Faulty Arguments in the Field of Herbalism, Natural Cures and Plant Coursework

Faulty Arguments in the Field of Herbalism, Natural Cures and Plant Medicine - Coursework Example The reasoning behind this phrase is poor because it insinuates that herbal products are safer, healthier, and has lower rates of toxicity compared to other medicinal drugs which is not true. It is also a dogmatic phrase which may be interpreted to mean that use of pharmaceuticals may result to harm. Andrew Weil, the mastermind and inventor of Arizona Center for Integrative medicine. He says ‘I did ethnobotanical study in South America, researching native uses for coca leaf, which most of us know only as the source of the isolated, problematic, addictive drug cocaine†¦if you look carefully at the coca leafs molecular array, you find 14 bioactive alkaloids, with cocaine in the greatest amount†¦Herbs like coca can "tone" the body and bring it back to homeostasis’. The source is The Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andrew-weil-md/why-plants-are-usually-be_b_785139.html. This is an illustration of a non-sequiter, appeal to authority, poor logic and faulty statistics. The reasoning behind it is poor since its conclusion doesn’t infer the premise. It also emphasizes on his expertise owing to convince the masses concerning his opinions. It also does not have firm deductions to the conclusions made. It also claims that a coca leaf has 14 bioact ive alkaloids but it does not give precise details how he obtained this data. David Kroll holds a doctor of philosophy in therapeutics and pharmacology. He coaches the public on organic commodities and botanical plants supplements. He says ‘Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F, or thunder god vine†¦has a history of use as an anti-inflammatory herb. As with many traditional medicines, usage patterns do not necessarily indicate scientific validity. In fact, a Cochrane review published just last month on herbal therapies for rheumatoid arthritis indicated that the efficacy of thunder god vine was mixed. More concerning is that the herb had significant adverse effects in some trials, from hair

Famous Psychologist Essay Example for Free

Famous Psychologist Essay Throughout psychologys relatively brief history, there have been many famous psychologists who have left their mark both on psychology and on the world at large. While some of these individuals do not necessarily fit todays definition of a psychologist, a term which indicates a doctoral-level degree in psychology, their influence on psychology is without question. Learn more about psychologists by browsing through this list of some of the most famous thinkers in psychology history. Alfred Adler Public Domain Alfred Adler is known as one of the most influential thinkers in psychology. While he was initially a member of the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society, Adler eventually departed from Freuds theories and developed his own perspective, which he called Individual Psychology. He had a strong influence on a number of other eminent psychologists, including Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow and Karen Horney. Mary Ainsworth Mary Ainsworth was a psychologist best known for her research on attachment theory and the development of the strange situation assessment. Her work played an important role in our understanding of child development and has influenced other fields including education. Gordon Allport Gordon Allport was a psychologist perhaps best-known as one of the founding figures of personality psychology. He also developed a trait theory of personality that described three broad categories of personality traits. Solomon Asch Solomon Asch was a pioneering social psychologist. His famous conformity experiments demonstrated that people will claim that something is correct when it obviously is not due to social pressure from peers. Asch also had an important influence on psychologist Stanley Milgram, whose own obedience experiments were inspired by Aschs work. Albert Bandura Albert Bandura is a psychologist known for his famous Bobo doll experiment as well as his concepts of self-efficacy and social learning. Bandura’s work is considered part of the cognitive revolution in psychology that began in the late 1960s. His theories have had tremendous impact on personality psychology, cognitive psychology, education, and therapy. Alfred Binet Public Domain Alfred Binet was a French psychologist famous for his development of the first widely used intelligence test. He is often described as one of the most influential thinkers in psychology history and his original test still serves as the basis for modern measures of intelligence. Mary Whiton Calkins Mary Whiton Calkins was the first female president of the American Psychological Association. She studied at Harvard with famous teachers including William James and Hugo Munsterberg. Despite completing all of the requirements for a doctorate degree in psychology, Harvard refused to grant her degree simply because she was a woman. James McKeen Cattell Image courtesy Library of Congress James McKeen Cattell was the first U.S. psychology professor. He is an important figure in psychology thanks to his work in intelligence, his use of quantitative methods and his focus on establishing psychology as a legitimate science. Raymond Cattell Image from Wikimedia Commons Raymond Cattell was a pioneering thinker who is perhaps best known for his use of multivariate analysis and his 16-factor personality model. Mamie Phipps Clark Mamie Phipps Clark was a pioneering psychologist known for her important research on child development and self-concept among minorities. As the first black woman to graduate from Columbia University, she faced discrimination because of her race and her gender. Her research with her husband, Kenneth Clark, played a major role in the Supreme Courts decision in the pivotal Brown vs. Board of Education case. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Hes an important contemporary psychologist, but one of your first questions is probably How do you pronounce his name? (Its me-HIGH chick-sent-me-HIGH-ee, by the way.) Learn more about his work and contributions to modern psychology in this brief biography. John Dewey Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons John Dewey was an American psychologist, philosopher, writer and educational theorist. His work had a vital influence on psychology, education and philosophy and he is often considered one of the greatest thinkers of the 20th-century. His emphasis on progressive education has contributed greatly to the use of experimentation rather than an authoritarian approach to knowledge. Erik Erikson Public Domain Erik Eriksons well-known stage theory of psychosocial development helped generate interest and inspire research on human development through the lifespan. An ego psychologist who studied with Anna Freud, Erikson expanded psychoanalytic theory by exploring development throughout the full lifespan, including events of childhood, adulthood and old age. Hans Eysenck Image from the Wikimedia Commons / Sirswindon at en.wikipedia Hans Eyesenck was a very prolific psychologist, publishing more than 75 books and 1600 journal articles. Prior to his death in 1997, he was the living psychologist most frequently cited in scientific books and journal articles. He was also a very controversial figure, and his outspoken views of subjects ranging from psychotherapy to intelligence made him the subject of criticism. Leon Festinger Leon Festinger was an influential social psychologist who is well-known for his theory of cognitive dissonance as well as his social comparison theory. Anna Freud Anna Freud began her career influenced by the theories of her father, Sigmund Freud. Far from living in her fathers shadow, Anna made important contributions of her own to psychology. She founded child psychoanalysis and summarized the egos defense mechanisms in her book The Ego and the Mechanisms of Defense (1936). Sigmund Freud Public Domain Sigmund Freud may be one of the best known figures in history, but he is also one of the most controversial. He was the founder of the school of thought known as psychoanalysis. The legacy of his life and work provokes both impassioned acclaim from his supporters and disdain from his detractors. While some view him as a cultural icon and others see him as a pseudo-scientific charlatan, there is no question that Freud left an indelible mark on psychology as well as other disciplines. Erich Fromm Liss Goldring / Erich Fromm Estate Erich Fromm was a neo-Freudian psychoanalyst who had a major influence on humanistic psychology. Today Fromm is remembered for his concept of freedom as a fundamental component of human nature.

Change Management Process And Basic Needs Management Essay

Change Management Process And Basic Needs Management Essay Change as we call it is quite inevitable and it is very necessary in todays fast changing environment and competition. Organizational change management is focused at when big changes need to take place. There are numerous change management models that can be used by companies today in order to successfully implement the change and meet its objectives. The Kurt Lewin Model is an old model still used today. Change management aims at bringing better results than those currently experienced. In change management one understands that there are better ways of performing a particular task in an effective and efficient manner while meeting all the customers expectations and standards of performance. So we can use the ADKAR model here to manage change. Change management theory has 5 principles based upon it like: At first we see that people display and show different reactions to change as each individual is different and unique in their own way. Secondly people strive to meet their basic needs regardless of their stature, occupation or living standards. Thirdly for each of the change to take place the person has to loose something initially to help make the implementation of the change successful. All the people put in varied amounts of efforts for the change as per their perception so the change activity needs to be realistic in nature. Change brings with it fear and a feeling of mistrust so change management can only take place if these people face their fears. These five principles need to be implemented properly by the company to actually make the change process feasible and successful. Change management requires acceptability from all the concerned stakeholders as it cannot succeed by acceptance of one but by only a collective effort of many. (Change Management 100 Success Secrets) A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be Wayne Gretzky, Canadian ice hockey player Change Management (2008) Literature Review Kurt Lewin Change Management Model In 1947 Kurt Lewin proposed a three stage theory of Change which is very relevant till date and most newer models are quite based on this model. The three stages are: Unfreeze This is the most critical stage as it involves preparing oneself before a change is implemented. It involves understanding that a change needs to take place and the employees need to get out of the comfort zone. A deadline needs to there to which some reward/punishment is linked to motivate the people to go for the change and accept it. So unfreezing one-self and seeing the inherent advantages outweighing the disadvantages lead to a successful change. This refers to another Kurt Lewins theory called the Force Field Analysis. So as per the Force Field Analysis if the pros outweigh the cons then change can take place smoothly as it acts as a pushing factor but if not then there is resistance which can be detrimental to the objective and purpose of the change. We can actually take a practical example to illustrate the above diagram in a better position in the case of Tata motors in the Analysis section. Change So the next stage is the transition stage where the change actually happens. Here we see people have inhibitions as they are unsure of the results or consequences from the change process are taking place within the organization. Certain factors like training, guides and mentors can be used to make the learning process easier and faster as it helps the people to adapt and understand the objective and rationale for the change activity. Through self involvement and proper communication one can encourage the change to take place in an easier fashion. Freeze This stage is also called the refreezing stage as it involves if there is stability after the change has actually occurred. People now tend to adapt and accept the change and it becomes a part of their daily routine. Change is a continuous process and soon after the implementation of the change the next change process starts off at any point and can finish at any point of time. (Kurt Lewin Change Management Model (1947)) ADKAR: Simple, Powerful, Action Oriented Model for Change This model was developed by Jeff Hiatt, CEO of Prosci Change Management and it was first published in 2003. This model tells us that organizational change can succeed when each of the individual members of the organization transition through the change management process. There are five steps in this model: Awareness of the need for change This involves understanding why a particular change is necessary is the primary aspect of a successful change. We here find out the rationale and need behind the change. So the employee will fully understand why change is necessary. Desire to participate in and support the change Here the employee needs to make a personal decision to support the change and participate in the change. Only when the person is confident and convinced that the change is essential then only will he participate in the change activity. Proper incentives need to be formulated in order to motivate the person not to deter from the path of change. Knowledge on how to change This is the third stage of the model in which knowledge about the change can be imparted through training, mentorship and other educational methods. Two types of knowledge needs to be addressed: knowledge on how to change (things to be done during the transition or the time during which the change is being implemented) and knowledge on how to perform after the change activity is implemented. Ability to implement required skills and behaviors In this part of the building block Ability is referred to the difference between theory and practice. Once knowledge on how to change is in place then this is the theory being referred to and then comes the practical aspect which is the actual performance of the individual. This is a time conduming process and can be successfully implemented through practice, coaching and feedback. Reinforcement to sustain the change In the final stage of the model there is an essential component in which efforts made by the individual to sustain the change are pressed upon. Here it is ensured that changes made stay in place and that the employee does not slip back to his old ways which can be ensured through positive feedback, rewards, recognition, measuring performance and taking corrective actions. ADKAR Model of Change (2003) Kotters 8 steps for Leading Change Dr. John Kotter developed the 8 steps to change which can help organizations to avoid failure and be proactive to change. They are: Acting with Urgency It refers to identification of the problem and crisis areas in regards to the company, market and the competitive forces. Developing the Guiding Coalition Form a team of employees who would be responsible to handle the change efforts in a collective manner. Developing a Change Vision This step involves creating a vision and formulating the strategies to achieve the vision. Communicating the Vision buy-in There needs to be clear communication between the employees and the vision and the means to achieve it both need to be known by all the employees while keeping the team as the source of example. Empowering broad based action Use varied risky ideas, non-traditional means and other techniques not in the book to remove all the obstacles to the change. Generating short term wins Visible improvements need to be planned and all the incumbents should be duly rewarded for their efforts. Do not let up To change all the systems, structures and policies new employees maybe needed to be recruited, old ones removed and other promoted to meet the vision by also putting in new projects, ideas, work patterns, etc. Make change stick Use the leaders in the organization to show its employees the benefits of the change activity in both qualitative and quantitative terms so that people do not digress from the change activity. Kotters 8 steps of change (2005) Beckhard Harris Change Formulae In 1987 Beckhard and Harris developed the Change equation which helps the organization to identify all the possibilities to change. The change equation propounded is: D x V x F > R = Dissatisfaction x Vision x First steps > Resistance to Change All the three components must be present in congruence in order to overcome resistance to change. Dissatisfaction with the current happenings, Vision of what is to come in the near future, and the way/direction/First steps to reach or achieve this vision should all be there to repel the resistance to the change activity. Beckhard and Harriss Change Equation (1987) CASE STUDY Tata Motors Jaguar Cars Limited and Land Rover, based in the UK, are one of the key global auto majors companies that are engaged in manufacturing luxury sports saloons and sports cars that cater to the premium end of the market. On June 22, 2008; Tata Motors, Indias largest automobile company, acquired the Jaguar Land Rover businesses from Ford Motor Company for a net consideration of US $2.3 billion. (Press Release: 2nd June, 2008) But just immediately after the acquisition; the global financial sector collapsed and squeezed out global liquidity. The consequent lack of access to credit and working capital, along with the meteoric rise in commodities and fossil fuel prices, has an unprecedentedly devastating effect on the global automotive sector. All the automobile companies, hard hit by the crisis, posted major operating losses. Two of the three major U.S. car makers, General Motors and Chrysler, filed for bankruptcy. Jaguar Land Rover was hit hard in the second half of the year ended 31st March 2009. In the U.S, Europe and Japan, sales of new cars have declined by 16% in the second half of the year. Stimulus packages designed to rekindle demand were only partially successful. The volumes at JLR over the 10 months post acquisition reduced by 32% as compared to the comparable period in the previous year resulting in a Loss before tax of GB  £ 281 million. Europe was in doldrums. This was a major concern for the Tatas since it is a big market for Jaguar Land Rover. By the end of January 2009, Tata Motors had US$ 2 billion outstanding as regards the bridge loan. Moreover, JLR required additional investments, that too quickly, in order to sustain its operations that were burning cash at that juncture. Terming the acquisition as irrationally exuberant , critics started questioning the rationale for the companys move To compound the companys woes, the commercial launch of Tata Motors small car Nano required much more time than anticipated. The Nano was always more than just a car. It was Tata group supremo Ratan Tatas dream project to bring an affordable transportation solution within reach of the masses. The promise of a small car priced at Rs. 1 lakh had fired the imagination of an entire nation and the global automotive industry (Forbes) Faced with the altered dynamics of the new business environment, the company adapted its productive model as well as profit strategy to respond to the need of the hour. Prompt action was taken to reduce inventory, improve working capital, reduce investments and payroll costs including more than 2000 job losses. Transition initiatives were undertaken in marketing, customer financing support, IT and related infrastructure. The company appointed KPMG International and also Roland Berger Strategy Consultants to suggest appropriate action plans to reduce costs at the two brands. It retrenched 2,200 employees of JLR since it took over the management of JLR. The move was in sharp contrast to the well entrenched business practices followed by the Tata Group where no employees are retrenched. The company to secure flexible arrangements with the workforce in the UK. Tata Motors had Rs 191 crore in employee separation costs at JLR during the year ended 31st March 2009 The company finalized guarantee arrangements to access a  £340 million loan approved by the European Investment Bank. These funds will be used to develop new technologies for JLR. The Company prepaid part of the said facility out of proceeds of a Rights Issue and certain divestments and the balance outstanding as on March 31, 2009 was US$ 2.02 billion. For repayment of the said amount, the Company in May 2009 raised resources through further divestments and issued Secured Non-Convertible Credit Enhanced Rupee Debentures in four tranches, having tenors upto 7 years, aggregating Rs.4,200 crores on a private placement basis. The balance facility of US$ 1 billion was rolled over and guaranteed by the Company, by extending the final maturity upto December 2010. New launches were planned. Range Rover Evoque is to be launched in summer of 2011. With a view to capitalize on the growing demand for luxury cars in China, the company gave a major thrust to strategy for China and also explored possible assembly in India Tata Motors non-executive vice chairman Ravi Kant was quoted as saying: A lot of restructuring has happened at JLR but these are early days. We will continue with the cost reduction measures. (Press Meet, November 2010) Tata Motors Group CEO and Managing Director Carl-Peter Forster said, We are focussing on reducing costs and selective hiring for JLR. (Hindu) While sales of JLR, along with that of the Indian commercial vehicle segment significantly reduced in 2008-09 during the global meltdown, resulting in a consolidated loss for the company, all these segments registered an impressive recovery in 2009-10, an event that vindicated the sound fundamentals of the Companys longer-term strategies. The revival of Jaguar Land Rover was significant in April 2010 with global unit sales of the two British brands growing 61 percent, compared with the same month the year before. (Automotive News Europe) Source: Tata Motors Press Meet The efforts bore fruit when Tata Motors Limited posted a more than 100-fold gain in profit for the second-quarter ended 30th September 2010. Group net income, including Jaguar Land Rover, reached 22.2 billion rupees ($502 million) in the three months through September, compared with 218 million rupees a year earlier. This was attributable to global economic recovery, growing Chinese and US demand. (India Watch) Jaguar Land Rover reported a profit after tax of  £238 mn for the quarter ending Sept 2010. In a time span of eighteen months after the takeover, Tata Motors was able to turnaround the JLR story, adopting a strategy of cost-cutting and pushing sales. (MSN News) While JLR turnaround has been achieved, the declining sales of the Nano, the worlds cheapest car, continue to a major challenge for Tata Motors. For Nano, again, flexible to change, the company has initiated a pan-India campaign in order to promote and market the car. The strategy is to reach out to that class of buyers who were the original target base of the company. Senior executives at Tata Motors are closely following pro-active measures to reach out to customers. These include ensuring better coordination between banks and customers, facilitating tie-ups with regional finance institutions and opening newer channels to reach out to the end-consumer, among several others. However these efforts are yet to bear fruition. (Rediff) ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION We can see how the Force Field Analysis can be used in the analysis of the Tata Mators case: Eliminates Errors 1 Managers unhappy with clerical work 2 Faster execution of administrative work 1 Requires trained people 2 Online documentation eliminates the use of paper 4 Some of the activity costs shift to high paid staff 2 Reduces need for clerical staff 3 Cost of eliminating clerical staff 1 Increase Control and audit capabilities 1 Start up costs 1 Total 10 Total 8 From the above example we can clearly see that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages thus change can me possibly be implemented. Successful implementation of change is achieved by either making the driving forces strong or by making the preventive forces weak. After all these theories we can also look into some of the facts stated in regards to change management by research scholars in their papers. As per the findings of the paper Nobody in charge: Distributed Change agency in Healthcare we can clearly see that the authors that in complex organizations where a formal structure and environment is not present a more of a distributed change agency can be established where small teams and groups are formed. These teams have a wider scope of roles with distributed responsibility among all the stakeholders which was possible due to the change goals. Here nobody was watching over the other thus change was a lot voluntary. This is a good approach for such organizations to tackle with change. This concept could have been used by Tata Motors also to help in involving all the levels of management to get the due turnaround strategy in a faster and better manner. Nobody in charge: Distributed change agency in healthcare (2009) Another paper on change management in a dynamic business process tells us that we can make the execution of any business process flexible and adaptable to any situation through the change management technique. Run time change management softwares are used to make all the business processes in a company flexible and dynamic thus helping cope up with the demand for changes even after the new process has been implemented. Change Management in Dynamic Business Process (2010) Prof. Robert E. Ledez in his paper has shown change in a totally different picture. According to him employees perceive change with a very negative connotation and often relate it to downsizing, paycuts, layoffs and relocation. So the employees need to alter their mindset and enable change to take place as in this competitive and ever changing world change needs to take place in all forms like new technology, new ideas, innovations, structural changes and others. Change Management: Getting A Tuned Up Organization Kaizen means continuous improvement of productivity and quality which depends on the participation level of the entire workforce. This is a low-cost approach to productivity and quality improvement. Kaizen is applicable not only to the manufacturing sector but also to the service sector, public organizations, and non-profit organizations. Kaizen is one of most critical components of Japanese industrial support in developing countries. Introducing Kaizen (2009) In the review article of Asian Journal of Management Research it has explained change management as one that incorporates the tools of the company which can be utilized to help individuals to make winning personal evolutions resulting in the adoption and realization of change. The concept of change is not new to Indians, because change management programmes were conducted for Ministers in the Indian government and civil service officers during the 1980s. Change should be implemented smoothly while adapting all concerned stakeholders through planning, idea generation, sharing of information, preparation, evaluation, and reinforcing. There has to be the human resource as the backbone of this change. Implanting Change (2010) In the research paper Getting Organizational Change Right in Public Services: the Case of European Higher Education has thrown light towards the need or requirement of organizational change and the way to manage this change. Change for the sake of change can be detrimental to the organization so we can use the Bys model developed in 2007 called the conscious V/s unconscious change management theory which brings in successful organizational change. The rationale for the model is that most employees will realize that change initiatives are put forward and drilled into by personal interests, self preservation, indecision, lack of knowledge and incompetence rather than by requirement, knowledge, choice, competence, awareness and what is in the best interest of the sector and its stakeholders. Journal of Change Mangement (2008) Conclusion Actually in Kaizen (kai means change) and (zen mean for good) which is very relevant for all organizations today. The participative attitude of all the employees in any hierarchy can be used to find out different varied suggestions with regards to change in all the areas of the business. Change Management is a very evoking area and its necessity increases as the current economic and global climate demands constant evolution and change if companies want to prosper and grow. The technological innvovations, products and rising global competition will only enable the change that will be needed in order to compete. One cannot manage the past but can sure take charge of the future. In a book on managing change we see that organizations of today need to identify the skill set required to control, plan and manage the change activity. The employees need to determine the objectives, scope, and the direction of change and then formulate a structured implementation plan to cope with all the changes in the competitive environment. Managing Change (1991) In this book we see that today externally we find ourselves in an unpredictable economy with turbulent markets, self eclipsing technology and dramatic demographic trends which makes change imperative. It says that there needs to be a process of change in which there are Inputs are seen then strategy formulated, Transformation process and then Output is derived for the change activity. Through a proper strategic intent can change be formulated. Managing change (2004) Strategic Intent (1989) This book talks a lot about change and time period for change. It tells that organizations should focus on certain things for success like: Dont Delay the change activity as time and tide wait for no man. Change Today and not Tomorrow as there may be no tomorrow if the problem escalates. Do not let Bureaucracy hinder change. Change is for the good and is possible through proper communication. Change is simple but needs to be adapted well for results. By Reinventing and Repositioning the organization one can deal with all the oppositions to change. If we monitor the market and the environment we can anticipate and forecast change easily. Harvard Business School (2007)

The Future Of Cloning Essay -- Science Genetics Essays

The Future Of Cloning On July 5, 1996, a sheep named Dolly was born, having been cloned from an adult sheep cell. This event brought with it a swirl of controversy regarding the implications of cloning. Just days after the event, Bill Clinton banned all federal funding for human cloning research in order to analyze the legal and ethical ramifications of human cloning. Cloning of both humans and animals has amazing potential in research and medicine, but there are drawbacks. There are many ethical, philosophical, and religious objections to cloning, especially the cloning of humans. In this paper I hope to convince you that both human and animal cloning are veins of research that are worth pursuing and that only some divisions of human cloning should have restrictions placed on them. Animal cloning has many potential applications. According to The National Bioethics Advisory Commission (NBAC), "Some of the immediate goals of this research are: to generate groups of genetically identical animals for research purposes to rapidly propagate desirable animals stocks to improve the efficiency of generating and propagating transgenic livestock to produce targeted genetic alterations in domestic animals to pursue basic knowledge about cell differentiation" (p. 24). Cloning sets of animals that are genetically identical would be beneficial to research scientists because it would eliminate differences in results due to genetic differences in the test subjects. Livestock owners could benefit from genetically identical copies of specimens containing traits the owner found desirable. Cows and pigs that produce larger quantities of useable meat and dairy cattle that produce larger amounts of milk are some examples. Some h... ...ake it's course. I placed this reference page here because Alec was accurate in his work. However, the formatting, as I have said before, gets messed up when I transfer data to html pages. Sometimes I can work it out, sometimes I can't, so if you see something contrary to your Handbook, it wasn't Alec's mistake. References Cloning Special Report [10 paragraphs]. New Scientist [online serial], 158.2129.Available http://newscientist.com/nsplus/insight/clone/faq.html Nash, Madeline J. (1998, February 9). The Case For Cloning [10 paragraphs]. Time.com [online serial], 151.5. Available http;//www.pathfinder.com/time/magazine/1998/ ........dom/980209/science.the_case_for_clo26.html National Bioethics Advisory Commission. (1997, June). Cloning Human Beings: Report And Recommendations Of The National Bioethics Advisory Commission. Rockville, Maryland

Canadian Branch plant economies Essay

Modern industrial organizations in Canada are synonymous with the branch plant economy phenomenon. In general, â€Å"the term branch plant economy refers to a convenient shorthand term to describe a regional economy where a large proportion of the employees are in establishments owned by firms whose head office lies outside the region† (Watts 1). In Canada, branch plant economies are subsidiaries of companies based abroad, mostly in the U.S. A branch plant economy is a strategic tool used by transnational corporations to maximize profits, avoid tariff fees and encourage exports. â€Å"Branch plant economies have been established in Canada for two essential purposes; the first is to gain access to the domestic Canadian market and the second is to gain access to Canada’s primary products† (Laxer 127). Specifically, this paper will discuss the evolution of the branch plant economy and its negative and positive effects on the Canadian auto industry and its implications on regional development. Branch plant economies exist where investment and business strategy decisions are made by an international head office of a company and not by the company itself. These economies have the traditional hierarchical model of corporate organization with strong centralized co-ordination of individual plants and subsidiaries. The private capital from international investors, mainly the United Kingdom, has always played an important part in the development of industrial countries, especially Canada. These investments not only brought money, supplies and equipment to Canada but also mass migration from the investing countries. Canada was and still remains an excellent source of primary products for many migrants and their home countries. Canada served as a primary product producing country connected to an external controller, originally the United Kingdom, but now mainly the United States. This condition has remained unchanged to this day. This philosophy has also remained imbedded in Canadian business attitudes and Canada’s macroeconomic sector since Confederation and is unlikely to change. â€Å"After the end of the Second World War almost fifty five percent of the  manufacturing in Canada was being done by foreign owned branch plants† (http://www. Canadainternationalbureauofstatistics/dominion/quart/dev/icj.html October 23, 2001). A majority of these were American owned. The phenomenon known as the branch plant economy was now evolving in Canada. As the American economy expanded in the 1950’s and 1960’s so too did the branch plants in Canada. â€Å"In 1965 George Grant, a writer, wrote a book called Lament for a Nation in which he believed that Canada’s potential for greatness had sadly passed† (http://www.Johnaboutcanada.com November 1, 2001.). Canada had switched gears to a branch plant economy all for a small piece of the American dream. This overwhelming  desire of Canadians to acquire a piece of the American dream became the target of certain jokes in the global economic community. Apparently, if a country has the potential to be overrun with foreign corporations, they call it the Canadian disease. â€Å"As the 1970’s began Canada was deindustrializing. In the 1970’s research on externally controlled branch plant economies stated that they lacked managerial authority and were functionally truncated† (http://www.Canadainternationalbureauofst atistics/dominion/quart/dev/icj.html October 23, 2001). Branch plant economies concentrated on production activities while more important actions such as research and development were expanded and conducted elsewhere within the parent firm. The result was that these branch plant economies were more likely to be deficient in high skilled occupations and technologically dependent thereby lacking innovative and entrepreneurial activity. Branch plants were also associated with lack of linkages with local companies and their vulnerability to closure during times of economic uncertainty. Canadian economists believe a high concentration of branch plant economies would be detrimental to the long-term development of the regional economy. â€Å"As the 1970’s came to a close Canada reached an all time low with only nineteen percent of Canadians being employed in the manufacturing sector† (http://www.Canadainternationalbureauofstatistics/dominion/quart/dev/icj.html October 23, 2001). Currently, Canada is economically heavily dependent on larger economic countries for research and development and new technologies. Canada also has always been dependent on the extraction of its primary products for export to other countries. â€Å"As far back as 1963 as much as sixty percent of the manufacturing industry was owned by firms whose head office lay outside the region or in foreign countries† (www.Statisticscanada/local/stateprov/ont.html. October 5, 2001). The Canadian auto industry is a model case study of a branch plant economy. The auto industry’s rich history dates back to the beginning of the twentieth century where a bright young entrepreneur named Sam McLaughlin who initially was an apprentice in his father’s carriage workshop went into the automobile manufacturing business with his brother and father. By l9l8, with increasing competition in the North American automobile industry, McLaughlin decided to sell his firm to the recently organized General Motors Company, owned by Durrant and associates. Thus, McLaughlin’s company became a Canadian subsidiary of General Motors, with McLaughlin as president and as vice-president of the American company. During this process, the Oshawa plant gained the distinction of being â€Å"the center† of General Motor’s production in Canada. Prior to the depression of the 1930’s Canada was manufacturing hundreds of thousands of cars per year. Canada was a tool in the American plight which would introduce Canadian built American cars not only to Canada but also the whole British Commonwealth. For a brief period this actually worked well propelling the Canadian auto industry to international recognition. Unfortunately the ugly head of the great depression surfaced and the era of prosperity ceased. â€Å"It was not till the end of the Second World War that the Canadian auto industry had become a branch plant economy with major American auto makers producing vehicles in Canada for the Canadian domestic market (Laxer 130)†. Many countries established productive auto industries after the Second World War; unfortunately Canada was manufacturing too many types of cars for its relatively small markets to become productive. â€Å"The problem was endemic to branch plant industry. It was known as the miniature replica effect. Every multinational company from every type of industry established its own production operation in Canada to avoid Canada’s tariff laws (Laxer 130,131)†. Canada wanted desperately to rectify this situation so Diefenbaker ordered that a Royal Commission be conducted to determine Canada’s options and to change its current state. Diefenbaker appointed economist Vincent Bladen to conduct an inquiry into the Canadian auto industry. Bladen made recommendations which influenced many developments one of which led up to the Canadian-US auto pact. The Auto Pact was established in 1965 to facilitate free trade in cars and parts for the American owned auto manufacturers which were at that time known as the Big Four: GM, Ford, Chrysler and American Motors. The Auto Pact agreement was that these four U.S. corporations would make guarantee new investments in Canada and would maintain  assembly operations in Canada in at least the same ratio to Canadian sales as in 1964. In return, the Canadian government removed all duties on cars and parts imported by these companies. â€Å"Under the terms of the Canada-United States Automotive Products Agreement of 1965, qualified motor vehicle manufacturers are able to import both vehicles and original equipment automotive parts duty-free from any Most Favoured Nation country, provided the following performance requirements, are met: The value of vehicles produced in Canada must meet or exceed a specified proportion of the manufacturer’s annual sales in Canada. In other words, if manufacturers want to sell imported cars duty-free in Canada they must also build cars in Canada. Assemblers must maintain, on an annual basis, a nominal dollar amount of Canadian value added in assembly activity of at  least that reached in 1964. Canadian value added in Canadian vehicle assembly includes direct and indirect labour, depreciation on Canadian-made machinery, eligible overhead and other expenses that can be reasonably allocated to the cost of producing the vehicles, and the Canadian value added in Canadian made parts and materials used in assembly. Inflation has rendered this requirement insignificant† (http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/SSG/am00540e.html). During the 1970s, three events dramatically changed the world automotive industry and in particular the North American industry: the oil embargo of 1973 and 1974, the Iranian oil crisis of 1979, and the emergence of Japan as one of the world’s largest  producers of motor vehicles. Nixon wanted to offset this and secure the American auto industry and therefore implemented the Domestic International Sales Corporations. â€Å"This was a low tax entity through which American products would be exported abroad. The plan provided a tax break for American domestic industry to increase its exports. Its purpose was to keep American jobs in America (Laxer 135)†. Since Canada had the most concentration of branch plants, which were American owned, this severely affected Canada. The Ontario government study of the auto pact agreement concurred that three problems existed affecting the auto industry as follows: the inability for the auto industry to enhance productivity, the consistent loss of Canada’s overall market distribution of the auto assembly activity and the overwhelming intensification of the parts trade deficit. The Domestic International Sales Corporation plan implemented by Richard Nixon encouraged companies to locate in the United States and provided them with lucrative incentives. Since the inception of the Auto Pact, Canada and the United States have created a single North American market for vehicles. The Auto Pact allowed for the rationalization of the North American market for vehicle production. Since signing the Auto Pact, the Canadian automotive industry has enjoyed unprecedented growth production where  automotive manufacturing employment has increased 200% and automotive shipments grew from $2.2 billion in 1964 to $70.7 billion in 1995. Canadian economists and the  Canadian autoworkers union view the Auto pact agreement as a savior from the small Canadian market and probably the only feasible way of offsetting the huge trade deficit. Others believe the benefits of the Auto Pact have all gone to U.S. imperialism. The subjugation of the Canadian economy to U.S. imperialism increased as a result of the pact and trade deficits increased. Canada also surrendered any possible initiative to try and create its very own all Canadian car which would have been made and sold exclusively in Canada. Branch plant economies have always had a negative connotation. Any debates always raise concerns about the potentially negative consequences for regional development because of a high degree of external control by multinational firms. It is precisely this concentration of control activities either overseas or in one region that influences a region’s economic performance. This influence on regional growth is manifested through various means. One is employment, specifically the job mix and job stability in a region and the second is technological change. Most branch plant economies are small inefficient firms that are incapable of promoting overall local development. Branch plant economies act more like an export platform which merely exist to extract valuable raw materials for export. They have little  effect on the local economy in terms of encouraging self-reliant economic growth. Branch plant economies often use capital-intensive low labour technology which does not  generate many new jobs for the local economy. Multinational corporations with branch plants in Canada tend to take their profits from the subsidiary and  send it back to the corporate headquarters in their home country rather than reinvesting it in the local Canadian economy by additional hiring of personnel or by contribution to the infrastructure. Since they are in the same business or a derivative of such as their parent company it is easier for them to maintain their competitive edge without having to liberally invest in research as their indigenous counterparts. Simply put these multinational companies take more money out of the Canada than they put in. The managerial autonomy in branch plants is minimal with dependent positions. Higher functions such as research, development and marketing are centralized within a group. The importance of the branch plant economy within a parent group is marginal or even non-existent and the quality of employment is mainly low skilled jobs, including part time and temporary positions. The link of the branch plant to the host economy is limited and the former is always vulnerable to closure, downsizing or restructuring. The worst negative effect of branch plant economies are that they have created close ties with local government and banks to gain superior access to local finance. These ties allow multinational corporations to acquire the majority of investment capital which  deters the rise of indigenous entrepreneurship. Branch plant economies have been directly accountable for Canada’s astronomical trade deficit because American branch plants have  been sucking the economic lifeblood from Canada for generations. Virtually any profits or technologies generated by Canadian workers ultimately are sent back to the United States. Presently multinational corporations are under increased pressure to lower costs because of the increased import competition from low wage countries, additional opportunities to invest in low wage countries and increasing technological change. While branch plants have played an historical role in Canada, there is a sense that these plants are more susceptible to the changes in foreign trade, foreign direct investment and technological change. Liberal economists or realists admit there are certainly some negative effects of the branch plant economy, yet they strongly believe that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. They believe that foreign ownership and direct investment can be seen as instruments for development in that branch plant economies bring in productive new technological advances that provide an economic boost for Canada. Branch plants have traditionally played a large role in rural economies and rural economic development strategies as they have provided good stable jobs with relatively high wages and full benefits. In fact, large, multinational corporations generally look to rural areas for low wageworkers and favorable business climates. â€Å"The productivity difference between branch plants and single-unit home owned plants has increased by 57 percent between 1967 and 1992 (Watts 54)†. On average, branch plants in southern Ontario pay higher wages and are more productive than single-unit plants. This relationship holds nationally as well. The trend in wages is somewhat different. There is a large increase in the wage premiums of branch plant economies in 1982, but then it declines over the 1982 to 1992 period. Moreover, by controlling the industry and location type, we can conclude that branch plants are concentrated in more productive, higher paying industries and tend to be located in urbanized areas of the region. Other positive data relating to the branch plant economy comes from recent information which states that â€Å"the classic symptoms of the branch plant syndrome could be alleviated by organizational changes within large corporations (http://www.Entrepreneurstrategist/figure/nnt/odb.html October 11, 2001)†. Specifically, recent decentralization of managerial authority and functional responsibilities within some large corporations has led to improvements in the quality of branch plants. Consequently, branch plant economies have changed substantially over the past two decades and the negative connotation which is associated with the branch plant may no longer be an accurate representation. â€Å"A recent study shows that foreign-owned subsidiaries spend a greater proportion of revenues on research and development than their homegrown competitors. Furthermore, a United Nations study dispels the myth that Canada is one of the foremost branch-plant economies. Canada actually ranked ninth among developed nations in 1997 (http://www.Unitednationsstatistics/worlddl/cig/eco/org. October 5, 2001)†. There are however optimistic views that Canada, because of its inventiveness, skilled workforce, economic efficiencies and political stability, plays above its weight as a competitive economy and cannot therefore be dismissed as purely a branch plant economy. In general branch plants continue to contribute significantly better employment opportunities. The following are just a few sample opinions on the branch plant phenomena from the world’s leading business investment specialists: â€Å"Foreign direct investment is not just a source of capital; it creates jobs and helps us acquire leading-edge technology (http://www.Entrepreneurstrategist/figure/nnt/odb.html October 11, 2001)†. â€Å"Transnational corporations strengthen our economy, they help to create an exciting and innovative business environment for foreign investors to consider (http://www.Entrepreneurstrategist/figure/nnt/odb.html October 11, 2001)†. â€Å"Twenty years ago, many foreign governments saw foreign corporations as part of the development  problem. Today they see them as part of the solution (http://www.Unitednationsstatistics/worlddl/cig/eco/org. October 5, 2001.)†. â€Å"Canada has had and will continue to have a huge deficit in manufactured goods unless dramatic changes are implemented. One third of the finished products consumed by Canadians are manufactured somewhere either than Canada (Laxer 115)†. â€Å"Year after year Canada has always finished with a deficit in this sector. Without the surplus of our primary product exports, pulp and paper, lumber and oil our ability as Canadians to maintain a high standard of living would ultimately vanish (http://emerald.atkinson.yorku.ca/lspace35/2001y/pols3580/schedule.nsf)†. If Canada wants to foster technological literacy and enjoy the economic, social and intellectual well being in the long term it is imperative to institute an aggressive research and development program of its own. It may initially experience trade deficits, a declining share of total world exports, fewer job creations, and a decreasing industrial and technological capability, however these are just short term problems. If the country chooses to remain idle it will see an outflow of talent it cannot afford to lose. â€Å"Control of end products brings with it control of the chain innovation for all the machinery and parts  and components that go into the end product (Laxer 128)†. The net effect is that Canada would not control its own economic destiny because of invisible inflows or imports of new technologies. Canada would be at the mercy of decisions taken in the corporate interest of multinational enterprises rather than in the interest of the region or the national interest of the country. Finally, I do not believe the previous and current auto trade arrangement Canada has with the United States is not undermining Canadian regional development because we have gained considerably in the economic sector with the Auto pact of 1965, the free trade agreement and the North American Free Trade agreement. The auto industry is already 95 percent owned by the American companies and these agreements have not encouraged increased American content because the United States would have had a firm hold on the North American auto industry regardless if any of the above agreements were signed. These agreements helped Canada salvage some economic growth and prosperity. In the future, Canada should be extremely cautious when negotiating any free trade auto trading agreements given that the auto pact of 1965 is an excellent example of the potential disastrous effects of these agreements in an environment saturated with branch plant economies.

Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras The feast before the fast | | â€Å"Mardi Gras† means â€Å"Fat Tuesday. † Traditionally, it is the last day for Catholics to indulge—and often overindulge—before Ash Wednesday starts the sober weeks of fasting that come with Lent. Formally known as Shrove Tuesday, Mardi gras has long been a time of extravagant fun for European Christians. In the United States, Mardi gras draws millions of fun-seekers to New Orleans every year.Mardi gras has been celebrated in New Orleans on a grand scale, with masked balls and colourful parades, since French settlers arrived in the early 1700s. Hidden behind masks, people behaved so raucously that for decades in the early 19th century masks were deemed illegal in that party-loving city. Masks, Music, and Mayhem French royals, feather-covered showgirls, Energizer bunnies, painted clowns, masked lions—you can find them all (and countless others) in the streets of New Orleans at Mardi gras.By dawn on that m ost famous Tuesday, people have claimed the best spots on the streets to watch fabulous floats, outrageous performers, and visiting celebrities go by. Many travel hundreds of miles to be a part of the excitement. Marching bands, some of them founded more than a century ago, also take to the streets with music and festive dress. They open the day by spreading jazz music through the city before the more than 350 floats and 15,000 costumed paraders take over the scene.Crazy costumes and wild make-up are the order of the day for paraders and parade-watchers alike. King’s Cake In some countries, King’s Cake — which is a wreath shaped purple, green, and gold cake — is eaten for six weeks. The traditional Mardi gras food usually has a baby Jesus baked into it, and whoever eats the piece with the figurine is believed to have good luck for the rest of the year. Parade FloatsThe tradition of floats handing stuff out to Parade onlookers started in Renaissance Europe . Back then, parade participants received ale, meat, and even grain. Now it’s different, lol, which people throwing beads. Beaded Necklaces The tradition of throwing beaded necklaces started in the early 1900s, when a float had a Santa Claus throwing glass beaded necklaces into the crowd. It was such a hit, that it soon became a tradition, and that is exactly what Mardi Gras is known for today. Mardi Gras Mardi Gras The feast before the fast | | â€Å"Mardi Gras† means â€Å"Fat Tuesday. † Traditionally, it is the last day for Catholics to indulge—and often overindulge—before Ash Wednesday starts the sober weeks of fasting that come with Lent. Formally known as Shrove Tuesday, Mardi gras has long been a time of extravagant fun for European Christians. In the United States, Mardi gras draws millions of fun-seekers to New Orleans every year.Mardi gras has been celebrated in New Orleans on a grand scale, with masked balls and colourful parades, since French settlers arrived in the early 1700s. Hidden behind masks, people behaved so raucously that for decades in the early 19th century masks were deemed illegal in that party-loving city. Masks, Music, and Mayhem French royals, feather-covered showgirls, Energizer bunnies, painted clowns, masked lions—you can find them all (and countless others) in the streets of New Orleans at Mardi gras.By dawn on that m ost famous Tuesday, people have claimed the best spots on the streets to watch fabulous floats, outrageous performers, and visiting celebrities go by. Many travel hundreds of miles to be a part of the excitement. Marching bands, some of them founded more than a century ago, also take to the streets with music and festive dress. They open the day by spreading jazz music through the city before the more than 350 floats and 15,000 costumed paraders take over the scene.Crazy costumes and wild make-up are the order of the day for paraders and parade-watchers alike. King’s Cake In some countries, King’s Cake — which is a wreath shaped purple, green, and gold cake — is eaten for six weeks. The traditional Mardi gras food usually has a baby Jesus baked into it, and whoever eats the piece with the figurine is believed to have good luck for the rest of the year. Parade FloatsThe tradition of floats handing stuff out to Parade onlookers started in Renaissance Europe . Back then, parade participants received ale, meat, and even grain. Now it’s different, lol, which people throwing beads. Beaded Necklaces The tradition of throwing beaded necklaces started in the early 1900s, when a float had a Santa Claus throwing glass beaded necklaces into the crowd. It was such a hit, that it soon became a tradition, and that is exactly what Mardi Gras is known for today.