Advantages and Disadvantages of Corporate Social Responsibility Essay

Advantages and Disadvantages of Corporate Social Responsibility - Essay Example This paper illustrates that there are three CSR theories, which are interdisciplinary; utilitarian, relational, and managerial theories. Utilitarian theories emphasize on a maximization of profit, hence related to theories of competitive advantage. The managerial theory, on the other hand, has the CSR approached internally; meaning that anything exterior to the business is taken into account for the firm’s decision-making. The Relational theory has to do with the complex firm-environment relationships. The implication here is that the firm-environment relationships form the focus of the CRS analysis. In the CRS, business in society comes up as a matter of interplay between the two. Thus, the relational theory is value-based and interdependent between the corporation and mankind. CSR is important to both the agency and the consumers in a number of ways: for companies, it helps them create a better public image since their public image is at the mercy of their social responsibil ity strategies and how their customers are mindful of them. According to Cone Communications, 90% of the consumers would avoid doing business with corporations if there were no social responsibility plan. Studies indicate that firms heavily involved in funds and goods donation to Non-governmental and other non-profit making organizations and schools are likely to increase the likelihood of consumers buying their products. At the same time, a corporation that takes care to ensure that the primal matter used in its products are environmentally secure and the manufacturing process is sustainable is more eye-catching to the society.

The Perfect Copy (Unraveling the Cloning Debate) by Nicholas Agar Essay Example for Free

The Perfect Copy (Unraveling the Cloning Debate) by Nicholas Agar Essay Nicholas Agar is a professor of ethics and a senior lecturer at Victoria University of Wellington (VUW). Agar has an MA from VUW and a PhD from the Australian National University. He has been teaching at VUW since 1996. He has been known as an expert writer particularly in the field of genetics and ethics. In his book The Perfect Copy: Unraveling The Cloning Debate, he attempts to unravels the science and the ethics of cloning and proposes ideas on how we should face this highly controversial topic.   To clone or not to clone, that is the question that is in the center of one of the most controversial debates within the scientific community today. The present technology today has given our imagination an opportunity to deal with the perils and possibilities of cloning. Even Hollywood has ridden the cloning bandwagon and has turned out many films which exploit the topic.   Although these films are a departure to what is possible, they still manage to pique our imagination and implant in us false notions and promises. These past few years, with the advances made in regards to cloning, the ethics of this act has become a great issue. Both sides present valid reasons to defend their claim. The debate over the morality of cloning human beings becomes a debate over contrasting images of cloning. The method of moral consistency may not give us a simple permitted or not permitted answer. The reason is that no single familiar practice will resemble cloning in every morally interesting respect. In all likelihood, we will end up constructing a moral image of cloning out of a variety of familiar activities and practices. It is often pointed out that cloning differs from the natural sexual way of having children. Some say that this unnaturalness alone suffices to make cloning wrong. A solid rebuttal to this is that things deemed unnatural but have received no objection like insulin shots, airplanes, and life saving medicine are a integral part of mainstream society. If you would follow the unnatural proposal, these things must also be unallowed. The main concern in ethics is the unease which people have regarding cloning. This instinctive revulsion is said to be due to ingrained wisdom or to an upset stomache. Agar argues that if this was the basis to oppose cloning, then it is very unscientific and flimsy. Moral progress is all about subjecting sub-rational moral urges and aversions to rational scrutiny. The word clone obtains it etymological origin from the greek word klon meaning branch. Clones are copies of organisms currently or previously existing with the exact same nuclear DNA. They do not result from a sexually beginning and thus are not genetically different from their parent organism. In our world, clones are the rule rather than the exception. Most low level organisms like algae, bacteria, lower vertebrates, and plants use cloning as a means to ensure their reproductive survival. The case of twins is a clear example of cloning which occurs in nature, even among human beings. Twins come from one egg that divides into two. There is cloning from the moment when multiplication begins to produce two genetically identical children. Cloning ensures that the exact genetic code of the parent is passed on as opposed to sex where only half of each parent is transmitted. This makes cloning more efficient in ensuring the survival of a genetically fit species. One technology that has been used to create clones is reproductive cloning. An example of this is Dolly, the first ever cloned sheep. Dolly was cloned using the process called somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT).   A reconstructed egg which derives its genetic material from an adult donor is electrified or treated chemically. The resulting cloned embryo is then implanted unto the uterus of a female host. It is relevant to point out that clones produced by using nuclear transfer technology are not a truly identical clone of the parent animal. This is because nuclear DNA composes only 99.7% of the actual heritable data. The rest are found in genes located in the mitochondria. There are numerous barriers in cloning humans. Aside from the legal and social issues still currently being debated, cloning with today’s technology is also very inefficient and dangerous. Cloning technology today is highly expensive. Also the success rate is dismal with only less than 10% of cloning attempts achieving success. Also, clones have relatively poor health, and are susceptible to diseases, tumors and other illnesses. And clones like the first cloned sheep of Australia have been known to die without known cause. Scientist theorize that these defects are due to errors in the reprogramming process. However there has been several claims by Clonaid and Italian scientists led by Antinori that they are either capable or on the verge of creating human clones. A problem arises in a cloned embryo due to imprinting. It is the marking of the genetic material for the mother and the father so that only one can be utilized. An error in the genetic imprint from a single donor cell may cause some of the developmental abnormalities of cloned embryos. Also it is postulated that clones are unhealthy due to the fact that they have short telomeres. Telomeres act as clocks, directly affecting the cell structure of an organism before they pass away. Due to the process clones have short telomeres, making them sickly and frail. Cloning is deemed wrong for many reasons. First the process results in the death of many embryos, which may constitute murder.   Also cloning is seen as unnatural when they are view in concepts that are taboo to society, like having clones of the dead, the unborn and the dying. This problem comes from an individual’s sense of uniqueness. This can be repudiated by the cases of identical twins. Twins may have identical genetic components but they turn out to be different individuals. Moralists have also a problem that cloning gives us a concept of playing God. Bringing back a dead person or ensuring that a baby will be born as well as extending the life of a dying person is seen to be in the realm of the Almighty. The promise of being able to create an exact replica of a given genetic code has given many opportunities for those incapable of having children. Of primary concern are those who are infertile. Cloning as with artificial insemination and other in vitro techniques provide a way for their aim of having children to come true. Another is the families of those with deceased or dying children. They view cloning as a means to once more experience the love of their child. Also, lesbian couples who wish to have a child look on cloning to fulfill their dream. But it must be noted that were the technology realizable and actual human clones producible, cloning can only go so far. The debate of whether a cloned person still has the same trait and behavior as the original leans in favor of no.   It is vital to note that it is not only the genetic code that forms the person’s identity but that person’s experiences, teachers and influences. The issue regarding human clones is that they are born with a genetic bias of who they are, denying them the open future that is a right to every human being. They may be treated as objects rather than as persons. This underlies the discussion o whether the act is that of making rather that begetting. The problem is will being cloned from the somatic cell of an existing person result in the child being regarded as less of a person whose humanity and dignity would not be fully respected. This points us to the dilemma as to the humanity of clones. And the question is clones less human than we? Are clones of us us in every way, or are they new individuals? One reason to clone humans is for research. The process of therapeutic cloning uses cloned human embryos for research. cloned human beings are not the target of this process but the production of stem cells for research. Any specialized cell in the human body can be derived from stem cells. Stem cells come from five day old eggs..   This act destroys the embryo, raising ethical concerns. Therapeutic cloning has been touted as being able to produce human organs for transplants. Scientists say that for this to be possible, DNA would be obtained from the transplant recipient and injected into a enucleated egg. Stem cells can then be gathered from the egg. These can then be used as a template to produce the specific tissue or organ needed which would be an exact genetic match to the transplant recipient. Because of this fact, it is postulated that the organ will not be rejected by the body during transplant. Another use of therapeutic cloning is the creation of genetically modified pigs which can also be utilized as a source of human organs. The process of xenotranspalntation or the transplanting of animal organs into humans is seen as a medically viable way to accommodate the increasing demand for organs. Pigs are used due to their high rate of reproduction and their being able to be cloned with relative ease. Primates, who are of a much closer genetic match to humans, are more complex and thus much harder to clone. In comparison to other animals, the tissues and organs of pigs are the ones more similar to humans. To be able to achieve this, scientists deactivate the gene in individual pig cells that when detected by the human body, leads to organ rejection. Harvesting of the organs of the resulting clones is then done. Cloning has been seen as an advance in eugenics. Eugenics is the act of manipulating a population to promote one race or type as superior to others with the end goal of ultimately taking over the population. The idea is that people who are exceptional, who are deemed superior to others in one or many fields, must be cloned since they represent the best of the human race. This idea has many ambiguities particularly on the concept of superior and inferior. Although there were some unlikely ideas in the book, like trading gene samples as a commodity, Agar fails to fully express the debate in this topic. What he does show is that eugenics, by using positive methods would be beneficial to the race. And he also shows the impact of being a clone born under a eugenic driven ideal. There are different cases and different problems with cloning as a reproductive tool. Striking the right balance between procreative freedom and childrens welfare in the age of reproductive cloning is likely to require a case-by-case approach. Nevertheless, the transcendental advantage of cloning will be brought about not for simple transplants in mans body to replace his sick organs, but for the complete cloning of the human being to eventually achieve the immortality of the individual. Man will no longer change the parts of a body damaged to a greater or less degree, but he will leave the old body and change to a new one, which will be also improved by genetic engineering. Thus, the long-sought-after immortality, which man has always desired with all his being, will be achieved. It has been repeated insistently that the human being has a right to life. To ban cloning, then, would be to deny him the right to continue living. If clones were to be feasible, they would probably suffer. This can be brought upon by errors in their production leading to medical illnesses or to the preconceived notions that surround them. It is stipulated by Agar that the human race may not be ready to incorporate the idea of clones living among us. We simply have too many fears and false notions that inevitably we would end up stigmatizing them. Agar proposes that we get rid of these notions and keep an open and intelligent mind as to what cloning can offer us. We must learn as a society to separate fact from fiction and to rationalize our views about cloning.    References: Alan Man Humanity and the Cloning Question: Comparing and Contrasting Arguments http://www.amsa.org/bio/clone.cfm searched October 21 at using google.com What Are Some Issues In Cloning? http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/units/cloning/clissues/ searched at Yahoo.com CloningFactSheethttp://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/cloning.shtml searched October 22 using google.com

College Admissions Essay: A Person is Nothing Without Dreams :: College Admissions Essays

A Person is Nothing Without Dreams    My inspiration to succeed has always come from within. As a child, I had the vision of becoming a star and a role model for the next generation. I applied to Harvard because I believe it will help me fulfill those dreams. I am a person who is driven to achieve, and help others. The adversity of living in a small town, the frustration of being different, of looking to rise above and realize my own autonomy has helped me grow. The next step in my growth is Harvard. I am also a person who has a strong connection to beauty and art. I have been able to surmount any and all tribulations, and use music as my outlet. Music for me is the manifestation of one's own expression beyond words. Music is something that has always helped me go beyond the status quo and realize who I am and who I want to be. Music is knowledge, which will lead me to my own meaning of life. With the help of college, experience, and my own expression I hope to gain knowledge and wisdom. College is a process (among many others), which directs me to my next move in life. It is a step that I am obliged to take to gain a wider horizon of this world. One day I hope to apply all that I have learned to reach my goals and help others. A person is nothing without dreams. I live every day with this constant reminder written on a post-it note hidden in my wallet. It reminds me that I have a long way to go in life. I am still small and insignificant in many ways and have not yet broken free from my cocoon.

Free Narrative Essays - Making Plans :: Personal Narrative Essays

Making Plans It was a gorgeous summer morning as I, my brother David, sister Marcia, mom, dad, and baby girl were traveling home to Laramie from Colorado Springs where we had gone to visit my grandma. The atmosphere in the car was fun and filled with laughter. We were glad to be together. Our chatter was constant and our conversations often overlapped. One learned young that if you want to be heard in my family, you must merely speak louder than everyone else. Or, you might simply say, "Would you please shut up for a minute so I can say something important?" We all understood that such a plain and politely spoken command was not meant to be offensive or at all disrespectful. We were a bit louder than usual that morning as we had great plans for the day. Since we had to travel through Denver, we all agreed that we should eat at a nice restaurant and then go to the zoo where we could eat some more and see the animals then probably eat some more. Daddy was a bit tense and growly, his usual demeanor when traffic was thick as it was on that Friday morning. "Everyone and their Grandma is on this one road to Denver," he grumbled. My Daddy is claustrophobic. He hates traffic which is the main reason I think we moved long ago to Wyoming, the land of wide-open spaces. "You can drive more than a hundred miles on a Wyoming highway without seeing another car," Daddy would often brag. That was not the case, however, in Colorado. The cars were lined up one after another, traveling 75 miles per hour, to the horizon and beyond. We passengers paid scant attention to the outside world as we were involved in a thought-provoking discussion regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the highly educational hit movie of the summer, Independence Day. The movie answered the question: Are we alone in the Universe? with a loud no when aliens arrived and began demolishing major cities all over the world. We all gazed out the windshield as we laughed at my sister's comment about the president in the film: "He was so broken up over the

Punctuality Speech Essay

Before I give out my speech, I want to ask all of you a question. How many of you have never been late? Odds are none of you! This is because in our nature we see punctuality as flexible. In my speech I’m going to talk about whether punctuality is an important matter in our daily lives or not. Firstly, what is punctuality? Well†¦ punctuality is the act of being on time and being able to do a task in the required time. Picture the situation: imagine yourself sitting in a court waiting for your lawyer to arrive. He arrives late and due to their lack of punctuality you are left without a lawyer. The court session begins and you are being grilled by the opposing attorney and in the end you lose the case and the judge gives you a harsh sentence. And to think, all of this is because of your lawyer’s lack of punctuality. A punctual person is appreciated because he is aware that time is precious. â€Å"Time and tide wait for no man†, how true is it!? If a person is unpunctual, it shows that either the person is unprofessional or that he has no value for the other person’s time. This spreads to his reputation also. A punctual person is valued and respected. Remember, it is the difference of only a few seconds in catching a train or missing it! Therefore to catch the train of life always be on time. Punctuality is not strictly a matter of one’s busyness; the busiest people are often the most punctual, while those with the least to do sometimes struggle the most with being on time. For instance, when you are set to go to a meeting and you know that you have quite some time ahead of you before the meeting, you end up taking more time to get ready and inadvertently end up arriving late. Being punctual strengthens and reveals your integrity. If you tell someone that you will meet them at a certain time, you have essentially made them a promise. And if you say you’ll be there at 8:00, and yet arrive at 8:15, you have essentially broken that promise. Being on time shows others that you are a man of your word. Being punctual shows you are dependable. If a man is punctual know they can rely on such a man – if he says he will be there, he’ll be there. But if a man is not punctual, others cannot depend on him- they don’t know where he will be when they need him.  His associates will begin to feel he cannot organize his own time and will raise the question â€Å"if he is careless about time, what else is he careless about?† Being late is a form of steeling. That’s a tough truth, but it’s a truth nonetheless. When you make others wait for you, you rob minutes from them that they’ll never get back. Time they could’ve turned into money, or simply used for something else. In coming to meet you at the agreed time, they may have made sacrifices- woken up early, cut short their workout – and your lateness negates those sacrifices. If you wouldn’t think of taking ten dollars from another man’s wallet, you shouldn’t think of stealing ten minutes from him either. Last but not least, being punctual builds your self-confidence. Showing up on time not only tell other people you are dependable, it teaches you that you can depend on yourself. In my opinion, Punctuality should be a priority and should not be lessened. When you are always on time, you keep the promises you make and in this way the more your self-confidence will grow, and the more in control of your life you will be.

Free Essays on OJT

In order for companies to keep an edge and stay ahead of competition, they have to increase their flexibility, use advanced technologies, and most of all, continue to strive for improved responsiveness to their customers’ needs. Successes in these areas are critical and can be as simple as having an effective and efficient on-the-job training (OJT) program. OJT refers to an employee responsible to learn a job by actually doing it (Dressler, 2003). There are numerous ways that OJT can be delivered, but traditionally it has been by supervisors or front-line managers. In today’s society there is a need for specific trainers, and selecting those trainers is as crucial as hiring the right person for the job. Some organizations are even seeing the need to have those trainers certified and held accountable to identifiable standards (Walter, 1998). There are clear-cut advantages to certifying a trainer that include the assurance of standardization and consistency of training. They also guarantee that the trainer will possess up-to-date knowledge and skills of the tasks that need to be performed. On-the-job trainers may be selected in a variety of different ways. Supervisors or peer groups could nominate colleagues or co-workers that they think are capable of being a good trainer. The employer might appoint the person. Employees may volunteer for the position. After the selection process has occurred, nominees or volunteers who were chosen might be interviewed by a committee of human resource professionals and managers who would explain the responsibilities of OJT (Walter, 1998). Another option would be to give the selected individual a test to identify if they have the right skill-sets for the position. The ultimate goal for the person selecting the trainer needs to be aware of the following traits for the candidate:  ¨ Technical experience  ¨ Job-task knowledge  ¨ Interpersonal skills  ¨ Attitude  ¨ Listening ... Free Essays on OJT Free Essays on OJT In order for companies to keep an edge and stay ahead of competition, they have to increase their flexibility, use advanced technologies, and most of all, continue to strive for improved responsiveness to their customers’ needs. Successes in these areas are critical and can be as simple as having an effective and efficient on-the-job training (OJT) program. OJT refers to an employee responsible to learn a job by actually doing it (Dressler, 2003). There are numerous ways that OJT can be delivered, but traditionally it has been by supervisors or front-line managers. In today’s society there is a need for specific trainers, and selecting those trainers is as crucial as hiring the right person for the job. Some organizations are even seeing the need to have those trainers certified and held accountable to identifiable standards (Walter, 1998). There are clear-cut advantages to certifying a trainer that include the assurance of standardization and consistency of training. They also guarantee that the trainer will possess up-to-date knowledge and skills of the tasks that need to be performed. On-the-job trainers may be selected in a variety of different ways. Supervisors or peer groups could nominate colleagues or co-workers that they think are capable of being a good trainer. The employer might appoint the person. Employees may volunteer for the position. After the selection process has occurred, nominees or volunteers who were chosen might be interviewed by a committee of human resource professionals and managers who would explain the responsibilities of OJT (Walter, 1998). Another option would be to give the selected individual a test to identify if they have the right skill-sets for the position. The ultimate goal for the person selecting the trainer needs to be aware of the following traits for the candidate:  ¨ Technical experience  ¨ Job-task knowledge  ¨ Interpersonal skills  ¨ Attitude  ¨ Listening ...

buy custom Arguments for Marijuana Legalization essay

buy custom Arguments for Marijuana Legalization essay Freedom The most primary and first reason as to why marijuana should be legalized is that each individual has the right to choose for themselves. From a philosophical perspective, people have the right to choice. The authorities have the right to regulate these choices only if the action of an individual endangers another person. Marijuana use is at the free will of a person and therefore restricting marijuana use is invading the right to choice. In addition, the authorities also have the right to restrict a person if his/her actions pose a considerable threat to that him/herself. However, this argument does not apply to marijuana use as it is far less hazardous as compared to other drugs which are legal such as tobacco and alcohol (Parloff 50). In addition, legalization will promote religious freedom. Similar to how Judaists and Christians use wine on some occasions, Rastafarians, Buddhists, and Hindus use marijuana on some occasions as part of religious and spiritual ceremonies. Legalization will therefore allow these religions to practice their ceremonies freely; this is conformance with the amendment that allows free exercise of religion in the American constitution. High cost of illegalizing marijuana use If marijuana was legalized, it would save the government a lot of effort and resources used in fighting marijuana. Considerable effort and resources are used in the prohibition of cultivation and use of the drug. For instance, thermal imaging devices are used to identify hot lighting, and examination of waste matter and trash. In addition, governments usually analyze purchases made with credit cards in attempting to trace purchases of hydroponic devices, and also examination of energy bills so as to identify usage trends of growers of marijuana. In America, states spend billions of dollars at all levels in their war on drugs. This money is spent in prosecuting individuals who are imprisoned, and the tax payers have to pay for their court costs, attorney fees, healthcare, housing, and food. These costs could save the governments a lot of money (Klein 3) Revenue from taxing marijuana The legalization of marijuana can yield a lot of revenue in terms of tax. The government will generate a lot of revenue which can be directed into more important causes. It is approximated that the cultivation of marijuana in California has the potential of yielding about $1.4 billion in taxes in this state alone. Additionally, this would have a positive economic impact as it would generate many jobs in advertising, marketing, packaging, and agriculture (Gieringer 46). Medicinal use of marijuana Marijuana has numerous medical benefits; importantly it is used by patients who are undergoing chemotherapy to alleviate pain and relieve nausea. It is also used by patients suffering from depression. Marijuana is also used to increase appetite for patients with AIDS. The failure of prohibition The prohibition of marijuana has failed because it does not in any way help a country; in fact it causes many problems. There has been no conclusive evidence to show that the ban on marijuana decreases its use, theories have even suggested that prohibition can even increase the use of marijuana. In spite of the efforts and resources used in prohibition, marijuana is becoming more potent, cheaper, and accessible. In American high schools, the drug is becoming very popular because it is readily available. Being illegal, it is even easier for students to get marijuana as opposed to getting alcohol, as alcohol is legal and this means that it is regulated for such students. An effective approach to reduce the consumption of drugs would be to concentrate on honest and open programs (Armentano, Tvert and Fox 196) Buy custom Arguments for Marijuana Legalization essay