The technology of cloning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The technology of cloning - Essay Example Cloning is the phenomenon whereby an identical copy of a living creature can be created by man. "The process of making a clone, a genetically identical copy. Cloning can refer to the technique of producing a genetically identical copy of an organism by replacing the nucleus of an unfertilized ovum with the nucleus of a body cell from the organism." (MedicineNet.com, 2012) The cloning technology involves asexual production of an egg which does not have nuclear material. It is mainly the artificial fusion of a non sexual cell with an egg. The resultant is the production of a younger identical organism which is the exact twin of the earlier organism. A physician Lewis Thomas terms human cloning as, "The  cloning of humans is on most of the lists of things to worry about from Science, along with behavior control, genetic engineering, transplanted heads, computer poetry and the unrestrained growth of plastic flowers." (SearchQuotes, 2012) The process sounds relatively very simple but it is a hard fact that the execution of this process involve many complications. It is not only the complications in the processing that are a source of an issue. The main problems are the pre-requisites that need to be settled prior to the processing. On one hand there is a belief that cloning could be extremely beneficial for the human race and would bring cure to many untreated ailments. One the other hand, one school of thought argues that the concept of cloning is against the well being of the society and should completely be eliminated. Others even maintain that cloning could become a menace to the society if left un attended. So it should only be restricted to secret services and should only be used for the well being of the security and safety of the human race as a whole. My views on this topic are that since cloning is such an advanced technology its benefits should be hailed by every individual on this planet. Then only would it be possible to get benefitted by it as a soci ety. When it comes to the sanctity and survival of the human race most of us readily agree that for the survival of the human race severe steps should be taken and any technology should be modified for the betterment of the entire human race and preserved so that it can be benefitted from in times of need. There are several advantages associated with cloning. Some of them are discussed as follows: The concept of human cloning is particularly of use when it comes to the handling of the matter of fertility in human beings. Any genetic defects or any accidental damage caused to genetic organisms, any genetic defects present at the time of birth, or accidental exposure to radiation or toxic substances may result in infertility. Cloning is one of the many technologies that assist in the overcoming of the problem of infertility. Around twelve million Americans are infertile at the age of child bearing. Years of medical treatment cannot result in satisfactory remedies to infertility. It is for such infertile couples that human cloning comes s a sigh of relief. With the help of cloning such couples can dream of happening their own offspring and they would not have to undergo years of continuous and painful treatments to get able to bear an offspring. The thought of having their own biological offspring, at the cost of no uneasiness and complex medical treatment at all would eventually result in the diminishing of clinical depression, inclination towards, suicide, divorce and madness among infertile individuals. A school of thought might maintain that gene therapy is present to cure

Export Diversification and Economic Growth

Export Diversification and Economic Growth One of the earliest ideas in the theory of economic development is that the degree of specialization or diversification of a countrys production and trade structure is important for its economic development (Wim Naudà © and Riaan Rossouw, 2008). But, the question whether developing countries should diversify their export production to achieve economic growth or rather specialise in order to achieve comparative advantage has been a debatable issue. Some researchers find that export diversification is better for economic growth in developing countries as their dependence on primary commodity production and exports leaves them vulnerable to commodity shocks, price fluctuations and declining terms of trade, especially since the income elasticity of the demand for primary commodities is low (Prebisch, 1950; Singer, 1950 and Rosenstein-Rodan, 1943). While others advocate for specialisation, for example, from Adam Smiths recognition of the importance of the division of labour and specializ ation for economic growth and development, to the standard Heckscher-Ohlin Samuelson (HOS) model of international trade, the position in neoclassical economics has been that countries should specialize in producing and exporting according to their comparative advantage (Wim Naudà © and Riaan Rossouw, 2008). Thus, many theories are based on; Should developing countries focus on diversifying their export basket or should they rather specialise their exports according to their existing comparative advantage? 2.1. Definitions Export diversification, by definition is the changing of a countrys export structure. This can be attained by changing the existing basket of commodities or by embellishing them through innovation and technology. Dennis and Shepherd (2007) define export diversification as widening the range of products that a country exports. As a matter of fact, export diversification can take two forms, namely, horizontal and vertical. Export diversification has different dimensions and can be analysed at different levels (Ali et al., 1991). Herzer and Nowak-Lehnmann (2006) explain that export diversification can occur either horizontally or vertically. Horizontal diversification causes changes in the primary export mix in order to reduce the effect of the fluctuation of global commodity prices. It also implies that the number of export sectors has increased. This reduces the dependency on a few sectors to lead export-oriented growth (Marianne Matthee and Wim Naudà © (May 2008). It brings forth stabilisation in export earnings (Al-Marhubi, 2000). If growth is to be achieved though horizontal export diversification, a country can either enlarge the share of products with increasing growth rates in export earnings, or it can add new products based on the growth rates of world prices (Ali et al., 1991). On the other hand, vertical diversification involves contriving further uses for existing and new innovative commodities by means of value-added ventures such as processing and marketing (Poverty and Development Division, United Nation, June 2004). Vertical diversification occurs when the export mix of a country shifts from primary products to manufactured products. The production of primary exports does not result in as many spill-overs as the production of manufactured exports (Marianne Matthee and Wim Naudà ©, May 2008). In the latter, externalities on, for example, knowledge and new technologies are created. These externalities benefit other economic activities (possibly creating horizontal diversification) and improve the ability of all industries to compete internationally (Chuang, 1998; Al-Marhubi, 2000; Herzer and Nowak-Lehnmann, 2006). Vertical export diversification also contributes to stabilisation in export earnings, as the prices of manufactured exports do not fluctuate as much as those of primary exports (Ali et al., 1991). If growth is to be achieved though vertical export diversification, a country can either introduce, expand value-added activities, or it can choose new products based on their value-added potential (Ali et al., 1991). Hausmann et al. (2005) conclude that the composition of a countrys exports matter, as countries that produce higher productivity goods experience greater export performance and are subsequently able to benefit more from the gains of globalisation. Both horizontal and vertical diversification can be favourable for a countrys economic growth; however their performance would vary in terms of technological, managerial and marketing skills. Vertical diversification policy, compared to horizontal diversification policy, requires more advanced technology, skills and initial capital investment than horizontal diversification policies do. In result of that, vertical diversification may produce greater dynamic externalities than that of horizontal diversification. 2.2 Theoretical Review There are many theoretical reasons, put forward by researchers, which says that export diversification leads to higher per capita income growth. Because of fluctuations in export, many developing countries opt for export diversification. As mentioned is made above, this instability arises as commodity products are often subject to very volatile market prices so that countries that are dependent on these commodities may suffer from export instability (Heiko Hesse, 2008). As a result of the stated instability, risk-averse firms might not invest in the country which can create macroeconomic uncertainty and in turn can be disadvantageous for long run economic growth. To prevent this instability many countries have liberalised trade. Michaely (1958) studied export and import concentration using GINI co-efficient on the dataset for 44 countries and 150 Standard International Trade Classification commodities and notes that countries with more diversified export structure are more developed in terms of income per capita, and more industrialized in terms of primary commodity share in total export. Export diversification could therefore help to stabilize export earnings in the longer run (Ghosh and Ostry, 1994); Bleaney and Greenaway, (2001)). According to structural models of economic development, countries should diversify from primary exports into manufactured exports in order to achieve sustainable growth (Chenery, 1979 and Syrquin, 1989). However, the concept of export diversification seems to contradict trade theory, especially Ricardos theory of comparative advantage where a country should specialise (Salvatore, 1998). Ricardo laid emphasis on the role of specialization in international trade and increases total productivity. According to him, export is said promote economic growth by specialising in sectors in which a country has a comparative advantage. In the same way, Helpman and Krugman (1985) pointed out that greater economies of scale due to increased exports can lead to an increase in the productivity level. In spite of the relationship identified between trade and productivity, the impact of specialization on the long run growth remained uncertain to many scholars. Sachs and Warner (1997), for example, identified a negative impact of a comparative advantage in raw materials on economic growth. More recently diversification and specialization has been studied as the part endogenous outcome of a countrys stage of development (e.g. Acemoglu and Zilibotti, 1997; Imbs and Wacziarg, 2003). This theory is based on countries production and therefore has an effect on their export, as there is a relationship between production and export. Ramacharan (2006) finds that a one standard deviation increase in diversification is associated with about a 0.81 standard deviation increase in the level of credit to the private sector. Thus, diversifying the sectoral composition of the economy, will benefit financial development, which in turn, as shown by Chang (1991) may allow countries to engage in more specialization of exports, given that developed financial markets may provide insurance against risk. This analysis may lead one to conclude that countries export structure may go through phases, from less diversified to more diversified, followed by a phase of less diversification and more sp ecialization, as the financial sector development deepens (Saint-Paul, 1992). Diversifying the production structure of the domestic economy may therefore be a requirement for export diversification and later export specialization. Another theory has been put forward by Marianne Matthee and Wim Naudà © which states that, this trend in trade has led to spatial inequality. This is so because, with trade liberalisation, small local businesses suffer which can result in a decrease in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and eventually economic growth. Marianne Matthee and Wim Naudà © (May 2008) mentioned that in a more open economy with firms being able to export more, local firms become less reliant on the local market with a subsequent reduction in the forces of agglomeration. Furthermore, not all developing countries will gain with high export as their location can be an important determinant for their export propensity. But, export diversification contributes to growth in a country (Herzer and Nowak-Lehnmann, 2006) and many studies have proven so on a country level. Related to export diversification, there could be knowledge spill-overs from new techniques of production, new management, or marketing practices, potentially benefiting other industries (Amin Gutierrez de Pineres and Ferrantino, 2000). Producing a growing basket of export commodities can be seen to have an active effect of export diversification on higher per capita income growth. Agosin (2007) develops a model of export diversification and growth where countries with low technological frontier widen their comparative advantage by imitating and adapting existing products. Furthermore, models in the product cycle literature (Vernon, 1966; Krugman, 1979; Grossman and Helpman, 1991) obtain diversity of export products by the North innovating and the South predominantly imitating and exporting the products from cheap labour countries.

ENFOREX and don Quijote Spanish schools :: ENFOREX and don Quijote Spanish schools

Hello, I am writing to introduce myself to those of you have not met me. My name is Antonio Anadon and I’m the president of ENFOREX and don Quijote Spanish schools. We have 32 schools throughout Spain and Mexico and 30 partner schools in the rest of the world. It took us a long time to build the leading Spanish language school organization in the world. By now, you should have received the sad news that AmeriSpan can no longer continue as an agency. ENFOREX has been trying for years to help John, Dorioara and AmeriSpan return to financial strength but the situation is a disaster and impossible. Like you, ENFOREX has not been receiving sufficient payments for the last five years and this is a major financial loss of $300,000 for our organization. After much thought, I have decided that it is in the best interests of the study abroad industry that AmeriSpan’s problem does not cause any more problems in the industry. I have decided to open don Quijote USA, which will be able to bring AmeriSpan’s business to you with our professional way of working and financial support by fulfilling our obligations on time. In the past days, we decided to take all the assets of AmeriSpan including the website, trademark and intellectual know-how from AmeriSpan Unlimited Inc and John Slocum’s control before the situation got any worse. I don’t want that all of us lose anymore from this mismanagement of the organization. I plan to continue working with the majority of the schools of AmeriSpan and grow the business for all of us. I will be hiring some of the AmeriSpan employees and fresh, new people at don Quijote USA. All financial management will be handled by myself from our head office in Madrid. If you are interested in working with don Quijote USA: 1. We will pay for all AmeriSpan students starting after January 1st, 2007 2. We will need a good commission to increase the business & promotion of your school 3. We really want to create a strong partnership with you 4. We will integrate the promotion of your school in our offices in UK, Netherlands, Spain, Mexico,and soon in China. I expect to be contacted by you and many other organizations in the coming days and weeks, please be patient but I will respond to everyone.

Labor Practices Paper †Sweatshops Essay

Bridget PeacoIn several countries across the world, individuals are being misused and mistreated on a regular basis by sweatshops and the people that run them. A sweatshop is a word used to define an operating atmosphere, generally factories producing textile products that are considered hazardous because of poor operating environments. It has been discovered that employees that work at sweatshops often experience metal, physical, and sexual abuse, they work extensively long hours with being unable to leave, without health care benefits while earning inadequate wages. These sweatshops are also found to employ women and children, as they are easier to manipulate. This ethical issue over sweatshops is a perplexing and long going corporate responsibility topic, among the business world. Corporations are confronted with the ethical problem of obtaining the lowest prices from sellers so they can provide low-priced goods to their consumers while withstanding ethical standards and maintaini ng a great public image. Is it ethical for businesses to benefit from employees that work in hazardous and undesirable conditions for little pay and long hours? It is of my conviction that corporations should not merely prioritize the number of their profits but also have a responsibility to humanity to perform in a socially responsible manner. Corporate social responsibility processes can be favorable to the brand image of a corporation so being socially responsible does not have to work against the business’s commitment to its shareholders; by changing a â€Å"triple bottom line† and contemplating the corporation’s economic, social, and environmental impact, an organization could successfully generate social benefits but it could also boost the company’s public persona. Organizations can change how they do business while still performing well with planning and some proper actions based on ethically made decisions. Mistreatment and neglect in sweatshops is a problem that has to be addressed. There has to be a balancing act, a way to better the environments for workers in clothing factories, in underdeveloped countries while maintaining low costs adequately enough that companies will continue to send jobs there, the greatest resolution could be unearthed.

National Reconciliation Ordinance

On October 05, 2007, General Pervez Musharaf promulgated the NRO to give an immediate relief and forgiveness to public office holders, who were charged in corruption cases between 1986 and 1999 under Article 5(1)(2) of (PCO) Provisional Constitutional Order. One of the most consolidate reason behind NRO was to give an immediate relief to late PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto by giving protection in all cases registered against her by Nawaz government . The NRO also protected our current President Mr. Asif Ali Zardari and Ms Bhutto against $60 million Swiss bribe and Geneva simple money laundering cases.The case was pending in the Swiss court when General Musharaf promulgated the NRO and the government dropped all the cases in April, 2008. An accountability court also cleared Mr. Asif Ali Zardari on March 05, 2008, of five corruption charges and illegal use of property under the NRO. The Supreme Court of Pakistan on December 16, 2009, declared the (NRO) National reconciliation ordinance null and void and declared that all the cases which were active at the time of promulgation of the NRO may be reopened at the point at which they were closed.A 17-members bench of the Apex court headed by the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudry declared the NRO an instrument null and void because it violates the various constitutional provisions including Article 4, 8 , 25 , 62 (f) and others. The presidency of Pakistan announced that the government accepts and respects the verdict of the Supreme Court. The President enjoys the protection of Article 248 (2) of the constitution. The article 248 (2) states that â€Å"No criminal proceedings continued against the President or a governor in any court during his term of office†.