Obama Health Care

It is undoubtedly true that “health is wealth”. When religion was strong and science weak, men mistook magic for medicine; now, when science is strong and religion weak, men consider medicine to do magic. And technology ensures that the benefit of medicinal science reaches the healthcare consumers at their ease. Today, healthcare consumers can go online and purchase virtually any type of prescription medication, with or without a valid prescription from their physician. With numerous Internet pharmacies selling medications through their websites, it is at times, quite confusing for consumers to get their prescriptions filled safely and legally. A pharmacy search engine is an ideal solution to such a situation. It provides the freedom and choice to move the prescription to any pharmacy and get the best available price on your drugs.

Internet pharmacies have been the focus of heightened interest in relation to the issues of selling prescription drugs and other products online at the retail level. The Internet pharmacy industry has shifted rapidly in the short time span. This has undoubtedly improved patient’s access to and choice of pharmacy services, but the consumer is entitled to expect the same quality of pharmaceutical care irrespective of whether the service is provided online or face-to-face on the pharmacy premises. A pharmacy search engine assists the healthcare consumers by providing a secure way to access a network of licensed pharmacies and get their prescription medications affordably and safely.

Prescription drugs have always been the key elements in the prevention and treatment of disease and have improved the lives of millions of patients. In the US, prescription drugs represent about 12% of healthcare spending. Prescription drugs can be a costly medical expense, especially for older people and those who are chronically ill. The rising costs of healthcare, and prescription drugs in particular, have focused attention of people towards generic drugs as a clinically acceptable alternative to reduce costs. Many Internet pharmacies offer generic drugs as an alternative to the expensive prescription drugs. Here lies the risk of purchasing medicines over the Internet that a consumer has to identify and understand. Unfortunately not all of these sites are legitimate. Some illegitimate sites do not provide their physical address and often play on the vulnerable by offering “miracle” cures for serious conditions such as cancer or stroke or other life threatening conditions. Legitimate pharmacy Internet sites will always require customers to forward a valid prescription before prescription-only medicines are supplied.

An Internet pharmacy search engine is dedicated solely to create a worldwide network of licensed and legitimate online pharmacies, helping the healthcare consumers to place their order for prescription medicines with confidence. The pharmacies enlisted in a pharmacy search engine are licensed within their country’s jurisdiction and strict approvals of pharmacies are conducted through certification agencies. All a patient needs is to create a secure account and search for the medicine he or she requires. Then choose the pharmacy best suited to the requirements and fax in their prescriptions to that pharmacy. Many pharmacy search engines even keep an electronic patient record to ensure that the patient and their health care provider know what records are on file and what options they have for affordable and safe medications.

Christine Macguire
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/pharmacy-search-engine-the-future-of-internet-pharmacies-92247.html

Living and working in Phoenix, Arizona is an exciting experience in that not only has it been a melting pot for people from all over the world, it has also become one of the most vibrant business, professional and economic vistas in the United States.

Many people who live in the Phoenix area, also know as “the valley”, have to purchase their own private health policies because they are self employed, between jobs, or the cost of coverage where they work has become increasingly high priced.

The adventure of purchasing health insurance becomes quite tedious when one becomes faced with the daunting task of comparing different companies, plans and premium costs.  If you have ever gone online and done a search, you quickly become a bit overwhelmed with the variety and the sheer number of plans available.  Not only are there hundreds available, the explanations of what they actually do is more than just a bit vague.

Another surprise is that your phone and email will suddenly come alive with calls and emails from eager agents, all willing to sell you the best plan.  Many are very pushy and don’t want to take no for an answer, until you buy from them right away.

So what to do?  If you can find a local agent that knows the market and the basic healthcare facilities in the area, you have a much better opportunity of success.  It is important to find the best plan that will fit you particular circumstances, and the right company and plan can be difficult if you have pre-existing health issues.

Usually a PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) will give you the best overall breadth of coverage for the price.  The way this works is that the doctors and hospitals agree in advance as to an array of discounted pricing for their services in exchange for the PPO listings driving a steady flow of business to their practices and facilities. You should have a PPO network that is, or is affiliated with a national network in case you are traveling, or you need to see a specialist that is out of state.

We are very fortunate, that here in Phoenix, we have a very good network of doctors and hospitals which give excellent care in many areas.  Be sure that you have access to your doctors and hospitals when you contract with your health insurance company.

All in all, buying health insurance is not rocket science, but do your homework and hook up with a knowledgeable and experienced agent, and that will make your job much easier.

For more specific information that might pertain more specifically to your situation you can go to: http://www.phoenixhealthinsurance.webs.com

David Tennant
http://www.articlesbase.com/insurance-articles/phoenix-health-insurance-691846.html

Ahmedabad is better known as the capital city of the state of Gujarat. It is the seventh largest metropolis of India. A city more popular for its industrial background, is now growing on the real estate map, slowly and steadily.

Ahmedabad is among the top 10 cities to reside, invest and earn, according to a study ‘The city skyline of India 2006′ conducted by Indicus Analytics. Surat and Ahmedabad are also ranked in the top ten ‘alpha cities’ also classified by the study as the elite club of 10.

Ahmedabad enjoys strategic location advantage of proximity to Mumbai, commercial capital of the country. Western, Middle East and African markets are also accessible. Going by the ever growing construction of skyscrapers, shopping malls and multiplexes, the city is moving on fast. Investors and NRI Gujaratis have been attracted due to its mega city status and the strides it has made in terms of healthcare, cuisines and malls.

Retail and information technology are the upcoming sectors in the state. IT parks are being set up. Projects in the auto parts industry are being planned for the city. An arterial road network of 155 kms has been identified for a Rs 950 crore Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) in Ahmedabad.

S.G Highway and Ambawadi are the places where IT companies are coming up with their campuses. Prime residential areas are Sabarmati, Vastrauram, Satellite, Ambavadi and Chandkhera. Prime Commercial areas are C.G road, S.G highway Satellite, Vastrapur. Coming of SEZ will further boost real estate residential and commercial values because of increase in number of floating population. Current Ahmedabad real estate market is less expensive as compared to the neighboring localities and this is going to be a crucial factor – as more number of International players will establish their campus here.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport serves both as a domestic and an international airport for the city and neighboring states. It operates direct flights to all other major cities of India. The National Highway 8 which connects Delhi to Mumbai passes though Ahmedabad. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has signed two separate agreements with IDAA consortium and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) for upgrading the highway under a BOT (build, operate and transfer) scheme. The Metro Rail Project is being planned with private sector participation.

Current focus is on infrastructure by privatizing ports and building integrated townships. The government is encouraging in a big way, technology parks, education based townships, medical and healthcare townships, tourism-related townships, Logistics Park and residential townships.

Skilled labour, availability of land in market, quality real estate, low operational costs, good connectivity, supportive government policies and entrepreneurial culture are the city’s strengths. There has been a tremendous demand for low-rise buildings, bungalows and row-houses, say local realty agents. However, social infrastructure has still not matched the desired pace. Hence, self-contained and integrated projects will have better prospects.

George Gonigal
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/growing-prospect-for-investing-in-ahmedabad-real-estate-722953.html

According to a recent Associated Press-GfK poll regarding President Obama’s top domestic achievements, the health care overhaul is now being viewed in a more positive light by many Americans.  Now, it appears that 45% of those polled are in favor of Obama health care, and 42% are opposed, which is a definite change about from the 50% that were against the new health plan after it was signed in to law in late March.

Prior to the bill being signed in to law, much of the general public was confused about what the bill really meant because of so much misinformation that was being spread.  Claudia Harris, a Brigham Young University English professor, stated that she believed that some of the misinformation would be dispelled and people would begin to realize that the new health care package was a beneficial, solid program.

Since the law has gone in to effect, many people are actually experiencing how the law affects them personally, which has alleviated some of the concern people had prior to the bill being signed in to law.

On Obama health care, Kerry Eisley, an electrical contractor and Republican of Moscow, PA who supports the plan said “If we can insure more people across the United States and get the cost of health care down, I think that’s a better thing.”

Even as Republican party leaders are calling for a repeal of the law, the poll found that the party supports the health care plan now more than previously, up 9%.  Just since May, support of men has increased by 10%, from 36% to 46%.  Those individuals who are now in their prime working years (30 to 49 year-olds) are 49% in favor of Obama health care, as opposed to just 35% support just last month.

Certain aspects of the plan have already taken place and will take place in the near future, which are primary selling points of the law.  The Obama administration along with congressional Democrats and their allies are helping to increase popularity of the health plan by selling the most immediate benefits.  Some of these include the coverage of those aged 26 or younger on their parents’ health care plan, tax credits for small businesses that offer insurance coverage for employees, and $250 rebate checks for older Americans who must have prescription medications that are very costly.

According to Robert Blendon, a Harvard University public health school professor, the administration is making definite progress in convincing more Americans that Obama health care is the right direction to take.  Blendon tracks opinion trends on the health care issue.

One glitch in the seemingly increasing acceptance of Obama health care is that older people don’t like the new law.  Obama held a televised town hall meeting at a senior center recently in efforts to assure those who are 65 and older, but it didn’t seem to make much of an impact.

Some people, especially the older generation, wonder just how long the United States can borrow, and how long it will be before other countries begin calling in our debts.  Still, others claim to watch the news every day and wish that the Obama health care plan would be explained in a clear, precise manner so that they completely understand the pros and cons and how it affects the country.

Mark South
Obama Health Care

1.         Introduction

Over the past two decades, the forces of economic globalization, political transformation and technological innovation have increased the global reach and influence of the private sector. The number of transnational corporations has almost doubled from 37,000 in 1990 to over 60,000 today, with some 800,000 foreign affiliates and millions of suppliers and distributors operating along their global value chains. This process has conferred new rights and created new business opportunities for global corporations and large national companies, while also exposing weaknesses in national and global governance structures. It has also resulted in new competitive pressures and risks, and led to increased demands for greater corporate responsibility, transparency and accountability.

As a result, today’s business leaders face a complex and often contradictory set of stakeholder expectations. They are being called on to engage with activists as well as analysts, to manage social and environmental risks as well as market risks, to be accountable for their non-financial as well as their financial performance, and to cooperate as well as to compete, often with non-traditional partners, focused on unfamiliar issues. They are under pressure from governments, consumers, trade unions, non-governmental organizations and a small but growing number of their investors, to demonstrate outstanding performance not only in terms of competitiveness and market growth, but also in their corporate governance and corporate citizenship.

In short, corporate executives are faced with a complex, unprecedented challenge: How can they continue to deliver shareholder value while also delivering, and demonstrating that they are delivering, societal value?

2.         What is corporate citizenship?

The term ‘corporate citizenship’runs the risk of being all things to all people. But it does have some easily identifiable elements too. The basic idea is to understand business as part of society, contributing directly to the welfare of society, rather than somehow separate from it. Whereas in the past the baseline of good behaviour was ‘acting within the law’across the company’s operations, newer aspirations range from the maxim ‘do no harm’through to assessing ‘overall net impacts’. Companies need to go beyond simply obeying the law and making a competitive return for their shareholders if they are to respond to the challenge of citizenship.

Corporate citizenship invites companies to make strategic choices based on an understanding of the total impacts of their business in society. The practice of corporate citizenship involves a

focus on one or more of three main areas:

v     the societal impacts that flow from basic business policy and practice (as managed and measured through various codes of conduct, ‘values statements’and company reports);

v     the impacts that a company has up and down the value chain (e.g. when child labour is employed by its suppliers; or when end consumers dispose of its products in ways likely to harm the environment); and

v     the impacts that come from the voluntary contributions that businesses make to communities affected by their operations (including charitable gifts, community investment and commercial initiatives in the community).

Management and communication tools such as the ‘social audit’, development of key performance indicators on corporate citizenship, ‘benchmarking’best practice across a variety of industries, and best practice on ‘cause-related marketing’have all grown up alongside these core elements of corporate citizenship. Codes of  good conduct for companies abound, as do stamps or standards awarded by third parties, such as the Social Audit stamp of the Brazilian NGO IBASE, or the Social Accountability 8000 standard developed by the Council on Economic Priorities Accreditation Agency. The professionalization of environmental management has had an impact on the ‘new’tools of social management and accounting, accelerating the process of adaptation to the corporate citizenship agenda. But not all companies professing to be good ‘corporate citizens’choose to use all of these tools, and the current state of ‘corporate citizenship’varies from country to country.

3.         What drives Corporate Citizenship in a Global Context?

The emergence of ‘corporate citizenship’as a guiding principle for business strategy has been driven by a number of changes in the business operating environment. The overall process of globalization

affects all businesses one way or another.

Globalization has given rise to unprecedented links between economies, cultures, individuals and groups. Technological advances such as the internet have transformed communications. When multinational corporations apply different standards at home from those in their overseas operations, the gaps are exposed to external scrutiny as never before. The result is that the corporate

citizenship debate has acquired an increasingly significant ‘international’ dimension, raising one of the most difficult sets of questions in the current policy and business agenda: where does the responsibility of companies end and the role of governments begin, and by what (and whose) standards should this be judged?

Economic liberalization and deregulation have seen a massive increase in the flow of capital, goods and services across borders, opening new markets to foreign investment. At the same time the gaps between rich and poor around the world have widened and the world’s population is growing rapidly.

As privatization proceeds apace around the world, companies are increasingly responsible for providing services that were public-sector responsibilities in the past; areas such as healthcare provision by private companies and liberalization of energy markets focus more attention on the role of companies in the place of governments. The role of the private sector in provision of technical assistance around the world has also increased as corporations have become more involved in providing funding for intergovernmental bodies and as contractors in the delivery of donor assistance programmes. The overall balance of public- and private sector responsibilities is changing.

Globalization has given rise to new demands on corporations to exercise their power responsibly. There is a popular perception that in some markets the economic power and influence of corporations is much greater than that of the incumbent government. Some international NGOs have focused in on this, giving rise to new demands that companies investing in politically unstable economies such as the Sudan should use their power to encourage host country governments to spend the revenue that their investments generate for social benefit – not to wage wars or benefit political elites.

It is often pointed out that the turnover of the world’s largest companies is greater than the GNP of all but around 20 members of the United Nations. But individually even large companies account for only a fraction of global economic ouput: BP, Amoco and Arco together produce no more than 0.01%.

Globalization is not an entirely ‘neutral’ driver of corporate citizenship from a business perspective. Indeed, a powerful ‘backlash against globalization’ has now been set in motion, as witnessed by the public demonstrations surrounding recent World Trade Organization (WTO) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) meetings in Seattle and Washington.

Some proponents of corporate citizenship in the North see it as a way of countering the backlash against globalization – of reinvigorating the notion that trade and investment can bring overall social and environmental welfare gains. Encouragement of global corporate responsibility then becomes part of efforts to put ‘a human face on the global economy’.

One maxim seems to find resonance with all: that with power needs to come responsibility. Globalization, it is said, is transforming corporate responsibility from a choice into an imperative.6 But the extent of that responsibility remains a matter of hot debate.

4.         Commitments to Corporate Citizenship

There are numerous examples of commitments towards corporate citizenship. Many of them involve not only the private sector, but also the public sector and civil society organizations.

v     The Global Compact was proposed by the outgoing UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, at Davos in January 1999. He called on business leaders to embrace and enact within their own corporate activities nine core principles derived from universally accepted agreements on human rights, labour and the environment. Today the Global Compact brings together several hundred companies, with some of the world’s leading trade union bodies, human rights and environmental organizations in a global learning forum, policy dialogues and variety of development projects. Companies engage in the initiative through the written support of their CEOs.

v     Tackling global health issues: The World Economic Forum Global Health Initiative (GHI) is designed to foster greater private sector engagement in the global battle against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. In cooperation with the World Health Organization and UNAIDS, the GHI brings together businesses, NGOs, civil society and academic institutions in a partnership, focusing on corporate best practices, resource gaps, partnership opportunities, philanthropy and the role of business in advocacy. The Global Business Council on HIV/AIDS is an international group of business leaders dedicated to advocating for an increased business response to AIDS both in the workplace and in the community. The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (www.vaccinealliance.org) was officially launched in January 2000 at Davos, with a mission of combining public and private resources and competencies to support immunization activities. It is a coalition of governments, the WHO, UNICEF and the World Bank; philanthropic foundations; the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations (IFPMA); and technical and research institutes.

v     Overcoming the digital divide: The ICT sector has engaged itself in a variety of policy dialogues and practical initiatives to bridge the ‘digital divide’ both within and between nations. Examples include: the G8 Digital Opportunity Task Force which consisted of leaders from the public, private and not-for-profit sectors; the UN’s multi-stakeholder ICT Task Force and the World Economic Forum’s Global Digital Divide Initiative. Business leaders are also supporting practical projects such as the Digital Partnership and Net Aid; and others such as those listed on the World Economic Forum website.

v     Investing in sustainable development: This has been an area of immense focus. The International Chamber of Commerce and World Business Council for Sustainable Development have established Business Action for Sustainable Development as a network and platform to provide business input and partnership examples to the World Summit for Sustainable Development in 2002.

v     Promoting good corporate governance: Business leaders are playing a role in several initiatives to promote good corporate governance. Examples include: The International Corporate Governance Network, pension funds and financial institutions with over $8 trillion in assets under management working towards global convergence on standards of governance; and business support for Transparency International to tackle corruption. Another aspect of good governance is the efforts to promote sustainability reporting such as the Global Reporting Initiative.

v     Corporate citizenship at the sector level: The World Business Council for Sustainable Development and UNEP have played an important role in promoting sector-based initiatives for sustainable development in industries as diverse as mobility, cement, pulp and paper, information technology, banking and finance. Other examples include the E7 network of electricity companies; the International Hotels Environment Initiative; and the Global Mining Initiative.

v     Supporting national development: At the national level business leaders are supporting initiatives focused on goals such as education, local enterprise and job creation, and rural development. Examples include: Philippine Business for Social Progress; the National Business Initiative in South Africa;  Instituto Ethos in Brazil;  Business in the Community in the UK;  and Landcare in Australia.

v     Engaging Tomorrow’s Leaders: Today’s business leaders are supporting networks such as the World Economic Forum’s Global Leaders for Tomorrow, which consists of young leaders from the public and private sectors and civil society, and AIESEC, the world’s largest student-run organization to promote sustainable development and corporate citizenship. A small but growing number of business schools have started to invest in research and teaching in this area supported by some CEOs.

5.         Progress of Corporate Citizenship in a Global Context

While the leadership challenge is especially apparent for executives in Europe and North America, it is also becoming a reality for many in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, especially those who aim to be global players – either doing business with or competing against the world’s top multinationals. Business leaders in each region are obviously influenced by different economic, social, cultural and political traditions, and different industry sectors face different types of corporate citizenship challenges. Despite these differences, the following trends in the concepts of corporate citizenship or corporate responsibility are common across geographic and sector boundaries:

1. From the corporate margins to the mainstream

2. From assertion to accountability

3. From paternalistic approaches to partnership

5.1.      From the corporate margins to the mainstream

In leading companies, corporate citizenship is moving beyond the boundaries of legal compliance and traditional philanthropy to become a more central factor in determining corporate success and legitimacy, with implications for corporate strategy, governance and risk management.

There is now growing recognition that global corporate citizenship is essentially about how the company makes its profits, everywhere it operates, not simply what it does with these profits afterwards. It is about how the company operates in three key spheres of corporate influence.

§         First, in its core business operations – in the boardroom, in the workplace, in the marketplace and along the supply chain.

• Second, in its community investment and philanthropic activities.
• Third, in its engagement in public policy dialogue, advocacy and institution building.

In all three spheres of corporate influence, the challenge for leadership companies is two fold:-

First, aim to ‘do minimal harm’ in terms of minimizing negative economic impacts, bad labour conditions, corruption, human rights abuses and environmental degradation that may result from a company’s operations. This is a goal that calls for management strategies such as compliance – with internationally accepted norms, guidelines and standards, such as the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Corporations and the UN Global Compact, as well as with national laws and regulation – and control of social and environmental risks, liabilities and negative impacts.

Second, aim to ‘do positive good’ in terms of creating new value for both the business and its stakeholders in the countries and communities in which it operates. This can be achieved through strategic philanthropy and community investment, which harnesses the company’s core competencies, products and services, not only its philanthropic cheques. Examples include, ICT companies supporting community projects to tackle the digital divide, financial companies supporting microcredit initiatives, and professional services firms sharing management expertise with local community organizations. More strategic, are efforts by companies to create new business value through developing new products, processes and technologies, and in some cases even transforming their business models, to serve untapped social and environmental needs, or facilitate entry into underserved markets. Examples include developing new markets for carbon emissions trading, creating new environmental technologies, and producing more affordable access to essential services such as clean water, energy, food, housing and medicines for the estimated 3 billion people who live on less than $2 a day.

A taskforce of the World Economic Forum, consisting of a group of over 40 CEOs and chairmen from 16 countries and representing 18 industry sectors signed a joint statement on global corporate citizenship. They agreed that: “The greatest contribution that we can make to development is to do business in a manner that obeys the law, produces safe and cost effective products and services, creates jobs and wealth, supports training and technology cooperation, and reflects international standards and values in areas such as the environment, ethics, labour and human rights. To make every effort to enhance the positive multipliers of our activities and to minimize any negative impacts on people and the environment, everywhere we invest and operate. A key element of this is recognizing that the frameworks we adopt for being a responsible corporate citizen must move beyond philanthropy and be integrated into core business strategy and practice.”

5.2. From assertion to accountability

A second key trend at the heart of the emerging corporate citizenship agenda is the growth in demands by stakeholders, including shareholders, for corporations to demonstrate greater accountability and transparency – and to do so not only in terms of their financial accounts and statements, but also in terms of their wider social, economic and environmental impacts.

Gone are the days when consumers, investors and the general public trusted all the information they received from companies and were relatively undemanding on what this information should cover in terms of corporate performance. In part this trust has been squandered by the recent series of corporate ethics scandals and governance failures. It has also been affected by a combination of increased democratization and press freedom around the world, easier access to more information through the Internet, greater public awareness of global issues through the media, increased consumer choice and sophistication, and higher societal expectations of the private sector.

In response to these trends, leading companies are being called on to be more accountable and more transparent to more stakeholders on more issues and in more places than ever before. In the wake of corporate governance and ethics scandals, there have been demands for greater financial accountability and transparency, resulting in increased shareholder advocacy and new regulations, such as Sarbanes-Oxley in the United States. At the same time, certain governments and stock exchanges are also calling for greater public disclosure on environmental and social performance, in areas such as carbon emissions, product safety, occupational health and safety, training and diversity. There are also growing calls for greater transparency on private sector engagement with governments on issues such as lobbying, financing political campaigns, payment of taxes and receipts of public procurement contracts and incentives.

In all of these areas, business leaders are facing new and challenging questions in terms of what to be accountable for, who to be accountable to, and how to actually measure and report non-financial performance in practice.

A number of global voluntary efforts are underway to develop standards, guidelines and procedures for measuring and reporting on corporate social and environmental performance. These range from multi-sector alliances, such as the Global Reporting Initiative, which is developing guidelines and indicators for public reporting on sustainability performance, to sector-focused efforts such as the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, which focuses on public disclosure of payments to governments by oil and mining companies, the Fair Labour Association in the apparel sector, the Equator Principles for project finance in the banking sector, and global framework agreements being negotiated between certain trade unions and global corporations. Growing numbers of Asian companies are engaging in these and other accountability initiatives.

5.3. From paternalistic approaches to partnerships

The third key trend in global corporate citizenship is a move away from more traditional, paternalistic attitudes that “the company and its senior executives knows best” to more genuine engagement, consultation and cooperation with key groups of stakeholders. There is growing recognition that the challenges we face, both as individual companies and nations and as a global community, are too great and too interdependent, and the resources for addressing these challenges too varied and too dispersed, for any one actor or sector to have all the solutions. New types of alliances between companies and other sectors, built on mutual respect and benefit, are becoming essential to both corporate success and societal progress.

The area of community investment offers a good example, where leading companies have moved away from traditional philanthropic approaches, focused on one way disbursement of charitable funds, to efforts aimed at engaging the core competencies of the company and building mutually beneficial partnerships between the company and non-profit or community organizations. Cisco Systems, for example, has been able to expand its Cisco Networking Academies program to over 10,000 academies in all 50 U.S. states and over 150 countries, working with partners ranging from the United Nations, the United States Agency for International Development and the Peace Corps, to local schools and nongovernmental organizations. In the Philippines, the Ayala Group has worked with Nokia, one of its key business partners, Pearson Education, the International Youth Foundation, the Department of Education, local authorities and parent-teachers associations to provide science materials to over 80 under-resourced schools. Just two of thousands of examples, through which companies, working in partnership with others, are providing education, training, and other opportunities to millions of young people and low-income communities around the world.

Some of the most interesting partnerships are in the form of strategic global or national alliances aimed at transforming not only individual corporate practices, but also influencing public policy frameworks and the broader enabling environment. National examples in Asia include the pioneering Philippines Business for Social Progress, the Thai Business Initiative for Rural Development and the Asia-Pacific Business Coalition Against HIV/AIDs.

In addition to community-level alliances between individual companies and nonprofit organizations, we are also witnessing the emergence of strategic global or national alliances aimed at transforming not only individual corporate practices, but also influencing public policy frameworks and the broader enabling environment. One example is the United Nations Global Compact, with over 2,000 corporate participants and some 30 national business networks, many of them from developing countries, working with UN agencies, trade unions and non-governmental organizations.

Through the power of collective action, the Global Compact seeks to advance responsible corporate citizenship so that business can be part of the solution to the challenges of globalization. It is a voluntary initiative with two objectives:

• Mainstream ten principles in the areas of environment, human rights, labour, and anti-corruption – all of which are based on international, intergovernmental agreements – into business activities and supply chains around the world;

• Catalyse business actions and partnerships in support of UN goals, especially the Millennium Development Goals.

Asian companies have been among the pioneers in supporting the Global Compact. In countries such as China, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, South Korea and Australia, individual companies, stock exchanges, business associations and governments are starting to explore ways to implement the compact’s ten principles as core elements of sound business practice. In November 2005, the Chinese government will host a major Global Compact Summit, taking a vital leadership role at a time when global industrial capacity continues to shift to China and Chinese companies continue to increase their international investment and influence.

Concluding Remarks

Although local business conditions and cultures vary from country to country, the elements of what it takes to be a successful and sustainable business over the longer-term illustrate some common imperatives. Being a profitable, but also responsible corporate citizen is increasingly one of these imperatives. This requires business leaders to be committed to a set of clearly stated and publicly upheld values – underpinned by policies and standards that are applied everywhere the company operates, not only in its home market. It requires companies to have risk management systems and accountability structures in place to protect existing value, by minimizing any negative economic, social or environmental impacts and reputation damage arising from their business operations. It also requires companies to support learning, innovation and partnerships that help to create new value, by delivering new products and services that meet societal needs as well as creating shareholder value. And it calls for ongoing efforts to evaluate and measure progress and performance against each of these three areas.

In summary, regardless of industry sector or country, global corporate citizenship rests on four pillars: values; value protection; value creation; and evaluation. These four pillars not only underpin the long-term success and sustainability of individual companies, but are also a major factor in contributing to broader social and economic progress in the countries and communities in which these companies operate. Along with good governance on the part of governments, they offer one of our greatest hopes for a more prosperous, just and sustainable world.

Prof. Surinder Pal Singh
http://www.articlesbase.com/ethics-articles/the-concept-of-corporate-citizenship-in-a-global-environment-741210.html

Health or medical tourism is a recently coined phrase that denotes tourists visiting other countries not only for sightseeing but also for medical treatment, taking advantage of the low costs prevailing in those countries. It is gaining in popularity as the medical costs in developed countries are becoming exorbitant. Patients can save as much as 50% and more on medical costs depending on the destination. Moreover many of the low cost countries like Panama also provide quality healthcare services matching with those of developed ones.

Panama has a history of having good healthcare system right from building of the Panama Canal in 1914 when doctors from U.S. helped in eradicating malaria, typhoid and other tropical diseases prevailing in Panama at that time. Since then many citizens of Panama have traveled to U.S. and Europe to get advanced degrees in medicine & technology and returned to Panama to set up a good healthcare system. Hospitals in Panama are provided with latest technology equipment imported from abroad. Latest CAT scanning machines, radiation therapy for cancer, three dimensional computerized reconstructions are all available at the hospitals in Panama.

Doctors and other healthcare professionals in Panama are well versed in English which is another plus point that increases the comfort level of tourists from U.S. Medical tourists can undergo dental implants in Panama by paying less than half the cost prevailing in U.S. taking advantage of the low taxes and wages there. Other popular medical procedures include plastic surgery, cardiology, assisted reproduction, ophthalmology etc. Tourists visiting Panama for medical purpose can not only avail quality healthcare at affordable prices but also enjoy the sunny beaches and other tourist attractions of Panama. Another incentive for tourists from U.S. to undergo medical treatment in Panama is that the tax deductible medical expense includes travel cost.

The popularity of alternate medicine also attracts tourists to travel abroad for treatment. Acupuncture, homeopathy, herbal medicine, magnetic therapy, zoo therapy, prolotherapy etc. are some of the alternate medicines available in Panama. With the advent of internet, communication has become cheap and easy worldwide and there are many websites that provide information on the medical facilities available abroad. Pana health is an internet based organization in Panama that provides the service of linking prospective health tourists with doctors and hospitals affiliated to it. Many tourist operators also take care of the needs of foreigners like transportation, lodging etc. visiting Panama for medical purposes. Centro Medico Paitilla and Hospital Nacional are two hospitals in Panama City providing exclusive service to visiting foreign health tourists.

The geo thermal springs in El Valle and Chiriqui mountains serve as tourist cum health spot. Panama grows the None fruit abundantly which is known to aid in boosting the immune system and is popular with health conscious tourists. The doctors in Panama are well trained professionals and have received rave reviews from visiting foreign patients for their dedication and quality of service.

For more information, please visit:

http://www.panamaexpertos.com

http://www.panamaexpertos.com/info.php?page=content/visas_residency_citizenship

http://www.panamaexpertos.com/info.php?page=content/visas_residency_citizenship&pagenumber=2

Jean Bouttet
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/panama-health-tourism-96674.html

The 2006 Congressional mid-term elections are just around the corner. In many ways this election is a pivotal point for both the Democrat and Republican parties. For over a decade the Republican party has maintained control of both the Senate and House of Representatives. Though due to many issues that now face the country that may very well change.

Whether Democrat or Republican, conservative or liberal, most americans agree the problems this nation and the world face are serious and need to be addressed. Unfortunately it appears that within the United States partisan politics and an unwillingness to compromise has prevented any real progress.

In the House of Representatives the Democrats need to gain 15 seats to achieve a majority vote. Many political pundents from both parties believe this will be the case and some say the net gain will be much higher, though most qualify their opinion with a healthy “anything can happen”.

The Senate race is much tighter with the Dem’s needing 6 seats to gain a majority position. The outcomes of the various Senate races seem to be much harder to predict. Opinion polls (something all politicians and news agencies rely on) vary from day to day though most show that at least two of the Senate races are impossible to predict.

If the Democrats take control of congress what will change? It is a good question but difficult to answer. The executive branch will still be Republican and a “divided government” as it is sometimes called has proven problematic in the past.

The American style of democracy relies on a system of checks and balances with a congress providing the role of oversight as one of its functions. Most if not all political analysts agree that Congress has been rather lax recently in exercising that particular responsibility.

The war in Iraq, terrorism, immigration, social security and health care reform seem to be the issues most Americans are concerned with. Whether or not any one or all of these issues are addressed and resolved after the mid-terms remains an open question.

Recently Republicans have had a difficult time responding to the various problems and scandals that have plagued them, with the Rep. Tom Foley / page situation only adding to the list. The base, or core of the Republican party which includes conservative evangelicals have voiced serious concern over the direction of the party and the apparent drifting from core Republican values.

Fiscal responsibility, smaller government and personal freedoms have historically been major parts of the GOP platform. Federal spending, the deficit and the federal government are at this point larger than ever before and growing, and many would argue that personal freedoms are being threatened in the war on terror.

The Democrats do not have it any easier. Unable to communicate a clear message and an inability to provide a new direction for the country, most Americans find themselves forced to choose between two apparently dysfunctional political parties.

The possibility exists that after this election cycle both parties will try to set aside their differences and tackle the major issues. If the Dem’s do gain a clear majority in both houses, then both parties will be forced to at least try to work together if they are to get anything done.

The President will have two years left in his second term and with the situation in Iraq no where near resolved and a majority of Americans feeling the war was a mistake, it is likely both parties will work towards a quick if imperfect solution.

A “divided government” situation, where one branch (for example: the Executive) is controlled by one party and another branch of government (Legislature) is controlled by the political opposite can have both positive and negative aspects.

Proper Congressional oversight has a better chance of being exercised and maintained and a larger proportion of the population will generally have their concerns heard and addressed. Two political parties with an equal share of power will leave a smaller unrepresented minority (in theory).

The down-side is the very real possibility that nothing gets done. Both sides so entrenched and unwilling to move on an issue that if the Executive branch is presented with a bill to sign it is vetoed and any proposals made to Congress are rejected out of hand.

An honest willingness from both parties to work on the demanding issues of the day will not only serve their own individual interests but serve the country as a whole, which is why they were elected in the first place.

The 2006 Congressional mid-term elections may provide a new dynamic to Washington and a real opportunity to address some of the problems that face this nation. With the middle-east more volatile now rather than less, North Korea and Iran working towards nuclear weapons, America’s damaged reputation in the eyes of the world and the serious reality of America’s domestic problems, both Democrats, Republicans and the Nation would be best served by setting aside partisan politics and setting to work on the difficult issues we now face.

Bill Watson
http://www.articlesbase.com/politics-articles/will-2006-be-a-turning-point-in-american-politics-67435.html

Facing a public still wary of his massive health care overhaul, President Barack Obama on Thursday urged Americans not to judge the nearly $1 trillion legislation he signed into law last week until the reforms take hold.
Read the rest of this entry »

Throat cancer is one of the cancers which occur in the throat. This is disease is found with different names like vocal cord cancer, throat cancer, laryngeal cancer, cancer of the glottis. This is the cancer which is found in both men and women.

The throat cancer is the cancer which appears in the upper part of the throat. It is the cancer which appears in the throat that is vocal cords, voice box (larynx), or other areas of the throat. This cancer spreads not only occurs in the other parts of the throat also. This is cancer which can occur in both men and women. This cancer involves the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells that have mutated from normal tissues. This growth can kill when these cells prevent normal function of vital organs or spread throughout the body, damaging essentials systems.
For more information meet: dr jack
This throat cancer has some alternate names like vocal cord cancer, laryngeal cancer, cancer of the glottis, cancer of the pharynx, vocal cord cancer and others. This cancer as it occurs to the throat and the parts related to it so it is named after it. This cancer also occurs when the normal cells undergo a transformation whereby they grow and multiply without normal controls. This cancer involves tumors on the tonsils, vocal cords, voice box (larynx) and at the base of the tongue.
The main cause for the exposure for this cancer is the consumption of the tobacco that plays a significant role in many of the cases. The causes for this cancer are the heavy smoking of cigarettes, chewing tobacco, excessive use of alcohol is also one of the causes for its occurrence. But if the man is addicted to both smoking and consuming alcohol then he is at higher risk of getting the disease. But this is more occurred in men than women. This disease can occur to any age but mainly occurs to the age group who is above 45 of age. This can be controlled with herbal products Some of the other factors for the occurrence of this cancer are the enlargement of the thyroid gland called chronic goiter. This cause may be due to the radiation exposure and the family history of cancer or the genetic predisposition.

The symptoms of the hoarseness, sore throat, neck pain, difficulty in swallowing, swelling in the neck, unintentional weight loss, cough, coughing up blood, abnormal breathing sounds, numbness or the paralyses of the muscles in the face, swelling of the jaw, shortness of breath, chest pain and many other reasons also. This cancer also has some of the common symptoms like fever, chills, night sweats, weight loss, loss of appetite, fatigue, malaise.
The above symptoms are not to be considered as a serious one as these may also be the causes for some of the common health upsets also. But if the person is adult then he has to undergo a medical checkup and have a take care of his health.
The signs and tests can be done when an examination of the neck and the throat may show the cancer of the throat. The symptom may appear bloody or lump on the throat which appears on the outside of the neck. Biopsy and the analysis of tissues that appear abnormal may conform the presence of the cancer tumor.
If you experience any of the above throat cancer symptoms it is advised that you see your healthcare provider for a more thorough check so the proper diagnose and treatment can be apply in the initial stage.
the best way of preventing this cancer is to quit smoking and preventing the consumption of tobacco. Many cancers can be prevented by avoiding risk factors such as excessive exposure to sunlight and heavy drinking. We should cultivate a habit of taking healthy diet that is the consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits. Keeping the health fit by doing the exercises, meditation, yogasanas, cultivation of morning jog or walk, having the nutritious food in the diet, protecting ourselves from bad atmosphere may make us to be free from the diseases also.
Some people at high risk for developing certain cancers can take medication to reduce their risk. But yet the treatment must be aimed at destruction of the cancer and prevention of its spread to other parts of the body. The treatment of the cancer depends on certain issues like the age of the patient, general health condition, the size of the tumor, extent of the cancer and others.
This is the cancer which may be found at its advanced stage. So it is an urge need that the patient should be careful while choosing the correct physician for his treatment. This treatment is aimed at destruction of the cancer and prevention of spread of the cancer to the other parts of the body. The earlier it is diagnosed the earlier it is treated.
Treatment is aimed at destruction of the cancer and prevention of spread of the cancer to other parts of the body. The earlier throat cancer is diagnosed, the better the prospect of recovery. If the treatment is not given then it can grow and can cause to death. So it is better to get treated at its initial stage. The treatment needs long term recovery but if have a hope of conquering it then you can have it. You should be mentally firmed and be prepared to achieve in curing it.
The people who come to our center have a hope of curing the disease and becoming healthy. We support you with this attitude of yours as we use the alternative supplements which are natural and cure the disease with no side effects with miraculous improvements in your health condition. We make you feel ease and get away from your suffer.

Drrao
http://www.articlesbase.com/alternative-medicine-articles/new-throat-cancer-treatment-59444.html

The association providing healthcare for thousands of people around the world as well as heart surgery and plastic repair surgery is mainly aimed for that group of patients that hardly succeed to put food on their family’s table but desperately require medical care. The main objective of the program is to provide affordable healthcare and pharmaceutical supplies to persons who cannot afford to pay hundreds of dollars for the necessary medical needs and at an approachable price.

The program is a partnership between internationally known hospitals; its goal is to provide medical and surgical care, plastic surgery and dentistry with virtually no limits in both financial and timing resources. The main idea is to be able to offer medical and surgical care in just a few weeks instead of putting the patients on long interminable waiting lists.

At the same or even lower prices than other medical care providers’ offer, the affordable healthcare in different parts of the world can offer you also the opportunity to travel to a foreign country while doing the required trip for you operation. The agency for most affordable medical care suitable for anyone independently of the financial and social status is able to provide its patients with any kind of required healthcare or surgical intervention. Heart surgery and plastic surgery are only two important options of the program; the world-wide spread affordable healthcare program is able to deal with any kind of medical problems in best conditions.

Implying the affordable heart surgery all over the partnered hospitals, the affordable discounts low costs include the doctor’s fees, nursing, material cost, pre and post procedure consultations, tests and physical examinations as well as room fees, meals and medical or surgical procedure hospital costs. Affordable heart surgery low cost packages also include all required diagnose tests, radiology, laboratory before and after the surgical procedure; medications, medical supplies and drugs used by the patient during the in-patient hospital stay are also included for the benefit of the patient who cannot afford spending a lot of money for his medical needs.

When it comes to affordable plastic surgery the high quality cosmetic procedures are available due to the basis of the program that offers young board certified surgeons to minimize the cost of marketing for their practice. Due to an increasingly large popularity of plastic surgery in television programs more and more persons ask for our affordable plastic surgery offers; the benefit is both to the young practitioners requiring a high volume of patients and to the persons looking for plastic surgery interventions at lower costs.

When it comes for Affordable heart surgery or if you want to find specific information about Affordable plastic surgery please check this website: Affordable health care

Stefan Jechel
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/affordable-health-care-and-heart-surgery-107626.html