Case Study on Toys R US Japan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Case Study on Toys R US Japan - Essay Example The fate of Toys â€Å"R† US Japan is encompassed by issues such as leadership, understanding cultural diversity and implementing effective communication across varying cultures. Toys â€Å"R† US is a market leader in its industry particularly in the United States. Due to this advantage, its potential to expand can be possible across other economies with varying cultural backgrounds. Toys â€Å"R† US eventually made its way in Europe. Amidst contradiction from the start among local counterparts, Toys â€Å"R† US was able to grow and continue to exist in the marketplace in Europe. Its expansion was not achieved overnight. It was able to experience challenges in times that it attempted to carry its strategic formula that it was able to successfully apply in the US retailing industry. In the US, its understanding about the market with customers who are after of the value they can get was able to inspire its discount formula. This made its fortune in the US retailing industry that it also envisioned to be achievable in other foreign markets. Toys â€Å"R† US evaluated the toy market in Japan and the result was promising. In 1991, Japan had higher spending for toys. In fact, it was the world’s second largest market for toys for that year. The case is pointing it out that the good opportunity for toy market in Japan may be due to small number of children within a family and a higher demand for excellence in the academe. Children in Japan are encouraged to be excellent in the academe and a way to motivate them would be to reward them with toys. Furthermore, parents can afford to provide more toys for their children. A less number of children in a family in Japan proved to be an important factor why parents can eventually provide for their children’s needs for almost everything. ... The company was willing to expand and go global. It started in Europe but eventually moved its way to Asia. If finally tried its chances in Japan and created a market evaluation in there at first. One important assessment it made was the interrelation between Japanese culture and its market. According to Hofstede the American culture emphasizes competition while Japanese culture emphasizes cooperation and harmony (Rainey, 1999). In reality Toys â€Å"R† US having the foundation of an American culture is always aiming to reach its competitive advantage. This is the very reason why it was able to evaluate the Japanese market in great detail. Along the way, it finally saw the importance of understanding precisely the prevailing Japanese retailing industry. Japan culture is known for collectivism while the United States is recognized for its individualism (Rainey, 1999). Toys â€Å"R† US finally was able to understand how the traditional retailing in Japan worked compared w ith the modern retailing strategies in the United States. Marked with certain level of competition and individualism, the Toys â€Å"R† US could hardly enter the Japanese retailing industry which was highly fragmented and ran by long-standing relationships among manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers (Spar, 1999). As stated in the case, Toys â€Å"R† US never took instantly its plunge into Japan’s retailing industry. It was able to familiarize the ongoing market trend in the retailing industry within the Japanese market. Toys â€Å"R† US was able to emphasize the value of understanding how it would market its product offerings and make it fit in the Japanese marketplace. Even though it was marked with full enthusiasm to enter into Japan’s market, Toys â€Å"R† US in the

How are people presented in Vultures Essay Example for Free

How are people presented in Vultures Essay Both Vultures and Two Scavengers in a truck, two beautiful people in a Mercedes are presented using people. They both represent people in some way and both include the people in different forms. The poem Vultures presents the people using the vultures. These vultures represent people of a certain kind. In real life vultures are real birds of prey, but in the poem they are trying to represent the types of people. The poem, Two Scavengers in a truck, two beautiful people in a Mercedes, people are presented through the division in society. Vultures are shown that humans arent so different to animals; it is shown that both animals and humans are shown through their actions. It is shown that vultures are bad in real life because of what they do, but behind all the disgusting habits there is care shown. They appear to have care for each other and therefore this shows us that even though people do bad things, they still have some good factors about them. Both animals and humans are shown through their actions and imagery to show that they are caring even though they have evil within them. For example, it starts off with how the two vultures are picking the eyes of a swollen corpse and how they eat the contents of the bowel. This shows that they are grotesque and very evil. But straight after this, the vultures are shown to be nestling together affectionately and lovingly. In spite of the nasty diet, the vultures appear to care for each other. From this the author goes on to show that even the worst of human beings shoe some touches of humanity. Then he compares the vultures to a commander n Belson. He goes on to consider the love a concentration camp commander shows to his family having spent his day burning human corpses, he buys them sweets on the way home The poet remarks on the strangeness of love, existing in places people would not have thought possible. This is the same way that the vultures are presented which links it in comparison to people; the vultures are compared with the Nazi Commandant who preyed greedily and ruthlessly on people who were supposedly weaker than him, but could still show compassion towards people that he loved, such as his family. This is the same way that the vultures are presented which links it in comparison to people and the vultures are compared with the Nazi Commandant who preyed greedily on people who were supposed to be weaker than him, but could still show compassion towards people that he loved, such as his family. In Two Scavengers in a truck, two beautiful people in a Mercedes, people are presented from two different sides of the society. It shows two garbage men and contrasts them with an elegant, rich couple in a Mercedes. Its about two pairs of people meeting for a moment in a busy city at nine oclock in the morning. They are strangers and never speak to each other. They are only near each other because they are waiting for the traffic lights to change. The first pair of people are two dustmen. They are finishing their working day and going back to the depot. They are hanging off the back of the dustbin lorry and looking down at a couple in a Mercedes sports car. These people in the Mercedes seem the very opposite of the dustbin men. They are starting their day and seem rich, successful and fashionable. The poem makes lots of contrasts between the two pair and it seems to criticise the society which makes the differences between people so large. When the poets describing the dustbin men, it is often negative, dirty and cheap. For instance, their jackets are plastic, they are grungy, and he calls them scavengers. We usually think of scavengers as animals that live off whatever others leave behind, like vultures. And in a way thats what they are they are paid to take away what others dont want, but they do an important job and we couldnt live without them. The poet describes the couple in the Mercedes in a very positive way. He wears a suit and her hair is nicely done, and their car shows just how rich they must be, but at the same time the poet also seems to criticise this couple. He says its like watching an odourless TV advert, so they dont look like real people and they sound too good to be true. The poet then shows us how two of the men are similar. They are the same age, wear sunglasses and have long hair. And of course they live in the same city they should be equal. This idea is made very clear at the end. The four people are next to each other, but there is a gulf between them they are living in different worlds. The language in Vultures is very negative towards the people, and also has a strong influence on how the people are presented. There are a lot of pessimistic adjectives used to describe the opening lines of the poem, and also to present the vultures throughout the poem. For example in the first couple of lines in the poem greyness is used, which create the idea that it is a dull scene, but the contrast with the words sunbreak give a more positive effect. The poem uses a similar technique to present the vultures, for every positive point about them; there is a different negative point presented. The metaphor, bashed in head, a pebble on a stem rooted in a dump of gross feathers creates a negative image of the vultures. Various words are use to create disgusting images of the birds. It says they picked the eyes of a swollen corpse. This is presented as an inhumane thing to do. The vultures are picking at the body of either a dead animal. After this the poet presents the juxtaposing idea of how the birds love each other. People are presented in comparison to the vultures using the example of the brutal Nazi Commandant at the Belsen concentration camp. The poem states how the commandant goes home with the fumes of human roast clinging rebelliously to his hairy nostrils. This emphasises the more negative side. The word hairy compares the commandant to the vultures as it is a description which also applies to the vultures feathers. The poem also says how the commandant stops at the sweet shop to buy a chocolate for his child. The poet uses the phrase tender offspring to refer to the child; the word tender suggests that there is a close, caring and loving relationship between the commandant and his child. Therefore this shows the more positive side to the poem. The use of the word offspring, which usually refers to the child of an animal, links people to the vultures in the poem. So the poem presents humans negatively, with an evil side, but also shows how these kinds of people also have a more tender side to them, just like the vultures. It compares people with animals such as vultures. Overall the words used are both negative and then follow a positive point. Two Scavengers in a Truck, two Beautiful People in a Mercedes uses linguistic features to present people. In the first couple of lines, the colours yellow and red are used to describe the garbage men. These colours are bright and suggest brightness into their lives. The adjective used to describe the people in the Mercedes is elegant and this is repeated, which suggests the couple are boring as there are no other adjectives to describe them. This also emphasises on the word and shows that they are very posh and therefore quite snobby. This is ironic as you would expect the couple to have a better life whereas the garbage men are expected to have a boring and dull life. The way that the couple are dressed and appear is described using various phrase and adjective; hip, three-piece linen suit, shoulder length blond hair sunglasses, young blond woman and casually coifed. All of the previous suggest that the couple are superior to the garbage men. This is because they are modern and are living what can be described as The American Dream. The garbage men are described more negatively, the first one id referred to as having grey iron hair, hunched back and gargoyle Quasimodo. The word grey contrasts with the earlier colours but also suggests that he is quite dirty, the phrase gargoyle Quasimodo implies that he is ugly and compares him to the Hunchback of Notre Dame, who was very caring and loving despite his appearance. The second of the garbage men is described the same as the Mercedes driver, however you know that they are nothing alike from other references and also because the two men are collectively described as scavengers and grungy. The use of the word scavengers suggest the two men are poor and the fact that they are garbage men emphasises this further. Overall it is shown that the garbage men are dirtier but have a more interesting life, whereas the elegant couple are shown to have the more boring life. One of the unusual things about the poem is that it doesnt have clear sentences, full stops or commas. Even the lines dont all start in the same place some lines start on the left, some on the right and some in the middle. This is done on purpose. The four people are together for a few seconds and the poet quickly notes down some differences. It also means that when you read it, you stop at different places, and this might make you think about different ideas in the poem, and what you think of modern life. The two poems present people in different way using different adjectives and linguistic features. They also show that people are not in anyway perfect in their actions and appearances. Therefore by these two poems we are shown that people can be both evil and kind and also you cannot judge a book by its cover. The two garbage men are referred to as scavengers with a low status, whilst the young people are described as elegant. The poem is set in what can be described as a snapshot in time, which is when they are waiting at the traffic lights. Although the two groups of people are presented completely differently in terms of status they sill exist in the same place at the same time which is what brings them together.

Crusades From the 11th to 13th Century

Crusades From the 11th to 13th Century Account for enthusiasm for crusading from the 11th to the 13th century. The following will discuss, evaluate, and account for the enthusiasm for crusading from the 11th through to the 13th century. Crusading was the name given to the attempts of Western European Christians to regain the lands and the territories in the Middle East lost due to the advance of Islamic forces. The lands, which the varying crusading forces, were primarily interested in regaining from Islamic control were those territories within the Holy Land, especially Jerusalem. All these territories had formally been under Christian control as part of the Byzantine Empire, which had once dominated the Middle East. At the start of the 11th century the Byzantine Empire still remained the dominant power in the Balkans and other parts of Eastern Europe. The Byzantine Empire had not been able to halt the advance of Islamic forces from the late 7th century and had not received any military or naval assistance that had halted the Islamic incursions from Western Europe. Although politically divid ed Western Europe was overwhelming Christian in religious terms with the papacy holding a great deal of influence over religious beliefs even if it could not exercise political power? As will be discussed below the original motivations for launching the crusades were primarily religious and those motivations continued from the 11th century through to the 13th century. The religious beliefs and views of the Western Europeans had a strong upon their enthusiasm for crusading and their subsequent behaviour towards both Muslims and the Orthodox Christians they came in to contact with. For the papacy and indeed for many of the Christians within Western Europe the occupation of the Holy Land by Muslims was an intolerable situation which needed to be reversed so that those territories would once again come under Christian control, as they had been part of the Byzantine Empire. Although the Muslims allowed Christian pilgrims to visit the Holy Land and permitted freedom of worship to the Christians and the Jews who still lived there, that did not lower Western European enthusiasm for taking the Holy Land out of Muslim hands. The way in which the crusades were conducted provided ample proof that the religious fervour of the Roman Catholic church which did the most to stimulate support for the crusades was highly intolerant of Islam and Eastern Orthodox Christianity alike. The actual fact Muslims had control of these lands was bitterly resented by the Christians of Western Europe in general, and the Papacy in particular. There was a prevailing sense that this situation w as unacceptable and only a temporary sign of weakness within Christianity was a continuous source of enthusiasm for crusading (Roberts, 1996, p. 158). Whilst the Muslims still controlled part or all of the Holy Land then enthusiasm for starting and then continuing the crusades was always likely to remain strong. The strong religious beliefs and dare it be said, prejudices were deeply held within Western Europe between the 11th and 13th centuries, with the result that the crusades remained popular as did the urge to carry on crusading. The first crusade would provide enough momentum to inspire a further three crusades in the period as well as the establishment of crusader kingdoms in the Holy Land. The crusades would heighten the conflict between Western Christianity; it also soured its relationship with the Byzantine Empire and the Eastern Orthodox churches, culminating in the disastrous fourth crusade and the sack of Constantinople (Angold, 1997, p.10). The Papacy started the enthusiasm for crusading experienced in Western Europe between the 11th and 13th centuries. The first crusade was directly inspired by Pope Urban II who asked for those Western Christians that were capable of going to the Middle East to assist the Byzantine Empire against the expansion of Islamic power in that region should do so (Norwich, 1997, p.256). Urban II’s appeal for people to join the first crusade gained recruits from right across Western Europe. The crusading urge meant that people from states that were rivals or even enemies joined together to fight the Muslims that controlled the Holy Land. The first crusade was truly a multinational fighting force, as were the next three crusades (Connell, 2001, p.8). Urban II’s message that all future crusaders were doing God’s bidding was an astute means of developing and maintaining an enthusiasm for crusading between the 11th and 13th centuries. It was a message that both the Papacy and se cular authorities were more than happy to convey throughout this period (Norwich, 1997 p. 256). The Papacy contended that the crusaders would not only be assured of heavenly treasures during their own after life, the crusaders would be rewarded with earthly treasures as well in their lives before death. For some of those individuals that took part in the crusades the opportunity to gain treasures and their own lands as a result of participation in the crusading campaigns was a greater cause for strong enthusiasm than any other form of motivation. Greed was therefore a strong and virtually continuous factor in the development and the continuing of enthusiasm for crusading between the 11th and 13th centuries. That greed made those that joined the crusades just as dangerous to the Eastern Orthodox Christians of the Middle East as they were to the Muslims who lived in the region (Norwich, 1997 p.257). Indeed, when the crusaders did manage to take land away from the Muslims within the Middle East, the victorious crusaders would set up their own separate kingdoms. The crusader kingdo ms were demonstrations of the greed and the pretensions of the crusaders themselves, the territories that they took control of should have been restored to the Byzantine Empire. If the crusaders had genuinely wished to contain Islamic power within the Middle East region, and aimed to keep the Holy Land under Christian control they would restored Byzantine power in these areas. Arguably a Byzantine Empire that had its Middle East territories restored as a result of the crusades would have been in a better position to keep the Holy Land in Christian hands. It is highly doubtful though if returning all regained territories to the control of the Byzantine Empire would have generated so much enthusiasm for crusading between the 11th and 13th centuries (Roberts, 1996 p. 158). The military and territorial successes of the first crusade was a strong factor in the development and the subsequent maintenance of widespread popular enthusiasm for crusading campaigns between the 11th century through to the 13th century. The forces of the first crusade were able to take possession of Jerusalem away from Muslim control, alongside the Lebanon, and much of Syria. The brutality of the Western European crusader armies during the first crusade made a lasting impression upon the Islamic populations within the Middle East. The onset of the crusades only increased the desire of the Muslim powers within the Middle East region to regain and maintain control of the Holy Land as well as all the other territories lost to the crusaders (Lenman, 2004 p. 214). The crusader kingdoms that were established after the apparent success of the first crusade kept the concept of crusading to the fore front of Western European thought, mainly as a means of recruiting knights and soldiers th at were needed to defend the crusader kingdoms. Knights and soldiers were needed to garrison the forts and to resist the Muslim forces that were relentlessly advancing into the crusaders territory Norwich, 1997 p. 257). The crusader kingdoms did not have enough financial resources and, enough soldiers to maintain their resistance to increasingly powerful and well led Muslim forces for prolonged periods of time. The basic Muslim military strategy was to pick off the crusader kingdoms one by one. The crusader kingdoms were not as well supported from Western Europe as strongly as they would have liked. That lack of substantial levels of support from the crusaders Western European supporters made it easier for the Muslim forces within the Middle East to conquer the territories which they had lost as a result of the first crusade (Roberts, 1996 p. 158). Ironically enough, it was the failure of the crusader kingdoms to survive the successful counter attacks of the Muslim forces within the Middle East region that prompted renewed enthusiasm for crusading. That enthusiasm resulted in the second, third, and fourth crusades throughout the remainder of the period between the 11th and the 13th century. Over all the recruitment drives to persuade people to participate in the crusades were successful, whilst the crusades themselves were military failures as they ultimately failed to restore Christian control over the Holy Land. However the launch of these crusades was a success in terms of ensuring that those crusading remained able to be highly enthusiastic about playing a role in the subsequent conflicts between the crusaders and the Muslim forces. The majority of people in Western Europe had generally held a great deal of confidence in the second crusade being every bit as successful as the first crusade had been. The popular enthusiasm f or crusading during the 11th century and through to the 13th century was assisted by the high levels of confidence that people had in the ability of the crusaders to achieve their objectives (Angold, 1997 p.194). Potentially, at least the third crusade was a campaign that would finally end Muslim control of the Holy Land once and for all. The crusaders were certainly confident of success. The third crusade could also be used to argue that there were significant levels of enthusiasm for crusading as it offered prospects for crusaders to become famous as well as rich. Going on a crusade could allow the individual crusaders the opportunity to enhance their reputations for being brave, being a good military commander, or being a devout defender of the Christian faith. For these reasons, kings, prince’s, and knights were frequent participants in the crusades. In the case of the third crusade, the most notable individual taking part was the English king Richard I, who earned the ni ckname of Richard the Lion heart (Angold, 1997 p. 178). By the time of the fourth crusade in 1204, popular enthusiasm for the practice of crusading still seemed to be very strong. However, the fourth crusade also clearly demonstrated that crusading was more concerned with greed and an increasing dislike of the Eastern Orthodox churches as it was about gaining control of the Holy Land. Instead of improving the position of the Byzantine Empire, the fourth crusade actually reduced it as a consequence of the sacking of Constantinople. The sack of Constantinople was ample demonstration that greed and prejudice were factors that created, developed, and maintained enthusiasm for crusading, as much as religious beliefs and a unmistakable belief of superiority over other religious faiths. There would be further less sustained and much smaller crusades that proved just as incapable as the four main crusades of removing Muslim control of the Holy Land. Ironically enough Jerusalem was briefly regained for Christianity in 1229 by the forces of the Hol y Roman Emperor Frederick II. His personal crusade had been launched to persuade the Papacy to remove the excommunication order against him. The Christian control of Jerusalem was only a short-term success; it was lost to Muslim forces in 1244 (Roberts, 1996 p. 159). Therefore, to conclude there were various factors that explain how and why there was a great deal of enthusiasm for crusading from the 11th century, right through to the end of the 13th century in the countries of Western Europe. The primary inspiration for starting the crusading process had been religious, and religious fervour was a constant reason for maintaining enthusiasm for crusading campaigns throughout the period. The divisions within Christianity has previously allowed the Muslims to gain control not only of the Holy Land, but the bulk of the Middle East, with the Byzantine Empire showing increasing signs of weakness. It was the Papacy under the guidance of Urban II that developed the concept of the crusades as a means of regaining control of the Holy Land and slowing down the decline of the Byzantine Empire. Enthusiasm was bases on the combination of religious fervour, the search for personal fame and fortune, factors that easily maintained popular support for crusading th roughout this period. Greed and religious prejudices were also strong influences in the brutal behaviour of the crusaders who excused their actions by arguing that restoring the Holy Land to Christian control merited earthly as well as heavenly rewards. Bibliography Angold M, (1997) The Byzantine Empire, 1025 – 1204, Longman, London Connell E S, (2001) Deus Lo Volt, a chronicle of the crusades, Pimlico, London Lenman, (2004) Chamber’s Dictionary of World History, Chambers, Edinburgh Norwich J, (1997) A Short History of Byzantium, Viking, London Roberts J.M, (1996) A History of Europe, Penguin, London and New York

Sin, Alienation, and Love in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter Essay examp

The Scarlet Letter: The Themes of Sin, Alienation, and Love    The Puritans, a religious group in New England in the early 1600’s, interpreted the Bible form a fundamentalist perspective and strove to attain a sinless society.   Of course, people are human and sins are inevitable so the Puritans sinned and their perfect society was never achieved.  Ã‚   Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter develops the themes of sin, alienation, and love to provide valuable insights into the traditional beliefs of the Puritans and provide valuable and timeless moral insigts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Hester Prynne goes against the Puritan ways and commits the sinful act of adultery.   The townspeople often talk about Hester amongst themselves in the marketplace, â€Å"This woman has brought us shame†, for her sin brings them much grief (99).   For this irrevocably harsh sin the town magistrates sentence Hester to wear the scarlet letter ‘A’ as a constant reminder of her sin, and for all to recognize her as an adulteress.   Pearl is the incarnation of her mother’s sin.   Pearl, her mother’s sole joy and at the same time a constant reminder of her sin, gives reference to Hester’s shameful badge.   Pearl was not conceived out of sin, but rather brought up amidst defying associations.   As a direct consequence of Hester’s sinful passions she conceives a child, Pearl.   Not an evil child in the true sense of the world, but in all actuality Pearl is a reflection of her parents’ love and immorality.   Further, Dimmesdale lacks the courage to confess his sin for he cares more for his social reputation as a man of God. It becomes apparent that â€Å"Some me... ...s apparent in the novel.   Still important in today’s society, Hawthorne explores many ideas in The Scarlet Letter that frequently recur in other literary works.   This novel, set in the days of the Puritans, reveals a lot about their regulations, concepts, and toleration of immoral and unlawful acts.   Puritans have strict rules against the theater, religious music, sensuous poetry, frivolous dress, and many other things that the characters in this novel partake in.   The Scarlet Letter, a romance set 200 years before Hawthorne’s time, is a historical novel about Puritan Boston.   The Scarlet Letter thus becomes a discussion of historical events in which people break society’s rules and the outcomes of these events.   Viewing it in this light the novel describes Hester, a woman who let her heart rule over her head and suffers the consequences. Sin, Alienation, and Love in Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter Essay examp The Scarlet Letter: The Themes of Sin, Alienation, and Love    The Puritans, a religious group in New England in the early 1600’s, interpreted the Bible form a fundamentalist perspective and strove to attain a sinless society.   Of course, people are human and sins are inevitable so the Puritans sinned and their perfect society was never achieved.  Ã‚   Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter develops the themes of sin, alienation, and love to provide valuable insights into the traditional beliefs of the Puritans and provide valuable and timeless moral insigts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Hester Prynne goes against the Puritan ways and commits the sinful act of adultery.   The townspeople often talk about Hester amongst themselves in the marketplace, â€Å"This woman has brought us shame†, for her sin brings them much grief (99).   For this irrevocably harsh sin the town magistrates sentence Hester to wear the scarlet letter ‘A’ as a constant reminder of her sin, and for all to recognize her as an adulteress.   Pearl is the incarnation of her mother’s sin.   Pearl, her mother’s sole joy and at the same time a constant reminder of her sin, gives reference to Hester’s shameful badge.   Pearl was not conceived out of sin, but rather brought up amidst defying associations.   As a direct consequence of Hester’s sinful passions she conceives a child, Pearl.   Not an evil child in the true sense of the world, but in all actuality Pearl is a reflection of her parents’ love and immorality.   Further, Dimmesdale lacks the courage to confess his sin for he cares more for his social reputation as a man of God. It becomes apparent that â€Å"Some me... ...s apparent in the novel.   Still important in today’s society, Hawthorne explores many ideas in The Scarlet Letter that frequently recur in other literary works.   This novel, set in the days of the Puritans, reveals a lot about their regulations, concepts, and toleration of immoral and unlawful acts.   Puritans have strict rules against the theater, religious music, sensuous poetry, frivolous dress, and many other things that the characters in this novel partake in.   The Scarlet Letter, a romance set 200 years before Hawthorne’s time, is a historical novel about Puritan Boston.   The Scarlet Letter thus becomes a discussion of historical events in which people break society’s rules and the outcomes of these events.   Viewing it in this light the novel describes Hester, a woman who let her heart rule over her head and suffers the consequences.

Ethical and Legal Dilemmas of Surrogacy

Many individuals have a life plan consisting of college, marriage, and then children. After numerous methods of conception, many couples are still unable to conceive a child. A woman who enters into a contract with a couple, agreeing to carry and birth a child, then hand that child over to the contracted couple, who is often unable to conceive own their own naturally is considered surrogacy (Pozgar, 2012). Surrogacy raises many ethical and legal issues for all parties involved. Is it moral or immoral to enter into an agreement with a woman to birth a child for money? What are the legal rights of the woman conceiving or of the couple? Should the child be aware of the process in which he or she was born? Does the child have rights to access the confidential records of the process? These are a just a few questions that will be addressed throughout this paper. Discussed below is the history of surrogacy, the ethical and legal dilemmas that surround surrogacy, alternative solutions to surrogacy, and the potential effects and future implications of how surrogacy may be addressed. There are two types of surrogacy arrangements to consider. These types of surrogacy are genetic and gestational. Genetic or traditional surrogacy is where the surrogate mother contributes her genetic makeup to the offspring, whereas gestational surrogacy consists of the genetic makeup of the intended parents (Greene, 2013). Of the two, gestational surrogacy accounts for 95% of the surrogate pregnancies in the United States of America (Covington & Patrizio, 2013, p. 277). One of the first accounts of surrogacy dates back to the story of Abraham and Sarah in the Bible. Sarah, who was well beyond child-bearing years and having being barren of child-bearing years sought to have a child. Abraham had intercourse with Hagar, a handmaid and gave birth to Ishmael, which she then gave to Abraham and Sarah to raise (King James Bible, Genesis 25:12). While surrogacy continued throughout history, it became more prevalent in the last half century or so. Altruistic surrogacy is when a friend or family member is the surrogate without being paid; however, the most common is commercial recruitment of women who are paid to be a surrogate (Covington & Patrizio, 2013, p. 277). Noel Keane was a broker who made the first commercial surrogacy agreement in the case of Baby M (Cassidy, 2012). The details of this first legal case began raising ethical dilemmas with surrogacy. The application of autonomy and distributive justice are at work with surrogacy. Autonomy is the acknowledgment of a persons right to make their own decisions and distributive justice is equal and fair treatment to all (Pozgar, 2012). Principle number four in The Medical Code of Ethics states requires respect for the patient’s right (American Medical Association, 2001). In surrogacy issues, whose rights should be placed first? The surrogate who is carrying the child? Should the emotional ties that she can accumulate over the course of ten months be placed first or the rights of the adopting parents? Is there a possible outcome for justice to be distributed among all the parties involved? In attempting to define ethical decisions, Jones writes that â€Å"An ethical decision is a decision that is both legally and morally acceptable to the larger community. (Jones, 1991, p. 387)†. Thus, Jones explains that decisions such as surrogacy are often resolved using the perspective of a utilitarian. Utilitarianism is considered a moral theory in which individuals and governmental action should be directed at providing the greatest good for the greatest number of people (Mosser, 2010). One question remains: Can an action be placed on the issue that provides good to all? An ethical dilemma placed with surrogacy is dehumanization and exploitation. For people who oppose surrogacy as means of conception, it is viewed that women who are living in poverty are exploiting their bodies to profit (in cases of gestational surrogacy) financially (Surrogacy, 2008). On the flipside on the issue, can it not also be viewed that allowing these women to do as they see fit with their bodies as economic empowerment? The money provided to these women can used for various financial means outside of taking care of medical heath care for themselves and the child. The amount provided to each female varies depending on what she and the couple feel is sufficient, therefore any extra monetary compensation can used to help the women relieve themselves from other debts. Autonomy does provide the right that women get to choose their reproductive rights and that includes bearing children for those who cannot do so or for monetary stability. Suggesting that surrogacy dehumanizes her is another form of paternalism. Paternalism limits one’s autonomy for their own good (Pozgar, 2012). Some view altruistic surrogacy as a form of exploiting the surrogate. There is no monetary compensation to woman placing her health and well-being on the line for another’s benefit. However, it can also be held that the woman knowingly entered into the agreement with full disclosure of the risks and benefits to her health and body. Again, autonomy and justice are extremely prevalent ethical principles to explore when discussing the topic of surrogacy. Same-sex marriage has become a hot topic in the United States in the last few years. The idea of raising a family by homosexual couples brings about other ethical issues of surrogacy. Should those of same-sex marriages be allowed to have children? How will there relationship affect the child of the couple? A recent article in the American Bar Association’s (ABA) journal tells of a same-sex couple whose case is similar to that of the Baby M case (Hansen, 2011). The United States, unlike many other countries have no policies governing surrogacy, as it is a state-by-state policy (Hansen, 2011). In places such as India, commercial surrogacy is legal and often seen as a popular place of fertility tourism because the costs are one third of that in the United States (Saxena, Mishra, & Malik, 2012). In some cases, children have been placed in orphanages until paternity has been established or in some instances disowned when a child is conceived naturally by the parents, as with Ishmael from the Bible. Women of poor and illiterate backgrounds stricken by poverty are sometimes coerced by intermediaries or spouses to become surrogates. In such cases, fidelity among the couple has been cast aside. The women may feel that they cannot trust their spouse to stand by them if they do not comply with their wishes. Unlike the United States where psychological screening and legal counseling is mandatory to be surrogates, in India women are placed in hostels for the duration of their pregnancy by recruitment commercial agencies (Saxena, Mishra, & Malik, 2012). Back to the case of Baby M and the same sex couples, who after waiting for their buddle of joy begin having legal issues. It is important to know that the surrogate has the legal right to keep the child she has bore, regardless of genetics (Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority, 2009). In other words, the birth mother is considered the legal parental unit of the child until such documentation states otherwise. She has the right at anytime to change her mind, therefore it is important to have knowledge and fidelity with your surrogate. Understanding the meaning of how the Surrogacy Arrangements Act 1985 reads is important. If you are having problems comprehending or deciphering parts of the act, speak with a lawyer. It reads, â€Å" an Act to regulate certain activities in connection with arrangements made with a view to women carrying children as surrogate mothers,† (Surrogacy Arrangements Act 1985). As far as legal rights of the father, if the woman did so in a licensed clinic and has no partner, the child will have no legal father; however, the surrogate’s husband or civil partner is the child’s legal father, unless it is shown that the partner did not consent to the procedure (Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority, 2009). The intended parents have a course to follow concerning rights as well. If they wish to become the legal parents of the child, they can adopt or file for a paternal order. Provided certain conditions are met, the rights and parentage are transferred with the order, this must be done within six months of the child’s birth and at least one individual of the commissioning couple needs a genetic link for a paternal order (Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority, 2009). If there is no genetic relationship with the child in question, adoption is the only legal route. In this case, an adoption agency will get involved, so it is important to know the legal aspects of surrogacy. An article in the British Medical Journal argues that the only way to resolve such issues of legality is through legislations and regulations of international laws (Ramskold & Posner, 2012). The ethical responsibilities for physicians of surrogates can been seen as: advising couples who are considering surrogacy, counseling women who may wish to become surrogates, providing obstetrics to women engaged in surrogacy, or offering assisted reproductive technologies (ART) related to surrogacy (Committee on Ethics, 2008). Physicians should not treat the intended parents of a surrogate child while also treating the surrogate mother, as conflicts may arise and not all parties may be treated fairly and the physician should. As in all other aspects of medical care, physicians should be certain that there would be a full discussion of ethical and legal issues as well as medical risks, benefits, and alternatives, many of which have been addressed in this statement (Committee on Ethics, 2008). Physicians may decline to participate in surrogacy arrangement, as with any other treatment of a patient because of personal, ethical, medical, or religious views as per the AMA Code of Medical Ethics (AMA, 2001). A physician should apply the same legal and ethical aspects to the surrogate as with the intended couple. This includes screening and counseling the surrogate and intended couple; referral for mental health testing for the surrogate to evaluate the possible outcomes and effects, as well as evaluate psychological risks, vulnerabilities and benefits, and the possible effects of existing relationships with existing children (Committee on Ethics, 2008). It is important that confidentiality be maintained between the physician and the patient. The intended parents may only access the pregnant woman’s medical records if the woman has given explicit consent. This is guaranteed in the Patient’s Bill of Rights and the Constitution (Right to privacy, n. d. ). This would also address whether or not the child would have any legal right to know his or her birth mother without her consent. Two alternatives to surrogacy are natural conception and adoption. When a couple conceives naturally, there is no need for a surrogate. This can be done through sexual intercourse or through in-vitro fertilization. In-vitro fertilization (IVF) is a medical procedure in which mature eggs are obtained from the female’s ovaries and are fertilized by the male’s sperm, then the eggs are implanted into the uterus (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2013). This option is usually applied due to infertility. Adoption, as an alternative to surrogacy can also be very beneficial to involved parties. Children without parents, due to unforeseen circumstances are provided homes with caring, loving families. A couple adopting may not have genetic links to these children, but loving relationships can emerge and often treat the child as their own. In my personal opinion, I think surrogacy will continue to increase the numbers of childless couples. In such cases where altruism is applied, I think the emotional ties are easier severed because the woman is volunteering her services to a couple she sees in need. I speak of this from somewhat of a personal viewpoint. I have two healthy children and am currently pregnant with my third with no complications during either pregnancy; however, my sister has been trying to conceive naturally for almost 4 years now and has had no luck. I would gladly consider being a surrogate for her should she ever ask. I know from her interactions with my own kids that she would be a great mother to a child. I do not know her medical history or what medical advice she has sought regarding her problem, but I know that I could help a family member in need and not want monetary compensation for doing so. However, I will acknowledge that this is not the best road for all women. The emotional involvement may make it hard to part with the child after carrying it for nine months. I would only recommend this to a woman who has decided that she no longer wants to have children or does not wish to raise any more children of her own. I also see gestational surrogacy still being the most common between the two types of surrogacy because of the emotional detachment. I think that some people feel that not having a genetic link to a child makes it easier to part with after birth. I feel that some women need to be able to look at their child and see similarities in physical features to know that they are part of a child. Gestational surrogacy requires no genetics from the surrogate, only from the intended parents. Considering both types of surrogacy and the current state of how the legal issues around the topic are addressed, I think improvements need to be made. From research, the surrogate has more legal rights than anyone. This provides a very limited window for the intended couple who has long awaited a child. Legislations need to be enacted that provide more rights to intended parents of the child, especially during a gestational surrogacy. I do not think that it should be legal and find it unethical that a surrogate still has legal rights to a child with no genetic link. I find hope in the future that additional regulations in how surrogacy is handled will be sought. While surrogacy has been around since Biblical times, it has made a splash as headline news in the last half century. The legal and ethical dilemmas surrounding the topic derive from the rights of the surrogate, the intended couple, and for the children that are involved with the procedure and process. The alternatives to surrogacy do not necessarily provide additional benefits and in some instances, do not always apply to those wishing to have a child. While no one can predict the future, surrogacy in my opinion, will continue to flourish among couples; not just infertile couples or same-sex couples, but among women who do not wish to go through the process of labor and delivery. Women who live in poverty may continue to see the benefits of surrogacy for economic gain for themselves and their families. There are so many ethical elements at play with surrogacy that the issue will remain to have legal and ethical complications, now and in the future.

Mans Inhumanity

Over the centuries, nothing has caused more pain and suffering for man than man himself. Through war, hate crimes, and random acts of violence, the fear of the different and unknown has made itself known in human nature. The novel Night, the movie Schindler's List and the article A Tortured Legacy are all examples of this. Through the suffering of the Jews at the hands of the Germans, there is no clearer example of man's inhumanity to man. The holocaust was far more than a tragedy; it is something you simply cannot describe with words. The sheer evil and hate that took place in the 1940's really simplifies what man can be like when he's at his weakest and lowest point of existence. Through the merciless slaughtering and torturing of the Jewish people, the Germans showed to the whole world what it's like to be inhuman; to be an animal. In the book Night, by Elie Wiesel, Hitler’s main goal was to make the Jews feel inhuman; he was very successful in this. The Jews were tortured everyday for no reason at all other than for the SS officers’ own amusement. The SS officers treated the men as if they were animals, making them fight for food. Women, babies, old, sick, and handicapped were put into the crematoriums as soon as they arrived at the camps. They killed people for no reason, with no remorse whatsoever. Torture, being treated like animals, and being burned alive or killed were all things that led to the Jews feeling as if they were not human. Torture played a very big part in the Jews feeling inhuman. The SS officers beat the Jews very often, many times for no reason. Eliezer talks about how â€Å"one day when Idek was venting his fury, I happened to cross his path. He threw himself on me like a wild beast, beating me in the chest, on my head, throwing me to the ground and picking me upagain, crushing me with ever more violent blows, until I was covered in blood. † (Wiesel 53). When his father was on the verge of dying he was calling out to Eliezer, he was told to shut up by one of the officers. He kept yelling, and then he was beat repeatedly for talking. He then fell unconscious and died soon after. Many people inside the camps were tortured very badly, and often. All of the Jews were treated like animals, which led to them feeling inhuman. When on the cattle cars, they would pass through German towns. One time â€Å" a worker took a piece of bread out of his bag and threw it into a wagon. There was a stampede. Dozens of starving men fought desperately over a few crumbs. The workers watched the spectacle with great interest. † (Wiesel 100). The conditions on the cattle cars were horrible. Sometimes one hundred people would be squeezed into one car like animals. When people would die inside the cattle cars they would throw them out of the cars, sometimes without even being†¦