Breastfeeding Vs. Formula Feeding Essay

Feeding your new baby is one of the first activities you accomplish as a mom. As a new parent, it is your responsibility to make sure your baby will get off to a good nutritional start. To do that means, you must decide what is best for you and your baby, whether to breastfeed, or to formula feed. Both choices have pros and cons, but it is totally up to you to choose which is best for you and your child. There is no doubt that breastfeeding contains all the nutrients your baby needs for proper growth and development. Studies prove that breast milk provides optimal health benefits for your newborn. Mother’s milk is easily digested, has perfectly matched nutrition for the baby, and is filled with antibodies that protect against infection. Further more, breastfed babies are less likely to suffer from ear infections, diaper rash, and intestinal upsets. In addition, breast milk offers immune system boosters and fatty acids specific to humans that promote optimal brain growth. Not only does breastfeeding benefit your baby, it has many advantages for you. Breastfeeding is convenient. There is no need to get out of bed at 2 a.m. to prepare a bottle. All you have to do is hold your baby to your chest and feed. Next, breastfeeding is very economical. Since breast milk is self- produced, you don’t need money to buy an endless supply of food. Last, breastfeeding is helpful in the process of returning your body to its normal state. While feeding, hormones are produced that make your organs contract into their natural size. Formula feeding, though, is a good alternative for mothers who are unable to breastfeed due to a variety of reasons. For instance, some women are unable  to produce milk. Certain breast reduction surgeries with nipple relocation could be an example of this situation. Also, any medication taken by a mother can be transferred through breast milk to the infant. So, if you are taking treatments such as, antibiotics, or anti- depressants, it would be best to formula feed because those drugs can enter your child’s system through breast milk. Also, formula feeding can be a better alternative for mothers on the go. If you are a working mother, in school, or otherwise away from your child for long periods of time breastfeeding can be burdensome. Your child will cry for you, and your breast will leak in desperation for your baby. By formula feeding, you are given the chance to be away from your child, without worrying about him, or her crying for you. Their care- giver can prepare a bottle, and your baby’s hunger will be satisfied. For the first few months of the baby’s life, it seems as if all the baby does is feed. But, your baby gets a lot more than nutrition from meals; Feeding your baby by breast or bottle also gives you and your child the cuddle, closeness, and bonding time necessary for a growing mother/child relationship. Your choice whether to breastfeed, or formula feed is exactly that†¦your choice. It is entirely a personal decision. You should look deep inside and decide what is best for you. Whatever you choose, it is the right decision, because you made the choice for yourself.

Maternity Leave Essay

Maternity leave benefits is found under the Article 133 of the Labor Code and Section 14-A of â€Å"Social Security Act of 1997†³ (Republic Act No. 8282). Checklist for Availment of Maternity Benefits under Social Security Act The pregnant woman employee must have paid at least three monthly contributions within the 12-month period immediately preceding the semester of her childbirth or miscarriage. She has given the required notification of her pregnancy through her employer if employed, or to the SSS if separated, voluntary or self-employed member. Maternity Leave Under Article 133(a) of the Labor Code, â€Å"Every employer shall grant to any pregnant woman employees who has rendered an aggregate service of at least six months for the last twelve months, maternity leave of at least two weeks prior to the expected date of delivery and another four weeks after normal delivery or abortion, with full pay based on her regular or average weekly wages.† From the above provision, a qualified pregnant woman employee shall be entitled maternity leave of at least two weeks prior to expected date of delivery and another four weeks after normal delivery or abortion. That’s a total of six weeks maternity leave. (Note: Article 133, particularly provisions pertaining to benefits and procedure for availment, must give way to Social Security Act.) Leave extension Maternity leave may be extended on account of illness arising out of the pregnancy, delivery, abortion or miscarriage, which renders the woman unfit for work. Extended maternity leave is without pay, but may be charged against any unused leave credits. Maternity Benefits under SSS Law A pregnant woman member of SSS who has paid at least three monthly contributions in the twelve-month period immediately preceding the semester of her childbirth or miscarriage shall be paid a daily maternity benefit. Amount SSS maternity benefit shall be equivalent to 100% of the pregnant employee’s average daily salary credit for 60 days, or 78 days in case of caesarian delivery. Time of payment The full payment of maternity benefits shall be advanced by the employer within 30 days from the filing of the maternity leave application. Who makes the payment The SSS shoulders the payment of maternity benefits. But the procedure is that the payment is to be initially advanced by the employer, subject to immediate reimbursement by SSS. Checklist for Availment The pregnant woman employee must have paid at least three monthly contributions within the 12-month period immediately preceding the semester of her childbirth or miscarriage. She has given the required notification of her pregnancy through her employer if employed, or to the SSS if separated, voluntary or self-employed member. â€Å"3-monthly Contribution† Illustration To avail of maternity benefits, the woman employee must have paid at least three monthly contributions within the 12-month period immediately preceding the semester of her childbirth or miscarriage. A semester refers to two consecutive quarters ending in the quarter of contingency; A quarter refers to three consecutive months ending March, June, September or December. To illustrate, assume that the projected date of delivery is March 2010. The semester of childbirth would be from October 2009 to March 2010. This is called the semester of contingency. Count 12 months backwards starting from the month immediately before the semester of contingency, which is September 2009. Hence, the 12-month period immediately preceding the semester of childbirth or miscarriage is from October 2008 to September 2009. To avail of the benefits, the employee must have paid at least 3 monthly contributions during this period. Note that this requirement supersedes Article 133, which requires that the woman employees must have rendered an aggregate service of at least six months for the last twelve months. Valid marriage not required Unlike in paternity leave where valid marriage is a requisite for availment, the existence of a valid marriage is not required to avail of maternity leave benefits. Limitation on Availment Entitlement to maternity leave under the Labor Code and maternity benefits under the SSS Law applies only for the first four delivery. Bar to recovery of sickness benefits. That payment of daily maternity benefits is a bar to the recovery of SSS sickness benefits for the same period for which daily maternity benefits have been received. Effect of Failure of Employer to Remit Contribution. If the employer fails to remit the required contributions, or to notify SSS of the time of the pregnancy, the employer shall pay to the SSS damages equivalent to the benefits which said employee member would otherwise have been entitled to. Tax Treatment of Meternity Benefit Maternity benefits advanced by employer to employee are excluded from gross income and thus exempt from withholding tax. Under the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC), all â€Å"benefits received from or enjoyed under the Social Security System in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act No. 8282†³ shall not be included in gross income and shall be exempt from taxation. (Section 32 [B][6][e], NIRC) What You Should Know About Maternity Leave Benefits in the Philippines? Maternity Leave Benefit in the Philippines varies depending on your employment. This article only covers employees from the private sector . According to Book III Title III Chapter 1 of the Philippine Labor Code [Presidential Decree No. 422, as Amended]: ART. 133. Maternity leave benefits. – (a) Every employer shall grant to any pregnant woman employee who has rendered an aggregate service of at least six (6) months for the last twelve (12) months, maternity leave of at least two (2) weeks prior to the expected date of delivery and another four (4) weeks after normal delivery or abortion with full pay based on her regular or average weekly wages. The employer may require from any woman employee applying for maternity leave the production of a medical certificate stating that delivery will probably take place within two weeks. (b) The maternity leave shall be extended without pay on account of illness medically certified to arise out of the pregnancy, delivery, abortion or miscarriage, which renders the woman unfit for work, unless she has earned unused leave credits from which such extended leave may be charged. (c) The maternity leave provided in this Article shall be paid by the employer only for the first four (4) deliveries by a woman employee after the effectivity of this Code. Furthermore, Republic Act No. 7322 AN ACT INCREASING MATERNITY BENEFITS IN FAVOR OF WOMEN WORKERS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 14-A OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 1161, AS AMENDED, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES states: SECTION 1. Section 14-A of Republic Act No. 1161, as amended, is further amended to read as follows: SEC. 14-A. Maternity Leave Benefit. – A covered female employee who has paid at least three monthly maternity contributions in the twelve-month period preceding the semester of her childbirth, abortion or miscarriage and who is currently employed shall be paid a daily maternity benefit equivalent to one hundred percent (100%) of her present basic salary, allowances and other benefits or the cash equivalent of such benefits for sixty (60) days subject to the following conditions: (a) That the employee shall have notified her employer of her pregnancy and the probable date of her childbirth which notice shall be transmitted to the SSS in accordance with th e rules and regulations it may provide; (b) That the payment shall be advanced by the employer in two equal installments within thirty (30) days from the filing of the maternity leave application: (c) That in case of caesarean delivery, the employee shall be paid the daily maternity benefit for seventy-eight (78) days; (d) That payment of daily maternity benefits shall be a bar to the recovery of sickness benefits provided by this Act for the same compensable period of sixty (60) days for the same childbirth, abortion, or miscarriage; (e) That the maternity benefits provided under this Section shall be paid only for the first four deliveries after March 13, 1973; (f) That the SSS shall immediately reimburse the employer of one hundred percent (100%) of the amount of maternity benefits advanced to the employee by the employer upon receipt of satisfactory proof of such payment and legality thereof; and (g) That if an employee should give birth or suffer abortion or miscarriage without the required contributions having been remitted for her by her employer to the SSS, or without the latter having been previously notified by the employer of the time of the pregnancy, the employer shall pay to the SSS damages equivalent to the benefits which said employee would otherwise have been entitled to, and the SSS shall in turn pay such amount to the employee concerned.† SEC. 2. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as to diminish existing maternity benefits under present laws and collective bargaining agreements. SEC. 3. All laws, executive orders, prodamations,.presidential decrees, rules and regulations, and other issuances, or parts hereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation, whichever comes earlier. In short, you are entitled to a 60 days maternity leave (78 if you had a caesarean delivery) provided that: 1. you have notified your employer of your pregnancy including your estimated delivery date; 2. you are an active SSS member and employee at the time of your delivery; 3. you have paid a minimum of three month contribution to SSS within the 12-month period prior to your delivery (miscarriage); and 4. this is your first, second, third or fourth pregnancy (and/or miscarriage) So remember, Once you’ve confirmed your pregnancy (usually once you’ve got your first ultrasound), make sure to file the necessary papers to notify your company. This is around 6-8 weeks of pregnancy. It’s very important that you file early so you can avail of your benefits should anything happen to you like miscarriage or other complication that would require you to take an early leave. File your maternity leave early. Your company is mandated by law to give you your maternity benefit within 30 days of filling. They usually release advance payment before your leave if you file it on time. Otherwise, you might have to after giving birth. Company may have other policies about maternity benefits, so make sure to review your contract and talk to your company’s HR personnel so know what you’re entitled to. Also once you’ve given birth, don’t forget to submit all the necessary documents to your HR so they can submit them to SSS for reimbursement. You would need to submit following: SSS Form MAT-1 and MAT-2, your child’s birth certificate, your SSS ID, obstetrical history and operating record for caesarean delivery. The SSS forms are available in your HR department or you can get a copy at sss.gov.ph. The full list of requirements is also available in the site. When I posted about maternity leave benefits in my old blog, a lot of people ask why some of them got less than their 60-day salary. The maternity benefit you are entitled as an SSS member is 100% of your average daily salary credit multiplied by 60 (78) days. The details of the computation can be found here. You’ll also see there that the maximum salary credit per day is around Php 500 so at most, you’ll be able to receive around Php 30,000 for normal delivery and Php 39,000 for caesarean delivery. Self-employeed SSS members and also voluntary SSS members are also entitled to this same SSS Maternity Benefits as long as they meet the requirements mentioned above. The only difference is they do the filing and notification directly to SSS. I work in the government sector. Am I entitled to maternity leave? Every pregnant employee is entitled to maternity leave but the conditions change depending on several factors. If you are a government employee, you are allowed to take a maternity leave of 60 calendar days with pay, whether you deliver via normal or cesarean delivery. You are also entitled to maternity benefits in full if you have been working for your government office or agency for at least two years. If you have rendered service for more than a year but less than two years, you will receive maternity benefits in proportion to your length of service. (And half-pay if you have been working there for less than one year.) Maternity leave covers both childbirth and miscarriage. The law provides minimum requirements that you can expect from your employer. Talk to your human resources manager or administrative officer to find out if your employer provides greater maternity benefits than the required minimum. Read your employment contract or collective bargaining agreement carefully and see what it says about your employer’s policy on maternity leaves and benefits. I work for a private company. What maternity benefits am I entitled to? A private sector employee is entitled to take a leave with full pay for 60 calendar days (for normal delivery) or 78 calendar days (for cesarean delivery) as long as certain conditions are met: * You are an SSS member employed at the time of delivery or miscarriage. * You have previously notified your employer about your pregnancy and due date. * You have paid at least three monthly contributions to the SSS within the 12-month period preceding your semester of childbirth or miscarriage. * Understand that you can claim maternity benefits only for your first four deliveries, including miscarriages. What do you mean by semester of childbirth? This is the six-month period prior to your giving birth. For example, if you expect to give birth in June 2012, your semester of childbirth is the period from January 2012 to June 2012. What about the three monthly contributions preceding the semester of childbirth? SSS requires that in the 12 months preceding your semester of childbirth (if you’re due in June 2012, then the period is January to December 2011), you should have paid at least 3 monthly contributions. This 12-month period is important because they will determine how much maternity pay to give you based on your monthly salary during this 12-month period. SSS has a formula for computing your maternity benefit using your six highest monthly credits. What do I have to submit to my employer? Make sure that you: * Give your employer a notice of your pregnancy and due date by submitting SSS Form MAT-1(Maternity Notification Form) at least 60 days from the time you know about your pregnancy and proof of pregnancy, such as laboratory test results, ultrasound report and a medical certificate from your doctor. Your employer will then submit these documents to the SSS. * Maternity leave covers both childbirth and miscarriage. The law provides the minimum requirements that you can expect from your employer. Some companies give more than the minimum requirements. Talk to your human resources manager or administrative officer so you’ll know what your company offers. It would be good to read your employment contract or collective bargaining agreement and learn more about your employer’s policy on maternity leaves and benefits. Your company’s maternity policy may be better than the legal minimum. Thus your entitlements could be different from those of your colleagues or friends working for other companies. Find out exactly what your entitlements are by contacting: * your human resources or personnel manager * your labor union representative * the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Regional Office in your place of work Before taking maternity leave File your maternity leave application a few weeks before the start of your leave. You will want to give your employer enough time to make arrangements and ensure that the company is not affected by your absence. The common practice is to go on leave two weeks before your due date so you can have enough time to prepare for the birth of your child. How do I claim my SSS maternity benefits? You may claim your SSS maternity benefits directly from your employer in full within 30 calendar days from the filing of your maternity leave application. Your employer is required to pay the amount of the claim in advance, subject to reimbursement by the SSS. You also need to submit other documents such as: * SSS Form MAT-1 and MAT-2 * your child’s birth certificate * operating room records for cesarean delivery * obstetrical history in cases of miscarriage or abortion * your SSS I.D.

Financial Ratios and Stock Return Predictability

The results indicate that DY and EY ratios has direct positive association with stock return where as B/M ratio has significant negative relationship with stock return. Therefore we can say that the above mentioned ratios are able to predict stock returns, furthermore it can be seen that as compare to dividend yield and earning yield the ratio of book to market has the highest predictive power. Moreover when we combine these financial ratios the predictability of stock returns will enhance. Keywords: Financial ratios, Stock return, Karachi Stock Exchange, Dividend Yield, Earning Yield. 1.Introduction Stock Market plays a very significant role in the economic growth of a country. According to A. Schrimpf (2010) there is significant economic aftermath of the existence of stock return predictability. S. Kheradyar et al, (2011), â€Å"The Analytics of Economic Time Series†, states that in stocks market share prices move randomly i. e. on certain day share prices are like to go dow n as they were like to up. Such random behavior worried some of the financial economists and followed by further research. Hence such random movement of share prices lead to a hypothesis called Random Walk Hypothesis.Random walk hypothesis suggest that it is difficult to predict share prices because stock prices evolved, now it will be showing upward trend but after some time such might be showing downward trend. Hence predicting 100% accuracy of stock return is almost impossible. In contrast to Random Walk Behavior is efficient market hypothesis. According to efficient market hypothesis share prices are fairly priced in the stock market or prices of stock demonstrates information in the market is widely and equally available to all and no one in the market can outperform or can beat the market.With the passage of time researchers tries to find out most accurate variables for predicting stock prices, some were tend towards financial and some were towards profitability ratios i. e. b ook to market ratio, price to earnings ratio, 1 Research Journal of Finance and Accounting ISSN 2222-1697 (Paper) ISSN 2222-2847 (Online) Vol 3, No 10, 2012 www. iiste. org dividend yield, etc some were tend towards cash flow ratios like price to cash flow ratio, cash burn ratio, etc and some focused on macroeconomic variable like interest rate, law and order situation and inflation rate etc.In this research article we have investigated 3 above mentioned ratios to determine whether they predict stock returns. This research study has used the stock return and the above mentioned financial ratios association at two samples as the foundation for the formulation of Eight hypotheses. On the grounds of their appropriate regression models the eight hypotheses are divided into two sets. In this study we have used the two models of simple and multiple regressions to apply Predictive regression; it is an important tool for predicting stock returns. A set of panal data is used for the formulat ion of these two models.For tackling the problem of heteroskedasticity and non-normality distributed residuals, we applied generalized least squares method. 2. Literature Review Campbell and Shiller (1988) stated in their study that as dividend yield has the ability to confine expected return and expectation about growth in dividend yield so dividend yield is good predictor of stock return. Chan, L. Hamao, Y. Yakonishok, J. (1991), found that in Japanese market fundamental variables like dividend yield, price to earnings ratio, book to market ratio and firm’s size have significant impact on expected earning/returns of stocks.They notify that there is indirect relationship between earning yield and stocks returns in Japan. In comparison of the size of the firm and earning yield, B/M and dividend yield (cash flow yield) are significantly related with returns of stocks. They further added that an important variable both economically and statistically is book to market ratio and this need to be observe because either the afterward half of the sample is judged or for the first time test is applied the book to market ratio shows it continuation. Mukerji, S. Dhatt, M. Kim, Y. 1997), on Korean Stock market for a period of 1982-1992 establish a direct relationship between return of stocks and D/E, S/P and B/M, moreover an indirect relationship between size of firm and return of stocks. They demonstrated that P/E ratio is less trustworthy indicator than B/M and S/P. Beta is a week proxy for assessment of risk when compare with debt to equity ratio. B/M and S/P are responsible for the direct relationship between return of stocks and debt to equity. However a P/E and B/M ratio becomes the base for indirect relationship between return of stocks and size of the firm.Kothari and Shanken (1997) found for US market that dividend yield and book to market ratios have dependable proof for expected real return over a period 1926-1991, and there lies a track of time series v ariations. Pontiff and Schall (1998) stated that as for predicting power is concerned book to market ratio has some predictability power for predicting stock returns. Lewellen (2002) conducted his study in US he found that predictability power of dividend yield for predicting stock returns is more than P/E and B/M ratios.Ang, A. , and Bekaert, G. , (2006), in their studies tried to forecast interest rate and stock returns with the help of predictive power of dividend yield. They found for short term forecasting, dividend yield predictive power is more than the long term forecasting. But as for the expected growth of cash flow prediction is concerned than dividend yield is a good predictive variable. Akyol, A. (2006), â€Å"analyzed the effect of firm’s size, beta, and book-to-market value on the stock returns in Istanbul stock exchange.He used data from July 1993 to December 2005 for Istanbul Stock Exchange and used Fama and French (1992) methodology to construct portfolios represented accurately by size-beta and then size-book-to-market, he found that book to market and Beta of a firms have no effect on the stock return’s in Istanbul stock exchange. Size of the firm was the only variable which was negatively related to the stock returns in Istanbul stock exchange. He also found that book to market, size and beta is not related with January effects. Hjalmarsson, E. (2004), in his study tried to find out Global stock returns predictability.He took twenty thousand monthly observation form forty international stock markets. In which 24 were of developed economy and 16 were of developing economy. However his study showed that dividend yield and price to earnings ratio has little power of predictability and defends his conclusion by adding that international result is showing deviation from traditional view because the method use internationally may not count for determination of variables. 2. 1 Hypotheses H1: return of stock and DY has no associatio n in time (t) and (t-1) respectively in sample one.H2 return of stock and EY has no association in time (t) and (t-1) respectively in sample one. H3: return of stock and B/M has no association in time (t) and (t-1) respectively in sample one. H4: return of stock and DY has no association in time (t) and (t-1) respectively in sample two. H5: return of stock and EY has no association in time (t) and (t-1) respectively in sample two. H6: return of stock and B/M has no association in time (t) and (t-1) respectively in sample two. 2 Research Journal of Finance and Accounting ISSN 2222-1697 (Paper) ISSN 2222-2847 (Online)Vol 3, No 10, 2012 ww. iiste. org H7: return of stock and DY, EY, B/M combination has no association in time (t) and (t-1) respectively in sample one. H8: return of stock and DY, EY, B/M combination has no association in time (t) and (t-1) respectively in sample two. 3. Research Methodology In order to check predictability power of earning yield, dividend yield and book t o market ratios for predicting stock returns the study has taken a sample of 100 firms for a period of 2005-2011. We have applied certain screening criteria’s for companies to be included in the sample.First, the firm must be listed on the KSE before Jan 1st 2005. 2nd, for more than twelve months a stock must not be deferred. 3rd, for the study period of seven years a company stock must not be delisted. 4th, data must be available for all sample firms and variables. Finally, for a period of more than twelve months the dividend yield of firms must not be zero. The study has divided the selected firms into two equal samples, which will reduce the effects of random sampling errors and for the predictive regression two samples produce different estimation.The study is based on secondary data, which is collected from, â€Å"State Bank of Pakistan†, company’s annual reports, business recorder and from â€Å"Karachi stock exchange†. Following S. Kheradyar et al, (2011) this study includes stock returns as dependent variable while dividend yield, earning yield and B/M ratios has been taken as independent variables. 4. Measurement of Variables 4. 1 Stock Return Following Lewellen (2001) and S. Kheradyar et al, (2011) we have used stock return as dependent variable.Stock return is measured by dividing capital gain along with dividend per share on market price per share. Following is the formula for stock returns. SRi = DPs + capital gain/market price 4. 2 Book to Market Ratio For finding value of company by comparison of market value of a share to its book value, study tends towards book to market ratio. For finding book value of a firm the study divide equity of a firm by its total number of outstanding shares. As for market price is concerned study tend towards the ongoing price of share in stock market.If a firm offer high return and having high book value than its market value, the firm is riskier and in future returns of stock will be lo wered than today. The following formula is used for calculating book to market value: B/M = Book Value per share Market value per share Lewellen (2001) states that as compare to P/E ratio B/M has higher predictive power for predicting stock return. But when study compare B/M ratio with dividend yield than dividend yield is good forecaster than B/M ratio. 4. 3 Dividend yield Following S.Kheradyar et al, (2011) second independent variable in this study is Dividend yield which is calculated as dividing dividend per share on market price per share. If market price is lower than dividend yield will be higher and give a riskier signal for investment. Contrast to higher dividend yield is low dividend yield; such happen when market price per share is higher than dividend yield and gives an optimistic view for investment.The following formula demonstrates how to calculate dividend yield: Dividend Yield (%) = (Dividend per Share / Market rate per share) x 100 4. Earning Yield The empirical li teratures lay foundations of the predictive power of earning yield on stock return, and find out the association between earning yield and stock return is considerable, because earning yield plays as a risk factor in relation with stock return. Moreover, the earning yield can demonstrate the efficiency of market that has an important role in emerging markets, thus this study uses earning yield as the empirical predictor of stock return. Following S. Kheradyar et al, (2011) we have measured earning yield as earning per share divided by price of share. 5.Regression Model In this research article we have investigated three financial ratios EY, DY and B/M to determine whether they predict stock returns. This research study has used the stock return and the above mentioned financial ratios association at 3 Research Journal of Finance and Accounting ISSN 2222-1697 (Paper) ISSN 2222-2847 (Online) Vol 3, No 10, 2012 www. iiste. org two samples as the foundation for the formulation of Eight hypotheses. On the grounds of their appropriate regression models the eight hypotheses are divided into two sets.In this study we have used the two models of simple nd multiple regressions to apply Predictive regression; it is an important tool for predicting stock returns. A set of panal data is used for the formulation of these two models. For tackling the problem of heteroskedasticity and non-normality distributed residuals, we applied generalized least squares method. Following S. Kheradyar et al, (2011) we have used panal models to formulate predictive regressions. Hence we have used simple regression model to test the first 6 hypothesis which are formulated on the basis of association between each financial ratio and future stock returns.The simple regression model has the following form: SR it = ß0 + ßi Xi (t-1) + eit Where, SR it= in time period t, the return of ith stock, ß0= the estimated constant, ßi= ith stock predictable coefficient, Xi (t-1) = in period t-1 financial ratios of the ith stock, eit = error term. Similarly following S. Kheradyar et al, (2011) we have used multiple regression model to test the other two hypotheses H7 and H8, these two hypotheses are formulated on the basis of relationship between combined financial ratios and future stock returns.The model has the following form: SR it = ß0 + ßi1 DYi (t-1) + ßi2 EYi (t-1) + ßi3 B/Mi (t-1) + eit Where, SR it= in time period t, the return of ith stock, ß0= the estimated constant, ßi1= for DY the Ith stock predictable coefficient, ßi2= for EY the Ith stock predictable coefficient, ßi3= for B/M the Ith stock predictable coefficient, DYi (t-1) = is ith stock DY factor in period of time t-1, EYi (t-1) = EY factor of ith stock in period of time t-1, B/Mi (t-1) = B/M factor of ith stock in t-1 time period, eit = error terms. 6.Results and Discussion For the first 6 hypothesis the predictive regression results are summarized in Table 1. The coefficient of di vidend yield in Table 1 demonstrates a positive relationship of dividend yield in period (t-1) and stock returns in period (t) in both samples that is when dividend yield increases by one unit it will cause an increase of 0. 021 and 0. 010 units in stock returns of two samples respectively. As for the p-value of coefficient of Dividend yield is concerned it is 0. 016 in sample one which is less than 0. 5, so the relationship is statistically significant and the null hypothesis H1 is rejected, however in sample two the association is insignificant so hypothesis H4 cannot be rejected.The coefficient of earning yield in Table 1 demonstrates a positive relationship of earning yield in period (t-1) and stock returns at period (t) that is when earning yield increases by one unit it will cause an increase of 0. 013 and 0. 008 units in stock returns in the two samples respectively. As for the p-value of coefficient of earning yield is concerned it is 0. 19 and 0. 010 in the two samples resp ectively which is less than 0. 05, so the relationship is statistically significant, therefore we will reject hypothesis H2 and H5. The negative coefficient of Book to market value in table 1 notifies an inverse relationship of B/M and stock returns in both samples that is if B/M ratio increasing the stock return will be decreasing and vice versa. The p-value of coefficient of B/M value 0. 000 indicates that the relationship is statistically significant in both samples, so hypothesis H3 and H6 have been rejected.S. Kheradyar et al, (2011) found that DY has negative influence on stock return, and a positive association between EY and stock return. He also found a positive impact of B/M on stock return in (2) (1) 4 Research Journal of Finance and Accounting ISSN 2222-1697 (Paper) ISSN 2222-2847 (Online) Vol 3, No 10, 2012 www. iiste. org sample 2 but a negative one in sample 1. It can also be noticed by looking at the adjusted R-square that B/M has the highest predictive power, and th is result is also supported by S. Kheradyar et al, (2011). Insert Table 1 Here) Now we will test to see whether stock return predictive power increases with the combination of EY, BM and DY. We will reject H7 and H8 because it can be seen in Table 2 that the predictive regressions are statistically significant. Thus we can say that stock return can be predicted by the combination of EY, BM and DY. Also we can say that as compare to the other two ratios, the variations of the ratio of book to market has greater impact on stock return, because in both samples it has the highest coefficient.Similarly by looking at the adjusted R-square we can say that in the two samples stock return predictive power increases when the combination of EY, BM and DY increases. (Insert Table 2 Here) 6. Conclusion Literature regarding predictability of stock returns has changed over the last 20 years. With evolution researchers and economists separated price to earnings ratio, dividend yield, inflation, and book to market ratio, beta, industry returns, interest rate, and size of firms from amongst other variables which were considered important for predicting return of stocks.Presently strong evidences are present regarding variables for predicting stock returns. Analysis showed that financial ratios have significant power of predictability for forecasting returns of stock and they predict future stock return of Pakistani market, and B/M has higher predictive power as compare to other ratios. Similarly the predictability of stock return is enhanced by the combination of financial ratios. References A. Schrimpf, (2010). International Stock Return Predictability under Model Uncertainty. Journal of International Money and Finance, 29: 1256-1282. S. Kheradyar, I. Ibrahim, and F.Mat Nor, (2011). Stock Return Predictability with Financial Ratios. International Journal of Trade, Economics and Fiance, 2(5): 391-396. J. Y. Campbell, and R. J. Shiller, (1988). Stock Prices, Earnings and Expecte d Dividends. Journal of Finance, 43(3): 661-676. Chan, L. Hamao, Y. Lakonishok, J. (1991). Fundamental and Stock Returns in Japan. The Journal of Finance, 17391764. Mukerji, S. Dhatt, M. Kim, Y. , (1997). A Fundamental Analysis of Korean Stock. Financial Analyst Journal, 53: 7580 Kothari, S. P. , Jay A. Shanken, (1997). Book-to-Market, Dividend Yield and Expected Market Returns: A TimeSeries Analysis.Journal of Financial Economics 44: 169-203. J. Pontiff, and L. Schall, (1998). Book-to-Market Ratios as Predictors of Market Returns. Journal of Financial Economics, 49: 141–160. Lewellen, J. , (2002). Predicting Returns with Financial Ratio. National Bureau of Economics Research, MIT working paper no. 4374-02 Ang, A. and Bekeart, G. , (2006). Stock Returns Predictability. The Review of Financial Study, 651-707. E. F. Fama and K. French, (1992). The Cross-Section of Expected Stock Returns. Journal of Finance, 47: 427-465 Lewellen, J. , (2001). Predicting Returns with Financial Ra tios. Journal of Financial Economic, 209-235.

RESEARCH INVESTIGATION AND PROPOSAL Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

RESEARCH INVESTIGATION AND PROPOSAL - Essay Example During and after the recent financial crisis and recessionary periods in countries where tourism constituted a major proportion of the overall economy, the hotel industry has been severely affected due to loss of market confidence and volatility in exchange rates. The outcome of this phenomenon has been low customer turnover and consumer spending, and profits for hotels, which has in turn led to overhead costs reduction by hotels. Employees consider such uncertain situations threatening to their careers and also this has negative impact on their training and development which has lead to lower employees’ motivation. Despite of the uncertainties in the employment market, employees in the hospitality industry are found to display lower level of loyalty to their employers. This could have severe impact on hotels performance and therefore, this problem is therefore at the crux of investigation in the proposed research, which needs to be investigated particularly in the context of luxury hotels that operate at high pricing and operating costs and place greater dependency on their employees for delivering high quality of services to their customers. This study can be achieved by investigation employee motivation in different luxury hotels and comparing them for its effects on customer satisfaction. The primary objective of the proposed research is to investigate levels of employee motivation in selected luxury hotels and its impact on customer satisfaction. The secondary objective is to explore the extent of both financial and non-financial factors contributing to employee motivation. Motivation has been defined by many in various possible ways. One definition states, â€Å"it is the process that arouses, energizes, directs, and sustains behavior and performance† (Stajkovic & Luthans, 1998). Another way of explaining motivation is put forth by Zaphiris & Ang (2009) as it is an inner willingness or desire of individuals,

Importance Of Rules And Regulation In Medical Institutions Case Study

Importance Of Rules And Regulation In Medical Institutions - Case Study Example And if to talk about why these rules and regulations are important to follow then one should know what are the motives and vision of rules and regulation. Rules and regulations are not just written statements which an employee needs to sign before joining an institute, but these rules and regulation show the structure of the institute, the norms over which it is built. It shows the discipline of institutes which tells the values of the institute. When we study and evaluate this case, we come to see the main objection which was professional misconduct; which means breaking the rules and regulations of the institute. And plus it’s unethical and against veracity towards the professionalism. When we study ethics we come to know a deep and strong relationship of law with ethics, as all the laws are made under the light of ethics. Laws are always kept moral and ethical. And ethics tells what’s moral and what is not moral. So when we study this case the first thing which ethics and law both object is that it was against the ethics of the doctor to allow the nurse to sign her prescription even if it was pre-written. Medical is already a field which is very sensitive to the topic when it comes to moral and ethical values as it is related to dealing with patient and the life of a person. The other point which comes in this case study is of Beneficence. That there are huge differences in the duties of doctor and nurse, if the prescription signed by the nurse goes under a legal system then the patient who was prescribed by this prescription can take an action against a doctor that the medicine was not signed by a doctor but by the nurse. And the nurses are not supposed to prescribe medicines. Beneficence in the medical ethics had the great importance which purely focuses what are the ethical values of doctors related to patient dealing. The prior thing which differentiates doctor and nurses is their knowledge of the human body and medication.

New Zealand accounting standards Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

New Zealand accounting standards - Assignment Example International Accounting Standards Board conducts public meetings to ensure transparency in order to produce new or updated financial reporting standards.This procedure has been adopted to ensure transparency and to involve the opinion of the public. The procedure ensures constant engagement with the stakeholders like investors, analysts, regulators, business leaders, accounting standard-setters and the professional accountants and auditors at national and international levels (Smart, Bourke, & Awan, 2008). ANSWER 2a: External Reporting Board (XRB) is an independent crown entity developed under section 22 of the Financial Reporting Act 1993 (as amended in 2011). Main responsibilities of XRB are: Development and implementation of the overall strategy related to financial reporting standards, auditing and assurance standards. Responsible for preparing and issuing of accounting standards. Responsible for preparing and issuing of auditing and assurance standards (XBR, 2011). Other respon sibilities of XRB include preparing and issuing of ethical and professional standards and providing guidelines for conduct. Liaising with organizations on national and international levels on matters that apply functions that are in correspondence with or share similar features with those presented in XRB (NZICA, 2011). ANSWER 2b: Initially, New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountant (NZICA) was responsible for development and implementation of financial reporting standards. ... It has been planned to achieve the same in the current year, i.e.2012. Under the Financial Reporting Act 1993 (FRA), the responsibilities for financial reporting standards setting have been divided between two bodies which are: New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants (NZICA) and the Accounting Standards Review Board (ASRB). Accounting Standards Review Board (ASRB) is also an independent crown entity. The mechanism has been changed and the new mechanism is as follows: 1. The Financial Reporting  Standards Board (FRSB), which is a board of NZICA,  will submit the draft standards  to the Accounting Standards Review Board (ASRB) for consideration.    2. NZICA is responsible for setting up of auditing and assurance standards for its  members. 3.   The Professional Standards Board (PSB), which is another board  of NZICA, submits draft standards to NZICA’s Board for consideration and approval. 4. Standards approved  from NZICA are then obligatory on members.    5. Non-members of NZICA can  carry out statutory audits provided they belong to an overseas professional  accounting body, providing that the Registrar of Companies has approved the  individual or the professional accounting body to which they belong.    6. Hence, the standards approved by the NZICA Board do not form any binding in formal status in relation to  overseas-qualified auditors who are not members of NZICA (NZICA 2010a). ANSWER 2c: On whole, it is expected that External Reporting Board (XRB) will provide better quality of financial reporting standards. It is expected because of the reason that the new financial reporting arrangement has recently been approved by Minister of Commerce of New Zealand and it has been considered as a significant milestone in the establishment of the new

Puerto Rican Campagn Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Puerto Rican Campagn - Essay Example The Spanish appointed their own to be governors of the state when they were in control of the island. Similarly, the federal government of the United States also appointed its own candidates to govern the state when they were its colonial masters. However, after the state gained total independence from the Americans, they were free to elect their own candidate as the governor of their country (Herrman, 2010: P.159). The Spaniards were the first to take control of the small island of Puerto Rico, before the Americans defeated and toppled them from their rule at the archipelago. In fact, the current independence and state of sovereignty that the country enjoys was a grant from the United States, when they walked out on the forceful leadership of the country. However, the United States still has strong influence in the country, with most of the governors requiring marshaling enough support from the political system of the United States to be elected into office. In fact, most of the gov ernors elected into office in the state of Puerto Rico are affiliates of either the Democrats or the Republican parties that control the United States political system. These affiliations to the US political system assist them get elected into office, as well as ensure a cordial relationship between the country and its former colonial masters – a relationship that results in numerous political, trade and bilateral relations for both countries (Herrman, 2004: P.45). The Governor of the state of Puerto Rico becomes the supreme leader of the government of the Commonwealth state of Puerto Rico. The Spaniards established this position during their rule on the state in the 16th century after they managed to colonize the state through their Spanish empire. As such, the...The Governor of the state of Puerto Rico becomes the supreme leader of the government of the Commonwealth state of Puerto Rico. The Spaniards established this position during their rule on the state in the 16th cent ury after they managed to colonize the state through their Spanish empire. As such, the governor was the head of state and possessed all powers in the executive branch of the Puerto Rican government. Furthermore, he or she is also the commander-in-chief of all the military forces of the country as well as the National Guard of Puerto Rico. The government of Puerto Rico bestows on the governor powers, duties and responsibilities to perform on behalf of their citizens, chief among this is the duty to enforce laws of the state by upholding the constitution. The governor also has to convene the legislative assembly, whose main jurisdictions re to make laws and policies for the state (Torruella, 1985: P.139). The first official occupant of the governor’s seat was Juan Ponce de Leon, a Spanish conquistador, who took office in 1509 on appointment by the Spanish empire. However, the first native from Puerto Rico to perform this function, though on an interim basis, was Juan Ponce de Leon II who occupied the office in 1579. However, the leadership of Puerto Rico did not begin with the Spaniards establishment and appointment to the office of a governor. Historical facts provide that the country had tribal chiefs or caciques as the heads of government, known to the locals a Tainos, those who occupied the island before the arrival of the Spaniards.

EDU 508 Family Chapter Presentations Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

EDU 508 Family Chapter Presentations - Assignment Example The transition helps the child when leaving secondary school life and prepares him for adult life. One of the greatest challenges is faced in the transition period. During this period, parents and facilitators must engage in substantive dialogue about the child. In most cases, families from diverse backgrounds get upset or confused. The issue behind this setback is culture. I would employ an intercultural communication approach so that the parents who play key role in development of IEP appreciate their culture rather than feel upset or confused. The assessment done on the students revealed that the student is disabled and must be accommodated in the learning atmosphere. The criterion used by the team is satisfactory to help the needy child. It has identified some ways to accommodate the students with disability in a future classroom and as shown in the film and the lessons learnt from the

Islamic Terrorism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Islamic Terrorism - Research Paper Example But the attacks reveal more hatred for Western culture and intolerance towards other religion than any such religious preaching. Moreover misinterpretations of Islam, particularly the word jihad have been the root cause of terrorism. The Islamic terrorists and extremists have preached false religious beliefs to capture young minds. This has been proved by the review of literature of other research works as well as appropriate findings and analysis. The intensity of terrorism has risen to such a level that it has become a global issue. The Western countries like United States have been the major victims of such attacks. Thousands of people lost their lives in the 9/11 terror attacks. The killers have been Islamic terrorist who have made it a religious issue. They follow militant Islam which has a lot of deviations from the original teachings of Islam. Islam has assumed a violent image due to such terrorists which is not really the case. Clearly the Islamic terrorists have vastly misin terpreted the religion contributing towards its violent image (Emerson). Islam has always taught maintenance of peace. But some unscrupulous religious fanatics have been molding the religion as to their desire and giving lessons of violence to millions of Muslims. That is why it has been seen that Islamic nations do not give freedom of religion to its people (Richardson, Foreword). Even if the violenc

Research Empirical Studies Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Research Empirical Studies - Coursework Example 217-241). The sample data is taken from existing studies, in this case a study from the National Crime Panel that details the determination of available data from mapped an unmapped information sources in crime investigation settings. Such data is then factored into analyses of the effectiveness of law enforcement use of data and information to solve crimes. The thinking is that the more effective use of more information can lead to better law enforcement work as such work relates to crime investigations. The data analysis flows from this look into the availability of data and the degree of law enforcement use of such data (Skogan et al., 1979). The key threat to the validity of the research and its findings is that there is only one data source used, and that is a study that was done six years prior to the conduct of the research being described here. The reliance on one set of data limits the general applicability of research findings. This threat to validity is somehow addressed by the integrity of the institution that conducted that older study, and that the study was on a national scale, implying ample representation and ample population sizes (Skogan et al., 1979). Among the findings are that the status quo, where police leaned on data that they had at their disposal historically for particular crimes, yielded crime investigation outcomes that were far from ideal. On the other hand, the study also noted that there existed a larger amount of information from more sources, including bystanders and witnesses to crimes, than are being collected and used. The implication here is that with more rigorous ways of information collection, crime investigation outcomes would improve. The implications of the findings include that there needs to be a more rigorous attempt to gather data and to put up standard procedures

A Woman’s Place and a Man’s Duty Essay Example for Free

A Woman’s Place and a Man’s Duty Essay The author Maria Del Carmen Triana explains the vast difference between the wage income gap over the years between men and women, and how it plays an important role in today’s competitive society. Gender income gaps have become a hot debate topic for many. Gender income gaps can affect a marriage and family as well as cause friction in the work place. Sexual discrimination also plays an important role in Gender income gaps as well. In most Corporate and White Collar jobs, stereotypes and wage earner status have an effect on men and women. Triana explains what she calls â€Å"home related spillover discrimination† which is, women being primary wage earners in households. Triana also goes on to explain that a major wage difference between men and women could be a new form of sexual discrimination. Because this is one of the first studies showing stereotyping roles, it can only be an assumption. According to Triana, research in the work place are being penalized thru wage earning for gender role playing. (Dipboye 1985; Heilman 1983). Triana Proposes that the idea of what feminine and masculine behavior in the work place should be can actually work against the female primary wage earner. She feels that this gender behavior could influence people to â€Å"under- award† the female to keep them from succeeding too far ahead of their husbands. Gender Deviance and Household Work In this article about Gender Roles, Daniel Schneider reports that couples spending a substantial amount on housework such as repairs around the house, shopping, cooking and cleaning could be defined as â€Å"Gender Work.† Housework was once referred to as a â€Å"Woman’s job.† Studies show that men are stepping into the position to help in the home and watch the children while the mother fulfills her job requirements in Corporate America. The author claims that â€Å"predictions† have been focusing on wives that earn more than their husbands, which stereotype the bread winner as normality. The author refers to this as â€Å"Gender Deviance.† According to his research, married couples have been known to neutralize the gender deviance by dividing the work load at home. An example of this would be: men washing dishes, folding cloths cooking and cleaning, while providing less income and women working long hours at work to provide the majority of the income for the family. Schneider also argues that what men and women do in the job market may very well affect household work and hours. Schneider goes on to state that men who work in occupations stereotyped to be feminine could be seen as a form of gender deviance as well. Schneider uses data gathered from the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH2) to conduct his research. He goes on to explain that gender deviance is the† product of social doings of some sort,† and that if women did not gender themselves some actions would not make any sense. Over a period of time women have reduced the amount of time spent on housework and increased social activities with the kids to help balance of a parent being absent from school events. Studies also show an increase in the men actively participating in parent/teacher conferences and after school practices while the women are in the work force. References Schneider D. Gender deviance and household work: the role of occupation. American Journal of Sociology, January 2012; 117(4) (p. 1029-1072.) Triana C. del M. (2011). A womans place and a mans duty: how gender role incongruence in ones family life can result in home-related spillover discrimination at work. Journal of Business and Psychology, 26(1), (p. 71-86.)

Computers and Information Systems Essay Example for Free

Computers and Information Systems Essay INTRODUCTION OF INFORMATION SECURITY POLICY Information is a valuable asset. The protection of these assets is a basic management responsibility. Employing officers are responsible for: †¢ Identifying and protecting computer-related information assets within their assigned area of management control and ensuring that these assets are used for management-approved purpose only and all employees understand their obligation to protect them. †¢ Implementing security practices and procedures that are consistent with the Company Information Asset Security Manual and value of the assets. PRIVACY AND SECURITY POLICIES TAKEN CARE BY VARIOUS HIGHLY RECOGNIZED HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATION PARTNERS HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATION Partners HealthCare is committed to ensuring the privacy and security of patient health information. In order to facilitate and implement the activities related to the privacy and security of Protected Health Information (PHI), Partners HealthCare has appointed a Corporate Privacy Officer. The privacy officer responsible for implementation and oversight of the policies and procedures regarding the privacy of health information at their site. BETH ISRAEL MEDICAL CENTER Beth Israel Medical Center has adopted CPRI Toolkit -Technology Resources Policy to ensure uniform and appropriate use of its computer and telecommunication resources (the â€Å"Technology Resources,† defined below). POLICY: In using or accessing the Technology Resources, Users must comply with the following provisions. NO EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY â€Å"Users understand and agree that: BIDMC retains the right, with or without cause or notice to the User, to access or monitor the Computer Information, including User e-mail and Internet usage.†(Hodge et al. 1968, pg 17) Please keep in mind that anything created or stored on the Technology Resources, including the Computer Information, may be reviewed by others and that even deleted files may be recovered. USE OF E-MAIL AND INTERNET ACCESS AND USE All User e-mail addresses assigned by BIDMC shall remain the sole and exclusive property of BIDMC. Users should endeavor to make each of their electronic communications truthful and accurate. â€Å"Users should use the same care in drafting e-mail and other electronic documents as they would for any other written communication. The quality of your writing will reflect on BIDMC. Users are encouraged to use the Internet and intranets to assist them in the performance of their jobs.† (Thomas. R. 2001, 87) PASSWORDS Users are responsible for safeguarding their passwords for access to the Technology Resources. Users should recognize that the combination of a logon identification and password is the equivalent of a signature and that the disclosure to another individual is the equivalent of handing that individual a signed blank check. MAYO HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATION Mayo HealthCare is committed to ensuring the privacy and security of patient health information by means of certain policies. ACCESS CONTROL TERMS Individual-based access control. Role-based access control. Context-based access control. POLICY-RELATED TERMS Policy: a broad statement of principle or intent that presents Mayo’s position. Policies are interpreted and supported by standards. Standard: a rule or regulation that specifies conduct or a course of action. Standards are mandatory directives for implementing Mayo policy that ensure uniform compliance. Guideline: a recommended course of action or a response to a given situation. Guidelines should be considered when determining how to implement standards. PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION (PHI) I. Information security Mayo Foundation will protect its vital information from unauthorized access, modification, disclosure, or destruction, by conducting security program with patients and of Mayo Foundation. II. Security administration A group will exist to develop and maintain an information security program for Mayo Foundation entities. THEMES COMMON AMONG EACH ORGANIZATION`S POLICIES †¢ Controlling Access to Information and Systems, Operations and Administration. †¢ Network Security Policies. †¢ E-mail and the Worldwide Web, Telephones and Fax. †¢ Data Management. †¢ Backup, Recovery and Archiving. †¢ Document Handling. †¢ Securing Data. KEY SECURITY PRINCIPLES AND ELEMENTS FOR INFORMATION SECURITY AND PRIVACY MANAGEMENT The key security principles and the critical areas needing improvement for the healthcare organization. SECURING REMOTE ACCESS AND OTHER DRIVERS OF PHYSICIAN EFFECTIVENESS For many providers, ensuring physician effectiveness and quality of life is a top priority. This includes helping physicians gain off-site access to records, without having to come to the hospital or sign into multiple hospital systems. EXTENDING SECURITY AND PRIVACY TO THIRD PARTIES Secure interoperability from hospitals to physician practices is also becoming a requirement as the healthcare industry in many global markets moves towards wider use of electronic medical records and information sharing across collaborative groups (such as the emerging US regional health information organizations). (Perry. E., 1967, 48) DEVELOPING BUSINESS CONTINUITY AND DISASTER RECOVERY PLANS In the wake of high-profile natural disasters and health-related crises worldwide, most healthcare respondents (70%) identified business continuity and disaster recovery planning as one of the most critical business factors driving their information security spending. Forty-four percent, however, do not yet have such a capability, and 59% report that developing or improving these plans is a strategic security initiative for the coming year. References Hodge, Bartow, Hodgson, Robert. N. (nod.). 1968 Management and the Computer information system McGraw-Hill Companies, The, New York, NY, U.S.A. pg 17 Peltier, Thomas. R. (n.d.). 2001, Information Security Policies and Procedures: A practitioners Reference. TAYLOR FRANCIS LTD, pg. 87 Rosove, Perry. E. (n.d.). 1967, Developing Computer-based Information system. John Wiley Sons, NY,pg. 48

Effect of Metabolic Disorders on Rumen pH

Effect of Metabolic Disorders on Rumen pH The effect of metabolic disorders on rumen pH and production performance of Holstein dairy cows Ondrej HanuÃ… ¡ovskà ½1, Daniel Bà ­ro1, Milan Ã…  imko1, Branislav Gà ¡lik1, Miroslav Jurà ¡Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ek1, Michal Rolinec1 Abstract The main goal of this research was to evaluate the health condition of dairy cows in relationship with milk production and milk composition using continuous monitoring boluses in cooperation with University Experimental farm in Oponice. Totally, 7 Holstein cows had implemented bolus for monitoring rumen pH and temperature every 15 minutes with accuracy  ± 0.1 pH and  °C. Milk production test-day records by Breeding Services of Slovakia, s. e. 5 times per each cow with bolus during 27 weeks of lactation were realised. Dairy cows were divided into three groups (NORMAL, SARA, KETOSIS) according to average daily pH. After that test-day records with the selected group were paired.   In the NORMAL group in comparison with the SARA group statistically significant higher pH by 9.81% (p

Intel The Corporation :: essays papers

Intel The Corporation "A corporation is a business that, although owned by one or more investors, legally has the rights and duties of an individual. Corporations have the right to buy, sell, and own property. Corporations may make legal contracts, hire and fire workers, set prices, and be sued, fined, and taxed. A business must obtain a charter of incorporation from a state legislature or Congress to be legally recognized as a corporation."(Watson, p211) While corporations didn't exist until the mid to late 1800s, the idea of the corporation had existed since the early 1600s. It all started with English merchants who started trading companies to help fund the early colonies. If the colonies thrived, the stockholders reaped in the profit. (Watson, p211) A corporation is started when a sole proprietorship, a one-owner business, that is the most common form of business institution in the US, or a partnership, an association of two or more people in order to run a business, decides that they don't want to be personally responsible for any loss the company might have. (Watson, p211) Or they might decide that they want the company to "live on" after they die, that is for the business to have "unlimited life". Since neither of these goals can be reached with a sole proprietorship, or a partnership, the owner (or owners, as the case may be) decide that he (they) want to "convert" their business to a corporation. The owner(s) file a charter of incorporation from the government to be legally recognized as a corporation. (Boyd, March, 99) The owner(s) then sell shares of stock, documents representing ownership in the corporation, to investors. These investors buy and sell the stock to small investors, or stockholders. Since there is no li mit to the number of shareholders to a company, the investors vote (for every share you own you get one vote) on a board of directors. The board of directors are in charge of hiring the people responsible for the every-day running of the corporation. These positions include, but are not limited to: the president, vice president, and other chief administrators. (Watson, p211-212) If a corporation reaps a profit, investors may receive a dividend, or a share of the monetary gain made by the company. The elected board of directors choose whether the money will go towards profit, expansion of the company, modernization of the company, or research and development.

Praxis Statement :: Education Teacher Essays

Praxis Statement When I first decided to be a teacher I had many thoughts and opinions about teaching and education. Some of my thoughts and opinions have stayed them same; however, many have changed from the discussions and readings in LL ED 411 and 480. When I first decided that I wanted to be a teacher I thought that most students learned in the same manner. I also thought that the teacher should have power over the classroom. Likewise, I thought that technology should not be used in the classroom--except to type papers. I now know that there is not much truth to my ideas and thoughts because my thoughts were shaped only from my experiences. My experiences are narrow because they were shaped from the problems in schools and the old ideas that teachers still have. Now that I have learned the other sides to these problems I know that my thoughts about teaching and education are not fully developed. One of the ideas that I have learned is that all students learn in different ways and teachers need to teach to their needs. This is described with an analogy in Finding Freedom. The analogy used is, â€Å" . . . anyone would laugh themselves silly at the thought that children with different body sizes ought to be made to wear the same size clothes . . .† (Hinchey, 67). We would laugh if someone said all children should wear the same size clothing, yet teachers are still teaching students all in the same way. Some students learn from lecturing and memorizing, whereas others learn from examples and trial and error. Finding Freedom states that teachers need to modify work for students so that they can learn the material (Hinchey, 11). Delpit also states, â€Å"Some of the [black students] even learned how to read, but none of them as quickly as my white students. I was doing the same thing for all of my kids--what was the problem?† (Delpit, 13). Before reading these two statements as well as others and discussing them in class I thought that almost all students learned in the same way. I thought this because I learned from lecturing, memorizing, and a few examples. I figured that if I could learn in that way and most of my peers learned in that way then most students could. Praxis Statement :: Education Teacher Essays Praxis Statement When I first decided to be a teacher I had many thoughts and opinions about teaching and education. Some of my thoughts and opinions have stayed them same; however, many have changed from the discussions and readings in LL ED 411 and 480. When I first decided that I wanted to be a teacher I thought that most students learned in the same manner. I also thought that the teacher should have power over the classroom. Likewise, I thought that technology should not be used in the classroom--except to type papers. I now know that there is not much truth to my ideas and thoughts because my thoughts were shaped only from my experiences. My experiences are narrow because they were shaped from the problems in schools and the old ideas that teachers still have. Now that I have learned the other sides to these problems I know that my thoughts about teaching and education are not fully developed. One of the ideas that I have learned is that all students learn in different ways and teachers need to teach to their needs. This is described with an analogy in Finding Freedom. The analogy used is, â€Å" . . . anyone would laugh themselves silly at the thought that children with different body sizes ought to be made to wear the same size clothes . . .† (Hinchey, 67). We would laugh if someone said all children should wear the same size clothing, yet teachers are still teaching students all in the same way. Some students learn from lecturing and memorizing, whereas others learn from examples and trial and error. Finding Freedom states that teachers need to modify work for students so that they can learn the material (Hinchey, 11). Delpit also states, â€Å"Some of the [black students] even learned how to read, but none of them as quickly as my white students. I was doing the same thing for all of my kids--what was the problem?† (Delpit, 13). Before reading these two statements as well as others and discussing them in class I thought that almost all students learned in the same way. I thought this because I learned from lecturing, memorizing, and a few examples. I figured that if I could learn in that way and most of my peers learned in that way then most students could.

Images of Blood in William Shakespeares Macbeth Essay -- GCSE Course

Images of Blood in William Shakespeare's Macbeth  Ã‚   In Shakespeare?s tragic play Macbeth, the symbol of blood is portrayed often and with different meanings. Blood as a symbol is developed throughout the play until it becomes the dominating theme. Perhaps the best way to show how the symbol of blood changes throughout the play is to follow the character changes in Macbeth. First he is a brave honored soldier, but as the play progresses acknowledged and trusted by his king, he becomes a treacherous person who has become identified with death and bloodshed, and ends up killing Duncan who put so much trust in him. This is ironic because the previous thane of Cawdor was executed for treason, which is the first thought that comes into his mind when he is appointed thane. He knows that the king?s trust was misplaced; the fact that he murdered his king plays upon his conscience and shows his guilt in different forms. The situation worsens for him after he murders Banquo, who was one of his most loyal and trusted friends. A similar idea can also be applied to lady Macbeth, as her character changes dramatically throughout the course of the play. Hers and Macbeth?s roles can be seen to swap in a way. When the idea of killing Duncan come s into the minds of Macbeth and lady Macbeth, Macbeth is uncertain, he seems withdrawn about the whole idea. Lady Macbeth comes across as evil and bloodthirsty, for it is she who ensures that the murder takes place. Towards the end of the play though, although both characters show the immense guilt of what they have done, it is lady Macbeth who is now withdrawn, and Macbeth who comes across as evil, for the full spell of the witches has now taken effect, he does not believe that the Scots will be d... ...s that he is guilty, when he says "But get thee back, my soul is too much charg'd with blood of thine already.? Of which, Macduff replies, "I have no words, my voice is in my sword, thou bloodier villain than terms can give thee out." After the death of Macbeth at the hands of Macduff, the symbolic theme of blood swings back to the theme of triumph and glory that it was at the beginning of the play. It is the symbol of honor to Malcolm this time. The death of Macbeth is an honored feat that Macduff is congratulated for. As we have seen, the meaning of the symbol of blood changes from honor to treachery, and then to guilt, after this, it returns to the symbolic meaning of honor once again after the villain that changed the meaning from honor to tyranny is killed. Works Cited: Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Ed. Dietrich Klose. Stuttgart: Reclam, 1970.

Edward Marshall Boehm Essay

Edward Marshall Boehm is a company that is all about delivering quality while focusing on Nature. This report will include the vision, mission, SWOT, internal and external environments, and a strategic decision from my team in specific detail. Edward Marshall Boehm had a vision that was different from other businesses. Their vision was, â€Å"To capture that special moment and setting which conveys the character, charm, and loveliness of a bird or animal in its natural habitat†. This vision was set in order to attract a specific demographic and that was people who enjoy and embrace nature. Edward Marshall Boehm had a mission that was very similar to its vision. The mission was, â€Å"Make the world aware and protective of endangered wildlife by making them aware of nature’s charm†. I got a quote directly from the company when I called and someone who was very close to Mr. Boehm told me that, â€Å"Mr. Boehm wanted to achieve the bigger picture and that was sending his Vision and Mission around to everybody so that people would understand why he does what he does. You can only tell this to your class but Mr. Boehm would sometimes write personal letters to buyers with both the Vision and Mission written on there. He felt that personally writing that would make customers value their product more and value him more† (Richard Bassel). As we focused in on the external environments of Edward Marshall Boehm, we found many opportunities and risks. One factor surround Boehm Inc. is the market they compete in. Their market is not a very large market. Focusing in on adapting other markets could be very useful to the company and help them grow. One suggestion we have is to adapt into a European environment. By doing so, Boehm Inc. can broaden their line of products and adapt a market that is extremely large. Having knowledge about your external environments is crucial in business. While looking at retailers that have Boehm’s products I was shocked. There are little to no stores in the states with the most endangered species and nature. There is one store in California, which is the state with the most endangered species. No stores in Colorado, Oregon, Montana, and Alaska. Those states, to me, are arguable some of the most beautiful states when it comes to wildlife and nature. We suggest that Boehm Inc. finds stores that can sell his merchandise in these states. This will make his business grow and most important have more people aware of Boehm’s vision and mission. When we take a look at Boehm’s internal environment we start at the hard working employees, management, and structure/leadership of the organization. The management of Boehm Inc. is the backbone of the internal environment. One problem we found with Boehm Inc. was the leadership quality. Boehm specifically says, â€Å"We want to further the position the company for the long run†. Going along with Boehm’s vision and mission, if his company wanted to plan for the future, what happens when Mr. Boehm passes on? Boehm passed away in 1969. They still sell his products today but are they selling his products with another vision and mission? If Boehm was so focused on people recognizing his vision and mission, why didn’t he think to have other sculptors come in so that when the time comes they can continue to make products based on his vision? This is a question that cannot be answered but clearly there was a lack of leadership. Boehm used his external environment to make his internal environment better. EX. Boehm found that customers liked his dogs and horses but wanted his birds, so he started creating more exotic and large bird pieces. As you can see from the diagram above, there are several types of values that when put together determine many different things. Control values are focused on productivity, which lies with management. Ethical values are all about teams and teamwork, which goes with the structure of the company. Development values is all about planning and research which also lies with management. The relation between the internal environment and the external environment has a significant meaning to the overall productivity of the company. All of these values combined help in making decisions and completing long and short-term goals and objectives. Boehm Inc. has many strengths. The management is a very close related group. They are progressively growing the company looking for more opportunities. The quality of Boehm’s pieces is what pulls them apart from any other company. They are one of a kind pieces. This draws people to want them more and they have a collectors feeling on them. The weaknesses of Boehm Inc. slightly outweigh their strengths. The process of creating their products takes a very long time, which is not what companies usually want. The leadership of the company seems to be lost in a sense. Nobody is taking charge and setting up the company for future success. Since they don’t use technology and it is an old fashioned, a possible competition threat is at risk. Another interesting topic about Boehm is forecasting. The company can’t really forecast their sales because some items may be in demand while others aren’t. Since the process takes a while it puts them in an awkward position. There are many opportunities for the company. Updating their online store is a start that could make significant progress. New markets are another large opportunity. The company can grow if they decide to search into another market. With the speed of their process being so slow, they might want to look to speed it up some way. This will require significant research and knowledge about a specific plan or plans. Threats for Boehm Inc. are not major but still are nothing to look past. New artists could threaten the company because they could make cheaper products that almost look like â€Å"knock-offs†. These would severely damage the company. Substitute materials are another topic that could really hurt Boehm’s company. Instead of high-grade porcelain, other companies could look to use lower grade material but still produce beautiful products. After completing our SWOT analysis, our team has come up with some options for Boehm to explore. Boehm has a very functional online store. We think that because technology is so important now, Boehm could use the online site for something more than just selling. Boehm’s Vision and Mission, because they were so important should be expressed on the site. By giving a brief description of the animals and nature around them, people can understand the importance of the animal itself and the work that Boehm has done. Secondly Boehm should start immediately to find more artists that can continue creating pieces like Edward Marshall Boehm did. Not any artist is capable of doing such tasks. These artists must be well known and appreciate the charm of nature and the loveliness of animals. Another suggestion is for Boehm to find more stores to sell his pieces. These stores should be located in the states we mentioned before (Alaska, California, Oregon, Montana, Colorado). Lastly, we think that Mr. Boehm’s company should open a new line of products, Jewelry. Jewelry is always in high demand. By creating a Jewelry line, Boehm Inc. can bring in new customers and another smaller price range of products. By doing so, Boehm’s vision and mission can be carried out in places that have some of the most well known nature and animals around. Boehm should not lose out on their biggest opportunity, to expand into new markets. Through all of our research and our SWOT analysis, we have come to a specific recommendation. Edward Marshall Boehm should update their online store, so that people have a better understanding of the nature and beauty within the piece. The company should also sell to more states. Especially states that have a large nature aspect to them. Boehm Inc. should also consider looking for new artists with the passion of nature and animals. If they do that, they can continue to grow their product line while bringing in possible new ideas. Another suggestion we have is to consider possible endorsement. Endorsement can bring a lot of awareness to the company. Mr. Boehm wants people to realize the beauty of nature and animals and what better way to do so then endorsement. By doing these things, Edward Marshall Boehm Inc. should be able to continue growing their business while still focusing on Mr. Boehm’s vision and mission which is to appreciate nature and the charm animals and life brin g to it.

Frederick Douglass Rhetoric Analysis

Whenever injustice exists in society, it becomes the responsibility of others to step forward in defense of the oppressed. If this action does not occur, then the injustice will remain and innocent people will suffer. In order to preserve equality, sometimes people must take a risk in order to reveal the truth and uphold justice. Individuals throughout history, such as the founding fathers, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King, Jr. , have faced this peril in the pursuit of freedom.In 1845, Frederick Douglass published Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, in order to do just that- to establish the truth behind slavery and advocate for freedom. In his narrative, Douglass uses diction, structure, imagery, and other stylistic elements to persuade people of the evils that slavery inflicts on both sides of society. In order to reveal the truth behind slavery, Douglass demonstrates his point through his use of diction and structure. Through his diction, Douglass uses wo rds to illustrate the barbarity and inhumanity of slavery.For instance, Douglass describes slaveholders as â€Å"human flesh-mongers† and their actions as â€Å"fiendish barbarity† (Douglass, 21, 27). By using words such as these, Douglass shows his contempt for those responsible and informs the reader of the cruelty of slavery. He compares the slaveholders to barbarians, revealing them as the height of cruelty and wickedness. In addition, after watching the white men heartlessly rank slaves with swine and thoughtlessly divide families, he â€Å"saw more clearly than ever the brutalizing effects of slavery upon both the slave and the slaveholder† (Douglass, 58).Douglass uses the word brutalizing to show how the power of owning another person turned the white brutal and inhuman. That they could commit these malicious acts on fellow human beings becomes incomprehensible, and he successfully communicates the terrible effects of slavery. In addition to his diction, Douglass uses structure to show how the barbarity of enslavement first turned him into a slave, and how that same inhumanity set him free. After about nine chapters detailing his slave life, he says, â€Å"You have seen how a man was made a slave; you shall see how a slave was made a man. (Douglass, 75) He then goes on to describe the turning point for him that sparked his quest for freedom. By structuring his narrative this way, he reveals both sides- how slavery broke him â€Å"in body, soul, and spirit† (Douglass, 73) and how it eventually â€Å"rekindled the few expiring embers of freedom† within him (Douglass, 80). In doing so, he gives the reader an insight into how he became himself, and reinforces the evils of slavery in the way it shapes a man’s life. Douglass’ use of diction and structure effectively persuades the reader of the barbarity and inhumanity that comes as a result of slavery.To continue his persuasion, Douglass uses selection of deta il and different tones to make his view known. When describing some aspects of slavery, Douglass’ use of detail opens society’s eyes to injustice. In one case, when describing the whipping of his Aunt Hester, he includes details that encompass sight- â€Å"the warm, red blood†¦ came dripping to the floor,† sound- â€Å"amid heart-rending shrieks,† and emotion- â€Å"I was so horror-stricken†¦ I hid myself in a closet† (Douglass, 24).By including facts covering many senses, he provides the reader a chance to piece together the scene, giving them perspective. If society has all the details, it becomes easier for them to pass an accurate judgment of slavery. His detail, or lack thereof, also contributes to his use of tone- in particular, one of coolness and detachment. When describing incidents involving himself, he seems as if relating the story of another- â€Å"scarce a week passed without his whipping me. I was seldom free from a sore b ack† (Douglass, 70).While he neither over or under exaggerates the situation, he seldom tells of his own emotions and disgust regarding his punishments, and he shows his contempt without appearing exceedingly emotional. By keeping a cooler tone, Douglass avoids writing hot with emotion and reestablishes his credibility. Douglass also uses a tone of despair to persuade of injustice. In one passage, he pours out his heart, â€Å"O God, save me! God deliver me! †¦ Why am I a slave? †(Douglass, 74). Through his touching supplication the reader better understands him.His despairing tone displays how slavery truly broke him down and pushed him into misery. Douglass’ use of detail and tone sincerely convinces one of slavery’s evils. In addition to stylistic elements used thus far, Douglass also uses both imagery and syntax to portray the horrors of slavery. To begin with, he uses imagery by personifying slavery: â€Å"there stood slavery, a stern reality, g laring frightfully upon us, -its robes already crimsoned with the blood of millions, and even now feasting itself greedily upon our own flesh. (Douglass, 90) By depicting slavery this way, he gives it power and emphasis, causing slaves to appear powerless beneath slavery’s influence. The mental representation he renders reveals once more the involuntary, villainous enslavement and that the effects of slavery are evil and need to cease. Along with personification, Douglass uses a metaphor to illustrate the terrible effects of slavery on his mistress- â€Å"Slavery proved as injurious to her as it did to me†¦Under its influence, the tender heart became stone, and the lamblike disposition gave way to one of tiger-like fierceness† (Douglass, 51).While her heart did not truly become stone, this illustration helps to reveal how the responsibility of owning another human being corrupted her. By using a metaphor, the comparison between her temperament before and after own ing a slave becomes a harsher, more stark reality of slavery’s evil influence. Along with imagery, Douglass’ use of syntax provides description and effectively helps to portray slavery’s harms.After escaping to the north, Douglass describes the thoughts running through his mind: â€Å"let him place himself in my situation- without home or friends- without money or credit- wanting shelter, and no one to give it- wanting bread, and no money to buy it,†¦ – perfectly helpless both as to the means of defense and means of escape, †¦ – I say, let him be placed in this most trying situation, – the situation in which I was placed,- then, and not till then, will he fully appreciate the hardships of, and know how to sympathize with, the toil-worn and whip-scarred fugitive slave† (Douglass, 110).The choppy flow of this sentence, filled with breaks in thought, makes him seem breathless and reflects his panic as a runaway slave. This show s that slavery, which has instilled deep fear into the hearts of slaves, makes adjustment in a free world difficult for fugitives. To convince society of the harm that slavery wreaks on both the slave and slaveholder, Frederick Douglass uses many literary elements in his narrative to convey his message.Overcoming many difficulties and prejudice against him, Douglass published his narrative, despite numerous risks, to persuade society of slavery’s evils. Engaged in pleading the importance of freedom, his narrative, read across the world, stands as a witness to the  ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬ struggles required to pursue freedom. All through history, courageous individuals have stood up in the face of adversity to protect the rights of others. Today, where freedoms are threatened across the world, people can still make a difference, like Douglass’ narrative, and unify people in a worthy cause to defend liberty.

Rant on Homework Essay

Homework†¦Why do we have homework? I know that it is the most essential part in kids life for education, at least that is what teachers would say. But, what is the reason for doing homework after school when you have been working hard all day. Therefore, I feel that homework isn’t necessary because all it does is that it cause stress. Solving problem after problem, reading chapter after chapter, and studying for tests, quizzes makes the students frustrated and that leads them to dropping out school as well. Moreover, homework isn’t only wasting the student’s time but the teachers time as well. By marking and grading homework, teachers are wasting their time. So teachers, please don’t blame us the we wasted your time. Some people assume that homework is useful for teachers to watch student’s progress but I firmly believe that homework is sent home to test the parents, not the children. I think that teachers can watch the student’s progress in school better because teachers don’t know that at home who did the homework, the parent, the student or the internet (Google) People also think that homework helps parents to understand that the school holds high goals for students. But, I consider that school work is harder than homework and that means that parents can understand that the school holds higher goals than they think. Furthermore, homework becomes terrible if no one can help you. If no one can help you then you are doing work that you don’t understand, and if you don’t understand it what’s the point having the work that you can’t even do. I really, strongly believe that more kids would stay in school and have a better learning experience if they did not have the stress of homework. Lastly, homework means more papers used, which also means more trees to be cut down, which will lead to the environment getting screwed over. To me, homework is the cause of global warming. You think I’m kidding? No I am not. I’m being logical here. Think about it.

Is There a Biodiversity Crisis Essay

Most commonly, biodiversity is referred to as the differences in the forms of life inside an ecosystem. There are different definitions regarding to the scope and to whoever has defined the word biodiversity. The first definition which the most common definition of the word states that biodiversity is the variation of life at levels of biological organization. This definition simply states that biodiversity claims the general differences in the living organisms that exist in an ecosystem. The second definition characterizes biodiversity as an assessment of the overall health of an ecosystem. The health of an ecosystem is relatively based on the number of species that thrives in an ecosystem. Thus, biodiversity is also measure of the relative physical condition of the different organisms alive in an ecosystem. Another definition, which is most commonly used by ecologists, describes biodiversity as the entirety of the genes, species and ecosystems of a certain region. This third definition relates the three basic levels that identify biodiversity: (1) genetic diversity, (2) species diversity and, (3) ecosystem diversity. In the main, biodiversity for ecologists also relates the interactions of species to species and also the interaction of the species to the environment they are in. Therefore, it is not only the species of organism that are interacting with one another but also the organism are interacting with the air, soil, water and the factors that constitutes the totality of the environment. The environment is very essential to all the living forms in the planet. Clearly, it is the provider of our most basic needs: food, water and air. It gives us water for drinking, air for breathing, food to supply as with energy and other necessities. Humans are pat of a very big ecosystem – the earth. With all the animals and the other forms of living things in the earth interacting with one another, surely, one kind of species needs the other in order to survive. Such as the way the spider needs its web and the horse needs the grass, all the organisms, need the planet’s wealth in order to survive. The collection of plants and animals are the ones that keep an ecosystem stable. The more diverse an ecosystem is, the more that it is stable and the more that it is likely to survive. Biodiversity crisis is one of the threats that lead to the extinction of certain species of animals and plants. Still, nobody knows the importance of each and every living thing on earth. However, their loss can be equated to a loss in medicine, technology and balance in nature, which in turn mar risk the lives of humans. Factors There are so many factors that contribute to the weakening and deterioration of biodiversity. It includes too much use and over exploitation, physical and chemical modification of the areas which serves as habitats for certain organism, introduction of foreign species of organisms to an area and modifications in the conditions of habitats. Some factors that contribute to the total fall of biodiversity in an area are also socially based. This includes rapid population growth, over exploitation of resources, useless and ineffective knowledge, unworthy management and increasing demand for areas to be modified into industrial and technological spots. Human activity is a large fraction of the causes of biodiversity crisis of the world. The diverse activities of humans can be accounted as the primary cause of the degradation of the diversity of life of the planet. Certain human activities create a huge impact to the environment. Two of which are human population and the level of consumption of humankind. These two factors constitutes to the major environmental changes that are happening in the planet. Also, the principal activities of humans for the purpose of his survival in the planet such as agriculture, fishing, hunting, manufacturing, trade, industry, and even recreational activities such as hiking, mountaineering and tours are directly and indirectly creating a major effect on the environmental balance. Records show that hunting and sever use and exploitation of the animal life and environment are the most cases that can be observed in the word today. These activities are the biggest threats to the existence of various kinds of animals not only in Tibet but also in other countries such as Thailand and Philippines. In Tibet, exploitation of animals is a major environmental problem. Animals are being killed for commercial reasons. Skin of rare animals, antlers of deer, heads of various animals mostly the Tibetan gazelle and fur of wild animals such as leopards can be seen in the market and are sold openly without penalties and forced restrictions by the authorities. More to that, hunters are not only free to kill animals in the wild but also, they can get their own permit to hunt in the wild. They are given permit to kill animals for the purpose of producing income and for the purpose of causing a rapid decrease in the population of the animals that they use for commercial purposes. Also, another major cause of biodiversity crisis in the world and still, an example of human activity is forest degradation and transformation of habitats to industrial sites. Forest degradation does not only concern the loss of trees in the rainforests but also the loss of the animals that depends on these trees for survival. Wide exploitation of the forests has been recorded in most of the countries in the world as early as human population began to rapidly increase. The act of cutting trees to be used either for construction of houses or for the purpose of selling to companies and other groups and for the purpose of having a new site wherein industries, houses, subdivisions and chemical plants are to be erected, all constitutes to the improper and over utilization of resources. These activities are the roots of extensive migration of birds and animals to other areas which causes over crowding of species in an area and wide losses in certain species that eventually dies due to the loss of trees and the loss of the existence of rainforests which serves as their habitat. Losses These human activities in effect, cause enormous impact to the environment. Effects incorporate land transformations, rapid decrease in the population of specie which mostly results to extinction and immense changes in the patterns of weather, water cycle, nutrient accumulation and chemical introduction. In the long run, these direct effects of human activities consequently are the ones that cause various changes in the global climate, patterns of migration, reproduction and habitat and an overall irreversible loss form the environment and consequently a loss to the humankind. On the whole, human activities have brought changes not only to the other living organism in the planet but also to the planet itself. Accordingly, human activities have caused the environment to weaken inducing a less stable planet that could less support existence of life. The world is rapidly loosing its wealth and richness. Due to the acts of man, not only he and the other forms of life are at risk but also the whole world. Man’s activities constitute much of the factors that contribute to this hasty decline. As man continues to increase its population and greedy concept of living, the diversity of life is steadily going to a point of fall. As this happens, lakes and rivers are transformed to highways and canals, forests will soon be out of trees and animals and will be turned to deserts. Natural diversity will be continuously raped and will make way for the rise of towering buildings, winding roads, infrastructures, houses, villages, factories, mines, schools, shopping malls and gardens. Existence of the technological advancements will soon interfere with the usual patterns of the weather and global climate as well as the lives of different species. In turn, they will be extinct and will never be enjoyed again by the coming generations. Eventually, the works of man today will weaken and continuously exploit the wealth of planet until comes to a point where it can no longer hold for the existence of man and his doings. References Center for Biodiversity and Conservation. (2007). Biodiversity in Crisis?. Retrieved December 6, 2007, from http://cbc.amnh. org/crisis/crisis. html. Simberloff, Daniel. (2007). Habitat Change, Population Growth, and the Biodiversity Crisis: Getting Ahead of the Extinction Curve. Retrieved, December 5, 2007, from http://www. angelo. edu/events/university_symposium/93_Simberloff. html. Shah, Anup. (2007) Biodiversity. Retrieved, December 5, 2007, from http://www. globalissues. org/EnvIssues/Biodiversity. asp. The Fruitarian Foundation. (2000). The Biodiversity Crisis. Retrieved December 5, 2007, from http://www. fruitarian. com/ab/TheBiodiversityCrisis. htm.