Poverty and Pollution Essay Example

Poverty and Pollution Paper If so should developing countries try to find a way to economic prosperity with strict environmental standards? On the other hand, what kind of moral obligations does business have when it comes to the environment? Let us consider these ethical dilemmas in greater details. DO poor countries really pay the price for the progress? We can consider historical progress made by the countries in the West. None of them magically advanced to the relative prosperity without sacrifices. Many of the same dirty industries originated in the industrialized countries. Many of them have been there for the most part of the twenties century. Since western population had to deal with them for some time, these industries have evolved and many of them have now being perfected to the best of human ability. Many factories reduced their air emissions, reduced and recycled their waste and many of them are automated by employing robots. In the current economical environment, the burden of the manufacturing belongs to the less developed countries. It is in the nature of the business to seek lowest production costs. I believe that there is direct correlation twine economic progress of the particular country and an increase in the environmental awareness of the population. We will write a custom essay sample on Poverty and Pollution specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Poverty and Pollution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Poverty and Pollution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer First people need to satisfy their basic human needs before they can pay attention to the environmental problems. Let us for a moment consider the possibility of all manufacturing remaining in the industrialized nations. There are at least two results that would follow. First, since environmental standards generally much more strict than in the developing nations, we would see the increase in the pollution control. Subsequently, environment on Earth in general would infinite, since less pollution would be omitted in the air, released in the water or stored in the landfills. Humans would enjoy cleaner air and better ecological variety. Second result would be increased costs. It would take an increasing amount of resources to comply with the regulations. That would lead to increased prices for goods. The population in the industrialized nations still would be able to afford those goods, but maybe to lesser degree. What would happen to the population of the underdeveloped nations? They would be unable to purchase them at all, since not only the prices would increase, but the better jobs would be absent also. Such scenario would only widen the gap between industrialized and less developed countries. Thirdly, increased costs would decrease the amount of money spend on innovation. The progress would slow down. All of us would lose. From the utilitarian point of view such scenario would result deprivation of pleasure and in greater amount of pain on the world. Thus based on cost-benefit analysis it would be unethical to operate in such a way. Another important consideration to make is the fact that in most cases foreign businesses are allowed to operate by local governments. Businesses do not create rules and regulations, they just obey them. In my opinion, it is in the businesss best interest to operate in the most environmentally friendly way. The world has become very transparent place. It is virtually impossible to hide questionable practices in regards to the environment. At the same time we cannot expect a business to take on additional burden to employ the most technologically advanced protection systems for the environment. Such steps usually are very expensive and can create competitive disadvantage for the company. In recent years the rate of globalization increased exponentially. This process is not going to slow down and it is here to stay. On one hand, people in the most remote and isolate places will be included in this process sooner or later. Every nation will have to deal with the pollution. To preserve the environment a country would need the resources both financial and technological. These resources do not appear by themselves nor do they get hand out by other nations. Any country would have to accumulate wealth and knowledge to deal with such issues. The only proven way to do that is to go through the phase of building infrastructure: road, industrial plants, etc. This recess itself cannot be done without polluting the environment to some extent. On the other hand, business would always try to exploit every opportunity to make the profit. This is in the nature of the capitalist system. Thus I would disagree that only poor part of the population is paying the price for the pollution since the environment gets ruined for everybody. Polluted environment does not benefit anybody as it increases healthcare costs. Businesses have to deal with increase healthcare costs and reduced productivity. Let us consider some reasons why people choose to work in such places as dearth valley. Nowadays we hear a lot of demands to protect foreign workers from poor working conditions. Some activists go even further as to boycott the products by companies operating sweatshops and factories. I would disagree with such demands. First of all, one of the most obvious facts is that people choose to work in sweatshops because they get better pay and working conditions than at their next best alternative which is agriculture. Secondly, all such boycotts force companies to cut down their costs and many workers become unfortunate victims. Imposed sanctions often pressure international companies to fire workers, close stories and relocate. The worst part is that we never care to know what happens to fired employees, but I suspect that due to scarcity of jobs many Of them end up on the streets and starve. Such jobs might be local people best alternatives. If we take away such option we reduce their choice. That in return lessens their freedom, since workers have fever options to choose from. From the Kantian point of view protesting the company goods and thus resulting displacement of workers would be unethical. I believe that we should continue to buy goods that are produced in foreign factories and sweatshops. Such economic support will help to raise standards of living in third world countries. Environmental awareness also does not appear overnight. Any country must develop their infrastructure to embrace sustainable approach to the environment. I think that moderate pollution is a normal step in economic development of any nation. While the pollution of the developing countries seems to be inevitable, I strongly disagree with Lawrence Summers, chief economist of the World Bank and subsequently U. S. Treasury secretary and president of Harvard University, who argues that:the economic logic behind dumping a load of toxic waste in he lowest-wage country is impeccable. Such assertion is too simple to a very complicated problem. I believe that businesses do have moral obligations to future generations when considering the impact of their operations. Simply dumping toxic Waste in places with cheapest labor is simply irresponsible. First of all, toxic waste is time bomb that could negatively impact future generations for centuries. Second, such behavior can bring chaos in our extremely interconnected world. Let us consider China for example. This country may very well have the lowest wage labor. If other countries decide to export their toxic wastes to this overpopulated nation the results could be disastrous. Demographic consequences could lead to prod active part of population becoming increasingly ill. That in return would lead to diminishing role of China in the world economy. Financial and humanitarian implications of such scenario would leave the human population in disarray. Think that humanity made significant technological improvements to simply dump toxic waste. Both private and government entities should be more responsible when disposing of poisonous waste. I think that while some types f pollution such as air pollution cannot be avoided entirely, others, such as nuclear waste, should be contained and stored using the latest advances in science without consideration for the lowest costs. Businesses are responsible for producing and delivering various goods and services that human population requires. In order to do that private and government enterprises must interact with the nature. Such interactions may have both positive and negative effects. Nevertheless negative outcomes occur more often. Thus businesses should limit their interactions with ecosystems as much as possible. The attitude of indifference is no longer acceptable. Using the environment as the means to get the products manufactured is unethical. The environment should receive some consideration when making business decisions. One Of the reasons that business moves overseas is weak government or lack of proper oversight. Such reasoning is dangerous since it can lead to dilution of moral standards. While some pollution is unavoidable, nevertheless businesses are responsible to monitor their own activities. Simply leaving the waste for somebody else to clean up, passing on the social costs to the government is a poor judgment. The example in the article gives an idea what unsustainable economic growth could look like. In this situation businesses can benefit in the short run, but the environmental problems eventually would catch up with them. Some might argue the businesses are responsible for cleaning the results of the operations, while other point out to the consumers are the ones who should bear the costs of environmental impact since they are the ones who ultimately forces the business to produce goods and services they demand. I think that this dilemma should be examined in case by case situation. However one thing is retain is that preventing a problem can be more cost efficient then resolving it once it occurs. Thus business has a moral obligation to make a good faith effort to protect the environment and reduce its impact on it. The industrialization had a positive effect on the development of the Western civilization during the end of the nineteen and all of the twentieth century. It Was done with some profound effects on the global ecosystems. Natural resources were used at will and the contamination of the environment was not given much consideration. Nowadays, as we realized that natural sources have limits and effects of the polluted environment beginning to threaten our own way life, we should be more sensitive, when making business decisions. As human populations increases exponentially, the world has become more interconnected. The pollution and greenhouse emissions in one area can have negative effect on quality of life for people thousands of miles away. One may wonder if there is a way to dispose of the manufacturing wastes and greenhouse gases that considers everybodys interests. Probably, there is no such way. Somebody would have to pay the price as some areas of the globe would naturally be more affected than there. Businesses should not consider third world countries as the means to their ends. They should focus on sustainable development of the local economy. Lifting people out poverty, providing for basic needs and offer them a source of reliable income should be the main goals of any company. But businesses should not forget their other moral obligations and being sensitive to the local ecosystems is one of them. Balancing these goals would not be easy. The positive example of approaches that can promote sustainability and raise quality of life could be fair trade practices. By paying Geiger prices for goods producers are obligated to invest some portion of the income to promote sustainable agricultural techniques. Fair trade practices promote the advances in social and environmental standards. However, this approach had limited success as it puts companies that use it in disadvantage to their competition that does not employ it. We, as educated consumers, should support such efforts, despite higher prices. Such unconventional approach benefits all of us in a long run. Companies should not consider their social and moral obligations as threats to their profits. I think they should rather complement each other. But what kind of social responsibility programs can businesses embrace? Some of the most important aspects are sustainability and efforts to reduce the effects on the climate change. In the competitive environment, companies are forced to innovate. Raising energy costs, political instability in developing countries, terrorism and more demanding government regulations are some of the reasons to focus on the sustainability. Long-term cost saving and efficiencies can be another benefits of proper implemented social responsibility programs. Recently companies became increasingly interested in creating a positive image in minds of attention consumers. A good reputation takes a while to build, but as several latest financial scandals proved it can be easily destroyed. Being innovative in reducing the environmental impact is the best way to get positive press. Responsible businesses can be rewarded with greater brand equity and increased market share. Green energy sources are the energy of the future. Rising energy prices and global demand leave no choice but to encourage innovation and sustainability. In the nearest future we can expect businesses to put more emphases on the social responsibility programs. Both businesses ND consumers are increasingly interested in reducing the environmental impact and improving overall social well-being of the people. Agrees with the assertion that only poor third world countries pay the price for the pollution. It is unavoidable to some degree and we all share the negative impacts of uncontrolled pollution of the environment. Nevertheless the business community has social and moral responsibilities to invest resource in order to curb their emissions and reduce waste as much as it is economically possible. People s moral rights to a livable environment as well s the protection of ecological systems are some of ethical concerns that should be considered when making business decisions. However lifting people out of poverty, providing for their basic needs, increasing their quality of life and thus providing them with ability to make more choices is the priority. The government in the developing countries should play the stronger role in the correction of the market activities, regulation of emissions and protection of local ecosystems. We, as educated consumers, should actively participate in the environmental protection by supporting businesses that do their part.

What Pilot Studies Are and Why They Matter

What Pilot Studies Are and Why They Matter A pilot study is a preliminary small-scale study that researchers conduct in order to help them decide how best to conduct a large-scale research project. Using a pilot study, a researcher can identify or refine a research question, figure out what methods are best for pursuing it, and estimate how much time and resources will be necessary to complete the larger version, among other things. Key Takeaways: Pilot Studies Before running a larger study, researchers can conduct a pilot study: a small-scale study that helps them refine their research topic and study methods.Pilot studies can be useful for determining the best research methods to use, troubleshooting unforeseen issues in the project, and determining whether a research project is feasible.Pilot studies can be used in both quantitative and qualitative social science research. Overview Large-scale research projects tend to be complex, take a lot of time to design and execute, and typically require quite a bit of funding. Conducting a pilot study beforehand allows a researcher to design and execute a large-scale project in as methodologically rigorous a way as possible, and can save time and costs by reducing the risk of errors or problems. For these reasons, pilot studies are used by both quantitative and qualitative researchers in the social sciences. Advantages of Conducting a Pilot Study Pilot studies are useful for a number of reasons, including: Identifying or refining a research question or set of questionsIdentifying or refining a hypothesis or set of hypothesesIdentifying and evaluating a sample population, research field site, or data setTesting research instruments like survey questionnaires, interview or discussion guides, or statistical formulasEvaluating and deciding upon research methodsIdentifying and resolving as many potential problems or issues as possibleEstimating the time and costs required for the projectGauging whether the research goals and design are realisticProducing preliminary results that can help secure funding and other forms of institutional investment After conducting a pilot study and taking the steps listed above, a researcher will know what to do in order to proceed in a way that will make the study a success.   Example: Quantitative Survey Research Say you want to conduct a large-scale quantitative research project using survey data to study the relationship between race and political party affiliation. To best design and execute this research, you would first want to select a data set to use, such as the General Social Survey, for example, download one of their data sets, and then use a statistical analysis program to examine this relationship. In the process of analyzing the relationship, you are likely to realize the importance of other variables that may have an impact on political party affiliation. For example, place of residence, age, education level, socioeconomic status, and gender may impact party affiliation (either on their own or in interaction with race). You might also realize that the data set you chose does not offer you all the information that you need to best answer this question, so you might choose to use another data set, or combine another with the original that you selected. Going through this pilot stu dy process will allow you to work out the kinks in your research design and then execute high quality research. Example: Qualitative Interview Studies Pilot studies can also be useful for qualitative research studies, such as interview-based studies. For example, imagine that a researcher is interested in studying the relationship that Apple consumers have to the companys brand and products. The researcher might choose to first do a pilot study consisting of a couple of focus groups in order to identify questions and thematic areas that would be useful to pursue with in-depth, one-on-one interviews. A focus group can be useful to this kind of study because while a researcher will have a notion of what questions to ask and topics to raise, she may find that other topics and questions arise when members of the target group talk among themselves. After a focus group pilot study, the researcher will have a better idea of how to craft an effective interview guide for a larger research project. Further Reading If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of pilot studies, take a look at an essay titled  The Importance of Pilot Studies, by Drs. Edwin R. van Teijlingen and Vanora Hundley, published in Social Research Update  by the Department of Sociology, University of Surrey, England. Updated  by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.

Technical and communication failures that caused disasters Assignment

Technical and communication failures that caused disasters - Assignment Example The technical failure that caused the disaster was the release of methyl isocyanate (MIC) which was due to water that leaked into one of the storage tanks of Union Carbide pesticide factory (Long, 2008). The problem was aggravated by another technical failure when the main warning siren did not go off for another two hours. Apparently, the tank alarms have not functioned for almost four years already. Other technical problems were revealed upon investigation. These include failure to address safety violations, backup system were either not functioning or inexistent, plant was equipped with only one backup system, which was not the norm, over capacity of the tank which held the MIC, water sprays were ineffective and the pipes and valves have not been repaired or replaced (Long, 2008). The technical failure that caused this disaster was the flawed Soviet reactor design which was operated by plant operators who were not properly trained. According to the World Nuclear Association, there was over pressure which was caused by the interaction of very hot fuel with the cooling water (2011). They went on further to say that the over pressure then resulted in the partial detachment of the cover plate of the reactor. The fuel channels were then ruptured and the control rods jammed (World Nuclear Association, 2011). At least 5% of the radioactive reactor core was released through steam and fires, into the atmosphere and downwind (World Nuclear Association, 2011). The reason for the earthquake is due to the abrupt slipping of the crystal rocks comprising the Pacific and North American Plates by as much as 2 meters (7 ft) along their common boundary-the San Andreas fault system (Nakata & Meyer, 2009). There was technical failure in terms of the construction of the buildings. Most of them were extensively damaged because it was built with unreinforced masonry and they were erected on flood plain sediments