Body Image, Self Esteem and Eating Relationship | Methods

Body Image, Self Esteem and Eating Relationship | Methods Methodology In this chapter, we are going to discuss the research design, respondents, instrument, procedure and data analysis that we use at doing the research study. For our research, we used Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ-16B), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE), and Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) at investigating the relevance of body image with both self-esteem and eating attitudes. Furthermore, participants were focused at female Foundation students of UTAR. Details were further discussed in our following subtopic. Research Design Research design is defined as a tool to gather relevant evidence that involve with a specification of the type of useful evidences needed for answering our research question, testing a theory and to describing some phenomenon shown (McGaghie, Bordage, Crandall, Pangaro, 2001). In other words, research design is to answer the primary question as suggested in our research clear enough from the uncertainty. In this study, a quantitative research with cross-sectional design was selected to use. A quantitative research refers to an empirical method used to explain phenomena by collecting numerical data. The term cross-sectional design implies that one or more samples are drawn from the population at one point of time (Shaughnessy, Zechmeister, Zechmeister, 2010). In addition, a purposive sampling particularly the stratified purposeful sampling was utilized in this research. In a purposive sample, the sample is typically designed to pick a small number of cases that will yield the most information about a particular phenomenon. In other words, it involves selecting information-rich cases for in-depth study. Purposive sampling leads to greater depth of information from a smaller number of carefully selected cases (Teddlie Yu, 2007). On the other hand, a stratified purposeful sampling presenting and providing characteristics of particular subgroups of interest and facilitates comparison. It involves capture major variations rather than to identify a common core (Patton, 1990). Respondents The female Foundation students in UTAR (Perak Campus) have been targeted as the population of this research. There are 1427 female Foundation students and a sample consisted of 100 students (N=100) from both science and art streams participated in this study. In balancing the body size groups, 50 plump and 50 thin female participants between the ages of 18 to 23 years old (M= 20.16, SD= 1.45) were selected. This study focused on female Foundation students is that they are at a much higher rate to experience body image disturbance and disordered eating than males (Serdar, n.d.). In having adjustment to new lifestyle, females might have thought changing and more aware of themselves and how others perceive them as they meet more new people in the new environment. Whereas, the relationship between body image dissatisfaction and eating disorders has not significantly correlated with males (Furnham, Badmin, Sneade, 2002; Wimbish, 2009) and hence, the study did not include males to prevent the possibility of producing extreme scores. Instrument Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ-16B). The BSQ 16-item is a refined self-report questionnaire developed by Evans and Dolan (1993) to assess body dissatisfaction and concern over body shape. Participants rate the items based on a six-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 = never to 6 = always with higher scores indicate greater body shape dissatisfaction. Items are all presented as self-statement such as â€Å"Have you been afraid that you might become fat (or fatter)?† (item 2) and â€Å"Has seeing your reflection (e.g. in a mirror or shop window) made you feel bad about your shape?† (item 13). The BSQ-16B has been found to be a reliable and valid measure of body image satisfaction as it had been shown to have good test-retest reliability (.88) (Hudson, 2008) and excellent internal consistency (.95) (Pook, Tuschen-Caffier, Brahler, 2008). Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE). The RSE is a 10-item self-report questionnaire developed by Rosenberg (1965) to measure global self-esteem level of participants in this study. Participants rate the items based on a four-point Likert scale, ranging from 3 = strongly agree to 0 = strongly disagree with higher scores indicate higher level of self-esteem. Items are all presented as self-evaluation on positive self-esteem (item 1, 3, 4, 7, 10) and negative self-esteem (item 2, 5, 6, 8, 9). RSE has been found to have good test-retest correlations of .82 to .88 and internal consistency of .77 to .88 (Hudson, 2008), which indicate the test is having high reliability of measure self-esteem. Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26). The EAT 26-item is an abbreviated version developed by Garner, Olmstead, Bohr, and Garfinkel (1982) from the original scale which is EAT-40. EAT-26 is a most widely used standardized self-report questionnaire to measure the symptoms and concerns characteristics of eating disorders. Participants rate the items based on a six-point Likert scale (3 = always, 2 = usually, 1 = often, 0 = sometimes, 0 = rarely, 0 = never) with a cutoff scores of 20 had been suggested to identify persons with problematic attitudes and behaviors towards eating. Items are presented in three subscales: 1) Dieting (item 1, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 26), 2) Bulimia and food preoccupation (item 3, 4, 9, 18, 21, 25), and 3) Oral control (item 2, 5, 8, 13, 15, 19, 20). The EAT-26 has been shown to have a good intercorrelations with EAT-40 (r = .98) and good internal consistency (.90) in non-clinical populations (Garner et al., 1982). Reliability In this study, the reliability of variables has been analyzed. The results of Cronbach’s Alpha reliability test showed that all the scales are highly reliable of BSQ-16B (16 items; ÃŽ ± = .94), RSE (10 items; ÃŽ ± = .737), and EAT-26 (26 items; ÃŽ ± = .791) (Appendix ). Procedure Before the commencement of questionnaire distribution, proper liaison was made by sending a formal letter to gain the permission from Centre for Foundation Studies (Perak Campus) to retrieve data on the population number of female Foundation students. After the permission was granted, the survey was conducted at Block B, C, and D of UTAR Perak Campus which Foundation students are majority gathers. The questionnaires were distributed manually to the potential participants. A consent form was attached to the questionnaire and the nature of the study was explained clearly to participants. The participants will not able to take part in the survey if they did not give the consent to the student researchers. Furthermore, the total score of EAT-26 (Section D) had been counted on the spot once the participant completed the questionnaire. Participants with a score of 20 or more or answered affirmatively to any of the behavioral questions had been suggested to seek evaluation from mental health professional. The questionnaires were collected from the participants with 100% response rate. Each questionnaire was checked to ensure there were balanced numbers of participants from both groups. The completed questionnaires were then later analyzed. Data Analysis Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) Version 20.0 was used during the analysis of data. The demographic data was analyzed by using descriptive statistics to measure the mean, standard deviation, and frequency of age and body size group. The first research question was analyzed by mean and standard deviation on measuring the body image satisfaction level between thin and plump female Foundation students. Next, Independent Sample t-Test was used to test the second research question to determine the mean difference of body image satisfaction and eating attitudes between thin and plump female. Furthermore, the third and forth research question were tested by using Pearson’s Coefficient of Correlation on accessing the relationship between body image satisfaction with self-esteem and eating attitudes respectively to examine whether there is any positive or negative significant relationship between these variables. The level of significant difference (p-value) was adopte d at t-Test and References Shaughnessy, J. J., Zechmeister, E. B., Zechmeister, J. S. (2010). Research methods in psychology (9th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. McGaghie, W. C., Bordage, G., Crandall, S., Pangaro, L. (2001). Method: Research design. Journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, 76(9), 929-930. Patton, M. (1990). Qualitative evaluation and research methods [Adobe Digital Editions version]. Retrieved from http://legacy.oise.utoronto.ca/research/field-centres/ross/ctl1014/Patton1990.pdf Teddlie, C., Yu, F. (2007). Mixed method sampling: A typology with examples. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 1(1), 77-100. Doi: 10.1177/2345678906292430 Serdar, K. L. (n.d.). Female body image and the mass media: Perspectives on how women internalize the ideal body standard. Retrieved from http://www.westminstercollege.edu/myriad/index.cfm?parent=2514detail=4475content=4795 Furnham, A., Badmin, N., Sneade, I. (2002). Body image dissatisfaction: Gender differences in eating attitudes, self-esteem, and reasons for exercise. The Journal of Psychology, 136(6), 581-596. Wimbish, T. R. (2009). Eating disorders, body-image dissatisfaction, and drive for muscularity in African American gay and straight men (Doctoral dissertation). Available from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. (UMI No. 3391518) Pook, M., Tuschen-Caffier, B., Brahler, E. (2008). Evaluation and comparison of different versions of the Body Shape Questionnaire. Psychiatry Research, 158, 67-73. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2006.08.002 Garner, D. M., Olmstead, M. P., Bohr, Y., Garfinkel, P. E. (1982). The Eating Attitudes Test: Psychometric features and clinical correlates. Psychological Medicine, 12, 871-878.

Leagility in supply chain

What is â€Å"leagility† in supply chain design?In a supply chain analysis of an appliance manufacturer, application of leagility concept led to significant benefits of the company's performance.   The company is based in Thailand whose factory is located in capital Bangkok (Banomyong & Supatn).   The current problem of the firm is accumulated in its reverse logistics (e.g. managing returned products) being threefold; namely, excessive transportation costs, damaged products and slow customer response.   The current system requires customers to travel from their homes to the retailer stores where they bought the firm's products.   Retailers will then transport the returned products to the Bangkok factory or in some cases even have to forward first to distribution/ service center before actual repair in Bangkok factory.   When repaired, the products are sent to customers, however, in retail stores only so they have to travel to claim.With the application of leagility, creating service shops in retail stores serve as decoupling points to manage customer demand volatility efficiently.   These services shops will be supplied by Bangkok factory with sufficient parts for the former to address simple defects and needed repairs.   Bangkok factory will only accept complex problems that do not require immediate action.   With the presence of leagility, the reverse logistics of the firm eliminate the three problems cited above.   It is able to prevent excessive transportation because service shops can serve as direct access of customers to Bangkok factory capabilities.   Less travel is required that can prevent damaging the products.   Lastly, customer satisfaction is increased because the response is faster while their need to â€Å"come-back† is minimized due to ready service.Leagility is derived from the word leagile.   The term is first defined by Naylor et al (1999) which means the mixture of lean and agile capabilities in the sup ply chain design.   Managing the decoupling point is the crucial aspect of leagile with the objective of responding to a fluctuating demand at one end and its scheduling on the other.   When strategic decoupling plan is implemented, it is possible to respond to abrupt market needs in an agile way while also carrying an ability to postpone or being lean to achieve efficiency.   De-coupling manages the difference between orders and forecasts.   Leagility is a combination of leanness and agility.The former emphasized on reduction of cost and waste and profit maximization through a level schedule.   The latter is inclined with flexible service and profit maximization through understanding customer requirements efficiently.   Leagility is achieved when these value-creating activities are present; namely, just-in-time (JIT), quality improvement, IT upgrades, lot-size minimization (i.e. less scrap and faster response time), system integration and global optimization.Other autho rs defined leagility as a hybrid strategy between lean and agile supply chain.   Being agile is the use of market knowledge and virtual business to manage fluctuations in demand while leanness is the use of value stream where waste and time are reduced and level schedule is obtained.   In their definition, decoupling point is clearer.   Decoupling point is the part of the supply chain in which customers can interfere and take part through the chain design.The point serves as signal to the firm about demand that can guide the forecasts/ Kanban system.   With the use of decoupling, inventories are managed on a stable level that has cost efficiency implications.   The combined features of agile and lean supply chains led to inherent characteristics of leagile supply chain.   These include volatile and unpredictable market demand, medium productivity variety, short product life cycle, service level customer performance, moderate profit margins, dominant physical and marketab ility costs, vendor-managed inventory, essentiality of information and other desirable effects to quality, forecasts, lead time and other costs (O'Brien 2005).Leagility application to USMCIN USMC, information technology is used to improve the supply chain management.   IT is deemed essential in leagile design and USMC has addressed this issue.   Assuming that SAP NetWeave enables information sharing across different functions in the supply chain, the organization can stabilize leagile framework through its IT.   However, the investment in IT must not be too high because funds are required in creating decoupling points systems and resources.   It should be noted that agile supply chain will not be acquired by USMC rather leagile and this makes IT non-obligatory.Further, IT may have intensified the ability of USMC in integrating information and resources to armed forces and suppliers of other countries.   Adoption of leagility can provide relaxation on the demand in reducing lead time for USMC services as this is not essential to being leagile.   USMC can continue sharing resources with other countries that can result to acquiring the latest technology without the problem against time constraints (e.g. on approval of the cooperating country about the local information).The use of GPS and RFID device in tracking supplies should be minimized since leagility does not confront stock-out penalties especially there are no place for stock-out (RFID Journal).   This means that the advantage of GPS and RFID to provide real-time information about the location of the inventories in the stock room or warehouses are seen less useful.   Further, the cost of such technologies is higher than the common barcode that their use in leagility is sub-optimal.Therefore, barcodes should be revisited.   The use of satellite communications in relation to service provision in a timely manner and also quick response must be maintained.   Leagility does not offer robustn ess while its forecast mechanism requires algorithmic and consultative areas inherent to lean and agile supply chains respectively.   As a result, service provision can be adversely affected when satellites will not feedback real-time events in the area of jurisdiction.The use of rapid logistics is required in leagility.   However, this can be adversely affected as purchasing policy is managed by vendor inventory.   Even with an efficient logistics, a non-cooperative vendor can cause delays of resources delivery and transfer.   In contrast, the rapid logistics can aid in providing products within the concept of leagility.   Leagile products are provided as per customer demand which can increase customer satisfaction by rapid delivery.   In effect, service level is achieved with low cost from USMC due to absence of excessive stocks and inventory spaces.Smart packing is required to be an efficient process because the products carried through a leagile supply chain have sho rt life cycles.   Further, it is also a difficulty that USMC is obliged to produce different packing designs to a medium-scale product differentiation (Smart Packing).   Perhaps, a lean supply chain can better fit smart packing due to long life cycle.   If USMC requires cost efficiency, smart packing should be minimized and funds should be diverted to dominant costs in physical and marketability expenditures.ReferencesBanomyong, R. & Supatn, N. (unknown). Leagility in reverse logistics: a case study of electronic appliance manufacturer [Internet] Available from [Accessed 6 August 2007].O'Brien, V. (2005). Should manufacturing pursue a lean, agile or leagile strategy? [Internet] Available from [Accessed 6 August 2007].Naylor, J., Naim, M. & Berry, D. (1999). Leagility: Integrating the Lean and AgileManufacturing Paradigms in the Total Supply Chain. International Journal Of ProductionEconomics, 62(1), p.2.RFID Journal (unknown). Available from [Accessed 6 August 2007].Smart P acking (unknown). Available from [Accessed 6 August 2007].

Movie Review The Big Sleep - 1267 Words

Film Review of The Big Sleep The Big Sleep was originally written as a novel in 1939 by Raymond Chandler. Philp Marlowe, a private investigator was hired by a wealthy general to help in resolve the blackmailing and gambling debts of his wild daughter, Carmen. Things get off to a quick start in the movie and it immediately begins to unravel, Marlowe suddenly had found himself in a deep web of love triangles, blackmail, murder, gambling, and organized crime. Vivian the oldest daughter of the general, quickly jumps in to help Marlowe and warn him of the dangers to come (sort of). As Marlowe begins to dig deeper into the case he comes to an owner of a casino named Eddie Mars, and this is when the story takes a turn of events again, and everyone begins to warn him to back off, but he persists. In the end Marlowe, lures Eddie to the house of a man murdered in the beginning. This is where things take another turn, Eddie brings a bunch of henchmen to the house, where Marlowe and Vivian are w aiting unexpectedly. Marlowe holds Eddie at gun point and had him confess to his crimes, Eddie then runs out the door and meets his fate, shot to death by his own henchmen. There are several things going to be discussed in the following paragraphs. These to be discussed include: what makes this a hard-boiled novel/film, what characteristics of a noir does the film have, and cinematic techniques used in the movie. What makes The Big Sleep a hard-boiled crime? First it is best to start offShow MoreRelatedFilm Review : The Bad Sleep Well1173 Words   |  5 PagesFilm Review – The Bad Sleep Well September 6th, 1998, Akira Kurosawa died at the age of 88 due to cause of a stroke in his home in Tokyo. He was classified as one of cinemas truly important directors. Mr. Kurosawa came across filmmaking after failing as a painter. He was seen as a domineering perfectionist. Kurosawa was noticed by dozens of directors of many generations. He had a major influence on many of them. This film resembling Hamlet, both feature a hero on a quest for revenge. Kurosawa gotRead MoreNight Shyamalan s Newest Horror Movie948 Words   |  4 Pageslate hours of the night is quite unsettling, M. Night Shyamalan’s newest horror movie, The Visit, just simply is not that horrific. Be relieved! It is not quite as bad as some of his past projects including The Last Airbender (which received a mere 6% rating on Rotten Tomatoes) and After Earth (which surprisingly reached an 11% review from critics on Rotten Tomatoes). Both were rewarded with overwhelmingly bad reviews and had a negative affect on his career. The Visit had a five-million-dollar budgetRead More Bamboozled and African Americans in Todays Industry Essay1422 Words   |  6 Pages The movie Bamboozled by Spike Lee is a very interesting movie which brings up a lot of different points. Although Bamboozled did not receive great reviews like some of Lee’s other movies, I think it brought up a lot of important questions regarding the media and the way film portrays African Americans on T.V. Lee’s movie brings to light the notion that to be black and on television you have to play a certain role or type of character. He makes the point that African Americans are expected to beRead MoreHorror Films: Things That Go Bump in the Night Essay1265 Words   |  6 Pagespeople producing the material our fears feed off. The horror industry is a â€Å"†¦ frighteningly big business: The appeal of evil drives the $500 million haunted-attraction industry and $400 million at the box office for horror films each year†¦Ã¢ €  (Chudgar). The expansion of horror not only pays those who produce but it also pushes the special effects industry. Nowadays you cannot have a successful horror movie without pulling off a few impressive special effects tricks. The better the tricks, the moreRead MoreAnalysis Of The Film Lion1366 Words   |  6 Pagesand checks on the train tracks for work. When Saroo wakes up from his nap, Guddu is nowhere to be found. Saroo started screaming out for his brother and he is nowhere to be found, Saroo then crawls into the train and takes another nap but during his sleep, the train takes off miles away to a city named Kolkata,1000 miles away from Saroo’s home. Saroo now has to learn how to survive in Kolkata without running into trouble with the police but ends up being put in an orphanage. Weeks later Saroo finallyRead MoreO Brother Where Art Thou1597 Words   |  7 PagesEnglish 101 April 12, 2008 Film Analysis â€Å"O Brother Where Art Thou† This old time musical theatrical movie clip was an insightful blast from the past that made you cherish those days where it was inconceivable to not be a gentlemen, and it was a down right shame to be anything less then an honest women. This old time movie with a new age attitude definitely strikes the funny bone of any modern day movie watcher. â€Å"The opening titles inform us that the Coen Brothers O Brother, Where Art Thou is basedRead MoreThe Big Lebowski3723 Words   |  15 PagesMike Preston Lisa Hemminger Art is Film 26 February 2010 â€Å"All the Dude ever wanted was his rug back† To the casual viewer The Big Lebowski, a 1998 film written by film maker brothers Ethan and Joel Coen and directed by Joel, would appear to be a comedy rip off of the 1940’s Los Angeles detective film The Big Sleep by Howard Hawks. It features a hippie dropout from the seventies named â€Å"the Dude† (Jeff Bridges) who gets caught up with his bowler buddies Walter (John Goodman) and Donny (SteveRead MoreEvaluation Of A New Model902 Words   |  4 Pagesstimulus has now created a want for a new pair of shoes. The second stage is information search which is the process of recalling past information in the memory. For example a person wants to watch a movie but does not know what to watch, so they look on Facebook and the local theater website to see the reviews are new movies. The third stage is evaluation of alternatives. In this stage buys use the information they have gather to create different groups of alternative items which is called a considerationRead MoreAna lysis Of Michael Patrick King s The City Franchise 1347 Words   |  6 PagesSamantha’s PR firm will endorse it. The bulk of the movie follows the ladies on their awkward vacation in the rigid Middle East and the life lessons learned there. Sex in the City 2 misses the mark in its latest attempt at the box office by choosing the location of Abu Dhabi of the United Arab Emirates, scripting a lazy floundering plot line and a movie length that could have been trimmed by more than a few minutes. The first and greatest downfall of this movie is simply the location. Sending the fullyRead MoreThe Island and Brave New World1430 Words   |  6 PagesShort introduction to the movie: The movie â€Å"The Island† takes place in the year 2019, where rich people can buy a â€Å"life-insurance† in form of a clone. The clones live separately under the earth in an old military site, where they have no acces to the real world. They have been told that they are the only survivors of a catastrophy that contaminated the whole world. They live separately under the observation of Dr. Merrick, the unscrupulous chief of the organisation. The clones are used for their

Alzheimer s Disease And Its Effects - 903 Words

Alzheimer’s Disease accounts for sixty to seventy percent of dementia cases. The disease starts slowly and gets worse over time. The most common symptoms are short term memory loss, trouble with language , moods swings , and loss of movement. Communication networks are controlled by neurons . Neurons are the chief cells that get destroyed by Alzheimer’s disease. In the brain, neurons connect and communicate at synapses where tiny bursts of chemicals called neurotransmitters carry info from one neuron to another neuron. Alzheimer’s disease disrupts this process and destroys synapses damaging the brains communication system ( Alzheimer’s Association, 2014). Alzheimer’s drugs work by regulating the†¦show more content†¦The first is Donepezil. The drug is very potent and it works by inhabiting AChE , the important neurotransmitters (Hodis, 2014). The drug helps reverse the decrease in brain function (Hodis, 2014). The second is Rivastigmine. It is approved to treat mild to moderate cases of Alzheimer’s Disease (Hodis,2014). The medicine is very simple. It improves mental function by decreasing the amount of neuronal lass and increasing amount of natural substances in the brain (Canner, 2014). The third drug is Galantomine. This drug is also prescribed for mild to moderate cases as well . It is a cholinesterase inhibitor meaning it does almost the same as the previous drug because it controls certain substances in the brain (Johnson, 2009). Alzheimer’s Disease is the degeneration of the cerebral cortex resulting in diffuse cortical atrophy (Johnson, 2009). The three main brain parts that Alzheimer’s disease affects are the cerebrum, cerebellum, and the brain stem (Alzheimer’s Association, 2014). When the inflammation and build-up gets to those parts of the brain it starts to break down the tissue , and when this happens brain cells decrease and neuronal loss begins (Alzheimer’s Associatio n, 2014). Alzheimer’s disease is the build up of amyloid plaques between nerve cells . Amyloid is a protein and beta amyloid is a protein fragment cut from another protein. In a healthy brain these plaques and in aShow MoreRelatedAlzheimer s Disease And Its Effects932 Words   |  4 PagesAlzheimer’s disease Alzheimer’s disease is a mental disorder that catches up to many while in middle or old age, due to generalized degeneration of the brain. It is the most common cause of premature senility. What causes this disease? Experts believe that Alzheimer s develops as a complex result of multiple factors rather than any one overriding cause. Alzheimer’s may result from the central nervous system including brain tumors, head injuries, and other diseases. They can also result form infectionsRead MoreThe Effects Of Alzheimer s Disease Essay1107 Words   |  5 PagesTopic: The effects of Alzheimer’s disease General Purpose: To inform Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the effects of Alzheimer’s Disease. Thesis Statement: Alzheimer’s disease adversely affects the patient’s brain, behavior, and daily life. I. Introduction A. Attention Material: At some point in the sixth grade, early one morning, at around 3 a.m., I woke up to an eerie feeling. I felt as though someone was watching me, and to my surprise, someone was. I woke up to a perplexed faceRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease And Its Effects1701 Words   |  7 Pages Alzheimer’s disease is predicted to affect 115 million people worldwide by the year 2050 (Aggarwal, Neelum). This debilitating disease was mostly in the dark to scientists until 2011 when they were finally able to develop a way to observe and study the development of the stages of Alzheimer’s. A lot is still largely unknown about the disease and current studies aim to categorize, provide infrastructure, provide early detection as well as research possible treatments for the disease (Aggarwal, Neelum)Read MoreAlzheimer s Disease And Its Effects1188 Words   |  5 Pages Alzheimer s disease is a cognitively degenerative disease with irreversible side effects. The disease was first discovered in 1901 by the late German psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer while he was working with a fifty year old patient by the name of Auguste D. Since the disease s discovery, scientists, psychiatrist, and many other medical professionals have worked diligently to learn more about the disease s effects and potential treatments to hinder its rapid progression. Alzheimer s disease isRead MoreEffects Of Alzheimer s Disease : Description Of The Disease1572 Words   |  7 PagesEffects of Alzheimer’s disease Description of the Disease Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder which attacks brain cells and neurons. This disease results in loss of memory, lower thinking capacity, loss of coordination and poor language skills. Alzheimer disease is majorly caused by brain cell death where neurons producing acetylcholine or neurotransmitters breaks connections with other nerve cell resulting to inflammation in the brain system connection (Munoz Feldman, 2012). WhenRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease And Its Effects1056 Words   |  5 Pages Alzheimer’s disease BEFORE AD Alzheimer’s isn’t new to us. The name just changed. Before Alzheimer’s was dementia. That has been around for quite some time. For the bizarre behavior of humans with dementia, people began to do spiritual â€Å"treatment† to people. Putting the patient in asylums. Back then people did not worry about the disease because they would only live for about 30 years (Kelly,2008). In the eighteenth century, a French doctor named Mr. Pinel believed that mental illnesses had aRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease And Its Effects Essay1402 Words   |  6 Pagesused to describe a disease or disorder that affects brain functioning by a decline in metal ability that can progress enough to interfere with daily life. There are different forms of dementia, such as Huntington’s, Parkinson’s, Vascular, and Frontotemporal, but the number one type of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, one in nine Americans older than the age of 65 currently have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversibleRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease And Its Effects On Society1009 Words   |  5 PagesAlzheimer’s disease, also known as AD is often insidious on set, it can take months up to years to go from a mild to severe impairment. (Mayeux, 2010) The disease is irreversible and has no cure. â€Å"The disease affects 500,000 Canadians, 71,000 of those are under the age of 65† (VanDenBroek, 2013). AD affects the person by impacting their neurological function, their cognition and their behaviour. Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder, it affects two pathological hallmarks: amyloidRead MoreThe And Its Effects On Alzheimer s Disease Essay1311 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"more than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease† and this number is expected to triple by the year 2050. The AA website states that Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death in our country with 1 in 3 seniors dying from Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia. Because this disease effects so many people and because its symptoms are so devastating, scientists are continually searching for the cause of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in attempt to find treatment or a cure. Some scientistsRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease And Its Effects1575 Words   |  7 PagesAbstract: According to data available from the Alzheimer’s foundation every 67 seconds someone develops Alzheimer’s disease and currently at least 5.3 million people are affected by the disease. The numbers are expected to grow as 75 million baby boomers transition into retirement by 2030. Alzheimer disease is a brain disorder that causes decay and dis- function of neurons resulting in memory loss, speech and language impairment. This can also extend to challenges in physical and social behavioural

The American Dream By James Truslow Adams - 1406 Words

This so called, â€Å"American dream.† Is it still around, waiting to be achieved by those who work hard enough? Is it effectively dead, killed off by the Great Recession and the economic struggling that many Americans have come to face in this day and age? There are alarming instances and facts, including trillions of dollars lost in the stock market (Paradise, 2009). These losses combined with the unquestionably high unemployment in the past few years, have contributed to seemingly dismal prospects for prosperity in the United States, I strongly support in the belief that the American dream is still very much alive. In fact, the original term â€Å"American Dream† was said during the Great Depression by James Truslow Adams, who wrote that the American dream â€Å"is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability and achievement, regardless of social class or circumstances of birt h† (1931). I would say the American Dream today is a little different as the potential to work for an honest, secure way of life and save for the future. Many liberal economists and activists say that the American Dream is a lost cause as well as dead, but I would recommend to them that the American dream is more alive than it ever was before. It is the key to climbing out of the Great Recession, to overcome all odds and circumstances in one’s life and also to ultimately obtain â€Å"having it all.† Looking at our delicateShow MoreRelatedThe American Dream By James Truslow Adams1243 Words   |  5 Pagesspike in questionable practices further withheld the American Dream from those wishing to achieve it the way it was intended, through hard work and perseverance. In 1931, James Truslow Adams defined the American Dream, â€Å"life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement†, regardless of one s class or circumstances of birth. More and more people were being denied the American Dream every, yet they still strived to make something ofRead MoreThe American Dream By James Truslow Adams1130 Words   |  5 Pagesof the American Dream. The American Dream has changed dramatically over the few centuries. During the Founding Fathers’ time, many believed the American Dream meant freedom, equality, and mutual respect. Time has changed this ideology of the American Dream, which is now seen as owning a mill ion dollar mansion with multiple luxury cars. This isn’t the case for many immigrants who come to the Americas to have a better life for themselves and their family. To many of them, the American Dream is as simpleRead MoreJames Truslow Adams : The American Dream1800 Words   |  8 PagesThe American Dream The American Dream was something everyone wanted to achieve in the 1930’s; however, many people did not get there because they either gave up, or did not find what they were looking for. Many people were just looking to get away and find their own happiness so they made their own American Dream. As historian James Adams said ... a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest statureRead MoreThe American Dream By James Truslow Adams Essay1886 Words   |  8 PagesJames Truslow Adams in 1931 coined the term â€Å"The American Dream† in his book The Epic of America (Michels, n.d., para. 1). He wrote of an America that offered freedom of religion, and speech, as well as political and social opportunities that few other countries offered. However, according to Eva Michels, â€Å"The American Dream† means something different for each individual, it refers to the way of li fe that Americans strive for and have equal rights to achieve regardless of social class or nationalityRead MoreThe American Dream By James Truslow Adams1707 Words   |  7 PagesThe American Dream, coined by James Truslow Adams in 1931, had been a popular term that had; given motivation to the dissatisfied, reduced the influence of race and one’s social position on achieving their goals, advertised America as a land that offered an abundant amount of possibilities that no other country could match, and unified the country under the same desire of wealth and prosperity, even in times of great despair. Adams had constructed the idea, â€Å"...that American dream of a better, richerRead MoreThe American Dream By James Truslow Adams803 Words   |  4 PagesThe term â€Å" The American Dream† can be coined to historian James Truslow Adams in the early 1930’s. Adams believed that the true commitment for the American society was based of material success that was o btained by individual competition of the citizens. Furthermore, stating that the American citizens had been conditioned to desire success, with an honest belief that it was possible for one to achieve it. This was possible because the very principles that American society represented, helped eachRead MoreThe American Dream By James Truslow Adams1500 Words   |  6 PagesThe American Dream is the sole reason that millions of people decided to come to this country, whether it be generations ago, or last week. But even so, this shared dream faces problems. To solve the problem, the American Dream has to be defined. James Truslow Adams, author of the 1931 book The Epic of America, was the first person to mention and therefore define the American Dream. He established it as: â€Å"[T]hat dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, withRead MoreJames Truslow Adams And The American Dream1392 Words   |  6 Pages While the idea of the American Dream became more popular during the 17th to 20th centuries, the achievability remained elusive due to a static and hierarchical social order that prevailed throughout this time. Thus, the tireless claims of the New Left for a reformed society are supported by the unchanging accessibility of the American Dream. In his book The Epic of America (1931), James Truslow Adams defined the American Dream as â€Å"that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer andRead MoreJames Truslow Adams And The American Dream1371 Words   |  6 Pagesand dreams. Although this is a simple concept, how one must work to achieve these goals is much more complicated. Everyone is born into a different situation and the opportunities they are exposed to differ depending on the person. The original idea of the â€Å"American Dream† supported the idea that all American citizens are able to obtain a better life than they are currently living; however, that idea is continuously changing and many interpret their own dream in different ways. James Truslow AdamsRead MoreThe American Dream By James Truslow Adams1577 Words   |  7 PagesThe American Dream Lives On Since 1776, the â€Å"American Dream† has continued to evolve. Originally, our forefathers intended the American Dream to be a country where individuals were free from the tyranny of royalty and nobility, working as a part of a whole, making everyone comfortable and happy - all men created equal with equal opportunity. Over the years, this original intent has continued to change. In 1931, James Truslow Adams stated that the American Dream means that, â€Å"life should be better

Southwest Internal Analysis Free Essays

Southwest Airlines Internal Analysis Introduction This internal business analysis is on Southwest Airlines, which was founded in 1967 by Rollin King and Herb Kelleher. The main focus for Southwest Airlines was to provide low cost flights for their customers, and also have exceptional customer satisfaction. Southwest is a leading airline company that continues to do well in an industry that has been historically challenging. We will write a custom essay sample on Southwest Internal Analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now For instance, in the span of two years (2005-2007) five major airlines have filed for bankruptcy. The challenges are great in the airline industry, because competitors are trying to imitate the â€Å"low-cost† offering of Southwest. Many companies have tried to do what Southwest has done, and many have failed to stay in business. Surprisingly, many of those companies were started by ex-employees of Southwest. Southwest currently has a profitability record for the past thirty six years, which is spectacular in such a challenging industry. Herb Kelleher has been replaced by Gary C. Kelly, as the president when he resigned in May of 2008. Southwest is in the process of expanding the locations they serve so that they can increase market share, and also find ways to cut costs without losing their quality. In order for southwest to continue their consecutive financial success there is a necessity for excellence in the execution process of their strategy. Business Level Strategy The business level strategy (BLS) that Southwest focuses on is Cost Leadership. They are the leading airline in the United States for providing low-cost fares to their broad customer base. Southwest has found innovative ways to reduce cost within their cost structure enabling them to offer lower fares than competitors and still maintain a profit. One way that has helped Southwest save time and money is their standardization of their airline fleet. This tactic is known as the â€Å"one-model-fleet† by the airline. Having a single airplane model in a fleet has allowed Southwest to â€Å"lower inventory, record keeping and maintenance costs, and it minimizes the number of technical manuals, tools and spare parts. † Another methodology that has layed an important role in their thirty six years of profitability is their fuel hedging practices they’ve practiced since the late nineties. This tactic has saved the company millions of dollars, and in 2007 alone has saved the company 727 million dollars. Another cost saving measure that Southwest has implemented is the use of blended winglets on all of their 737-700’s models. This change is supposed to improve performance by extending the airplanes range, saving fuel, and lowering engine maintenance costs and reducing takeoff noise. More recently, Southwest began to use EcoPower engine wash services. This is going to allow Southwest to save an estimated $20 million dollars in fuel costs. All of these tactics by Southwest are designed to save on expenses that they incur doing business. Many airlines cut cost by laying off employees, but Southwest has established a â€Å"no layoff policy† that is currently still in effect. This shows how committed the company is to their employees, and how they are an integral part of their business. Resources Southwest has plenty of resources that have contributed to their success as an airline company. Their intangible resources have created their competitive advantage in relation to their competitors. The reason for that is the simple fact that their tangible resources are not difficult to replicate. It’s the technique that Southwest uses to connect their resources that has enabled them to be successful in the airline industry. Their tangible and intangible resources are as follows: Tangible: The main tangible resources that Southwest has are its training center, employees, headquarter facility, acquisitions, partnerships, take off and landing spots, frequent flyer reward program, self-service check-in kiosks, and their fleet aircrafts. In 1986, Southwest opened a multi-million dollar training center for their flight crews. As all businesses, employees are necessary if you’re conducting business on a large scale. The connection between Southwest and its customers are their employees, which makes the employees role that much more important. Although, the employees are tangible, the culture of the employees is intangible aspect that has been difficult for competitors to imitate. The training center for their employees was an investment Southwest made early on knowing its importance to the long term success for the company. The headquarters for Southwest is another tangible resource, which is located in Dallas. The headquarter similar to many other companies allow top management to effectively communicate the organizational goals of the company. Acquisitions and partnerships that Southwest has completed throughout their duration allow the company to expand their services to more than 64 cities in the United States, and obtain more take-off and landing spots. The frequent flyer program is another tangible resource that Southwest possesses, but interestingly has not had a major impact on Southwest’s bottom line. With the help of IBM, Southwest was able to offer about 250 self-service check-in kiosks. The reason for having the kiosks for their customers was to reduce the amount of time the customers spend in line and to improve the airport experience. In the very beginning, Southwest only had 3 Boeings in their lineup but now they have more than 243 aircrafts in their lineup. Intangible: The main intangible resources that Southwest has are its brand, unique culture, and reputation. Southwest has a brand that is known widely when referencing the airplane industry. The brand that they represent is one that is reliable, convenient, employee centered, customer oriented, and at the same time providing a low cost alternative to their customers. This has helped dramatically in their formation of their culture, because even in the beginning their main focus has been on its employees. Southwest has a culture that is unmatched in the industry, and one of the main reasons they have been wildly successful in a challenging environment. Early on Southwest made the decision to sell one of their airplanes rather than laying off their employees to show their loyalty to its employees. All of these factors have enabled the company to maintain a reputation that is respected among the industry. The reputation that they have has enabled them to reap the benefits of being recognized as a leader in the industry. For example, Southwest has earned several Triple Crown awards, which is an award for having the best on-time record, best baggage handling, and fewest customer complaints. Outcomes from Combinations of the Criteria for Sustainable Competitive Advantage: Is the Resource of Capability Valuable? | Is the Resource or Capability Rare? | Is the Resource or Capability Costly to imitate? Is the Resource or Capability Nonsubstitutable? | Competitive Consequences| Performance Implications| No| No| No| No| Competitive disadvantage| Below-average returns| Yes| No| No| Yes/No| Competitive parity| Average returns| Yes| Yes| No| Yes/No| Temporary competitive advantage| Average returns to above-average returns| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes/No| Sustainable competitive advantage| Above-ave rage returns| Result from the chart: Capabilities The capabilities of Southwest Airlines are the origin of the firm’s ability to create a competitive advantage over other airlines in industry. Southwest focuses on three main functional areas within the organization, which are management, human resources, and marketing. Management The management capabilities of Southwest Airlines are the main reason why the company has been so profitable, utilizing an effective low cost organizational structure throughout the entirety of the company. Using only one type of plane fleet, the Boeing 737 series, which allows minimizing inventory and resources needed for training, maintenance, parts, and is also a very reliable plane. This helps in the quick turnaround times at the gates, which keeps more planes in the air at any given point in time. In the 1990’s Southwest employed an aggressive fuel hedging tactic saving the company millions of dollars in hard times, while still being able to provide low ticket prices to consumers. Another important area management focuses on is the management of human resources that emphasis both employees and customer alike. Human Resources Focusing on customer service, Southwest Airlines opened a multi-million dollar training facility for its flight crews in 1986. The heart of this training facility is to promote human capitol and share knowledge throughout company. By focusing first on their own employees, southwest can ensure that the employees will then focus on the customer. Through motivation and empowerment in the training of its employees, Southwest can provide customers a comfortable experience while retaining employees and making it hard for competitors imitate. This is proven with its Triple Crown Award for best on-time record, best baggage handling, and least customer complaints. Marketing One way to promote value and differentiate itself from competitors is Southwest’s humorous advertisements. Exercising the LUV ticker symbol, Southwest promotes its customer driven services and prices. While in the late 1980’s Southwest started a rewards program that has retained loyal customers, but has not been proven successful for leisure travelers. With the low cost abilities, timeliness flights, rewards, and focus on the customer, Southwest Airlines has carried out an exceptional marketing strategy. Core Competencies Employee Loyalty Within the first two years of operation Southwest suffered huge losses and had to make some major financial decisions. These decisions lead to the selling off an aircraft and keep all of the employees created the â€Å"no lay off policy†. Then in 1973 Southwest was one of the first companies to incorporate profit sharing where employees owned at least 8% of the company stock. This leads to higher employee satisfaction, retention rate, and increases the want for the company to do well, this way the employees focus more on creating value for the customer. Management Skills Southwest Airlines management has tailored numerous sets of activities around a low cost structure creating value for the customer. With short domestic, point-to-point flights, no additional in flight features and no seat reservations allows for a short turnaround time, which makes for less crowded airports and maximizes flight time. Along with fuel hedging and low maintenance costs, the design of these best-fit activities show that the excellent management skills are a core competency that creates a competitive advantage over other airlines. Conclusion Through the intertwining of its resources, Southwest Airlines has created a unique set of capabilities and competencies that has continuously allowed successful implementation of its business level strategy. With a focus on low-cost leadership and customer service, Southwest Airlines creates value with reliable on-time departures and a unique company culture. This provides a sustainable competitive advantage that is hard for competitors to imitate and provides a string foundation for Southwest Airlines’ future success. How to cite Southwest Internal Analysis, Essay examples

Accounting in Statistics Business Research Method

Question: Discuss about theAccounting in Statistics Business Research Method. Answer: Introduction: The more and more Australian companies are including a section of performance highlight in their annual reports. This snaps shot provides a summary of the annual performance of the companies. This is not a statutory requirement so management of the company has full discretion whether to include the performance highlight in the report and the earning figures that are to be shown in the highlight (Business Insider 2016). The management can choose the GAAP earning measures or the Non GAAP earning measures or combination of both to be shown in the performance highlight section of the report. The GAAP earning are calculated based on accounting standards and the non-GAAP earnings are not based on accounting standards (Curtis et al. 2013). The non-GAAP earning generally excludes certain earnings and transactions that are required to be included in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standard. It has been found that inclusion of the non-GAAP financial measures helps investors to better analyse the company. This report intends to show the importance of declaring the Non GAAP earning and to study its implications. Literature Review The organisations performance, financial conditions and cash flow can be better analysed if the non-GAAP earning are disclosed. There are studies conducted that have shown that inclusion of the non proforma earning helps to reduce error in the forecasted value and is also helpful in reducing dispersion in the year (Johnson et al. 2014). The research also shows that use of non-GAAP earning cautions the investors in the fundamental analysis of the company. The companies are required to declare whether the assumptions are based on historical data or future measures. The companies are also required to declare the assumptions that are not in accordance with the Generally Accepted Accounting Principle (Malone et al. 2016). Empirical Evidence The empirical evidence to show the effectiveness of GAAP regulations is mixed. It is found by many that the Non GAAP earnings are significantly higher than the GAAP earning therefore it is believed by many that the investors are misled by those higher figures. There are others who opines that the notion that investors are misled by the Non GAAP disclosure are unjustified and doubtful. Experimental Approach The recent behavioural research has shown that the judgement of the non professional investors are influenced by the presence of Non GAAP earnings before GAAP earnings. The study conducted by the Moser in 1989 found that the assessment of whether the earning of a company will increase depends on the order of information provided. The recent research conducted by the Elliot in 2006 found that non-professional investors are influenced by the emphasis put by management on the Non GAAP earnings. This is mitigated by the presence of a quantitative reconciliation. Research Questions and Hypotheses Research Questions The problems that are relevant to the recent problems are prepared in the form of questions in this report: What are the issues of financial reporting related to present GAAP standards? What disclosures are essential that are to be made in the non GAAP financial reporting? What are the disclosure requirement in the non GAAP accounting standards that are not included in the GAAP standard? Who are the stakeholders that will benefit from the Non GAAP financial reporting? Hypotheses H-1: The existence of the GAAP and the non-GAAP in the financial report helps investors to analyse the financial statements better. H-0: The existence of the GAAP and Non GAAP disclosure will not benefit the investors in analysing the financial statements. Operational Definitions and Measurement The two companies Quantas Group and Perficient Inc are chosen from the ASX. The GAAP and Non GAAP earnings that are highlighted in their annual accounts report and are used to measure their performance (Phx.corporate-ir.net 2016). Research Methodologies: Data Collection and Analysis Sampling Techniques The primary method of collecting data is the qualitative analysis of various issues that are discussed in the contemporary accounting. The research are conducted by collecting data from different sources so that various component of the non GAAP financial reporting could be known. The primary data that are collected is based on the interview conducted of various investors. In order to decide the usefulness of the disclosure of Non GAAP earning various journals, articles, websites and the financial reports of the companies are analysed (Skadden et al. 2012). The journals are reviewed to show the importance of disclosure of Non GAAP earning. The journals of Elizabeth A. Rains bury The impact of the FMA guidelines of Non GAAP earning disclosure was studied. Further the journal of Bowen, R.M., Davis, A.K. and Matsumoto Emphasis on pro forma versus GAAP earnings in quarterly press releases: Determinants, SEC intervention, and market reactions was studied and analysed. The primary sources of collecting the informations are to extract it from the annual report of the companies (Rainsbury and Hart 2014). Method of Analysis The data analysis techniques used are based on simple and random sampling. The simple random technique is best suited for analysing the financial informations using GAAP. The sample datas are collected based on both the positive and negative response relating to the benefits of the non-GAAP disclosures. In the method of conducting the research, the first step is to identify the several issues that are present in the GAAP standard of reporting the financial information. The importances of the non-GAAP financial declarations are also identified. These analyses are conducted by collecting primary data through questionary method. The importance of the non-GAAP reportings are analysed through reviewing journals (Venter et al. 2014). Research Process The research processes that are followed to answer the questions raised in the research proposal and to support the hypothesis. The first stage in the research is to determine the GAAP requirement. The second stage is to ascertain the non-GAAP disclosure requirement so that GAAP and Non GAAP information can be compared and evaluated. Then by using sampling techniques two companies are chosen from the Australian Stock Exchange to conduct the research. The listed companies are required to follow the GAAP method of reporting so the companies that provided proforma income along with GAAP income should be selected from the stock exchange for research. The companies that are selected are then analysed based on the data obtained from the interview of non-professional investors. The reported income under the GAAP and Non GAAP requirements are also analysed in the light of the financial information need of the investor. The aim of the research process is to help answer the question raised in the report and to address the hypothesis. Expected Outcomes After the research is conducted, it is expected that all the research questions raised will be answered. It is expected that the role of the directors in proving the non-gap informations will be substantially analysed. The research will also help to answer the usefulness of the non-gap informations. The research aims to clearly answer the difference between the GAAP and Non GAAP financial requirements. It is expected that after the research is conducted the hypothesis that the investors will be benefited from the inclusion of the Non GAAP informations will be prove to be corrected. Conclusion It can be concluded that the above research will help to understand the difference between the GAAP and Non GAAP requirements of the standards. The research questions and hypothesis that are raised in the research will be adequately addressed through the research procedures applied. References Business Insider. (2016). Chart of the Day: Here's How You Should Think About 'Adjusted' Earnings. [online] Available at: https://www.businessinsider.in/CHART-OF-THE-DAY-Heres-How-You-Should-Think-About-Adjusted-Earnings/articleshow/27979957.cms [Accessed 15 Aug. 2016]. Curtis, A.B., McVay, S.E. and Whipple, B.C., 2013. The disclosure of Non-GAAP earnings information in the presence of transitory gains. The Accounting Review, 89(3), pp.933-958. Johnson, A., Percy, M., Stevensonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Clarke, P. and Cameron, R., 2014. The Impact of the Disclosure of Nonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ GAAP Earnings in Australian Annual Reports on Nonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Sophisticated Users. Australian Accounting Review, 24(3), pp.207-217. Malone, L., Tarca, A. and Wee, M., 2016. IFRS nonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ GAAP earnings disclosures and fair value measurement. Accounting Finance, 56(1), pp.59-97. Phx.corporate-ir.net.(2016).Perficient-InvestorRelations -Financial Reports. [online] Available at: https://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml%3Fc%3D83872%26p%3Dirol-reports [Accessed 15 Aug. 2016]. Rainsbury, E.A. and Hart, C., 2014. The Impact of the FMA Guidelines of Non-GAAP Earnings Disclosures. Unpublished working paper. Skadden, A., Slate, M. and Flom, L.L.P., 2012. Corporate Finance Alert. Venter, E.R., Emanuel, D. and Cahan, S.F., 2014. The Value Relevance of Mandatory Nonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ GAAP Earnings. Abacus, 50(1), pp.1-24.