Presents the ideas of some of the leading moral and political philosophers on this important topic.

Compliance is a key concept in health care and affects all areas of health care including diabetes. Non-compliance has previously been a label attached to many patients without much thought having been given to the causes of poor compliance. Over the last few decades there has been a large volume of research focusing on compliance that has exposed the multitude of factors affecting compliance. Even the definition is not clear cut and so comparability between studies is not without difficulties. A (...) better understanding of the factors affecting compliance, including the doctor/patient relationship, has allowed the evolution of “concordance”. Concordance views the patient as being the equal of the healthcare provider and as having a right to make informed decisions. In a condition such as diabetes, which has many potential long term complications, it is vital that concordance is embraced in the healthcare system in order to improve care. (shrink)

Firms strive hard to achieve a high degree of efficiency on the production frontier, and it is where they compete to excel with their competitors. It is observed from previous studies that standardizing some policies and developing strategies could bring efficiency in production of manufacturing firms. New approaches to the measurement of productive efficiencies are being developed, and analysis of the subject is growing exponentially, since firms are now more concerned about the productivity frontier, besides others. This paper analyzes the (...) necessary factors that contribute to the productive efficiency of an organization. A simple model of production function is constructed to understand its essence and thus contributes to the development of a new ratio that defines productive efficiency in terms of maximization of the efficiency factor that is a common issue in industrial and manufacturing organizations. (shrink)

“Are families inherently unjust, and must they therefore be replaced by just anti-familial alternatives?” Challenging entrenched pro-family and anti-family views, this book advances a reconciliatory pro-family solution, syncretizing that binary’s seemingly irreconcilable ideas with practical alternatives for the problems of actual families.

Realism versus Realism defends the metaphysics of 'Internal Realism,' a view authored by Hilary Putnam, and seeks to build on its basis an immanent realistic position to resolve two conflicts: the conflict between realism and some forms of anti-realism, especially relativism which involves constructivism and subjectivism; and also between two forms of realism itself, namely transcendent and immanent.

Critiques of the ‘global’ have, in recent years, concerned the alleged implication of cultural dominance and secondly—and more philosophically—discerned therein foundationalism/essentialism. These charges will be examined. I next turn to the bearing of organizational/faculty matters on our theme, drawing on teaching experience in more than one country. The relocation of philosophy cannot but raise questions about how the subject itself is conceived. In the final section I suggest that the original humanist import of philosophical studies needs recovery, with ‘globality’ examined (...) critically not only over space but across time. This would involve not only due appreciation of argument (for no discipline lacks this) but of language, standpoint and attitude. (shrink)

How can a manager or an organization refine and enrich its global mindset orientation? A radically different frame of aligning people, strategy and purpose may be through the extension and enrichment of a global mindset rather than strategy or structure. This article explores the concept of global mindset from a new perspective and forwards a number of specific action frames for managers to reflect on. The article contends that the negative effects of contemporary globalization can only be overcome through the (...) enrichment of global vision of managers everywhere. As for applicability, the article argues that mindset development can only contribute to the sustainability of organizations and societies. (shrink)

How can a manager or an organization refine and enrich its global mindset orientation? A radically different frame of aligning people, strategy and purpose may be through the extension and enrichment of a global mindset rather than strategy or structure. This article explores the concept of global mindset from a new perspective and forwards a number of specific action frames for managers to reflect on. The article contends that the negative effects of contemporary globalization can only be overcome through the (...) enrichment of global vision of managers everywhere. As for applicability, the article argues that mindset development can only contribute to the sustainability of organizations and societies. (shrink)

The Nyãya philosophy is primarily concerned with the conditions of valid thought and the means of acquiring true knowledge of objects. Its ultimate end, like that of the other systems of Indian philosophy, is liberation-a state of pure existence- which is free from both pleasure and pain. For the attainment of this liberation, a true knowledge of objects is the surest means. Hence the theory of knowledge is the very foundation of the Nyãya system. The Nyãya Theory of Knowledge is (...) the first systematic, critical and comparative treatment of the Nyãya epistemology. It reveals how, as a thorough-going realistic view of the universe, the Nyãya philosophy supplies an important Eastern parallel to the triumphant modern Realism of the West, and contains anticipations of as well as possible alternatives to many contemporary realistic theories. This book is important as much for the correct understanding of ancient Indian philosophy, as for the evaluation of modern Western philosophy. (shrink)

In this book, eleven leading theorists debate the normative challenges of preventive war through the lens of important public and political issues of war and peace in the twenty-first century. Their discussion covers complex and topical subjects including terrorism, the 'Bush doctrine' and the invasion of Iraq, Iran's nuclear capabilities, superpower unilateralism and international war tribunals. They examine the moral conundrum of preventive intervention and emphasize the need for a stronger and more effective international legal and political order and a (...) corresponding re-evaluation of the normative status of international law. Together their essays form a challenging and timely volume that will be of interest to scholars in ethics and political philosophy, political theory, international relations, international law and peace studies and to general readers interested in the broader issues of peace and justice in the new world order. (shrink)

Practice of knowledge management is often characterized by obstacles to creation, distribution, and transfer of knowledge from specific groups of settings. Obstacles or constraints to attempts to constitute knowledge as an organizational resource have been previously dealt within the context of organizational learning perspectives; however, there still remain barriers toward making learning available and all-pervasive throughout organizations. This is often as a result of two important factors: (i) bureaucratic and hierarchical forms of organization; and (ii) owing to the situated and (...) tacit character of knowledge. This paper is a result of theoretical exploration aimed at addressing these core issues, and proposes solutions to manage constraints and remove obstacles to knowledge management, as well as means to codify the tacit character of knowledge. The research offers a view that although it is reasonable to value knowledge in financial or economic terms, it is also important to consider the problems which make it difficult to extract and transfer knowledge within specific organizational settings. Addressing the issue of rising competitive pressure for innovation, this paper proposes several solutions to enable lateral flows of knowledge-sharing by overcoming the factors that affect acquisition of, and creation and distribution of knowledge across fluid social boundaries. (shrink)

Traditionally, learning organizations face certain constraints related to both exogenous and endogenous factors. This paper models three well-established constraints that employees face while being part of their organizations. One is an explicit constraint on their natural behavior, and two implicit constraints on their endeavor to acquire new knowledge and perform new actions. The implicit constraints, which are elaborated, are related to their relative performance in acquiring new knowledge and by their consecutive actions based on the new knowledge gained. Therefore, this (...) paper attempts to underline such limitations which the agents face under organizational culture and suggest possible strategic initiatives that would effectively counteract such binding limitations to stimulate positive performances from their end. (shrink)

Recent literature shows that ethics of care can be used as a theoretical basis to add a new, important dimension to social issues. Th.

Studies on small and medium enterprises or SMEs in India are scarce. What little is known shows that there is a need to know more about this sector, specially on their performance on responsible business practices. This paper reports the findings on the environmental awareness and practices of some Indian SMEs, from a study conducted by the present authors on 200 SMEs, in the manufacturing and service sectors, in the two Indian states of West Bengal and Odisha. The study results (...) show that environmentally responsible practices and the related concept of social responsibility of business are yet to take root at the Indian SME level. Some of the major findings reported are the lack of knowledge and interest about environmentally responsible business practices among the SME owner–managers, the perceived disconnect between environmental practices and socially responsible business practices, the total absence of reporting practices in the sector, and the disinterest in the 14001 certification. The study also mentions the perceived barriers and constraints reported by the SME owner–managers in the path of greater engagement with the environment. On the whole, the study concludes that there is an urgent need for sensitization, training, and mentoring the Indian SME owner–managers in order to develop their capabilities for improved environmentally responsible business practices. (shrink)

This paper examines the case of a recent H5N1virus (avian influenza) outbreak in West Bengal, an eastern state of India, and argues that poorly executed pandemic management may be viewed as a moral lapse. It further argues that pandemic management initiatives are intimately related to the concept of health as a social 'good' and to the moral responsibility of protection from foreseeable social harm from an infectious disease. The initiatives, therefore, have to be guided by special moral obligations towards biorisk (...) reduction, obligations which remain unfulfilled when a public body entrusted with the responsibility fails to manage satisfactorily the prevention and control of the infection. The overall conclusion is that pandemic management has a moral dimension. The gravity of the threat that fatal infectious diseases pose for public health creates special moral obligations for public bodies in pandemic situations. However, the paper views the West Bengal case as a learning opportunity, and considers the lapses cited as challenges that better, more effectively conducted pandemic management can prepare for. It is hoped that this paper will provoke constructive bioethical deliberations, particularly pertinent to the developing world, on how to ensure that the obligations towards health are fulfilled ethically and more effectively. (shrink)

In this unique monograph, based on years of extensive work, Chatterjee presents the historical evolution of statistical thought from the perspective of various approaches to statistical induction. Developments in statistical concepts and theories are discussed alongside philosophical ideas on the ways we learn from experience.

The book introduces the reader to western ethics as a subject, along with its three standard subdivisions. Although the book is written with university students, policymakers, and professionals in mind, the book is lucid enough to be accessible to most adult readers. The book begins with introductions to the basics of ethics. These chapters are meant to provide the reader with the background knowledge necessary for understanding the more technical chapters on metaethics, normative ethics theories, and applied ethics, the three (...) well-known subdivisions within ethics. The chapters that follow take up core ethical issues from each of these areas. The sections focus on explanation and a critical understanding of the ethical issue. The chapters also have examples, cases, and exercises to encourage critical thinking and to enable the reader to grasp the issue better. The book has tried to bring contemporary issues, such as ethics of human organ transplantation, and contemporary theories, such as Amartya Sen’s concept of Justice and Martha Nussbaum’s Capabilities Approach, to engage the readers with ethics in the real world. The book concludes with applied ethics, but with the example of ethics of artificial intelligence. The aim is to keep ethics as a future-driven activity and to emphasize the need to understand the real-world ethical situations and dilemmas that will affect the stakeholders all around the world in the coming years as artificial intelligence and data-driven technologies change our everyday life. (shrink)

In the context of clinical and non-clinical biomedical practices, negligence is usually understood as a lapse of a specific professional duty by a healthcare worker or by a medical facility. This paper tries to delineate systemic negligence as another kind of negligence in the context of health systems, particularly in developing countries, that needs to be recognized and addressed. Systemic negligence is not just a mere collection of stray incidences of medical errors and system failures in a health system, but (...) is proposed in this paper as a more pervasive kind of neglect. Several non-medical factors, such as lack of social and political will, also contribute to it and hence is more difficult to address in a health system. This paper argues that recognizing systemic negligence and including it research agenda have special moral importance for researchers in developing world bioethics, public health ethics and for health activists in the developing world. For, it can be a potent health system barrier, and can seriously impair efforts to ensure patient safety, particularly in the weaker health systems. As it erodes accountability in a health system, addressing it is also important for the twin goals of ensuring patient safety and improving health system performance. Above all, it needs to be addressed because the tolerance of its persistence in a health system seems to undervalue health as a social good. (shrink)

Margaret Chatterjee's new work Hinterlands and Horizons—a collection of nine phenomenological essays ranging across cultures and time periods—studies the historical and cultural evolution of the idea of amity and the concomitant concepts of fraternity, friendship, and tolerance. The work starts with the Enlightenment's idea of fraternity and its destruction during the fratricide of the French Terror. It includes chapters focusing upon the encounters between colonizers and missionaries, the impact of the Holocaust on the search for amity, the prospect for (...) amity in contemporary multiculturalism, and the potential of religion to deepen the experience of amity. An incisive interdisciplinary analysis of the bases of discord and harmony, of history and memory, Hinterlands and Horizons will be an enduring contribution to the history of ideas. (shrink)

For last couple of years, the subcontinent of India has witnessed a number of influenza epidemic outbreaks. History reveals influenza epidemic to be a constant but neglected companion of India. Considering the repeated occurrences of the event on Indian soil, including influenza A H1N1 after 2009-10 pandemic event, a check to the planning measures has been done at national level. A literature survey on the initiative measures, planning accomplishments etc. reveals that it is only after the emergence of A H5N1, (...) national health authorities have began planning efforts to mitigate and respond to influenza outbreaks. This paper outlines the evolution of Indian pandemic planning that can be traced in the research literature, summarize the accomplishments, and explain the importance of pandemic planning in India. Pandemic influenza, as it is commonly known, emerges, evolves, attacks, and sways a large part of world declaring public health emergency in a short span. Several outbreak events such as SARS, Avian influenza A H5N1, and H1N1 have demonstrated the need of international concern for public health emergency and had established the value of planning in advance. Preparedness planning in India is found to be at its nascent stage and it needs further improvement at multiple aspects to tackle the future public health crises, to rectify ethical failures. (shrink)