Stem cell Essay Example For Students

Stem cell Essay Stem cell Essay research is a very complex argument. There are people that feel that stem cell research should not have even been introduced into our society. However, there are others that feel that stem cell research could change many lives. Those who feel it could change many lives are right in many peoples eyes. With the advancement of stem cell research, we would be able to help many people with such diseases as heart disease and Alzheimers. Stem cells could also help others with dibilating diseases and those who have suffered some very unfortunate accident. One particularly known person who supports the stem cell research was Christopher Reeves, who was paralyzed in an accident. Other people that believe that the research is unethical since the best way to get stem cells is from embryos, in which the embryo is killed in order to take the stem cells. The biggest obstacle for stem cell research would have to be, killing the human embryo in order to take the stem cells. Many of those that oppose the research believe that is murder, since many religions, such as the Catholic Church, believe that the embryo has a soul, therefore, it is considered murder and a sin. There are other ways of getting the cells, which do not require the killing of embryos. We will write a custom essay on Stem cell specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now One way to get the stem cells would be from taking them from an adult source. However, those are sometimes not as abundant as those taken from embryos. There is a chance that the cells could be harvested from the Umbilical cords donated from newborns. There are other instances of the cells being taken from those of aborted babies. If the mothers do not want to keep the baby, why not have them donated to the stem cell research, in order to help someone else. Also, there are the embryos that are left in the fertility clinics. Those embryos are going to be destroyed anyway, why not donate those that are grown to the stem cell research. With the stem cell research, there could be many lives saved by the research alone. However, there is no estimate to the lives that stem cell research could save and there is no number of those that have been saved by stem cell research. In fact, there is no human research to date that states that stem cells are going to work. Stem cells have been shown to grow items such as heart tissue and spinal tissue along with many other organs. There are some that have benefited from stem cell research, not those of embryonic stem cells but those of adult stem cells. The Coalition of Americans for Research Ethics, states that adult stem cells have shown to be more effective than the embryonic stem cells. Adult bone marrow cells have shown immune tolerance and have not been rejected. The adult stem cells can also repair the retina of the eye, grow new blood vessels, and stimulate the growth in children with bone disease. Dr. Ronald McKay, stem cell researcher at the National Institute of Disorders and Stroke, believes that the reasons for such hype in embryonic cells is that people need a fairy tale and that the adult stem cells are just as effective. If stem cells can help such people with heart disease, Parkinsons, and Alzheimers why would we want to let these people die in such a way. Many of these diseases, such as Parkinsons and Alzheimers, which attack the nervous system cells would be able to get back to their own lives and not have to suffer from such a debilitating disease. Others feel that it is almost like playing god and that changing something that would occur naturally is unethical. Still, the main conflict that lies with stem cell research is that of killing the embryos in order to extract the stem cells. Another side of research is where the embryos will come from. There are many types of stem cells that can be used. But, the main focus is on those of embryonic stem cells. .u565547a490587993a684cadad901e09d , .u565547a490587993a684cadad901e09d .postImageUrl , .u565547a490587993a684cadad901e09d .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u565547a490587993a684cadad901e09d , .u565547a490587993a684cadad901e09d:hover , .u565547a490587993a684cadad901e09d:visited , .u565547a490587993a684cadad901e09d:active { border:0!important; } .u565547a490587993a684cadad901e09d .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u565547a490587993a684cadad901e09d { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u565547a490587993a684cadad901e09d:active , .u565547a490587993a684cadad901e09d:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u565547a490587993a684cadad901e09d .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u565547a490587993a684cadad901e09d .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u565547a490587993a684cadad901e09d .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u565547a490587993a684cadad901e09d .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u565547a490587993a684cadad901e09d:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u565547a490587993a684cadad901e09d .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u565547a490587993a684cadad901e09d .u565547a490587993a684cadad901e09d-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u565547a490587993a684cadad901e09d:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: In Cold Blood Essay Stem cells can be harvested from those left behind after in-vitro fertilization. Many of those eggs are going to be destroyed, so why not . Stem cell Essay Example For Students Stem cell Essay Few recent scientific issues have stimulated so much media attention, public debate and government involvement as that of Stem cell Essay research. Stem cells offer people hope by promising to greatly extend the number and range of patients who could benefit from transplants, and to provide novel therapies to treat debilitating diseases such as diabetes, Parkinsons, Huntingtons, heart disease and stroke, as well as accidental damage such as spinal cord injury. So why would anyone object to research in this area? The problem is simply that a particular type of stem cell, which potentially could provide many cell types for a wide range of therapeutic uses, is obtained from the very early embryo. To make matters even more contentious, the same cloning technology that gave Dolly the sheep could in theory be used to tailor stem cells to the patient. Some people worry that we are taking research too far down paths that make them feel uncomfortable, others think it is downright immoral and against their deep-held, often religious, beliefs. We will write a custom essay on Stem cell specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now But what are the scientific issues and why do many of us feel equally passionate that the research should be allowed? What are meant by stem cells and how might they be used? There are many types of stem cell, but they share several interesting properties that set them aside from other cell types. The adult body contains hundreds of specialised or differentiated cell types, each playing a particular role. Some of these are long lived and do not divide, such as nerve cells; others are short lived and need to be replaced through cell division. Usually, when cells divide, their daughter cells are identical and of the same type as the parent cell. In other words they divide symmetrically. Additionally, their fate and their properties are fixed once a liver cell, always a liver cell. In contrast, stem cells undergo asymmetric divisions, producing both another stem cell, in a process called self-renewal, and a cell that will become differentiated. The differentiated cell may still be able to divide, but it cannot normally go back to form the original type of cell. In some circumstances stem cells can increase their numbers, giving rise only to more stem cells. However, stem cells in the adult are usually in tune with the tissue to which they belong. They divide at the appropriate rate to self renew and to give rise to just sufficient differentiated cells to replenish those that have been lost. However, with accidental trauma or disease the normal rate of regeneration is often too slow to allow for repair. This is particularly true within the nervous system, but also in other tissues where turnover is low, such as the pancreas. How can we harness stem cells to cure diseases? We have become very used to the idea of organ transplants in medicine, to treat a wide range of problems from cataracts to kidney or heart disease. However, we are also all aware of the frequency with which they fail, often through immune rejection, and there is also a serious shortage of organ donors. Both problems could be solved if tissue could be taken from one part of the body to repair another part of the same individual. There are relatively few cases where this is done at present, e.g. using valves from leg veins to repair heart valves. Rather than using whole donor organs or tissues, an alternative would be to use the stem cells able to form those tissues. In fact this is already done with bone marrow transplants, where the stem cells in the graft can regenerate all the different types of cell in the blood. Other types of stem cell could be used in a similar way. For example, the correct stem cell type might allow specific cell types to be replaced in the nervous system, where it is impossible to transplant whole structures. The idea is to identify and remove the stem cells from a particular tissue, multiply them outside of the body and then use them to replace damaged tissue. .u7bf17050d2f391fd8271049d7c8b7dbe , .u7bf17050d2f391fd8271049d7c8b7dbe .postImageUrl , .u7bf17050d2f391fd8271049d7c8b7dbe .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u7bf17050d2f391fd8271049d7c8b7dbe , .u7bf17050d2f391fd8271049d7c8b7dbe:hover , .u7bf17050d2f391fd8271049d7c8b7dbe:visited , .u7bf17050d2f391fd8271049d7c8b7dbe:active { border:0!important; } .u7bf17050d2f391fd8271049d7c8b7dbe .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u7bf17050d2f391fd8271049d7c8b7dbe { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u7bf17050d2f391fd8271049d7c8b7dbe:active , .u7bf17050d2f391fd8271049d7c8b7dbe:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u7bf17050d2f391fd8271049d7c8b7dbe .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u7bf17050d2f391fd8271049d7c8b7dbe .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u7bf17050d2f391fd8271049d7c8b7dbe .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u7bf17050d2f391fd8271049d7c8b7dbe .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u7bf17050d2f391fd8271049d7c8b7dbe:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u7bf17050d2f391fd8271049d7c8b7dbe .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u7bf17050d2f391fd8271049d7c8b7dbe .u7bf17050d2f391fd8271049d7c8b7dbe-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u7bf17050d2f391fd8271049d7c8b7dbe:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Essay on The Structure And Function Of Public Health Essay This is already done to some extent to repair skin in burn victims, where a small piece of skin can be grown to cover a burn many times the . Stem cell Essay Example For Students Stem cell Essay Stem cell Essay Research In modern medicine today there are remedies for many diseases and sicknesses. For those unfortunate few with rare diseases, cancer, or a genetic mutation, we dont have a resolution or cure. The race to find these cures is going on right now. Many think the solution can be found in the tiny embryonic stem cells. Most of the people who believe that the embryonic stem cell is the solution also believe that the federal government should help fund the research. The use of embryonic stem cells is not the only solution to be for these rare cases. Adult stem cell research is another means of finding the solution to the rare diseases, cancers, and other such sicknesses. Adult stem cell research is the most moral and effective treatment for the rare diseases and sicknesses. Adult stem cell research has been proven to be the superior form of stem cell research at this time. Adult stem cells have provided 56 treatments to various sicknesses from brain cancer, to Hodgkins Lymphoma, to Sickle Cell Anemia, to spinal cord injuries (Do No Harm). These 56 treatments compare to the zero that embryonic stem cell research has so far provided. We will write a custom essay on Stem cell specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now It is apparent just from that fact alone that adult stem cells are not second best. Dr. Carlos Lima in Portugal, has helped several paralyzed patients to restore bladder and muscle control using stem cells from their own nasal tissue. One of Dr. Limas patients appeared before a Senate subcommittee and presented videos of herself walking with braces (Biotechnology and Bioethics). Embryonic stem cell research is the study of a tiny cell, taken from an embryo, which during the development of the embryo grows into many different organ or tissue cells. These cells can be cultured and grown into almost any organ or tissue cells to repair or replace damaged cells (Eapejo 53). The only high point that embryonic stem cells have is that they could potentially be used for anything because of this unique ability to be grown into any type of cell. But embryonic stem cells also run the risk of tissue rejection and tumors. This is one of the reasons a human trial has yet to be done (Tada). Embryonic research is not complete but isnt near ready for a human trial. Embryonic research is showing no signs that the cures are around the corner either (Center for Bioethics and Culture). Many people who support embryonic research dont see this though. Some of the supporters were Christopher Reeves and Ronald Reagans wife and son, Ronnie. They felt that embryonic research was the key to finding the cure for Parkinsons Disease, Alzheimers, and Multiple Sclerosis. Unfortunately for Christopher Reeves and Ronald Reagan, a cure was not found in time. Their families argue that political issues withheld the cures for their diseases. When you look at their cases though, they were too far along in their sickness to be able to take advantage of the treatments that we have found and used. Adult stem cell research has had success in finding a cure for Parkinsons and MS. The best story is of a MS patient, in advanced stages, who with the use of his own adult stem cells is now almost in total remission (Biotechnology and Bioethics). Aside from just not having proven to be an effective means of curing sicknesses, embryonic stem cells are obtained from in vitro fertilized embryos as well as aborted embryos. The problem with in vitro fertilized embryos is the researchers have a tendencies to make too many of them, in mass amounts. Their resolution to this is to freeze the embryos, to slow the death process. So, essentially, these researchers create the living embryo, study it, freeze it, pull some cells from it, then let it die (Center for Bioethics and Culture). .ufb8a9f23972dce744ee5a52f8201e980 , .ufb8a9f23972dce744ee5a52f8201e980 .postImageUrl , .ufb8a9f23972dce744ee5a52f8201e980 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ufb8a9f23972dce744ee5a52f8201e980 , .ufb8a9f23972dce744ee5a52f8201e980:hover , .ufb8a9f23972dce744ee5a52f8201e980:visited , .ufb8a9f23972dce744ee5a52f8201e980:active { border:0!important; } .ufb8a9f23972dce744ee5a52f8201e980 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ufb8a9f23972dce744ee5a52f8201e980 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ufb8a9f23972dce744ee5a52f8201e980:active , .ufb8a9f23972dce744ee5a52f8201e980:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ufb8a9f23972dce744ee5a52f8201e980 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ufb8a9f23972dce744ee5a52f8201e980 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ufb8a9f23972dce744ee5a52f8201e980 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ufb8a9f23972dce744ee5a52f8201e980 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ufb8a9f23972dce744ee5a52f8201e980:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ufb8a9f23972dce744ee5a52f8201e980 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ufb8a9f23972dce744ee5a52f8201e980 .ufb8a9f23972dce744ee5a52f8201e980-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ufb8a9f23972dce744ee5a52f8201e980:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Art As It Applies To History Essay Stem cell research comes down to a moral issue. It comes down to whether you believe the killing of an unborn baby is wrong and if you believe the cloning of human beings is wrong. Joni Tada, a quadriplegic who would benefit greatly from a breakthrough in spinal cord injury research a potential cure of stem cell research said, during an interview with . Stem Cell Essay Example For Students Stem Cell Essay Who has the Power to change life? The topic of Stem Cell Essay research does not affect me so much at the moment. It might in the future, but for now it does not. I do believe that stem cell research should be used for clning organs that will be used for organ transplants. I do not however think that parents should place the doctors on pedestals just because these mad scientists supposedly have the power of God. The topic of heated debate does intrigue me, but not to the point as to where I would make a career of it. We will write a custom essay on Stem Cell specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now I think that stem cell research is a really great idea because it saves peoples lives. After hearing both sides of debates I have to say the research being done is good because of the progress and the advances it can bring to the medical community. In the articles I have read on this very controversial debate on whether stem cells should be destroyed or used for experimentation, human cloning and embryonic research are intertwined within these articles. Other things to consider as to why these issues are so controversial, are because most of the subjects are done only by one person, God. Society wants to believe that God created life, why do you think God would do that? The answer is never going to be spoken because no one is for sure. Genetic engineering also makes an appearance in one article. This is used to change the DNA in human gene cells. For example, scientists started off by experimenting on plants. This cause a slew of riots, protests and angry health freaks, stating that these genetically engineered vegetable are Franken Foods. Protests burst out across the country in places where plants where being modifies. As far as anyone knows this technique has not been tested on humans. But if any of these techniques are banned, private funding will pay for the continuation of experiments and research. This applies to everything pertaining to what was discussed in these articles. Bush recalls, in recent weeks, we have learned that scientists have created human embryos in test tubes solely to experiment on them,'(627). This right here shows how humans can distort how medical advances can help save lives and ruin them because of money. That is where the scientists think that they have the power to become God, and the parents think they can pick out the way their children look. Assuming that the scientists do not charge and arm and a leg for the procedures done to change a life, in the world today some parents might use the technique of artificial insemination. The parents who use this are using it as a last resort, because they are unable to have a child together. This is acceptable, because they want to have a child; they do not want to custom design their children. Cloning is another subject to be banned; if it is banned then many ailing patients ill die before those medical advances can save them. Cloning for organs was a big step for medical advances. It opened a doorway for new possibilities in medicine, helping thousands of people. President Bushs take on stem cell research was during a time of heated debates over the issue, (Trefil 617). He was only allowing the continuation of the stem cell research only if they used what they had left over from al the experiments. He let the governmeant fund the research, but only for what was left over. According to scientists they believe they have the power to produce human clones. Of course, there is no evidence of this. But if there was, it would end up opening a door of dangerous possibilities. Starting tomorrow, South Korean scientists will be able to destroy human embryos to obtain their stem cells for research thanks to new guidelines finalized by the South Korean government, (Ertelt, Life) This is the new findings surrounding stem cells and embryonic work. That provision will now allow scientists to use human cloning to create unborn children for the sole purpose of killing them. .u345baf24a49e6ce7d9a64228b733961f , .u345baf24a49e6ce7d9a64228b733961f .postImageUrl , .u345baf24a49e6ce7d9a64228b733961f .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u345baf24a49e6ce7d9a64228b733961f , .u345baf24a49e6ce7d9a64228b733961f:hover , .u345baf24a49e6ce7d9a64228b733961f:visited , .u345baf24a49e6ce7d9a64228b733961f:active { border:0!important; } .u345baf24a49e6ce7d9a64228b733961f .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u345baf24a49e6ce7d9a64228b733961f { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u345baf24a49e6ce7d9a64228b733961f:active , .u345baf24a49e6ce7d9a64228b733961f:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u345baf24a49e6ce7d9a64228b733961f .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u345baf24a49e6ce7d9a64228b733961f .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u345baf24a49e6ce7d9a64228b733961f .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u345baf24a49e6ce7d9a64228b733961f .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u345baf24a49e6ce7d9a64228b733961f:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u345baf24a49e6ce7d9a64228b733961f .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u345baf24a49e6ce7d9a64228b733961f .u345baf24a49e6ce7d9a64228b733961f-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u345baf24a49e6ce7d9a64228b733961f:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Diabetes Essay The South Korean Government hopes to use this research to cure over 18 diseases. Which includes Alzheimers, even thought after many years of the embryonic research has . stem cell Essay Example For Students stem cell Essay Few recent scientific issues have stimulated so much media attention, public debate and government involvement as that of stem cell Essay research. Stem cells offer people hope by promising to greatly extend the number and range of patients who could benefit from transplants, and to provide novel therapies to treat debilitating diseases such as diabetes, Parkinsons, Huntingtons, heart disease and stroke, as well as accidental damage such as spinal cord injury. So why would anyone object to research in this area? The problem is simply that a particular type of stem cell, which potentially could provide many cell types for a wide range of therapeutic uses, is obtained from the very early embryo. To make matters even more contentious, the same cloning technology that gave Dolly the sheep could in theory be used to tailor stem cells to the patient. Some people worry that we are taking research too far down paths that make them feel uncomfortable, others think it is downright immoral and against their deep-held, often religious, beliefs. We will write a custom essay on stem cell specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now But what are the scientific issues and why do many of us feel equally passionate that the research should be allowed? What are meant by stem cells and how might they be used? There are many types of stem cell, but they share several interesting properties that set them aside from other cell types. The adult body contains hundreds of specialised or differentiated cell types, each playing a particular role. Some of these are long lived and do not divide, such as nerve cells; others are short lived and need to be replaced through cell division. Usually, when cells divide, their daughter cells are identical and of the same type as the parent cell. In other words they divide symmetrically. Additionally, their fate and their properties are fixed once a liver cell, always a liver cell. In contrast, stem cells undergo asymmetric divisions, producing both another stem cell, in a process called self-renewal, and a cell that will become differentiated. The differentiated cell may still be able to divide, but it cannot normally go back to form the original type of cell. In some circumstances stem cells can increase their numbers, giving rise only to more stem cells. However, stem cells in the adult are usually in tune with the tissue to which they belong. They divide at the appropriate rate to self renew and to give rise to just sufficient differentiated cells to replenish those that have been lost. However, with accidental trauma or disease the normal rate of regeneration is often too slow to allow for repair. This is particularly true within the nervous system, but also in other tissues where turnover is low, such as the pancreas. How can we harness stem cells to cure diseases? We have become very used to the idea of organ transplants in medicine, to treat a wide range of problems from cataracts to kidney or heart disease. However, we are also all aware of the frequency with which they fail, often through immune rejection, and there is also a serious shortage of organ donors. Both problems could be solved if tissue could be taken from one part of the body to repair another part of the same individual. There are relatively few cases where this is done at present, e.g. using valves from leg veins to repair heart valves. Rather than using whole donor organs or tissues, an alternative would be to use the stem cells able to form those tissues. In fact this is already done with bone marrow transplants, where the stem cells in the graft can regenerate all the different types of cell in the blood. Other types of stem cell could be used in a similar way. For example, the correct stem cell type might allow specific cell types to be replaced in the nervous system, where it is impossible to transplant whole structures. The idea is to identify and remove the stem cells from a particular tissue, multiply them outside of the body and then use them to replace damaged tissue. .u6f8f682c4c73063e6d259cdb39532221 , .u6f8f682c4c73063e6d259cdb39532221 .postImageUrl , .u6f8f682c4c73063e6d259cdb39532221 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u6f8f682c4c73063e6d259cdb39532221 , .u6f8f682c4c73063e6d259cdb39532221:hover , .u6f8f682c4c73063e6d259cdb39532221:visited , .u6f8f682c4c73063e6d259cdb39532221:active { border:0!important; } .u6f8f682c4c73063e6d259cdb39532221 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u6f8f682c4c73063e6d259cdb39532221 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u6f8f682c4c73063e6d259cdb39532221:active , .u6f8f682c4c73063e6d259cdb39532221:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u6f8f682c4c73063e6d259cdb39532221 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u6f8f682c4c73063e6d259cdb39532221 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u6f8f682c4c73063e6d259cdb39532221 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u6f8f682c4c73063e6d259cdb39532221 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u6f8f682c4c73063e6d259cdb39532221:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u6f8f682c4c73063e6d259cdb39532221 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u6f8f682c4c73063e6d259cdb39532221 .u6f8f682c4c73063e6d259cdb39532221-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u6f8f682c4c73063e6d259cdb39532221:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven Essay This is already done to some extent to repair skin in burn victims, where a small piece of skin can be grown to cover a burn many times the area .

010 Distinguishing They Say and I Say Professor Ramos Blog

010 Distinguishing They Say and I Say Weekly Journals Quick Write What questions do you have about the journals? Weekly Journals The chapter we read for today is particularly important for your weekly reading journals. You need to summarize what someone else said, then respond to it. In order to do that, you have to signal what someone else has said and when you are adding to or responding to that. Why Rural America Voted for Trump Robert Leonard, â€Å"Why Rural America Voted for Trump† [p. 279] Democrats think people are fundamentally good. Republicans think people are fundamentally bad. Do   you think people are good? Jonathan Haidt: Can a Divided America Heal? 20 Minutes. Jon Haidt is a Social Psychologist. Write down anything you think is important or that stands out to you. Write down any words you don’t know so we can make a list for everyone. â€Å"Me against my brother; me and my brother against our cousin; me and my brother and cousins against the stranger.† Chp 5, â€Å"And Yet† Distinguishing What  You  Say from What  They  Say Chapter 5 (p. 68) introduces you to the term  voice markers  in order to help you distinguish the â€Å"I say† from the â€Å"They say.† This is a very important move since we are now including the â€Å"They say† in your writing. If you do not do this clearly, the reader will be confused as to your position and you may seem to contradict yourself. The templates help you with specific ways of signaling who is saying what, and to embed the voice markers. Being able to distinguish your own view from the common view is a â€Å"sophisticated rhetorical move.† Using â€Å"I† or â€Å"We† The chapter also covers using the first person in academic writing, â€Å"I† or â€Å"we.† You have likely been told to not or never use the I in college writing. The book argues that well-supported arguments are grounded in persuasive reasons and evidence, not in the use of or nonuse of pronouns. Free Write Take the topic you are thinking about researching for your report and write it at the top of a page. For the next five minutes I want you two write down everything you know about it. Do not edit as you write. Just keep writing and see where it takes you. Just keep writing. If you thought runs out, skip a line and start a new thought. Keep writing. Figure out what you know and what you need to research.

Summary&Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summary&Response - Essay Example They spend a lot of time with technology and own gadgets such as iPod and other mobile devices and do most of their activities online. The authors further note that difference between the three categories offers advantages and conflicts. The digital natives have some techniques that captivate the older generation such as creativity in technology but also lack some fundamental aspects such as interpersonal skills. Technology also induces bad traits among the digital natives. Digital settlers are however in a better position to handle the digital natives who rely on online technology for their interpersonal interactions. Even though the digital natives depict different lifestyles from digital immigrants, some of the fundamentals are retained. Shared online music with playlist, for expressing affection, has for example substituted music cassettes with track lists. Acknowledging development that the digital natives have caused and potential improvements, the author notes that the technol ogy use among digital natives must be handled with care because actions on it may either propel or destroy the society. The authors offer a rich description of the digital natives, their distinguishing characteristics from the digital immigrants and settlers, and effects on contemporary technology on the digital natives. This means existence of a gap between segments of the population with respect to use of technology. I agree with the authors position on these themes. First, experience with the digital natives exposes their extreme reliance on technology as they spend a lot of time on related devices. Interaction with them in public places and even in family even illustrates this as they are oftem immerced in the computerized devices, either chating with friends, updating status, or downloading online content. My personal experience in family occasions confirm this as family members, from

The Baptism Debate Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Baptism Debate - Research Paper Example It is, in effect, an initiation into the Christian religion. This discussion examines the history of Baptism as referenced in the Bible, the various ways the ritual is practiced by differing sects of the Christian Church and provides an explanation of its significance in contemporary times. In addition, the paper analyses the differing nuances of its meaning within the Christian religion. The Old Testament does not specifically reference Baptism. The ritual is explicitly of New Testament origin. However, there are mentions of water being used in purification of soul ceremonies which became inserted in the Christian Baptism ceremony. â€Å"I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean† Ezekiel 36:25. 1 Baptism in the New Testament was introduced by John the Baptist who was an undetermined relative of Jesus. John practiced Baptism for people who wished to repent their sins and receive forgiveness by fully immersing them in the Jordan River. This practice of absolving sin by water would become the founding concept for the baptismal ritual and a significant, though not only, component of modern baptism. John baptized his relative Jesus in the Jordan River as he had many others even though, according to the Bible, Jesus was without sin. This act would become a principal aspect of Jesus’ ministry therefore a principal part of the Christian religion. This occurrence also marks the emergence of another aspect of the Christian religion, the Holy Trinity. The son, Christ, heard the Father’s (God’s) voice while the Holy Spirit â€Å"descend[ed] on him like a dove† Mark 1:10. 2 There does not exist specific instructions on how Christians should practice baptism in The New Testament, but within its pages are insights regarding how Jesus and his disciples perceived the act. Christians may only utilise conjecture regarding the suitable method of procedure and connotation of the baptism ritual by examining the numerous Biblical ve rses which refer to this sacrament. Nicodemus said to Him, â€Å"How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?† â€Å"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.† John 3:5 â€Å"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.† Matthew 28:19 3 The interpretation of the verses related to baptism, as do all other verses of the Bible, vary widely, person to person, and sect to sect and are subject to modification throughout the years and continue to be disputed. An early interpretation of the baptism ritual was penned by the Apostle Barnabas in the First century. â€Å"We indeed descend into the water

Organizational Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Organizational Behavior - Essay Example Everyone on the team was very responsible. As the team leader I assigned my teammates different tasks each with a specific timeline for delivery. All the deliverables of my teammates were completed on time. Completing tasks on time is extremely important to ensure a project does not fall behind. This team was very effective and creative. One of the reasons that the team had so many good ideas was due to the diverse composition of the team. Whenever any member of the team had trouble with their assignment the other team members would provide assistance. There was great teamwork among the members of the team. During the two weeks that the team worked together the members of the team never argued with each other and there was never any friction. Arguments among team members are typically counterproductive. The team was able to achieve synergy. Synergy occurs when the whole is greater than the sum of its

Analysis Of The Indian Hotel Company Limited

Analysis Of The Indian Hotel Company Limited The Indian Hotel Company Limited (IHCL) is an Indian based Hospitality Company which provides accommodation services in four different market segments globally. The company has its headquarters in Mumbai, India. It is listed in Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). Company strategies The growth strategy of the company is to operate 20,000 rooms from the current 14,000, in 25 major destinations around the world. They target on a group turnover of US$ 2 billion, from which 33% would be from international operations by 2012. Company operations The company portfolio comprises of 4 brands; The Taj hotels which concentrates on luxury market, The Vivanta which is upper upscale, The Gateway hotels which is upscale and Ginger their budget hotels. The company operates Indias only wildlife lodges called Taj safaris in joint venture with CC Africa. Company Background The Indian hotel company limited (IHCL) was established in 1902 by Mr Jamshedji Nusserwanji Tata. In 1903 the first hotel Taj Mahal Palace was opened in Mumbai. The year 1974 saw an expansion of the company by opening its second property at Goa and went on adding properties at a rapid rate fuelled by the Tourism growth in India. Till date it has added 104 properties across the globe to its portfolio. The company is listed on Bombay stock exchange (BSE).Tata sons limited which is the parent company holds 28.5% equity capital in IHCL. Parent Company The Tata Sons limited was founded in 1868 by Jamsetji Tata. It has its presence in various sectors such as Steel, Automobiles, Information technology, Communication, Power and Tea. It operates in more than 85 countries across 6 continents. It has a group turnover of over Rs.124, 970 crores ($24.5 bn). It accounts for nearly 6% of the total market capitalisation of Bombay Stock exchange (BSE). Stakeholders Shareholders Key people Mr. Ratan Tata: Chairman of Tata sons Limited He became the chairman of the Tata sons in the year 1981 which is the largest Indian conglomerate. The group comprises of companies namely Tata motors, Tata steel, IHCL, Tata consultancy services (TCS), Tata Power, Tata tea, and Tata Telecom. He graduated from Cornell University in architectural and structural engineering and joined the company in the year 1962. In 1971 he was appointed as the director in charge of NELCO which was in strong financial crisis. His risk taking capability and vision made him the successor of JRD Tata. Tata sons under his leadership made a number of acquisitions such as Chorus steel, Jaguar motors and Land Rover. This made the companys presence in global market. Mr. Raymond.N.Bickson : MD and CEO of IHCL He joined IHCL in the year 2003 as chief operating officer of the luxury segment. In the same year he assumed the responsibility of MD and CEO of the company. He carries more than 30 years of international hospitality management experience. Prior to IHCL he worked nearly 15 years as a vice president and general manager for The Rafael group. An American national, Mr. Bickson attended the École Hà ´telià ¨re Lausanne in Switzerland and Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Business School. He is an active member of Leading hotels of the world and World travel tourism council. During his tenure, IHCL went through rapid expansion by acquisitions, managing contracts and joint ventures at domestic as well as international market. Mr. Anil P Goel : Executive Director Finance He overlooks the Taj Groups Finance, Mergers and Acquisitions, Purchase and Legal Secretarial function. He is a non-executive director for Taj GVK limited. Mr. Abhijit Mukerji : Executive Director Hotel Operations He oversees hotel operations of the Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces which include Taj Luxury Hotels India and International, Taj Business Hotels, Taj Leisure Hotels, Taj Spas, Taj Trade and Transport and Indi travels. Mr. Ajoy K. Misra : Sr. Vice President, Sales and Marketing He represents Taj in industry organizations such as the World Travel and Tourism Council, India Initiative (WTTC II), World Tourism Organisation (WTO), Hotel Association of India (HAI), Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). He served as General Manager of the Taj President in Mumbai and Area Director in the Sri Lanka and Maldives region. Mr. Prakash V. Shukla: Sr. Vice President, Technology and Chief Information Officer. He is currently responsible for total IT deployments at the Taj Group and is on MDs management committee. Mr. H.N. Shrinivas: Sr. Vice President Human Resources Mr. Shrinivas has worked for 18 years with the Taj in Human Resources, Learning Development and Business Excellence functions. He holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from the National Institute of Social Sciences, Bangalore, and a Masters in Industrial Law from Bangalore University. Mr. Veer Vijay Singh : Chief Operating Officer Upper Upscale Hotels He is responsible for the Operations and Overall Performance of 36 hotels in 26 locations spread across seven countries under upper upscale category. He graduated from IHMCTN, New Delhi and had the opportunity to enhance his skills by attending training programmes conducted by Cornell University Singapore, INSEAD Harvard. Ms Jyoti Narang : Chief Operating Officer Luxury Division Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces She is responsible for the overall development and operations of the luxury category hotels. When she was the Chief Operating officer for the upper upscale division, she was instrumental in pioneering the launch of Taj Safaris which is a unique concept that offers adventure tourist a distinctive wildlife experience. In 2008, Ms.Jyoti was appointed as the Chief Operating Officer of The Gateway Hotels, the new upscale brand of the group, and was involved in developing the concept and launching the brand. Mr. P.K.Mohankumar : Chief Operating Officer Gateway Brand Mr. P. K. Mohankumar has over 35 years of experience in hotel operations with the Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palace. He is an alumnus of Institute of Hotel Management, Mumbai and has participated in several senior leadership workshops conducted by Harvard Business School, Michigan University, USA, Cornell University, Singapore and IIM, Ahmedabad. Currently, he is the Chief Operating Officer of the Gateway hotels, and is responsible for the operations and performance of 19 properties in India. http://ehis.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3hid=102sid=ce8939c4-8df1-4962-9afe-f373f4140a95%40sessionmgr112 accessed on 23 Nov Sustainable Tourism EARTH (Environment Awareness Renewal at Taj Hotels) The EARTH program was launched in August 2008, put forward to reduce the impact of the Hotel groups daily operations on the environment. EARTH programme has received certification from Green Globe. Currently 55 properties under IHCL are certified and the company is looking forward to put all the hotels under the certification by 2009-2010. The company focus on improving energy efficiencies, water management, solid waste management which helps to reduce the strong impact on environment. Porters five forces Competition plays a major role in todays world. Competition can have both beneficial and unfavourable effects. Competition for profits goes beyond established market rivals to include four other forces as well. They are Customers, Suppliers, New Entrants, and Substitute products. To understand industry competition and profitability, we must analyse the industrys structure in terms of the five forces. Threat of new entrants: New entrants can put pressure on prices, costs, and the rate of investment necessary to compete. Due to globalisation and rapid economic growth of Indian market a favourable market has emerged for International hotel chains. Hotel chains like Four seasons, Marriott International Inc., Starwood Hotels and Accor Hotels have recently came up with projects across India. New International hotels such as Shangri la, Mandarin, Movenpick and Ritz Carlton are in pipeline. Entry of non-hospitality companies into hotel sector can be a threat; such as Reliance Industries. Due to dilution in the market the profitability of IHCL can be at stake. Bargaining power of suppliers: Suppliers have more power if they have the monopoly or do not depend heavily on the industry for its revenues. As hospitality industry is hugely labour oriented, their trade unions and labour suppliers are powerful. As hotels chains are looking for rapid expansions and prime properties, the power of property owners is high. Inbound tour operators are having an upper hand as they provide huge volume of business to the hotels. Infrastructure suppliers have moderate power over the company. Bargaining power of buyers: Powerful customers demand more value by forcing down prices for better quality and more services. This results in higher operating costs thereby bringing down profitability. Corporate clients due to their huge volumes have negotiated rates. Company had to come up with loyalty programme for retaining customers which incurs costs. The threat of substitutes: A substitute does the same or a similar function as an industrys product by a different means. The threat of a substitute is high when it offers an attractive price and service to the similar industrys product. Luxury serviced apartments, camping and lodges are in demand. The Governments introduction of bed and breakfast hotels can really be a threat. Web 2 which enables video conferencing is an emerging product which can be a threat to MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing and Events) Rivalry among existing competitors: Rivalry among hotel chains results in discounting of price, new product launch, advertising campaigns, and improvement in service. If there is high rivalry the profitability of the company can be affected. The hotel products are highly perishable, which creates an urge to cut prices and sell the inventory below its profitable rate to cover the fixed cost. Internal environment of the company: The internal environment of the company can be divided into two types they are Tangible and Intangible resources. Tangible resources include assets which can be seen and felt, like physical properties, Yachts, Flights, and other fixed assets which spread around 5 continents. The intangible resources are the one which cannot be seen or felt but play a major role in the business like the brand value, Leadership style, Human resource etc. IHCL being the subsidiary company of Tata Sons Limited, which has a company background since 1868. IHCL itself operates in hospitality sector in India for last 108 years, and have the market share of 22% in India shows the brand value of the company. In terms of leadership style the company has a style of innovations and pioneer of Luxury property and wild life lodges (Joint venture with CC Africa) and budget hotel chains (Ginger Hotels), Spa resorts and properties in India. The human resources in the company is around 20,000, which includes permanent staff, Fixed term contract workers and other Executives and Corporate staff. The company has various staff development program such as TMTP (Taj Management Training Program) SPEED PLUS, HOMT for standardization of operations throughout the company. External Environment: It can also be called as Operating environment. Factors which influence organizations opportunities and risks; such as conditions, entities and events consists of its external environment. PEST Analysis Political: Political instability in some parts of India made foreign investors cautious; in turn brought down investment from abroad and business travel. Due to the recent terror attacks on hotels in Mumbai, there has been a drastic drop in tourists arrivals. Most of the Embassies have send travel advisory regarding African and Asian countries which has reflected tourist inflow. As Government of India has reduced the tariffs and duties on various items, trade relations have improved. It encouraged travel and trade which resulted in growth of hotel industry. The Ministry of external affairs has implemented visa on arrival for several countries in an effort to promote tourism. The government has released a five-year tax holiday to promote the growth of new hotels. External Commercial Borrowings have been eased by the Ministry to elucidate the problem of liquidity being encountered by the hotel industry due to economic slowdown. The Ministry of Home Affairs has agreed to grant Long Term Tourist Vi sa of 5 years duration with Multi-entry facilities carrying a condition of 90 days on each visit to the nationals of the following 18 countries which are France, Iceland, Germany, New Zealand, Luxembourg, Japan, Netherlands, South Korea, Belgium, Argentina, Finland, Brazil, Spain, Chile, Switzerland, Mexico, Norway, and Vietnam on request of tourism ministry. Economical: Early 1990s saw economic liberalization which led to a boom in the hospitality industry. The Government has allowed Foreign direct investment and Foreign institutional investment; which favours business travel. Compared to other South East Asian countries; tax structure in India is very high. Inadequate infrastructure facilities like Airports, Communication facilities and commuting facilities is a challenge for the Tourism sector. The effect of recession is causing serious problems for many hotels especially luxury hotels in particular. Hotels in certain global markets, mainly those operate in leisure sector, are less affected. All geographies are not equally affected by recession.(have to include graph from the site quoted in link , leading hotels of the world) Social: Indian customers are highly sensitive to price. A lot of them tend to compare services offered with price. Hoteliers face a challenge to design price strategy in each sector. There is a conflict between local community and hotels on space availability especially at beach destinations. The company has got an advantage of worlds largest concentration of young educated work force and thus decreasing the labour costs. Two religious communities being Hindus and Muslims have religious sentiments towards beef and pork which is consumed by foreign tourists. This raises conflicts between the organization and religious groups. Large scale tourism operation results in environmental pollution and an increase in carbon emission. Technological: The launch of E-commerce has revolutionized the hotel sector by reducing cost and increasing functionality. The introduction of Global Distribution System allows customers to access current time availability of products. The growing influence of video conferencing has got negative impact on MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conference and Events) division. It is possible to get critical information on clients and products while away from desk due to wireless technology. This has improved customer relationships, saved time and increased revenue and profit. Indian Tourism Scenario Despite a drop in FTAs in India due to economic slowdown, domestic tourism has showed an impressive growth of 15.5 % in the year 2009.Domestic tourism supported the industry during unfavourable condition. Indias performance in tourism sector has been remarkable. During the period 1997 to 2009, India perceived an increase in the Foreign Tourist Arrivals from 2.37 million to 5.11 million. Because of global slowdown, terrorist activities and H1N1 influenza, growth rate in FTAs during 2009 fell by 3.3 per cent. The global tourism fell by 4.3 per cent. The plummet in India was less than that of the scale of global slowdown. Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism increased from Rs. 10511 crore in 1997 to Rs. 54,960 crore in 2009. The growth rate in earnings in 2009 vis-a-vis 2008 was 8.3 per cent. The percentage share of India in International tourism receipts has nearly doubled in past 12 years. Solutions: The Company has got only insignificant investments at political instable locations. To prevent future security threat the company has sought advice of security experts and invested heavily on improving security infrastructure. To reduce the conflict between local community the company has come up with corporate social responsibility. For instance the company works closely with NGOs to develop and train underprivileged housewives to earn their livelihood. The company tries to promote Indian culture by encouraging local artisans and craftsmen. This helps the local community in broadening their own outlook. Foreseeing sustainable tourism IHCL has come up with EARTH initiative to reinstate its vision and to preserve nature. To overcome the revenue loss due to video conferencing the company came up with new strategy of marketing in- house video conferencing facilities for corporate clients. SWOT ANALYSIS Strengths IHCL has a very dominant position in Indian hospitality industry with largest distribution of hotels around the country. Its key advantage is the established Taj brand name. It has got a much diversified hotel and brand portfolio catering to different market segments which helps in capturing wider customer base. The company has got sales and marketing reach globally. The parent company being Tata sons limited which is one of the largest companies in India is an added advantage. Their presence in every segment namely luxury, upper upscale, upscale and budget allows more flexibility and stability. They have a well-diversified business model of subsidiaries, associates, joint ventures and management contracts which help in reducing risk and fuels faster growth. This asset light policy will help in revenue stability during economic turndown. Presently 45% of IHCL hotels are operated through joint-ventures, 40% are management contracts and 15% are owned in part or full by IHCL. Source: Adapted from HotelierIndia Nov 2010, Press Release The company has introduced a strong loyalty programme which helps in retaining customers. The companys alliances and partnerships have helped it in entering into new markets such as wildlife lodges and air catering. They have the advantage of very strong corporate purchase chain whereby they can considerably reduce raw material cost. As the parent company is present in the production of FMCGs they are able to procure items in a much competitive price. The company even have introduced loyalty programmes in conjunction with all leading airline companies. Weakness The less established brand name of the company in international scene can be viewed as a weakness. Nearly 75% of the companys income is generated by domestic operation resulting greater dependency on Indian market. In domestic market even though company has its presence in more than 15 states; 66% of their revenue and nearly 90% of profits come from top six hotels in four cities. Even slight fluctuation in the countrys economy can affect profitability. The high dependency on higher-end luxury market can also be viewed as a weakness. Nearly 54% of the revenue is generated by these properties. Comparative size in line with international chains and insignificant international presence is a setback. The hotel industry in India is heavily staffed. In spite of international average 1:1 in India it stands at 2.1:1. Investments in acquiring international hotels have resulted in huge debt for the company. Opportunities Rapid growth in inbound and domestic tourism is a great opportunity for the company. Domestic tourism is growing at a phenomenal rate of 15.5% annually. Growing demand for budget and mid-segment hotels due to the growth of Indian middle class can be viewed as an opportunity. Healthy salary increases in corporate world is expected to create demand for leisure tourism. Launch of incredible India in both domestic and international market to promote destinations can be a boost in business. The introduction of medical visa may promote more volume and extended stay in all key destinations. The companys entry into new markets such as wildlife lodges, luxury residences, and spas will create new growth prospectus. Budget airlines now have connectivity across the country with competitive rates and attractive offers which will inspire domestic tourism. Increased business opportunities in India again have paved path for growth of conference and event tourism. Threats Growing presence of international hotel chains such as Marriot international, The Four seasons, Accor group, Shangri-La, Dreams resorts and spas etc. can be considered as growing threat to the company. The expansion plans of Indian hotel chains like ITC India limited, The Leela group, The East India Hotel Company and The Lalit may affect the market share of the company. Due to the arrival of international airline operators and affordable international travel, there has been massive growth of outbound tourism mainly to south East Asia, Europe and Australia. This has increased risk for domestic leisure segment. Due the companys portfolio of foreign currency debts, it is vulnerable to fluctuations in currency and interest rate risks. The debt equity ratio of the company shows drastic hike from the previous years which can really be a threat . Source: Adapted from Annual Reports Debt to equity ratio indicates how the firm finances its operations with debt relative to the book value of its shareholders equity (Fabozzi and Drake 2009 pp80). This indicates the comparison of equity and debt the company is using to back its assets. If the ratio is high then the company is said to be chancy as it is financed more by with debts and it might become even worse if the interest rates are high. The company stands at a threat as the debt equity ratio shows a trend of escalation from .52 to .99 within a span of 4 years. Strengths and Opportunities Due the companys presence across the country in different market segments it can capitalize the growth of domestic tourism. As the company has a well-established budget and mid-market segment hotels, it can benefit from the growing spending power of Indian middle class. Only IHCL has presence in wildlife lodge segment which shows growing demand every year. Loyalty programmes in tie-up with leading airline companies have resulted in greater exploitation of tourism growth in India. Companys entry into wellness tourism by establishing Spas in its existing properties can milk governments plan to issue medical visa. Strengths and Threats By virtue of the companys loyalty programmes and corporate tie-ups they would be able to hold to their market, even though new international players could stand a threat. IHCL have huge expansion plans in answer to other domestic hotel chains. By their plans to expand internationally it can lower the risk of outbound tourism. Weakness and opportunities Since domestic travel became cost effective, domestic leisure tourism turned robust and distributed, consequently reducing risk of concentration of revenue from key city hotels. Weakness and Threats To oppose the dependence on high end luxury market, the company has entered into budget segment which is stable comparing to the later. The company have international expansion plans other than existing properties outside India so that it will be resistant to domestic economic fluctuations. Diversification The IHCL has diversified its operation in hospitality sector from the hotel operation to other sectors like Air catering, Spa operations, Wild life lodges, Yachts, Charted Flights and Taj Khazana. TajAir TajAir is a charter flight operating company owned by IHCL, the subsidiary company of Tata Sons Limited4 pioneer aviation operator in India. TajAir at present owns 3 Air crafts which can be chartered by guests for domestic and international air travel. Ginger Hotels The Ginger Hotels are self-service budget hotels operated by IHCL which targets mid-market sector. Spas Jiva Spas the subsidiary of IHCL which operates at more than 25 Taj hotels at 20 different destinations which offers different rejuvenating treatments and massages. Taj SATS Taj SATS is an air catering division of IHCL in collaboration with Singapore Air Terminals which caterers to domestic and international flights operating from 6 different cities. Taj Safari Taj Safari is a wild life lodge which operates in collaboration with CC Africa which is one of its kinds in India. Taj Khazana Taj Khazana is a signature boutique store of Indian handicraft, Jewellery and garments which operates at selected IHCL properties. Current Situation The Company has decided to raise Rupees 850 crores by issuing shares and warrants to the promoter company Tata Sons Ltd to fuel its rapid expansion plans. Since the market is strong now the company has decided to raise its room tariffs by 10-15 percent. The company announced the roll-over of 19 hotels under its new brand Vivanta by Taj Hotels and Resorts. The introduction of Vivanta which is a brand architectural exercise by the company will be slotted in the 5-star upper upscale segment in the Indian hospitality industry. To exploit the on-going spree by Indian households on food and beverage spending, the company has rolled out several new FB outlets in collaboration with world renowned chefs and restaurateurs. To meet the current demands, they have invested a major share in Serviced Apartments, Wildlife lodges and Spas. To achieve their goal of generating 33 per cent of total revenue from international operations, they are engaged in Management contracts and Joint venture oversees. To capitalize the high demand of mid-market segment, IHCL has unveiled more than 20 budget hotels across India named Ginger Hotels In order to recover the loss of revenue due to the dip of tourism in India, the company has gone into a new strategy of putting hold on salary hike and the incentive for the executives and freeze new recruitment in the company and predicts a profit of 15 cr.

Story Of A Dead Man :: essays research papers

Story of a Dead Man My name is Pierce Montgomery. I hail from a small village town just outside of London. Seven years ago I was a young boy who set out for adventure to the new world. Today I write this as an old man. The following is my story of our colony at Roanoke and the series of tragic events that beset it. The journey to the new world was a long and tedious one. I was part of an expedition under the authority of John White. From what I remember if my journey I sailed on a ship named Dorothy. The quarters were very cramped and smelled of mildew. The ship was full of a variety of different people. There were carpenters, like myself, farmers, fisherman, and explorers. There were also some people who wad no real business being on the expedition. Aristocratic people, who had no concept of work, but were there just to have a good time, hunt, and search for spoils of the new world. These people were one of the main reasons we struggled so much founding a colony. It took over three months to reach the new world and when we did I had never been so glad to see land in my life. It was summer when we arrived so the weather was very cooperative. The first order of business for us was to build shelters and find a fresh water source. Luckily for us there was a stream near by. I being a carpenter helped build makeshift homes out of wood and rope. Farmer’s tilled fields and fisherman found the best spots to throw their lines. By fall the colony was up and running relatively smoothly. Everybody did their share of work except for the people from aristocratic people from England. There were fights almost daily about the laziness of these people. They took far more from the colony than they put back in. On the other hand they were the ones who financed our trip to this beautiful new world. Winter was a very tough time for us. Our crops died and we were very low on food. Our shelters collapsed under the weight of the snow and we didn’t have enough warm clothing. Fourteen colonists died during this time. It was then that we made first contact with the savages. They called themselves the Croatoan and were apparently from a small island located in the bay.