group 15-19 years in comparison to 12. 7 per cent in the age group 40-49 years. Influence of other person in making such decision decreases with the increase in age of respondents. It varies from 18. 6 per cent in the age group 15-19 years to as low as 0. 4 per cent in 40-49 age groups. Place of residence also affects women’s control over their cash earnings.Generally women in urban areas have more control over their earnings than that in rural areas. About thirty three per cent take decision alone about the use of their own earnings in urban areas as compared to 21 per cent in rural areas Education is one of the important factors that affects greatly in women’s control over earnings. About 23 per cent women with no education have more control over their earnings whereas it is 28. 6 per cent in case of women completed 12 or more years of education. Other persons’ influence on the decision about the use of earnings reduces significantly with education. It is as high as 8. 3 percent in the case of 3 respondent with no education as compared to 4. 9 per cent respondent with secondary level education. Household structure has an important role to play in affecting women’s financial empowerment. In non nuclear family structure, influence of others is more in making such decision. In case of 6. 4 per cent women in non nuclear family, the decision about the us e of their own cash earnings are taken by others as compared to 0. 6 per cent women in nuclear family. Exposure to Media Table 10 which presents data on women’s exposure to media reveals that percentage of women not exposed to media is more than double that of men.About 71 per cent of women are exposed to media as compared to 88 per cent in case of men. Twenty nine per cent of women do not have access to media regularly. Since it is an important source of empowerment, greater proportion of women without having access to media reflects the relatively disadvantageous position of women in relation to men with regards to empowerment. Domestic Violence Table 11 shows percentage of women who have experienced different forms and combinations of physical and sexual violence according to selected background characteristics.It is observed that extent of violence is not lessened by age. In the age group of 15-19 years, 22. 5 per cent women experienced physical or sexual violence in Indi a as compared to 39 per cent in the age group 40-49 years. Both types of violence are higher for ever married women than for never married women. Almost 40 per cent ever married women experienced physical or sexual violence as against 16. 9 per cent never married women. Extent of domestic violence is higher in rural areas as compared to urban areas.About thirty eight per cent women in rural area faced either physical or sexual violence as compared to about 29 percent women in urban areas. Political Participation Women’s political participation is one of the important issues in the context of empowerment. In conventional analysis it means activities related to electoral politics 14 like voting, campaigning, holding party office and contesting election. But in broader sense it encompasses all voluntary actions intended to influence the making of public policies, the administration of public affairs and the choice of political leaders at all levels of government.Political interv entions by women of India today range from movement for peace and good governance to protest against dowry, rape, domestic violence, food adulteration, price rise etc. [Desai et at, 2007]. However in this section we discuss participation of women in formal politics by analyzing the indicators like women voters and women elected members in the first twelve general elections in India. The following Table 2. 12 shows the voting percentage of men and women in the first twelve elections of independent India. In the very first election the percentage of women voter was significantly low (37%).Many women were left out as their names were not properly registered. The gender gap in voting though has been narrowing gradually significant gap between male and female voters still exists. Elected Women Members Many factors are responsible and decisive in the election of women candidates such as literacy, financial position, liberal family background, support of other members of the family, strong personality etc. Since most of the women lack access to these, few women get tickets and even fewer get elected from this handful of women candidates. Table 2. 13 shows the elected women Members in Lok Sabha.From the table it is clear that percentage of women members to the total members has been consistently less than 10 per cent in each Lok Sabha starting from 1st to 12th one. This shows poor participation of women in political field. Thus it can be concluded with information provided by NFHS – III and others that women of India are disempowered relative to men in respect of decision making power, freedom of movement, education, employment, exposure to media, political participation etc and face domestic violence to a considerable degree and occupy the subordinate status both at home and in the society even in the 21 st century. 5 Constraints to Women Empowerment There are several constraints that check the process of women empowerment in India. Social norms and family str uctures in developing countries like India, manifests and perpetuate the subordinate status of women. One of such norms is the continuing preference for a son over the birth of a girl child, which is present in almost all societies and communities. The hold of this preference has strengthened rather than weakened and its most glaring evidence is in the falling sex ratio (Seth, 2004).The society is more biased in favor of male child in respect of education, nutrition and other opportunities. The root cause of this type of attitude lies in the belief that male child inherits the clan in India with an exception in Meghalaya. Women often internalize the traditional concept of their role as natural, thus inflicting an injustice upon them. Poverty is the reality of life for the vast majority of women in India. It is another factor that poses challenge in realizing women’s empowerment.In a poor family, girls are the main victims; they are malnourished and are denied the opportunity of better education and other facilities. But if they are financially independent or they have greater control over the resources then they exhibit greater autonomy both in the household and in public sphere and are no longer victims of poverty. Lack of awareness about legal and constitutional provisions and failure in realizing it, is another factor that hinders the process of empowerment. Most of the women are not aware of their legal rights. Even women who are aware lack the courage to take the legal step.The legislation which affects women most is their situation in marriage and inheritance. As far as the rights of inheritance are concerned, women generally do not try to inherit land left by their parents if brothers are alive (Seth, 2005). The traditional belief that land should not go outside the patriarchal family operates. The provision of Act like (1) Child Marriage Resistance Act, 1930, (2) The Suppression of Immoral Trafficking of Women Act, 1987 and (3) The Indecent Expo sure of Women Act, have not led to the suppression of practice indicated in them.Of these three, the first one is by and large successful in restraining child marriage. The legislation almost failed in case of immoral trafficking and indecent exposure to 16 women. There are numerous incidence of indecent exposure of women in all forms of media with hardly any prosecution. Although the legal rights are in place to create an enabling atmosphere these have not been very successful in realizing women’s empowerment. Summery and Findings Various indicators of women empowerment are analyzed using the data from various sources while discussing women’s present status in India.The main emphasis is given to the indicators like women’s household decision making power, financial autonomy, freedom of movement, women’s acceptance of unequal gender roles, exposure to media, access to education, women’s experience of domestic violence etc. Women’s political participation is also analyzed by using indicators like percentage of women voters and women MPs. After analyzing the data it is found that household decision making power and freedom of movement of women vary considerably with age, education and employment. Freedom of movement of widow or divorcee is more than ever married or never married women.Similarly it is found that in the society the acceptance of unequal gender norms by women themselves are still prevailing. More than half of the women believe that wife beating is justified for any of the specific reasons like not cooking properly, not taking proper care of household and children, refuge to have sex with husband, showing disrespect to in-laws etc. However, this attitude is not varying much with age or household structure but decline sharply with education and places of residence. While studying women’s access to education and employment it is found that gender gap exist in both the situations.A large gender gap in li teracy exists and participation of girls at all stages of education is below 50%. Similarly less than 50% of women are employed and a significant portion of them are not paid for their work. However, having access to employment does not mean that women have full control over their earnings. Fewer women have final say on how to spend their earnings. Control over cash earnings increases with age and with place of residence in urban areas and education, but not vary significantly with household structure. Women’s exposure to media is also less relative to men.Women’s experience of domestic violence shows that violence is not lessened by age. Rural women are more prone to domestic violence than urban women. Regarding women’s 17 political participation it is found that large gender gap exists in voting and less than ten per cent of total member in Lok Sabha are Women. This is because most of the women lack desired level of financial autonomy, literacy, strong persona lity, own decision making capacity, family support etc. Thus we see that these mutually interdependent factors reinforce each other and put women in a disadvantageous position relative to men.Various constraints in achieving the desired level of empowerment are also identified. Important among them are poverty, social norms and family structure, lack of awareness about legal and constitutional provision etc. Generally speaking the women of India are relatively disempowered and they enjoy somewhat lower status than that of men. In spite of so many efforts undertaken by government and NGOs the picture at present is not satisfactory. Mere access to education and employment can only help in the process of empowerment.These are the tools or the enabling factors through which the process gets speeded up. However, achievement towards this goal depends more on attitude. Unless the attitude towards the acceptance of unequal gender role by the society and even the women themselves changed wom en can not grab the opportunity provided to them through constitutional provision, law etc. Till then we can not say that women are empowered in India in its real sense. 18 References ? Anand, S. and A. Sen (1995): â€Å"Gender inequality in Human Development: Theories and Measurement†, in Fukuda Parr and A. K.Shiv Kumar (eds. ) Readings in Human Development, OUP, New Delhi. Bardhan, K. and K. Stephan (1999): â€Å"UNDP’s Gender Related Indices: A Critical Review†, World Development, Vol. 27, No. 6. Barkat, A. (2008): â€Å"Women empowerment: A key to Human Development. , http://www. goodgovernance. org visited on 20th April 2008 at 4. 30p. m. Blumberg, R. L. (2005): â€Å"Women’s Economic Empowerment as the Magic Potion of Development? † Paper presented at the 100th annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, Philadelphia Census of India (2001): Govt. of India, New Delhi. Chattopadhyay, R. nd E. Duflo (2001): â€Å"Women's Leadershi p and Policy Decisions: Evidence from a Nationwide Randomized Experiment in India†, Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta and Department of Economics ,MIT, and NBER Desai, N. and U. Thakkar (2007): â€Å"Women and Political Participation in India†; Women in Indian Society, New Delhi, National Book Trust. Figueras, I. C. (2008): â€Å"Women in Politics: Evidence from the Indian States†, Department of Economics, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. G. O. I. (2000): National Population Policy, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, New Delhi. G. O. I. 2001): Census Report, Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, New Delhi. G. O. I. (2002): National Human Development Report, 2001, Planning Commission. G. O. I. (2005-06): National Family Health Survey – III, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi. Govt. of Assam (2003): â€Å"Women: Striving in an Unequal World† in Assam Human Development Report, 2003. http://planassam. org/repor t/hdr2003/ HDR. html. Visited on 20th February, 2008, at 5pm. IFUW (2001): â€Å"Empowering Women†, http://www. ifuw. org/saap2001/ empowerment. htm. Visited on 10th February 2008 at 10 a. m. Karat, B. 2005): Survival and Emancipation: Notes from Indian Women’s Struggles, Three Essays Collective, Haryana Kishor, S. and K. Gupta (2004): â€Å"Women’s Empowerment in India and Its States: Evidence from the NFHS†, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. XXXIX, No. 7. Mahbub ul Haq Human Development Centre (2000): Human Development in South Asia 2000: The Gender Question, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Mahanta, A. (ed. ) (2002): Human Rights and Women of North East India, Centre for Women’s Studies, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 19 ? Malhotra, A. , S. R. Schuler and C.Boender (2002): â€Å"Measuring Women’s Empowerment as a Variable in International Development† Unpublished Paper for the World Bank. www. unicef. org/pubsgen/humanrights-children/index. html. Visited on 11th January, 2008, at 5 p. m. Mathew, G. (2003): Keynote address in the workshop on â€Å"A Decade of Women’s Empowerment through Local Governance† organized jointly by Institute of Social Sciences and South Asia Partnership, Canada sponsored by International Development Research Centre. Moser, Caroline O. (1993): Gender Planning and Development: Theory Practice and Training, available from Women, Ink. ? ? Narayan, D. (2007): Empowerment: A Missing Dimension of Human Development, Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative (OPHI) Conference, Queen Elizabeth House, Oxford. Panda, P. and B. Agarwal (2005): â€Å"Marital Violence, Human Development and Women’s Property Status in India†, World Development, Vol. 33, No. 5. Parasar, S. (2004): â€Å"A Multidimensional Approach to Women’s Empowerment and its Links to the Nutritional Status and Immunization of Children in India†. ht tp://www. allacademic. com/meta/p109193index. html. Visited on 15th February, 2008 at 1 p. m.Pillarisetti and Gillivray (1998): â€Å"Human Development and Gender Empowerment: Methodological and Measurement Issue† Development Policy Review, Vol. 16. Ranis, G. and F. Stewart (2005): â€Å"Dynamic Links between the Economy and Human Development†, DESA Working Paper No. 8. http://www. un. org/esa/desa/papers. Visited on 25th December, 2007 at 5 p. m. Sen and Batliwala (2000): â€Å"Empowering Women for Reproductive Rights†, in H. B. Presser and G. Sen (eds. ) Women's Empowerment and Demographic Processes: Moving beyond Cairo, Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 15-36.Seth, Meera (2004): â€Å"Women and Development- The Indian Experience†, Sage Publication, New Delhi. Shields, Lourene E. (1995): â€Å"Women’s Experiences of the Meaning of Empowerment† Qualitative Health Research, Vol. 5, No. 1. Sridevi, T. O. (2005): â€Å"Empowerment of Women -A Systematic Analysis† IDF Discussion Paper. U. N. D. P. (1990, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2005 and 2007-08): Human Development Report. World Economic Forum (2005): Women’s Empowerment: Measuring the Global Gender Gap. http:/in. rediff. com/money/2005/may/17wef. htm. Visited on 20th January, 2008 at 9. 30 a. m. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 20Table – 1 Married Women’s Participation in Decision making, 2005-06 (Figures in per cent) Decision on/Decision by Mainly Wife Mainly Husband Urban Own Health Care Major household purchases Purchases of daily household needs Visits to her family &Relatives Own Health Care Major household purchases Purchases of daily household needs Visits to her family &Relatives Own Health Care Major household purchases Purchases of daily household needs Visits to her family &Relatives 29. 7 10. 4 39. 9 12. 2 26. 0 7. 6 29. 1 10. 0 27. 1 8. 5 32. 4 10. 7 39. 1 51. 5 28. 9 57. 3 Rural 33. 4 41. 2 27. 1 46. Total 35. 1 44. 4 27. 7 49. 8 30. 1 32. 2 24. 7 26. 8 6. 3 12. 0 12. 3 10. 4 1. 3 2. 8 2. 8 2. 2 0. 1 0. 1 0. 1 0. 1 31. 7 34. 6 26. 9 28. 9 7. 6 13. 5 13. 9 12. 1 1. 3 2. 9 2. 9 2. 9 0. 1 0. 1 0. 1 0. 1 26. 5 26. 8 19. 8 22. 0 3. 5 8. 7 8. 8 6. 6 1. 1 2. 5 2. 5 1. 8 0. 1 0. 1 0. 1 0. 1 Husband and Wife jointly Some one Else Other Missing Source: NFHS-3 21 Table – 2 Factors Affecting Women’s Participation in Decision making, 2005-06 (Figures in per cent) Background characteristics Own health care Making major househol d Purchase s 25. 1 39. 2 50. 7 60. 7 63. 6 61. 9 48. 9 51. 5 51. 4 50. 6 52. 56. 3 62. 6 53. 0 52. 3 52. 2 50. 1 51. 3 57. 3 55. 3 61. 0 45. 1 51. 1 62. 2 43. 0 Making purchase s for daily househol d needs 29. 1 44. 6 58. 7 6. 8 71. 2 68. 8 56. 2 59. 5 60. 1 58. 4 58. 3 61. 6 66. 3 61. 5 60. 5 60. 3 56. 8 58. 0 60. 2 63. 7 69. 5 53. 2 57. 4 70. 4 49. 2 Visits to her family or relative per cent who participat e in all four decisions 15. 1 25. 2 34. 3 42. 8 46. 3 45. 0 33. 0 34. 9 35. 2 35. 7 36. 2 40. 5 46. 1 36. 6 35. 7 36. 5 33. 7 36. 1 40. 6 38. 8 44. 3 29. 0 35. 1 44. 3 28. 7 per cent who particip ate in none 46. 1 31. 1 20. 4 14. 1 12. 8 13. 9 23. 4 22. 7 20. 21. 7 19. 7 16. 8 12. 1 21. 3 20. 3 20. 8 21. 8 21. 3 17. 3 19. 0 15. 0 26. 1 21. 6 13. 6 27. 7 Numbe r of women Age 15-19 20-24 25-29 30-39 40-49 Urban 40. 4 52. 5 62. 2 67. 7 69. 3 68. 8 59. 3 59. 4 61. 2 61. 0 63. 6 67. 2 73. 1 61. 6 61. 1 62. 0 59. 5 62. 5 66. 2 63. 0 67. 7 54. 6 61. 7 67. 7 56. 4 33. 5 47. 5 58. 9 67. 1 71. 6 69. 5 56. 5 57. 5 60. 4 59. 8 60. 7 65. 9 71. 6 59. 1 60. 9 59. 7 58. 3 60. 2 65. 2 69. 2 68. 0 53. 7 58. 7 68. 7 68. 7 6726 16782 18540 30952 20089 28604 64485 43931 7776 14018 10735 7704 8921 24918 8366 14793 14615 13144 17100 39835 25601 14234 53225 47851 45238Residence Rural No education Less than 5 yrs 5-7 yrs 8-9 yrs 10-11yrs 12 or more yrs Education Husband ’s education No education Less than 5 yrs 5-7 yrs 8-9 yrs 10-11yrs 12 or more yrs Employed Employed for cash Employed not fo r cash Not employed Employment Household structure Nuclear Non nuclear Source: NFHS – 3 22 Table – 3 Freedom of Movement of Married Women in India, 2005-06 (Figures in per cent) Places Alone Urban 66. 2 60. 3 45. 5 Rural 44. 3 41. 5 34. 0 Total 51. 4 47. 7 37. 7 With somebody else 26. 8 36. 2 48. 0 40. 4 53. 0 56. 6 35. 9 47. 5 53. Not at all Total To the market To health facilities To outside the village/community To the market To health facilities To outside the village/community To the market To health facilities To outside the village/community 7. 0 3. 5 6. 6 15. 3 5. 5 9. 4 12. 6 4. 8 8. 5 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 Source- NFHS- 3 Table – 4 Factors Affecting Freedom of Movement of Married Women, 2005-06 Percentage allowed to go alone to Market Background Characteristics 15-19 20-24 25-29 30-39 40-49 Urban Rural No education

Monday, July 29, 2019

Applying value expectancy theory, or the theory of reasoned action or Research Paper

Applying value expectancy theory, or the theory of reasoned action or planned behavior, to a potential HIV prevention program in Tanzania - Research Paper Example Human Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency (AIDS) together form a disease that has decimated a lot of people globally and has seen the productive people fall to it (Whiteside 2008). As of 2007/08, the HIV prevalence rate in Tanzania had fallen to 5.7% with women having 6.6% while men had 4.6%. This was a fall from 7.0% with 7.7% in the 6,000 women who were tested and 4.3% in men, 4,900 of whom were tested. This information was accessed from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, 2009. As a result of this intervention, the women in Tanzania are anticipated to revolutionize in several ways. First of all, the women are expected to become more assertive in the households as far as sex is concerned. This translates that women being able to negotiate for sex with their partners and in effect increase the use of condoms. At the same time, the high risk category is projected to be knowledgeable on the benefits of using condoms. They are expected to start taking precautionary measures, as well as, educating their fellow women on the same. The high risk group in this case mainly encompasses commercial sex workers. The value of assessing this behavioral intention is to allow the strategists redesign ineffective messages and also allow the formulation of more effective and up-to-date version. As Fishbein (2000) has stated, there is no need to formulate new theories of behavior change. The existing ones are effective when applied well. In that regard, as he has stated, targeting a specific behavior for change will effectively bring about the needed change. If the women can be well informed of the risks that they face through unprotected sex, they can then change for the better. This figure displays the interrelationship of different factors in the shaping of behavior. This model, espoused by Fishbein (2000), indicated the way that behavior of women using condoms will be

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Sociological View of the Gender Wage Gap Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Sociological View of the Gender Wage Gap - Essay Example This fact when established was exasperating to many working women since even though the education and training of a neurosurgeon may be a highly cumbersome process, the significance of a neurosurgeon is not hard to determine. The establishment of this fact has shown that the wage gap between men and women is not based on qualification, but is indeed founded upon prejudice based on sexual discrimination. Overtime, the wage rate difference between men and women has decreased so much so that women are now being recorded to make 80% of what men make as compared to the startling 60% that was recorded in 1970. Over time, laws and clauses have been introduced to tackle this problem and to extract and eliminate the element of sexism influencing pay scales in the work place, yet the issue still prevails (The Council of Economic Advisers, 1998). Some critics and analysts choose to deny the wage gap between the two sexes, yet as more and more women join the work force the gap only appears more clearly every year. Congress took stern note of sexual discrimination influencing wage rates when in 1963, through the Equal Pay Act, an amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act. But this was not the first time discrimination in the work place had been addressed in the corridors of power. Before 1963 came the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, and then later in 1964 The Civil Rights Act also addressed the issue as did the Discrimination in Employment Act later in 1967. These laws were put into place by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and adherence to them is overseen by the same (The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2008). Legislation has addressed wage discrimination very specifically. Pay differential factors have been outlined to be merit rather than sex and it has been specified that a difference between the job content and the job title is to be observed. Jobs are not to be judged or remunerated by the title that they entail but by the contents, responsibilities and the nature of those responsibilities that they necessitate. Also, it has been delineated that the skills required for the job are to be considered a factor contributing to the pronouncement of the wage rather than the sum of skills that a person possess. The wages can differ based upon working conditions such as environmental hazards and mental or physical exertion but not under any condition upon the gender of the employee. Influenced by an increase in the wage gap observed by the U.S. Census Bureau, it has been suggested that the wage gap between the sexes can be eliminated by increasing the minimum wage level and enforcing acts such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Acts more assertively. It has also been suggested that women should be entitled to more family friendly work environment policies so as to allow them to bear and balance the burden of the responsibility of their families as well as of the work place (Longley, 2004). Certain multinational organizations have heeded this suggestion and have established programs such as day care centers for the children of the female employees and special paid maternal leaves to allow women to exercise their role in

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Transformational Leadership style Research Paper

Transformational Leadership style - Research Paper Example People love working for businesses where they feel motivated and greatly inspired. A transformational leader is always inspiring, energetic, enthusiastic and passionate person who can influence the followers to change their perceptions, expectations and ultimately motivate them to work towards a common goal. This article analyses some of the transformational leadership styles evident in Starbucks’ CEO Howard Schultz. Schultz has learnt the art of transformational leadership which has really steered his business to a higher level in the recent past. According to Schultz, leadership is more than just winning or becoming triumphant but it is a continuation process which involves a number of people working towards achieving a common goal. He thinks that celebrating everyone in a company is a vital thing regardless of the position held in the business. Schultz further things that shared success is very important and that businesses requires team spirit that is highly inspired. Schu ltz believes that business itself is a team that requires highly motivated team spirit to catapult it to success. Inspiring employees is one thing that Howard believes in as it motivates them to share the company’s common goal (Bussing-Burks 76-83). ... The company gives modest paychecks, healthcare packages and stock options to her employees as a way of motivating them. He feels that by offering such kind of benefits that also involve career counseling ties the employees into the business and further creates the sense of belonging. Schultz believes that people are motivated to work even harder because they are part of the results of the company (Burke, Graeme and Cooper 183-185). Additionally, the Starbuck CEO treats his employees as one family thus prompting them to give their all to the company. Treating workforce like a family is a tool of maintaining loyalty amongst employees thus reducing even turnover rate. The warm and family treatment initiated by Schultz is one of the reasons most customers also remain loyal to the retail company due to hospitable treatment by employees. The culture is so much engrained in the company that the company does not call their workforce employees but as partners. He further provides training, le arning and some acknowledgment packages such as coffee education and learning to lead as a way of building confidence amongst the partners and boosting degree of attachment (Strauss 162-163). Schultz also gives hear to his partners’ needs and continuously consulting them and carefully receiving feedback relating to the company’s vision. He takes his time to communicate with employees via phone calls or sending emails enquiring about feedbacks of what the organization offers as well as seeking advice. What Starbuck CEO has successfully done is to communicate his vision so well that it sticks in the mind of all the partners as well as asking for their feedbacks and understanding of the vision (Cassidy & Kreitner 30-31). He further passionately

Friday, July 26, 2019

Multinational Corporations in Third World Countries Essay

Multinational Corporations in Third World Countries - Essay Example Globalization is a phenomenon where the world is increasingly becoming integrated socially, economically and politically. These is mainly due to advancements in information communication technology( ICT), improvement in transport infrastructure, expedite mass migration and movement of people as well as the trade in goods and services leading to an increased economic activity that has surpassed national markets necessitating the need to exploit markets outside the borders (Jan A S, 2000). Increased technological advancement, liberalized world markets and intense competition has resulted to increased globalization. Third world countries is a term that refers to the least developed countries of the south which includes countries found in Asia, Africa, Latin America Oceania and the Caribbean. The term came about after world war two where the bourgeoisie regimes of the west were referred to as the west while the antagonistic regimes of the orient were referred to as the East and were socialist. The newly independent countries of the south coined the term third world to signify their non aligned disposition. These countries are generally characterized by low levels of investments, rampant poverty and diseases, high illiteracy levels, poor infrastructure, political instability, poor governance where the ruling elites are wealthy (comprador bourgeoisie) coupled with high birth rate with low economic growth rate (Breda P, 1983). Other features include distorted and highly dependent economies(dependency) on aid, grants and technical assistance, a key feature that is furthered by the actions of the MNC 'S and global institutions like the world bank and the International Monetary Fund(IMF). These economies generally produce primary goods that are exported to the west for value addition while they act as markets for finished products from the west. As they are technologically inferior. Third world countries lag behind in development because of various factors but it should be noted that they why brought into the global capitalistic system through colonization-a stage in globalization, a phenomena whose effect was to be felt later more so with end of the cold war. This is one of the major reasons for the cause of under development in the least developed countries. These poor countries have always sought various ways by which they can solve these development problems mainly through foreign aid and technical assistance that is overly done under the auspice of international institutions e.g. the World Bank and the IMF. These efforts have failed over the years to stem the sinking of these countries further down the path of under development hence today there is a new approach to development in the south through the need to attract and retain the foreign direct investments (FDI's). One way of achieving these objectives has been through the privatization of state enterprises.Privatization is the sale, transfer or concession of government assets or services to a privately owned entity. This has been the cornerstone of the structural adjustment program advocated by the World Bank and the IMF in the 1980's to try and stimulate growth and development in the third world (Emmanuel S S, 1987). The aim has always been to increase efficiency brought by the need for profit maximization, and increase revenue to the state in