Restrictive health, safety and technical standards Essay Example for Free

Restrictive health, safety and technical standards Essay Technical Standards: Standards and standards-related technical regulations are pervasive features of global commerce, affecting an estimated 80 percent of world commodity trade. These technical specifications make up much of the vocabulary in the exacting language of industry, consumer protection, and government regulation. As such, foreign standards and methods used to assess conformity to standards can either facilitate efficient international trade and its resultant benefits, or they can impede access to export markets. Divergent standards peculiar to a nation or region, redundant testing and compliance procedures, unilateral and non-transparent standard setting exercises, and a confusing thicket of other standards-related problems are now recognized as major impediments to free trade. For example: Vietnams Ministry of Science and Technology publishes a list of imports and exports requiring mandatory quality inspection. Importers and exporters of the products on the list must subject their products to inspection and obtain a permit from the relevant government agencies (such as the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Fishery, and the Ministry of Science and Technology) at the time they go through customs. In the inspection, some products are subject to national standards, some are subject to regulations of the functional agencies, and some are subject to both. China is very concerned with the transparency of Vietnams mandatory quality inspection system. Language Barrier: Communication is the key to building successful business relationships. However, communication becomes complex when more than one language is involved. Interpreters and translators can play a critical role assisting exporters with the delivery of key information to prospective customers and clients. Interpreters and translators fulfill different roles in different cultures. For example, an interpreter in North America or Europe is expected to relay an unbiased account of the information to the audience. In Japan, however, an interpreter will translate the language and quite likely interpret gestures, context and meanings for those in attendance. Exporters should enlist the services of an experienced, fluent translator or interpreter who is also immersed in the culture of the target market. Working as a team, the exporter and the interpreter can review the text, presentation or other materials together to ensure that there will be no difficulties with background information, technical terms or potentially ambiguous messages. Non-tariff Barriers. Non-tariff barriers (NTBs) refer to the wide range of policy interventions other than border tariffs that affect trade of goods, services, and factors of production. Most taxonomies of NTBs include market-specific trade and domestic policies affecting trade in that market. Extended taxonomies include macro-economic policies affecting trade. NTBs have gained importance as tariff levels have been reduced worldwide. Common measures of NTBs include tariff-equivalents of the NTB policy or policies and count and frequency measures of NTBs. These NTB measures are subsequently used in various trade models, including gravity equations, to assess trade and/or welfare effects of the measured NTBs. Conclusion The world has a long history of international trade. In fact, trading among nations can be traced back to the earliest civilizations. Trading activities are directly related to an improved quality of life for the citizens of nations involved in international trade. It is safe to say that nearly every person on earth has benefited from international trading activities. This may be a good time to reinforce the idea that trade barriers are designed to protect some industries but, in fact they may hurt other industries or even consumers. Economists have found that sanctions dont often reach their political objectives and they come with high costs. A good example is the steel tariff imposed by the Bush administration, on foreign-made steel. President Bush imposed the tariffs, ranging from 8 percent to 30 percent, on some kinds of foreign steel in March 2002, in order to help the U. S. steel industry compete with foreign steel producers. Many U. S. manufacturing companies that use steel, including manufacturers of auto parts and appliances, say that the steel tariffs have raised costs for manufacturers and caused thousands of manufacturing losses. Also, people who buy cars or appliances may have to pay higher prices because of the steel tariffs. The U. S. International Trade Commission recently concluded that the tariffs have caused a $30 million net loss to the U. S. economy. In addition, the European Union is considering retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. TBR (Trade Barrier Regulation) is Europes way of removing obstacles to trade, ensuring that countries abide by the rules of international trade, and providing procedures for resolving international trade disputes. Through the European Commission, its procedures interface directly with WTO dispute resolution procedures, affecting all countries subject to WTO rules and agreements notably the United States and Japan and whose industries have been the subject of recent international decisions. Free trade is usually most strongly supported by the most economically powerful nations in the world, though they often engage in selective protectionism for those industries which are politically important domestically, such as the protective tariffs applied to agriculture and textiles by the United States and Europe. The Netherlands and the United Kingdom were both strong advocates of free trade when they were economically dominant, today the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan are its greatest proponents. However, many other countries (such as India, China and Russia) are increasingly becoming advocates of free trade as they become more economically powerful themselves. As tariff levels fall there is also an increasing willingness to negotiate non tariff measures, including foreign direct investment, procurement and trade facilitation. The latter looks at the transaction cost associated with meeting trade and customs procedures. Traditionally agricultural interests are usually in favour of free trade while manufacturing sectors often support protectionism. This has changed somewhat in recent years, however. In fact, agricultural lobbies, particularly in the United States, Europe and Japan, are chiefly responsible for particular rules in the major international trade treaties which allow for more protectionist measures in agriculture than for most other goods and services. During recessions there is often strong domestic pressure to increase tariffs to protect domestic industries. This occurred around the world during the Great Depression leading to a collapse in world trade that many believe seriously deepened the depression. The regulation of international trade is done through the World Trade Organization at the global level, and through several other regional arrangements such as MERCOSUR in South America, NAFTA between the United States, Canada and Mexico, and the European Union between 27 independent states. The 2005 Buenos Aires talks on the planned establishment of the FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americas) failed largely due to opposition from the populations of Latin American nations. Similar agreements such as the MAI (Multilateral Agreement on Investment) have also failed in recent years. Bibliography 1. Barriers to entry: Coping with protectionism. UK Investment. 18 April 2007 http://www. ukinvest. gov. uk/10415/en_GB/0. pdf 2. Boone, L. , and Kurtz, D. Contemporary Marketing. New York: Dryden Press. 2003 3. Brue, S. , and McConnell, C. Economics. New York: McGraw-Hill. 2003 4. Churchill, G. , and Peter, P. Marketing: Creating Value for Customers. Austen Press. 2004 5. Czinkota, M. R. , and Ronkainen, I. A. International Marketing. New York: Dryden Press. 2005 6. Competition and Market Power. Econoclass – Sources for Economics Teachers. 18 April 2007 http://www.econoclass. com/imperfectcompetition. html 7. Deardorff, Alan V. , and Robert M. Stern. Measurement of Nontariff Barriers: Studies in International Economics. 2005 8. Debra Ann Skaradzinski. Testing chaotic dynamics via Lyapunov exponents. Journal of Applied Econometrics 20:7, (2003): 911. 9. Fisher, Ronald, and Pablo Serra. â€Å"Standards and Protection. † Journal of International Economics 52 (2004): 377-400. 10. Farese, L. , Kimbrell, G. , and Woloszyk, C. Marketing Essentials. Mission Hills, CA: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill. 2003 11. Henson, Spencer, and John S. Wilson, eds. The WTO and Technical Barriers toTrade, in the Critical Perspectives on the Global Trading System and the WTO series, Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd. 2005 12. Impact of Standards and Technical Regulations on Trade. Press Release from Commerce Ministry (2003). 18 April 2007 http://www. commerce. gov/opa/press/Secretary_Evans/2003_Releases/March/19_Standards. htm 13. Journal of Behavioral Finance, Vol. 4, No. 2, (2003): Pages 65-70 14. Kee, Hiau Looi, Alessandro Nicita, and Marcelo Olarreaga. Estimating Trade Restrictiveness Indices, World Bank Policy Research Working Paper # 3840.2006 15. Kotler, P. , and Armstrong, G. Marketing: An Introduction. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall. 2004 16. â€Å"Methodologies, Classifications, Quantification and Development Impacts of Non-Tariff Barriers: Note by the UNCTAD Secretariat,† Document TD/B/COM. 1/EM. 27/2. (2004). 18 April 2007 http://www. unctad. org/TEMPLATES/meeting. asp? intItemID=3411lang=1m=10489info=not 17. Non-tariff Barriers Centre for Rural Agricultural Development (2003). 18 April 2007 www. econ. iastate. edu/research/webpapers/paper_12703. pdf 18. RSIE Working Papers. University of Michigan.(2005). 18 April 2007 http://www. fordschool. umich. edu/rsie/workingpapers/wp. html 19. The Impact of Regulations on Agricultural Trade. Working Paper, Centre d’Etudes Prospectives et d’Informations Internationales, Paris. (2003). 18 April 2007 www. econ. iastate. edu/research/webpapers/paper_12703. pdf 20. Trade, Environment and Development. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). (2005). 18 April 2007 www. unctad. org/trade_env/ 21. Vousden, Neil. The Economics of Trade Protection. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. 2005.

Emergent Properties of Choice :: Allais Paradox Essays

Emergent Properties of Choice ABSTRACT: Allais' paradox provides a convenient way to demonstrate that the distribution of alternatives we face in a situation of choice may give rise to new factors. These emergent factors may need to influence a one time choice of rational decision-makers, although they should not be taken into account in long reiterative games. I start from a brief presentation of Allais' paradox; yet, I am not primarily concerned with the question how to solve it. The paradox provides a convenient way to demonstrate that distribution of alternatives we face in a situation of choice may give rise to new factors. These emergent properties may need to influence a one time choice of rational decision-makers, although they should not be taken into account in long reiterative games. Let me introduce to you decisiotheoretic emergentism. According to the independence axiom an outcome of the choice shall be neutral if a constant value is added to each alternative. But if we consider the table of preferences presented by Allais this presumption seems intuitively questionable. Y=1 B=10 R=89 g1 M M M g2 0 5M M g3 M M 0 g4 0 5M 0 In the choice between g1 and g2 (where M stands for one million crowns), most people choose g1 over g2, although g2 gives higher expected value. Yet, if we choose between g3 and g4, almost everybody prefers g4 over g3. But the problem may be seen as two identical alternatives g1=g3 and g2=g4 just in the choice between g1 and g2 in column R an outcome of one million crowns has been added to each alternative whereas in the second case the constant added equals zero. These results contradict with the independence axiom. The first solution is to go Savage's way and, after reconsideration, to change one's mind in the g1/g2 choice. But strong intuitiveness of the Allais paradox makes this solution less than attractive. It might seem better to search for some troublesome decisio-theoretic axioms easy to replace. This is the way decision theorists usually go. But they have a problem in finding axioms to be eliminated.

Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyle

THE IMPORTANCE OF HEALTHY LIFESTYLE Why is living a healthy lifestyle important? Better lifestyle habits will reduce your risk of heart attack, you will feel better, have more energy and reduce your risk of illness. Living healthy also elevates your mood, helping you to feel happy and have more self confidence, which results in a better quality of life. Take an active approach to living healthy and improve you health. Living a healthy lifestyle is very important due to the increase of obesity in the United States. If you are not doing everything you can to improve your overall health you are jeopardizing the quality of your life.Today you can gain knowledge on the best foods for you, the best exercise routines for you and further information you need to help on your way to a healthier lifestyle. Today you will learn the importance of living a healthy lifestyle. Healthier living is becoming more important for people all over the world. Currently, more than 66% of US adults are either overweight or obese. The greatest increase is in the body mass index. Roughly 59 million American adults are in this group, which is the greatest health risk.Living a healthy lifestyle is very important in older people and is positively related to a reduced risk and a delay in the deterioration in their health. It slows down the aging process and helps the older generation stay strong and healthy. Living a healthier lifestyle also slows down the disease development and contributes to a longer life. The importance of a healthy lifestyle in children has grown tremendously. Obesity in children is increasing in all countries. Because of this factor it is more important than ever that we educate our children on the importance of a healthier living.They need to learn to eat healthy foods and they need to be put on a daily or 3 times weekly exercise schedule. Let your children know the health risks involved in being overweight. If we teach our children the pros of living a healthier lifest yle they will carry this knowledge throughout their lives and become more productive and happier adults. Health issues associated with overweight children are diabetes and heart disease. These are the two most common side effects of childhood obesity. Any problems your child may have with obesity could and probably will be carried over to their adult life.Therefore, teaching them the importance of a healthy lifestyle at a young age is of utmost importance. The importance of a healthy lifestyle in the prevention of disease is widely understood and most people know that lifestyle changes and choices can be critical in determining their health and lifespan. Yet less than 5% of the population in the United States practices a healthy lifestyle. Living your life in a healthier manner will help create a strong body, strong mind and higher self-esteem: You need to drink lots of water, have regular physical activity, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, and protein.DO NOT smoke, drink or put a ny chemicals in your body that would cause your body harm. Nutrition is a key factor in the living of a healthy lifestyle. You need to look at what you eat now, lower your calories, make healthier choices and get educated. Another factor in the importance of living a healthy lifestyle is exercise. Muscle burns fat and therefore we must feed the muscle through good nutrition and build the muscle through healthy exercising. Protein stops muscle loss.It not only helps build your muscles when you are exercising it helps you keep your muscle in the times when you are unable to exercise. On your road to living healthier you could include protein bars and protein shakes as well as other sources of protein. What do I mean about healthy exercising? Well, some people tend to go overboard and lose track of the word healthy. They want to be thin fast and they get so obsessed they never see themselves as thin so they over exercise and actually cause injuries to their bodies. Exercise at a pace y our body can handle and slowly work up.The slower the weight comes off the more likely you will be to keep the weight off. I cannot stress enough the importance of living a health lifestyle, educating yourself and treating your body with the respect it deserves. You can do all of that right here. We have everything you need to learn about the importance of a healthy lifestyle. You will find articles, recipes, exercise information, and various other things to help you take steps to learning the importance of and start living a healthier lifestyle today! http://fit4lifefriends. com/topic/93444/1/

Evidence based Free Essay Example, 3000 words

Application of evidence in management is however more evident in the health sector as every hospital in the world seeks to improve their decision making processes. Need for use of EBM The structure of clinical practice has been relied on empirical and past experiences in its daily basis application. In contrast, huge developments in the healthcare system have changed the center of attention from empirical and experiences to basing health issues on evidence provided. The increased use of Information Technology has transformed EBM to a world project given that policy makers are in a position to access findings from various research groups available on the internet and examine them to assess their levels of proficiency (Phillips et al. 2003). In case the findings from various research centers prove to indicate consistency, the results are practical and can be incorporated in health care system. In order to reinforce EBM, different countries have been involved in various projects, which aim at fully associating decision making with evidence. For instance, approximately eleven thousand trials are receiving external support through public funds in the US (Morrell, 2008 ). Resistance to EBM practice by medical practitioners Efforts to promote decision making based on evidence has faced great challenges. We will write a custom essay sample on Evidence based or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now The most notable one being resistance by leaders and managers who are opposed to change due to their personal reasons (Shortell, Rundall & Hsu, 2007). Research indicates that majority of leaders in various professions are opposed to changes due to fear that they may lose their jobs. The same problem befalls efforts to implement EBM in both healthcare and other professions. Given that implementation of EBM requires certain special knowledge of research methods and IT, managers and other health practitioners are reluctant to adopt the practice in fear that they may lose their jobs. According to Phillips et al. , (2003), evidence that has been acquired from literature indicates little connection between developed and translated evidence. In addition, personal practitioners need to be appreciated for their endeavors to practice evidence based treatment in order to increase their motivation levels in pursuing further research. All Health policy makers should embrace and exercise frequent consultations in different Health sectors in order to increase the quality levels of available evidence. In addition, there should be constant training for stakeholders such as health practitioners and patients, which advocates for the significance of EBM.