Cathay Pacific Essay

HistoryIn 1946 two ex flying corps pilots Roy Farrell and Sydney de Kantzow established Cathay Pacific in Hong Kong. Them two contributed HK$1 with the goal that their recently discovered aircraft could be enlisted. Despite the fact that from the start it was situated in Shanghai, the two organizers moved to Hong Kong where they set up Cathay Pacific. As indicated by Gavin (1988) 1960 was a decent and prosperous year for the carrier as they purchased their adversaries Hong Kong Airways. By 1964 it had all the more then a million clients. The and by 1967 they were boundless clients. In a similar time it additionally purchased its first fly engined airplane. It was the Convair 880. It appeared as though here was a great many victories in light of the fact that not long after purchasing the new airplane they presented their global flights. Cathay Pacific appeared to be taking off high as in 1999; another administrative center was set up in Hong Kong International Airport. They considered it the Cathay City. Till today Cathay Pacific holds his head up high with regards to quality assistance and accomplishment in the carrier business (Ashok 2003 p110)Part 2SuccessCathays achievement has dependent on her wide-scope of administration all around the globe particularly in Asia, and present day the board direction and workers from more than ten nations. In each nation their administration is considered as quality assistance as they generally make the clients venture lovely one. The motivation behind why Cathaywas so fruitful is that it has consistently had faith in quality client care and new procedures. They realize what those fruitful in the past may not make them effective again as the world continues evolving. They accept that is their representatives and human asset which make them fruitful. Their prosperity lies in the airline’s corporate way of thinking which is â€Å"service directly from the heart† and assurance for steady improvement (Chan 2000 p473). They accept that they need to convey the best help and satisfy all the necessities of the travelers with the goal that they have a lovely excursion Section 3 Organization StructureLike in many associations here too top administration, specialized care staff , center administration, administrativeâ support staff and specialized center are interrelated and serve all the more then one function.(Daft 2007 p27) The organization structure of Cathay Pacific is certifiably not an unpredictable one. The leader of the association is the director this case it is Chris Pratt he joined the organization in 1978. At that point is the Tony Tyler the official executive. He straightforwardly reports to the chairpersonAll leaders of the all the offices report reports legitimately to both the seat individual and the official chief. John Slosar is the Chief Operating Officer he is the leader of the most significant office which is the tasks departmentAfter the activities office the following significant division is the Corporate Development office. The leader of this office is Ian Shiu,The next significant division is the Finance office. The chief of this office is James E. Hughes-HallettThe next most significant office is the Flight Operations office Nick Rhodes is the executive of this division. The following most significant office is the Sales and Marketing Department. James Barrington is the leader of this Department. The following most significant office is the Personnel division. The leader of this division is William Chau. The following most significant office is the Information Management division. Edward Nicol is the leader of this division. The following significant office is the Cargo Department. Rupert Hogg is the executive of this division. Another significant division is the corporate Affairs office. Quince Chong is the leader of this office. One more significant office is the administration conveyance office Ivan Chu is the leader of this office. To wrap things up is eth engraining division. The leader of this departmentâ is Christopher Gibbs References Ashok Ranchhod (2003); CIM Coursebooks 2002-2003 Diploma Case Study Book: Analysis and Decision (CIM Workbooks 2003/04) Butterworth-Heinemann; Revised release p110Chan D (2000); Air wars in Asia: serious and community oriented procedures and strategies in real life Journal of Management Development , Vol 19 : 6 Pp473 488Daft, B.L. (2007); Organization Theory and Design, ninth. Ed., South-Western p27Gavin Young (1988) ;Beyond Lion Rock: The Story of Cathay Pacific Airways Hutchinson Radius.

Kobe Bryant Essay Example for Free

Kobe Bryant Essay Kobe Bean Bryant (brought into the world August 23, 1978), nicknamed the Black Mamba, is an American expert b-ball player who plays shooting watch for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He entered the NBA straightforwardly from secondary school, and has played for the Lakers his whole profession, winning five NBA titles. Bryant is a 15-time All-Star, 14-time individual from the All-NBA Team, and 12-time individual from the All-Defensive group. As of June 2012, he positions third and fifth on the classes record-breaking post-season scoring and unsurpassed normal season scoring records, separately. Bryant appreciated a fruitful secondary school ball vocation at Lower Merion High School, where he was perceived as the top secondary school b-ball player in the nation. He announced his qualification for the NBA Draft upon graduation, and was chosen with the thirteenth by and large pick in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, at that point exchanged to the Los Angeles Lakers. As a newbie, Bryant earned himself a notoriety for being a high-flyer and a fan most loved by winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest. Bryant and Shaquille ONeal drove the Lakers to three back to back titles from 2000 to 2002. A warmed quarrel between the team and a misfortune in the 2004 NBA Finals was trailed by ONeals exchange from the Lakers after the 2003â€04 season. Following ONeals takeoff Bryant turned into the foundation of the Los Angeles Lakers establishment. He drove the NBA in scoring during the 2005â€06 and 2006â€07 seasons, establishing various scoring precedents simultaneously. In 2006, Bryant scored a profession high 81 focuses against the Toronto Raptors, the second most focuses scored in a solitary game in NBA history, second just to Wilt Chamberlains 100-point game in 1962. He was granted the ordinary seasons Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) in 2008. In the wake of losing in the 2008 NBA Finals, Bryant drove the Lakers to two continuous titles in 2009 and 2010, acquiring the NBA Finals MVP Award on the two events. At 34 years and 104 days old enough, Bryant turned into the most youthful player allied history to arrive at 30,000 profession focuses. He is additionally the unequaled driving scorer in Lakers establishment history. Since his second year in the association, Bryant has been chosen to begin each All-Star Game. He has won the All-Star MVP Award multiple times (2002, 2007, 2009, and 2011), tying him for the most All Star MVP Awards in NBA history. At the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics, he won gold awards as an individual from the USA national group. Brandishing News and TNT named Bryant the top NBA player of the 2000s. In 2003, Bryant was blamed for rape subsequent to engaging in sexual relations with a lodging worker in Colorado. In September 2004, investigators dropped the case after his informer would not affirm. A common suit was later recorded and privately addressed any remaining issues.

An Invalidating Environment May Be a Cause of BPD

An Invalidating Environment May Be a Cause of BPD More in BPD Diagnosis Treatment Living With BPD Related Conditions Growing up in an environment perceived as invalidating is one factor commonly discussed as contributing to the development of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Coupled with a genetic tendency to be over-emotional, an invalidating environment is theorized to be one of the two major causes of BPD. What an Invalidating Environment Looks Like In this sense, to invalidate means to attack or question the foundation or reality of a person’s feelings. This can be done by denying, ridiculing, ignoring, or judging another’s feelings. Regardless of the means, the effect is clear: the persons feelings are “wrong.” An environment perceived as invalidating generally means that the child grows up feeling that his emotional responses are not correct or considered in the regular course of things. Over time, this can result in confusion and a general distrust of a person’s own emotions. Invalidation Can Be Subtle An invalidating environment is not the same thing as an abusive environment, although abusive relationships are certainly invalidating. Invalidation can be quite subtle and may reflect a general way of interacting. It is generally characterized by intolerance of the expression of emotional experiences, which often leads to extreme displays of emotion. Marsha M. Linehan, a borderline personality disorder clinician, and researcher proposed the idea that the development of BPD happens during the developmental years, where the child receives the message that he or she should learn to cope with emotions internally and without support from his or her parents. As a result, the child never learns how to regulate or tolerate her own emotions, and fails to learn how to solve the problems that are inciting these emotions. Some Forms of Praise May Also Be Invalidating Validation is not the same thing as praise; it is more an acknowledgment of the person, whereas praise is just a compliment. To validate someone is to acknowledge the feelings involved, regardless of whether you agree with how the other person is feeling or not. Praise addresses the action or behavior without addressing the emotion behind it. Praise can also be invalidated because although a child’s behavior is acknowledged and reinforced, the effort or negative feeling they have is not addressed. This can cause the child to feel that his total experience is not accepted, or even dismissed. An Example of Invalidation Disguised as Praise A few examples can help explain much better how validation differs from praise and how invalidation can actually be disguised as praise. A young child goes into the classroom by herself on the first day of school, although she is scared. Praising her would be a simple, “Good job!” On the other hand, “You were so brave to go in even though you were scared. It couldnt have been easy. What a good job you did,” validates the troubling feelings, remarks on the effort overcoming those feelings took, and praises the effort. However, it is possible to praise while being invalidating at the same time: “Good job. Now, don’t you see how silly you were being?” This response invalidates the feelings the child was having by calling them “silly,” despite the praising of the behavior. Hidden Invalidation Those who grow up with invalidating comments, especially those that are disguised as praise and support, can find it difficult to see the difference between these comments and validating comments. Not only does the child feel the discomfort that comes from invalidation disguised as praise, but those not directly involved in the dynamics may not recognize this either. Other adults, instead of recognizing the impact these invalidating comments disguised as praise may have on a child, might dismiss the resultant insecurity or sadness of the child as over-sensitivity on the part of the child rather than lack of thoughtfulness on the part of the parent. Perception Is Also a Factor   It is important to remember that people tend to experience relationships and interactions differently. This means that what one person experiences as an invalidating environment is not necessarily experienced as such by another. It is possible that individual temperaments affect a person’s general sensitivity to invalidation, but everyone has times when they are more vulnerable or sensitive. It is important to note, however, that invalidationâ€"as it relates to the development of borderline personality disorderâ€"is not a periodic experience, but a pervasive one. It is not one invalidating experience that leads to BPD but rather a complex and repeated exposure to situations in which feelings and thoughts are simply considered unimportant.

How Has George Orwell Used Animal Farm to Present His View...

George Orwell’s Animal Farm is a satirical allegory through which he presents his cynical view of human nature. He uses the animal fable effectively to expose the issues of injustice, exploitation and inequality in human society. Orwell uses the allegory, Animal Farm, to present the story of The Russian Revolution and essentially express his opinions on the matter. By plainly exposing the unjust and corrupt system that is communism, Orwell is ultimately presenting his pessimistic view of human nature. It is evident through the text that Orwell believes that in theory everybody wants equality, hence the concept of communism, yet it is in our nature as human beings to seek power. This can be shown in the text when the pigs initiate to†¦show more content†¦The innocence of animals helps Orwell explain the story of The Russian Revolution more genuinely and truthfully and helps the perhaps more biased audience see both sides of the story because their opinions are taken out of context, which helps them subconsciously realise the faults of communism by themselves. In the text, Orwell uses satire, stereotypes, symbolism and primarily allegory to clearly present his views of not only the philosophy of revolution, but also the wider topic of power-hungry human nature. Orwell uses stereotyped animals to create the desired image of his characters. For example, pigs are used to represent the authority figures such as Snowball and Napoleon, and also the Communist Party Loyalists. Pigs have connotations with being disgusting and repulsive, and the term ‘pig’ is often used to describe a person who is heartily disliked. Therefore, it is appropriate that the corrupt authority figures should be allocated the characters of pigs on the farm, because the audience can easily recognise the characters’ personalities. This technique is applied with other animal characters, such as horses, which are known to be hardworking, are represented as the submissive, unquestioning labourers, and sheep, which are identified as being gullible, obedient followers, are represented as people who readily accept propaganda without questioning the truth. Similarly, Orwell uses symbolism throughout the text,Show MoreRelatedSymbolism, And Imagery In George Orwells Animal Farm1165 Words   |  5 PagesAs a boy, George Orwell felt as if he was alone. He described his school as split into distinct classes. â€Å"There are minority with an aristocratic or millionaire background, there were children of the ordinary suburban rich, who made up the bulk of the school, and there were a few underlings like myself†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg. 43 Orwell). Later on, he fought in the Civil War, and then went to become a radio announcer for World War 2. His life experiences inspired â€Å"The Animal Farm†. George Orwell integrated imageryRead MoreThe Works of George Orwell1347 Words   |  5 PagesGeorge Orwell How did George Orwell, an author who died over 50 years ago, suddenly rocket to the top of the best sellers list? George Orwell was able to show peoples all over the world about dangers that not only pertained to people of his time period but to multitudes of future generations. He used his literary knowledge to write books that were incredible influential in both their literary skill and the message they portrayed. George Orwell greatly influenced British society through his literaryRead MoreComparing Animal Farm And Lord Of The Flies Present Human Nature3587 Words   |  15 PagesCompare how Animal Farm and Lord of the Flies present human nature. George Orwell and William Golding were both writers who were concerned with human nature. They both thought that human nature had been twisted but they had slightly different interpretations of what it entails. George Orwell, who published Animal Farm in 1945, was influenced quite heavily on the Russian Revolution and was portraying human nature to be something that is weak and is easily corrupted through power and money, whereasRead MoreEssay on the Concept of Power1154 Words   |  5 PagesWriting Seminar 0502-227 October 07, 2008 What is power, and how does it present itself in our lives? We know for certain that it proves as the one thing that either keeps people together, makes them revolt, or changes history overall. But what is it really? Is it the ability to do or act, or is it political/national strength? Does it always have to be represented by a person in charge? Or is it just something in our minds that has the possession to control our influence. There are so many meaningsRead MoreGeorge Orwell Research Paper2355 Words   |  10 PagesGeorge Orwell: The Prophesier George Orwell once said, â€Å"freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear†, that, essentially, â€Å"speaking the truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act†. (â€Å"George Orwell†) Orwell’s words reveal his political views in the absolute truest form. His uninhibited writing style forced readers to not only to listen what he had to say, but to also recognize his writing as the truth. Although his veracity was supposed to be accepted withoutRead MoreThe Comparison of Themes Between Lord of the Flies and Animal Farm 2291 Words   |  10 PagesThe Comparison of Themes between Lord of the Flies and Animal Farm The author of Animal Farm, Orwell, tells a story of a farmyard tragedy and the deadly lives of a group of animals. Due to the disappearance of humans, Napoleon abuses his power and gradually transforms into a human. Orwell also used animals to clarify that humans are corrupted due to power. The author of Lord of the Flies, Golding, shows a similar story where it is about life and death situation for a group of lost boys on a islandRead More Animal Farm as a Political Satire to Criticise Totalitarian Regimes4636 Words   |  19 PagesAnimal Farm as a Political Satire to Criticise Totalitarian Regimes This study aims to determine that George Orwells Animal Farm is a political satire which was written to criticise totalitarian regimes and particularly Stalins practices in Russia. In order to provide background information that would reveal causes led Orwell to write Animal Farm, Chapter one is devoted to a brief summary of the progress of authors life and significant events that had impact on his political convictions. ChapterRead MoreGeorge Orwell s Animal Farm2708 Words   |  11 Pages10/16/14 Orwell’s Animal Farm: Fact and Fiction, Caution and Critique George Orwell’s Animal Farm is, first and foremost, a political satire warning against the pursuit of utopian desires through unjust and oppressive means. Operating under the pretense of an animal fable, Orwell disparages the use of political power to poach personal freedom. He effectively alerts his readers to the dangerous price that can accompany the so-called â€Å"pursuit of progress†. And he illuminates how governments actingRead MoreCritical Review of Animal Farm2575 Words   |  11 Pagesâ€Å"Animal Farm† Bibliography: Orwell, George. â€Å"Animal Farm.† New York: Penguin Books Ltd, 1989 Introduction and Summary: Animal farm is an animal fable with a deliberate purpose. It is very realistic about society and its politics.  There are a number of conflicts in Animal Farm: the animals versus Mr. Jones, Snowball versus Napoleon, the common animals versus the pigs, Animal Farm versus the neighbouring humans, but all of them are expressions of the underlying tension between the oppressorsRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book 1984 By Winston Smith2218 Words   |  9 PagesWinston Smith is coming home from his job at the Ministry of Truth, providing the reader with a view of the world around him as he walks to his house. After his arrival, he reveals a diary he had brought from a small store and proceeds to write in it, though he knows that revealing his thoughts in such a manner was likely to get him killed. However, despite the heightened threat in his small betrayal, life proceeds as seems to be normal for Winston. He goes to his job, editing real history and replacing

John Bowlbys Attachment Theory Essay - 2161 Words

John Bowlby’s attachment theory established that an infant’s earliest relationship with their primary caregiver or mother shaped their later development and characterized their human life, â€Å"from the cradle to the grave† (Bowlby, 1979, p. 129). The attachment style that an infant develops with their parent later reflects on their self-esteem, well-being and the romantic relationships that they form. Bowlby’s attachment theory had extensive research done by Mary Ainsworth, who studied the mother-infant interactions specifically regarding the theme of an infant’s exploration of their surrounding and the separation from their mother in an experiment called the strange situation. Ainsworth defined the four attachment styles: secure,†¦show more content†¦An infant with a secure attachment style has a natural bond with their parent, where they are able to trust them, at the same time leaving their side to discover and explore their surroundin gs. In an insecure/resistant attachment the relationship the child has with their mother or caregiver is very clingy, thus making them very upset once the caregiver is away. When the mother or caregiver is back they are not easily comforted and resist their effort in comforting them. In an insecure/avoidant attachment the infant is, â€Å"indifferent and seems to avoid the mother, they are as easily comforted by a stranger, as by their parent† (Siegler 2011, p.429). Lastly, the disorganized/disoriented attachment is another insecure attachment style in which the infant has no way of coping with stress making their behavior confusing or contradictory. Through these brief descriptions of the attachment theory, many researchers have defined the turning point in which each attachment definition can have an influence on one’s self esteem, well-being and their marital relationship. Since the attachment theory provides a fundamental framework of an infant’s development from womb to tomb, this research can be used to characterize specific behavior that a person may develop from childhood throughout adulthood. In Huis in ‘t VeldShow MoreRelatedJohn Bowlbys Theories of Attachment Theory949 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Bowlby had worked with residential school children as a volunteer early on in his career and had determined that the children who suffered the most from anger outbursts, aggressivity, and whom her termed â€Å"affectionless† were also the children who had suffered the most maternal deprivation (). Bowlby advanced that the loss of the mother figure was extremely distressing and damaging and could influence adults behavior years later. Hence, where psychoanalysis had been concerned â€Å"solely with theRead MoreJohn Bowlbys Path to Developing the Attachment Theory Essay593 Words   |  3 Pagesmany different theories on this subject, but a well-known theory is the Attachment Theory written by John Bowlby in the mid-twentieth century. John Bowlby born on February 26, 1907, was a twentieth century psychologist who contributed too many modern day psychoanalytic theories. At a young age he hardly saw his mother due to the fact that she believed, like many other mothers at that time, affection and attention would lead to spoiling of the child. So he developed a deep attachment to his nanny sinceRead MoreAttachment Theory Essay1152 Words   |  5 PagesChris Livoti 3/5/13 IB Psychology Mrs. Urso John Bowlby is the pioneer of the attachment theory and worked with children who had been separated from their parents during World War 2. He observed that many of these children developed emotional problems, and he made the connection that the emotional problems stemmed from the separation from the mother. Bowlby was born in London to an upper class family, and would rarely see, and interact with hisRead MoreJohn Bowlby s Theory Of Attachment1581 Words   |  7 Pagesoccur in the prenatal development, infancy and childhood, as new-borns develop into young adulthood capable of becoming a parent themselves. This assignment will discuss the developmental stage of a chosen child scenario and apply to John Bowlby’s theory of attachment. It will also discuss the key safeguarding issues within the child scenario and how they could have been prohibited. Scenario The chosen child scenario for this assignment is Paul (see appendix). Paul is six years of age and is theRead MoreAttachment : A Deep And Enduring Emotional Bond1313 Words   |  6 Pages Attachment: An Analysis â€Å"Attachment is a deep and enduring emotional bond that connects one person to another across time and space’’ Mary Ainsworth (1973) In this essay I will explore the meaning and purpose of attachment and discuss research into attachment concentrating on John Bowlby’s 1944 â€Å"44 thieves† study conducted to test his maternal deprivation theory and Schaffer Emerson’s 1964 â€Å" Glasgow babies† study. There are twoRead MoreRelation: Infant Mother Attachment and Eating Disorders1510 Words   |  7 Pagescorrelate the links between infant mother attachment and eating disorder behavior. Throughout this paper the two main theorists that are looked at are Mary S. Ainsworth and John Bowlby. Mary S. Ainsworth’s framework of attachment theory began in Uganda, while studying individual difference in infant behavior, which is known as the Strange Situation. John Bowlby coined the theory of infant mother attachment based on object relations psychoanalytical theory and the conceptualization that infants needRead MoreThe Primary Focus Of Educational Psychology765 Words   |  4 Pageschild’s educational achievement such as pre-natal development, caregiver attachment, culture, household make-up, economics, cognitive ability, and environment to name a few. Several theorists can impact the practices of Educational Psychology, two in particular are Urie Bronfenbrenner and John B owlby. With either of their theories in mind, looking at the child as an individual is non-existent. Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecologial Theory describes development as an interaction between people, physical environmentRead MoreJohn Bowlby s Theory Of Attachment1439 Words   |  6 PagesThis report will be about John Bowlby and his theory of attachment plus criticisms and how these come into effect in practice and legislation. Edward John Mostyn Bowlby was born February 27th 1907 and died September 2nd 1990. He was born in London to a middle class family. He was mostly taken care of by his nanny because his parents believed that spending too much time with him could lead to him becoming a spoilt child. At age 7 he was sent to boarding school by his parents. After finishing boardingRead MoreBowlby’s Attachment Theory Essay example1156 Words   |  5 PagesBowlby’s attachment theory has greatly influenced practice. His theory of attachment explains the importance of having a figure that the child shares a strong bond with. Having an attachment can significantly support a child’s development as Barbara Woods suggests that â€Å"his theory of attachment proposed that attachment is innate in both infants and mothers, and that the formation of this attachment is crucial for the infants development† Wood, B (2001, p.53). Bowlby believed that forming an attachmentRead MoreBowlbys Theo ry of Attachments854 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Bowlby’s Theory Attachment is a strong and emotional bond that develops over time between two individuals that is reciprocal. 1. THE THEORY * Bowlby’s theory suggests that attachment is evolutionary and is needed to aid survival. * He did observational research to link orphans with psychological damage. * Babies are helpless and rely on adults. They make instinctive decisions because they haven’t actually learnt anything yet. Bowlby said that babies must be genetically programmed

Vitamin C Free Essays

Vitamin C –A Natural Antioxidant Concept: Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is an antioxidant. The amount of vitamin C content in food can be found out by titrating with an oxidising agent, e. g. We will write a custom essay sample on Vitamin C or any similar topic only for you Order Now iodine. In the reaction, vitamin C is oxidised, while iodine is reduced to iodide ions. The endpoint is determined by the formation of blue-black starch-iodine complex when all vitamin C is oxidised and excess iodine is free to react with the starch solution added as indicator. Introduction Vitamin C is an important component of a healthy diet. A well-balanced, healthy diet should ensure that there is enough vitamin C to prevent scurvy and other potential health problems. However, if taken in extreme excess, it may also cause harm to our body. Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits such as oranges, limes and grapefruits, and vegetables including tomatoes and green pepper. Vitamin C is easily damaged during food preparation. Moreover, the amount of vitamin C in most foods is usually high enough that the quantity remaining after processing is more than enough for a daily supply. DCPIP is often used as the reagent to test for vitamin C. The amount of vitamin C in a food sample can be found out by titrating with DCPIP as vitamin C can reduce blue DCPIP to colourless. However, it is sometimes difficult to ascertain the endpoint of the titration due to incomplete decolourisation of DCPIP. In this experiment, iodine and starch solutions are used instead of DCPIP to find out the amount of vitamin C in food sample. When iodine solution is added to the food sample, vitamin C is oxidised, while the iodine is reduced to iodide ions. During the reaction, iodine added is immediately reduced to iodide as long as there is any vitamin C present. Once all the vitamin C has been oxidised, the excess iodine will react with the starch indicator, giving a blue-black starch-iodine complex. This is the endpoint and it allows you to estimate the amount of vitamin C in the food sample. Materials ? ? ? 0. 1 % starch solution fruit / vegetable sample (e. g. green pepper, kiwifruit orange) iodine solution (0. 5 g iodine dissolved in 100 ml of 1% potassium iodide solution) ? itamin C solution (1000 mg vitamin C tablet dissolved in 1 litre of distilled/deionised water) ? ? ? ? beaker dropper (1 ml) test tube test tube rack Fig. 1 Materials for the activity Activity: The amount of vitamin C in fruits and vegetables 1. Label four test tubes for holding different sample solutions: vitamin C solution (C), green pepper (G), kiwifruit (K) and orange (O) juices. (Please refer to p. 4 for methods of extraction of fruit juices. ) 2. 3. Ad d 1 ml of vitamin C solution and 5 drops of starch solution into the test tube labeled C. Add iodine solution drop by drop into the test tube until the appearance of permanent trace of blue-black colour. Record the number of drops of iodine solution added. (Note: shake the test tube gently to mix the content after adding each drop of iodine solution). 4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for three times and calculate the average number of drops of iodine solution added. 5. 6. 7. Calculate the amount of vitamin C in 1 ml of the vitamin C solution. Repeat steps 2 to 4 for green pepper (G), kiwifruit (K) and orange (O) juices. Tabulate the results and calculate the amount of vitamin C in 1 ml juice of each fruit / vegetable sample. 2 Type of solution Vitamin C solution Green pepper juice Kiwifruit juice Orange juice Average number of drops of iodine solution added Amount of vitamin C in 1 ml solution (mg) Questions for discussion: 1. Would you get the same results if the experiment was repeated after several days using the same solutions? Why? 2. If the orange juice has been left in the refrigerator for a week, what will happen to the amount of vitamin C in the orange juice? Why? Further investigation 1. Investigating the amount of vitamin C in prepackaged fruit juices purchased from the supermarket Some prepackaged fruit juices may contain less amount of vitamin C than that marked in the label. Design an investigation to find out if this is the case. Discuss the experimental design with your classmate before carrying out the investigation. Write a report of your investigation. 2. Investigating the content of antioxidant in green tea Most green tea manufacturers claimed that their products have rich antioxidant components, such as vitamin C. Design an investigation to compare the antioxidant content in different brands of green tea. Discuss the experimental design with your classmate before carrying out the investigation. Write a report of your investigation. Reference Hill, C. (2002). A simple test for vitamin C. School Science Review, 83 (305), 131. 3 NOTES Safety Precaution Handle iodine solution carefully as it is an irritant. Laboratory Preparation I. Extraction of fruit juices 1. Method A Examples: orange, lemon ? ? ? Cut the orange/lemon into two halves. Squeeze one half of the orange/lemon by hand to force out the juice. Filter the juice (to remove the solid tissue) using a filter funnel and a filter cloth. Collect the filtrate using a small beaker. 2. Method B Examples: kiwifruit, honeydew melon, grape ? ? ? ? Remove the skin of the fruit. Cut the fruit into small pieces on a white tile using a knife. Grind the tissue by means of mortar and pestle to obtain about 10 ml of juice. Filter the juice using a filter funnel and a filter cloth. Collect the filtrate using a small beaker. II. Vitamin C is susceptible to oxidation by atmospheric oxygen over time. The sample solutions should be prepared immediately before the titration. Identification of the endpoint in this titration is significantly affected by the colouration of the sample solution used. If the solutions are colourless or are pale in colour, there is no problem in identifying the endpoint. For juices with strong or deep colour, it may be difficult to identify the endpoint. It is advised to carry out a trial titration so as to acquaint yourself with the colour change at the endpoint. For some juices, it may just be darkening of the colour when arriving at the endpoint of the titration. III. 4 How to cite Vitamin C, Essay examples

Protecting Women from Domestic Violence Essay Example

Protecting Women from Domestic Violence Essay â€Å"Domestic violence is the most ubiquitous constant in women’s lives around the world. There is virtually no place where it is not a significant problem, and women of no race, class, or age are exempt from its reach† -Joni Seager Abstract: Domestic violence against women is a social problem that occurs in nearly every corner of the world. Recently, some states have begun to recognize that women must be protected from abuse by family members and intimates. While policies and practices designed to protect women have emerged in a number of countries, many lag behind on the issue. This paper will examine the causal factors behind the variation in protection for women. The literature on women and politics suggests that women’s representation may increase the level of protection against domestic violence because female legislators are more likely to put women’s issues on the agenda and make policy choices that benefit their sex. Alternatively, the culture of a state may determine whether the society supports rights for women, including protection from domestic violence. A variety of statistics indicating women’s representation and culture were gathered for analysis. Using bi variate correlation and multiple regression, the theories were tested against each other in an attempt to determine the cause of variation in levels of protection. The findings suggest that both women’s representation and culture are significantly correlated to level of protection. We will write a custom essay sample on Protecting Women from Domestic Violence specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Protecting Women from Domestic Violence specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Protecting Women from Domestic Violence specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Because the number of women in elected office influences protection to a greater extent than culture, improving women’s representation appears to be an important factor in fighting the domestic violence problem. THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROBLEM Across the world, women are beaten, tortured, mentally abused, burned, and killed by their intimate relations on a regular basis. Domestic violence is defined as abuse between family members, but for the context of this paper I am specifically referring to abuse against women. Until relatively recently, uthorities in many states have ignored or even condoned this type of violence. For example, the phrase â€Å"rule of thumb† comes from Anglo-American common law a husband was permitted to strike his wife with a stick as long as it was no wider than his thumb (Straus and Gelles 1986). In some cultures, domestic violence remains an acceptable means for a husband to discipline his wife. Why do such abhorrent acts occur and why have the y gone unpunished? Experts generally agree that domestic violence is used to keep women in a subordinate position within the household (Seager, 2003; Straus and Gelles, 1986). Men use physical abuse against women in order to ‘keep them in their place’ to exert their power as the dominant figure in the household. Historically, domestic violence has been considered a private matter, a problem between a man and his wife that the state need not become involved in (Abrar and Lovenduski, 2002; Bush, 1992; Hawkins and Humes, 2002). Recently, the domestic violence issue has been moved from the private realm to the public in many states. Consequently, practices regarding the problem are changing and violence in the home is becoming a criminal matter. Yet the degree of protection women receive varies tremendously across states. Why is it that in some western societies, women can prosecute their husbands for a slap in the face, yet in places such as Turkey, men receive reduced sentences if the murder of their wives is an ‘honor killing? ’ (World Report, 2003). In order to explain this variation, I examine the impact of women’s representation and cultural factors, either of which may account for the level of protection women receive against domestic violence. THEORIES REGARDING WOMEN’S PROTECTION Making a difference: Women’s representation One of the prevailing theories in women and politics literature is called the ‘politics of presence. ’ According to this theory, women’s presence in legislative bodies is essential because women representatives have different values, attitudes, and priorities than men based on their unique experience as females (Phillips, 1995). Women legislators will express these differences by putting women’s issues on the agenda and making policy choices that benefit women as a group. Women’s issues can be defined as â€Å"those that mainly affect women, either for biological reasons (such as breast cancer screening and reproductive rights) or for social reasons (sex equality or child-care policy)† (Lovenduski 2001). According to this theory, women representatives will address domestic violence because it is a part of their experience as women. Even if the legislator has not experienced domestic violence personally, she probably knows someone who has, or can relate to the inequalities that lead to violence against women. Another important theory in women and politics literature is called critical mass. The critical mass theory holds that once women gain a certain percentage in the legislature, they will have the ability to ‘make a difference,’ or make changes in the legislature that improve women’s status (Dahlerup, 2001; Lovenduski 2001). Such changes may include implementing policy that is important to women, bringing attention to women’s issues, or changing the norms and values of the legislative institution (Norris and Lovenduski, 2003). According to a classification made by Rosabeth Moss Kanter, there are three categories of women’s minority status in the legislature: the skewed group of up to fifteen percent, in which women would be merely tokens and have no real power to implement change; the tilted group of fifteen to forty percent, in which the minority is gaining strength through numbers and may influence the nature of the institution; and the balanced group, of about forty to fifty percent, in which women are no longer a minority (Dahlerup, 2001; Lovenduski 2001). Women need to hold about thirty percent of the seats in a legislature in order to achieve a critical mass. Once women reach that threshold, they will bring attention to the issue of domestic violence by putting it on the legislative agenda and implementing policy that protects women. The degree to which women can attain cabinet or ministerial positions will also affect their ability to make a difference. Positions of leadership in the legislature allow for more influence over the political agenda and policy choices (Reynolds, 1999). Therefore, women in cabinet positions are able to exert political power that will lead to a greater protection of women against domestic violence. H1: As women’s access to political power increases, the level of protection for women against domestic violence increases. Although the ‘politics of presence’ and critical mass theories are well-respected in women’s representation literature, the policy effects that these theories predict has yet to be examined on an international level. Because women’s presence in the legislatures of many states is a relatively new phenomenon, it has been too early to determine whether these theories will be realized when it comes to measurable policy change. It is possible that woman legislators will behave no differently than their male counterparts, in which case an alternative cause is needed to explain the variation in women’s protection across states. The Cultural Influence According to several studies, the political and social culture of a state affects the level of support women will receive in the pursuit of equal rights and political power (Reynolds, 1999; Kenworthy and Malami, 1999). The specific traditions and values of a country determine a woman’s place, whether it be strictly confined to the home, nearly equal in the public sphere of employment and politics, or somewhere in between. The degree that each culture is in favor of expanding women’s rights will influence their practices and policies on domestic violence. Political Culture Although the political history and customs of each state are unique, examining certain aspects of a country’s political culture allows for a cross-cultural comparison of the political support for women’s rights. Women’s movements are one way of exerting influence in the political realm. These movements can be defined as â€Å"a subset of sociopolitical movements that are characterized by the primacy of women’s gendered experiences, women’s issues, and women’s leadership and decision making† (Beckwith, 2002). The issue of domestic violence is one that women’s movements have addressed in every corner of the globe. In many instances, these groups have been the only advocate for women experiencing violence in the home. When authorities look the other way, women’s groups have come forth to call attention to this problem. In order to affect legislation and practices on the domestic violence issue, women’s movements have utilized strategies such as protest, media campaigns, lobbying, research, litigation, and international treaties (Bush, 1992; Abrar and Lovenduski, 2002; Hawkins and Humes, 2002). Although the state institutions and cultures that women’s movements must work with can vary greatly, several studies have found that movements can be successful even in countries whose institutions do not promote the political participation of women and whose cultures that do not hold egalitarian beliefs (Tyyska, 1998; Bush, 1992). Such a finding is hopeful for women in patriarchal cultures; however, it may be a leap to suggest that women’s movements are completely independent form culture. At the very least, the women in a given state must support the advancement of their sex in order for a movement to take hold. In countries such as Turkmenistan, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, over fifty percent of women think it is acceptable for a husband to beat his wife for a variety of reasons (Seager, 2003). Such a culture would likely not be able to produce a successful movement because the women themselves do not believe men and women are equal. Although women’s movements operate outside the status quo, they should be considered a measure of political culture. Another way to measure the political culture of a state is to determine whether it has a history of women’s participation. A citizen’s political participation includes a variety of activities: pursuing political knowledge, discussing politics, supporting a political party or voting. There is no question that political participation is valuable and leads to greater political power: â€Å"To the extent that citizen activity provides a critical channel for the expression of citizen preferences, those who are less active pay the price in terms of representation† (Verba, Burns, and Schlozman, 1997). Women’s issues have not been on the political agenda in the past because women had little or no role in the political community and therefore had no place to voice their opinions (Fraser, 1999; Nelson and Chowdhury, 1994). If the most basic form of political participation is the act of voting, then the date of women’s suffrage speaks to the political culture of a given state. In those countries where suffrage was granted only recently, it is unlikely that women have established a culture of political participation. The strength of leftist parties also indicates whether the political culture of a state supports women’s rights. Traditional political parties, whatever their ideological stance, have often been associated with an ‘old boy’s club’ approach to political decision making: only those who are invited may attend. Some even argue that rather than open doors to political power, political parties create obstacles that women and other minorities must sidestep: â€Å"the culture and process of formal political institutions are major barriers to women’s equal participation in institutional politics† (Nelson and Chowdhury, 1994). Although political parties have a history of excluding women, leftist parties may be more inclusive than the rest. Parties of the left, particularly socialist parties, support women’s rights to a greater degree than other parties do because their ideological stance tends to be more egalitarian (Kenworthy and Malami, 1999; Reynolds, 1999). Leftist parties often include a pledge to reduce gender inequality in their political platform and tend to yield more successful woman candidates (Kenworthy and Malami, 1999; Reynolds, 1999). Therefore, the share of seats held by leftist parties may indicate whether the political culture of a state will favor protection for women. Finally, the level of socioeconomic development in a state influences its political culture. In times of economic hardship, the support given to women declines. Countries that have suffering economies are much less likely to be concerned with social programs than those which are thriving (Nelson and Chowdhury 1994, Seager 2003). Spending on education and social services, including services that protect women, will be considered unimportant when people don’t even have enough to eat. Unfortunately, hard times are usually when women need protection the most. Whether or not a state has a history of providing social services speaks to its political culture is it considered â€Å"necessary† to provide these services or is it considered a superfluous expenditure? States with a high level of socioeconomic development are more likely to have a political culture that supports women. H2: States with political cultures that support women’s rights will protect women from domestic violence to a greater extent than those that do not. Social Culture Just as a state’s political traditions can determine the amount of support women’s interests are likely to receive, its social culture also influences the importance a society places on women. Social factors affect the way that a society views the role of woman. Are women expected to stay in the home or is it acceptable for them to pursue a formal career? Are they considered the equal of men? Religiosity is one factor that may influence the social culture of a state. A nation’s religiosity is its religious sentimentality, or the degree of importance the dominant religion plays in people’s lives. Religion is an especially important factor to consider when examining the issue of domestic violence because many religions are concerned with the family structure and consider women to be uniquely tied to the family. States that have fundamentalist religions follow the doctrine that women are subordinate to men (Reynolds, 1999). If women are considered to be subordinate, a husband’s abusive treatment of his wife may be excused as ‘discipline. ’ Traditional, highly religious societies are likely to consider the family a private sphere and discourage state interference, even in violent cases. Societies that have a high degree of religiosity are therefore less likely to provide a large amount of protection for women. The social culture of a state may also be determined by its education policies. Is it considered appropriate for women to receive some sort of higher education? This speaks to whether women are considered equal to men and whether they have the right to gain knowledge. Higher education leads to an understanding of issues that are important to women, as well as social and political mobilization around those issues: â€Å"Knowledge is power, the foundation of intellectual and political development† (Fraser, 1999). If women are to understand that there are options beyond the status quo, they need education. Women are more likely to demand equality and protection under the law if they are educated. They may also have greater resources that would allow them to leave an abusive situation. Therefore, the larger the number of women in higher education, the more likely a state is to protect women from domestic violence. Finally, a society’s social culture is reflected by the egalitarianism of the citizenry. The extent that a country addresses the inequalities women face is largely due to the beliefs of the people. Nations that believe women are equal to men are more likely to pursue policies that are important to women. For instance, there has been an increase in the salience of issues such as reproductive choice, sexual harassment, and equal opportunity in states where the cultural ideologies are becoming more egalitarian (Inglehart and Norris, 2001) Therefore, if the social culture of a country promotes egalitarian beliefs, women are more likely to be protected from domestic violence. H3: States with social cultures that support women’s rights will have a higher level of protection against domestic violence than those that do not. Research Design and Methodology Design Strategy and Case Selection In order to test the theoretical explanations offered by the literature, this study compares the levels of protection against domestic violence cross-nationally. The research design employed is a statistical method. Using bi-variate correlation and multiple regression, the strength, significance, and relative influence of each independent variable in relation to the dependent variable is tested. Examining twenty-nine members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) allows for a broad mix of cultures and polities. (Iceland had to be excluded due to lack of data). This variation is valuable if the diverse situation of women is to be examined. At the same time, using the OECD member states allows much of the â€Å"noise† created by non-democratic governments and large variations in wealth to be blocked out; all of these states are relatively well-off and have some form of democratic government. Levels of wealth and degree of democratic functioning still vary widely enough to be diverse, however. The countries included in this study are: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the United States. Dependent Variable The dependent variable of this study is the level of protection for women against domestic violence. This variable is an unweighted summation of seven separate measures: marital rape law, divorce law, gender wage gap, percentage of salary paid during maternity leave, length of maternity leave, child poverty rate in lone mother households, and percentage of lone mother households. Many of these measures indicate the level of familialization, or the ability for a woman to leave an abusive situation and live independently from her abuser. The level of protection is measured on a scale that ranges from 11 (lowest protection) to 25 (highest protection). Data for this variable were obtained from a wide variety of statistical sources. Marital rape law is a dichotomous variable. It is coded as 0 if the country does not have a law against marital rape and coded as 1 if it does. Marital rape laws are a direct measure of protection against domestic violence because rape is an act of violence. This variable indicates whether the state is willing to invade the private sphere of sexual relations between married couples in order to provide protection. About half of the cases in this study do not recognize marital rape as a crime. [1] The second dependent variable measure is a coded scale representing the egree of difficulty women face when attempting to obtain a divorce. The scale ranges from 0 to 3, with 0 being the most difficult and 3 being the easiest. Coding was based on the grounds for divorce in each country. States were given a point if women can initiate divorce, if mutual consent is a ground, if breakdown of marriage or a phrase of similar meaning is a ground, and if violence, battery, or abuse is a ground. A po int was subtracted if there is a requirement for the couple to be separated for a certain amount of time before divorce will be granted. Finally, a point was taken away for miscellaneous factors that would likely cause difficulty in obtaining a divorce; for example, if no alimony or child support is offered or if divorce is considered a social stigma in the country, a point was subtracted. [2] The third measure in the scale is gender wage gap. This variable captures the ability of women to be financially independent; the higher the gender wage gap, the more difficult it is for a woman to support herself and her children. The scale ranges from 1 to 5, with 1 being the largest gap between male and female wages and 5 being the smallest. 3] The fourth and fifth components of the dependent variable are the percentage of salary paid during maternity leave[4] and the length of maternity leave. [5] These measures speak to the financial and social independence of mothers in a given state. If all or most of the mother’s salary during leave is paid and she is able to take a substantial leave without the risk of losing her job, this indicates that the state offers progressive social welfare benefits to women. Studies show that parental leave attracts women to the labor force and maintains their attachment (Kamerman, et all, 2003). Continued employment indicates that women have a better chance to leave an abusive relationship because they are more likely to be financially stable and have a support system outside of the family. Both variables are coded in a range of 1 to 5, with 1 being the least favorable leave policies for women and 5 being the most favorable. The sixth measure of protection for women is the rate of child poverty in lone mother households. This variable is coded in a range from 1 to 5. A score of 1 represents the highest rates of child poverty and a 5 represents the lowest rates. Although it would seem that the percentage of lone mother households is a direct indication of child poverty rates, several studies indicate that if a country has progressive social benefits for single parent families, high poverty levels can be avoided (The World’s Women 2000; Kamerman, et al, 2003). Therefore, this measure speaks to the social support offered to single mothers. [6] The seventh and final component of the dependent variable scale is the rate of lone mother households. This measure is coded as a scale from 1 to 5; a score of 1 indicates low rates of lone mother households and 5 indicate high levels. The rate of single mothers in a country indicates whether it is socially acceptable for a woman to live independently from a male family member or intimate. 7 In countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, there are few social stigmas associated with single motherhood and accordingly, the rates are high: 15% and 19% respectively (Kamerman, et al, 2003). However, because these states provide few social supports for single mothers, the rates of child poverty for these family types are also high: 59. 6% in the U. S. and 40. 3% in the U. K. (Kamerman, et al, 2003). Therefore, it is necessary to look at both rates of single motherhood and of child poverty in lone mother households in order to gauge both the social stigma and support offered to single mothers. Independent Variables This study employs a parsimonious model with respect to the independent variables. Four independent variables are analyzed as indicators of the two theories discussed previously: women’s representation and the cultural influence. Data for these variables were obtained from several sources, primarily Joni Seager’s Atlas of Women in the World. The first variable is women as a percentage of elected officials in each state, or the percent of women occupying seats in the lower or single house of their country’s legislature. Those data, reported from the year 2002, indicate the level of women’s representation. [7] The second variable is women’s history of political participation, measured by the date women’s suffrage was introduced in each country. [8] The third variable is the level of socioeconomic development, measured by per capita GNI from the year 2001. GNI measures the gross national income of a state in current US. dollars. Both date of women’s suffrage and per capita GNI are indicators of the political culture of the countries in this study. [9] Although affluence could be measured separately from culture, socio-economic indicators are frequently used as proxy measures for culture in literature on women and politics (Kenworthy and Malami 1999; Matland 1998). The fourth variable, women as a percentage of students in higher education, is an indicator of the social culture of a country. Higher education is defined as third level institutions, such as universities, technical schools, and equivalent institutions. Students of higher education have completed education at the second level or provided proof of equivalent knowledge. The data reported are from 2000 or the most recent available year. [10] Analyses and Results This section reports the findings of the empirical analysis. After coding and analysis, the dependent variable (level of protection against domestic violence) produced an index ranging from 11 to 25, with 25 being the highest degree of protection. As shown in Table 1, there is a moderate amount of variance in the dependent variable, with a mean of 17. and a standard deviation of 3. 42. Analyses of bi-variate correlations and multiple regression tests for the independent variables indicate that the main findings of this study support the proposed hypotheses. Table 1 The Dependent Variable: A Breakdown of Protection Levels High Protection Levels Moderate Protection Levels Low Protection Levels Austria 19 Australia 17 Greece 14 Czech Rep. 19 Belgium 17 Ireland 12 Denmark 23 Canada 16 Japan 13 Finland 20 Germany 17 Korea 11* France 21 Hungary 17 Luxembourg 14

my inspirational awakening essays

my inspirational awakening essays How do you describe one of your best friends? Do you talk about his natural talent? Do you say how great a guy he is? Or do you say how he is just a dork? Cody Werner, is someone who I can say a lot about, and still not even come close to describing him adequately. He is a renaissance man, an individual who possesses a distinct personality that sets him apart. Simply put, he is like no one else I have ever met. Cody keeps it real in the face of opposition, even when no one else is baking him up. He is someone who is consistently dedicated to what he believes. Cody's actions have proven this many times, and Ive often found myself looking at them for inspiration. At school, his uniqueness is misinterpreted. His laid back attitude is misconceived as laziness. His unique opinions are sometimes thought of as insulting and taken personal; when in fact Cody only making observations. He sees the world like no else. I met Cody three years ago when I moved to Santa Rosa. Since then I have been inspired countless times to remain true to myself. At a time where so many people are narrow-minded and hypocritical, Cody has kept it real. I went to Lake Tahoe with him recently. It was around three a.m. and we were both hungry. We had just come from the casinos to search for some, real, non-over priced food. We drove around for about 15 minutes, but no places were open. Just as we had given up hope, we drove past a Dennys, not what we had in mind. Never the less we were hungry and willing to save a few dollars on bargain food. As we sat in our booth, Cody observed a young man sitting at the bar, no more than ten feet away from us. Cody observed this gentlemen as he ate his food and talked with a woman, who Im guessing was his girlfriend. After a few minutes of watching this man, Cody really got in to it. "What the fk? Dude, that really pisses me off... look at this guy over here. ...

Olmec Religion - the First Mesoamerican Civilization

Olmec Religion - the First Mesoamerican Civilization The Olmec civilization (1200-400 B.C.) was the first major Mesoamerican culture and laid the foundation for several later civilizations. Many aspects of Olmec culture remain a mystery, which is not surprising considering how long ago their society went into decline. Nevertheless, archaeologists have been able to make surprising progress in learning about the religion of the ancient Olmec people. The Olmec Culture The Olmec culture lasted roughly from 1200 B.C. to 400 B.C. and flourished along Mexicos Gulf coast. The Olmec built major cities at San Lorenzo and La Venta, in the present day states of Veracruz and Tabasco respectively. The Olmec were farmers, warriors and traders, and the few clues they left behind indicate a rich culture. Their civilization collapsed by 400 A. D. - archaeologists are unsure as to why - but several later cultures, including the Aztec and the Maya, were profoundly influenced by the Olmec. The Continuity Hypothesis Archaeologists have struggled to put together the few clues that remain today from the Olmec culture which vanished well over 2,000 years ago. Facts about the ancient Olmec are hard to come by. Modern researchers must use three sources for information on the religion of ancient Mesoamerican cultures: Analysis of relics including sculpture, buildings and ancient texts when availableEarly Spanish reports of religious and cultural practicesEthnographic studies of modern-day traditional religious practices in certain communities Experts who have studied the Aztecs, Maya and other ancient Mesoamerican religions have come to an interesting conclusion: these religions share certain characteristics, indicating a much older, foundational system of belief. Peter Joralemon proposed the Continuity Hypothesis to fill in the gaps left by incomplete records and studies. According to Joralemon there is a basic religious system common to all Mesoamerican peoples. This system took shape long before it was given monumental expression in Olmec art and survived long after the Spanish conquered the New Worlds major political and religious centers. (Joralemon quoted in Diehl, 98). In other words, other cultures can fill in the blanks in regards to Olmec society. One example is the Popol Vuh. Although it is normally associated with the Maya, there are nevertheless many instances of Olmec art and sculpture that seemingly show images or scenes from the Popol Vuh. One instance is the nearly identical statues of the Hero Twins at t he Azuzul archaeological site. The Five Aspects of Olmec Religion Archaeologist Richard Diehl has identified five elements associated with Olmec Religion. These include: A cosmos which identifies the socio-cultural context within which Gods and man interactedDivine beings and gods who controlled the universe and interacted with menA shaman or priest class who acted as intermediaries between the common Olmec people and their gods and spiritsRituals enacted by shamans and/or rulers that reinforced the concepts of the cosmosSacred sites, both natural and man-made Olmec Cosmology Like many early Mesoamerican cultures, the Olmec believed in three tiers of existence: the physical realm they inhabited, an underworld and a sky realm, home of most of the gods. Their world was bound together by the four cardinal points and natural boundaries such as rivers, the ocean and mountains. The most important aspect of Olmec life was agriculture, so it is no surprise that the Olmec agricultural/fertility cult, gods and rituals were extremely important. The rulers and kings of the Olmec had an important role to play as intermediaries between the realms, although it is unknown exactly what relationship to their gods they claimed. Olmec Deities The Olmec had several deities whose images repeatedly appear in surviving sculptures, stonecarvings and other artistic forms. Their names have been lost to time, but archaeologists identify them by their characteristics. No fewer than eight regularly-appearing Olmec deities have been identified. These are the designations given to them by Joralemon: The Olmec DragonThe Bird MonsterThe Fish MonsterThe Banded-eye GodThe Maize GodThe Water GodThe Were-jaguarThe Feathered Serpent Most of these gods would later figure prominently in other cultures, such as the Maya. Currently, there is insufficient information about the roles these gods played in Olmec society or specifically how each was worshiped. Olmec Sacred Places The Olmecs considered certain man-made and natural places sacred. Man-made places included temples, plazas and ball courts and natural places included springs, caves, mountaintops and rivers. No building easily identifiable as an Olmec temple has been discovered; nevertheless, there are many raised platforms which probably served as bases upon which temples were built of some perishable material such as wood. Complex A at La Venta archaeological site is commonly accepted as a religious complex. Although the only ballcourt identified at an Olmec site comes from the post-Olmec era at San Lorenzo, there is nevertheless much evidence that the Olmecs played the game, including carved likenesses of players and preserved rubber balls found at the El Manatà ­ site. The Olmec venerated natural sites as well. El Manatà ­ is a bog where offerings were left by the Olmecs, probably those who lived at San Lorenzo. Offerings included wooden carvings, rubber balls, figurines, knives, axes and more. Although caves are rare in the Olmec region, some of their carvings indicate a reverence for them: in some stonecarvings the cave is the mouth of the Olmec Dragon. Caves in Guerrero state have paintings inside which are associated with the Olmec. Like many ancient cultures, the Olmecs venerated mountains: an Olmec sculpture was found close to the summit of the San Martà ­n Pajapan Volcano, and many archaeologists believe that man-made hills at sites such as La Venta are meant to represent sacred mountains for rituals. Olmec Shamans There is strong evidence that the Olmec had a shaman class in their society. Later Mesoamerican cultures which derived from the Olmec had full-time priests who acted as intermediaries between the common people and the divine. There are sculptures of shamans apparently transforming from humans into were-jaguars. Bones of toads with hallucinogenic properties have been found at Olmec sites: the mind-altering drugs were presumably used by shamans. The rulers of Olmec cities probably served as shamans as well: rulers were likely considered to have a special relationship with the gods and many of their ceremonial functions were religious. Sharp objects, such as stingray spines, have been found at Olmec sites and were most likely used in sacrificial bloodletting rituals. Olmec Religious Rituals and Ceremonies Of Diehls five foundations of Olmec religion, the rituals are the least known to modern researchers. The presence of ceremonial objects, such as stingray spines for bloodletting, indicate that there were, indeed, important rituals, but any details of said ceremonies have been lost to time. Human bones - particularly of infants - have been found at some sites, suggesting human sacrifice, which was later important among the Maya, Aztec and other cultures. The presence of rubber balls indicates that the Olmec played this game. Later cultures would assign a religious and ceremonial context to the game, and it is reasonable to suspect that the Olmec did as well. Sources: Coe, Michael D and Rex Koontz. Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs. 6th Edition. New York: Thames and Hudson, 2008Cyphers, Ann. Surgimiento y decadencia de San Lorenzo, Veracruz. Arqueologà ­a Mexicana Vol XV - Num. 87 (Sept-Oct 2007). P. 36-42.Diehl, Richard A. The Olmecs: Americas First Civilization. London: Thames and Hudson, 2004.Gonzalez Lauck, Rebecca B. El Complejo A, La Venta, Tabasco. Arqueologà ­a Mexicana Vol XV - Num. 87 (Sept-Oct 2007). P. 49-54.Grove, David C. Cerros Sagradas Olmecas. Trans. Elisa Ramirez. Arqueologà ­a Mexicana Vol XV - Num. 87 (Sept-Oct 2007). P. 30-35.Miller, Mary and Karl Taube. An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya. New York: Thames Hudson, 1993.

The 2007 Cricket World Cup Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The 2007 Cricket World Cup - Essay Example Obtaining such funds was a big challenge, in that the organizers and the sports ministries involved had to present their governments with the requests for the allocation of funds to finance the renovations. This process took long before such funds were approved, with some countries like Jamaica almost wanting to cut down the fund proposals that were presented, claiming that spending $100 million on the cricket final hosting was not worth, since there was little observable benefit from hosting such an event to the country (Atherton, 2007). Low attendance is yet another challenge that faced the organizers of this event. The 2007 Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean was not attended by a large audience of fans. This lack of high attendance was caused by the restrictions that the organizers of the event had placed, for security purposes, which hindered any individual from bringing in outside items such as food, kits, musical instruments among other items mostly used by the fans during such events (Tyson, 2007). The organizers of the events over commercialized it, by requiring that those attending the event purchase requisite items for use from within, an aspect that killed the morale of the fans, who would have attended. The high prices charged for the ticket is yet another factor that hindered the large attendance of the fans to the event. This hindered the achievement of the set revenue target of $42 million (Jordan, 2006). Lack of good preparation is yet another challenge that faced the organizers of the events. Poor preparations led to some of the major venues where the event had to take place remain incomplete, by the time the event was kicking off (Chambers, 2007). Security concerns and the selection of incompetent jury, who caused confusion in the final match, are the other challenges that the organizers faced. There are various positive and negative impacts the 2007 Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean had on the countries that hosted the event. Among the posit ive impacts is the income generating opportunities that were presented to this countries, courtesy of the event (Tyson, 2007). With the event running for six weeks, there were many business opportunity that were open for the entrepreneurs in different industries of those countries to capitalize on. Such opportunities mostly favored the transport, the trade, tourism and hospitality industry as well as the entertainment industry. That was a period of high-income generation for such businesses, in that the goods and services they offer were in high demand due to a higher number of visitors. Improved cooperation and coordination is yet another positive impact that was brought by this event. The Caribbean countries were forced to enhance their cooperation and coordination, since the event required that all the countries in that island co-host the event, with each country hosting six matches. This being the situation, the countries were forced to coordinate and cooperate in the organizati on and management of the event, serving to enhance their relationships (Lakshman, 2008). Promotion of the region as a tourism destination is yet another benefit obtained by the Caribbean countries from hosting the event (Jordan, 2006). Since there were different people from various parts of the world who attended the event, they learnt the beauty of the region and its attractiveness, enhancing the chances of such visitors coming back to tour the region. Additionally, the focus of the media on the

International Economic relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

International Economic relations - Essay Example In some cases, entirely new loans were contracted to service interest only. At the same time bankers in the western world ignored signals of an imminent debt crisis and remained more than willing to refinance maturing loans of developing countries, but with shorter maturities. In this process, third world debt snowballed from $130 billion in 1973 to about $612 billion in 1982. Between 1975 and 1980 four countries had to postpone amortization payments while servicing interest only. The spark that ignited the LDC debt crisis can be readily identified as Mexico's inability to service its outstanding debt to the U.S. commercial banks and other creditors. The crisis began on August 12, 1982, when Mexico's minister of finance informed the Federal Reserve chairman, the secretary of the treasury, and the IMF managing director that Mexico would be unable to meet its August 16 obligations to service an $80 billion debt. Then by 1983 the number of countries defaulting on their repayments reached twenty one, and some third world countries had instituted state criminal processes against public figures on account of alleged negligence and mishandling of public money. The fact that the 1982 crisis occurred when there was a steep rise in interest rates in the U.S. underscores the significance of the capital outflow element of a financial crisis. The appreciation of the dollar at that time also means that repayments magnified the capital outflow in domestic currency terms. At the same time, the accompanying drop in dollar prices of internationally traded commodities undermined inflows derived from exports. It is also necessary to mention that the satiation described above is also reflected in the 1994 financial crises in Mexico, Turkey and Venezuela equally attributed to dramatic reversal of large scale lending to emerging markets, as well as the experience of Argentina in 1995 and East Asian economies in 1997. There is the argument that most of that crises were characterized with large amounts of international loans to forestall default, hence the rebuke of Mexico at the onset of the 1982 crisis worsened a financial condition that was potentially manageable. 1. Balance of Payments During the second part of the 1970s, and partially as a result of the oil price shocks, most countries in the world experienced large swings in their current account balances. These developments generated significant concern among policy makers and analysts, and prompted a number of experts to analyze carefully the determinants of the current account. As Edwards (2000) writes, the departing point was based on the recognition on two interrelated facts. First, from a basic national accounting perspective the current account is to savings minus investment. Second, since both savings and investment decisions are based on intertemporal factors - such as life cycle considerations and expected returns on investment projects, the current account is necessarily an intertemporal phenomenon. The Balance of Payments (BOP) is an account of all transactions between one country and all other countries - transactions that are measured in terms of receipts and payments. A country's international transactions can be grouped into three categories: Current account: records net flow of money into a country resulting from trade in goods and services and transfer payments made from abroad. The current account

India and UK Financial Insurance Industry Analysis

India and UK Financial Insurance Industry Analysis Chapter 1: Introduction The financial performance of insurance industry can be assessed by knowing either its strategies or by knowing its profitability. Knowledge of strategy will helps in examining internal and external position of a company. Comparative study of insurance sector is analysis of financial performance of any insurance company. This is directly linked with the earning potential and effectiveness of management strategies of a company. Choosing a wise insurance is very crucial because of, balance to the risks and returns. The reason for choosing Indian and UK insurance industry for the research is because of improved economical status of the country and increase in the value of insurance in the country during last several years. The UK Economy is the largest in Europe and is also ranked as the fifth worldwide as per the market exchange rates, in terms of GDP (Broadberry et al, 1992) were Indian economy is now improving and it is now booming growth in insurance companies were greatest effect of Indian economy during the last several years. This would need a grate deal of financial planning knowledge, as well as the knowledge about the current financial market thus it can compare the other to the insurance companies the analysis of different insurance companies from India and UK. Also insurance companies has to manage their investment in such a way that the principal amount should not erode, investor should get the assured returns those company has promised. This would involve a grate deal of knowledge about the portfolio management of the risk and return and comparative study of insurance industries. Comparative study of insurance is also a topic of hunger for many economists. Till date many researches has been carried out for comparative study of financial analysis in banking sector and very few research has been taken on insurance industry. The main purpose of the research is to find comparative study of insurance companies in India and UK. What characteristic will determine of insurance industry is the main thrust behind the research. Further research is carried out to know in depth relationship of various characteristics that will make up the of Indian and UK insurance industry. The main outline objectives of the research are as under; A Research Design is the framework or plan for a study which is used as a guide in collecting and analyzing the data collected. It is the blue print that is followed in completing the study. The basic objective of research cannot be attained without a proper research design. It specifies the methods and procedures for acquiring the information needed to conduct the research effectively. It is the overall operational pattern of the project that stipulates what information needs to be collected, from which sources and by what methods. Objectives of the research This research has been carried out to comparative study of insurance companies and analyzes financial performance between Indian and UK’s insurance companies. The main aims of the research are: To analyze financial performance of insurance companies in India and UK To evaluate factors that determine financial performance of insurance companies To carry out strategic financial analysis of insurance in India and UK The structure of the research paper is as follows: Chapter 2 reviews the literature on comparative study of insurance sector; Chapter 3 describes the subject matter of the research: the Indian and UK economy and insurance industries ; Chapter 4 outlines the methodology and data used in this study; Chapter 5 presents the analysis and Findings and Chapter 6 discusses the results obtained in the context of the underlying theory the findings of other empirical research; Chapter 7 concludes the research outlining the limitations of the current study and makes recommendations for further work. Chapter 2: Literature Review 2.1 Theory Insurance is, a contract in which one party agrees to compensate another party fir any losses or damages caused by risk identified in the contract in exchange for the payment of a lump sum or periodic amounts of money to the first party. In simple meaning facilitates recompense during crisis situations, insurance means promise of compensation for any potential future losses. Insurance is a form of risk management mainly used to hedge against the risk of a contingent loss. It is designed to protect the financial security of an individual, company or other entity in the case of unexpected loss. Insurance is defined as the realistic transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for a premium. It is a contract between two parties the insurer (the insurance company) and the insured (the person or unit seeking the cover) in which the insurer agrees to pay the insured for financial losses arising out of any unforeseen events in return for a regular payment of premium. These unforeseen events are defined as risk and that is why insurance is called a risk cover. Insurance may be described as a social device to decrease or eliminate risk of loss to life and property. Under the plan of insurance, a large number of people correlate themselves by sharing risks attached to individuals. The risks which can be insured against include fire, the perils of sea, death and accidents and burglary. Any risk contingent upon these, may be insured against at a premium commensurate with the risk involved. Thus collective bearing of risk is insurance. Analyzing insurance companies is very different from analyzing corporate and thus presents unique challenges and industry specific issues. The ability of any insurance company to meet its policy obligations is the foundation of the industry. Absent the trust of policyholders in the financial integrity of any insurer and the industry as a whole, this risk transfer mechanism/industry would collapse. This truth is even more acute in the ES industry where no guaranty funds exist, except New Jersey. However, rapid growth of Insurance sector during the situation liberalization period is seen as the most significant event in financial sector hist. in view of the fact that then, lot of changes take place in the sector as it was exposed to new challenges of competitive competition. For the first time, the private and foreign players were given entry and thus the sector saw a wonderful rate of growth in its business. A well-developed insurance sector is needed for economic development for a rising economy like India as it provides long-term funds for physical and social infrastructure progress at the same time make stronger the risk taking ability. The investment supplies for India in the upcoming years are well-known. Thus, Insurance sector, to some extent, can enable investments in infrastructure development to help maintain economic growth of the country. In this backdrop, we raise two questions: what is the contribution of insurance sector growth towards economic development and financial intermediation in India and United Kingdom. Our study does not stop here as we take a step further to examine the financial and economic growth effects of Insurance sector reforms and the rate of growth of reforms. The insurance companies offer a comprehensive range of insurance plans. The most common types include: term life policies, endowment policies, joint life policies, whole life policies, loan cover term assurance policies, unit-linked insurance plans, group insurance policies, pension plans, and annuities. General insurance plans are also available to cover motor insurance, home insurance, travel insurance and health insurance. Due to the growing demand for insurance, more and more insurance companies are now emerging insurance sector all over the world. With the opening up of the economy, several international leaders in the insurance sector are trying to venture into the insurance industry. The comparative study of insurance sector, Analysis of ratios are calculated from companys balance sheet and income statement and are used to evaluate the performance of the company in a particular reporting period. Analysis of ratios can be compared to the previous years in order to assess trends or between the comparable companies across the industry in classify to get the relative performance estimation. It is very important that every ratio should have a reference point the industry (sector) average or median. The ratio analysis works better if comparing ratios not with the complete set of companies within a particular industry, but with a preferred subset of companies that share certain features, produce the similar product, and have identical macroeconomic and governmental factors affecting them. For the study of companies, operating in several industries it can be helpful to run a cross-sectional analysis to identify a group of firms, involved in the same mix of industries. In some cases a comparison to the economy averages can be meaningful, especially in successful or constricting economies. Therefore, stable margins may be a good indicator during the recession, while the industry and economy averages are declined. It is also important to that usually conclusions can not be made from reviewing one set of ratios. That creates a necessity of a complex analysis of one set of ratios against another. The classification of the objective ratio for the comparison may require a substantial amount of work and a good judgment in order to evaluate a range of achievable and acceptable values. Although the understandable simplicity, such ratios have certain limitations that often make them most useful at identify questions to be answered rather than giving answers to them. There are multiple factors affecting and limiting comparative study of insurance sector, in particular the actual comparability of the firms and different accounting policies used by them are among the most important ones. The issue of comparability may become one the critical aspects to pay attention to while performing the analysis. Various macroeconomic or legislative factors may apply to the companies in the same industry but in different countries that sometimes makes a direct comparison inappropriate. Comparisons with other companies may become even more difficult because of different accounting policies, especially outside the US. Thus different accounting methods may result in significantly different ratio values that require normalization by the analyst. 2.2 Classification of insurance sector There are mainly two types of insurance life and non-life (general) Life insurance is concerned with making provision for specific event happening to the individual, such as death whereas General Insurance(non-life) is more commonly concerned with provision for a specific event affects properly, such as fire, flood , theft, burglary etc. The major difference between Life Insurance and General Insurance is the Principal of indemnity. Indemnity means â€Å"making good the loss† i.e. for tangible goods, one can make good for the loss that has been caused due to reasons like – theft, fire or natural disaster. Here basically we can value the exact monetary value of a commodity, but in case of life insurance the principal of indemnity does not work, since we can not value in any way the value of human life. 2.3 There are five main sectors: Life Insurance Home Insurance Auto Insurance Health Insurance Disability Insurance Section 2 (11) of Insurance Act 1938 defines Life Insurance Business as follows: â€Å"Life insurance Business is the business of effecting contracts of insurance upon human life, including any contract whereby the payment of money is assured on death or the happening of any contingency dependent on human life and any contract which is subject to the payment of premium for a term dependent on human life and shall be deemed to include.† (Mukherjee and Hanif, 2007) In simple term we define life insurance as a contract in which the insurer in consideration of certain premium, either in a lump sum or by other periodical payments, agrees to pay to the assured sum of money , on the happening of specific event contingent on the human life. 2.4 Benefits of insurance industries Life insurance has long been a staple in basic estate planning. Life insurance  can provide an income tax-free death benefit* far in excess of the premiums paid. However, much of the life insurance proceeds can be wasted if the ownership and beneficiary designations are not properly structured. Superior to Any Other Saving Plan Unlike any other savings plan, a life insurance policy affords full protection against risk of death. In the event of death of a policy holder the insurance company makes available the full sum assured to the policyholder’s near and dear ones. Encourages and Forces Thrift A saving deposit can easily be withdrawn. The payment of life insurance premiums, however, is considered sacrosanct and is viewed with the same seriousness as the payment of interest on a mortgage. Thus, a life insurance policy in effect brings about compulsory savings. Easy Settlement and Protection against Creditors A life insurance policy is the only financial instrument the proceeds of which can be protected against the claims of a creditor of the assured by effecting a valid assignment of the policy. Administering the Legacy for Beneficiaries Speculative or unwise expenses can quickly cause the proceeds to be squandered. Several policies have foreseen this possibility and provide for payments over a period of years or in a combination of installments and lump sum amounts. Ready Marketability and Suitability for Quick Borrowing A life insurance policy can, after a certain time period (generally three years) ,be surrendered for a cash value. The policy is also acceptable as a security for a commercial loan, for example, a student loan. It is particularly advisable for housing loans when an acceptable LIC policy may also cause the lending institution to give loan at lower interest rates. Disability Benefits Death is not only hazard that is insured; many policies also include disability benefits. Typically, these provide for waiver of future premiums and payments of monthly installments spread over certain time period. Accidental Death Benefits Many policies can also provide for an extra sum to be paid (typically equal to the sum assured) if death occurs as a result of accident. Tax Relief Under the Indian Income Tax Act, the following tax relief is available 20% of the premium paid can be deducted from your total income tax liability. 100% of the premium paid is deductible from your total taxable income. When these benefits are factored in, it is found that most policies offer returns that are comparable or even better than other saving modes such as PPF, NSC etc. Moreover, the cost of insurance is a very negligible. The issue of comparability may become one the critical aspects to pay attention to while performing the analysis. Various macroeconomic or legislative factors may apply to the companies in the same industry but in different countries that sometimes makes a direct comparison inappropriate. Comparisons with other companies may become even more difficult because of different accounting policies, especially outside the US. Thus different accounting methods may result in significantly different ratio values that require normalization by the analyst. Seasonality may also affect the ratios if the business is a subject to seasonal fluctuations in demand, thus year-end values may not be enough representatives and should also be normalized. Most of the ratios are preferred to be within the industry averages or economy norms. For example, all turnover ratios belong to this category. However, for some ratios the extreme deviations from the industry averages may mean that the company is highly attractive for the investors. This is usually true for all ratios dealing with income or cash flows. There are different insurance companies that offer wide range of insurance options and an insurance purchaser can select as per own convenience and preference. Several insurances provide comprehensive coverage with affordable premiums. Premiums are periodical payment and different insurers offer diverse premium options. Insurance companies may be classified into two groups: Life insurance companies (which sell life insurance, annuities and pensions products) and Non-life, General, or Property/Casualty insurance companies (which sell other types of insurance). Life insurance is concerned with making provision for specific event happening to the individual, such as death whereas General Insurance(non-life) is more commonly concerned with provision for a specific event affects properly, such as fire, flood , theft, burglary etc. The major difference between Life Insurance and General Insurance is the Principal of indemnity. Indemnity means â€Å"making good the loss† i.e. for tangible goods, one can make good for the loss that has been caused due to reasons like – theft , fire or natural disaster. Here basically we can value the exact monetary value of a commodity, but in case of life insurance the principal of indemnity does not work, since we can not value in any way the value of human life. 2.5 Introduction of insurance sector India In India, the concept of insurance was never a serious thought as compared to other countries. People still are under insured, life insurance premium to gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio is a mere 1.4% as compared to a healthier rate of 8% amongst other developing with poor state of services provided. Presently in India, the insurance sector is nationalized, services are rendered by Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and General Insurance Company (GIC) along with its 4 subsidiaries .While LIC provides life insurance, GIC is concerned with non life insurance. – Motor, marine, fire, health and personal accident insurance. LIC employs people in various departments – publicity, public relation department , development department, personal department , accounts department, legal department ,investment department , inspection department, mortgages department vigilance department, foreign department, corporate planning department, building department etc. Of late, parliament’s nod for the insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) bill has changed the whole scenario. With the passage of the bill, entry of Private Indian as well as foreign companies, a long with existing players, in the insurance sector will add variety and quality to the present insurance services. The other positive impact would be on creation of new employment opportunities. Till now employment in the insurance sector was considered akin to any government job, but now with private participation, it will assume significance importance and probably become an exciting career option. UK’s The UK Insurance sector remains a crucial contributor to the UK economy after the public, banking and manufacturing sectors. The industry accounts for approximately 10% of total UK IT expenditure, and positive growth is expected to continue for the next few years as insurance firms begin to realize the benefits to be gained from IT investment. Although the United Kingdom (UK) insurance market is now one of the five largest in the world, relatively little is known about the practices of the major firms and policy-makers which influence its operations. In particular, whilst the determinants of rating agencies’ assessments of United States (US) insurers is well documented, published studies have yet to provide comprehensive evidence about insurance company ratings in the UK. (Hardwick, P and et al, 2000) 2.6 Current scenario of insurance industry Breaking of strict monopoly of LIC was not an easy task where to an audience who spelled insurance as LIC. LIC is working for last 50n years and caved its name for itself in the Indian psyche. Insurance being long term contract, an established name means feeling of security and more importantly LIC policies come with the safety tag-the most touted government guarantee. To enter private insurers with an altogether new agency force, all ready to hawk freshly designed insurance policies. and the market scene – a government owned established insurance entity-the Life insurance Corporation with a field force of over 6,00,000agents and more than 80 products to choose from. Purchase of Insurance is a decision that determine by a number of demographic as well as personal behavior factors. Main responsible factors include Age, Income, Education, Risk, etc. Some of the important determinants as review by different scientists in their research are as under 2.7 Risk and return in industry Risk seems to be a fact of life experienced by an individual as well as by a whole organization. This risk may be economic, physical or financial. There is an increase in unexpected losses caused by natural disasters as well as accidental damage. Wealth is subject to possible loss, and therefore everyone from individual to the whole financial firm desire to invest in loss prevention activities that reduce the probability of loss (Hoffman, 2007). A sense of security may be the next basic goal after food, clothing, and shelter. There are various forms of risk is exist in the market. All the risks are differed from each other. Some risks creates a quick big impact on a business while, the impact of some risks can be seen at a long run. The risk in business is always associated with losses. Prevention and management of risk is only possible after having sufficient information regarding its intensity. Preventing and managing risk is one of the burning issues for the corporate world. The management of any company is always looking for the thing that will reduce the risk on their investment and definitely gives some output on the account of their investment. The ultimate thing that will satisfy this need is the return. Return is the proportionate sum of capital given to the investors for their investment. In other words, return is some kind of security against the investment made for any kind a business. Figure 2.1 Risks management in business Asset Market Credit Operating Business Event Liquidity Catastrophe Non-Catastrophe Risk Financial risk is mainly divided in to 2 main categories i.e. Systematic or Market risks and Unsystematic risk. The risk associated with an investment can be broadly divided into two categories based on nature and occurrence of risk. Some risks are associated with the firm, and that risks are called as firm-specific, whereas the rest of the risk is associated with market condition and generally affects all investments in whole market. The firm specific risk can be further sub-divided in to various categories. Some firm specific risks are affect s project value that is called Project specific risk and in some cases projects value is affected by the nature of competitions and that type of risks are known as Competitive risks. Some risks are affecting the value of a whole industry and so known as Industry associated risks. In some cases, all the companies in a market will affect by macro economic factors and so that type of risk is known as Market specific risk (Friend and Bicksler, 197 7). Default risk is the risk fallen on the part of financial institution or a creditors for your investments i.e. weather they are able to make a monthly return on your asset or not. To achieve short term financial goals most of the investors preferred cash investments. The only limitation with use of cash investments is that, they are unable to produce higher returns over long term as compared to other financial options. The only reason for this is cash investments are unable to adjust inflation rates. In other words cash investments are not preferable source of investment for long term project. So, what are the other options that will satisfies needs for investment of long term project. 2.8 Empirical research Economic decisions are made on both the negative as well as positive issues. Positive issue studies on insurance gradually integrated these issues via assimilating developments in the field of risk and uncertainty following works by Arrow (1963), Lewis (1989), (1953) and others. The economics on insurance demand became more attentive on evaluating the amount of risk to be shared between the insured and the insurer rather than evaluation of life or property values. Economic value judgments are made on both the normative as well as positive issues. Later studies on insurance gradually incorporated these issues via assimilating developments in the field of risk and uncertainty following works by von Neumann and Morgenstern (1947), Arrow (1953), Debreu (1953) and others. The economics on insurance demand became more purposeful when determining the amount of risk to be shared between the insured and the insurer rather than evaluation of property values. Headen and Lee (1974) studied the effects of short run financial market behaviour and consumer expectations on purchase of ordinary life insurance and developed structural determinants of life insurance demand. Morris and Barbara A (2003) study about Risk Insurance and mean study related with a Wedge between Insurers and Reinsurers, authored by credit analysts and legitimate disagreements between insurers and reinsurers about the values attributed. Criteria and claims values, insurers and reinsurers are equally concerned with the Risk. Cole et al, (2008) theoretical in observed research related to the comparative analysis between property-casualty insurance industry, studies commonly focus on either insurers or reinsurers. Richard et al (2008) give article of features a presentation and discussant comments on hurricane and wind insurance organized by Richard A., for the American Risk and Insurance Association (ARIA) 2007 Annual Meeting in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Venard et al. (2008) determine in the article of analyzes Hungarys insurance sector as an important part of the countrys economic transition from a centrally planned economy to a market economy. It details the historic economic development of the Hungarian insurance market from a state monopoly to a competitive. Yu, Tong et al 2008) study about Intangible assets facilitates insurers capacity to retain existing business and attract new clients. In his study it can be shows that analyze how the incentives to protect intangible assets affect asset risk-taking behaviour of property and ability insurers. Browne et al. (1993) concluded that income and social security expenditures are significant determinants of insurance demand. They further concluded that inflation has a negative correlation with demand of purchasing for insurance. Beck and Webb (2003) identified the two main services provided by life insurance: income replacement for premature death and long-term savings instruments. They further found that demographic variables, higher levels of education and greater urbanization as independent factors in explaining insurance demand. Income has been found to be having a positive association with health insurance purchase decision consistently in different studies conducted in different countries Propper (1989) in UK: Cameron, Trivedi (1988) in Australia and Hurd and McGarry (1997) in USA. Health insurance choice essentially entailed a simple decision whether or not to purchase private health insurance (Barrett and Conlon 2003). Binary discrete choice models using either logit or probit has been used to analyse determinants of this type of purchase decision. Cameron and Trivedi and Cameron (1991) specified a conditional expected utility function that is associated with alternative health care regimes. The consumer chooses the regime that maximizes expected utility. Feldstein (1973) has argued that as the price of health care increases, the demand for insurance should increase as well because this causes an increase in the risk of net worth depletion and thus an increase in the demand for insurance. Healthcare expenditure largely depends on healthcare costs. Recent research has documented that most of the secular change in health insurance coverage can be attributed to higher health care costs (Cutler et al. 2002). Zietz (2003) and Hussels et al (2005) has studied about purchasing behaviour of a customer to purchase life insurance over a period of 50 years. The research further concluded that there is a positive association observed between increase in savings behaviour, financial services industry and demand for life insurance. Beenstock et al. (1988) noted that marginal tendency to insure i.e. increase in insurance spending when income rises by 1$, differs from country to country and premium rates are varies directly with real rates of interest. Browne and Kim (1993) found from his study that income and social security expenditures are significant determinants of insurance demand; however, inflation has a negative correlation with demand of insurance. Beck et al. (2003) found out the two main services provided by life insurance: income replacement for premature death and long-term savings instruments. They considered three demographic variables i.e. young dependency ratio, old dependency ratio and life expectancy, higher levels of education and greater urbanization as independent factors in explaining insurance demand. Income is positively co-related with purchase of health insurance product, concluded from various studies conducted in different countries by Propper (1989) in UK: Cameron and Trivedi (1988) in Australia and Hurd and McGarry (1997) in USA. Barrett and Conlon (2003) concluded from their study that choice of health insurance essentially entailed a simple decision whether or not to purchase private health insurance. Binary discrete choice models using either logit or probit has been used to analyze determinants of this type of purchase decision. Cameron and Trivedi (1991) specified a conditional expected utility function that is associated with alternative health care regimes. The consumer chooses the regime that maximizes expected utility. Feldstein (1973) noted that as the price of health care increases, the demand for insurance should also increase. This is because an increase in the risk of net worth depletion. Healthcare expenditure largely depends on healthcare costs. Nyman (1999) noted that higher healthcare costs may led to higher demand for insurance in the face of rising costs. However, people belonging to different income groups are likely to respond differently to these changes. Kronick and Gilmer (1999) argue persons with low incomes and few assets buy insurance primarily to protect their health. Van De Ven and Van Praag (1981) noted that, education and income are generally positively correlated. Higher income generally decreases the opportunity cost associated with the purchase of private health insurance. Overall, increases in both income and education would be expected to lead to an increase in the probability of buying the insurance. Some studies conducted in context with the financial performance of General Insurance Companies of India. The Researcher has studied those research works which are as follows: Performance of various plans marketed by Life Insurance Corporation of India – A case study of Rajkot Division, A dissertation by Mrs.Sonal Naina evalua