Energy Summary Essay Example for Free

Energy Summary Essay University of Phoenix This summary of Energy will review three cases, The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Yucca Mountain, and The Three Gorges Dam. It will identify each type of energy source, its relative abundance and environmental impact along with evaluating the economic and ethical issues of each energy source highlighted by these three cases. The summary will identify the interests of prominent stakeholders, and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each energy source according to each stakeholder’s point of view and present possible strategies for solving the limited-resource issues raised in these case studies with explaining the role of conservation in these strategies. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Since 1980 there has been an on and off debate regarding opening the refuge to oil drilling. The refuge is close to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, one of the world’s largest pipeline systems that begins at Prudhoe Bay and continues south to Valdez. Prudhoe Bay has produced 14 billion barrels of crude oil. In the early 1990’s, it was the first time in history that the United States would import more than half the oil it used. The interest of opening the refuge to oil drilling started again after it subsided for five years following the Alaskan oil spill. The Department of the Interior admitted that the oil drilling will harm the area’s ecosystem and therefore both the Senate and House of Representatives agreed to allow it. The economic and ethical issues pertaining to developing this site to oil drilling such as domestic oil could help the balance of trade and the United States would be less dependent on oil from foreign countries (Raven, Berg, Hassenzahl, 2010). Conservationists believe drilling will disrupt the balance of nature for the Alaskan wilderness. Studies that were conducted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service that support habitat damage, and decline in wolves and bears in the Prudhoe Bay area. Yucca Mountain The Yucca Mountain in Nevada was chosen by Congress in 1987 as the only area to be considered as a permanent underground storage site for high levels of nuclear wasted from power plants. The mountain site is 90 miles Northwest of Las Vegas. Yucca Mountain can hold more than 42,000 tons of spent fuel produced in the United States and future production of spent fuel until the year 2025 (Raven, Berg, Hassenzahl, 2010). Once it reaches to full capacity, another storage site will be needed. A possible environmental impact to storing spent fuel in the mountain is the mountain is near a volcano and active earthquake fault lines. Although there hasn’t been an eruption in 20,000 years, the chance of an eruption is one in 10,000 during the next 10,000 years. In 1992, 12 miles from Yucca Mountain a magnitude 5.6 earthquake developed. Scientist examined the effects of this earthquake and found the water table to have changed to 1-meter caused by the earthquake. Most experts believe this is not a serious concern. The United States Department of Energy has conducted many studies on the mountain that cost billions of dollars. Their results reflected that the site is safe from these two possible mother-nature disasters. Nevadans disagree and do not want their state as a radioactive waste site. Congress in 2002 approved Yucca Mountain as the United States nuclear waste site with no regard to the Nevadans concerns. Still today it is unclear when the site will be licensed and opened (Raven, Berg, Hassenzahl, 2010). The Three Gorges Dam The Three Gorges Dam (TDG), located in China, is a hydroelectric dam. The dam is the world’s largest hydropower project and has created massive floods, deaths, and displaced many people living in the river basin. The dam was designed to produce 18 gig watts of electrical power (Raven, Berg, Hassenzahl, 2010). China is known to have air quality issues, and they are reliant on imported energy. This dam is an advantage for China. It will permit ships to travel far upstream and provide recreation as well as create a living for commercial fisherman. As with advantages, there also comes disadvantages such as displacement of 1.5 million people who received very little or none at all government assisted funding to help these people find new places to live. The dam also puts the Yangze river dolphin along with several other species at risk for extinction. Possible strategies in solving these limited resource issues raised in these cases would be to invest in renewable energy sources and energy conservation for The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The Yucca Mountain case would need to determine if storing the spent fuel in the mountain would be better for the environment than possibly in deep underground sites. As for the Three Gorges Dam indirect solar energy such as wave energy may be an option in the future. Each case, The National Arctic Wildlife Refuge, The Yucca Mountain, and The Three Gorges Dam have different types of energy sources, oil, nuclear, and hydropower. They have the same issue when it comes down to the environment, humanity, wildlife, and the economy. Government agencies want to generate revenue such as domestic oil drilling in Alaska and transportation up the reservoir in China, all at the expense of all living and non-living beings. It seems to be a never-ending debate as solutions to these issues are still not solved today. References Raven, P. H., Berg, L. R., Hassenzahl, D. M. (2010). Environment (7th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons.

The Anselm Ontological Argument Philosophy Essay

The Anselm Ontological Argument Philosophy Essay In this paper I will argue that Anselms ontological argument for the existence of God is indeed adequate for establishing the necessary existence of the Greatest Conceivable Being. In order to accomplish this, I will argue that Anselms premises are sound, and that his conclusion rightfully follows his premises. I will also defend Anselms argument by demonstrating that objections to Anselms argument are unconvincing. My focus will be on Gaunilos objection to Anselms argument. Essentially, Gauinilos objection is that Anselms argument can be altered to prove the existence of any concept simply by using the definition that the concept is greater than all other concepts which can be conceived this will be refuted. Before I begin my argument I will reconstruct the a priori ontological argument put forward by Anselm to prove the existence of the Greatest Conceivable Anselm begins his argument by introducing â€Å"the fool†, a reference to Psalms 53:1. This fool â€Å"has said that in his heart, [that] there is no God†, or denying the existence of God. Anselm states that even this fool, â€Å"when he hears of this being of which I speak a being-than-which-nothing- greater-can-be-thought understands what he hears, and what he understands is in his understanding; although he does not understand it to actually exist† (Anselm 15). Essentially, Anselm makes the claim that even â€Å"the fool† is forced to concede that the concept of the Greatest Conceivable Being exists in the mind, because he has been told of it. In order to prove the existence of God, Anselm adopts the fools position for his A priori argument. Anselm does not believe the fools position to be correct, but uses it to show that if God exists in understanding, or the mind, then He must exist in reality. Anselm declares that it is one thing for an object to exist in the mind, yet another to understand that it actually exists. To this end, Anselm moves on to give an example of how something can exist in the mind and in reality. The example of a painter is brought forward by Anselm. Before a painter creates a picture, claims Anselm, he has an understanding of what the painting will look like in his mind. Upon completion of the painting, the painter will understand that it exists in his mind, for they had the image of the painting before he created it, and in reality, because now they can see the painting before themselves with their own eyes (Anselm 15). Anselm next defines God as a being-than-which-nothing-greater-can-be-conceived. Anselm follows this definition with the premise that if a being exists in the understanding, but not in reality, then a greater being can be conceived (Anselm 15). To assert this point Anselm argues, â€Å"For if [The Greatest Conceivable Being] exists solely in the mind alone, it can be thought of to exist in reality as well, which is greater† (Anselm 15). Utilizing the idea that if a being exists only in understanding then a greater being exists, Anselm reaches the conclusion that a greater being than God can be conceived. Anselm does not believe that this conclusion is accurate, however, stating that it is â€Å"obviously impossible†. By reaching this conclusion, Anslem is trying to show that if one understands God to be the Greatest Conceivable Being and only exist in understanding as a concept, but not reality, then the conclusion opposes the premises. Anselms case is essentially that because the definition of God is not in question, â€Å"the fool† must be mistaken in assuming that God only exists as a concept. Therefore, Anselm reaches the conclusion that God must exist in both concept and in reality. I will now move on to offering a critical assessment of Anselms ontological argument. To accomplish this task, I will examine both the validity, and the soundness, of Anselms premises. In order to do so, a condensed form of Anselms argument is required. Essentially, Anselms premises can be construed as such: God is that than which nothing greater can be conceived We can conceive of a being than which none greater can be conceived God exists in the understanding, To exist in reality and in the understanding is greater than to exist in the understanding alone. Therefore, God necessarily exists in reality. According to chapter two of Writing Philosophy, a valid argument is â€Å"an argument that has a form such that if its premises were true, its conclusion would be too.† There is nothing to suggest that Anselms argument is invalid. Provided that the premises are sound, the conclusion does indeed follow. However, while the ontological argument may be valid, it remains to be shown that it is sound. A sound argument is one which is both valid and contains true premises (Chapter 2, Writing Philosophy). In order to show this, the individual premises of the ontological argument must be evaluated. Firstly, The truth of premise B] depends on the acceptance of Anselms definition of God (premise A] ) as that than which none greater can be conceived. If we are to accept Anselms definition of God to be plausible, then premise B] is sound because we have accepted the concept and have the idea in our understanding. If we do not accept the definition, then we are not able to proceed to evaluate the rest of the argument. This is not to say that Anselms definition of God is a controversial one, indeed it is a commonly accepted monotheistic interpretation of the nature of God (Mark C. Smith, January 18th Lecture). Secondly, premise B] is sound because existence of such a being is logically possible. No fault can be found with postulating the existence of such a being as defined by premise A]. Finally, Anselms assertion that â€Å"to exist in reality and in the understanding is greater than to exist in the understanding alone† is necessarily sound by our acceptance of his definition of God. By accepting premise A], as we must in order to evaluate the argument, we must concede this it is necessarily greater for God to exist in reality. As a result, we can see that Anselms ontological argument is both valid, and sound, from an examination of its premises. Anselms conclusion that God exists in reality logically follows the premises, given their soundness and validity. In order to demonstrate that Anselms argument is indeed adequate for establishing the necessary existence of the Greatest Conceivable Being, objections to the argument must first be examined and then refuted. One of the more potent objections to Anselms ontological argument is that of the monk Gaunilo. The objection raised by Gaunilo is that the same logical reasoning used by Anselm to prove Gods existence can be used to prove things certain do not exist. Gaunilo puts forth this objection when he argues about the existence of the â€Å"Lost Island†, a conceivable perfect island. Gaunilos proof of the perfect island follows the same logical reasoning as Anselms. He starts with the premise that the idea of a perfect island can be conceived of by the mind. The perfect island is by definition an island than which no greater island can be conceived, and that if a perfect-island exists in as an idea in the mind but not in reality, a greater island than the perfect- island can be conceived (Gaunilo 17). Using a similar argument as Anselm, Gaunilo has shown that the perfect-island must exist in both the mind and in reality for the same reasons that God must exist in the mind and reality. According to Gaunilo, if one accepts Anselms argument as being valid, one must accept the similar perfect-island argument as being valid as well. Both arguments would appear to valid since if the premises are true then both conclusions must be true. The only critical difference between Anselms argument and Gaunilos argument is the use of the perfect-island in place of God. As a res ult, if Anselms method of reasoning is deemed appropriate, then Gaunilos must be appropriate as well. Gaunilo however states that this â€Å"proof of the existence of a perfect-island is implausible, or â€Å"doubtfully real† (Guanilo 17). Gaunilo contends that it is only the definition of â€Å"a-concept-than-which-nothing-greater-can-be-conceived† that allows Anselm and himself to prove the existence of God and the perfect-island respectively. By proving one of the concepts, the perfect-island, to be implausible, Gaunilo feels that the other concept must follow suit (Gaunilo 17). I will now move onto a refutation of Gaunilos objection to Anselms ontological argument. The major fault with Gaunilos objection is that that by proving the existence of a perfect island, using an argument of the same structure as Anselms, he has tampered with the definition of an island. This error becomes apparent when considering what the nature of a perfect island would be. In order for the island to be perfect its characteristics must be perfect as well. Any variation from this â€Å"conceivable† perfection would make the existence of a greater conceivable island possible. Furthermore, the perfect-island could be made greater in a measurable fashion if it was to have a slightly increased landmass this reasoning would persist until the perfect-island becomes infinitely large. An infinitely large island, however, is impossible. An island, by its very definition, must be surrounded by water, and something that is infinite in size cannot be surrounded. Moreover, a perfect island presumably has an abundance of lush trees and pristine beaches. The more of these t hat an island has, the better the island would conceivably be. However, there is no defined maximum number of trees or beaches that an island could possibly have; for any one conceivable island, there is another, even-more -perfect-island with one more exotic fruit tree and one more white sandy beach. As a result, there is no island than-which no-greater-can-be-conceived the more trees and more beaches that are conceived, the more perfect the island would be. Therefore, the perfect-island moves towards infinity in its characteristics once again. The concept of the perfect island is therefore flawed, causing Gaunilos objection to be adequate to impair Anselms ontological argument. In conclusion, Anselms logical a priori ontological argument is adequate for establishing the necessary existence of the Greatest Conceivable Being. The premises of Anselms ontological argument were demonstrated to be sound when examined in the context of Anselms definition of the Greatest Conceivable Being. Moreover, Anselms argument was shown to be a valid argument, with a conclusion that follows from the premises. Gaunilo raised an objection to the ontological argument on the grounds that Anselms argument can be altered to prove the existence of any concept simply by using the definition that the concept is greater than all other concepts which can be conceived. However, this objection was shown to be inadequate on the grounds that the concept of the perfect-island is flawed when conceived with Anselms argument. Therefore, Anselms ontological argument is convincing, despite Gaunilos objections, and is adequate for establishing the necessary existence of the Greatest Conceivable Be ing.

Eternity In The Elegy The Seafarer English Literature Essay

Eternity In The Elegy The Seafarer English Literature Essay The elegy usually contains a story, not too often a personal one that expresses the implied authors woeful state of mind. As a formal poetic convention it is used by poets to capture the mood of sadness and sorrow caused by a personal loss or a state of affairs that is outside the reach of the protagonists influence. This is a somewhat simplistic account which understates the subtleties of the development of the elegy but its briefness is intentional for the purpose of this essay we need to note that the elegy as a poetic form is governed by the idea of lamentation. The Anglo-Saxon poem The Seafarer thus falls conveniently in such a description of form. But it is remarkable how the poem initiates its story as a conventional elegy and it subsequently develops into a theological didacticism. The first-person narrative of the seaman lamenting his life at sea gives way to a religious admonition which gives the poem a feeling of incongruity and can lead one to believe that the second par t could have been added at later stages. Although, on close reading the links between the seamans insistence on lifes transience in the first part and his subsequent emphasis on eternity in the second can be made obvious and serve to compound the poem into a structural and thematic whole. The first half of The Seafarers story illustrates the protagonist as a lonely figure dwelling more among arctic creatures than among his fellow kinsmen. He emphasizes his loneliness with a juxtaposition between the realms of men and the ones of nature: At times the swans song I took to myself as pleasure, The Gannets noise and the voice of curlew instead of the laughter of men, The singing gull instead of the drinking of mead. (lines 19b 22) But nature itself is not a pure source of comfort as the above lines may suggest for she throws snow and hail and wind at his vessel and at such times no cheerful kinsman can comfort the poor soul (ll. 25b 26). It is an excursion through a hostile environment which is credited with being close to a peregrination, a journey of physical and spiritual endurance, as the protagonist confesses a path of exile. It should be noted that it is an intentional one. We read of him being physically on land but somewhat sea-restless, with his thoughts and heart still following the sea, desiring the moment when he would set off to meet the homelands of foreign people. The cuckoo warns with a sad voice (line 53) but still the seaman is eager to leave. The idea of the sea journey in the first half of the poem as peregrination, albeit a bit too subtle and only hinted at, is one of the links that provide continuity and coherence with the seemingly incongruent second part of the elegy. The seamans story develops structurally through an intense usage of oppositions. His narrative leaps back and forth from ship to land, sustaining the clash between the loneliness of the sea and the joys of the land. With the development of the poem, the opposition sea-land is given the overtone of a value judgment, bordering with a revelation acquired from the wisdom of seafaring. That one who has been distanced from the land is able to realize the temporariness of his or her life, and the futility of amassing treasures. The worldly preoccupations of the inhabitants on land are equated with futility, aimlessness, devoid of any governing idea whereas the life at sea is the antipode the source of the semi-spiritual revelation. The one on land has the joys of life, dwells in the city, Far from terrible journey, proud and wanton with wine. (lines 27a 29a) and he gives little credit to: how I, weary, often have had to endure in the sea-paths (lines 29b 30b) The juxtaposition between these two verbs is more than stylistical. For it serves to support the overall opposition between land/sea: the inhabitants of land are capable of actually living in an intoxicated conceit while the seafarer has to bear the troubles of his journey. In a metonymic succession, the seaman declares himself heedless to the worldly occupations: Not for him [the seaman] is the sound of the harp, nor the giving of rings nor pleasure in woman, nor worldly glory nor anything at all unless the tossing of the waves, but he always has longing, he who strives on the waves. (lines 44a 47b) In my reading, the striving for the waves is a metaphoric enunciation of the credo of the pilgrim. The sea is the half-spiritual journey that enlightens one into seeing the transience of life on earth. For everything, as the seafarer declares, always and invariably à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ will turn into uncertainty and man is, as much he surround him or herself with worldly goods, doomed to die. Earthly prosperity is transitory, life itself is only a short burst of existence and it is futile for one to account for his life with the accumulation of material goods. Up to this moment the elegy is a somewhat traditional one, in that it present the lamentation of a single character over a troublesome state of affairs, in the case of The Seafarer, a semi-spiritual state of affairs. But with a powerful enunciation of his disbelief of the worlds stability: I do not believe that the riches of the world will stand forever. (lines 66b 67b) the protagonist launches into a religious monologue in which he expounds his ideas of how one should live and act after knowing of his temporariness. At this textual moment, the poem perceptibly shifts from a heroic elegy to a didactic-theological one. The core that holds together the poem is the opposition in the first part land/sea now evolved into transient/eternal and the feeling of melancholy. Indeed hotter for me are the joys of the Lord Than this dead life fleeting on the ground (lines 64b 66a) What would then give joy and substance to ones life on earth so that it does merely fleet, or drag itself into death? The seaman passionately states that work, bravery, courage, which eventually inflame the power of his fame, might lead one to a communion with the glory of the angels, joy with the hosts. In a telling parallel, the glory of life in eternity will come when the glory of kingdoms once powerful will set. The second part of The Seafarer is clearly more symbolically construed and the image of the kingdoms, I suspect, stands for the demise in importance of worldly values. So do the implicit pagan references in the image of the burial lined with gold and a mass of treasure for all of those are no longer of value in the eternal. Thus the road to eternity is illustrated as lined not with gold but with a balance in ones life, control of his passions, and wisdom in his relationships all spiritual, metaphysical categories. The poem shows how the transience of life could be counte racted by following a series of semi-commandments (for all their rhetorical might they are still subjective, expressed through the viewpoint of the narrator-protagonist) that would lead into a blessed state of affairs in which ones life is belonging à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ in the love of the Lord, joy in the heavens (lines 121a 122b). The insecurity of a life on earth, with all its materials transient and mortal, is transformed through a theological didacticism into a security in the eternal. The Seafarer is at first a sight an inconsistent poem with two delineated parts that are somewhat incongruous with each other. But the opposition sea/land which promotes the idea of a solitary, melancholic journey evolves into a metaphysical opposition between transitory/eternal and thus is one of the brinks that bind the poem together. The idea of a pilgrimage in the first part is consistent with the religious overtones of the second and thus unites both of them into a textual unity that serves to promote a vision and philosophy of a life in a world marked by transience. The relation between the lamentation and the obvious didacticism fits loosely within the convention of the elegy but poem is held together by the interplay of recurrent, yet evolving oppositions and by the sincere authority of the protagonist himself. Work cited: 1. The Seafarer

Essay --

1.0 Description on the selected organization: IKEA is one of the huge successful retailers in the world whereby has 280 stores in 26 countries by the year 2010 and had been visited by 580 million shoppers. IKEA has elegant designed products with low priced. IKEA’s sale has increased from 4.4 billion in 1994 to 23.5 billion in 2010. The author has attached the sales report in appendix 1 and 2. The founder was Ingvar Kamprad whereby he is still a dynamic advice-giver of IKEA despite his age reached 80. IKEA had influence worldwide market widely with a good strategic marketing tool. IKEA products are cheaper 30%-40% compare to other retailers. Besides that, Asian market convinced with their economical western product that has complete household products. In this chapter, the author had explained on the overall IKEA’s history. In the next chapter, had explained on four important macro elements followed by the macro elements effect towards the organization, and also given suggestions to manage the organization accordin g to the macro elements. Company Background Scott Allen (2014), stated Ingvar Kamprad formed IKEA in Sweden when he was 17 years old in year 1943. His company at first selling fish, christmas magazines, and seeds from the family farm then started selling matches whereby they bought 100 per lots and sold it individually by marking up the prices higher. Scott Allen (2014), stated the name IKEA means, I and K is Ingvar Kamprad initial, E is Elmtaryd which is family farmhouse and A is for Agunnaryd, the name of village where he came from that is located in Southern Sweden. Kamprad has also added ballpoint pens and sold them through mail order. His warehouse is small sheltered house located in their family farmhouse. He man... ...t and satisfactions. In addition, IKEA’s threats are poor understanding of cultural needs and demands. Economically, IKEA's growth had increased due to their low price furniture. The threats, are IKEA had failures to look into the quality of the product. Technologically, IKEA products able to standardized globally. Perhaps, to maintained IKEA's business they tried to stabilize their business with different angles such as stabilizing political status by maintaining good rapport and follow legalization rules all countries. IKEA has also use good method of approaching all the people and improve the performance of their services and products. Furthermore, the entrepreneurs good in assessing, planning and implementing accordingly in order to face any challenges. IKEA has able to accommodate the actual demand in the market towards new technology and younger generations.

The Tempest, Critical Review :: essays research papers

Prospero's Plottings After years of writing plays of history, tragedy, grand comedy and dramatic romance, William Shakespeare emerged from his darker writing of the past into the lighter, more peaceful style of his play â€Å"The Tempest.† This was Shakespeare’s last complete play, and, just as he bid farewell to the art he had so mastered, his principal character Prospero departs from his artful magic on the island he omnisciently controls. While Prospero’s early actions against his foes echo the ideas of a vengeful god, he strives to educate more than to correct. He portions out the justice he carries out with mercy, even when his enemies are delivered directly into his divine power, and, by doing so, proves to be the master of himself, embodying the qualities expected of a good ruler.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prospero’s omnipresence during the play is one the more obvious physical signs that he is in control of all his surroundings. The right Duke of Milan, he was exiled with his daughter, Miranda, to a remote island twelve years prior to the play’s beginning by his usurping brother Antonio, only surviving with the help of the good-hearted advisor Gonzalo. With the help of his spirit servant Ariel, Prospero stirs up a storm to beach a passing ship containing Alonso, king of Naples, who aided Antonio’s usurpation, his brother Sebastian and son Ferdinand, and Antonio himself, so he may confront them. Ferdinand is separated from the rest, is thought to be drowned, and courts Miranda, is put to the test by Prospero, and ultimately marries her. Ironically, Antonio coaxes Sebastian to plot to depose Alonso while they are being punished on the island because of usurpation. Prospero’s deformed slave Caliban encounters two lower members of Alsonsoâ⠂¬â„¢s court, Trinculo the jester and Stephano the drunken butler and the three foolishly plot to win control of the island, under the unblinking eye of Prospero, who punishes them through Ariel’s trickery. In the end, all are brought before Prospero who forgives all, but reclaims his Dukedom, and releases Ariel and Caliban from his control. He renounces his magical powers and returns to Italy having learned the virtues of self-mastery from his exile.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prospero’s character is portrayed as entirely good throughout the play, using his magic only to achieve positive ends such as education. He is one with his environment as he has developed superior intellectual powers, now realizing that he marked himself to be ousted by his distance from everyday affairs.

Direct-to-Consumer Advertising Essay

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription drugs has become common place in today’s society. Every household with a television is aware of DTC advertising as they interrupt their nightly programs. Every national magazine or local newspaper offers advertising on the latest drug remedy for what ails us. This multi-media approach is relatively new for pharmaceutical companies as previously such efforts were directed only at physicians who were the sole decision makers when choosing medications. With the 1997 change in the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) guidelines along with patients desires to be more involved in their own care and treatment, drug companies have expanded their promotional efforts to include the consumer. This essay will look at some of the current regulations concerning DTC advertising, pros and cons of these ads, and the ethical issues that arise from DTC advertising. Regulations Direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising is the â€Å"promotion of prescription drugs through newspaper, magazine, television and internet marketing.† (Direct-to-consumer advertising, 2010) These ads are directed towards the end user, the consumer, and not the prescriber/physician. Prescription drug advertising has been regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 1962. Their Division of Drug Marketing, Advertising, and Communications (DDMAC) is responsible for ensuring that companies that directly advertise to the public are providing â€Å"information that is truthful, balanced, and accurately described.† (FDA, 2010) Even though the FDA has oversight on DTC advertising, it should not impose unnecessary restrictions on them as they fall under the category of commercial speech protected by the first amendment (Evans & Friede, 2003, p. 387). The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act requires that anyone who makes, packages, or sells prescription drugs for hum ans must disclose information in their advertisements about the products uses and risks (U.S. Department of HHS, 1999, p. 3). This information disclosure is called the brief summary. Contrary to its name, the brief summary is rather lengthy as it must contain every risk associated with the drug’s approved use. Prior to regulatory changes made in 1997, these disclosures had to be included in every advertisement making television commercials impractical due to the restricted amount of time available. Now there is a distinction between print and broadcast advertising so that only print ads must contain this brief summary. The DDMAC’s 1997 revisions now only require audio and/or visual ads to disclose two things. The drugs major risks in consumer-friendly language, the major statement, and give adequate provision for the consumer to access the full product labeling (U.S. Department of HHS, 1999, p. 5). This can be achieved by providing a toll free number to call, referencing the full advertisement in a print ad, or making sure brochures are easily accessible outside of a physician’s office, like a pharmacy or grocery store. By decreasing the amount of information required in these ads, commercials suddenly became a viable form of marketing. Advertisements seen on television or in magazines are not required to be submitted to the FDA for approval prior to their release; however, companies must submit their ads to the FDA when they first appear in public. The FDA is available to offer their advice to pharmaceutical companies when asked for help (FDA, 2010). Once they see the ad and if they feel that it violates the law, they will send a warning letter requesting that the company stop the ad immediately. These letters are posted on their web site for public inspection. The drawback to this process is that an ad that violates the law may be aired without oversight. If the warning letters do not rectify the situation, â€Å"the FDA can work with the Department of Justice to seek injunctions against companies, or criminally prosecute firms.† (Vogt, 2005, p. 26) The FDA also has the authority to seize drugs that it deems as misbranded and can even reverse approval for the drug. Pros There are numerous arguments on the benefits of direct-to-consumer advertising. Supporters of DTC advertising contend that ads can be educational, provide important health information, and generate sales to further necessary research and development (R&D). One of the most commonly heard reasons is that DTC advertising has assisted consumers in â€Å"identify(ing) disease conditions and engage(ing) in more informed conversations with their health care providers.† (Pfizer, 2011) Supporters uphold that this advertising helps the doctor/patient relationship by being a conversation starter allowing discussions on disorders and options that a patient may not have known how to talk about earlier. Most patients today are educated and desire a greater level of involvement in their healthcare choices. DTC advertising gives the consumer power through knowledge. Important health information can be delivered in DTC advertising. These ads have the ability to reach millions of consumers rela tively easily. Through print and media advertising, pharmaceutical companies can play a useful role in raising awareness of certain conditions and disorders. Raising the public’s awareness can promote consumers to seek medical attention when they otherwise may not have. Seeing these conditions on television or in a magazine can lessen the stigma associated with them. Large pharmaceutical companies use the money made from DTC advertising to fund their R&D. This research and development plays an integral part in ensuring a drugs safety which in turn saves generic companies from needing to repeat R&D on the same drug. This makes generic manufacturers another supporter of DTC ads. By advertising new, name brand drugs, companies are causing a demand for the medication. Once the drug has lost its patent, physicians can begin prescribing the less expensive generic alternative. The generic manufacturer has benefited by default on the large pharma’s campaign. Cons There are an equal number of allegations on the negative effect of direct-to-consumer advertising. Opponents of DTC ads argue that ads can be detrimental to the physician/patient relationship, increase medication costs, and harm public health. Those against DTC ads feel that they have the potential to change the way doctors and patients interact with each other. A patient may see a particular advertisement and be convinced that they have a certain condition or that they need a specific drug. The patient may then present to their doctor feeling that they have diagnosed themselves and request prescriptions even if not needed. The physician may then feel pressured to oblige the patient rather than discussing other, possibly cheaper or drug free, treatment options. This scenario can lead to over-prescribing and over-use of a particular drug based on the effectiveness of the advertisement. Others have argued that advertising is expensive and the pharmaceutical companies have to recoup the ir cost somewhere. This leads to the cost being passed on to the consumer in the form of higher prescription costs. The amount of money spent on DTC ads has increase dramatically from 1997 to 2005 from $1.1 billion to $4.2 billion (GAO, 2006, p. 12). This increase expenditure could create higher healthcare costs across the board. Another cost of DTC advertising could be at the expense of public health. Most consumers lack the specialized knowledge required to evaluate the content of these ads and therefore take them at face value. They may not be fully aware of the harmful side effects or interactions of the drug. DTC ads can be seen as misleading since they are not required to mention other alternatives like diet, exercise or other preventative measures. These alternatives could treat the advertised condition without medication. By not including the alternatives, companies are advocating drug use as a primary response to medical conditions. Ethical Issues Pharmaceutical companies have a substantial obligation to ensure that their direct-to-consumer advertising is ethical. Their products not only have the ability to help consumers but they may also cause potential harm. Advertising of a drug is not like advertising of any other product where you are trying to convince the consumer to buy something they don’t need. Drug advertising needs to educate the consumer while still promoting their product. Persuasion tactics therefore should be ethical. How does one go about knowing if DTC advertising methods are ethical? In the book Persuasion: Theory and Practice, ethical persuasion is defined as â€Å"a communication activity that †¦ permits maximum individual choice† (Anderson, 1978, p. 3). The key is that the consumer must be able to make a voluntary choice without feeling coerced. DTC ads should not rely on deceptive or manipulative tactics. As previously stated, the consumer can be viewed as a vulnerable audience if the y are being spoken to at a level that is beyond their ability to understand (Baker & Martinson, 2001, p. 166). Ethical marketing requires that these audiences not be unfairly targeted because of this vulnerability. DTC advertising ethics is concerned with what drug companies ought or ought not to do. Lying is morally wrong and therefore considered unethical. Using lies or false impressions in a DTC ad distorts the information a consumer receives and can alter the choices they may make (Baker & Martinson, 2001, p. 160). Therefore DTC ads should not create false impressions or omit pertinent information just for the sake of the ad. The point of DTC advertising should not be increased sales but be more of a means to an important social end which should be consumer education. An example of an ethical advertisement would be one that utilizes those messages that demonstrate respect for the consumer to whom they are directed. Respecting the consumer means that their needs are placed before the needs of the advertiser. Currently, the DDMAC does not regulate the ethicalness of pharmaceutical advertising. Their mission statement is, â€Å"To protect the public health by assuring prescription drug information is truthful, balanced and accurately communicated.† (FDA, 2010) â€Å"Ethical ads tell the truth about their product and do not try to distort its capabilities or hide its defects.† (Vaux) Unfortunately an ad can be truthful and still be considered unethical. Ads that play to â€Å"base† human emotions such as fear can be considered unethical as they are just trying to promote emotions that would cause the consumer to seek relief through the advertiser’s product. Conclusion Direct-to-consumer advertising has been integrated into our culture and is likely not going to go away. Just as there are those who lobby against these ads, there are an equal number of proponents who support them. Regulations have been changed to allow the advancement of these ads to their current place in our society. As such, the DDMAC is constantly monitoring DTC ads and will need to be the ones to set ethical boundaries and ensure they’re being adhered to. Consumers must evaluate pharmaceutical ads critically so as not to be persuaded as much as they are educated. Although proponents of DTC advertising argue they provide important consumer information, too frequently the ads can operate dysfunctionally by â€Å"providing misinformation and inducing the consumer to make purchases that are not in either their short or long term interest.† (Baker & Martinson, 2001, p. 151) Ethical DTC ads should serve an educational purpose first and a promotional purpose second. They should offer consumers information on alternatives along with true representations of the risks their medications may have. Unethical ads are those that may try to point out your flaws, i.e. depression, and then tell you they have the answer, i.e. Prozac. These unethical ads will use your emotions to cause you to believe you are in need of a fix when in reality you may not be. I believe there is a place for direct-to-consumer advertising. Consumers are constantly looking for more and more information to help them make better informed decisions. DTC ads, when done appropriately, can be used to provide this information not only about medications but health conditions as well. Decreasing public stigma around certain health issues is another advantage advertising can bring; especially if it opens doors for patients to have difficult discussions with their doctors. That being said, I believe that a balance lies with the FDA needing to take a more proactive role in how they manage DTC ads. I think that all ads should be required to go through a pre-approval process rather than the current release and retract method. It is hard to take back something that has already been seen and that may cause damage to the consumer. References Direct-to-consumer advertising. (2010, June 11). Retrieved March 4, 2012, from Sourcewatch: http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Direct-to-consumer_advertising Anderson, K. E. (1978). Persuasion: Theory and practice. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Baker, S., & Martinson, D. L. (2001). The TARES test: Five principles of ethical persuasion. Journal of Mass Media Ethics, 16(2), 148-175. Evans, G. W., & Friede, A. I. (2003). The Food and Drug Administration’s regulation of prescription drug manufacturer speech: A first admendment analysis. Food and Drug Law Journal, 58(3), 365-437. FDA. (2010, April 4). Drugs. Retrieved March 4, 2012, from FDA: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/PrescriptionDrugAdvertising/ucm071964.htm GAO. (2006). Prescription drugs: Improvements needed in FDA’s oversight of direct-to-consumer advertising. Pfizer. (2011). Ethical Sales and Marketing. Retrieved March 5, 2012, from Pfizer: http://www.pfizer.com/investors/financial_reports/annu al_reports/2010/ethics-sales.jsp U.S. Department of HHS. (1999). Guidance for Industry Consumer-Directed Broadcast Advertisements. Food and Drug Administration. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Vaux, R. (n.d.). What is the

Present and Potential use of the media spaces facilitated by digital communication technologies in Japan

Management guru Peter Drucker had commented that â€Å"the future was always already happening somewhere; it was just a question of spotting it†. Most people across the globe are aware of the technological breakthroughs and advances that the developed countries have made in the fields of science and technology. Asian countries take a backstage in development in such related areas. With the advent of globalization and liberalization of economies in Asia the flow of science and technology has rapidly swept the landscape of most of these countries that has led to huge pools of talent in the Information Technology and Mobile Telecommunications sector.Japan has been labeled as one of the most technologically innovative nations second to the United States. The country has witnessed significant growth in technology across various industrial segments ranging from automobiles to video games consoles. The Internet has assumed great significance in improved accessibility and communicatio n. It has revealed a whole new dimension to sharing and disseminating information across the globe with vast potentials to reap commercial and social benefits.The Internet has changed the way people perceive markets and commerce today in addition to the highly efficient networking benefits that it offers. Its global reach, high degree of interactivity, speed of information exchange, and the ability to connect people from various parts of the globe has rendered the Internet medium indispensable for most businesses and homes today. The World Wide Web is yet unexplored in terms of its potentials in conducting online business, technologies that can further enhance its interactivity features, and networking benefits that can be expanded in future.The components like e-mail, websites, social networking communities online, blogs, video conferencing, and net telephony have enabled efficient interaction between individuals from across the globe. Information and Communication Technologies (IC T) has created new enhanced mode of communication possible in the 21st century. This trend has heralded a series of innovations in the field of communication technologies enabling enhanced connectivity and platform for smoother interaction between individuals.An important aspect of technological development that has revolutionized the digital communication era is the mobile telephony. Widespread use of cellular technology to communicate freely from any place anytime has expanded the reach within individuals and the rapid penetration of this technology to both developed and underdeveloped economies has created tremendous opportunities for business growth. Growth and penetration of Internet in JapanThe Japanese economic growth is impressive in the Asian subcontinent constituting a major chunk of the high net worth individuals and progressive economic indicators. The country has a Gross National Income per capita of US$ 38,980 in the year 2006, as estimated by the World Bank. This has led to increasing number of people having the capacity to purchase latest gadgets and technological devices. The economy has witnessed rapid increase in the use of Internet and mobile technologies over the past few years.According World Internet Statistics, the percentage of population accessing Internet in Japan has risen from a mere 37. 1 percent in the year 2000 to 68 percent in the year 2007 with the total number of users increasing from 47,080,000 to 87,540,000. The broadband speed in Japan is eight to thirty times faster than the connectivity available in United States, as per Washington Post dated 29th August 2007. The article reports that the accessibility cost is much lower compared to prices in the US.Hence, â€Å"Japan has the world’s fastest Internet connection delivering more data at a lower cost than anywhere else. † (Washington Post) In light of these statistics it is evident that the Japanese economy is gaining rapid momentum in fields of technological development armed with a techno-savvy population that is willing to explore the new aspects of business commerce and instant communication trends. The growth and development in the fields of Information and Communication Technologies is directly correlated to a country’s economic growth and development.This sector has contributed significantly to the growth of the Japanese economy. The ICT sector contributed 0. 9 percent to the 2. 2 percent growth in GDP in the year 2005. The impact of the development in communication technologies is evident with the rise of electronic commerce and extensive use of the Internet for the purpose of business transactions. This has increased consumerism and sales of digital devices that are must haves for most individuals across the globe. Japan too is witnessing widespread consumerism for electronic devices and telecommunication services.The high-speed connection at low cost provided by the telecommunication service providers in this country has allowed efficient exchange of data and information online besides enabling high-definition teleconferencing and video chats. The number of people working from home is increasing owing to this efficient service. The government of Japan has facilitated rapid growth in this sector realizing the vital contribution that this will have on the overall economic growth and development. The role of digital communication technologies in globalization is vital.It is the rapid and efficient use of these technologies that has minimized the physical barriers and created a platform for smoother business transactions and information exchange across various corners of the globe without the hassle of traveling. The physical distance no longer poses a barrier to communities and businesses alike and the remarkable feature is the amount of time that is saved in communicating and transferring information from one corner of the globe to another. Japan has harnessed this sector to expand its economy and ot her related sectors that has benefited immensely from this sector.The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan states in its ICT report 2007 â€Å"The current state of global business development by the world’s major telecommunications carriers reveals that they are actively promoting global expansion by establishing local subsidiaries and through investment in local telecommunications carriers. † Telecommunication service providers are strongly vying against each other for increasing their market share since large number of individuals and businesses are opting for high-speed broadband connectivity and telephony services.The demand has been growing over the past few years and many international service providers are entering the market to capitalize on this market segment. Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp (NTT) is a government controlled enterprise and currently is the largest telecommunication service provider in the country. But this company is faci ng severe competition from the entry of other multinationals. NTT launched the optical fiber system to provide connectivity at 100 megabits per second that is 17 times faster than the US cable connections.The Washington Post article states that approximately 8. 8 million homes in Japan have access to Internet using this optical fiber system. This has revolutionized many aspects of life in Japan. For instance, the high-resolution video conferencing has enabled pathologists to examine tissue samples from patients living in remote areas with the help of remote controlled microscopes. The high-quality image made possible with the use of optical fiber system has rendered huge benefits to people residing in areas that do not have easy access to large hospitals.The globalization and development in communication technologies have led to the growth of virtual organizations that are visible in the forms of virtual linkages with supply chain partners, outsourcing, virtual malls, or electronic market places and telework. The rise of virtual organizations was greatly facilitated by the innovative applications and developments in the field of Internet commerce. The e-commerce initially referred to exchange of stored data and information between related companies.Developments in scope of applications have enabled the suppliers and service providers to directly communicate with their customers online and this has created a whole new concept of business management. Businesses across the globe realize the huge potential that the e-commerce implies and are adopting new strategies to take advantage of the extensive consumer reach through the Internet. Digitization in Japan The rapid penetration of Information Technology and increased networking abilities in the country created the need for digitization of the various departments and institutions both in the public and private sector.Japan has carried out extensive digitization work in the last few years owing to the rapid penetra tion of Information Technology in all fields and industries. The United Nations report on digitization of the government department in Japan observes â€Å"the digitization of the administration is designed to make it more convenient for the people, simplify the administration and improve its efficiency and transparency, through the use of IT in every field of the administration and a review of existing systems and practices.†The various government departments have been streamlined using the new technology and telecommunication networking to achieve an effective coordination and information flow across departments. The need to regulate and monitor the flow of data and information becomes highly critical in all businesses. The government of Japan undertook special care to promote digitization across all public institutions as well as private sector to enable efficient management of the systems and promote improved quality of services to the nation. Cellular phone technology in JapanMobile phones have become an essential part of today’s life and it is difficult to imagine moving around without one of these gadgets in the pocket. This device is a new addition to the digital communication modes and has revolutionized the pace and ease of connectivity between individuals. Few years’ back the pagers had been launched and the instant messaging device had created a huge impact on means of communication. The portable device had been first launched in the year 1968 in Japan and was mainly used by sales representatives and doctors to send instant messages and communicate any kind of emergency requirements.The limitation of this device was that it could not be used to receive or make calls and could be used for receiving messages only. The car phone introduced by Japan in the year 1979 was the first of its kind in mobile telephones. This technology was gradually upgraded to take shape of the mobile phones used today. The current form of mobile phone s ervice started in the year 1987 in Japan. The high fees levied on the use of theses mobile phones rendered them exclusively for the use of business purpose. Initially they were too expensive for use by the general public.Within few years of its launch the mobile phone services became cheaper and more accessible to the public. The rapid popularity of these devices among the masses created a new type of consumerism trend that was capitalized by the telecommunication companies providing the consumers with innovative technologies at competitive prices. The craze for the latest gadget in mobile telephones led to the launch of devices that used advanced technology converging the functions of a watch, camera, and phone into one pocket-sized device.Further innovations and technological breakthroughs gave way to smart devices that could explore the Internet, carry on video conferencing, and download music and movies with sharp clarity and features that enabled smooth picture quality. The mob ile phones have evolved greatly as a communication tool. The digital Japanese mobile phone services facilitate exchange of information using both voice and data. The phones have been equipped with Java applications to stimulate the Internet functionalities that allows net surfing, email exchange and file transfers.Additional features including camera enables the user to shoot pictures, upload and download images, video recording facility, connect to television channels, tunes into radio, play downloaded music with built in speaker systems have added whole new dimension to the mobile phone technology. Mobile phones are now being termed as smart phones owing to their extensive utility and features. The present generation comprises of techno freaks that love possessing hi-fi gadgets with advanced features and enhanced technology.The mobile phones are being replaced by i-pods launched by Sony and Apple. These devices converge the functionalities of the web, phone, camera, music player, video player, and video gaming consoles. Most of the technology companies in Japan are using convergence strategy to blend multiple functionalities into one simple looking device that is easy to use and carry around. These devices are primarily targeted towards the younger generation. Convergence technology in JapanJapan is the leading pioneer in new and innovative technology related product development that has spelled huge success for its economic growth. It is one of the leading nations using the convergence strategy to expand market for highly advanced range of products blending functionalities of many components into a single device. According to Jun Tanaka, general manager in the product planning development division at Seiko Instruments â€Å"a good converged product reflects both complexity and subtlety. It can be complex in function yet condensed so it’s efficient in use and appearance.†It is based on these principles that the product Wrist Companion is design ed that incorporate the features of a cell-phone, personal computer, and Personal Digital Assistant. This can be worn on the wrist like a watch that makes it convenient to carry around unlike mobile phones that cannot be worn as an accessory. This is being launched by Seiko Instruments of Japan. The company claims to research the needs of the consumer for small and smart electronic devices that can be treated as a fashion accessory and yet meet the high tech needs of the users.Shortcomings of these technologies However, the efficiency of the individual functionalities may be blurred in the face of such multiple functioning devices. For instance, the camera attached to a mobile phone does not have the required clarity of images and a professional photographer would prefer to use a highly equipped camera specially suited for his needs. Similarly, the music player or video player built into the mobile phone does not have high resolution picture quality that can satisfy the user.It cann ot be compared to the home theatre system or normal television quality. This poses a serious limitation to the utility of such multi-functional devices. Another shortcoming of the use of these convergence technologies is the high cost involved in making these products that reflects on their market prices. The companies launching these products conduct extensive research that incurs huge costs before the product is finally launched into the markets Seiko Instruments conduct market surveys to research consumer needs and preferences before planning their product design.The Wrist Companion was designed after extensive market research and planning. The end product is sold in the market at a price of 20,000 to 30,000 yen. The Bluetooth mobile technology has also increased the price of the product in the market. However, consumers from higher income range are willing to pay the higher price of these sophisticated devices. These products may be out of reach for many individuals but the grow ing wealthy population in Japan has created huge market demand.These products are in high demand in international markets too with many countries importing electronic devices from Japan in bulk. This has influenced the trade balances of Japan positively over the past few decades. The growth and development of digital communication technologies has led to complete restructuring of the business processes and organizational strategies. Business corporations are using the information and communication technologies in areas that can directly impact the business efficiency and add value in terms of cost and benefits.The positive impacts of the use of these technologies in business ventures are felt in enhanced productivity, increased consumer reach, higher market shares, and efficient customer service. Another dimension to the benefits provided by the increased use of communication technologies is reflected in the change in life style of the individuals who are growing highly dependent on these devices for their day-to-day activities.