Admission Paper in Finance Essay

Every person has his/her story and so do I. I’m writing this statement of purpose to solicit an admission into the prestigious Finance Phd Program. Many people endeavor into PhD to do high-level research and teach but my primary reason for entering is to be my own boss. Not to sound conceited, I have earlier worked in 7/11 from 6 am to 12 pm for many years and under unmanageable coworkers to support my living and schooling expenses as I come from a very humble background. I understand that being one’s own boss or in more euphemistic terms an independent researcher does not come easy, one has to first go through many years of rigors and challenges of academic world. My Masters in Quantitative finance have built the foundation or framework to withstand any challenge that academia will put forth in the near future. Courses that I have taken in my masters include Mathematical finance, real option analysis, Microeconomic theory, Financial Derivatives, Statistics, Econometric s 1, Econometrics 2, Financial modeling, Financial application, and so forth. See more: Homeless satire essay I took few research and quantitative classes because I know they will inadvertently prepare me for PhD . The reason I chose Quantitative Marketing is because the statistics, economics and mathematics that’s involved in it mesmerizes me. In this country the advertisers have known from the beginning that â€Å" The heart rules over the head.† So by allowing the mass majority of people with easy personal and mortgage loans, they have jeopardized the economy. What I would like to research is if this was a zero-sum game or not, and if yes, then who benefitted from it? Because of securitization, the bank did not seem to make any money, and neither the homeowners that lost their home. If banks knew people were going to default, then why did they still offer loans? This whole thing is like a mathematical paradox that is yet to be solved. Marketing is what separates the product from its competitors. In my research I’d like to learn how adverstisers use athletes to add val ue to the product. Nike’s whole business model was based on Marketing. Top sportsman like Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Kobe Bryant and so on are paid several millions by Nike. Many people perceive that by wearing the same brand as their idol does, he/she could improve their game. But what about â€Å"the Rolex† watch that Roger Federer advertises? How can a watch improve anyones tennis game? Maybe , the ad implies that only â€Å"Winners† or so called â€Å" achievers† can wear it? People looking to lose weight may take up a sport and watch their favorite athlete drink â€Å"Gatorade† to rehydrate or replenish their energy, but fail to realize that the 46 grams of sugar in Gatorade itself is the primary reason that’s defeating their weight loss goal. Ab rockets, Ab lounges are advertised by professional trainers who have spent their life doing sports. It is impossible for a 9 to 5 working person to achieve the same results, yet countless people fall prey to thes e infomercials. It is definitely fascinating to learn more about the profound effect that Marketing has on us. Neverthless, schemes like â€Å" buy one get one 50% off, zero percent down payment for 12 months, buy now pay later† are a sure sell. What begs the question is whether the scheme is benefitting the consumer or the economy. After research the second most important thing for a phd is to teach. Even though I do not have formal teaching experience I have been teaching GRE to students from all walks of life. I definitely do not have a stellar GPA nor a GRE but I do my job well when needed. The fact that I love people makes my job of teaching extremely simple. I can wake up middle of the night and walk an extra mile to give a talk on a topic that inspires me. Having taken immeasurable courses at community colleges and universities, I’ve become very fond of academia. I now dote reading, learning, relearning, and writing. Of course, my past high school and university grades donâ€⠄¢t walk the talk but the fact is I have overcome all of that with my independent learning. A majority of my high-school teachers and family members doubted if I’d ever finish high-school. Not only did I finish high school , I now also have two advanced United States degrees. Much of these didn’t come easy for me. Every parents teacher meeting and every result day from grade 3 to grade 12 was like a doomsday for me. I used to literally pray that we never had a result day or a parents teacher meeting. My dad physically whopped me and my brother together till he injured us for passing our classes with a B or a C grade. It still gives me nightmare just thinking about it. He beat us because he compared us to his wealthier colleagues or brothers kids who were excelling in school while we weren’t. He never realized that each kid is unique and has different talent. Perhaps, his lack of education or short-temperedness made him violent or even so because he could not flaunt to others that his kids have the highest grade . Believe me this is what parents in South Asia are discussing at parties or family gatherings, â€Å"whose kids are getting the best grades.†. Nevertheless, at first it was a big challenge to just learn English, but as time passed, my innate ability taught me reading, writing, and speaking. In fact, English has now become my primary language. Also during undergrad I have written myriad papers and thus writing has become a fact of my life. The writing skills I have acquired during a long period of my stay in the academic world will unarguably be useful during my PhD. If not, at least I like to think so. I choose Lubbock because it’s a small college town and the professor who mentored me during my masters has his PhD in finance from Texas Tech . He in fact referred me to this school. Nevertheless, a small quite town would also enhance a person’s learning since he/she will be free from all distractions. While writing this essay I hold an undergraduate sociology 101 t ext book. According to the book, being a university professor is considered one of the most prestigious occupation in the United States, ranking way ahead than an athlete, Dentist, programmer, Actor, and so forth. The author took the abstract from, â€Å"General Social Survery, 1972-2002. Cumumlative codebook (Chicago national opinion research center.† ) Such findings did stir my up my mind to pursue PHD. I really saw this in my text six years ago as a young teenager . This explains I truly have the passion to be a professor from a long time. The excellent faculty at Texas Tech with their wide variety of research interests , and student placements will definitely make my ambition of becoming a university professor come true. What I like about research is it removes the bias from the illimitable information we have today. Integrating information from google, scholarly journals, publications, magazines, foreign newspapers, and so forth and coming up with my own analysis is something I loo k forward to do. Another thing that I like about research is it’s about finding patterns and relationships that are not obvious to others. My poor undergraduate GPA could be attributed to the fact that I was part of Texas Wesleyan Table Tennis Team. We have won 4 national collegiate championship, having me represented TWU as a varsity player in all four of them. Apart from playing NCTTA tournaments we were obligated to play open tournaments all over America. I did get a chance to play and win several open tournaments in different cities across the US. For winning the national collegiate championship, the United States House of Representative personally awarded me a certificate of excellence. I’ve enclosed a copy of that certificate along with this essay. Nevertheless, team practice and tournaments took up a lot of time and energy; once tired, college and books were the last thing in my mind. Somehow, I still managed to complete my undergrad degree keeping in mind the famous American say ing , â€Å" It doesn’t matter how many times you fail, but it does matter how you finish.† Nevertheless, I realized I have criticized my dad earlier in the essay but this piece of work that I have penned down today could not have been possible without his support. Moreover, I could never make him happy with my low grades, but I always saw him rejoicing each time I won a tournament. Table tennis taught me invaluable lessons in life. When I lost a tournament or an important match I used to feel devastated, but it then made me realize that it’s not the end of the world. By accepting defeat, I learned that I have to train harder and come off strong for the next tournament. Similarly, in business and research only after failing several times did great thinkers emerge. Lastly, I thank the dean, chairman, and admission committee members for taking out their valuable time to read this essay and also for considering my application.

Life Cycle of Tulips Essay

The life cycle of tulips start when the bulbs are planted from mid-September to mid-November and ends when the leaves fade and eventually wither away. The cup-shaped flowers are beautiful to look at and have an ability to make a glum person cheerful. This article gives an insight into the life cycle of tulips. Tulips were considered to be the flowers of God due to their beauty and perfection, by the Turks. Many of us believe tulips are native of Holland. Contrary to the belief, there is not a single species of tulip native to Holland. Tulips belong to Central and Western Asia and it were the nomadic tribes who brought the tulips to Turkey. Turkey was called the Ottoman Empire in olden days. It were the Turks who popularized this beautiful spring flower, tulip. In the late 16th century, a European ambassador visited the Turkish Ottoman Empire. He was fascinated by the tulip garden of the Sultan. As a token of friendship, the Sultan presented the ambassador with bulbs and seeds. Ambassador presented part of his gift to the Roman emperor Ferdinand I and the remaining seeds and bulbs were to Carolus Clusius, a botanist, employed by the Roman Emperor. This is how tulips came to Europe. Carolus Clusius introduced tulips in Holland when he was appointed as the professor of Botany at Leiden University. Then onwards, the Holland became the country associated with the colorful tulips. A Tulip is a beautiful, bright, cup-shaped flower with a smooth green stem, belonging to the family of liliaceous plants. Tulip means turban. Before dwelling on the life cycle of tulips you should know something about the climate condition of their homeland, Central and West Asia. The countries of Central and West Asia experience hot and dry summers and very cold winters. Many plants including tulips have developed special methods to survive the extreme climatic conditions by remaining dormant during the harsh winter and bloom during the spring and summer months. The tulips have underground storage organs called bulbs to survive the long months of winter. * First Stage in the Life Cycle of Tulips The life cycle of tulips is interesting. The tulip bulbs are planted from mid-September to mid-November. During this period the soil is moist. This fosters the growth of the bulb under the ground. In the first cycle of growth, the roots start growing from the bulb to form a strong root system. If you have planted the bulbs in the month of October, you can expect a strong root system by December. * Second Stage in the Life Cycle of Tulips When the snow-covered soil begins to thaw towards the end of winter, you can see a healthy green shoot coming out from a tulip bulb. By early or mid April, the tulips would start to bloom. The flowering season of tulips continue till the mid of May. During the flowering season the leaves of the tulips develop. * Third and the Final Stage of the Life Cycle of Tulips The foliage plays an important role in the life cycle of tulips. The leaves of the tulips should never be cut. The reason, is they are responsible for the process of photosynthesis. The food derived from the solar energy is stored in the form of carbohydrate in the bulbs. This food is required for the growth and the flowering process of tulip in the following year. Gradually, the leaves turn yellow and wither away. Now the tulip bulbs enter a state of dormancy after completing the yearly cycle. Tulips have been cultivated for nearly 500 years. There are several thousand hybrid varieties available today. Tulips are classified into 15 classes on the basis of season of bloom, parentage and various floral characteristics. There is a huge demand for tulips in the flower market around the globe.

4th Nine Weeks Test #1 Flashcards Example for Free

4th Nine Weeks Test #1 What is the background/purpose for Paul Revere’s ride? -Purpose: Inform people about a historical event, and tell them why it’s important now -Background: Paul Revere rode through a bunch of Massachusetts cities to tell people that the British were coming to invade them. Describe the plot line for â€Å"Paul Revere’s Ride†, Exposition -Exposition: This story takes place during the deep night of April 18, 1775. It is in different places in Massachusetts such as the Charlestown shore, Medford, Lexington, and Concord. It’s about Paul Revere and his friend, who lived in the early American colonies. Describe the plot line for â€Å"Paul Revere’s Ride†, Rising Action -Rising Action: He talked to his friend in the evening about how ready the would be if the British came. Just as the moon rose, a British ship, The Somerset, appeared over the bay. The friend heard the ship. He ran to the Old North Church and hung up 2 lanterns, because the British came by sea. Paul Revere saw that his friend had hung up the lanterns, so he took off fearlessly to warn people. Paul Revere warned different cities (Medford/midnight, Lexington/one am, Concord/2 am Describe the plot line for â€Å"Paul Revere’s Ride†, Climax -Climax: The narrator described that even though the British came in strong, the farmers fought back hard. The farmers won and the British retreated. Describe the plot line for â€Å"Paul Revere’s Ride†, Falling Action -Falling Action: The narrator summarizes everything that happened Describe the plot line for â€Å"Paul Revere’s Ride†, Denoument -Denoument: The narrator, as well as summarizes everything that happened, says that the history of this event is very important to our nation. We will always remember what Paul Revere did. Describe the setting of â€Å"Paul Revere’s Ride†. Night of April 18, 1775 in Massachusetts Describe the characters of â€Å"Paul Revere’s Ride†. Paul Revere, his friend, people of Charlestown, Medford, Lexington, Concord Contrast between the peaceful night and the violence of the approaching revolution. â€Å"Paul Revere’s Ride† Peaceful night for the farmers until Paul Revere came in and described that there would be a lot of violence coming-the British were looking to conquer and kill. What is the impact on the reader of the the narrative poem focus in on one person, Paul Revere, instead of a group of people who actually completed the night’s task? If it weren’t for Paul Revere, the people who completed the task wouldn’t have even known that the British were coming. He was one of the key parts of keeping America alive. What are the basics of Abraham Lincoln’s historical impact and assassination? Good president, but was beaten down a lot. Was with the North in the Civil War, and was against slavery. Was shot at the Ford Theatre, died the next day. Why were there so many details in the literature read about Abraham Lincoln? (assassination story) It was important to the whole story. It was vital to understanding all that happened and making sense of it all. Describe how there was a foreshadowing of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. Abraham Lincoln had a dream about it Describe how the tone and effectiveness of â€Å"Oh Captain! My Captain!† by Walt Whitman would make somebody like it more. It was a poem, and it wasn’t as gory as the other story. It rhymed, and it helped me to understand a lot of what happened from the people’s perspective. Many American citizens had a connection with President Lincoln, and they were devastated when he died. He was leading the country in the right direction. Describe the extended metaphor in â€Å"Oh Captain! My Captain!†. They treated President Lincoln like the captain of the ship, and he was lying on the deck of the ship dead. What was Walt Whitman’s purpose for writing the poem, â€Å"Oh Captain! My Captain!† It gave a real sense of what it was like to lose the president. We read about it in different stories, but it’s different to see it from this perspective. What was something significant happening in the country during Mark Twain’s life? What was the event that set off Mark Twain’s job hunt and adventures? Describe Mark Twain’s personality/writing style. He’s a humorous writer, and a little quirky in a sense. He’s very philosophical, and tries to come up with morals for his stories. Why is Mark Twain let go from his jobs mentioned prior to his 2nd attempt at mining in his personal narrative? He never put any thought into them. Why did Mark Twain walk away from writing for good? He died. He never â€Å"walked away from writing†, except for two short times while writing Huckleberry Finn. What is a fable, and what is it’s purpose? Characters being animals that have personalities and traits like humans, has a moral lesson, generally written for children Mocking political figures, exaggeration to bring about change, points out flaws in a person, society, or idea. Gives inanimate objects human traits What is Twain suggesting about art critics through the words and actions of his animal characters? He’s suggesting that everybody is entitled to their own opinions. Art critics criticize paintings that other people think are beautiful. â€Å"You know something that I don’t know†, in a drama setting, specific irony happens, and it’s normally where the viewer knows what’s going to happen because it’s set up that way, and the people in the movie don’t. What was the significance of the cat’s description of a mirror in Mark Twain’s fable? The significance was that it showed the reader that maybe the cat didn’t know as much as he thought he knew. Each animal is eager to test the mirror after hearing about other’s experiences in Mark Twain’s fable. What does this reveal about human nature? Everybody wants to be right and prove the other wrong. What is the moral of Mark Twain’s fable? You can find in a text whatever you bring, if you will stand between it and the mirror of your imagination. You may not see your ears, but they will be there. realism and mark twain A Presidential Candidate Mark Twain Mark Twain "Advice to Little Girls" and "Invalid's Story" Mark Twain Gilded Age Notable People and famous quotes Samuel Clemens - Mark Twain Vocab Quiz - Mark Twain, Story of an Hour, Poems, and Wagner Matinee english// mark twain The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Chapters 4-7 Mark Twain Biography company About StudyMoose Contact Careers Help Center Donate a Paper Legal Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Complaints We will write a custom sample essay on 4th Nine Weeks Test #1 specifically

Understanding falling incidents in older adults Essay

Understanding falling incidents in older adults - Essay Example This is a critical appraisal of two research papers which reflect studies in the problems of falling as issues for older adults. The two papers to be critically appraised are ‘Moving Forward in Fall Prevention: An Intervention to Improve Balance Among Older Adults in Real-World Settings’ (Robitaille et al. 2005) and ‘A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Multifactorial Falls Prevention Intervention for Older Fallers Presenting to Emergency Departments’ by Russell et al. (2010). These papers were chosen because they represent an aspect of my field of practice – working with older adults. The paper is divided into five sections: Part I: the Introduction; Part II: Methodology of Selection for the papers chosen for this study; Part III: Critical Summaries which outlines the purpose, structure and results of the studies; Part IV: Discussion of Findings which provides the results and the why of the results; and Part V: Personal Reflection which provides inform ation on how this paper and the studies relate to my field of practice.When mature adults move into the senior years, there are a number of functions that begin to slow down and one of these is the ability to recover from a stumble, or tripping over an object. Regaining one’s balance is harder because reaction time in physical recovery is slower (Sollitto 2013). Loss of muscle structure is also a key component which is obviously evident when older adults exercise less because they tire more often or may have some underlying illness. As vision deteriorates with age, perception of distance and depth may also cause problems, particularly when using bifocal or trifocal where looking quickly over the glass lens can change the focus of depth to something that it is not (Sollitto 2013). Falling down can also cause fractured or broken bones because older bones are more brittle. They also will not heal as easily, and it is important to provide nutritional information and appropriate m edical intervention to keep the elder adult healthy with quality of life (Sollitto 2013). Part II: Methodology of Selection The selection for determining the papers used in this research required that the studies had to have been done within the past decade, 2003-2013. This would provide more information that utilized the latest in research skills, study design and data analysis of the study results. Several medical websites such as COCHRANE, PubMed and other journal repositories, were used in the search process along with specific search terms in order to pull studies that reflected the subject matter of senior adults and falling issues. Internet Research, Search Terms and Papers Website Search Terms Used Papers Reviewed – Not Used COCHRANE Library ‘old people falling ratios,’ ‘research studies on falls by the elderly’ ‘Population-based interventions for the prevention of fall-related injuries in older people’, McClure et al. (2008). Pu bMed ‘falling down statistics in elderly’, ‘balance research in falls’ ‘Peculiarities of postural balance among elderly men with fear of falling syndrome’, Gerontol (2012). Amedeo - Medical Literature Guide ‘elderly falling ratios’, ‘balance problems in elderly’ ‘Reliability and validity of the Persian lower extremity functional scale

Strategic management- coursework assessment 2014

Strategic management- assessment 2014 - Coursework Example In other words, it can be stated that business model helps in recognising the fundamental changes for innovation and deliver value to the people. Different business organisations implement business model to analyse the industry competitiveness and satisfy the stakeholders. In this essay three organisation have been taken into consideration in order to analyse their business models, which includes Google, Facebook and Samsung (Loewe, 2009). Google is a United States based leading multinational corporations, providing internet-based services across the globe. It is a leading search engine used by the people for rapid development and for enhancing the productivity. Google uses a strong business model for its smooth functioning driven with the objective of becoming one of the prominent sources of information for the people. The motive of the business model is to penetrate into the market with a strong growth rate for continuous revenue (Google, 2014). Facebook is another well-known social networking company, which is intended to increase the level of communication amid the people across the globe. The services provided by the social networking site include personal communication and promotional services. The business model of Facebook is to create ‘Multi-sided Platform’ in order to serve different customer segments (Facebook, 2014). On the contrary, Samsung is a leading brand providing various products and services to the people as per the market requirements. This is possible with help of the business model implemented by the company in order to increase the efficiency of the people (Samsung, 2014). Contextually, business model involves every aspect of a company’s approach in order to develop profitability and ensure delivering quality services to the customer for greater effectiveness in the long run. The objective for the implementation of the business model is to serve various segments of customers in order to provide

The Impact of the Internet and Product Development Essay

The Impact of the Internet and Product Development - Essay Example Though the internet started its development journey in the 1960s it is only in the 1990s that commercializing of the same Started. This period between the 1990s and today saw massive a leap in the number of internet users, with the same reaching 2.2 billion in 20101. Founded in or around 1976, Apple Inc.s formative years were also the internets formative years hence the close association of the two as Apple Inc., is a growing computer hardware company, produced hardware that was used hand in hand with the internet. Their growth therefore coincided. When internet marketing became a common phenomenon the company took the earliest opportunity to market itself through the internet. The company has kept pace with the latter growth in terms of the number of customers and profitability and will continue to do so as the two are closely connected. The two billion people who get to visit the internet are able to learn about apple through its may advert in its website and other popular sites in cluding search engines. The marketing of the company is therefore personalized. The adverts have gone a long way to create and model the personalities and legacies of persons connected with apple such as its late icon, Steve Jobs3.  Internet marketing is largely responsible for Apple business success today. The third largest mobile phone producer in the world, Apple has placed over a billion adverts on the internet for the time it has been in operation4. As a result, Apple is the most admired company in the united states today. The company aims to maintain its high customer base and it is convinced it can do so through solely marketing its products on the internet. The company also aims to disburse information on its products as fast as possible and the same can only be effectively achieved through the internet.  

Literature Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Literature Review - Essay Example No time lag will be there in between the data transfer. PDM tools collaborate with other parts of the system to increase the efficiency and speed of the system. Improved productivity of the engineers is the second advantage of PDM system. It is widely accepted that engineers are wasting a substantial period of time for searching , retrieving, filing, handling and storing of document and information. PDM system can help the engineers in avoiding all the above time wasting areas of their profession. The third advantage is the improved control. PDM system ensures the availability of up to date data to all to ensure better control (Crow, n. d). Grundey (2009) has mentioned that Product Data Management (PDM) software helps to provide revision control and file access permission capability for CAD data. Moreover, PDM system improves housekeeping. At the same time PDM system has the disadvantages of more browsing needed to locate files and lot of searching to be done for related draft files (Grundey 2009). Product life management, sometimes "product life cycle management", represents management of all data relating to the design, production, support and ultimate disposal of manufactured goods. Every product has a life period like the living things. It starts from the design stage and ends at the disposal stage. Even though PLM is widely used in the engineering CAD field, it is used in other areas like word processors; spreadsheet and graphics programs; requirements analysis and market assessment tools; field trouble reports; and even emails or other correspondence (Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), 2009). PLM provides the users a vision; a blue print; a road map; a backbone,( a platform where other components could be based on), a bird-eye view,( an overall picture on what you are doing or going to do with your products) (The Secret of Lean PLM implementation, n. d, p. 3). PLM help engineers or others to

For this assignment you are required to write a feature piece about Essay

For this assignment you are required to write a feature piece about one of the statements provided below - Essay Example Although the Games, once brought forward from their dusty past in antiquity, were initially held in mostly Western European nations, the Olympic Museum (2007) reports that they â€Å"have now been held on every continent except Africa.† However, Africa, as a continent, could use the attention, and the money, more than any other continent today. The Western World tends to think of Africa in terms of the images we see on TV. These images are full of small children with distended tummies as they sit on the dirt floors of their tiny huts trying to ignore the flies that gather around their starving and barely-clad bodies. As was pointed out by Enwezor (2005), a scholar on the subject of photojournalism, â€Å"The global media almost never depict contemporary Africans in ordinary situations; images of crisis frequently eclipse other representations.† Contrary to this impression, though, there are numerous Africans who live lives very similar to the experiences to be found in the West, complete with brick houses, running water and full-time electricity. However, the limited space available for international news combined with the desperate conditions of Africa’s poor have convinced many in the mainstream media that this poverty is where the attention should be focused. In the past, African countries have been rejected in their Olympic bids citing lack of appropriate facilities for hosting. However, some feel this is more rhetoric than reality. There are a number of more developed African cities preparing to make a bid for future Olympic Games. These include cities in Egypt and Kenya as well as the South African cities of Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. South Africa also has some precedent set regarding their ability to host larger events. Since 1994 (and the fall of Apartheid), the nation has hosted the Rugby World Cup, the African Cup of

Tax inversions, benefits and pitfalls Term Paper

Tax inversions, benefits and pitfalls - Term Paper Example This issue was put to great publicity in April 2014 and came together with the proposed merger between two companies, AstraZeneca and Pfizer. Even though multinational public corporations have recently received more press coverage on tax inversions, middle-market and private corporations can invert and realize same tax benefits. A change of the legal location of the company from the United States to another nation allows the company to benefit from certain laws in that nation. Typical benefits that make corporations in the U.S to re-incorporate in other countries include banking laws that are more flexible. In addition, they also benefit by getting friendly corporate governance rules and lower tax rates. Bermuda is one of the most common destinations for tax inversions due to several reasons. The principal driver is because Bermuda does not tax capital gains. Also, it does not have any corporate income, dividend tax or profit. Typically, shareholders of such corporations need to pay taxes from the profits realized after inversion. Worse enough, the tax inversion transaction is mostly a stock transaction where the shareholders get no money to pay taxes on their profits in the stock. In that case, inversions are a long term play for shareholders of corporations which can bear the short term tax bite. Tax inversion also leads to unemployment in the country of origin of such corporations. The tax inversions do not typically alter the structure of operation for the company. Mostly, it means adding a smaller office in the new foreign location of the company. Therefore, even though on rare occasions, tax inversions lead to unemployment. The Bush administration passed a legislation that required corporations to continue paying taxes under current rules. Under this Act, the corporate minimum tax rules would still apply. Current rules where corporations control

Waiting for the Barbarians by J. M. Coetzee Essay Example for Free

Waiting for the Barbarians by J. M. Coetzee Essay All this erotic behavior of mine is indirect: I prowl about her, touching her face, caressing her body, without entering her or finding the urge to do so. But with this woman it is as if there is no interior, only a surface across which I hunt back and forth seeking entry. Is this how her torturers felt hunting their secret, whatever they thought it was? pg.43. One of the central figures in J. M. Coetzees Waiting for the Barbarians is the barbarian girl. The Magistrate finds the girl maimed and nearly blind after being interrogated and tortured by the ruthless Colonel Joll, and takes her in. The Magistrates relationship with the girl revolves around his search for the girls significance; he questions her about her torture, he attempts to understand her through her physical surface, and tries to use her as the key to unlocking his own meaning. Ultimately, the Magistrates treatment of the barbarian girl mirrors her treatment by Colonel Joll; they both use her as a tool in their respective searches for knowledge. The parallels between Joll and the Magistrates behavior towards the barbarian girl can be seen in the selected passage. The Magistrate is going over his conduct towards the girl in his head, and expressing some puzzlement as to the motivation behind his actions as well as over their lack of fruition. He puts effort into making romantic gestures towards her, but does not sleep with her, nor does he really want to. He seems to want something from her, but is unsure about what that is or how to go about getting it. This makes the woman seem mysteriously full of meaning and yet impenetrable to him, in more ways than one. His last thought is to compare his search for meaning in his relationship with the girl to her torturers search for an elusive secret from her. By describing his own behavior as indirect, we get a sense of the Magistrates own lack of clarity towards the subject. He makes erotic overtures towards the girl, but he makes them indirect[ly], implying that his goal is not to seduce the girl but what his true intentions are remain unclear, even to him. The Magistrate does not understand his fascination with the barbarian girl. This can be illustrated on pg. 40 where  he asks her not only why she is with him, but also, why do I want you here? He tries to analyze his relationship to the girl and use it to somehow get a better understanding of who he is. However, his philosophical questions get few answers from her, and none that satisfy him. He focuses his interest on her scars and what transpired during her torture sessions, questioning her incessantly. He bathes her and massages her with almond oil, paying special attention to her injuries. Using his hands to feel all over her body, repeatedly he tries to recreate in his mind the whole of what she was like before the torture, the whole of the person she is and was. Yet it seems to him as if she has no interior, only a surface across which I hunt back and forth seeking entry. Because he cannot find her interior, or the meaning that she holds for him, he blindly searches the physical surface for meaning. The Magistrate tries to interpret his own meaning through the girls body. Like the wooden slips covered in barbarian characters that the Magistrate polished and pored over for so many hours, her oiled body becomes a text to decipher his own meaning. When she grudgingly reveals some of the torture methods used on her, it does not bring her and the Magistrate any closer together, neither does it bring the Magistrate any closer to understanding her; interestingly enough, it functions to give the Magistrate more insight into Jolls character and his relationship to him. Her scars are like the ugly truth of the Magistrates quiet complicity in the atrocities committed in the name of Empire that he must bring himself to reconcile with, by looking at them and feeling them over and over again. Once the Magistrate begins to realize the role he had in facilitating the acts of torture, and how horrendous they truly were, he also begins to see the similarities between Joll and himself. The verbs the Magistrate uses to describe his own actions towards the girl in the selected passage, such as prowl, hunt, and even seeking create an image of a furtive predator rather than a lover. This is a manifestation of the guilt he feels for his part in her injuries. But we do not get a real sense of threat or danger from the Magistrate because he states that this hunter is non-invasive: he does not enter her and has no urge to do so. Even the phrases touching  her face, and caressing her body, which normally would invoke intimacy, when put in the context of prowling give the impression of a hunter thoroughly examining the pelt of its prey. It is easy to make the connection between this image and the image of the Magistrate examining the barbarian girls broken ankles and scars. Joll and the accomplice torturers are also referred to as hunting the girl; while Joll was aggressively searching for a secret he never found, the Magistrate hunts for how to figure her out and enter her surface, which he also fails to find. However, they both hunt for some sort of meaning from this girl, suggesting Jolls use of her is similar to the Magistrates use for her. Joll tortures her to try to get secret information about an impending barbarian offensive attack (which turns out to be nonexistent information in the first place). However, he still hunts the truth from her until she is left blinded and crippled. The Magistrate presses for details of her torture, harasses her with philosophical questions, and engages in his cryptic washing and oiling rituals while searching for meaning through her body. In his various ways he also tries to hunt out meanings from the girl, and he comes to realize his relationship to the girl thus mirrors that of Jolls. They both use the girl as a means to some desired end of knowledge, whether it be a secret of war or a secret of why. Furthermore, the Magistrate comes to see his mirroring of Joll might not just end with the barbarian girl. The girl ultimately serves as the interface for the Magistrate to see the parallels between himself and Joll. It is significant that the Magistrate takes up with the girl only after Joll has discarded her- the fact that the Magistrate must have overseen her arrival with the soldiers was a recurring thought of his. However, he had no interest in her until after Joll had left her permanently handicapped. The Magistrate eventually comes to see that his attempt to connect with the woman was an attempt to retrace Jolls footsteps; to understand the man  and his actions by putting himself into an intimate relationship with the barbarian girl. But he also does this to distinguish himself as different from Joll; he regretted he could not engrave [himself] as deeply (p.135) on her as Joll had, but he wished to leave the mark of his pseudo-loving on her rather than the marks of pain and torture she had from Joll. The relationships the barbarian girl has with Colonel Joll and the Magistrate are similar in that both use her as a tool in their respective quests for knowledge. Joll tries to coerce her into saying something to justify an attack on the barbarians, while the Magistrate tries to use her to interpret himself and his role in the Empire, but they both believe that she is the key to unlocking some truth they seek. They both use the girl for their own purposes, without any regard for her as a person, and Joll treats her very cruelly. The Magistrate cares for her physical well-being, but he does not truly attempt to get to know beyond her surface, and only attempts to understand her through what function she serves in his life. Eventually he realizes through his relationship with her how many parallels exist between him and Joll. The girl stands between the two men as a one-way mirror that they both use, but gradually becomes two-way for the Magistrate, allowing him to see the Joll alter ego mingling with his own reflection. Coming to accept this also means collapsing some of the distance that he had mentally established between himself and Joll, and likewise accepting a certain share in the responsibility for all the atrocities committed by Joll in the name of the Empire.

Sony Corporation Research and Development

Sony Corporation Research and Development Sony Corporation is an international company that was established in 1946 by Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita, the companys headquarter is located in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The company was originally called Tokyo Telecommunication Engineering Corp which started with as little as $1500. Ibuka and Morita decided to operate the firm internationally in the 1950s and changed the name to Sony since the name Tokyo Telecommunication Engineering Corp was already taken at the time. The first product Sony released onto the market was a transistor radio in 1955 which was the first one in Japan at the time; some other key products developed by Sony are the Headset stereo walkman in 1979, Compact Disc Discman in 1984 and Mini Disc system which was launched in 1992. Today Sony offers a wide range of electronic equipments such as home and portable audio system, digital cameras, DVD players, televisions, video game console, mobile phones and both home and portable computers. The company has become extreme ly successful today; according to its consolidated financial results, its sales and operating revenue were 78.88 billion US dollars in 2009. So just what makes the company so successful despite operating in such a competitive industry and starting with so little fund? To answer this question we will examine the organisation, management and research and developments of the company as well as any strategic alliances and collaborations with other firms. Before we look at the research and developments carried out by Sony Corporations, I would like to quickly mention the recent trend of RD activities in the UK as well as the global. According to the DIUS review, the 850 largest corporate in the UK spent over â‚ ¤21.6 billion on RD activities in 2007, which was an increase of 7% compared to the previous year, 2006. Globally, 1,400 of the worlds most active companies invested over â‚ ¤274 billion in 2007, which increased by 9.5% from the previous year. These data suggest that Research and development becomes more and more popular to companies all over the world as companies starting to understand the importance of RD activities RD is vital to the survival of a company due to the increasing competition from rivals in all kind of industries in the world. Companies need to constantly improve the design and performance of its products in order to stay ahead of its competition. By having better products with better design, performances and more importantly products that suits consumers taste than rivals, a company can gain a larger portion of the market shares, therefore making more profits. Research and development activities can usually be separated into two main categories, they are internal RD and non-internal RD. Internal research and development is basically any RD activities that are carried out or managed by the company itself. On the other hand, non-internal research and development are RD activities that arent operated by the company itself, strategic alliances and collaboration with other companies is a good example. Sony Corporation employs both internal and non-internal RD activities which we will be discussing shortly The below diagram demonstrates the amount of money spent in RD by Sony Corporation from 1998 to 2007. As we can see from the diagram, RD expenditure has increased gradually from 375314 billion yens to 514483 billion yens from 1998 to 2003. And from 2003 to 2007, the amount on money invested in RD fluctuates between 514483 billion yens to 543937 billion yens. Sony Corporation spent around from 5.8% to 7.8% of their sales and operating revenues on RD during this period of time. So just what did Sony Corporations RD focuses on?   According to the companys fact book that was published in 2006 on its website, it stated that the companys RD will be focusing on four main areas, they are: Platforms for home and mobile electronics Semiconductor technologies Devices technologies and Software technologies To improve the platforms for home and mobile electronics, Sony focuses on developing products that support the high definition content. In semiconductor technologies, Sony focuses on developing electronic applications for Cell, which is a very powerful microprocessor.In devices technologies, Sony is focusing on developing Blu-ray disc technologies which is designed to enhance High Definition vision to the next level. Finally for software technology, Sony focuses on developing software that helps consumers to operate electronic products in a more user friendly way. Other software focuses are codecs and Digital Rights Managemnet (DRM) which is designed to protect products such as music, video and ebooks. Sony Corporation has a total of three developments group and four research centres around the world. There 3 groups and 4 centres are under Sonys direct control, they are: Technology Development Group – this department involves in developing common element technologies and newly launched products in order to expand the business. Display Device development Group – this department involves in developing new display for the next generation of products Core Technology Development Group this department involves in developing new devices for the next generation of products Materials Laboratories – this department involves in finding new advanced materials to produce more superior products which in turn increases the competiveness of the company. Information Technologies Laboratories this department focuses on researching in new information in order to produce products that set apart from rivalrys products 6)A-cubed Research Center – this department involves in research of image signal processing technologies Sony Computer Science Laboratories   The seven departments we have just looked at is operated by Sony Corporative Headquarter directly, which means they are in-house RD, we will next look at the non-internal RD activities carried out by Sony, its strategic alliances and collaborations with other major companys Sony has a large number of different strategy alliances and collaborations with different companies. In this essay, it will be focusing on two of the most well known examples, they are Sony Ericsson and Sandisk. Sony Ericsson was established in October 2001, it was a joint venture of Sony

Blue Stragglers :: essays research papers

Blue Stragglers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Scientists have recently found that odd stars known, as â€Å"blue stragglers† may be the product of collision between two, and possibly more, older stars. This may result in finding out a 50 year-old mystery of the blue stragglers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Even in â€Å"dense† areas stars a typically billions, if not, trillions, of miles apart. But stars may have the occasional chance to collide in global clusters, which are dense groupings of up to a million stars wit tightly packed cores. Some global clusters are among the oldest structures in the universe, about 15 billion years old, all the stars in the clusters are known as red giants that have puffed up to there outermost atmospheres. In these clusters the presence of blue stragglers have baffled astronomers since the 1950’s. Each of these stars less than a billion years old.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Scientist recently realized that the collision of the older stars in the clusters could merge together to form one young one. Because of the stars mass a color determining the age of the star. Red being cool, blue being hot. Heavy stars burning fast, lighter stars undergoing a slow burn.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Blue stragglers appear to be formed by the collision of stars known as main sequence turnoff stars. These are stars that have reached the end of their lives and are about to become red giants. Four of the Five blue stragglers examined were just the mass the astronomers expected had two stars collided. The fifth was so much heavier than expected that Saffer, C. Rex, of Villanova University, suspects that three or more stars collided from it. When astronomers have made a computer model, and one scenario is that a lighter star crashes into a heavier one at 500,000 miles per hour, leaving behind a huge wake. Then buries itself at the core of the larger star, setting up massive shock waves on the star’s surface. The newly formed, combined star can take anywhere from hundered of thousands of years to ten million years to settle down into a new, stable star.

Illinois Capital Punishment System :: essays research papers

Clemency, compassion?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How exactly can I explain the Capital Punishment System here in Illinois? Well to be honest, I would have to go with, total chaos. For you who don’t know what Capital Punishment is, it is the system we use to place criminals who commit very serious crimes on Death Row. Out of the 50 states in our wonderful country, 38 of them have a Capital Punishment System, Illinois being one of them. Recently, while Governor George Ryan was in office, it was decided to halt all executions, making Illinois the first of the 38 states to do so.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Capital Punishment was brought back to Illinois in 1977. From ’77 to ’87 there were a total of 128 prisoners enrolled on death row. In 1990 alone there were 125 murderers waiting to face the ultimate punishment. Out of those people, a total of 12 people have been executed through lethal injection, but 13 prisoners were released from death row as innocent. 7 of the 12 executed were after 1976, 5 were in 1995 alone. Is it just me, or is this a bit confusing? The Government seemed to get a little death hungry during these years. It’s obvious that there are bound to be many other innocent people, sitting in jail cells suffering for a murder that they did not commit.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Governor Ryan stepped in office determined to find out what is wrong with this system in Illinois. He came in actually as a firm believer of the death penalty, but seeing that 13 people were found innocent, Governor Ryan became frustrated and decided to take action. After researching how the system works, and becoming aware of the flaws, the former Governor pardoned 4 more prisoners (Aaron Patterson, Madison Hobley, Stanley Howard and Leroy Orange) who confessed under police torture and convicted because of those confessions. â€Å"I believe these men are innocent or I wouldn’t have pardoned them, the system has failed for all four men and it has failed for all the people of this state.† Governor Ryan said at Depaul University. He also believes that there are at least 33 wrongly convicted, and since Capital Punishment was reinstated 93 have been released from custody because they were found innocent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This system in Illinois is obviously full of error and no one can ever seem to be 100% sure of determining who’s guilty and who’s innocent, and if they should die or not.

Nature and Love in the Poetry of Dafydd ap Gwilym :: Poetry

Nature and Love in the Poetry of Dafydd ap Gwilym Essay is 1550 words in length Dafydd ap Gwilym has been acclaimed as the greatest poet of the Welsh language. As Rachel Bromwhich commented, Dafydd’s life "coincided miraculously in both time and place with an unprecedented opportunity to mate the new with the old" (Brom 112). Perhaps "mate" is a more appropriate choice of words here than Rachel intended. As his poetry depicts, Dafydd tried to mate a great many things in his time; the man is immortalized as a ball of raging hormones. A self-proclaimed "Ovid’s man," Dafydd took pleasure in identifying himself with the authoritative source of courtly love, a fresh trend in Wales during his life (Summer 29). Love, specifically courtly love, was among the new themes Dafydd merged with the traditional themes like nature. Even the ancient topic of nature, under Dafydd’s molding, took on new forms. Dafydd personified elements of nature to be his trusted messengers in poems such as "The Seagull." In the "Holly Grove," nature is subtly described a s a fortress or protector of sorts. Variations of these elements of secret, protected, and secluded love mesh with images of nature throughout Dafydd’s poetry. However, nature seems to be much more than a confidant or mere factor in his search for love; Dafydd’s poems such as "Secret Love" suggest that nature is essential in this endeavor. Though Dafydd’s attempts at love are not limited to the natural realm, poems such as "Trouble in a Tavern" make it evident that only in the natural setting is Dafydd a successful lover. Elements in the poetry of courtly love express the need for a love affair to remain secret. The object of a poet’s love in these poems is typically a married woman, or unattainable by some other means. Andreas Capellanus’s The Rules of Courtly Love captures this element of forbidden love by saying, "marriage (was) no real excuse for not loving" (Cap 115-116). As Patrick Ford wisely pointed out, the need to maintain secrecy in a forbidden affair is not a new idea to modern readers. These elements of courtly love do not escape Dafydd’s poetry. His poem "Secret Love," among others, emphasizes the level of secrecy necessary in maintaining a love affair. Dafydd considers himself a learned lover, who found that "The best form of the words that work / Is to speak love in secrecy" (Sec 1-2).

Determinants of Bank Profitability in Nigeria

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1. 0BACKGROUND INFORMATION TO THE STUDY The study of profits is important not only because of the information it provides about the health of the economy in any given year, but also because profits are a key determinant of growth and employment in the medium-term. Changes in profitability are an important contributor to economic progress via the influence profits have on the investment and savings decisions of companies. This is because a rise in profits improves the cash flow position of companies and offers greater flexibility in the source of finance for corporate investment (i. . through retained earnings). Easier access to finance facilitates greater investment which boosts productivity, productive capacity, competitiveness and employment. The existence, growth and survival of a business organization mostly depend upon the profit which an organization is able to earn. It is true that when Profitability increases the value of shareholders may increase to considerable extent. The term profitability refers to the ability of the business organization to maintain its profit year after year.The profitability of the organization will definitely contribute to the economic development of the nation by way of providing additional employment and tax revenue to government exchequer. Moreover, it will contribute the income of the investors by having a higher dividend and thereby improve the standard of living of the people. In order for a business entity (whether public or privately owned) to continue to prosper, there is need for its earnings to be relatively stable for its expansion and growth over time.In addition to its level of earnings, its external environment must also be carefully understood and reliably anticipated (Burns and Mitchell, 1946). Earnings and business environments are so serious issues that a business must study and understand in order to face its opportunities and threats with vigor and determination. Where for instance, the business does not recognize the effects of changes in external environment which may necessitate changes in business earnings, it may suffer some losses consequently.This perhaps explains why there has been continuing search by modern businesses to improve their methods of production necessary to cut down costs, and to develop new attributes or products, which may have wider appeal and satisfaction to their customers. On the other hand, the environmental and cyclical conditions are usually volatile and Dynamic (Sabo, 2003). This underscores the need for business firms to be able to reliably conduct forecast not only for their future demands or sales for their goods and services but also other variables that affect them directly such as their personnel and future profits.The volatility of the changes in the variables from the external environment in specific ways to the immediate factory level and to the remote industry and task environments can sometimes be very significant. Th ese calls for managers’ ability to appreciate and apply formal forecasting techniques to assist their banks achieve this veritable task. The determinants of profitability are empirically well explored although the definition of profitability varies among studies.Disregarding the profitability measures, most of the banking studies have noticed that the capital ratio, loan-loss provisions and expense control are important drivers of high profitability. In this study, the drivers that would be considered are in two categories namely endogenous (internal) and exogenous (external) drivers or factors of Profitability. Internal drivers of bank performance or profitability can be defined as factors that are influenced by a bank’s management decisions. Such management effects will definitely affect the operating results of banks.Although a quality management leads to a good bank performance, it is difficult, if not impossible, to assess management quality directly. In fact, it is implicitly assumed that such a quality will be reflected in the operating performance. As such, it is not uncommon to examine a bank’s performance in terms of those financial variables found in financial statements, such as the balance sheet and income statement (Krakah and Ameyaw, 2010). External determinants of bank profitability are factors that are beyond the control of a bank‘s management. They represent events outside the influence of the bank.However, the management can anticipate changes in the external environment and try to position the institution to take advantage of anticipated developments. The two major components of the external determinants are macroeconomic factors and financial structure factors (Krakah and Ameyaw, 2010). In summary, it appears previous empirical research has suggested a possible connection between bank profitability and various internal and external determinants like Bank Assets, Loan-Loss Provisions, Total Deposit and Inflation, but is far from definitive as ifferent authors have made use of the inclusion and exclusion of different variables in their studies. Hence, our study will try to shed more light on this controversial issue by reviewing more empirical literatures on opposing sides of the topic and finally drawing conclusions from our findings from the mode of data analysis we intend to carry out. 1. 1STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM The Federal Government of Nigeria and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have perennially sought permanent measures that would enhance the profitability and stability of banks operating in the Nigerian banking industry.Unfortunately, they have never completely succeeded in achieving this feat. For instance, from 1987 – 1991 financial sector reforms (intended to enhance competition in the sector, mobilize savings and lead to a more efficient allocation of resources) were implemented, encompassing elements of liberalization (such as the decontrolling of interest rate s) and measures to enhance prudential regulation and tackle bank distress (Oluranti, 1991).Also, between 1990 and 2004, bank regulators increased the minimum share capital requirement for banks operating in Nigeria five times, namely in 1991, 1997, 2000, 2001 and 2004 (Aburime and Uche, 2006). However, these measures were unsuccessful in curtailing the spate of bank distress and failures in the1990s and beyond (Oluranti, 1991; Beck et al. , 2005 and Brownbridge, 2005). Currently, a set of banking sector reforms have also been introduced to ensure inter alia a strong and reliable banking sector (Okagbue and Aliko, 2005).Unfortunately, if the historical antecedents of financial sector reforms in Nigeria are anything to go by, the current reforms may also not help to improve bank profitability and stability in Nigeria. Another major factor, which has often not been given appropriate attention, is the issue of strategic planning through forecasting and prediction of future performance i ndices of commercial banks (deposit money banks). To achieve this task, a bank must recognize and anticipate the important Variable affecting its profit determination.The works of Stevens (1999), Blyther (2000) and Naceur (2003) established the inability of the business firms to adequately anticipate and forecast several operating variables in them as a very critical factor in explaining their non-performance. They argued that it is dangerous for a firm to fail to anticipate its cash flow sales, profits and production under whatever situation it finds itself. Given the efforts stated above banks need to appreciate the role of other indicators in enhancing the profitability or performance for that matter.Indeed examining the determinants of corporate profits in the banking sector in Nigeria is crucial, if these banks are going to remain competitive, efficient, and viable taking into cognizance the challenges that befall competition in the industry. 1. 2RESEARCH QUESTIONS The motivati on behind this study stems from the fact that in the past decade or so, a lot of tremendeous changes has been witnessed in the Nigerian banking industry thereby leading to a number of reforms that has seen players in the banking industry transform from one level to another.Hence, this study will sought to answer the following research questions: 1. Is there a long run and short run relationship between bank profitability and its determinants? 2. To  what  extent  are  discrepancies  in  First Bank’s  profitability  due  to  variations in endogenous factors  Ã‚  under  Ã‚  the  Ã‚  control  Ã‚  of  Ã‚  bank  Ã‚  management as well as exogeneous factors under the control of the macroeconomy? 3. Given previous empirical studies on this topic, can it be deduced that First of Nigeria actually makes sustainable profits in the last three decades? . 3OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The sole objective of this study is to provide a framework to investigate the f actors or indicators intrinsic in the bank’s asset structure that had impacted on their profitability, and performance for that matter, and make policy recommendation that could be used by bank managers in their policy decisions in the future. Specifically the study seeks to achieve the following Objectives: 1. Examine  the  profitability  of  First  Bank Nigeria Plc during  the  last  three  decades. 2.Study  Ã‚  the  Ã‚  key  Ã‚  endogenous or company-level  value  Ã‚  drivers  Ã‚  of  Ã‚  performance  Ã‚  or profitability  Ã‚  of  Ã‚  the commercial  bank  in  Nigeria using FBN Plc 3. Study  Ã‚  the  Ã‚  key  Ã‚  exogenous  or macroeconomicvalue  Ã‚  drivers  Ã‚  of  Ã‚  performanceor profitability  Ã‚  of  Ã‚  the commercial  bank  in  Nigeria using FBN Plc 4. To find out if any long-run or short-run relationship exists between Profitability variables and its determinants using FBN Plc. 5. Make  policyà ‚  recommendations  regarding  the  key  drivers  of  profitability  at First Bank of Nigeria as well as other commercial  banks  in the country based on  the empirical  findings. 1. 4SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDYGiven the relation between the well-being of the banking sector and the growth of the economy (Rajan and Zingales, 1998; Levine, 1998), knowledge of the underlying factors that influence the financial sector's profitability is therefore essential not only for the managers of the banks, but also for numerous stakeholders such as the central banks, bankers associations, governments, and other financial authorities. Knowledge of these factors would be useful in helping the regulatory authorities and bank managers formulate future policies aimed at improving the profitability of the Nigerian banking sector.Furthermore, at the present time, the type of analysis to be employed in this study is completely missing in the literature concerning profitability in the banking sector in Nigeria. 1. 5SCOPE OF THE STUDY Even though there is an existence of numerous empirical studies on the determinants of corporate profitability in the banking sector almost none exists regarding banks case studies in Nigeria, with one exception though in a study by Krakah and Ameyaw (2010) who found a significant correlations between Bank’s Financial Statement and Macroeconomic variables with Profitability given case studies of two banks in Ghana.However, since their study relied more on a cross-sectional approaches from two different banks, this study collects a broad array of profitability determinant indicators, specifically, using data solely from First Bank of Nigeria from 1980 to 2010, we will be examining different measures and linkages of endogenous and exogenous variables like total  assets, interest  income, total  overhead expenses, money  supply, annual  inflation  rate and Return on Assets (ROA).Furthermore, since the determinants of profitability are a complex and multi-faceted concept, as such no single measure will capture all aspects of the internal and external determinants in the Financial Statements of First Bank to be used in this study. 1. 6PLAN OF THE STUDY For the purpose of simplification and clarification, this study will be drafted in the following manner: Chapter one will begin with a brief introduction on the topic of our study assessing a few opinions on what some authors have to say relating to the topic of our study.This chapter continues by analyzing some of the problems in the Nigerian economy as it relates to the banking industry as a catalyst for economic growth, then followed by the research questions. The statement of objectives to the study follows afterwards then the significance of the study comes next. An historical overview detailing various facets of developments in the Nigerian banking industry from pre-independence to date is also examined in this chapter. This chapter will be co ncluded by giving the scope of study.Chapter two of this study, which is the Literature Review and Theoretical Framework, will begin with a brief introduction of what the chapter aims to achieve and how it will be structured. This will be followed by stating various theoretical frameworks to be used in the study. Furthermore, an empirical review of related literatures on the determinants of banking industry profitability as seen by different authors who have written widely on the topic published their findings on this issue would be discussed.This chapter continues by reviewing the Nigerian banking industry performance over the year with a comparative analysis of all the major banks making up the industry. This will be achieved through the use of charts and graphs. Finally, this chapter will be rounded-off by the historical existence of First Bank of Nigeria Plc as well as the corporate profile of the bank. Chapter three, which is the research methodology chapter of this study, will also begin with a brief introduction to the chapter.This will be followed by the method of data collection section as well as method of data analysis section where we will explain the various methods of analysis like Multiple Correlation Matrix, Cointegration Regression Model as well as the Error Correction Mechanism of time series econometric analysis intended to analyze our data is explained. Also in this chapter, we shall state the various regression models to be estimated for this study as well as an explanation of the justification of the variables to be included in the model.This chapter will also explain the how the data gotten for this study will be formatted in Ratio forms to suit need of our intentions for this study. In addition, the statement of hypothesis and assumptions behind our model will be stated in this chapter and the various reasons behind the sampling procedure of arriving at FBN Plc for this study will be explained. Finally, this chapter will be concluded by explaining ‘A Priori’ Expectations of each variable within the model and the yardsticks in econometric measurement to be used in acceptance or rejection of the various hypothesis stated for this study.Chapter four, which is the data Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation chapter, will be introduced stating what should be expected as the chapter moves from section to section. Here, the data used for this study will be presented in a tabular format then followed by the analysis and estimation of the explicit model already stated in chapter three of this study. Finally, this chapter is concluded by interpreting the models estimated via different methods of econometric analysis.Chapter five is the Summary, Policy Recommendations and Conclusion chapter of this study. This chapter, like the previous ones before it also begins with an introduction of what to expect, this is followed by a summary of our study thus far. Hence, policy recommendations would be made under a dif ferent section and finally, the conclusions of our finding on the study as it relates to the analysis made in chapter four of the study would be highlighted in this study.

Enabling Learning and Assessment Essay

1. The purposes of assessment Assessment is the process of evaluating an individual’s learning. It involves generating and collecting evidence of a learner’s attainment of knowledge and skills and judging that evidence against defined standards. Tummons suggested that: ‘With assessment we can: * Find out if learning has taken place; * Diagnose learners needs; * Provide public acknowledgment and certification of learning * Allow processes of selection to be carried out; * Provide way to evaluate learning programmes; * Motivate and encourage learners.’ Tummons (2009:5) Written justification of assessment methods I have chosen to do Holding and aiming in the prone position, I would do this by getting the SUT in the tramline formation. This is where they will number off in pairs, so all the No.1’s on one side of the room whilst all the No.2’s are on the other side of the room. I will get the No.1’s to conduct the drill when I give the word of command. The No.1’s will be ensuring they adopt the prone position correctly, going through the 9 key point check list and taking aim on the target. Whilst this is happening the No.2’s will be observing throughout looking for any mistakes. Once the No.1’s have completed the drill I will go down the line asking the No.2’s if they observed any mistakes. By doing this I am getting the SUT to give out peer assessment on the progress of his/hers drill on the weapon system as this can develop and motivate student. The student will also have their own self assessment; this is where the students are assessing their own progress  throughout the lesson. These methods encourage the SUT to make decisions about what has been learnt so far, and to reflect on aspects for further development. Once the No.1’s have completed the drill, the same process will happen with the No.2’s and the No.1’s looking and observing for any mistakes. Whilst all this is going on I will be looking for any mistakes as I watch from one end of the tramline formation, this is called tutor assessment and can help give feedback to the student to guide them on their strength and areas of development. This is also known as formative assessment so it can provide for me a continuous source of information about the students’ progress, improvement and problems encountered in the learning process, so I together we can develop their confidence and competence on the weapon system. 2. Practical assessment a) Aim The aim of a practical assessment in a classroom environment is to ensure that when handling a weapon system that the necessary measures and safety precaution is carried out correctly and sufficiently. It is my aim to make sure that the SUT carry out the drills correctly, if however people are struggling to adapt to the new drills then it’s up to me the instructor to change my approach to the individual learning style. b) Reason for selecting practical learning assessment We use practical assessment in the army especially when teaching a particular subject like Skill at Arms to help us as a teacher to confirm that the SUT have understood the correct handling of the weapon. It’s not only a confirmation for the teacher but a confirmation for the individual that he/she has took on board the new skill and knowledge they have been taught in the lesson. During the lesson, when I have demonstrated a new drill, the SUT are required to imitate the drill whilst I explain and demonstrate it, taking it step by step. Once I am happy that the SUT have grasped the new drill, a confirmation is done to ensure that the SUT understands the new  weapon drill. This will be done when I give the word of command and the SUT carrying out the drill without any help or guidance as I watch and observes for any mistakes that the SUT may do. In order for the SUT to use blank or live ammunition on exercise or on the ranges, they are required to pass a Weapon Handling Test (WHT) which is a critical practical assessment as it is part of their summative test and needs to be done twice a year. I will give a number of instructions which the SUT must complete correctly and confidently in order to pass. There is no time limit and they are allowed one mistake on each stage of the test. This assessment is to show that he/she has the knowledge and skill to handle the weapon with blank or live ammunition with confidence. For assessment of practical activities, the potential barriers should be considered and reasonable adjustments developed that meet the needs of the individual learner. Many of the adjustments for a practical assessment are similar to those of a written assessment. We must however be aware of the learners/individual learning styles as this will vary across each lesson we teach. If we look at Fleming understanding of learning styles which he used the terminology of VARK, he stated that people can be grouped into four styles of learning: * Visual – Seeing. * Aural – Listening and talking. * Read/Write – Reading and writing. * Kinaesthetic – Doing. (Gravells 2012:40) The SUT will come under one or more of these learning styles and as I have seen it in the past whilst teaching, I have to adapt as a teacher to accommodate to their preferred learning style which means I have to plan and break down my lesson to ensure all SUT get the full benefit of what is being taught to them. Sue Crowley of the IFL stated: Often new teachers teach as they were taught, then perhaps as they would like  to have been taught, and finally they realise different ways and a wider spectrum of teaching and learning approaches are needed and available. (Gravells 2012:40) A statement in which I agree upon as my thought process was similar but when teaching SUT it’s taught me to adapt my teaching skills to benefit the individuals so they can get the best outcome during the lesson. c) Conduct of the practical assessment The SUT will be assessed throughout the lesson and this can be done in many ways as it is classroom based, this will be an informal assessment. As the SUT reacts to the word of command for example; ‘For inspection port arms’ they are to carry out the necessary drill in which I will observe for mistakes. Observation is a good way to assess the skills, knowledge and attitudes of the SUT. When observing, it enables me to see how well the SUT are doing, letting them make mistakes as long as it is safe, especially when dealing with a weapon so they can learn from their own mistakes. Once the drill is complete I can ask each individual if they made any mistakes and give them self assessment, otherwise I can give negative or positive feedback to the SUT. Observation is good within our training establishment as it assess the SUT competence, skills and attitudes when dealing with a weapon and the observation can follow on with a question to check the knowledge and understanding. SUT training can be assessed in two other ways and they are called peer assessment and self assessment. For the instructor to see this happen, the students will pair up and work as a team. Whilst one SUT does the drill on the weapon whilst the other partner watches for mistakes, this is called peer assessment, but at the same time SUT who is carrying out the drill can self assess as he/she goes along. If the student was to carry out the Load, Ready, Unload drill, their partner can look in for any mistakes and as the instructor asks the observer from each team if there were any mistakes, this can be useful to develop and motivate the SUT. Peer assessments can be affective as SUT feedback is given skilfully, but other students may think more about what their peers have said than about what the instructor have said. 3. Question assessment a) Aim The aim of a question assessment is for the instructor to see if the SUT can demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the subject being taught to them. It also helps when asking a question to the SUT that they have to think about their answer. b) Conduct of a Question assessment During each lesson throughout the army, as an instructor we will always ask the SUT questions of the particular topic that we have been learning about before moving on to the next topic or next stage of the lesson. This is formal or informal assessment and is used to assess cognitive ability which can be used whenever the instructor wants to assess the knowledge and understanding of SUT. When giving a lesson on Skill at Arms, ‘Different combat position.’ The instructor will always give an explanation of why we do it and when to incorporate the positions for example, on the ranges or when we are on operational tour, followed by a demonstration. As the instructor has given the explanation and demonstration, we will go through the demonstration again whilst the SUT imitate you as you take them through step by step. Whilst doing this process we normally ask the SUT questions on the next stage of the movement, pausing for a second and then state the name of the learner who can answer. This way, all SUT is thinking about the answer as soon as you have posed the question, and is ready to speak if their name is asked. This assessment not only help the instructor to confirm that the individual or group know the answer but helps their peers to understand it as well. We also do oral written assessment, as this is part  of the minimum core, for example before I start the lesson I would ask the SUT to take out their note books and pens. I will ask them a number of questions in which they will write their answers in their note books which will be marked before the lesson take place. If for some reason some of the SUT get a few questions wrong I will ensure that I make a plan in the evening to go through the questions or drill in which they got incorrect so that they are at the same stage as all the other SUT. Asking questions to the SUT and for them responding in giving the answers back to the instructor is self assessment and peers assessment so that the SUT know what areas they are good at and what areas they need to work on. However it’s good for the tutor assessment to understand how the SUT progress is going by conducting these assessments. C)  Advantages| Disadvantages| Problems can be solved| SUT don’t know the answer| Question being answered| SUT can be put on the spot| Understanding people’s views and opinions| | Gives people a voice| | 4. Reflecting on how feedback has informed your learners’ progress and achievement Feedback is a vital part of the learners’ training at the army foundation college as it informs the SUT on their progress and achievement. To make sure it is effective it is important that we develop rapport, mutual respect and trust between the instructor and the SUT. During a Skill at Arms lesson it is important to give effective feedback as this informs the SUT on how well they are doing or on what areas they might need to work on. I try to give out the best feedback as I can to the SUT or the individual as I know this will help reassure, boost confidence, encourage, motivate and develop their knowledge, skills. It can help the SUT to maximize their potential and professional development at different stages of training, raise their awareness of strengths and areas for improvement, and identify actions to be  taken to improve their performance. 5. Reflecting on how feedback from others has informed your own professional practice On the 1st November 2012, I conducted a lesson on pain relief (Morphine) which was observed by an assessor. I felt that the lesson was well structured, planned and I got the key learning points across to the SUT. Once the lesson ended I sat down with my assessor and was given feedback on my lesson. The written feedback said this: The session had a clear and important content to communicate. This was achieved and checked by the test. A stronger introduction would set the scene and provide guidance to learners of what they had to do during the lesson. Focus on the test/know the purpose of the test. The conclusion could tell learners what to do with the test papers and how this will be an aide memoire. Test was very well created, covering all key learning and checking recall, understanding and application. It could be improved with clear guidance i.e. working individually without referring to their notes. As this was ‘assessment for learning’ as well as ‘assessment of learning’ learners could work individually, with a partner and finally as a whole group to get the answers/self assessment and check learning. You could get feedback on results from the test by asking those who got 100% to stand up – an energiser, positive motivation and a simple measure for you. This feedback has opened my eyes a lot clearer as I was more channelled to delivering a simple but constructed lesson. Just by delivering a stronger introduction can make the learner motivated to learn, which I didn’t realise until someone made it aware to me. It was a good motivation and energiser to hear from the assessor that the test paper was well created which gave me that sense of pride. However when it came to handing out the test paper, giving the SUT a certain amount of time to do it in and once they had completed it they would mark their own paper as I went along with the answers. Just from what the assessor has written in the feedback it can give  the learner self assessment and check their learning, so in future I will take more time on how I construct the test and how to mark it as this will give me a feedback on the progress of the SUT. 6. Reference List: * http://www.open.ac.uk/inclusiveteaching/pages/inclusive-teaching/barriers-to-learning.php Date accessed 8.11.12 * Tummons J – (2009) Assessing learning in the lifelong learning sector. Exeter: Learning Matters * Gravells A (2012) Preparing to teach in the lifelong learning sector. London: Learning Matters * www.faculty.londondeanery.ac.uk

Central African Republic Essay

Darfur is an area in Sudan which lies in the western part of Sudan and boarders Libya, the Central African Republic and Chad. It has an approximate residence of six million people who are among the poorest people in Africa and only rely on nomadic herding and subsistence farming. Genocide in Darfur has taken place only ten years after the genocide in Rwanda which claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. In Darfur, thousands of people have been killed and almost double the amount has been displaced from their home areas. Many of the people have become refugees in their homeland and are currently living in a network of internally displaced people (IDP) camps which completely rely on the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations help for their most basic needs for living. Others have fled to the neighboring countries such as Chad which has also been affected by the Darfur genocide. Others who are still in the villages are under constant threat of bombing, murder, rape, raids and torture and their only help for safety is from undermanned and underfunded African Union (AU) peacekeeping force whose personnel compared to the situation on the ground. However, this force which is referred to as the ‘AMIS’ force larks civilian protection and has no adequate means to stop the violence. Due to its anemic capacity, the only thing which it now does is to monitor and give reports on ceasefire violations. The current crisis which are experienced in Darfur are as a result of neglect of people by the government and the entire world, cases of drought which has persisted for many years, oppression of the residents and the poor by the government and the affluent people and conflicts between the people and tribes in the northern in Sudan. The Sudanese Liberation Army/ Movement (SLAM) and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) are the two main rebel groups in Sudan. These groups represent the agrarian farmers who most of them are non Arabs African Muslims from different tribes. They mounted a challenge and pressure to the Sudan’s president Omar al-Bashir whose response was very brutal. The government increased arms and support to the militias and the local tribes known as the Janjaweed for the main purpose of seeking to defeat the rebel movement. Entire villages have been wiped, food and water supplies have been destroyed and livestock killed by the government supported groups. No part of the entire Darfur civilian population has not experienced the murder, rapes and torture by the government armed groups. The government military has painted their attack aircrafts white, the same color which the United Nations humanitarian aircraft which a violation of the international humanitarian law. This move by the government is to confuse the villagers so that when they approach the villages, the people will confuse them for the United Nations aircraft which have come for their help but in the real sense their mission is to kill and bomb them. The current humanitarian situation on the ground in Darfur is constantly deteriorating to worrying levels. There has been increased attacks which has increased the number of IDPs and refugees. Visitors of the camps who includes the Save Darfur Coalition have reported worrying and dire conditions the people undergo and its a pity they have survived under the conditions for such a long time and there seems to be no hope of remarkable improvement. The only help which seems to be forth coming is from the United Nations and the non-governmental humanitarian relief agencies who have introduced some refugee camps and provided several thousands of of aid workers who despite the relief agencies support work under logistical and difficult conditions due to constant harassment the Sudanese government and the red tape. These humanitarian operations and their workers are increasingly being targeted by the fragmenting rebel movement elements and the government. Their vehicles are being robbed and hijacked constantly, the aid workers are intimidated and assaulted when performing their duties and their offices are being looted and broken into making their work more harder. In the wake of 2007, reports from the United Nations showed that more that 80,000 Darfurians joined the already over populated IDP camps due to the continuing violence. The humanitarian bodies and United Nations as a result of the government harassments and the worsening security problems have given warning of their growing inability to support and sustain their operations. They say that any interruption of the flow of the humanitarian aid is likely to cause more deaths than the ones already experienced and per month death rates could raise up to 100,000 in case the humanitarian support system collapses. Civilians in Darfur have suffered deliberate and indiscriminate attacks violating their human rights such as rapes, pillage and torture. The government of Sudan has continued to protect the people accused of violation of human rights. In the cases of Ahmad Harum and Ali Kushayb who were arrested and charged with 51 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity such as murder, prosecutions, torture, rape and forcible displacements in 2003 and 2004, the government has refused to hand over the two suspects but instead they have given one of them a prominent post in the public positions and the other was promoted to the state as the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs. This responsibility was towards the well being of the very victims of the crimes he was alleged to have committed and is currently the key liaison to the United Nations-African Union peace keeping force who are in charge of the victims protection. He was also appointed in late 2007 to a committee in charge of hearing complaints on human rights abuse in Sudan and Ali Kushayb was released from the Sudanese in October 2007 for lack of evidence. (Draklich &Wagner p167). Sexual violence against women and the girl child have been featured mostly in the government and militia attacks with the main aim of terrorizing the population and gain control over them and their displacement mission. The worrying issue is that even after the displacement, the militia groups have set their camps near the IDP camps and therefore continued to sexually harass the women. (Human Rights Watch, p 5-7) Rape and many forms of sexual violence have remained endemic and have threatened the safety of women and girl children reflecting the current dynamics of law and order breakdown. Women and girls are not ready to admit their sexual abuse by the militia for fear of social stigmatization and have no trust that the government will take any action. Most of the authorities refuse to acknowledge the problem which is experienced by women and instead, they accuse the victims of giving false information to the international social aid workers of their fate for the purpose of political gains. Some of the local Sudanese authorities have even gone a step ahead to stifle the humanitarian agencies who are working on the issue and due to this, agencies which are running women’s health clinics in the largest IDP camps are constantly subjected to harassment and obstruction by government officials and decline to publicize their duties. As the conflicts increases, so do the sexual perpetrators who now include the military, militia, rebels, police and criminal gangs who attack civilians in IDPs, towns and rural areas near the military bases and areas under rebel control. On February 2008, the government groups performed ground and air attacks in the towns of Sirba, Silea and Abu Suruj. This led to more than 1000 deaths, property destruction, massive displacement and several cases of women and girls rape cases and sexual assaults by the government officials. In 2006, sexual violences cases were reported during the government and militia attacks in Abu Sakin regions where women and girls were abducted, brutally raped and forced to walk back to the camps while naked and to date, the military has declined to give information of the suspects. Other rape cases reported by the human rights officers during government attacks were in Deribat, Kabkabiya, Zamzam IDP camp, Kalma IDP camp in South Darfur among others. (Human Rights Council , p. 26-30).

Dupage County Needs Assessment

Dupage County needs assessment U OM LTH C A E TUS ENT H A T ESM S S AS ITY N DUPAGE COUNT Y HEALTH DEPARTMENT Everyone, Everywhere, Everyday Community Health Status Assessment DuPage County Health Department 2010 Prepared By Mary Lally, RN, MPH Crystal Reingardt, MPH Peggy Iverson, BS Stacey Hoferka Jensen, MPH, MSIS Elizabeth Barajas, MPH Table of Contents Section 1 Leading Causes of Death . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Top Ten Leading Causes of Death . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Crude Mortality Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Top Ten Leading Causes of Death by Gender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Top Five Leading Causes of Death by Age Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Years of Potential Life Lost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Demographic and Socioeconomic Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . DuPage County Population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Birth Statistics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Statistics. Mortality Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Immigrant Population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Unemployment. Unemployment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Poverty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Uninsured . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1 1-1 1-2 1-3 1-4 1-5 2-1 2-1 2-7 2-8 2-9 2-1 0 2-11 2-12 2-13 2-13 3-1 3-7 3-8 3-22 3-23 3-24 3-25 3-25 3-28 3-29 4-1 4-1 4-7 4-8 4-12 4-13 4-14 5-1 5-1 5-4 5-7 5-7 5-10 6-1 6-1 6-2 6-3 6-6 Section 2 Section 3 Chronic Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Diseases of the Heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cancer. Cancer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stroke. Stroke. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Arthritis. Arthritis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Diabetes. Diabetes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Asthma. Asthma. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EndDisease. End-Stage Renal Disease. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Infecti Infectious Diseases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VaccineVaccine-Preventable Diseases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Other Infectious Diseases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sexually Transmitted Diseases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HIV/AIDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tuberculosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rabies . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Section 4 Section 5 Maternal and Child Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Infant Deaths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Prenatal Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Factors. Risk Factors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Low Birth Weight and Very Low Birth Weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adolescent Pregnancies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Activity Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Activity. Physical Activity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Obesity. Overweight and Obesity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FORWARD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Section 6 Section 7 Environmental Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Outdoor Air Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Water Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Waste. Toxics and Waste. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Communities. Healthy Homes and Healthy Communities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Infrastructure and Surveillance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Foodborne Illness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mental Health Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ment al Disorders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Suicide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alzheimer ’s disease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Substance Abuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alcohol Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tobacco Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Illicit Drug Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Injury and Violence Prevention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Unintentional Unintentional Injuries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Accidents. Motor Vehicle Accidents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Falls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Drowning. Drowning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deaths. Firearm Related Injuries / Deaths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Homicide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Child Abuse and Neglect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Domestic Violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1 7-1 7-3 7-4 7-6 7-6 7-8 8-1 8-1 8-3 8-5 8-6 8-7 8-10 8-12 9-1 9-1 9-2 9-3 9-4 9-5 9-6 9-7 9-9 1010-1 1010-1 1010-2 1010-2 1010-4 1010-5 10-5 101010-8 1111-1 11-1 111111-2 1111-4 1111-5 1111-6 1111-6 Section Section 8 Section 9 10 Section 10 Minority Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DuPage County Population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DuPage County Mortality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ethnicity. Cause Specific Deaths by Race and Ethnicity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Top Five Leading Causes of Death by Race and YPLL . . . . . . . . . . . . . Motor Vehicle Accidents, Homicides, and Suicides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maternal and Infant Health Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Infectious Disease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Access to Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Health Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Preven tive Clinical Preventive Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ongoing Sources of Primary Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inadequate Prenatal Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sentinel Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Section 11 Introduction In order to meet State requirements for health department re-certification, Illinois Administrative Code requires that every five years, each Local Health Department must assess the health needs of its community through a systematic process known as the Illinois Project for Local Assessment of Needs (IPLAN). IPLAN is grounded in the core functions of public health and ddresses public health practice standards. One of the required documents of the IPLAN process is a Community Health Status Assessment. The Community Health Status Assessment is intended to answer th e question, â€Å"What is the health status of the residents of DuPage County? † The results of this assessment will provide the IPLAN Steering Committee with an understanding of the community’s health status and ensure that the IPLAN priorities include specific health status issues. The Community Health Status Assessment is developed through the systematic analysis of health status data from primary and secondary sources.The following DuPage County Health Department Community Health Status Assessment is a compilation of data from these sources. The Institute of Medicine defines a community health profile as a set of health, demographic and socioeconomic indicators which are relevant to most communities. It is intended to provide a broad strategic view of the population’s health status, and the factors that influence health in the community. The IPLAN Steering Committee will use this document to identify and support approximately ten health status issues. Method ologyThe DuPage County Health Department has created this Community Health Status Assessment to identify specific health needs as part of the IPLAN process. Our intent is to develop an accurate, comprehensive picture of health status of DuPage County residents. Content areas covered focus on physical, mental and environmental health. This assessment will follow a structure similar to the U. S. Healthy People 2010 (HP 2010) document, providing the most current data available, and indicating how DuPage County compares to the HP 2010 target whenever possible.Incidence, prevalence and trends are shown when available. Objectives without HP 2010 targets have been included where appropriate based on public health impact. Direct HP 2010 comparisons were not always available. Finding current, comparative data on specific health objectives consistently remains a challenge. Many data sources have been used in an attempt to provide accurate data for analysis. Data reliability must always be con sidered, as in some instances, occurrence of morbidity or mortality may be so low that a valid rate or percent cannot be calculated or, if calculated, would be meaningless.These occurrences are noted throughout the document. Data derived in the Community Health Profile is a compilation of many sources. Frequently when discussing national health statistics or trends, direct HP 2010 text was quoted. The IPLAN Data System was a primary source for Illinois and DuPage County specific indicators, as this system contains a wealth of data on births, mortality and chronic illnesses. Illinois Department of Public Health birth and death files were frequently used as a data source, along with sources from specific DuPage County Health Department service areas.Other data and information sources include Access DuPage, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Psychiatric Association, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, DuPage County Environmental Committee, DuPage County Sheriff’s Office, DuPage Federation on Human Services Reform, Family Shelter Services, Illinois Attorney General, Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Illinois Department of Employment Security, Illinois Department of Public Health, Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Illinois State Board of Education, Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, Kaiser Family Foundation, National Adolescent Health Information Center, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Cancer Institute, National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, National Osteoporosis Foundation, National Safety Council, National Stroke Association, Nationally Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Safe Kids USA, SEER*Stat (Surveillance, Epidemiology an d End Results statistical software), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Suicide Prevention Resource Center, The Alan Guttmacher Institute, The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, U. S Census Bureau, U. S.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U. S. Department of Commerce, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U. S. Department of Justice, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, and World Health Organization. Section 1: Leading Causes of Death and Mortality in DuPage County A good place to begin our study of the health status of the population is by reviewing the leading causes of death in DuPage County residents. Presenting, ranking, and comparing leading causes of death data is a common method of showing mortality statistics, and is useful for illustrating the relative burden of disease-specific mortality.The DuPage County death data presented in this section were obtai ned from death files provided by the Illinois Department of Public Health. In 2006, there were 5,703 deaths in DuPage County and 102,122 deaths in Illinois (1). Ninety-four percent of DuPage deaths were White, three percent were Asian, and two and one half percent were Black. Three percent of DuPage deaths were Hispanic. Minority Health will be addressed in Section 10 of this Community Health Profile. See Table 1. 1 for a comparison of the 2006 Top Ten Leading Causes of Death in DuPage County and Illinois (2)(3). See Table 1. 2 for the 2004 and 2005 Top Ten Leading Causes of Death in DuPage County (2). Table 1. Top Ten Leading Causes of Death in DuPage County with Illinois Comparison, 2006 DuPage County Rank Cause of Death All Causes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 Illinois Number of Deaths 102,122 27,002 24,052 5,974 4,725 4,401 2,792 1 Number of Deaths 5,703 1,419 1,384 347 260 192 183 158 109 107 93 Percent of Deaths 100. 0 24. 9 24. 3 6. 1 4. 6 3. 4 3. 2 2. 8 1. 9 1. 8 1. 6 Percent of De aths 100. 0 26 24 6 5 4 3 1 Diseases of the Heart Cancer Cerebrovascular Disease Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease Accidents Alzheimer’s Disease Pneumonia Diabetes Mellitus Nephritis and Nephrosis Septicemia 2,794 2,501 2,001 3 2 2 Pneumonia is not in the top ten leading causes of death in Illinois Source: Illinois Department of Public Health (2) (3) 1-1 Table 1. Top Ten Leading Causes of Death, DuPage County, 2004-2005 2004 Percent of 2005 DuPage Total DuPage Deaths Deaths Deaths All Causes 5,444 100. 0 5,761 Diseases of the Heart 1,326 24. 4 1,455 Cancer 1,395 25. 6 1,440 Cerebrovascular Disease 385 7. 1 388 Chronic Lower Respiratory 252 4. 6 274 Disease Accidents 208 3. 8 181 Pneumonia 137 2. 5 177 Alzheimer’s Disease 166 3. 0 179 Nephritis and Nephrosis 116 2. 1 138 Diabetes Mellitus 119 2. 2 116 Septicemia 102 1. 9 89 Source: Illinois Department of Public Health (2) Percent of Total Deaths 100. 0 25. 3 25. 0 6. 7 4. 8 3. 1 3. 1 3. 1 2. 4 2. 0 1. 5 Since 1908, Dise ases of the Heart has been the first or second leading cause of death in the United States (4).Since 1921, Diseases of the Heart has remained the number one cause of death (4). While DuPage County historical mortality data dating back to 1921 is unavailable, one can extrapolate national patterns to County mortality. The increase in 2004 total Cancer can be seen as an anomaly. The transposition between Diseases of the Heart and Cancer in 2004 should be monitored. Crude Mortality Rate Table 1. 3 Crude Mortality Rate, DuPage County and Illinois, 2000-2006 Year DuPage County Illinois 2000 617. 1 855. 8 2001 620. 6 840. 1 2002 616. 1 842. 9 2003 615. 6 829. 2 2004 586. 3 805. 0 2005 618. 0 812. 1 2006 611. 3 795. 8 Source: Illinois Department of Public Health (2) 1-2Crude Mortality Rate in DuPage County and Illinois 2000 – 2006 Rate per 100,000 Population 1,000 800 600 400 200 0 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Illinois 2005 2006 Year DuPage County Graph 1. 1 Source: Illinois Department o f Public Health (2) As can be seen from Graph 1. 1, between 2000 and 2006 the DuPage County and Illinois mortality rates remained relatively stable. The DuPage County crude death rate ranges from 586 deaths per 100,000 population to 620 deaths per 100,000 population. The Illinois mortality rate is higher and has a greater range than DuPage County. It ranges from 796 deaths per 100,000 population to 843 deaths per 100,000 population (2). Top Ten Leading Causes of Death by Gender Table 1. DuPage County Leading Causes of Death, All Ages by Gender, 2006 Male Female Rank Cause Number Rank Cause 1 Cancer 681 1 Heart Disease 2 Heart Disease 661 2 Cancer 3 Accidents 130 3 Cerebrovascular Disease (CVD) 4 Cerebrovascular Disease 128 4 Chronic Obstructive (CVD) Pulmonary Disease (COPD) 5 Chronic Obstructive 99 5 Alzheimer Pulmonary Disease (COPD) 6 Pneumonitis 81 6 Pneumonitis 7 Diabetes 51 7 Accidents 8 Nephritis 47 8 Nephritis 9 Alzheimer 44 9 Diabetes 10 Septicemia 43 10 Septicemia Source: Illinois Department of Public Health (2) Number 758 703 219 161 139 77 62 60 58 50 1-3 Gender Differences The 2006 top ten leading causes of death are the same for oth males and females, though the ranking of causes varies by gender. The first and second cause of death for males is Cancer, followed by Heart Disease. This order is reversed for females. Accidents (Unintentional Injuries) are the third leading cause of death for males, but the seventh leading cause for women. This category includes motor vehicle accidents and any other unintentional injury death that occurs as a result of a fall, drowning, firearm or other accidental cause. In DuPage County, the number of male Accident deaths is more than twice the number of female Accident deaths, which is attributed primarily to higher numbers of male motor vehicle deaths.This discrepancy between male and female accident deaths is a trend that is also seen nationally (5). CVD and COPD are the fourth and fifth leading causes for males , but the third and fourth causes for women. Alzheimer’s disease is the fifth leading cause for women, but the ninth cause for men. Pneumonitis is the sixth leading cause of death for both males and females. Diabetes was the ninth leading cause of death for females and the seventh in males. Nephritis was the eighth leading cause of death in both females and males and Septicemia was the tenth leading cause of death for both genders. Top Five Leading Causes of Death by Age Groups Table 1. 5 Five Leading Causes of Death by Age Group in DuPage County, 2006 Rank