Drivers of automobiles using cellular phones Essay

Drivers of automobiles using cellular phones - Essay Example Use of cell phone while driving is no less dangerous than drunk driving, and thus, should be condemned equally. People tend to deny that using cell phones while driving is dangerous and see it as a debatable topic. Cell phone use while driving is dangerous and the biggest evidence of this is the acknowledgement of dangers associated with this practice by the people who indulge in it. According to Gallup and Gallup (2003, p. 432), two-thirds of people that make use of cell phone as they drive disregard the idea that this practice is safe. There has been considerable law-making against eating while driving and sitting a child on the lap of the driver while he/she drives. Cell phone use while driving is much more dangerous than any of these cases because this practice distracts the driver mentally and makes him/her mentally absent while he/she is physically on the driving seat. The risk of using cell phone while driving increases considerably with age. As people age, they decline in the ir agility of reflexes and are not able to make best use of their capabilities. Ranney and Pulling (1990) have noted declines in the processing of information with increase of age. Arenberg (1982) determined increased difficulty in problem solving with increased age while Temple (1989) found that increase in age causes short term memory. All of these factors make the driving increasingly riskier. Findings of these researchers suggest that old people are more susceptible to accidents when they use cell phones while driving as compared to the young people. A lot of research has been conducted in the past to suggest that use of cell phone while driving is dangerous. Use of cell phones instantly slows down the reaction time of drivers and hence, makes them more susceptible to be caught in accidents. Young people hearing calls along with driving are no better than sleepy septuagenarians. David Strayer, the Professor of Psychology in the University of Utah conducted a comprehensive resear ch to analyze the effects of cell phone use on the capability of drivers. The team of researchers determined in 2001 that even the hands-free calls play an important role in distracting the drivers. A reason for this was found in 2003 as a result of the continued research. They found that although the cell phone using drivers look, yet they are not able to see because their mind is focusing on the conversation. If you put a 20-year-old driver behind the wheel with a cell phone, their reaction times are the same as a 70-year-old driver who is not using a cell phone †¦ It’s like instantly aging a large number of drivers †¦ Once drivers on cell phones hit the brakes, it takes them longer to get back into the normal flow of traffic †¦ The net result is they are impeding the overall flow of traffic. (Strayer cited in Britt, 2005). Researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign second the results derived by Strayer and his team. Arthur Kramer, the re search leader said that the cell phone using drivers of any age are not able to pick out significant changes in the surroundings, and their reaction time is also longer accordingly (Britt, 2005). Number of deaths in US per year that can be attributed to the use of cell phones while driving is 26000 while 330000 injuries happen because of accidents that

International Relations Theories and Business Essay

International Relations Theories and Business - Essay Example Two positivist schools of thought are prevalent: the realism and liberalism theories. This article will discuss the realism and liberalism theories as well as the popularly-known theory on Marxism, functionalism and constructivism, and their impacts on small businesses. The realism theory has several assumptions. Among these is the unitary form of nation-states with geographically-based actors having no authority above capable of regulating relations between states, hence, the assumption regarding the non-existence of a true world government. Further, the theory assumes that the sovereign states are the principal actors in international relations rather than non-government organizations. This leads to a situation where states compete with one another. The state also acts as the main actor for its own security and economic interests with a view that international corporations have little long-term independent influence. Moreover, there is a general distrust for long-term cooperation and alliance. In sum, the realist view that man is self-centered and competitive.2 The effect which this theory has on small businesses may be discussed in the micro and macro level. In the micro level, small businesses view themselves as competitive and self-centered. Since customer satisfaction is the main key for the survival of a business, enterprises initiate methods which make their products and services competitive in the market place such as product development and innovation. They also specialize so that consumers will go on their specialized products when they need them. Competition has its main advantage in product development and more efficient services, which mainly include quality, usefulness and beauty of the product or service. However, failing to diversify means more problems on a small enterprise who fails to cope with stiff competition in the market place. This results in smaller profits and huge expenses in the enterprise. In the macro level, the country develops its own protective policies which restrict the entrance of international markets and foreign investments, except when needed. As a result, small businesses may be provided with protection against foreign competitors that seek to attract the local market given its new technology and creative workforce. On the other hand, since the government is the main actor for its economy, foreign competitors may be replaced with government-owned and controlled corporations in competition with small enterprises. The Liberalism Theory on Small Businesses Liberalism values state preferences more than state capabilities as the determinant of state behavior. Plurality is the key term in defining state actions. There will be varying preferences from state to state and international relations are not only based on political matters but also on economic matters whether through international organizations, commercial firms, partnerships or individuals. The concept of liberalism flows in international cooperation and wider notions of power.3 The impact of liberalist policies on small enterprises is material. As a result of government's liberal concept, less restrictive economic policies are being initiated that invite foreign competition. The local small business enterprises may have difficulty in coping with foreign competitio