Hinduism Research Paper Essay Example for Free

Hinduism Research Paper Essay For me, the process of reading this section and sorting the confusion of thoughts thereafter enough to write about, involved several attempts to reading, writing and letting it go. As I read through this section with much anticipation, I found myself struggling to capture the essence of the writings of Kant, Weber, Marx, Hegel and others. After numerous readings, I realised that I was reading about modernity through the perspective of western philosophical writers and social thinkers. My eastern heritage and western education had somehow missed adequate information on both Hinduism and a balanced approach to modernity. As I read the writings of Smith, shortly after the first page, the expectation of deepening my understanding of Hinduism was pushed to the back burner and I received an education on western philosophical and social thought. That was disappointing because I had hoped to learn more about Hinduism and its place in the modern day. My expectation was that somehow the author would reconcile so called rational theorisations (that I too am very attached to) and the in-explainable Hindu concepts that I was familiar with. Unfortunately, other than seeing shadows of faith based thinking in Hegel, the section on Hinduism and modernity abruptly ends with little or no understanding on Hinduism and the assortment of modern day theorists do not bridge the intellectual divide between the two concepts. A couple of days after reading this section and failing to write any thoughts, I suddenly realised another obstacle in my thinking. When I lived in India, amidst the Indian culture, I had come to accept Hinduism as the â€Å"modern† religion as opposed to Christianity or Islam. The basis of this label was that Hinduism lacked a book or structured definitions and paid no attention to conversion of others to Hinduism. As an organised religion, it was wonderfully ambiguous, largely spiritual and open to individual expression. It was okay to discard rituals or practices that did not my approval. That essence of Hinduism that I carried from my stay in India was a sharp contrast to the author’s perspective of Hinduism being the example of a â€Å"traditional† religion, and perhaps a far cry from modernity. My personal thought is that Hinduism, like philosophical or social theory has over the last 2000 plus years been defined by male dominated patriarchal societies. Like the cream on homemade Indian yogurt, that layer needs to be peeled away to study the essence of Hinduism or modernity and understand the closeness they share. European Discovery of Hinduism from â€Å"Hinduism and Modernity† The European discovery of Hinduism spans a period from the 15th century when the ports of Goa opened up for the Portuguese traders to the 18th century when the British begin to live in India and acculturate themselves with some of the Indian traditions. In these three hundred years, India seemed to change from an isolated country hidden from the world, to a country that could no longer hide its spices, its riches and its culture. Sadly though, the discovery of Hinduism for non Indians did not have a clear theoretical base, and was dependant on a largely oral and abstractly written sparse Hindu religious/cultural history, during a time when the Indian society was not open to sharing with the outside world. As a result, the accounts of Hinduism written by visitors depicted the Hindu religion as grotesque or insipid, by European writers who travelled to India and experienced the culture from their biblical eyes. The practice of sati, the deification of kings, the extreme deprivation of Brahmans and the overly sexualised art altogether presented a confusing picture that could not be corrected, because the language of India was not understood by the Europeans. To their sensibilities, the ways of the Indians were horrifying to say the least. The Europeans in India, who could have had the opportunity to experience the Hindu culture first hand, also were kept at the fringes by the Indians, as per the writings of Bentinck in 1807. It seemed as though their (European) â€Å"needs† and â€Å"business† were â€Å"taken care† for them, without them disturbing the hierarchy and the dictates of the local culture. At this point, it seems as though the hierarchical society in India was interchangeably used to represent the Hindu religion. There seemed to be very little understanding of the Hindu religion apart from the social structure, with the teachings of he religion being a closely guarded secret, by the priests and the wealthy. The fact that that Indians were not open to foreigners examining their religion is evident from Bernier’s writings. Bernier’s base of atomism of Gassendi could have led to a productive exchange between the European and Indian culture, however, it seemed as if he gave u p because he could not visualise a coherent Hindu cosmological theory and the â€Å"pundit† who was his only source of information, did not have enough skills to dialogue. There were sporadic writings through this time, for example by Abraham Roger, 1649, themed on â€Å"Paganism† that attempted to describe the Hindu culture of India, but at some point they tended to disintegrate into a judgemental dismissal of the body of knowledge that was very different to say the least. There always seemed to be enough examples to create caricatures and convince the western world, that India was not worthy of serious enquiry. All in all, from a modern day perspective, it seems that the Indians had created multiple layers to protect themselves from invaders, missionaries, scholars, traders all of them having an agenda to rip open the cultural centre and expose the vulnerability to the world. So it seems that visitors were kept at bay, given spices, gold, and sent on their way. The resistance also came from an established social structure and was maintained by those in power, for whom, it made sense to keep up the confusing and diffused aura, so they may profit as the privileged few who understood both sides. Marx and Weber’s writings in the 19th century are also historical sources of information on this time, although Marx did not write anything that helped the world understand Hinduism. Webers’s writings did contain some key concepts which were central to the Hindus, such as â€Å"Samskaras† or â€Å"Karma† but also contained some extreme views which were more true of Webers’ own personal struggles and growth. It was not until the late 18th century, under the colonial rule by the British, that Indians met westerners as friends, who wanted to understand or join the Indian culture, without an agenda. Around that time, Indians within India had also begun to look beyond their borders and the environment seemed ready for cultural exchange. The exchanges thereafter where both the Indian and the British culture absorbed elements from each other created an environment where a genuine interest could sustain and studies could be done. Dayananda Saraswati from â€Å"A Source-Book of Modern Hinduism† Dear Sikander Bhaiya, I came across something interesting and wanted to share it with you. I’m taking a class in Hinduism, about 10,000 miles away from home, and learning about Dayananda Saraswati, who as it turns out, is the founder of our Arya Samaj sect. You may recognize the Arja Samaj nurseries near our house, well here is some information behind the teachings at these schools. As my professor says, Swami Dayananda was born into a Brahmin family in 19th century India. But one point you should know is that his real name is Mool Shankar and he was born in Gujrat. He found the Arya Samaj, meaning cultural organization, after an impacting event during the night of Shivratri. When mice ran all over Shiva and ate the offerings given to him, he could not understand why the idol could not defend himself from a mouse. Then, after the death of his sister from cholera, he no longer believed and degraded idol worship. That is when he created the Arya Samaj movement for people who do not believe in idol worship. Nevertheless, Swami Dayananda did not form the Arya Samaj based on this one principle, looking at Hinduism as a whole he rejected all the â€Å"falsehood† and created an body who believed in all the good in Hinduism. Swami Dayananda studied believed in the Vedic scriptures. One such notion he believed in was Moksha. Moksha is the escape from the reincarnation cycle and to finally become one with God. But, I personally believe that reincarnation is not bad and have no desire to escape this cycle. Why would one not appreciate the life God has given us and instead escape life to be absorbed into the soul of the Divine Spirit? As Swami Dayananda proclaims Moksha â€Å"is not emancipation but death or annihilation†. Death and annihilation are not words that come with a good meaning. Not everyone should be influenced to reach Moksha but instead be grateful for and enjoy what God has given us. Education is the sector in which Swami Dayananda made the most progress. For one, he wanted the Veda Bhashya to be translated into English in order to pread the information contained in these scriptures to the Europeans. He also believed in equal education for all. At his point of time in history women were not given the same rights as men and were often left to take upon simple maiden tasks. But he stated that this would cause â€Å"warfare in the house†. Women will also be wanted a s teachers in all girls’ school and knowledgeable enough to be involved in administrative affairs. In addition, Swami Dayananda urged teachers and their scholars not to give into corrupt acts that could prevent teaching or learning. I think he wanted to ensure that people and their actions were not what kept them from acquiring knowledge. I greatly support Swami Dayananda’s belief that marriage should be Swayamvara. He believes that a man and a women should â€Å"suit each other† before marriage so they will be happier. In addition, he condemns child marriage, which usually results in women becoming widowed at a young age. This is such a pervasive phenomenon that completely stopping child marriage has still not occurred in India. Instead he added another custom that women can remarry as long as they were not â€Å"consummated† in their first marriage. This allows women to live a normal married life later on. I hope this letter has given you some light on Dayananda Saraswati and his Arya Samaj principles. Read on about this great Indian leader, his principles are inspiring. Tanya Ramakrishna Paramahansa, from â€Å"A Source Book of Modern Hinduism† Ramakrishna Paramahansa was a famous follower of Bhakti traditions of 19th century India. He was born into a poor Brahmin Vaishnava family in a Bengal village where he devoted his life to â€Å"strenuous spiritual discipline† (Richards,63) to reach union with the Divine, whom for Ramakrishna was Kali. He became a priest of the Dakshineswar Kali Temple near Kolkata, the city where his portrait hangs on every corner. Ramakrishna understood that Hinduism is like a shoreless ocean but still has two main facets Bhakti and Jnana, methods to become union with the Divine. He had chosen the Bhakti path to reach full consciousness with his Divine Mother, Kali. But he does not narrow his view of religion and God to only Kali. I agree with Ramakrishna when he says that God comes in various forms and as one becomes more devoted to God they begin to understand the wholeness of God’s existence in this universe. When one sees Kali, the idol, with a naked eye they see black. But her color can be compared to the blue sky, as one approaches the sky they realize it has no color. Yet, the sky is nowhere and everywhere, just like Kali. So, as one comes closer to Kali you will see her without color. Indians believed that there once existed Asuras , demons, who were tall, dark skinned and out to harm. Kali is a goddess who absorbed the negative physical attributes of the Asuras, hence her dark colored skin, but on the inside is a goddess who embodies Shakti, empowerment and strength. In India, Kali is considered the most powerful women who kills all evil and absorbs their poison so others are void of it. She is a powerful female warrior, which goes against the stereotype that men are the ones who hold the strength and power to fight. Hinduism as a religion gives great power to women, unlike the society which strips women of their influence. I strongly support Ramakrishna’s perspective that â€Å"each religion is only a path leading to God† (Richard, 65). I admire the many rivers into one ocean analogy used to describe his idea of different religions but only one God. He was accepting of all other religions and believed â€Å"it is not good to feel that one’s religion alone is true and all others are false† (Richard, 65). One can see that equality was important to Ramakrishna whether it was through religion, the caste system or gender rules. He illustrated that by finding love for God, one’s mind, body and soul no longer belong as a part of the cast system. In addition, during Ramakrishna’s time in history women were not given the same rights as men and were often demeaned. But his belief that women should be worshiped as â€Å"embodiments of the Divine Mother† (Richard, 73) severed this separation. I greatly admire Ramakrishna as he demonstrates his idea of ‘duties’ undertaken by people for name and fame, resulting in an individual’s ego. Duties that are made and carried out by one’s self is not as selfless as those completed as they are presented. Success from carrying out ‘duties’ is what creates a person’s ego. The ego makes people individuals and separates them into ‘you’ and ‘I’. But God sees everyone as one and wishes others would see the same. The only means by which all individuals can become one is by â€Å"going away from the world into solitude† (Richard, 69). This moves the individual away from the distractions of the Maya and allows one to concentrate on the inner self to develop the love of God. With the love of God and as part of one, they are no longer an individual ego. Mahatma Gandhi from â€Å"Gandhi’s Key Writings: In Search of Unity† Let me tell you about a man named Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who is known as Mahatma, meaning great soul, Gandhi. Mahatma Gandhi was born in 1869 to a Vaishnava family. His mother and father were greatly religious people and influenced his perception of the world. However, growing up, he realized he was not a man of religion but of ethics. His interest in ethics drove him to study Law in London, England. With a background in Law, Mahatma Gandhi set out to create equality and morality amongst the people. His first attempt was in South Africa where he went to attain civil rights for the 62,000 Indians living there as laborers. At that time, Indians were not allowed to vote and were deprived of many other human rights. The civil rights movement lead by Mahatma Gandhi in South Africa is where he found Satyagraha. Satyagraha as a theoretical principle was first introduced in Mahatma Gandhi’s book Hind Swaraj and he shows how he used this philosophical principle in South Africa through his book Satyagraha In South Africa. Satyagraha is a theory that â€Å"recognizes the universal possibility of goodness and virtue† (Suhrud,78). The original Gujurati title of Mahatma Gandhi’s book is Dakshin Africa Na Satyagraha No Itihas (Suhrud, 77) when translated into English it would read â€Å"A History of Satyagraha in South Africa†. However, Mahatma Gandhi had a strong stance between the words ‘Itihas’ and ‘History’, even though they can be considered direct translations of each other. He believed that Itihas in English means ‘it’s so happened’ as opposed to ‘history’ because for him history is associated with a past filled with wars and hatred. This is a glimpse of how Mahatma Gandhi coined the term Satyagraha as a â€Å"soul force† that is completely void of violence. (Suhrud, 77) Satyagraha’s meaning has many faces and the theory itself comes along with many values, but the real meaning of Satyagraha is â€Å"holding on to truth†. According to Mahatma Gandhi this meaning should insinuate love and firmness, bringing about non-violence. This is a separate term from passive resistance, because the latter is still considered a weapon using violence. In fact, one of the principles of Satyagraha is ‘Ahimsa’ meaning non-violence. Mahatma Gandhi started the Satyagraha struggle in South Africa with a series of non-violent protests. One such act was the burning of registration certificates at a community bonfire. This bonfire was an act of defiance against the Asiatic Registration Act of 1907. The means by which Gandhi took a stance against the act broke the law, hence he took the corresponding punishment i. e. multiple blows to the head. As a Satyagrahi, Gandhi did not respond to the violent punishment but instead attempted to get back on his feet and continue burning the registration certificates. Due to Gandhi’s persistence, he was thrown in jail for not succumbing to the police. This is one brutal example of how Mahatma Gandhi implemented Satyagraha in South Africa. Mahatma Gandhi believed that morals and ethics were essential in order to create unity amongst societies and the people within them. From moral and ethics he derived a dogma known as Satyagraha whose core values are truth and ahimsa. Mahatma Gandhi adopted this attitude and applied it in any of his rebellious acts in South Africa. This was an astute strategy he created, so regardless of his actions that stood against the power, he was still ethically correct, making it more difficult for the authorities to bring him down. In this manner, Mahatma Gandhi attained civil rights for the Indians in South Africa.

Cloning, Ethics, and What Lies Ahead :: Science GeneticsTechnology Essays

Cloning, Ethics, and What Lies Ahead â€Å"If clones copy off each other in school, is this considered cheating?†(Milgram 76). These types of questions are now asked in the present day due to today’s ever advancing technology. In recent years, mankind has made technological breakthroughs in every aspect. From the new super information highway that has metamorphosed and expanded the definition of communication, to the ability of creating fully identical animals in nature, these advancements have both introduced positive and negative effects. Some question the purpose of these discoveries while others adamantly continue to drive towards extending the boundaries of knowledge. Biotechnology has evolved to a point in time giving mankind the ability to create an identical creature using only some lab instruments. Moreover some envision soon that scientists will have the capacity to replicate a human being, genetically identical to another, using the information already gained from genetic research in lab a nimals, but one must ask, â€Å"What purpose will this serve and how will it benefit mankind?†. The knowledge that scientists have gained in animal cloning must solely be used to further advance the field of health and medicine for the betterment of humankind. In no way can these findings be used to research the cloning of humans for this poses a great threat to humanity. It is critical to first understand the basics behind cloning and what it exactly is before one is able to make any decisions regarding this controversial subject matter. Cloning involves replicating the genetic material from another animal to create a physically and biologically identical clone. When organisms are replicated, the result is a genetically identical copy of the original organism. Within the last decade, scientists from PPL Therapeutics were able to clone the famous sheep, Dolly, who ignited the flame for the many controversial issues to follow. She was specifically â€Å"formed by a nuclear transplantation of a parental nucleus into a donor egg; she inherited the DNA outside of her nucleus from the donor’s egg†(MilGram 5). The scientists removed all genetic material from the egg and then injected the nucleic material from the donor into the egg. After doing so successfully, they harvested this egg in the uterus of a lamb and the rest is history (Kola ta 12). There are a couple of misconceptions that first must be cleared. Cloning, Ethics, and What Lies Ahead :: Science GeneticsTechnology Essays Cloning, Ethics, and What Lies Ahead â€Å"If clones copy off each other in school, is this considered cheating?†(Milgram 76). These types of questions are now asked in the present day due to today’s ever advancing technology. In recent years, mankind has made technological breakthroughs in every aspect. From the new super information highway that has metamorphosed and expanded the definition of communication, to the ability of creating fully identical animals in nature, these advancements have both introduced positive and negative effects. Some question the purpose of these discoveries while others adamantly continue to drive towards extending the boundaries of knowledge. Biotechnology has evolved to a point in time giving mankind the ability to create an identical creature using only some lab instruments. Moreover some envision soon that scientists will have the capacity to replicate a human being, genetically identical to another, using the information already gained from genetic research in lab a nimals, but one must ask, â€Å"What purpose will this serve and how will it benefit mankind?†. The knowledge that scientists have gained in animal cloning must solely be used to further advance the field of health and medicine for the betterment of humankind. In no way can these findings be used to research the cloning of humans for this poses a great threat to humanity. It is critical to first understand the basics behind cloning and what it exactly is before one is able to make any decisions regarding this controversial subject matter. Cloning involves replicating the genetic material from another animal to create a physically and biologically identical clone. When organisms are replicated, the result is a genetically identical copy of the original organism. Within the last decade, scientists from PPL Therapeutics were able to clone the famous sheep, Dolly, who ignited the flame for the many controversial issues to follow. She was specifically â€Å"formed by a nuclear transplantation of a parental nucleus into a donor egg; she inherited the DNA outside of her nucleus from the donor’s egg†(MilGram 5). The scientists removed all genetic material from the egg and then injected the nucleic material from the donor into the egg. After doing so successfully, they harvested this egg in the uterus of a lamb and the rest is history (Kola ta 12). There are a couple of misconceptions that first must be cleared.

Novartis in Bolivia Expansion Project Essay

Understanding the political structure of a country is very important when trying to do business internationally. When multinational corporations plan to invest in a new country they must understand the political system and culture. Bolivia has faced political instability for over the past century. Since Evo Morales was elected as president, many changes have been made to protect some of the natural resources and mandate foreign investment. Morales’ political influence has played a large roll in the regulation of foreign investment and business. Since his inauguration, Morales has nationalized the hydrocarbon industry and the telecommunication industry. This has caused many companies to negotiate new contracts. Although Bolivia’s legal framework is open to foreign investment, many foreign companies and investors are affected by many of the inconsistent regulatory decisions. These issues often cause uncertainty with investors when deciding to invest. In addition the easily corrupted judicial system also causes a threat to many investors that decided to invest in Bolivia. Several problems that come up when investing in Bolivia result from the weak judicial system. Many of the property and contractual rights might be enforced, but the process can take a lot of time due to corruption and political influence. This also could be a potential threat to companies that want to expand into Bolivia. Political protests against the government are another issue that might affect foreign investors when attempting to do business in Bolivia. Many of these protest cause disruption to the transportation of goods. Overall the political environment of Bolivia could potentially cause issues when doing business; we might put ourselves at risk of losing major profits or even expropriation by the socialist form of government currently established in Bolivia. Economic Analysis Bolivia has struggled economically in the past thirty years but has reached stability. This is partially due to low population growth that has kept the labor supply limited. Another key factor to the economic struggle in Bolivia is due to the political and social conflicts within Bolivian society. Many changes have been implemented after the economic crisis in 1984-1985, where they suffered from extreme hyperinflation. The main focus of the government after the period of hyperinflation was to maintain price stability, create conditions for sustained growth, and alleviate poverty across the country. Currently Bolivia relies heavily on foreign assistance to finance developmental projects. Direct foreign investment has contributed much of the growth experienced in private investment in Bolivia. Bolivia’s primary sectors, Agriculture/Forestry and Mining, have created economical opportunities for Bolivia. Agriculture contributes to almost ten percent of Bolivia’s gross domestic product and almost half of their work force is employed in this industry. One of their most profitable products is coca in which they are currently the third largest cultivator. Mining has played a big part in Bolivia economic growth as well. Many local miners are employed by small-scaled operations throughout the country. Although Bolivia is known to have over 5. 4 million tons of lithium, much of the lithium deposits are not mined due to the disturbance of the country salt flats, which are a big feature of tourism. Currently the United States is one of Bolivia’s largest trading partners, importing $707 million dollars in 2010. There are no laws directly regulating competition but the government does have some regulation on the activities companies have. Bolivia has struggled economically but are now more efficient Social Analysis Many of the issues arising socially are result of the living conditions and political reform. Although much of the population is living in poverty, two-thirds of Bolivia’s population is active within the economy, either working for corporations or on a non-contractual basis. One issue that the majority of the population is dealing with is working qualifications. Many people growing up in Bolivia may only attend one year of schooling. Some of the difficult living conditions and political influences can create a hostile environment throughout the country. Protests against the government are a common issue that might affect foreign investors when attempting to do business in Bolivia. Many of these protest cause disruption to the transportation of goods and can effect business decisions. Violent and disruptive social protests occur often in some of the major cities that have affected companies. There have been cases where the major airports have been shut down for over twenty days due to protesting and social unrest. The government is attempting to increase citizen involvement in politics in order to help decrease some of the protest. Through many political and economical reformations, Bolivia has stabilized many of the past issues they were facing but is still a difficult place to do business, and through time it has deterred many international companies from entering the market. Country Risk Analysis and Globalization As mentioned before, Bolivia constitutes one of the least developed and poorest countries in Latin America and one of the most isolated countries in South America. Bolivia’s socialist leader, Evo Morales, was elected because of his involvement with the anti-globalization movement. He has reduced poverty within the country, redistributed wealth, and has nationalized a significant amount of the energy sector. He has promised to favor domestic consumption of natural gas over export. He has supported mainly by the poor majority who mostly reside in the western highlands. The population residing in the eastern areas and voters from the middle and high class who have most of the wealth, are concerned about his policies. Those in higher social classes are concerned with the neo-liberal global economy while many in the mestizo class support the opportunities that come from participating in the global economy. When it comes to the country’s globalization, Bolivians have a deep love for the natural richness of their country and are fighting to protect it. Bolivia is rich in nature and has many natural resources to offer. The nature’s conservation of the country is under pressure because of global interests, but it’s an opportunity for Bolivia that can be beneficial to them and help create more stability and less inequality among the country. Bolivia has the second largest reserves after Venezuela and looks like the perfect supplier for natural gas. But in 2005, a hydrocarbons law was passed by the government that imposed higher royalties and required foreign firms who were operating under risk-sharing contracts at the time, to surrender all production to the state energy company in exchange for a predetermined fee. The hydrocarbons sector has raised question as to whether Bolivia has the sector’s capacity or not to grow. Bolivia will continue to supply Brazil and Argentina with their natural gas but their long-term market potential is at risk. There are a number of factors that may reduce the growth of the industry; increased political risk, delays in infrastructure projects, and insufficient funds for production. The country needs private investment to increase production, but if they continue to pressure investors this is going to be very difficult. Bolivia has had problems with political instability in the past years, which has affected investments in the sector. They had a large fall in investments in exploration and production of about $63 million in 2006. It has had a downfall on the amounts of gas delivered to Argentina since the volume of production decreased in 2007. They had initially agreed that Bolivia would deliver 7. 7 million cubic meters per day per year to Argentina, but Bolivia was only delivering about half of that. Bolivia’s supply to Brazil was almost quadruple of the7. 7 mcm/d per year to Argentina, in turn, Bolivia asked Brazil for help. They are currently working on balancing and maintaining the gas deliveries to Argentina. Political instability in Bolivia has caused them to hinder the opportunity of exporting gas to Chile, to Mexico through liquefied natural gas facilities, and to the U. S. through a Peruvian or Chilean port. Even though Bolivia has faced political instability, they have never stopped its gas supplies to Argentina or Brazil. In consequence to the political instability, the lack of investment in the country has reduced much of the production volumes. The Bolivian government has improved its relationships with other governments regarding negotiations; they also have improved their relationship with Brazil after the gas industry nationalization. Contracts of new investments have been made to initiate more production giving a positive signal for the future gas supplies in the region promising the security of supply for Argentina and Brazil. Although government relations have improved, there is still a risk of markets not developing because of Bolivia’s internal political problems. But if the government avoids these political problems and a more consistent policy framework is made, the future looks promising for Bolivia. Bolivia, being an underdeveloped country, poses economic risks to other countries entering their market. Future growth of the country will be constrained by declining foreign investment and the country’s high debt. Bolivia has such high poverty rates, that growth probably won’t reach levels to sufficiently relieve the rates. President Morales opposes free market economic policies and instead supports state involvement in policy making and more government spending on health, education, and infrastructure. The government continues to negotiate for further debt relief of the country. According to the Natural Hot Spot study by the World Bank, Bolivia has the 32nd highest economic risk exposure to three or more hazards. It’s exposed to detrimental hazards due to the country’s geographic location as well as the vulnerability of its population and infrastructure. In the past, the country has experienced a series of emergencies caused by many natural disasters such as floods; hail storms, landslides, and mudslides. The levels of vulnerability in Bolivia have increased due to poverty factors and repeated natural disasters in the same regions. Industries and the general population are affected by these events since 49 percent of the population works in the service sector, 40 percent work in agriculture, and 12 percent in industry. Bolivia’s legal framework remains generally open to foreign investment. However, foreign firms may be affected by inconsistent regulatory decisions, unfavorable interpretations of laws, and a corrupted judicial system. The Investment Law provides for national treatment of foreign firms and guarantees the foreign firms their profits, the free exchange of currency, and the right to international arbitration in all sectors. Laws that govern activities having to do in the mining and hydrocarbon sectors authorize joint ventures, and association of services to state-owned corporations. The Hydrocarbon Laws, which was issued in May of 2005, required investors to adapt to new contracts within 180 days, forced production of hydrocarbons to release all hydrocarbons to the state, and forced an additional tax of 32 percent on revenues. The law also required that before exporting, companies sell their hydrocarbons and satisfy the domestic market at factitious prices set by the hydrocarbons regulator. Bolivia’s currency is freely convertible at Bolivian banks or exchange institutions. The official exchange rate is determined by the Central Bank who auction’s dollars daily; the bank offers a set amount of dollars and offers a minimum price. The Banking Law establishes regulations for foreign currency hedging and allows banks to have accounts in foreign currencies. There are no restrictions of any sort on transfers of currency. In 2007, the Central Bank established a one percent fee for any money transfer that is larger than one thousand U. S. dollars. Any hard-currency cash larger than ten thousand U. S. dollars must be authorized by the Central Bank and Ministry of Finance if it’s leaving or entering the country. Bolivia’s past has hindered the investment of foreign firms is their country. Through their political and economic instability the country has yet to fully flourish in the agricultural sector. Some low population growth as well as low life expectancy and a high rate of disease has constrained the labor supply and prevented industries from flourishing. Overall the country has been not too open to globalization due to the current political regime but we believe that they are going to start shifting in the future to more open market and less rigorous import policies to improve their economy. Novartis Overview of the Company  In 1996 Novartis was created, one of the biggest healthcare companies in the world. This multinational pharmaceutical company was formed after the merger of Sandoz and Ciba-Geigy. Novartis is not only a worldwide leader in pharmaceuticals but as well in vaccines and diagnostics, Sandoz, Alcon, animal health, and over the counter. Sandoz is the generic pharmaceutical division of Novartis. It is the second in net sales in 2010 with $8. 5 billion USD, behind pharmaceuticals at $30. 5 billion dollars. Sandoz offers affordable and high quality medicines to everyone. The Alcon division is the eye care division of Novartis. These products are to improve and protect eye vision. OTC or also know as over the counter, are products that Novartis makes that do not require prescription. These products are designed to prevent medical illness as well as treatment from the comfort of your home. Not only is Novartis for the benefit of human health but as well for animal health. With animal health products, Novartis helps treat and prevent diseases in pets around the world. Novartis global headquarters are located in Basel, Switzerland. Even though their headquarters are located in Basel they operate in over 140 countries. They don’t only make and provide products to both humans and animals but also have research facilities. The pharmaceutical research facilities headquarters aren’t located in Basel. The Novartis institute for biomedical researches is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. These research facilities over the world are to innovate and improve medicines that will treat diseases and improve the health of humans and animals. With its research facilities all over the world Novartis is determined to finding vacancies and treatments for diseases in developing nations. Like every MNC Novartis has a mission statement. Discover new medicine and products for all of their patients is a crucial mission in all of Novartis. They don’t only want to discover new things to improve the life of patients but they want to expand their innovations. This MNC wants to improve human and animal life as much as possible. Novartis official statement states: â€Å"We want to discover, develop and successfully market innovative products to prevent and cure diseases, to ease suffering and to enhance the quality of life. (www. Novartis. com) In 2000 Novartis listed its shares in the New York Stock Exchange market at 37. 24 a share. With it’s highest in 11 years being 64. 52. Novartis doesn’t only have shares in NYSE but also has shares in the SIX Swiss Exchange. In 1996 Novartis opened their shares in the Swiss market at 35. 06 a share. In 15 years in the Swiss exchange market Novartis shares were the highest 76. 80 a share in 2006. You can say Novartis has double their market value since they went public.

Reflective Essay Reflective Practice Theoretical Essay

Reflective Practice Theoretical Essay Introduction(300) Rolfe (2011) state that reflection is a mental process which include thinking, feeling, imagining and learning about what was happening in the past and which could be considered as a personal experience. Reflection is a continuous debate on what might have happened differently and if this could affect differently the present and the future regarding the outcome if is positive or negative. Experience underpin the process of reflection. According to Nursing Midwifery Council Code NMC (2015) â€Å"Gather and reflect on feedback from a variety of sources, using it to improve your practice and performance† can be done by putting together skills, knowledge and experience in the benefit of the patient. There are number of tools that can be used in nursing to reflect and these tools are: models of reflection, mind maps, learning journals, critical incidents and critical friends and conversations with a mentor or a tutor. As well as the NMC, the NHS has set The Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF) as a requirement in order to meet the standards regarding delivering a high level of quality for the services provided; this imply personal development plan and review , knowledge and skills. Bulman (2008) believes that reflection is a review over own experience passed through several phases namely description, analyse and evaluation so that finally to offer a better approach for future practice. Reflection involves not onlyShow MoreRelatedJohns Reflection And Gibbs Reflection in Nursing Practice1931 Words   |  8 PagesIntroduction: In this essay, I will discuss several issues that seem to bind nursing practice with questions of ethics, sociology and management. Reflective practice is an important aspect of nursing management and in this essay we discuss implications of discrimination in nursing care and examine the importance of anti-discriminatory perspectives in nursing. In this paper, the case study I will elaborate is of an elderly woman who was of a non-British ethnic origin and spoke little English. A juniorRead MoreReflection Of The Confucius A Chinese Philosopher s Saying Essay1604 Words   |  7 PagesReflective Practice I would like to start my essay by sharing the Confucius a Chinese philosopher’s saying: By three methods we may learn wisdom: first, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest. Confucius (551 BC - 479 BC) Chinese Philosopher Definition of Reflective Practice: This practice is one of the oldest theory that experienced by ancient Greeks over 2500 years ago as a concept of intention in exploration of truthRead MoreDtlls Study Skills Assignment Essay1712 Words   |  7 PagesSKILLS The aim of this essay is to give the reader an overview of the types of study skills necessary for a student to study for and attain a Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector. In it I will discuss my personal approach to study and the study skills I need to use on the programme. The essay will highlight the skills I feel are my current strengths and draw attention to the areas I need to develop. I will briefly describe and evaluate some different reflective models and in relationRead MoreReflective Essay2018 Words   |  9 PagesContext ACCG 399 Reflection Learning Log and Essay This reflection learning log and essay guide is a helpful learning tool for you to access when you are completing your learning log and also your reflection essay. It provides you with an introduction to the purpose for setting a reflective piece of work and the benefits this produces for you. It provides activities to help you along the way (see separate guide â€Å"ACCG 399 Developing a Reflective Capacity Guidance†) and clearly sets out the requirementsRead MoreA Critical Examination Of Professional Learning811 Words   |  4 Pagesourselves in new learning about professional practice with range of activities, formal and informal (Fraser and Schwind, 2011). In particular, reflection is a significant mechanism in practice-based professional development settings where we can learn from experiences, rather than knowledge transfer, and ultimately develop professional practice throughout working lives (Jasper, 2011). More specifically, ‘a person who reflects throughout hi s or her practice is not just looking back on past actions andRead MoreReflective Writing1241 Words   |  5 PagesHow do I . . . Write a Reflection? Why reflective writing? Reflection offers you the opportunity to consider how your personal experiences and observations shape your thinking and your acceptance of new ideas. Professors often ask students to write reading reflections. They do this to encourage you to explore your own ideas about a text, to express your opinion rather than summarise the opinions of others. Reflective writing can help you to improve your analytical skills because it requiresRead MoreReflective Article : Reflective Report2099 Words   |  9 PagesReflective Report Doing the modules in this course has given me an entirely new perspective on written university work. There are all sorts of strategies that can be employed to help with the improvement of the marks a student can get for each assignment and examination. Before studying about the different elements that must come together for a written university document to be deemed standard and good, there were so many points where I did not fully apply myself. Lack of knowledge is the main thingRead MoreSummary With ever increasing pace of change and complexity within businesses, it is easy to900 Words   |  4 Pagesmanagement practices and theories and link them with my personal selection of skills from the previous management skills essay (skill discovery), by justifying the selected skills with relevant guidelines and emphasizing on those guidelines, and also by articulating the theory for future management practices. Additionally this paper includes the relation between theoretical features of interpersonal communication and negotiation and the significance of these skills from my past practices. IntroductionRead MoreThe Domains At The Progression Point 21891 Words   |  8 Pages 5070 ESSAY 2ND DRAFT The aim of this essay is to reflect on the personal development in one of the four domains at the progression point 2. The four domains of nursing care are professional values; communication and interpersonal skills; nursing practice and decision making; leadership, management and team working (NMC, 2016). These are the essential areas where the student nurses have to improve their knowledge and skills prior to the nursing registrationRead MoreThe Domains At The Progression Point 21886 Words   |  8 Pages 5070 ESSAY The aim of this essay is to reflect on the personal development in one of the four domains at the progression point 2. The four domains of nursing care are professional values; communication and interpersonal skills; nursing practice and decision making; leadership, management and team working (NMC, 2016). These are the essential areas where student nurses have to improve their knowledge and skills prior to the nursing registration for