Et cetera, Re, and Sic

Et cetera, Re, and Sic Et cetera, Re, and Sic Et cetera, Re, and Sic By Maeve Maddox When the Latin-loving educated classes finally started taking English seriously enough to write their works in, they brought a lot of Latin terms with them. Some of the terms remain in the language, among them et cetera, re, and sic. Et cetera Commonly abbreviated etc., the Latin phrase et cetera is used at the end of a list to indicate things in addition to those already enumerated: When you go shopping, be sure to buy such staples as flour, rice, sugar, etc. In older texts, you may see it abbreviated as c. The symbol , called the ampersand, originated as a ligature for the Latin word et (and). Note: In writing and printing, a ligature is two or more letters joined together to form one character, like the letters e+t. Etc. is frequently misspelled as â€Å"ect† and mispronounced as [ek setera]. These errors can be avoided by noting that the first part of the phrase is et, not â€Å"ek.† The exact translation of et cetera is â€Å"and the others: et=and, cetera=the others. Re: Another Latin word commonly used in English is re. The Latin phrase â€Å"in re† means â€Å"in the matter of,† or â€Å"concerning.† Traditionally, the word has been written at the top of a letter, either in all caps or with an uppercase R and a lowercase e, followed by a colon: RE: Re: Until recently, Re: was understood as a way to announce the subject of the message to follow: Re: Your letter of May12, 2014 As is the case with many formerly familiar Latin expressions in English, the meaning of Re: has become blurred, and its use is shifting. Many web users believe that it is an abbreviation for regarding. Others use it in email subjects to mean â€Å"Reply.† Sic The Latin word sic in square brackets after a word in quoted material means that something in the quotation is in error. The writer quoting the material inserts [sic] to indicate that the misspelled word or inaccurate fact occurs in the original: The most usual use of [sic] familiar to the general reader is its use to signal a misspelled or word: According to the document, â€Å"Every store on Main Street has the responsibility to provide it’s [sic] own parking.† {Sic] is also used to signal an error of fact. For example: Simpson says, â€Å"In Malory’s Le Morte D’Arthur, that the young Arthur draws Excalibur [sic] from the stone and is recognized as the rightful king.† The error being flagged by [sic] does not point to a misspelling; it has to do with the fact that in Malory, the sword drawn from the stone is not Excalibur. Arthur obtains Excalibur much later, from the Lady of the Lake. Related posts on DailyWritingTips: Regarding Re: What Does Sic Mean? Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:36 Adjectives Describing LightExcited ABOUT, not "for" 50 Synonyms for "Song"

Coupon mall Essay Example

Coupon mall Essay Example Coupon mall Essay Coupon mall Essay Essay Topic: The Namesake The research was mainly focused in determining the consumer perceptions or the product as well as the store and studying the competing malls and stores with respect to the factors influencing consumer buying behavior. As part of the study, the research also included understanding the future potential of destination shopping in Indian market. An exploratory research was carried out focusing on consumer preferences, price expectation, stated and unstated needs for products in a shopping mall. The methodology followed for the research consisted of depth interview and online survey. A sample of 25 customers have been considered to understand the need gap room their previous experience with Coupon mall and what they would have really liked. Another sample of 25 customers from the competitors store has been interview, a conclusive research has been done to understand the key parameters which affect consumer behavior. An online survey was filled by 30 customers. In addition to the above, an ethnographic study has been done to understand the operational aspect of the store. The research resulted in several key findings which emphasizes the existence of potential opportunities for Coupon mall which it can leverage to meet the need gap for customer requirements. The finding about customers explains that while discount is a motivating factor for them to enter the store, they major look for good quality products in store The results also include findings on important parameters which affects the sales in other retail outlets like Shopper stops, Brand factory, Bangor central and forum mall. Predate apparels started manufacturing in 1995; as a part of its retail wing, Coupon mall started operation in 2007 at Bangor and Rapper. The journey took a fast pace as it ventured in different cities like Abridged, Hydrated, country. The normal Store sizes ranges from 25000 to 50000 sq. Ft. It follows discounted retailing format by targeting value conscious customers but promises big brands in all consumer categories. It can be categorized as a family store because of the presence of product categories across Men, Women, Kids, Accessories, Shoes and Home section. The coupon mall as the subject of the project was selected after the collective observation that the sale of coupon mall was not up to mark. It was decided the problem identification and root cause analysis would be done. Observation made around campus and noticed that coupon mall had low footfall as compared to other malls. Coupon mall was chosen as a subject of research to understand The reasons behind low footfall Is footfall affecting the sales target of the mall If discount shopping format retail appeal to Indian value customer- Are these discount retailers showing a growth in Bangor Does destination shopping has a future Literature survey Price perceptions are an essential part of a retailers store image (Lindquist, 1974/1975; Simmer and Golden, 1988). The significance of price is also underlined by recent developments in the retailing sector. Customers seem to find discount stores cheaper than traditional retailers; however, retailers should not only gauge price images. As research has underlined the multidimensionality of price images (Ezekiel, 2006) and price satisfaction (Metzger et al. 2006), retailers have to set priorities as to which image dimensions they should attach the most importance to. Some retailers might be superior in terms of paying more attention to the price-level image, while other retailers should get better with the perceived value for money. While the price- level image refers to how cheap or expensive customers recognize the store, value for money depends on what customers perceive they get in return for the prices they pay (price-performance ratio). Despite the utter size and economic importance of discount retailers along with the concentrated coverage that hey receive in the popular press, academic researchers have only recently begun to meticulously examine their strategic decision-making and the consequence of competition between them (Ting GHz, Visual Sings, Mark Mazurka, 2007). Therefore each retailer needs to evaluate the enablers and deterrents in the retail marketplace. This primarily involves identifying the key drivers of growth, the shoppers profile and challenges in the market place. Then the retailer decides the elements of the retail mix to satisfy the target markets needs more effectively than its competitors. The hospice of retail mix elements will enable it to decide the type of format or structure of business. The present study answers these questions by analyzing different parameters which impact Costumers perception. The simplicity of bringing big city department stores and traditional shopping centers and malls into communities has since given way for more customized, taste specific retail centers that precisely define their target market. Moreover, the technique in which retail and retail development has identified place and destination has changed, with its definition being used ore copiously in print and marketing contexts while less so in the dictionary of planners and developers. The changing position and makeup of suburbs and their residents, the key demographic of shopping malls and complex, spurred this change and retailers needs to alter their definition of what constitutes a destination, and with more and more customers of all backgrounds and classes moving into these crucial retail battlegrounds, it will be up to developers, planners, retailers, and demographers to study these evolving settlement trends, evaluate their connection tit retail, and continue to redefine the retail destinations around them. This study has will also focus on the future of destination shopping format in Indian retail concept. Methodology Problem Identification: To understand the problem faced by coupon mall, 25 customers were interviewed who had visited different nearby malls. They were asked some basic questions to identify the grass root problems. Research design: As per the hypothesis, a competitive analysis had been done in which different attributes were compared for different malls with the help of a survey conducted on 25 customers. Exploratory research: Another 30 customers were interviewed to understand consumers point of view on the quality parameter which came out as the major concern in initial indents interview.. Conclusive research: To the customers perception regarding coupon mall, a perceptual map was drawn on the basis of the attributes which came out as findings from the comparative study of different malls. Recommendations: Based on the findings from the study, possible recommendations were given to increase the footfall and conversion ratio of the coupon mall. Exploratory research Two-folded approach was taken for exploratory research: ) To start with the exploratory research depth interviews of local resident were taken on different location at different dates and time. The interviews were taken on both weekdays and weekends, at Eggplant mall, shopper stop, Namesakes mall and also in and outside coupon mall. The questionnaire was developed by keeping the parameters like quality, variety, assortment and discount offered by Coupon mall. A typical interview started with the question that whether a customer knew coupon mall or not.

Research controversy surrounding the constitutionality of using civil Paper

Controversy surrounding the constitutionality of using civil junctions against gangs - Research Paper Example Law enforcement department simply requires to present concrete and enough evidence associating the person to the named gang. The law enforcement agency should provide the identity of people they hang out with, the color of clothes they wear and the tattoos on their body. Due to this, gang injunctions in the US have elicited a heated debate and controversy. Civil rights lobbyists argue that the strategy and the system is not effective and that it violates human rights. They assert that it is unconstitutionally wrong to allow gangs to operate legally. This according to the civil rights movement motivates racial profiling and suppressive policing. Further, they assert that it criminalizes young individuals who may never have done or committed some crimes (O'Deane 48). Wearing wrong colors or a minor mistake or being spotted conversing with a known gang member can be sufficient to get you listed as a gang member. Once an individual is on the list, it is difficult to get a job and difficu lt to escape the area that funnels you into a gang. Law enforcement agents have used injunctions for a long time in fighting gang violence in California. It was first used in Los Angeles in the 1980s; the strategy has proved ineffective in fighting gang violence. ... Supporters of gang injunctions have asserted that the various limitations and threat of penalties act as a deterrent to criminal activities. Nevertheless, in case the reason injunctions are successful has nothing to do with the penalties and limitations that draw the attention of civil rights lawyers. The answer centers on what happens to the gang members when police officers give them evidence they possess of their criminal activities. Traditionally, police officers conceal the information before letting the case to proceed to trial. The law enforcers assume that informing the criminals or gang members about the evidence they have collected against them only assists them defend themselves during trial. However, the success of the gang injunctions is psychological in that by informing the criminals know that they are being monitored, they eventually change and modify their actions and behaviors (Grogger 77). Civil gang injunctions emerged out of extreme anxiety. In the early 190s, th e Los Angeles law enforcers were finding it to control and manage the gangs and these gangs were almost taking control of the city. Assault, homicide, and robbery rates were increasing rapidly. The drug business seemed to be increasing. The gang fights and shooting happened in daylight in public areas. Due to these heinous and criminal activities, gang injunctions were introduced as a strategy for the law enforcement agencies to control the gang activities in the city. Police officers and other law enforcers got a civil court injunction forbidding gang activity in some cities such as Pomona, West Covina, and Santa Ana in Los Angeles. The civil injunctions saw police officers address gang members as a group

Global tourism has enjoyed tremendous growth over the past fifty years Essay

Global tourism has enjoyed tremendous growth over the past fifty years - Essay Example Tourism is a dynamic industry which enhances economic performance by generating valuable benefits, either in the form of infrastructural development or by creating positive publicity for individual destinations and countries. The social benefits offered by the tourism industry Global tourism industry has enjoyed tremendous growth over the past fifty years. This growth has contributed to the development of the society. The social benefits offered by the tourism industry are - The industry acts as a vital source of income as well as employment opportunities which are highly flexible. In the absence of this sector, the global GDP would be quite low and a major portion of the people in a society would be unemployed and live in poverty. Tourism industry has led to the development and improvement of the society. More than 50% of the people now live in cities globally and it is predicted that the percentage will rise to 75% by 2025. The tourism industry has helped to overcome the problem of cultural differences between people all over the world. Tourism industry has diversified the area of work culture and work practices. This has led to the rise in employment opportunities and has significantly reduced unemployment (â€Å"Travel and Tourism 2011† 5). Challenges faced by the Tourism Industry The Tourism Industry has faced a number of new challenges in its way of growth which reflects the structure of the industry. The challenges faced are- The industry had difficulty in achieving the target employment growth in mature markets due to the absence of proper human resource strategies which play a strong role in attracting and retaining employees. The period of 2000-2010 recorded a high growth in GDP as a result of the contribution of the tourism industry. But the growth was volatile with economic uncertainties, uneven, and was affected by terrorists’ attacks and epidemics. This affected the overall growth of GDP as the direct contribution of GDP in all the m arkets was not equal. As the tourism industry is in the verge of growth and development, it is facing more competition in field of capital investment from its global competitors. Terrorist attacks have led to the evolution of high concerns to the safety and security of the hosts. Technological advancement has increased the expectation of the customers. So, the tourism industry must be developed in connection to the technological developments so that it can be successfully meet the expectations and requirements of the changing consumers (â€Å"Economic Development Strategy Report† 29). Opportunities and Barriers to the further growth of the Tourism Industry in Nanaimo, Canada The opportunities to the further growth of the Tourism Industry in Nanaimo, Canada are- The Industry has developed several products, outdoor activities, recreational packages, sport tourism, and art and culture so as to attract the customers. This will provide the customers with a lively and variant exper ience. The Industry has introduced the provision of conducting different festivals and events, so as to meet the requirements and expectations of both the customers and its employees (Nanaimo Tourism, 4). The Industry is trying to

International Business ) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

International Business ) - Research Paper Example Corporate social responsibility also has a great impact on the company’s market share and expendability. Many companies in various continents treat corporate social responsibility as a key aspect of their company survival technique. It has evolved from being a value additional concept of management to on being among the key concepts. This is because consumers evaluate their produces depending on how friendly they are to the environment, and their conformance to most of the international laws that business ethics demand be met. Many European companies are among the leading socially responsible companies in the present society (Global edge, 2012). This is true because Europe gets ranked as one of the greatest markets in the world. For this reason, the companies that operate in this zone must be willing to impress their consumers. The FTSE index provides the best tool in monitoring corporate socially responsible companies, in Europe, and the remaining parts of the world. The resh uffle of leading global responsible investment index series provides information on the companies that have adhered to environmental and social laws in the internal business arena. Companies get to fluctuate from one position to another because social laws change daily, and an organization will not be able to conform to each and every that is passed. In addition, not all corporate laws are universal. One of the most common companies that are socially responsible in Europe is Microsoft Europe. This is a company that was invented by Bill Gates and Paul Allen way back in 1975, and has since with co-operation with other companies revolutionized the software computing industry. As a software company, Microsoft does not face common responsibility in terms of social and environmental laws like other production companies. This is because it does not pollute the environment or utilize much of its resources (Barth & Wolff, 2009). Despite this, social responsibility has been key to the company because it has since been expanding in to different countries that harbor different social values. Microsoft has also been aware of the security issue their customers get to face in the internet, hence introducing free protective software’s such as windows defender. They have also included a vast number of language packs for their software users, hence allowing their products to be used by almost everybody in the world. Another company that is well known for its social responsibility and international conformance is Toshiba. Toshiba is an electrical component manufacturing companies to most other manufacturing companies, mostly in the computer industry. With a company of this nature, it demands so much from the environment due to the need for raw materials such as plastic and carbon fiber used in designing electrical circuit boards. It also utilizes metallic elements in some of its parts mostly aluminum and copper wires for cabling purposes. This means that the company gets to emit a lot of toxic gases to the environment. This will demand that to shows a lot of responsibility to those that live in its environment, and employees that work inside. However, the German company is ranked as the 22nd among the top a hundred companies that are socially responsible. This is because they have made sure that they do not release high levels of toxic gases to

Comparing poems Nothings changed Essay Example for Free

Comparing poems Nothings changed Essay The Poem nothings changed is based on Tatamkhulu Afrika himself who spent many years in South Africa and his autobiographical poem which describes most of what him and others had experienced and his own feelings expressed during the policy of Apartheid, introduced by the government in his country. This forced many popular attractions such as beaches, buses and even towns to be changed to white areas only. For some this meant leaving the country forever all just because of the colour of there skin. The poem itself is set out in six stanzas, each including eight fairly short but important lines. This kind of layout and structure in the poem creates a sense of control, showing how the poet is extremely clear about what he is saying and feeling in his head with no sudden actions leading to rage. Within the pattern of the poem the line lengths do also vary from a whole entire stanza to just two little words. For example: District Six. No board says it is: but my feet know, and my hands, and the skin about my bones, and the soft labouring of my lungs,and the hot, white, inwards turning. This shows how the structure of the strong poem changes in the stanzas, gradually getting bigger sentences as the stanza speaks on, giving a feeling of confidence in the poet proving he knows what he is talking about with all the information gathering. The whole poem is written in the present tense, although always recalling past experience he had the poet is constantly reliving the experience as he writes every word. This makes this poem in particular stand out from what were they like? due to the fact it is easy to identify what is going on. The poet also clearly states how he is feeling and what he is exactly doing as he writes, describing every little detail by putting us in his shoes. The poem overall describes how he returns to the wasteland that was once his home and relives the anger he felt when the area was first destroyed. With him seeing the restaurant Which consists of being expensive, stylish, exclusive with a guard at the gatepost it makes him think about the poverty around it especially the working mans cafi across from it were people live without eating from plates and on a plastic table top. This makes him reflect that despite the changing political situation, there are still huge inequalities between blacks and whites. Even though South Africa is supposed to have changed, he knows the new restaurant is really whites only. He feels that nothing has really changed overall. The deep anger he feels makes him want to destroy the restaurant completely to smash the glass with a stone, or a bomb. Secondly the poem what were they like written by Denise Levertov who wrote poems that opposed American fighting in Vietnam in the 1960s. This particular poem is against the typical American ignorance of the Vietnam war. She published the poem to show her true feelings about what the American army themselves had done to the people and the way of life of Vietnam. The structure of the poem is like an interview, having the interviewer or questioner ask all the questions together and then the speaker answer each question after one another. Altogether there are six questions followed by six very surprising answers. Also at the end of the poem the answers are followed by a rhetorical question who can say? This makes the reader think in there head about the answer and shows the unusual treatment Vietnam received by the American army. In the poem itself she compares two different periods, before and after the war had ended showing the interesting experiences people were put in and what she wants answered for. The tone in the first section of the poem includes a thought on curiosity and full of wonder and also could be considered as being questions which are asked quickly and impatiently as when reading them you want to get to the answers straight away. Also the tone of the questioner may seem to be angry and a state of foolishness and insensitivity, yet still having a sense of sadness because of the loss of such an innocent country and the people who lived there during this hectic time. The questioner themselves represent the uninformed Americans and the response being Denise Levertov giving the impression that the questioner should have known more about Vietnam. The responses to the questions seem rather bitter and brutal to the suffering people as when read seem honest and quickly spoken in your head which is what the poet is trying to get at to show the emotion of which happened during the war itself. Overall both poems include some similar qualities, both being completely true and poets experiencing the lives lived out there. Yet nothings changed is describing the life long change of the country since introducing the law of Apartheid in the 1960s and how the country is still living with it, and overcoming the stress and changes the country had to make to change the lives of black and white people which is something of anger and hatred. This is shown by a personal experience form living in the country and visiting local areas and recording the atmosphere of the place. This anger can also be shown in what were they like although this particular poet may have had experience from Vietnam she was not there to see it and includes in her poem questions referring to the fact she wants answers to what has happened in the past war against America. This shows the poems are different one including life experience on unfair laws made and the other just wanted answers on what she believes what happened in the Vietnam war is completely wrong.

Aravind Eye Hospital, India: Mission and Vision

Aravind Eye Hospital, India: Mission and Vision Aravind Eye Hospital:Â  Improving Lives One Eye at a Time A Brief Introduction Imagine having the world as you know it cease to exist, the things you once saw be erased, and having no hope to gain control of your life. This is how life for many people in India once was, and how it still is for some even today. A cataract, a curable infliction of the eye, has attacked men and women of every age, sparing no one, not even a child. They build up in size over time, and leave many blind. Once struck, the individual in question can no longer work, and has no way to take care of themselves, making them entirely dependent on their family for support. Living in an already impoverished area, blindness has dire consequences, resulting in many cases of premature death. There is a simple procedure that can reverse the effects of cataracts and return sight to the user. However, this surgery is too costly for some to afford. In India, a country with an extremely high poverty rate, cataracts had become a major problem for the inhabitants. Cataracts have left millions to suffer with an unnecessary disability, but one man came about to challenge its hold on the people of India. Dr. Govindappa Venkataswamy revolutionized the medical field of eye care, and built a health institution that would allow everyone afflicted to get the help they needed, despite their ability to pay. This case analysis examines that institution, how it came into existence, how it operates, its creator, and the general background of the country of origination. Poverty and Healthcare in India Poverty is one of the biggest social issues in India. According to the Indian government, of its nearly 1 billion inhabitants, an estimated 260.3 million are below the poverty line. More than 75% of these poor people reside in impoverished villages (Azad, 2008). The causes of rural poverty include inadequate and ineffective implementation of anti-poverty programs, and the unavailability of irrigational facilities. The poor irrigation systems result in crop-failure and low agricultural productivity, forcing farmers into a debt-trap. Economic development since independence has been lopsided. There has been an increase in unemployment rates that have forced many people into a state of poverty, and the population continues to grow at an alarming rate (Economy, 2009). Overpopulation of an already scarce job field has kept many individuals trapped by poverty. India has a Universal Health Care System operated by the government, like many other industrialized countries. The governmental hospitals offer health care to the masses at the tax-payers expense. The Indian government set up the health care system to help people who are below the poverty line, but many people have problems using the hospitals. One reason for this is the fact that there are an extremely low number of medical practitioners available for the people. Another reason is that most public hospitals are inefficient, and provide poor quality medical services to their patients. Quality could be better, but public hospitals generally only provide basic treatment, and have lower quality equipment to perform with. Inefficiency in the system is caused by the imbalance between medical providers and the needy population. For example, although India requires more than 74,000 hospitals to satisfy demand, it just has about 37,000 health care centers (Liberty, 2009). Due to the impoverished peoples lack of resources, they cannot afford to go to a private eye hospital to get their cataracts removed. And because of the limited availability and help from government hospitals, and their inability to perform eye surgery, most individuals are left with no choice but to remain blind. This in turn adds to the increasing rate of unemployment, as it is difficult for a blind person to get or maintain a job. And that leads to having even more people below the poverty line, as it is not only the individual in question, but their entire family as well. If there was a place they could go to be treated, it would help stop the cycle of poverty, and give them a fighting chance to live. Enter the Vision, Aravind Eye Hospital Aravind Eye Hospital has risen from its humble beginnings to promote eye health not only in India, but also throughout the world. Doctor Govindappa Venkataswamy, along with his sister and brother-in-law, started Aravind in 1976 (Maurice, 2001). This eye hospital was first opened in a rented house that contained only ten beds. The three founders were the only doctors at Aravind when it first opened. Since then it has grown little by little each year. This hospital has grown into a five-story building that is located in Madurai, in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. This particular hospital now contains 1,900 beds. As of 2001, approximately 1.5 million blind people have left this one hospital with their sight completely restored. In addition to this, Aravind Eye Hospital has now expanded into a total of five hospitals throughout India (Maurice, 2001). The Aravind franchise includes a hospital created specifically to help restore sight to children (Maurice, 2001). The Internationa l Institute for Community Ophthalmology, which is a part of Aravind Eye Hospital, trains eye care workers from low-income countries. There is a medical research foundation as well as an eye bank that handles about 900 corneas a year that are associated with Aravind. Aurolab is a manufacturing facility that makes lenses, pharmaceuticals, and surgery supplies for Aravind (Maurice, 2001). Aravind Eye Hospital later branched out and opened Aurolab, despite disagreements from the Indian government, because imported intraocular lenses, IOLs, were too expensive for low-income patients to afford (Shah, 2004). Aurolab makes approximately 700,000 IOLs each year (Maurice, 2001). These IOLs are then sold, not only to Aravind but to eye care facilities in over eighty countries, for a price that is ten times less expensive than the same quality of IOLs used in western countries (Maurice, 2001). Aurolab also manufactures spectacles, sutures, and medications along with the IOLs, to sell to the hosp itals for reduced costs (Chang, 2004). The Aravind group worked with approximately 1.3 million patients in 2000 (Maurice, 2001). This is about 85-90% more than most other hospitals in India. Also, Aravind holds mobile eye camps throughout the year to raise eye care awareness in India (Maurice, 2001). These eye camps screen villagers on a Sunday, then bus the patients into Aravind in the evening (Chang, 2004). The surgeries are then performed on Monday. There are usually 300-400 cases on Mondays, with the record being 500 cases (Chang, 2004). Most eye surgeons in the world perform less than 350 surgeries each year. At Aravind, the average number of surgeries per doctor is 2000 per year. Aravind looks to multiply its benefits by hiring and training local doctors and surgeons. Even though Aravind pays slightly more than the government hospitals, seven to ten doctors leave each year. The reason is, since Aravind is nonprofit organization, it is unable to compete pay wise with private practice institutions (Maurice, 2001). The Path to Aravind As previously mentioned, Aravind was founded by Govindappa Venkataswamy, who is commonly known as Dr. V (Maurice, 2001). Dr. V does not view his job as work, but rather as something that he is excited to be able to do. According to Dr. V, if there is something you can do, you should do it. Dr. V was born in 1918 and died at the age of 87 on July 7, 2006 (Govindappa, 2009). He received a Bachelors of Arts in chemistry from American College in Madurai in 1938. Then, in 1944, he received a doctor of medicine from Stanley Medical College in Madras. Finally in his education he received a doctor of ophthalmology from the Government Ophthalmic Hospital in Madras in 1951. From 1976 until his death in 2006, Dr. V was the chairman of Aravind Eye Hospital. In 1956 he was named the head of the Department of Ophthalmology at the Government Madurai Medical College. At the same time, he was an eye surgeon at the Government Erksine Hospital. He held both of these positions for twenty years until his forced retirement from the government hospital in 1976 (Govindappa, 2009). Dr. V was partly influenced in the creation of Aravind by his mentor, the philosopher and mystic Sri Aurobindo, whom Dr. V was a disciple of for fifty years (Maurice, 2001). When Dr. V was asked about the influence of his mentor into Aravind, he made the following statement: You do your best in your job and higher ideas come to you, and then you try to realize those ideas too (Maurice, 2001). Dr. V was also motivated from his work at the government hospital (Shah, 2004). The government asked him to have four camps a year while he still worked with the government hospital in 1961. This also proved to be a part of his opportunity identification. He saw the number of patients attending rise each time the camp was held (Shah, 2004). The fact that eighteen million people are blind by curable cataracts worldwide is another part of Dr. Vs opportunity identification (Chang, 2004). This number is growing at an alarmi ng, nearly epidemic rate. Blindness causes reduced life expectancy, and productivity is lost for both for the blind as well as for those that care for them (Chang, 2004). Dr. Govindappa Venkataswamy: A True Social Entrepreneur Dr. V had entrepreneurial quality, which is one of the four categories used to evaluate Ashoka nominees (Bornstein, 2004). People with entrepreneurial quality seek to change an entire field, not just get something done locally. People with this trait not only want to express their ideas, but they want to go out and be a part of solving the problems by executing their ideas (Bornstein, 2004). Dr. V has shown entrepreneurial quality through his work at standardizing the procedures for cataract surgery because this allowed the change to spread throughout the field, not just at his hospitals in India. Another way he has shown entrepreneurial quality is through the training that Aravind does for doctors in other countries. Finally, the fact that Dr. V did over 100,000 eye surgeries successfully himself shows that he was willing to be a part in executing his idea (Govindappa, 2009). The Six Qualities of Social Entrepreneurship Dr. V has also demonstrated the six qualities of a successful social entrepreneur as laid out by David Bornstein (2004). These six qualities are as follows: the willingness to self-correct, the willingness to share credit, the willingness to break free from established structures, the willingness to cross disciplinary boundaries, the willingness to work quietly, and a strong ethical impetus (Bornstein, 2004). Dr. V asked for help from business schools to on how to keep doctors from falling back into complacency at their own hospitals after completing training with Aravind (Shah, 2004). This shows his willingness to share credit because he publicly sought their help. It also shows his willingness to self-correct because when he saw the problem of doctors becoming complacent, even after receiving Aravinds training, he took active measures to fix the problem. He also shared credit with the other doctors that work with him, acknowledging the fact that Aravind could never have become such a success without the hard work put forth by everyone involved. And as mentioned earlier, the government was against the creation of Aurolab (Shah, 2004). By creating the facility anyway, Dr. V demonstrated his willingness to break free from established structures. Dr. V was able to cross disciplinary fields from medical and into manufacturing when he opened Aurolab. Also, by working privately at creating Aurolab and making it affordable, Dr. V demonstrated his ability to work quietly (Shah, 2004). Dr. V has repeatedly demonstrated his strong ethical impetus. During an interview Dr. V said that the focus of Aravind was on honesty and respecting the patients (Shah, 2004). Also, he said he tries to choose compassion over cost. This is exemplified when they spend more than the fixed charge for a patient because they do not charge the extra cost to the patient. R.D. Thularsiraj, the executive director of Aravind, says that Dr. V instituted a system of values into the hospital that has the effect of guiding their work to wanting to help others and away from focusing too much on money (Maurice, 2001). Finally, Dr. V has capacity building programs that basically work to instill integrity and quality into new hospitals (Shah, 2004). Structuring Sustainability, the Core of Aravind Dr. V wanted to reach those who had not been reached before, and help the poverty stricken individuals, who without his help, would not be able to see. He removed barriers, promoted community involvement, and had a growing market model for healthcare. Even after his death, his dream is still living on. Aravind continues to explore new approaches to the primary eye care market, and continuously seeks new innovations to help the population. When opening the first hospital in Madurai, in Tamil Nadu, his sister and her husband, both eye surgeons, joined Dr. V in his efforts. To cut costs, all three doctors took significant pay cuts since bankers would not finance a clinic that, regardless of ability to pay, gives eye care to the rich and poor. Dr. V even mortgaged his house to get the necessary finances to start the hospital. Within a year, all the efforts paid off and the hospital quadrupled in size. There are now five Aravind Eye Hospitals, and all are self sustaining, thanks to a blueprint copying system that has allowed for easier knowledge transfusion throughout the hospital chain. Dr. V took the unusual step of asking even poor patients to pay whenever they could, believing that the volume of paying business, which amounts to approximately 30% of clients, would sustain the rest (Aravind, 2007). Two thirds of patients receive the free outpatient services, while paying patients receiving additional amenities, such as private rooms for extended recovery, and hot meals. The profit made from every one paying customer covers the costs of two patients that cannot pay. Aravind is famous for its fee structure. The consultations are free for poor patients while others pay 50 Rs (their currency, approximately $1 US). Impoverished patients can be expected to pay as little as nothing, or up to 250 Rs, which is as much as they can spare. A subsidized rate is 750 Rs (approximately $15 US). The regular patient fee, which is aimed for middle income patients, is 3,500-6,000 Rs. For a Phaco surgery, the rate is 6,500-12,000 Rs (Saravana,2002). This is a need based transparent financial system, and it is this kind of trust and care Aravind has built that attracts paying patients. The lower than market cost for even the paying patients, at least 25% lower, attracts them also. The Business Model of Aravind Aravind Eye Hospital operates with a business model unlike that of any other business in the health care industry, bearing striking similarities to the fast food industry instead. Dr. V. was impressed with how a chain like McDonalds could offer the same quality product no matter where you went, and still get it to you quickly (Health, 2007). He became adamant about the fact that a hospital could be run under the same principle, and trained his employees to treat large amounts of people without sacrificing quality. Today, Aravinds network of hospitals has the distinction of being the most productive eye care organization in the world in terms of surgical volume and the number of patients treated. The success of Aravinds business model is dependent on numbers, as it is the high-volume of low cost procedures that offsets the costs associated with delivering such a high quality service. In order to reach more patients, Aravind Eye Hospital advertises its services heavily, and is benefite d by the positive word of mouth that has quickly spread about them. They have also implemented technology that allows his staff to serve people that are not able to come to the hospital; they do this by video conferencing, instant messaging, online patient questionnaires, and through the use of web cams. One example of how they have used technology to help their business can be seen through the internet kiosks the place in remote villages. Here, they have women trained to take pictures of the patients eyes using a webcam, then they send the images to the Doctor along with the filled out patient questionnaire. The doctor then receives the file via e-mail almost instantaneously, and is able to interact with the patient through an online chat program. This is made possible because of collaboration with the University of Berkeley Information Technology center, with a low cost Wi-Fi connection. This provides access to the patient, and a remarkable cost reduction. This also allows the sta ff to provide consultations with people who would otherwise not be able to make it to the hospital, and makes it easier for the team to transfer information between each other (Aravind, 2007). What Makes Aravind Different A core part of Aravinds model is to never turn away a patient due to economic reasons. In fact, it has even been recorded that Dr. V once accepted a chicken as payment for surgery. The goal of Aravind is to help as many people as they can, not to make a profit. Their business model is formatted in a way that provides a level of self-sustainability that allows them to use all income towards expanding their processes, improving their work, and keeping services free to those who need them. Dr. V set up this model believing that people will pay when they can, even if its months after their surgery. Aravinds business model originally focused on just eye surgery and care, but after time it expanded into manufacturing in order to create low cost lenses. This change in the model was necessary because importing the lenses from the West was too expensive, and in order to comply with their vision of providing eye care to the disadvantaged, they needed to come up with a way to lower costs. Anoth er way they have put into their system to help them reach more clients is by using a two tiered pricing structure. Wealthy people are expected to contribute more, and for every one paid surgery, Aravind can afford to do many free surgeries. And because Aravind is the best eye hospital in the region, wealthy people choose to go there. In order to maintain maximum levels of efficiency and resource usage, the hospital staff performs just their specific specialization, and the surgery procedures themselves are standardized. And to make sure that all who want to go to Aravind are able to, the clinic provides buses that pick people up in the morning, and then drive them back to their communities after the day is over (Shah, 2009). Before the patients are brought to the hospital, they must go through an eye screening at their local community, using one of the internet kiosks as mentioned earlier. They are then evaluated, and transported to the hospital if it appears that surgery or a live consultation will be necessary. This process is promoted, organized, and financially backed by local business leaders. In keeping staffing cost low, Aravind recruits locally. The majority of the staff is from local villages. Being trained and having grown up in the same community as they will be working, they share the dream of the hospital. And since local wages expectations and cost of living are low, the hospital can pay these individuals less than individuals coming from out of the country. The medical staff is also trained, not only for a job, but a prestigious life long career. For each surgeon, the hospital has four highly trained paramedics for support. Aravind Eye Hospitals ophthalmologists are linked with video conferencing with their Vision Centers technicians for each patient. Expanding their business model, Aravind ventured into lens production. They now have a factory that can produce parts at low-cost prices. Compared to the $200 for imported lenses, they produce these for about $5 at their home factory (Dan, 2008). Now, because of outside funding they export their products to over 80 countries. Their method to production lens was branched out to produce other products such as blades, instruments, sutures, and pharmaceuticals. They can produce these products for fractions of what the western world can, and make a handsome profit. This also cuts costs on buying them from somewhere else. The income gained from the paying patients contributes to approximately 20% of the budget. The other income comes from the production of manufactured products and the provision of training and consultations. In order to retain a sustainable operation Aravind is constantly looking to improve. Since they adopted many technologies earlier than other hospitals they are remain ing high in breakthrough technology. They utilize their technology to communicate easier with fellow staff members, patients, partners, and other hospitals across the globe. Aravind has regular reviews of their system, and follows up on executive decisions to ensure they stick to their intended model. But they are always looking for new ways to better themselves, and to grow. Scalability of the Aravind Model The Aravind System has a great approach to overcoming obstacles in the cataract surgery industry. The main characteristic of the Aravind model is that they provide quality care at prices that everyone can afford. They are self sustaining, yet still able to provide their services to the poor and rich alike. Their business model stresses a maximum use of all resources. This is all achieved by their high volume quality, and a well structured system. The Aravind model can be replicated in countries with inexpensive labor. For example, the model would work well in Asia or underprivileged areas in Africa. Their model will work well if you have a large population with a social need, and if you can find doctors who are willing to operate many times daily. Also, to be financially stable there must be enough revenue to cover the free services from the paying ones. The cost of the service cannot be too high. In order for the need-based service to work, there must be incentives to paying. The people at Aravind pay because they want to have a bed in a private room with air conditioning, or the other amenities that they offer. Aravind eliminated non-beneficial activities and wait time. By having standardized protocols of clinical procedures, activities, and administrative measures, it cuts down on the error count and makes procedures more efficient. The surgeons do not do tasks such as preparing patients, taking measurements, or diagnostic s testing, this is all done by trained assistants. Letting the surgeons focus on just the surgical procedure itself. It cuts down on transition time between surgeries. The state of the art technology requires surgeons to exhibit less energy, and allows them to operate more times per day. Since surgeons average 1700 more surgeries than the national average, there are many benefits to being an Aravind surgeon. Surgeons here do not only want to make a difference in the lives of the people, but by performing many more surgeries than they would otherwise, they are also bettering themselves. Aravind has reached over 200 hospitals through their consultancy process, and they hope to reach many more in the near future. The Aravind model makes scalability in developing nations limitless through their fee system, management techniques, high aspirations, and quality of care. From the David Bornsteins book example of blueprint copying, Aravind wants to be used as an example. They want their techniques, management protocols, and philosophies to be copied by others, as well as they have in making their hospitals across India. Just as the Grameen Banks idea of Micro-credit has spread to numerous lending programs, Aravinds basic model, a 250-bed hospital was adopted in Mumbai, Kolkata and Nepal hospitals. Also, the Indian government is adopting Aravinds medical protocol doctrine for their training centers around the country. Aravinds goal is to be an example of efficient management and inexpensive care to patients, since any ophthalmologist can provide eye care, but can only sustai n affordability to the masses as long as it is managed properly. This is their new focus called Managed Eye Hospitals. In the long term, according to their website, they want to affect a larger population, by exceeding 100 eye care hospitals spreading to other parts of the world. They want to be an example for other health care hospitals to become more efficient, and to grow and thrive. Aravinds ultimate goal is to join together with others to help eliminate treatable blindness entirely by the year 2020 (Aravind, 2009). A Bittersweet Critique It is hard to critique a social business, as we try to negate or justify the flaws in the system by contrasting it with the good it does for the public. However, a company, no matter how well intentioned, cannot grow to its full potential if not given the criticism necessary to improve their system. In this section, we will first explain the flaws we found within Aravind and how we believe they might negatively affect the company in the future. Then we will explain some of the great benefits or pros of Aravind, and how we believe they will perform in the future. The Bad The business model of Aravind, although scalable, is very reliant upon having a strong client base. In particular, it needs a constant influx of paying customers to negate the costs incurred by offering their services for free or for extremely reduced prices. The location of new ventures is also a factor of success for the model to work, as their structure involves hiring local residents to work in the hospitals. If the quality of workers is diminished in the area attempted, then the Aravind system will not run as efficiently or effectively as intended. Also, it would cost them more to bring in employees from outside the area, which would raise the overall cost level, and reduce their ability to offer their services to the impoverished people of the area. Another flaw in the Aravind system is the high turnover rate they must deal with. Doctors come from all over the globe to train in these hospitals, as they perform more surgeries in a day than they would otherwise perform in a few m onths time. But since Aravind is trying to operate on as small a cost budget as possible, they cannot afford to pay their staff rates that are high enough to compete with private practice firms. One final flaw we saw when examining Aravind, was the fact that they make staff members work even when they are sick. Although this is done to keep production up, it also makes room for errors, and contagion. The dedication seen by the employees is admirable, but when sick, you should not be performing any service in the medical field. The Good Aravind has greatly enlarged the social impact they have on society by not only providing a necessary service to meet one of their healthcare needs, but also by creating jobs and hiring locally. This is seen both with Aravind hospitals and with their manufacturing plant, Aurolab. Aravind could easily outsource to get employees and resources, but instead they choose to continue helping the social sector in their respective areas. And even though Aravind Eye Hospitals treat more patients than any other eye care facility in the world, they continue to advertise their service across the country in order to find and serve more individuals. They are actively seeking out their target market instead of waiting for them to come to them. Eye camps, kiosks, and bus runs have been created by the Aravind system to get them closer to their market, and physically bring their clients in. Their use of technology allows them to consult and share their practices with hospitals worldwide, and increases productivity among staff members, and allows them to reach the population that cannot make it into the hospitals. Aravind Eye Hospitals have created an efficient and effective service that best serves the social sector, and provides much needed help to the economically disadvantaged and blind population. And because Aravind is renowned worldwide for its innovation in the field, technical excellence, and operational efficiency, it attracts new ophthalmologists to the system. Once these new surgeons get trained in the Aravind way, it betters the surgeon himself because of the massive amount of surgeries he will complete, and it also extends the Aravind practice into even more hospitals across the globe. We believe that Aravind is doing an excellent job so far, and has a very sustainable model. They have been critical in their decision making thus far, and we feel confident that they will only become stronger as time goes by. This will hit a cap at some point though, as Aravind gets closer to reaching its vision of curing all the worlds treatable blindness, their market will start to decline. Once demand sinks low enough, the current model used by Aravind will become useless, and they will need to undergo some major revisions to their model. Overall though, it really is an excellent business model, and is doing a great deal of good for the people of India. Work Citations Azad India Foundation: http://www.azadindia.org/social-issues/poverty-in-india.html Economy Watch: http://www.economywatch.com/indianeconomy/poverty-in-india.html Reason For Liberty: http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/indian-health-care-an-overview.html Bornstein, David. How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, Inc., 2004. Print. Chang, David F. Three programs offer hope. (Cover story). Ophthalmology Times 34.9 (2009): 1-43. Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition. EBSCO. Web. 27 Oct. 2009. Govindappa Venkataswamy, MD (deceased). ASCRS: The American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. 2009. ASCRS. Web. 17 Nov. 2009. Maurice, J. Restoring sight to the millionsthe Aravind way. Bulletin of the World Health Organization 79.3 (2001): 270. CINAHL. EBSCO. Web. 27 Oct. 2009. Shah, Janat, and L. S. Murty. Compassionate, High Quality Health Care at Low Cost: The Aravind Model. IIMB Management Review 16.3 (2004): 31-43. Business Source Complete. EBSCO. Web. 4 Nov. 2009. Aravind Eye Hospitals: http://74.125.93.132/search?q=cache:-V-GZ0L9JZMJ:www.aravind.org/tribute/A%2520Man%2520Who%2520Saved%25202.4%2520Million%2520Eyes.pdf+aravind+eye+hospital+business+modelcd=7hl=enct=clnkgl=us Health Scribe Media: http://health.scribemedia.org/2007/01/03/aravind-eye-clinic/ Saravanan, S., Organisational Capacity Builting- A Model Developed by Aravind Eye Care System http://laico.org, retrieved on 11-29-2009, http://laico.org/v2020resource/files/capacity_build.pdf. Dan, Sorin A.,ARAVIND EYE HOSPITAL:Assignment Public Managementhttp://www.people.umass.edu, retrieved on 11-27-2009. http://www.people.umass.edu/sdan/projectspapers/Aravind.pdf. Last opened 11/29/2009.