Christmas Trends, Demographics, Spending and Waste

Christmas is one of the most widely celebrated holidays by people all over the world, but what are the particularities of it in the United States? Who is celebrating it? How are they doing it? How much are they spending? And how might social differences shape our experience of this holiday? Lets dive in. The Cross-Religion and Secular Popularity of Christmas According to Pew Research Centers December 2013 survey about Christmas, we know that the vast majority of people in the U.S. celebrate the holiday. The survey confirms what most of us know: Christmas is both a religious and a secular holiday. Unsurprisingly, about 96 percent of Christians celebrate  Christmas, as do a whopping 87 percent of people who are not religious. What may surprise you is that people of other faiths do too. According to Pew, 76 percent of Asian-American Buddhists, 73 percent of Hindus, and 32 percent of Jews celebrate Christmas. News reports indicate that some Muslims also celebrate the holiday. Interestingly, the Pew survey found that Christmas is more likely to be a religious holiday for older generations.  While just over a third  of people ages 18-29 celebrate Christmas religiously, 66 percent of those 65 and older do so. For many Millennials, Christmas is a cultural, rather than a religious, holiday. Popular Christmas Traditions and Trends According to the 2014 National Retail Federations (NRF) survey of planned activities for Christmas Day, the most common things we do are visit with family and friends, open gifts, cook a holiday meal, and sit on our bums and watch television. Pews 2013 survey shows that more than half of us will attend church on Christmas Eve or Day, and the organizations 2014 survey shows that eating holiday foods is the activity that we most look forward to, after visiting with family and friends. Leading up to the holiday, the Pew survey found that  the majority of American adults—65 percent—will send holiday cards, though older adults are more likely than younger adults to do so, and 79 percent of us will put up a Christmas tree, which is slightly more common among higher income earners. Though hurtling through airports at top foot-speed is a popular trope of Christmas movies, in fact, just 5-6 percent of us travel long-distance by air for the holiday, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. While long-distance travel  increases by 23 percent at Christmas time, most of that travel is by car. Similarly, though images of carolers punctuate holiday films, just 16 percent of us join in the activity, according to Pews 2013 survey Studies also show that we are getting engaged, conceiving children, and deciding to get divorced more so on Christmas than during any other time of  the year. How Gender, Age, and Religion Shape Our Christmas Experiences Interestingly, a 2014 survey by Pew found that religious affiliation, gender,  marital status, and age have an impact on the extent to which people look forward to the  common ways of celebrating Christmas. Those who regularly attend religious services are more enthusiastic on average about Christmas activities than are those who attend less often, or not at all. The only activity that escapes this rule? Americans universally look forward to eating holiday foods. In terms of gender, the survey found that, with the exception of visiting with family and friends, women look forward to the holiday traditions and activities more than men. While the Pew survey did not establish a reason for why this is the case, existing social science suggests that it could be because women spend more time than men do shopping and visiting with or taking care of family members in the context of their everyday lives. Its possible that mundane and taxing chores are more appealing to women when they are surrounded by the Christmas glow. Men, however, find themselves in the position of having to do things that they are not normally expected to do, and so they dont look forward to these events as much as women do. Echoing the fact that Christmas is less of a religious holiday for Millennials than it is for older generations, the 2014 Pew survey results indicate an overall generational shift in how we celebrate the holiday. Americans over the age of 65 are more likely than others to look forward to hearing Christmas music and attending religious services, while those in the younger generations are more likely to look forward to eating holiday foods, exchanging gifts, and decorating their homes. And while the majority of all generations do these things, Millennials are the most likely to buy gifts for others, and the least likely to send Christmas cards (though still a majority do it). ChristmasSpending: Big Picture, Averages, and Trends More than  $665  billion is the amount the NRF forecasts  Americans will spend during November and December 2016—an increase of 3.6 percent over the previous year. So, where will all that money go? Most of it, on average $589, will go  to gifts, out of a total $796 that the average person will spend. The rest will be spent on  holiday items including candy and food (about $100), decorations (about $50), greeting cards and postage, and flowers and potted plants. As part of that decorative budget, we can expect Americans to collectively  spend more than $2.2 billion on about 40 million Christmas trees in 2016 (67 percent real, 33 percent fake), according to  data from the National Christmas Tree Association. In terms of gift-giving plans, the NRF survey shows American adults intend to buy and give the following: Clothing or accessories (61%)Gift cards or certificates (56%)Media items (books, music, videos, games, etc.) (44%)Toys (42%)Food or candy (31%)Consumer electronics (30%)Personal care or beauty items (25%)Jewelry (21%)Home decor or furnishings (20%)Cash (20%)Sporting goods or leisure items (17%) The plans adults have for gifts for children reveal the stronghold that gender stereotypes still have in American culture. The top five toys that people plan to buy for boys include Lego sets, cars and trucks, video games, Hot Wheels, and Star Wars items. For girls, they plan to buy Barbie items, dolls, Shopkins, Hatchimals, and Lego sets. Given that the average person intends to spend nearly $600 on gifts, its not surprising that nearly half of all American adults feel that exchanging gifts leaves them stretched thin financially (according to Pews 2014 survey). More than a third of us feel stressed out by our countrys gift-giving culture, and nearly a quarter of us believe that it is wasteful. The Environmental Impact Have you ever thought about the environmental impact of all this Christmas cheer? The Environmental Protection Agency reports that household waste increases by more than 25 percent between Thanksgiving and New Years Day, which results in an additional 1 million tons per week going to landfills. Gift wrapping and shopping bags amount  to a whopping  4 million tons  of Christmas-related trash. Then theres all the cards, ribbons, product packaging, and trees too. Though we think of it as a time of togetherness, Christmas is also a time of massive waste. When one considers this and the financial and emotional stress of consumerist gift-giving, perhaps a change of tradition is in order?

How Can Creating A Science Based App - 3504 Words

Section A: Investigation My focus question is: How can creating a science-based app have an educational impact to children, that were never exposed to this material in depth and do they show signs of improvement after testing the app? As I recall from personal experience, children do not learn in depth about diseases in the school curriculum. Technology is being implemented into school systems for educational purposes; therefore, I wanted to test if using technology, in this case apps, helps a student learn? By including learning styles, I can accurately test if the children are able to retain information and learn from the app. The goal of my Personal Project is to create app that addresses the contents of Cancer, Diabetes, and Heart†¦show more content†¦My personal inspiration and influence for this project comes from my interests in the medical field, and STEM. Even as a child, I loved hands-on activities and STEM and the field of medicine really appealed to me because of those activities. Also, I always had a passion for information technology and I’ve always wanted to learn coding because it is the basis for websites, or apps and any mobile technologies found that we use majorly today. Personally, my influence was from an article about a twelve year old boy that constructed an app for his mom, and it inspired me to take challenges and be a risk-taker while try something new. My inspiration also comes from campaigns associated with Girl’s involvement coding because girls only make up 3% of jobs in coding, and this inspired me to take the challenge and be one of those girls that do coding. My personal interests relates to my goal because of my enthusiasm to explore coding, and to include information from the science field because of my interest in various types of science, as well as explore deeper into the different learning styles of children. Prior to my project, I knew an adequate amount of research for my project. I did not know c oding at all for my project, but I knew where to starting learning about these coding languages and how to get started. I knew some of the information/content that was going into my project like Diabetes’s background, Cancer’s background, and Heart Disease’s

Antecedents Of Organizational Commitment †Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Antecedents Of Organizational Commitment? Answer: Introducation The employment relationships are changing rapidly and most of the organizations are facing challenges to manage these relationships. According to Ghalamkari et al., (2015), HR practices shape the employee attitudes and behavior and in turn influences the organizational outcomes. Thus, it is clear that HR practices affect conception of employment relationships due to its manipulative effect on the employees attitude and behavior. Recently the study of Schleicher et al., (2015) has shown that overall job attitude of the employee act as the powerful predictor of their integrative behavior in the organization. The present essay provides an insight into the attitude-behavior relationship in an organizational setting. It further discusses the factors significantly affecting the organizational commitment of the worker and why it is important for the manager to ensure that the employees carry a long term commitment towards organization. An attitude is defined as the way an individual responds to his/her environment; it can be a positive or negative response. The important thing about employees attitude is that it can influence the people working around them. For example, people with a positive attitude are found to lift the spirits of their colleagues. The attitude of a person can have a noteworthy impact on employees own performance as well as the performance of his or her colleague. So, the question comes that are employees themselves responsible for their attitude? Or managers at work can influence the attitude of the employees? The answer is attitude is a confluence of both external stimuli as well as individual characteristics (Pratkanis et al., 2014). Employee attitude gets affected by working conditions or the environment. For a instance, employees develop a negative attitude when they have relationship issues with managers or working for long hours. Thus, the effective work environment can be a key aspect to enhance positive attitude among employees. The attitude of a person can be infectious and it can influence their behavior. It is imperative for an organization to be familiar with the influence of attitude on behavior. Past studies have shown that positive work environment, reward system, code of conduct and job satisfaction influences the employee attitude and can help to reinforce certain employee behaviors. The theory of planned behavior confirms that behavioral objective of an individual can be predicted based on three factors namely attitude, subjective norms and perceived control ((Pratkanis et al., 2014). The attitude here is determined based on individuals belief and evaluation about the possible consequences of the behavior. According to ABC model of the component of attitude, it consists of three elements namely affect, cognition and behavior. Theaffectis related to the feelings of individual about the attitude object; behavior is linked with the individuals intention whichcognitiverefers to the beliefs of that pers on about the attitude object (Proctor, 2014). The widely researched attitude in the organizational context is commitment. Organizational commitment is one of the important aspects which represent the attachment which is psychological in nature of the employee with the organization. The past research has provided the various types of commitment and stated that affective type of commitment is a result of emotional affection and association in the organization while continuance type of commitment is a result ofcostassociated with discontinuing the employment from the organization, while normative commitment is the obligation the employee feels to remain in the organization (Meyer et al., 2012). As stated by Fornes et al., (2008) in a comprehensive review organizational commitment is highly influenced by backgrounds such as interesting work, equity, and fairness, clarity of purpose, feedback and recognition, autonomy and empowerment. The factors which can predict the organizational commitment of the employee are divided into three categories personal, job-related and organizational factors. The personal factors of the employees consist of the demographic variables such as age, marital status, gender, length of service and level of education which can be predictors of commitment. The role and exchange theory along with the side-bet theory explains the linkage between demographic factors and organizational commitment (Lam and Rahma, 2014). The theory suggests that factors like increase in age, role characteristics, gender and longer tenure increase the individuals investment and participation in the organization which make it difficult for the employee to depart from the organization. As per Meyer et al., (2012), there is a positive correlation between demographic variables (age and tenure) and employees organizational commitment. The study by Cho and Mor Barak (2008) has shown that age positively influences the organizational commitment, thus older employees have a higher intensity of commitment as compared to the employee who are younger. Some past research has also shown that as older employees have relatively fewer job alternatives available they are more committed to their present organization as compared to the younger employees. Mowday et al., (2013) stated that gender also has an influence on organizational commitment; female employees are more committed to the organization than male counterparts. However, the meta-analysis by Aydin et al. (2011) found that men are more committed to the organization than women. The level of education is found to be negatively related with the organizational commitment (Trivellas and Santouridis, 2016.). According to Iqbal et al., (2011) the high education provides more opportunity to the individual and thus it negatively affects their commitment to the current organiza tion. The study of Salami (2008) revealed that tenure has a positive impact on organizational commitment. When the employer assists the employee in order to understand their job well, it influences the organizational commitment. The job-related characteristic which has an impact on employee organizational commitment includes role clarity, access to resources and interesting work. Also, as the supervisor and co-workers are a part of the team which works on the assigned task, the supervisor support and co-workers support has a positive effect on organizational commitment. Eisenberger et al., (2010) stated that employees feel obligated to return the supportive behavior of supervisor and co-worker which results in organizational commitment. An impressive amount of past studies has shown that leadership style can make significant changes in employees organizational commitment. A similar study conducted by Yiing and Ahmad (2009) provides that positive, inspiring, transformation and supportive leadership behavior enhances the organizational commitment among employees. On the similar ground, Pie rro et al., (2013) stated that leadership styles are significant antecedents of employees organizational commitment. The environment in which the individual works is equally important to strive commitment. Some of the researchers in the past have considered the relationship with supervisor and co-workers as a part of the work environment. People prefer to have friendly employment relations which excel their commitment towards organization (Kirmizi and Deniz, 2009). Job security and pay satisfaction are some organizational related factors which can influence the organizational commitment. The individual feels more commitment to the organization when they find themselves secure on financial and career track (Kirmizi and Deniz, 2009). The pay satisfaction covers the satisfaction about salary, bonus and other facilities provided by the company. The degree of employee commitment depends on the extent to which they are satisfied with the financial and personal rewards and the extent to which they feel that reward system is fair (Jackson et al., 2012). The link of organizational commitment with the desirable work outcomes is the main reason behind the interest of researchers and industrial individuals in this construct. The vast literature of organizational commitment and the empirical studies on this topic provide an important output. As per Griffin and Moorhead (2011) organizational commitment can have positive effect on the work behaviors of the employees. It influences the effectiveness of the organization by enhancing the performance of the employees and making them stay in the organization for long term (Schrock et. al, 2016). It also stimulates the employees to put extra efforts to accomplish the shared goals of the organization. Organizational commitment is linked with various work related behaviors and employee attitudes such as job involvement, job satisfaction and work motivation (Markovits, Davis and Vandick, 2007). The literature of organizational commitment revealed that it enhances the knowledge sharing behavior of the employees (Mallett and Wapshott, 2012), and also has a positive impact on organizational citizenship behaviors (Meyer et al., 2012). The study by Soltani et al., (2016) provided that organizational commitment can effectively reduce the absenteeism, and improve the organizational performance (Supriyanto, 2013). As employee turnover is a costly affair, organizations are constantly taking efforts to reduce employee turnover, the study by Weng and McElroy (2012) shown that high organizational commitment drastically reduces the turnover in the organization. As precisely suggested by Bergmann et al., (2011), organizations should take efforts to keep the employees committed which will help the organization to survive and improve the competitive advantage. Based on the effect of organizational commitment on various employees outcomes, it is clear that managers should behave in a suppor tive manner, create a healthy working environment and keep the employees committed to the organization. There is no doubt that the organizational commitment is a key aspect manager should look after to improve organizational performance and retain the employees in the organization. References Aydin, A., Sarier, Y. and Uysal, S., 2011. The Effect of Gender on Organizational Commitment of Teachers: A Meta Analytic Analysis.Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice,11(2), pp.628-632. Bergmann, T.J., Lester, S.W., De Meuse, K.P. and Grahn, J.L., 2011. Integrating the three domains of employee commitment: An exploratory study.Journal of Applied Business Research (JABR),16(4). Cho, S. and Mor Barak, M.E., 2008. Understanding of diversity and inclusion in a perceived homogeneous culture: A study of organizational commitment and job performance among Korean employees.Administration in Social Work,32(4), pp.100-126. Eisenberger, R., Karagonlar, G., Stinglhamber, F., Neves, P., Becker, T.E., Gonzalez-Morales, M.G. and Steiger-Mueller, M., 2010. Leadermember exchange and affective organizational commitment: The contribution of supervisor's organizational embodiment.Journal of Applied Psychology,95(6), p.1085. Fornes, S.L., Rocco, T.S. and Wollard, K.K., 2008. Workplace commitment: A conceptual model developed from integrative review of the research.Human Resource Development Review,7(3), pp.339-357. Ghalamkari, B., Mahmoodzadeh, N., Barati, N., Isah-Chikaji, A., Alkali, A.U. and Anvari, R., 2015. The Role of HR Managers: A Conceptual Framework.Asian Social Science,11(9), p.118. Griffin, R.W. and Moorhead, G., 2011.Organizational behavior. Cengage Learning. Harrison, D.A., Newman, D.A. and Roth, P.L., 2006. How important are job attitudes? Meta-analytic comparisons of integrative behavioral outcomes and time sequences.Academy of Management Journal,49(2), pp.305-325. Huey Yiing, L. and Zaman Bin Ahmad, K., 2009. The moderating effects of organizational culture on the relationships between leadership behaviour and organizational commitment and between organizational commitment and job satisfaction and performance.Leadership Organization Development Journal,30(1), pp.53-86. Iqbal, A., Kokash, H.A. and Al-Oun, S., 2011. The impact assessment of demographic factors on faculty commitment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian universities.Journal of College Teaching and Learning,8(2), p.1. Jackson, E.M., Rossi, M.E., Rickamer Hoover, E. and Johnson, R.E., 2012. Relationships of leader reward behavior with employee behavior: Fairness and morale as key mediators.Leadership Organization Development Journal,33(7), pp.646-661. Kirmizi, A. and Deniz, O. 2009. The organizational commitment of IT professional in private banks. Europeans and Mediterranean conference on information system, July13-14, 2009 Lam, J. and Rahma, Y., 2014. Top Management Commitment to Lean: The effects of side-bets on the implementations success. Mallett, O. and Wapshott, R., 2012. Mediating ambiguity: Narrative identity and knowledge workers.Scandinavian Journal of Management,28(1), pp.16-26. Markovits, Y., Davis, A.J. and Van Dick, R., 2007. Organizational commitment profiles and job satisfaction among Greek private and public sector employees.International Journal of Cross Cultural Management,7(1), pp.77-99. Meyer, J.P., Stanley, L.J. and Parfyonova, N.M., 2012. Employee commitment in context: The nature and implication of commitment profiles.Journal of Vocational Behavior,80(1), pp.1-16. Mowday, R.T., Porter, L.W. and Steers, R.M., 2013.Employeeorganization linkages: The psychology of commitment, absenteeism, and turnover. Academic press. Pierro, A., Raven, B.H., Amato, C. and Blanger, J.J., 2013. Bases of social power, leadership styles, and organizational commitment.International Journal of Psychology,48(6), pp.1122-1134. Pratkanis, A.R., Breckler, S.J. and Greenwald, A.G., 2014.Attitude structure and function. Psychology Press. Proctor, C.R., 2014.Effective organizational communication affects employee attitude, happiness, and job satisfaction(Doctoral dissertation, Southern Utah University. Department of Communication. 2014.). Schleicher, D.J., Smith, T.A., Casper, W.J., Watt, J.D. and Greguras, G.J., 2015. Its all in the attitude: The role of job attitude strength in job attitudeoutcome relationships.Journal of Applied Psychology,100(4), p.1259. Schrock, W.A., Hughes, D.E., Fu, F.Q., Richards, K.A. and Jones, E., 2016. Better together: Trait competitiveness and competitive psychological climate as antecedents of salesperson organizational commitment and sales performance.Marketing Letters,27(2), pp.351-360. Soltani, M., Karimi, H. and Ali, A., 2016. A cross-level model of organizational commitment antecedents.Iranian Journal of Management Studies,9(2), pp.383-405. Supriyanto, A.S., 2013. Role of procedural justice, organizational commitment and job satisfaction on job performance: The mediating effects of organizational citizenship behavior.International Journal of Business and Management,8(15), p.57. Trivellas, P. and Santouridis, I., 2016. Job satisfaction as a mediator of the relationship between service quality and organisational commitment in higher education. An empirical study of faculty and administration staff.Total Quality Management Business Excellence,27(1-2), pp.169-183. Weng, Q. and McElroy, J.C., 2012. Organizational career growth, affective occupational commitment and turnover intentions.Journal of Vocational Behavior,80(2), pp.256-265.

Lord Of The Flies, Comparison Of Ralph And Jack Essays - Fiction

Lord Of The Flies, Comparison of Ralph and Jack Lord Of The Flies, Comparison of Ralph and Jack There are always people who, in a group, come out with better qualities as a leader than others. The strongest people however, become the greater influences, which the others decide to follow. However, sometimes the strongest person is not the best choice. Authors often show how humans select this stronger person, in order to give an understanding of the different powers that some people can posses over others. In William Golding's novel, Lord of the Flies Ralph though not the stronger person, demonstrates a better understanding of people which gives Ralph better leadership qualities than Jack. Ralph displays useful human qualities as a leader by working towards the betterment of the boys' society. He knows that in order to stay civilized the boys need stability and order. He creates rules and a simple form of government to achieve this order. Ralph understands that the boys, particularly Piggy, have to be given respect and must be treated as equals. This makes Ralph a better leader, as he is able to acknowledge that he was not superior to any of the other boys. Ralph's wisdom and ability to look to the future also make him a superior leader. Ralph has the sense to keep his focus on getting off the island. He insists on keeping the fire burning as a distress signal. Ralph's leadership provides peace and order to the island while Jack's leadership creates chaos. Under Jack's rule, the boys become uncivilized savages. They have no discipline. Ralph, however, keeps the boys under order through the meetings, which he himself calls. At these meetings a sense of order is instilled because the boys have to wait until they hold the conch to speak. When Ralph says, "I'll give the conch to the next person to speak. He can hold it when he's speaking." (Golding 36) by making such rules as these, and by giving the boys the stability of an authority figure, mainly himself, he enforces his role of leader. He wins the boys respect and confidence in his leadership abilities. Ralph uses his authority to try to improve the boys' society. By building shelters he demonstrates his knowledge of the boys' needs. When he says to Jack, "They talk and scream. The littluns. Even some of the others." (Golding 56) he is referring to why the boys need shelters; they are afraid. Jack fails to realize the boys need security, stability and order in their society. Ralph understands that by building the shelters, the boys will feel more secure. This illustrates his superior knowledge of people, which makes him a better leader than Jack. Ralph's treatment of the boys demonstrates his understanding of how people should be treated. While Jack considers the boys inferior to himself, Ralph treats the boys as equals. Ralph's superior leadership qualities are reflected in his constant defence of Piggy. Piggy is the weakest of the group and is therefore treated unfairly much of the time. When Jack hits Piggy and breaks his glasses, Ralph calls it "A dirty trick." (Golding 78) Ralph's compassion and ability to empathize with others thus illustrating his understanding of people; while at the same time demonstrates Jack's disregard for other humans. Ralph's "government" is a form of democracy which gives each boy equal rights and an ability to express themselves. Jack treats the boys, especially Piggy, as inferiors. When Jack gets meat from hunting, he gives everyone some except for Piggy. When Piggy asks for some, Jack says, "You didn't hunt." (Golding 80) Ralph and many of the littluns did not hunt, yet only this treatment is directed at Piggy. Jack's contempt for Piggy shows his inability to understand people, while a good leader would take care of all of his followers. Ralph possesses this understanding and is therefore a better leader. Ralph's common sense and ability to recognize what is best for the group as a whole further demonstrates his superior leadership skills. His main focus throughout the book is getting rescued and he puts much emphasis on this. He instructs the boys to make a fire and to keep it burning as a distress signal. When the boys do not share his enthusiasm for getting rescued, he becomes exasperated. "The fire is the most important thing on the island. How can we ever be rescued except by luck, if we don't keep the fire going?" (Golding 88) Ralph's determination to get rescued is not for purely selfish reasons, but rather, it is in the best interest of

Unconditional Love Essays - , Term Papers

Unconditional Love Willie: Ok Mom, I'm going out for a little while. Mom: Don't be late, I will be waiting up for you. Willie: Don't worry Mom, I'll be back, go to sleep. Narrator: Little did his mother know he was going to a Frat Party at some crack house on the West Side called "Phillies and Forties". When he arrived at the party, he smoked all the weed and drank all the Old E. he could find. At this point he was insanely under the influence. On the drive home he hit a beagle and a mailbox. The Cops pulled him over. Officer Gibby: Please step out of the vehicle son Willie: Did I do anything wrong Mr. officer Officer Gibby: You are under arrest for reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, driving while intoxicated, destructing government property, and running over a Beagle. Narrator: The officer then drove Willie to the Erie County Holding Center and gave him his phone call. He called him Mother. ----Phone Rings---- Willie: Mama, I'm in jail, please come pick me up. ----Phone slams---- Narrator: She posts bail and he gets released until his court date the next week. The whole ride home is silent until they step into the door. Mom: What you have done is very wrong. You could of killed someone, and more importantly, yourself. I've seen kids disown their children for acts like these. You are lucky you have a mother that loves you as much as I do. I am still very disappointed but know this. Whenever you do anything wrong, it is like a stabbing a knife right into my heart. I will always love you no matter what, please don't take advantage of that. . . . Willie: I'm sorry Momma it will never happen again. Mom: Ok son, go to bed. We will talk about your punishment tomorrow morning.

Health Morality and Student Success Paper

Health Morality and Student Success Paper Health: Morality and Student Success Paper 10/2/12 mike jenkins Health 2 mike jenkins 10/2/12 Student success paper #2 Values are moral rules that we hold for our self and what we care about. I value my family, honesty, and trust. We decide what our own values are by the way we are raised. Some may value education in a certain way an instructor teaches. Not all instructors teach the same way. There are two different types of ways an instructor can teach. One is by presenting the information and taking notes, the other is getting the whole class involved in class discussions, class activities and group work. To be successful on an exam you need to follow seven basic rules to prevent exam anxiety. The first is knowing what the test covers so you can study what needs to be known and not fill your head with useless information that you class has not covered yet or that won’t be on the test. The second is the test comprehensive? Comprehensive exams include all information from the beginning of the course. What is the format of the test, true or false, matching, mult iple choice, or subjective? By knowing this you can be prepared on how to answer your questions. Next, what level of thinking will be required? Most likely you will analyze and interpret the questions you see. Knowing how much of the test counts toward your final grade will help you decide how much study time to prepare for. Be prepared with what materials you need to bring to be successful. Lastly compare how much study

The Louisiana Purchase Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Louisiana Purchase - Research Paper Example Initially, France owned huge land areas dotted along the Mississippi’s western area. The area is called Louisiana. France owned and managed the Louisiana from 1699 until 1762. In 1762, France gave the Louisiana land area to its Friendly neighbor, Spain. However, the French Conqueror, General Napoleon Bonaparte, retrieved the Louisiana property from Spain. Thinking of dominating the large Louisiana expanse filled Bonaparte’s initial penchant. As time went on, Bonaparte realized some troubling reasons that holding to the Louisiana land area were not viable. One bothering reason was a French Commander’s lost in a battle held in Saint Dominque (current Haiti nation). The Haiti war took lots of French soldier deaths. With the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte’s French army in Haiti, under Bonaparte’s brother in law, Bonaparte was thinking of selling lands to pay for Bonaparte’s continuing European war activities (Fleming 2003). Magdalena Alagna (2004) mentions many of the Haiti –based French troops were dying from Yellow fever during the Haiti war campaign. The same Haiti war drained the French coffers significantly. Continuing to pay for the expenses of the Haiti war would eliminate the connection to the ports of North America’s southern shipping lines. Another bothering reason is the increasing American population. Further, France was forced to sell the Louisiana property. With the population growth trend, France felt that it would be impossible to stop the encroaching American population from overflowing into the French territory of Louisiana. Bonaparte decided to transfer the funds allocated to maintaining Louisiana to pay for the cost of invading

Labor Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Labor Law - Assignment Example The core of OSHA is its responsibility for infection (Peterson & Cohen, 1996). Its inspectors conduct inspections and investigations to determine the compliance status with safety and health regulations and standards. If a work cite is detected with non-compliance, then the employer faces a penalty. Following its inception, OSHA has been a centre of controversies, with businesses complaining of too rigid, bureaucratic, and hard to comprehend regulations, making compliance difficult. According to Lombard & Pynes, 2011, the Human resource Department plays an important duty in ensuring employee safety and health as they understand the workplace and the employee demands. They should know how and when to use existing resources to take action to employee concerns. They should co-operate with healthcare professionals by participating in the compliance process. The department should recommend that the health organization’s procedures and policies address areas of special concern as highlighted in the OSHA law. Many of these areas fall in their department including risks such as billing of services and items not rendered, up coding, providing medically needless services, unbundling, and outpatient services offered in correlation with inpatient stays. To achieve compliance, HR department should implement policies and procedures which ensure that billing and coding are based on timely and accurate medical records, and that there is a process for reporting actual violations by health practitioners so that any deliberate life risks can be well traced (Peterson & Cohen, 1996). The department should also educate the employees on their rights to communicate so that there is a reduction of any potential abuse, waste, and fraud. The communication culture can be encouraged by: announcing to workers that they report incidents of fraud through company policies addressing anonymity, confidentiality, and non-retaliation, sufficiently

Eating Too Much Meat Will Kill You Essay Example for Free

Eating Too Much Meat Will Kill You Essay Bill Cosby once stated, â€Å"Did you ever see the customers in health-food stores? They are pale, skinny people who look half dead. In a steak house, you see robust, ruddy people. They’re dying, of course, but they look terrific.† On average, Americans consume about 8 oz. of meat a day, twice the amount as the rest of the world; about one-sixth of the total meat consumed, U.S being less than one-twentieth of the population. Meat is generally delicious, contains rich sources of proteins and minerals. Some nutritional diet programs like the Atkins Diet have linked certain types of meat-based diets to weight loss. On the contrary, eating too much meat has been linked to certain type of cancers, high cholesterol and an increased risk of contracting a foodborne illness. Americans need to recognize that diets high in meat increases the cancer risk and other health issues. Evidence suggested that consuming meat could damage the body. In a country known for its love for hamburgers and steak, consumers need to cut down on their meat for a healthy life. Consumers also need to understand grilling meat increase the risk of cancer. Part of the solution is eating healthy, but consumers also should be aware of what they’re eating. The big issue in America is quantity. Eating meat and fast-food meat on a daily basis for seven days a week, 365 days a year, is a big reason why the risk for cancer and other health diseases is dangerously high in U.S. United States slaughters more than 10 billion land animals every year (Freston 802), and the market research firm Packed Facts stated Americans spends 142 billion dollar on beef, chicken, pork, lamb at market retails. Eating too much red meat has been linked to increased risk of death from cancer and heart disease, according to a study from American Cancer Society, the more red meat you eat will increase the risk for cancer. A Journal published by the American Medical Association reported a 20-year study of nearly 149,000 adults between the ages of 50 and 74. Researchers examine the risk according to how much red meat, poultry, or fish the people had eaten. Researchers looked at how many people develop colon cancer after the study. The results were 30% to 40% are more likely to develop cancer in the lower part of the colon. People who ate the most processed meats were 50% more likely to develop colon cancer (Parish 6). Eating just three ounces meat a day increases the consumer’s chance of dying by 13 percent, and 20 percent increase if eating processed meat, like bacon and hot dogs. But it doesn’t mean we should completely cut out meat in our diet; these statistics demonstrates that the less meat you eat, the better. Consuming meat damages the body. According to Dr. Oz, from the Dr. Oz Show, eating a steak dinner can take two to three days to get out of your intestines (par. 3). Red meat takes more than 24 hours to completely digest. In the mean time, it is in your intestine rotting at 98 degrees, sending toxins through the body. Eating any food that does not completely digest will ruin your health. What happens is that the human stomach acids are not made to break meat down efficiently because of its high fat and protein contents. The body lacks the enzymes that digest proteins in the stomach. Protein digestion mainly takes place in the first section of the small intestines where the pancreas secretes the types of digestive enzymes to help break down nutrients into energy and allow the nutrients molecules enter the bloodstream. Hence, meat takes longer as it has to pass into the stomach and the intestines, opposed to carbohydrates, which are broken down easily by saliva and the stomach. Although red meat is digestible than any other food sources such as rice and vegetable, it remains in the digestive system for a longer period of time, leaving the meat to rot in your intestines. Dr Klein believes that animal protein is the primary cause for the inflammation of the intestines because meat rots in your stomach (4). It explains why eating animal protein for a long period of time can increase the risk of colon cancer. Also the kidneys work to remove excess protein from your body. Eating too much protein can stress out the kidney, leading to kidney damage. Grilling meat is a method that most people are familiar with. Grilling is part of American culture; it brings family and friends together for the holidays like Independence Day. Grilling is a method of cooking food hot and fast on your grill. Burgers, poultry, beef, seafood are typically grilled. Grilling is actually a much healthier option than frying food because it is low fat and you can grill food without adding oil on them. But unfortunately, grilling food may potentially introduce the risk for cancer. Those juicy hamburgers, especially the charred ones contains cancer causing chemical called carcinogen. When you grill meat, some of the fat drips down to the charcoal or flame and the smoke carry the carcinogen known heterocyclic amines (HCA ) and polycyclic armomatic hydrocarbons (PAH) to form. These compounds have been shown to affect our DNA and might cause cancer. PAH is the same smoke from forest fires, coal burning, car exhaust and smoking. Exposure to high amounts of PAH is dangerous to your health and long term exposure increase the risk of cancer. According to 2007 study in Epidemiology, women with high intakes of grilled, barbecued or smoked meats over their lifetime had a 74 percent chance of developing breast cancer (373). It is also important to not that these women has low intake of fruits and vegetables. Most people are not aware of the carcinogen when they are grilling the meat. But let’s face it, grilled meat taste good and people should not give up on their grass fed steak or burgers from the grill. There are couple ways to grill safely and reducing carcinogen. 1. Marinating meats for at least several hours that contains herb and spices can dramatically reduce HCA. Herbs/spices is highly potent antioxidant that helps prevent HCA formation. 2. Pre-cook the meat in either the oven or microwave and finish it on the grill to decrease the amount of the carcinogen. 3. Pick leaner cuts like skinless chicken, lean beef or pork; it decreases the fat from dripping down on the open flame. It also important to remember that well-done meat has a higher concentration of carcinogen. Medium-rare, or medium cook is healthier choice than well done. These tips to reduce and prevent carcinogen is a safe way to consume grilled meat, but what about restaurants that serves grilled meats? Unfortunately, the meat holds carcinogens. Study shows restaurant meat such as burgers, ribs, and chicken carry substantial amounts of carcinogen. Few years ago, KFC calls their new Grilled Chicken â€Å"the better-for-you chicken for health- conscious customers.† But a PCRM a test shows the grilled chicken contains a high level of carcinogen (Sullivan 12). Consumers eating grilled chicken from popular restaurant chains are exposed to substantial level of carcinogen. A study published in Nutrition and Cancers show that an independent laboratory examined one hundred samples from seven popular restaurants, and Phip, a carcinogen, was found in all the samples (33). These findings clearly show that eating grill chicken can potentially cause cancer. Consumers deserve to know what they’re eating is just as worse as a greasy high-fat fried chicken. It misleads consumers to think grilled chicken is healthy diet but in actuality a grilled chicken salad can increase the risk of breast cancer, prostate cancer, and other dangerous health disease. If that the case, shouldn’t the government or chain restaurant provide warning labels on their product? Since Tobacco Company labels their pack with a warning that cigarette causes cancer; restauran ts serving cancer-causing meat should do the same. When parents cook chicken for their children, they try to be health conscious. If people knew there were high levels of carcinogens in their grilled chicken, they may not choose it as a healthy alternative. Meat is part of American culture; Western men often forge a strong link between eating meat and masculinity. Eating too much meat is a common problem in American Society. I believe most Americans don’t realize that they’re eating too much meat. When comparing the size of the burger we’re eating today to the past decades, our burger has gotten bigger. Bacon is a big part of American culture today. It brings child-hood memories of how mothers cooked bacon for their children. It is also a common breakfast food and is often associated with family gatherings. But, eating bacon every single day of your life has life threatening repercussion to your health. Most processed meat like bacon or hot dogs contains sodium nitrate. Sodium nitrate is a food additive used in m any processed meats. It increases shelf life, gives any meat a fresh appearance, improves the smoky flavors of bacon, and slows the rate of the foul smell, and reduces bacteria (Kortboyer 5). It seems sodium nitrate is a great additive but it is widely regarded as a toxic ingredient. It is a highly carcinogenic chemical and once it enters the human digestive system; it release toxin to a number of internal organs including liver and pancreas. USDA tried to ban sodium nitrate in the 1970’s but was vetoed by food manufacturers who complained that they are trying to ban bacon from America and insisted the additive was safe. The sodium nitrate is found in almost every meat package. It’s listed right on processed meat products like bacon, turkey, hot dogs, and meats in canned soups. If it’s so dangerous, why does food manufactures use it? It sells more meat products because it makes the meat appear fresh and vibrant. Consumers are often influenced by the appearance of the meat, and sadly they will buy meat that looks fresh because of the additives, but in reality, the meat could be months old. A proven strategy to help combat sodium nitrates is to consume large doses of vitamin C and E before your meal. Another safe alternative is purchasing nitrite-free meat to reduce the exposure to sodium nitrate. But, meat without nitrates is prone to spoilage. I believe meat industry uses the saturated fat argument to distract consumers from real issues like cancer. Fruits with high saturated fat like coconut juice wont increase a person risk of cancer to jump up 50%. The real issue is what’s added to the meat during processing and packaging. While eating too much meat can be dangerous, the solution is to consume less. Meat is rich in protein and the body needs protein to maintain cellular tissue. Reducing meat intake benefits the bones. According to Dr. Campbell of Cornell University, animal sourced proteins extract more calcium from the bones, causing the bone to weaken (par. 4). Another good benefit of cutting back on meat is it that makes the consumer eat more nutritious foods. A study from American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that participants who were served a meal with less meat ate more vegetables (Rolls 916). Eating small portions of good quality meat can help curb meat cravings and will not jeopardize the health. Many health education websites like Meatless Mondays offer idea of cutting back on meat consumptions. Another healthy alternative is replacing meat with non-meat sources of protein. Small red beans, black beans, legumes, dairy products are all good source of protein. While fish and seafood are technically meats, they do not carry the same risks as red meat, chicken, and pork because they contain low saturated fat and cholesterol. Non-meat protein not only has low saturated fat and cholesterol, they contain healthy fats, vitamins and minerals the body needs. Besides, the average person only needs about eight grams of protein per 20 lbs of body weight. Make no mistake, Americans love eating meats. Meat is essential part of a healthy diet, but over consumption of meat will kill you. America spends hundred of billion dollars on meat and it’s no wonder why cancer is epidemic in United States. Meat is considered a luxury in other country’s, but meat in America is readily available anywhere and consumers need to learn self-restraint. Meat like hot dogs and bacon is part of American culture, but consumers need to understand that meat industry’s uses dangerous additives like sodium nitrate and eating it for a long period of time will have repercussion to your health. Strong evidence claims that not only the harmful sodium nitrate harms the body, but also eating meat in general will damage the body. There are other healthy options like non-meat protein. But the solution to the problem is consumers need to be aware of what they’re eating and learn self-restraint.

HSBC Bank Mortgage Policies Analysis

HSBC Bank Mortgage Policies Analysis INTRODUCTION: Home is the need of every human being and having their own home is dream of every human being. In the United Kingdom price of the houses are very high and it is not possible for every citizen to buy their own home without taking financial help from financial organization like banks or building societies. When bank or a building society helps someone financially by providing loan, so that a citizen is able to buy his/her own home is called mortgage. In other words we can say a mortgage represents a loan on a property or house that has to be paid over a specified period of time. As financial help is always needed for smooth run of ones life so for the convenience of the people there are many financial organizations such as banks help the people financially, who want to buy their own home and property. So mortgage was introduced by the banks, from which people can get financial help so that one is able to buy his/her own home and property. Mortgage system is very popular among the people of the United Kingdom because this is the only way to buy their own property. As we know that the mortgage is that sum of money which is borrowed from the Bank or Building Society for buying a property and that borrowed amount has to be paid back with principle plus interest within fixed time period. Today mortgage has great importance as it is the only way with the help of which people are able to buy their own property. This dissertation report is based on the theory of research over the mortgage system of HSBC Bank and specifying the various strategies and policies of thei r mortgage system. The purpose of this report is to critically evaluate the mortgage system of HSBC Bank. Company Background: HSBC Bank has its headquarters in London. HSBC took its name from the Hong Kong and Shanghai Corporation which was founded in 1865 to finance trade between China and Europe. HSBC is one of the largest banking and financial services organization in the world. HSBC has 8,000 offices globally. HSBC Bank is one of the major clearing banks in the United Kingdom having more assets than any other bank. The business ranges from the traditional High Street roles of personal finance and commercial banking, to private banking, consumer finance as well as corporate and investment banking. HSBC is listed on the stock exchanges of London, Hong Kong, New York, Paris having around 220,000 shareholders in 119 countries and territories. HSBC has 1500 branches in United Kingdom. HSBC Bank plc is incorporated in England and Wales and established at 8 Canada Square, London E14 5HQ which is its Registered Office. This bank is regulated by the Financial Services Authority and is registered in the Financial Services Authority Register with the Registration Number: 114216. HSBC Bank is member of the Financial Ombudsman Scheme. Literature Review: A mortgage is a conveyance of land or an assignment of chattels as a security for payment of a debt or the discharge of some other obligation for which it is given. This is the idea of a mortgage; and the security is redeemable on the payment or discharge of such debt or obligation, any provision to the contrary notwithstanding (Stanley Wilde 1899) Per Lindley MR. The mortgage is derived from the two words i.e. mort and gage which means dead pledge. The mortgage is usually signed by the borrower and agreed before a public notary and is recorded with the County Recorder. In the mortgage system if the mortgagor fails to pay the installment then the lender has right to close out the mortgage and can sale the property to get the payment for future.(Jack P Friedman, 2003 p.173-204) The mortgage is a  loan  to  finance  for the  purchase  of  real estate, with a specified interest rates and fixed payment time period. The  borrower (mortgagor) gives the  lender  (mortgagee) a  lien  on the property  as  collateral  for the loan. People can borrow money to buy a home and pay interest on the mortgage to the lender (Bank or Building Society). The Lender (Bank) uses borrowers property as security for the loan. This term means that if the borrower fails to pay the monthly installment then lender (Bank) may repossess property. An individual can apply for mortgage from any bank like HSBC, Lloyds TSB, Barclays, and Santander or from Nationwide (Building Society) or from Islamic Bank of Britain. The mortgage makes very easier to pay the huge amount in the monthly installment for the fixed time depends on the mortgage plan. (Jack Guttentag, 2004). The mortgage which suits you the best depends on many parameters which mainly include your risk enduring capacity, your personal financial goals and capabilities and your income. In the presence of so many options and offers present in the market it can surely become a daunting task to select the best mortgage option for you. Considering your dilemma we at finance-strategy.com came up with some useful tit bits which when kept in mind can surely help you make a wise decision towards taking a mortgage. An adjustable rate mortgage is perfect for those situations where you have to stay in that house for a short period of time and when the interest rates in the market are low and are expected to stay so too during the coming times. On the other hand a fixed rate mortgage fits those situations where in you decide to won that house for a longer period of time and the interest rates too are very high at the moment with chances of volatility in the near future. A fixed interest cushions you against these turbulent conditions. The advantages and disadvantages of mortgages will surely take us a step closer towards deciding it for sure if taking a mortgage is the best solution for your situation. Advantages: The most important advantage associated with a mortgage is the fact that it allows us to retain the ownership of our property and at the same time helps us in getting financial aid too. There is no need for one to sell or let go of his property to seek some money in exchange. In a mortgage the lender does not receive any share in the ownership of the property but is only entitled to take back the principal amount and the interest accumulated on the principal amount lent by him to you. the lender can only claim ownership on your property in case you default on the repayment schedule. The other benefit associated with mortgage is the fact that the interest payments on the mortgage are tax free in nature. Since the schedules of repayment are pre fixed and decided it allows you to plan your financials and expenses accordingly thereby simplifying the entire process for you. By availing a mortgage you now have access to cash flow which you were not having in normal conditions and can now use it to fulfill your needs and requirements. Disadvantages: The need of depositing collateral as security works out to be the biggest drawback of mortgages. It restricts the kind of people who can avail a mortgage as only home owners or other asset owners can do so. Also, in case that you default on your payment the lender has the right to claim the property deposited by you as collateral and then subsequently sell it off to claim back the loaned amount he had given you. You have to ensure while taking the mortgage that there is a clause mentioned therein that on repayment of the mortgage the lender has to release the ownership title submitted to him by you. The lender as per his convenience can define several events which he mat term as a default and generally includes inability to pay back the loan, bankruptcy, insolvency or any breach in the mortgage agreement. Therefore the risk of you ending up losing your property increases substantially. Repayment Of Mortgages There are two methods of repaying mortgage, one can choose from these two methods according to ones personal circumstances. Capital Repayment: With a capital repayment plan, monthly payment covers the interest charged on mortgage and it also reduces the outstanding balance each month in line with the term selected. With this repayment plan, one can ensure mortgage is fully paid off at the end of the mortgage period. What we get with the repayment option: Interest and capital repaid monthly payment covers the interest and also reduces the total balance outstanding Secure providing all payments are made, the mortgage will be repaid in full at the end of the agreed mortgage term Choose your repayment term up to a maximum of 30 years. Capital repayment is a repayment option on all of our mortgage products fixed rate, tracker and discount mortgages. Interest only: With an interest only option, monthly payment covers only the interest charged on mortgage, freeing up cash to spend elsewhere or to invest to pay off mortgage at the end of the mortgage term. By repaying only the interest on mortgage, monthly repayments are lower than with an equivalent capital repayment mortgage. What we get with the Interest only option: Interest only the monthly payment covers just the interest and the original capital amount borrowed remains outstanding throughout the term of the loan Lower monthly payments because capital is not repayed, monthly payments will be lower than with a capital repayment mortgage Long repayment term up to a maximum of 40 years Lower borrowing limit up to a maximum of 75% of the purchase price or the valuation of property (whichever is lower) Availability Interest only loans are restricted to home buyers or customers remortgaging from a competitor. Not available to existing customers borrowing further funds. Mortgage products of HSBC Bank Fixed Rate Mortgages: Repayments are fixed for the duration of the fixed term, and because it doesnt vary, monthly repayments remain the same regardless of what happens to interest rates HSBC currently offers fixed-rate mortgages over 2 and 5 year periods. At the end of the period mortgage will revert to the HSBC Variable Rate unless borrower decide to move to another product Feature Fixed Rate Interest Type Fixed Interest Calculated Daily Yes Unlimited over payments without incurring a charge No Early repayment charge Yes Extended tie in period No Exit fee No Can loan can be port if a person move home Yes In Fixed Rate Mortgages early repayment charge applies during the fixed rate period, and if we increase our standard monthly payment by more than 20% or repay, by any other method, the whole or any part of the mortgage, over and above your standard monthly payment during your fixed rate period Tracker Mortgages: The tracker interest we pay is an agreed percentage above the Bank of Englands Base rate. As the base rate rises and falls, the tracker will track these changes, and so rise and fall accordingly. This will affect the monthly payments HSBC Tracker mortgages are Lifetime trackers, in that they track the Base rate for the lifetime of the loan. Therefore we do not have to worry about coming to the end of a deal, and subsequently switching, with the associated costs. Should Base rates rise you can select to move to a fixed rate where booking fees may be payable. Feature Fixed Rate Interest Type Variable Interest Calculated Daily Yes Unlimited over payments without incurring a charge Yes Early repayment charge No Extended tie in period No Exit fee No Can loan can be port if a person move home Yes Discount Mortgages: A discount mortgage is a variable rate mortgage that offers an interest rate that is a discount off the HSBC Variable Rate for an agreed period (e.g. 2 years). With a discount mortgage, monthly payments will go up and down as the HSBC Variable Rate rises and falls. The HSBC Variable Rate is a rate that is internally set by HSBC. An early repayment charge applies during the discounted rate period, and if we increase our standard monthly payment by more than 20% or repay, by any other method, the whole or any part of the mortgage, over and above our standard monthly payment during your discounted rate period. Feature Fixed Rate Interest Type Variable Interest Calculated Daily Yes Unlimited over payments without incurring a charge No Early repayment charge Yes Extended tie in period No Exit fee No Can loan can be port if a person move home Yes GOVT STATISTICS: According to the government statistics the Mortgage Rescue Scheme used to monitor the statistics which usually gives information on the number of householders with having the mortgage difficulties. This scheme has two main elements: Government Mortgage to Rent and â‚ ¬Ã‹Å"Shared Equity The figures which are presented by Government Office Region are usually based on this scheme and submitted to Local Government by local authorities and communities. Local authority figures do not contain estimates for missing returns. Information on the local authority response rate is provided alongside the reported figures for each period. Figures for different periods are shown on separate tabs in the workbook. This is under the Ministry of Justice and the council of mortgage lenders. (www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/mortgagerescuestatistics2010) Mortgage and landlord possession statistics (NS) 13 March 2010 Quarterly National Statistics on possession actions issued in county courts by mortgage lenders and social and private landlords in England and Wales. This is released quarterly by the ministry of justice and in relation with UK statistics authority. Justification: As having the field of banking I am quite interesting in reviewing the different strategies followed by the banks in the various fields. Moreover it is accessible for me to collect the information regarding my topic as my friend is serving for the both banks. From them I can get the required data regarding my dissertation. The reason behind choosing this topic is that I can get a direction for my future perspective by having the detailed study of this topic. RESEARCH QUESTIONS: The most important parts of the research needed to be covered are as follow:- What are the major resemblances among commercial mortgage in the Britain? What are the considerations customers should employ when choosing a mortgage product? RESEARCH OBJECTIVES: The below mentioned aims are set up on the foundation of planned research questions: To study the different mortgage products of HSBC Bank To recognize the important advantages of the HSBC mortgages over the other commercial mortgages system in the country, To discover the suitable measure. RESEARCH METHOD: Research plan is very important the main component of the research method. In this research method we will give the fundamental sketch of complete research scheme. Research method is the basic initiation of the entire research in it will plan that the how and when the research will be completed and what actions are required to accomplish this task.   This section aims to explain the type of research methods that would be used for the analysis of the proposed company. The results of the research would indicate the range of services that need to be offered, and the suitability of these services for the target market.  Moore (2000)  explains how the methods used will be influenced by constraints, such as time and money. It is important to consider all the methods available and choose a method that is most likely to achieve the objective of the research. Inductive and deductive Approach: RESEARCH OPINION: In the research onion is used to define the whole process of research strategy in detail the generic research process â‚ ¬Ã‹Å"onion support the researchers and give them the direction to do work. (Saunders et al, 2000) There are the different layers which represents the following aspects of the Research Methodology. Research Philosophy Research Approach Research Strategy Time Horizons Data Collection Methods Primary and Secondary Research   Primary data is that type of information which is new and that hasnt been used or collected before. On the other hand the secondary data is that information which has been collected earlier, by some other sources for their own purpose and can used by others for their convenience .(Saunders et al. 1997). Secondary research is also very important for the establishment of data and the collection of data for the current issues and this also helps to discover the relevant studies which can be carried in the past time. Advantages and disadvantages of primary and secondary research methods Primary Research Advantages: This can be used by face to face conversation in the form of interviews or by the telephonic interview. This is used by the help of technology by using mobile phones and through internet communication. A large group of people can be cover in many areas. Wider coverage of geographical areas. This method is cheaper one. . Disadvantages: There are problems to prepare it. The Questions put in this are generally easy to answer. Lower response for the historic things. Time consuming. Secondary Research Advantages: This is time saving method. This can be used by any firm for the research. Sometime this depends upon the type of research which has to be conducted, for that case their advantages and disadvantages vary. Probably accurate. Disadvantages The main disadvantage is that there is no up to date and is collected over the time. And there may be changes in that data which has to be updated. Data may be in unsuitable format. The data is free to all and there no competitive advantages the organisation (Ghauri and Gronhaug, 2002) Qualitative and Quantitative Research   The table below outlines the differences between qualitative and quantitative data: Qualitative Quantitative This research is based on words which are expressed in meaning. Based on derived  from numbers and data. Results collected are non-standardized and data require classification into categories and not in the numerical form. Result of collection is in the numerical form and data is standardized. Conceptualism is used for conduct the analysis. Analysis conducted through there is use   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Of diagrams and statistics. (Dey (1993); Healey and Rawlinson (1994), cited in Saunders et al (2003)) SELECTION OF METHOD: As I have the topic of mortgage system it will be suitable for my topic if I will go through mixture of both approaches i.e. both secondary and primary resources. This will be helpful in collecting the relevant data according to the need and will be useful in going to the depth of the research. On my part it is valuable to go through by considering the research onion. Regarding this I will concern both approaches for my research given by (Saunders and Thornhill in 2000). ETHICS: The main source of data collection methods for my research is quantitative method which is useful for collecting the facts and figure for my research. Moreover I have contacts in the both banks for collecting the information. The manager Of HSBC Bank is in contact with me and he agreed to assist me in providing information as per my requirement. In order to make my research more accurate I will use the secondary data and primary data sources as well. By this I can get all the information regarding the mortgage system of the both banks with the required form of data in order to take the comparison of the policies given by the both banks for the mortgage system they provided to their customers. For the guidelines I will do all the work under my supervisor and take suggestion and help of my supervisor time to time to complete my dissertation. SCOPE: The topic of mortgage system has wider scope in the present time as there is a great demand for the mortgage products in the current market position. The theory of my topic is controllable therefore I can do better by keep in mind the wider scope of my study. Even this will help me in future to get the good job in Banking Industry. HSBC Bank Mortgage Policies Analysis HSBC Bank Mortgage Policies Analysis INTRODUCTION: Home is the need of every human being and having their own home is dream of every human being. In the United Kingdom price of the houses are very high and it is not possible for every citizen to buy their own home without taking financial help from financial organization like banks or building societies. When bank or a building society helps someone financially by providing loan, so that a citizen is able to buy his/her own home is called mortgage. In other words we can say a mortgage represents a loan on a property or house that has to be paid over a specified period of time. As financial help is always needed for smooth run of ones life so for the convenience of the people there are many financial organizations such as banks help the people financially, who want to buy their own home and property. So mortgage was introduced by the banks, from which people can get financial help so that one is able to buy his/her own home and property. Mortgage system is very popular among the people of the United Kingdom because this is the only way to buy their own property. As we know that the mortgage is that sum of money which is borrowed from the Bank or Building Society for buying a property and that borrowed amount has to be paid back with principle plus interest within fixed time period. Today mortgage has great importance as it is the only way with the help of which people are able to buy their own property. This dissertation report is based on the theory of research over the mortgage system of HSBC Bank and specifying the various strategies and policies of thei r mortgage system. The purpose of this report is to critically evaluate the mortgage system of HSBC Bank. Company Background: HSBC Bank has its headquarters in London. HSBC took its name from the Hong Kong and Shanghai Corporation which was founded in 1865 to finance trade between China and Europe. HSBC is one of the largest banking and financial services organization in the world. HSBC has 8,000 offices globally. HSBC Bank is one of the major clearing banks in the United Kingdom having more assets than any other bank. The business ranges from the traditional High Street roles of personal finance and commercial banking, to private banking, consumer finance as well as corporate and investment banking. HSBC is listed on the stock exchanges of London, Hong Kong, New York, Paris having around 220,000 shareholders in 119 countries and territories. HSBC has 1500 branches in United Kingdom. HSBC Bank plc is incorporated in England and Wales and established at 8 Canada Square, London E14 5HQ which is its Registered Office. This bank is regulated by the Financial Services Authority and is registered in the Financial Services Authority Register with the Registration Number: 114216. HSBC Bank is member of the Financial Ombudsman Scheme. Literature Review: A mortgage is a conveyance of land or an assignment of chattels as a security for payment of a debt or the discharge of some other obligation for which it is given. This is the idea of a mortgage; and the security is redeemable on the payment or discharge of such debt or obligation, any provision to the contrary notwithstanding (Stanley Wilde 1899) Per Lindley MR. The mortgage is derived from the two words i.e. mort and gage which means dead pledge. The mortgage is usually signed by the borrower and agreed before a public notary and is recorded with the County Recorder. In the mortgage system if the mortgagor fails to pay the installment then the lender has right to close out the mortgage and can sale the property to get the payment for future.(Jack P Friedman, 2003 p.173-204) The mortgage is a  loan  to  finance  for the  purchase  of  real estate, with a specified interest rates and fixed payment time period. The  borrower (mortgagor) gives the  lender  (mortgagee) a  lien  on the property  as  collateral  for the loan. People can borrow money to buy a home and pay interest on the mortgage to the lender (Bank or Building Society). The Lender (Bank) uses borrowers property as security for the loan. This term means that if the borrower fails to pay the monthly installment then lender (Bank) may repossess property. An individual can apply for mortgage from any bank like HSBC, Lloyds TSB, Barclays, and Santander or from Nationwide (Building Society) or from Islamic Bank of Britain. The mortgage makes very easier to pay the huge amount in the monthly installment for the fixed time depends on the mortgage plan. (Jack Guttentag, 2004). The mortgage which suits you the best depends on many parameters which mainly include your risk enduring capacity, your personal financial goals and capabilities and your income. In the presence of so many options and offers present in the market it can surely become a daunting task to select the best mortgage option for you. Considering your dilemma we at finance-strategy.com came up with some useful tit bits which when kept in mind can surely help you make a wise decision towards taking a mortgage. An adjustable rate mortgage is perfect for those situations where you have to stay in that house for a short period of time and when the interest rates in the market are low and are expected to stay so too during the coming times. On the other hand a fixed rate mortgage fits those situations where in you decide to won that house for a longer period of time and the interest rates too are very high at the moment with chances of volatility in the near future. A fixed interest cushions you against these turbulent conditions. The advantages and disadvantages of mortgages will surely take us a step closer towards deciding it for sure if taking a mortgage is the best solution for your situation. Advantages: The most important advantage associated with a mortgage is the fact that it allows us to retain the ownership of our property and at the same time helps us in getting financial aid too. There is no need for one to sell or let go of his property to seek some money in exchange. In a mortgage the lender does not receive any share in the ownership of the property but is only entitled to take back the principal amount and the interest accumulated on the principal amount lent by him to you. the lender can only claim ownership on your property in case you default on the repayment schedule. The other benefit associated with mortgage is the fact that the interest payments on the mortgage are tax free in nature. Since the schedules of repayment are pre fixed and decided it allows you to plan your financials and expenses accordingly thereby simplifying the entire process for you. By availing a mortgage you now have access to cash flow which you were not having in normal conditions and can now use it to fulfill your needs and requirements. Disadvantages: The need of depositing collateral as security works out to be the biggest drawback of mortgages. It restricts the kind of people who can avail a mortgage as only home owners or other asset owners can do so. Also, in case that you default on your payment the lender has the right to claim the property deposited by you as collateral and then subsequently sell it off to claim back the loaned amount he had given you. You have to ensure while taking the mortgage that there is a clause mentioned therein that on repayment of the mortgage the lender has to release the ownership title submitted to him by you. The lender as per his convenience can define several events which he mat term as a default and generally includes inability to pay back the loan, bankruptcy, insolvency or any breach in the mortgage agreement. Therefore the risk of you ending up losing your property increases substantially. Repayment Of Mortgages There are two methods of repaying mortgage, one can choose from these two methods according to ones personal circumstances. Capital Repayment: With a capital repayment plan, monthly payment covers the interest charged on mortgage and it also reduces the outstanding balance each month in line with the term selected. With this repayment plan, one can ensure mortgage is fully paid off at the end of the mortgage period. What we get with the repayment option: Interest and capital repaid monthly payment covers the interest and also reduces the total balance outstanding Secure providing all payments are made, the mortgage will be repaid in full at the end of the agreed mortgage term Choose your repayment term up to a maximum of 30 years. Capital repayment is a repayment option on all of our mortgage products fixed rate, tracker and discount mortgages. Interest only: With an interest only option, monthly payment covers only the interest charged on mortgage, freeing up cash to spend elsewhere or to invest to pay off mortgage at the end of the mortgage term. By repaying only the interest on mortgage, monthly repayments are lower than with an equivalent capital repayment mortgage. What we get with the Interest only option: Interest only the monthly payment covers just the interest and the original capital amount borrowed remains outstanding throughout the term of the loan Lower monthly payments because capital is not repayed, monthly payments will be lower than with a capital repayment mortgage Long repayment term up to a maximum of 40 years Lower borrowing limit up to a maximum of 75% of the purchase price or the valuation of property (whichever is lower) Availability Interest only loans are restricted to home buyers or customers remortgaging from a competitor. Not available to existing customers borrowing further funds. Mortgage products of HSBC Bank Fixed Rate Mortgages: Repayments are fixed for the duration of the fixed term, and because it doesnt vary, monthly repayments remain the same regardless of what happens to interest rates HSBC currently offers fixed-rate mortgages over 2 and 5 year periods. At the end of the period mortgage will revert to the HSBC Variable Rate unless borrower decide to move to another product Feature Fixed Rate Interest Type Fixed Interest Calculated Daily Yes Unlimited over payments without incurring a charge No Early repayment charge Yes Extended tie in period No Exit fee No Can loan can be port if a person move home Yes In Fixed Rate Mortgages early repayment charge applies during the fixed rate period, and if we increase our standard monthly payment by more than 20% or repay, by any other method, the whole or any part of the mortgage, over and above your standard monthly payment during your fixed rate period Tracker Mortgages: The tracker interest we pay is an agreed percentage above the Bank of Englands Base rate. As the base rate rises and falls, the tracker will track these changes, and so rise and fall accordingly. This will affect the monthly payments HSBC Tracker mortgages are Lifetime trackers, in that they track the Base rate for the lifetime of the loan. Therefore we do not have to worry about coming to the end of a deal, and subsequently switching, with the associated costs. Should Base rates rise you can select to move to a fixed rate where booking fees may be payable. Feature Fixed Rate Interest Type Variable Interest Calculated Daily Yes Unlimited over payments without incurring a charge Yes Early repayment charge No Extended tie in period No Exit fee No Can loan can be port if a person move home Yes Discount Mortgages: A discount mortgage is a variable rate mortgage that offers an interest rate that is a discount off the HSBC Variable Rate for an agreed period (e.g. 2 years). With a discount mortgage, monthly payments will go up and down as the HSBC Variable Rate rises and falls. The HSBC Variable Rate is a rate that is internally set by HSBC. An early repayment charge applies during the discounted rate period, and if we increase our standard monthly payment by more than 20% or repay, by any other method, the whole or any part of the mortgage, over and above our standard monthly payment during your discounted rate period. Feature Fixed Rate Interest Type Variable Interest Calculated Daily Yes Unlimited over payments without incurring a charge No Early repayment charge Yes Extended tie in period No Exit fee No Can loan can be port if a person move home Yes GOVT STATISTICS: According to the government statistics the Mortgage Rescue Scheme used to monitor the statistics which usually gives information on the number of householders with having the mortgage difficulties. This scheme has two main elements: Government Mortgage to Rent and â‚ ¬Ã‹Å"Shared Equity The figures which are presented by Government Office Region are usually based on this scheme and submitted to Local Government by local authorities and communities. Local authority figures do not contain estimates for missing returns. Information on the local authority response rate is provided alongside the reported figures for each period. Figures for different periods are shown on separate tabs in the workbook. This is under the Ministry of Justice and the council of mortgage lenders. (www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/mortgagerescuestatistics2010) Mortgage and landlord possession statistics (NS) 13 March 2010 Quarterly National Statistics on possession actions issued in county courts by mortgage lenders and social and private landlords in England and Wales. This is released quarterly by the ministry of justice and in relation with UK statistics authority. Justification: As having the field of banking I am quite interesting in reviewing the different strategies followed by the banks in the various fields. Moreover it is accessible for me to collect the information regarding my topic as my friend is serving for the both banks. From them I can get the required data regarding my dissertation. The reason behind choosing this topic is that I can get a direction for my future perspective by having the detailed study of this topic. RESEARCH QUESTIONS: The most important parts of the research needed to be covered are as follow:- What are the major resemblances among commercial mortgage in the Britain? What are the considerations customers should employ when choosing a mortgage product? RESEARCH OBJECTIVES: The below mentioned aims are set up on the foundation of planned research questions: To study the different mortgage products of HSBC Bank To recognize the important advantages of the HSBC mortgages over the other commercial mortgages system in the country, To discover the suitable measure. RESEARCH METHOD: Research plan is very important the main component of the research method. In this research method we will give the fundamental sketch of complete research scheme. Research method is the basic initiation of the entire research in it will plan that the how and when the research will be completed and what actions are required to accomplish this task.   This section aims to explain the type of research methods that would be used for the analysis of the proposed company. The results of the research would indicate the range of services that need to be offered, and the suitability of these services for the target market.  Moore (2000)  explains how the methods used will be influenced by constraints, such as time and money. It is important to consider all the methods available and choose a method that is most likely to achieve the objective of the research. Inductive and deductive Approach: RESEARCH OPINION: In the research onion is used to define the whole process of research strategy in detail the generic research process â‚ ¬Ã‹Å"onion support the researchers and give them the direction to do work. (Saunders et al, 2000) There are the different layers which represents the following aspects of the Research Methodology. Research Philosophy Research Approach Research Strategy Time Horizons Data Collection Methods Primary and Secondary Research   Primary data is that type of information which is new and that hasnt been used or collected before. On the other hand the secondary data is that information which has been collected earlier, by some other sources for their own purpose and can used by others for their convenience .(Saunders et al. 1997). Secondary research is also very important for the establishment of data and the collection of data for the current issues and this also helps to discover the relevant studies which can be carried in the past time. Advantages and disadvantages of primary and secondary research methods Primary Research Advantages: This can be used by face to face conversation in the form of interviews or by the telephonic interview. This is used by the help of technology by using mobile phones and through internet communication. A large group of people can be cover in many areas. Wider coverage of geographical areas. This method is cheaper one. . Disadvantages: There are problems to prepare it. The Questions put in this are generally easy to answer. Lower response for the historic things. Time consuming. Secondary Research Advantages: This is time saving method. This can be used by any firm for the research. Sometime this depends upon the type of research which has to be conducted, for that case their advantages and disadvantages vary. Probably accurate. Disadvantages The main disadvantage is that there is no up to date and is collected over the time. And there may be changes in that data which has to be updated. Data may be in unsuitable format. The data is free to all and there no competitive advantages the organisation (Ghauri and Gronhaug, 2002) Qualitative and Quantitative Research   The table below outlines the differences between qualitative and quantitative data: Qualitative Quantitative This research is based on words which are expressed in meaning. Based on derived  from numbers and data. Results collected are non-standardized and data require classification into categories and not in the numerical form. Result of collection is in the numerical form and data is standardized. Conceptualism is used for conduct the analysis. Analysis conducted through there is use   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Of diagrams and statistics. (Dey (1993); Healey and Rawlinson (1994), cited in Saunders et al (2003)) SELECTION OF METHOD: As I have the topic of mortgage system it will be suitable for my topic if I will go through mixture of both approaches i.e. both secondary and primary resources. This will be helpful in collecting the relevant data according to the need and will be useful in going to the depth of the research. On my part it is valuable to go through by considering the research onion. Regarding this I will concern both approaches for my research given by (Saunders and Thornhill in 2000). ETHICS: The main source of data collection methods for my research is quantitative method which is useful for collecting the facts and figure for my research. Moreover I have contacts in the both banks for collecting the information. The manager Of HSBC Bank is in contact with me and he agreed to assist me in providing information as per my requirement. In order to make my research more accurate I will use the secondary data and primary data sources as well. By this I can get all the information regarding the mortgage system of the both banks with the required form of data in order to take the comparison of the policies given by the both banks for the mortgage system they provided to their customers. For the guidelines I will do all the work under my supervisor and take suggestion and help of my supervisor time to time to complete my dissertation. SCOPE: The topic of mortgage system has wider scope in the present time as there is a great demand for the mortgage products in the current market position. The theory of my topic is controllable therefore I can do better by keep in mind the wider scope of my study. Even this will help me in future to get the good job in Banking Industry.

Facilitate Coaching And Mentoring Essay

1 Understand the benefits of coaching and mentoring practitioners in health and social care or children and young people’s settings 1.1 Analyse the differences between coaching and mentoring 1.2 Explain circumstances when coaching would be an appropriate method of supporting learning at work 1.3 Explain circumstances when mentoring would be an appropriate method of supporting learning at work 1.4 Explain how coaching and mentoring complement other methods of supporting learning 1.5 Analyse how coaching and mentoring at work can promote the business objectives of the work setting 1.6 Evaluate the management implications of supporting coaching and mentoring in the work setting 1.7 Explain how coaching and mentoring in the work setting can contribute to a learning culture 1.8 Explain the importance of meeting the learning needs of coaches and mentors 2 Be able to promote coaching and mentoring of practitioners in health and social care or children and young people’s settin gs 2.1 Promote the benefits of coaching and mentoring in the work setting 2.2 Support practitioners to identify learning needs where it would be appropriate to use coaching 2.3 Support practitioners to identify learning needs where it would be appropriate to use mentoring 2.4 Explain the different types of information, advice and guidance that can support learning in the work setting 2.5 Demonstrate a solution ­focused approach to promoting coaching and mentoring in the work setting 3 Be able to identify the coaching and mentoring needs of practitioners in health and social care or children and young people’s settings 3.1 Use different information sources to determine the coaching and mentoring needs of practitioners in the work setting 3.2 Plan coaching and mentoring activities 4 Be able to implement coaching and mentoring activities in health and social care or children and young people’s settings 4.1 Support the implementation of coaching and mentoring activities 4.2 Select the most appropriate person to act as coach or mentor 4.3 Explain the support needs of those who are working with peers as coaches or mentors 4.4 Provide coaching in a work setting according to the agreed plan 4.5 Provide mentoring in a work setting according to the agreed plan 5 Be able to review the outcomes of coaching and mentoring in health and social care or children and young people’s settings 5.1 Review how the use of coaching and mentoring in the work setting has supported business objectives 5.2 Evaluate the impact of coaching and mentoring on practice 5.3 Develop plans to support the future development of coaching and mentoring in the work setting

Health and Hygiene Essay

The word technology refers to the making, modification, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems, and methods of organization, in order to solve a problem, improve a preexisting solution to a problem, achieve a goal, handle an applied input/output relation or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, including machinery, modifications, arrangements and procedures. Technologies significantly affect human as well as other animal species’ ability to control and adapt to their natural environments. The term can either be applied generally or to specific areas: examples include construction technology, medical technology, and information technology. The prehistorical discovery of the ability to control fire increased the available sources of food and the invention of the wheel helped humans in travelling in and controlling their environment. Recent technological developments, including the printing press, the telephone, and the Internet, have lessened physical barriers to communication and allowed humans to interact freely on a global scale. In many societies, technology has helped develop more advanced economies (including today’s global economy) and has allowed the rise of a leisure class. Many technological processes produce unwanted by-products, known as pollution, and deplete natural resources, to the detriment of the Planet Earth and its environment. The distinction between science, engineering and technology is not always clear. Science is the reasoned investigation or study of phenomena, aimed at discovering enduring principles among elements of the phenomenal world by employing formal techniques such as the scientific method. Technologies are not usually exclusively products of science, because they have to satisfy requirements such as utility, usability and safety. The 20th century brought a host of innovations. In physics, the discovery of nuclear fission has led to both nuclear weapons and nuclear power. Through our modern day miracles of science we are able to appreciate that which is truly an incredible era of advanced erudition and self-sufficiency. Because of the advantages of modern day technology, we are allowed the unique benefit of looking back on what was and comparing it with what is and what could be. Technology is no longer seen as a barrier, but as a breakthrough. Bringing fresh insight and offering better jobs to those who are willing to take a step towards the future. .

Confucius Essays (417 words) - Confucianism, Chinese Philosophy

Confucius Essays (417 words) - Confucianism, Chinese Philosophy Confucius CONFUCIUS (551 ? 479 B.C.E.) What is ?Ultimate Reality? for Confucius? Ultimate Reality according to Confucius was primarily human reality. Confucius looks at the metaphysics of People and how they think. His concern was with human beings and their relationships along with their actions. His doctrine, which became known as the Confucian religion, sought ?Gentlemanly Conduct? or Dao (way) that was to be achieved through the process of adherence to ritual. What are its competing aspects? Confucius and his followers believed that all human beings are divided within themselves, and among themselves. This is due to their passions, ambitions, and confused loyalties (egoisms) being in conflict with their moral duties (altruisms). Other aspects of these divisions were age, social status, and wealth. People are never equal due to these social inequalities, although he believed there was a balance and harmony possible to achieve between these divisions. How does he control them? Confucius encouraged society return to ritual forms of behavior that had been abandoned during times of warfare and social turmoil. Whether in the context of grand ceremonies or everyday etiquette, ritual results in non-coercive social harmony that is the consequence of everyone?s cooperative efforts. Each individual has an impact on the well-being of society by fulfilling his or her roles in relation to other people. He believed in a system of education and training for the well-being of society and that this system of education and training should be a ritual. Confucius put emphasis on five great relationships and five virtues. 5 Great Relationships:5 Virtues: 1.Father-Son1. Consideration (Ren) 2.Elder brother-Younger brother2. Propriety (Li) 3.Husband-Wife3. Reciprocity (Shu) 4.Friend-Friend4. Filial Piety (Xiao) 5.Ruler-Subjects5. Connoisseurship (Wen) What is he trying to create? The very thing that Confucius was trying to create was an exemplary way of life that he refers to as the ?Way? (or Dao). Society?s goal according to Confucius was the achievement of interpersonal harmony between the five Great relationships and the five virtues, beginning with the family. Particularly important to Confucius is the family because it is the basis on which everyone learns to relate to people. He encouraged his disciples attain this harmony through study and adherence to ritual and become exemplary persons. Confucius believed that a person that attained this harmony always behaves appropriately to the role he or she is playing in any given situation. They are referred to as ?Junzi?, or noble person.

Babies Essays

Babies Essays Babies Essay Babies Essay How is the baby’s due date calculated and why is it often hard to calculate? The baby’s due date is calculated by doctors and midwives from the beginning of the mother’s last period. This marker is used because it is difficult to determine exactly when the mother is ovulating and as a result when the sperm is fertilized the egg. 2) Briefly explain the process of conception? Ovulation, Development of Corpus Luteum, Release of Egg, Menses, Fertilization, Implantation, Pregnancy Hormones. 3) What is DNA? DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms.Nearly every cell in a person’s body has the same DNA. Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus but a small amount of DNA can also be found in the mitochondria. 4) How long is the germinal stage? Explain what happens in this stage. The germinal stage lasts only about 2 weeks. Within just a few hours after conception, the single-celled zygote begins making a journ ey down the fallopian tube to the uterus where it will begin the process of cell division and growth. 5) How can pregnancy be detected? What hormones play a significant role in this? You can detect pregnancy by certain symptoms. A pregnancy test can be detected.The hCG hormone plays a role in this. 6) Describe the physical development that occurs in relation to the ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm. 7) What happens 18 days after conception? The embryo commences growth inside the uterus. It is divided into three layers that will later form organs and tissues. The neural tube develops in the top layer. Some of these cells will further specialise, sprouting outward to cover the body with skin, hair and nails. The heart and the circulatory system begin to appear in the middle layer. The third layer starts to house the lungs, intestines and beginnings of the urinary system.In the meantime, the early division of the placenta, the chorionic villi, and the umbilical cord, which delivers nouri shment and oxygen to the embryo, are already working. Low on the sides of the head, two folds are evident – tissue that will become the ears. 8) Why is the embryonic stage considered a critical period? Because the embryonic period is the time when the embryo grows up in to fetus by performing several processes, these process are so much important that if these are not happen in the mean time then the fetus may catch many deformities and anomolies . ) Briefly describe the foetal stage. The fetal stage of prenatal development may be defined as beginning at the 11th week in gestational age, which is the 9th week after fertilization. In biological terms, however, prenatal development is a continuum, with no clear defining feature distinguishing an embryo from a fetus. The use of the term fetus generally implies that a mammalian embryo has developed to the point of being recognizable as belonging to its own species, though the point at which this occurs is subjective.A fetus is al so characterized by the presence of all the major body organs, though they may not yet be fully functional, or situated in their final anatomical location. 10) What is the placenta? Discuss its importance. The placenta is an organ attached to the lining of your womb during pregnancy. It keeps your unborn baby’s blood supply separate from your own blood supply, as well as providing a link between the two. The link enables the placenta to carry out functions that your unborn baby can’t perform for itself. The placenta is linked to your baby by the umbilical cord.Your baby is inside a bag of fluid called the amniotic sac, which is made of membranes. Oxygen and food pass from your blood supply into the placenta. From there, the umbilical cord carries the oxygen and food to your unborn baby. Waste products from the baby, such as carbon dioxide, pass back along the umbilical cord to the placenta and then into your bloodstream, for your body to dispose of them. The placenta p roduces hormones that help your baby to grow and develop. The placenta also gives some protection against infection for your baby while its in the womb. It protects your baby against most bacteria.However, it does not protect your baby against viruses. For example, if you’re not immune to the rubella virus (German measles), it can cross the placenta and cause miscarriage, stillbirth or birth defects such as deafness, brain damage, heart defects and cataracts. Alcohol, nicotine and other drugs can also cross the placenta and can cause damage to your unborn baby. Towards the end of your pregnancy, the placenta passes antibodies from you to your baby, giving them immunity for about three months after birth. However, it only passes on antibodies that you already have.