Critically discuss the role of women in Luke-Acts Essay

Critically discuss the role of women in Luke-Acts - Essay Example Conversely, the interpretation of Luke’s Gospel has often been viewed as highlighting the passive and silent role of women, thereby supporting the importance of the male leaders (Seim, 1994, p.173). This debate has further led to the argument that whilst women may be seen as â€Å"prophets† in the private domain, the symbolic role of this representation simply serves to highlight the public prophetic role of men (Levine & Blickenstaff, 2004, p.67). The biblical criticism in this area is additionally fuelled by the fact that notwithstanding the express role of women in the Luke Gospel, there is clearly a dichotomy between the Luke Gospel and the Acts. Indeed, Seim highlights that whilst women are clearly visible within the content of the Gospel their role is negligible and effectively silenced in the Acts (Seim, 1994, p.173). The focus of this analysis is to critically evaluate the role of women in the Luke Acts. In doing so I shall adopt a contextual approach with reference to feminist theology and the appurtenant feminist issues raised by the Luke Acts. As an initial observation it is important to highlight that Luke’s Gospel comprises part of the Canon of the New Testament and was selected on grounds of its theological emphasis correlating with the other books of the New Testament, particularly the Synoptic gospels (D’Angelo, 1990, p.442). Additionally, Luke’s Gospel is widely recognised as part of a two piece work in conjunction with the Book of Acts (Reid, 1996, p.95). In contrast to the other Gospels, Luke is most notable for according an overt and prominent role to women as they are main characters in the birth, infancy narratives and the resurrection appearances, which is unique to Luke (Corley, 1993: 15). Furthermore, Luke makes reference to 13 women that are not mentioned in the other Gospels (Corley, 1993: 25). However, the significance attached to the representation of women in Luke is somewhat undermined by Seim’s emphasis on the

Depression in adolescents Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Depression in adolescents - Essay Example Some researchers have suggested that "even among psychiatrists . . . the extent of the disability caused by depression is vastly underestimated." (Empfield, 2001) Further, it is logical to argue that "major depression causes more long-term human misery than any other single disease." (Empfield, 2001) Diagnosing and treating such a disease as early as possible in an individual's life may enable it to be effectively eradicated for their later years. While some early childhood depression does occur, the condition mainly appears in the teenage years. It will remain with the patient, become episodic or cause drastic symptoms such as suicide if it is left untreated. The causes of depression in general are still somewhat controversial within the medical community: situational and biological theories often conflict, while those that argue for a situational and biological cause are perhaps gaining ground. The physical features of the brain of person suffering from depression/who are liable to depression. As Cynthia Haines puts it, "there is absolute proof that people suffering from depression have changes in their brains . . . the hippocampus, a part of the brain that is vital to the storage of memories, is small in those people." (Haines, 2005) A smaller hippocampus has less serotonin receptors, and it appears that serotonin is important for the brain to communicate with the body, as well as a regulator of mood. A lack of serotonin appears to cause depression. There are also genetic causes of depression, or at least the propensity to become depressed seems to run in families. As Haines (2005) puts it, "children, siblings and parents of people with severe depression are much more likely to suffer from depression than are members of the general population." However, despite current searching, scientists have yet to discover the gene that may cause depression. (Alpert, 2005) The fact that both psychosocial and biological factors cause and maintain depression seems accepted, but the exact manner in which they combine is not certain. One reason that teenagers appear to suffer from more depression than other groups may be the 'quality of life' estimates that individuals constantly make. As Miller et al (2005) suggest, "quality of life reflects the patient's overall perceived satisfaction or quality. . . ". Teenagers often have a much lower perception of their lives than other age-groups, due to the physical, emotional, psychological and economic changes that are occurring to them. Teenage depression may express itself in different ways than adult depression. Thus teenagers may exhibit "additional psychiatric disorders, such as behavior disorders or substance abuse problems." (www.focusus.com) Often these additional symptoms seem to swamp the signs of depression and so the teenager may be treated (and/or disciplined) for the symptoms of depression when in fact the cause is not looked at. Thus a teenager who is suffering from depression may drink alcohol excessively, indulge in highly risky behavior or take drugs. These acts will be more visible than the underlying depression, and so are easier to latch onto for parents, school authorities and the police. Another complication is the fact that parents need to be able to identify the

Alcohol and Family Violence Essay Example for Free

Alcohol and Family Violence Essay Alcohol and family Violence has been an issues with families for many years, these are two demons that some just can’t break, families have been experiencing the traumatic of one’s physical uncontrollable actions. Alcohol has become one’s stress reliever in all views that it began to take over one’s way of thinking and reaction, this is ways individuals express their evil thoughts and the sad thing it that the abuse of alcohol has a domino effect on their children’s as they become adults and parents later in life. If community members understand violence differently, their responses may be inconsistent and even harmful to victims. (Advocate. Minnesota, (2003)). Almost 6,500 children across the world have been a victim of family violence which leads up to being in a single parent home, One in three children globally (30%) said as leader of their country; they would tackle violence by improving law and order. For children in developing countries, improving education (17%) was the next priority (compared with just 6% of children in developed countries). (2003). Child Fund.) Finally, a 1991 study in the United States found that the average amount of alcohol consumed prior to the use of violence was only a few drinks, which â€Å"suggests that the act of drinking may be more related to woman abuse than the effect of alcohol.† Two other studies indicate that drug use is more strongly correlated to domestic violence than is alcohol. (2003). Child Fund.) Improving their self-esteem, they abuse the victim physically, emotionally, and sometimes, sexually. Another key factor in wife abuse is alcohol. When the man is stressed, he turns to alcohol to relieve it. Little does he know that the alcohol makes him more irritable? He started really drinking excessively and that is when the abuse started. He had been drinking I sat down to read the paper and he wanted his supper . . . he kicked the c at to the ceiling, he started slapping my face with both hands, (Berger, 1990, pg. 42). So, if youre in an abusive relationship what is the best way to get out and stop of the battering abuse? After notorious acts of abuse, usually, the woman will finally realize that the situation will never get better. Basically there  are three basic reasons why women leave a violent relationship: Educated themselves about the necessary available help, being faced with the impact on their children (mentally, physical, sexually and courage to know when enough is enough) and women having a tolerance level of abuse. (Berger, 1990, pg. 48). Family Violence is Willfully or knowingly placing, or attempting to place, a family member in fear of hurt, causing hurt, wrongful confinement or restraint against the family member’s will or continual harassment which causes anguish.. A family member can be your spouse or ex-spouse, child (including adopted and step child), sibling, parent or in-law. Now there are many factors that contribute to family violence, the most commonly seen are th e characteristics of the abused and the abuser. There is no one specific country or culture that is more abusive than another, abuse is spread across countries, cultures, socio-economic statuses, races, religion and ethnic groups (Goldman, Salus, Wolcott Kennedy, 2009). For example, one may be very educated and well-kept but if unable to control behavior caused by emotions, he may be abusive. While if one may be poor and lowly educated, if he is well controlled in his behaviors and emotions, he will then not be abusive. More often, in cases of child abuse, the abuser usually a parent, father or mother, could be one who may be in situations of stress or someone who simply cannot control their emotions, anger. In a paper written by Professor Harry J. Gaynor (1998), in 1,356 cases of child abuse reported by National Burn Victim Foundation, there were 176 spontaneous cases, of which 97% of them are parents that are known to have aggressive response behavior. There are two kinds of aggressive response, active and passive. Active aggressive behaviors do not have concern over the impact that anger will have to the abused, this translates to actions of hurting the abused verbally, could be hurling hurtful words, humiliating, and physically, hitting the abused. While the passive aggressive response behaviors are those that have cooped up, suppressing negative emotions of a length of time and a blow up or breakdown can be expected, this translates to behavior of neglect and not paying attention to the abused (Gaynor, 1998). Children are victims of adult’s uncontrollable behavior of anger. As much as we blame abusers, and we should look at their background and past, that when they were children were tormented as well. Baltimore County, Maryland Police Department (2012),  shared some facts about child abusing inmates, that 84% of them were abused as children, families with more than four children have higher rates of abused and neglect, more than 80% of the abusers are parent or someone the child is close to and parents on drugs is physically abused regularly. There are parental histories and the cycle of abuse that we have to factor into the characteristics of the abuser. Many of these individuals who are maltreating their own children were victims of abuse and neglect themselves. (Goldman et al., 2003). There is no major difference in percentage of perpetrators being female or male. An apparent close percentage of 50% and 58% of mothers and fathers are found to abuse their own children. However, while single mothers are accused of child neglect, many fathers who abandon the child are almost never considered in the neglect (Newton, 2001). Abuse often happen in environment or family situation where it is overcrowded, usually happens with families with more than four children. If the living conditions are cramped and isolated and parents do not hold proper stable jobs, the chances of abuse in those families, whether parent-child or sibling abuse may occur (Baltimore County, Maryland Police Department, 2012). From the Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders (n.d.), some causes of abuse at times are simply due to parent’s ignorance of developmental stages. This ignorance can lead to frustration and eventually aggressive behaviors. They are under stress because their child has issues with toilet training or not meeting their expectations. Understanding developmental stages can help parents to understand their child’s learning curve better and they will learn to cope with their expectation. Another cause is mental disorders, parent with depression, personality disorders or anxiety disorder etc., can affect their ability to care for their children. The abused, children as the focus, can contribute toward family violence toward themselves and they may never know it. Disabled children, children with mental disorders, children with development disorders, hyperactive children are all at a higher risk compared to a healthy child in receiving abuse. These children have needs that are special, if they do not attain required needs, manner of communication from them can be highly distressing. According to Sullivan (1996) from the Boys Town National Research Hospital, children with disabilities are found to be at greater risk of abuse and neglect compared to children without disabilities (Official Journal of the American Academy  of Pediatrics, 2001). Children with disabilities of any form may be unable to retort, have no understanding that they are abused or cannot communicate the happenings of the abuse may have issues because adults know that they can get away with it because their abuses will not be reported. Knowing one can get away with it makes it easier to push through the abuse compared to risking the child complaining to others about the abuse. Children although still the ultimate victims whether or not they are the cause of the abuse and abused children and the abuser may have much effect in the society. There are long term effects surrounding family violence and any forms of family violence have effects to both the abused and the abuser. Some of the effects are physical and neurobiological, cognitive and emotional and social and educational. First, physical and neurological damages are the visible effects on a child, direct trauma from physical abuse can cause ruptured organs and even possible brain deformity or retardation. Neglect will cause the child to be underfed and/or nutritional deficit, the child will have slow growth rate and development of the physical and brain would be unhealthy. This makes deficient in mental growth as well. Repeated trauma produces changes in the neurochemistry of the brain that affects memory formation. This causes the person to will time to time continually getting flashbacks of fragmented memories of emotions throughout their life. Cognitive and emotional damages are relative unseen. Some children resort into extreme methods to deal with the trauma tic experiences. Some lash out at people around them and themselves. Some become depressed and do things that make them feel better, example by taking drugs and alcohol, some even go to the extent of attempting suicide. Bonding and attachments with their parents or people in general may cease and understanding of the abusing behavior might become permanent if assistance does not come. Children that have been abused also show no concern when someone else is under distress, they may even result to behave in ways like hitting the other child the same way their abuser did to them (Sigelman Rider, (2012). A social and educational effect becomes obvious when the child become less sociable or not sociable at all, isolating himself. The child may also become distrustful toward people in general making them unable to properly have a normal relationship. Due to this, the child will grow up having issues with self-esteem, have low level of confidence. Behaviorally, some children may  grow up to become abusive or they become isolated (Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders, n.d.). Some of the children who do not seek and have support to recovery may consider what they have been through has normal and appropriate. This is how the cycle of abuse goes on. Abused children are often emotionally and physically in pain at school; hence they are unable to concentrate at what they have to do, leading to them falling behind their grades. They find it hard to make friends and hence either become a bully or get bullied at school as well. Because of this, teachers at school might see them as a problematic child if they are not aware of the happenings that are going on at home. With society (school) labeling them as problematic and being abused at home by parents they are likely to feel rejected by everyone. Intervention as a Human Services Professional I would suggest that all family members seek counseling to express all issues and get to the root cause of the problem. When children are involved seeing a therapist with the family and without the parents would be one of my intervention to help their family, I would also have the parents go to parenting classes. Resource: Advocate. Minnesota, (2003).Alcohol and Domestic Violence. www.umn.edu/hutments/svaw/ domestic/link/alcohol.htm Attorney-General’s Chambers (31 October 2009). Interpretation of this Part. In Women’s Charter (Chapter 353, Section 64). Retrieved from http://statutes.agc.gov.sg Baltimore County, Maryland. (2 January 2013). Facts About Child Abuse. Retrieved from http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/police/community/abuse.html (2003). Child Fund. www.childfund.org.av/publication/new-childfund-survey-fines-assive-kids-blame-alcohol-number-one-cause-violence Gaynor, H. J. (1998). The Root of Child Abuse: Anger. Retrieved from http://www.aaets.org/article63.htm Goldman, J., Salus, M. K., Wolcott, D., Kennedy, K. Y. (2003). A Coordinated Response to Child Abuse and Neglect: The Foundation for Practice. Retrieved from https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/usermanuals/foundation/foundatione.cfm

Study of Business Companies in Colombo Stock Exchange

Study of Business Companies in Colombo Stock Exchange Capital structure is most significant discipline of companys operations. The Study attempts to identify the impact of Capital Structure on Companies Performance. The analyze has been made Financial year from 2005 to 2009 (05 years) financial year of Business companies in Sri Lanka. The results shown the relationship between the capital structure and financial performance is negative association at -0.114.. F and t values are 0.366, -0.605 respectively. It is reflect the insignificant level of the Business Companies in Sri Lanka. Hence Business companies mostly depend on the debt capital. So that, they have to pay interest expenses much. 1. Introduction To understand how companies finance their operations, it is necessary to examine the determinants of their financing or capital structure decisions. Company financing decisions involve a wide range of policy issues. At the private, they have implications for capital market development, interest rate and security price determination, and regulation. At the private, such decisions affect capital structure, corporate governance and company development (Green, Murinde Suppakitjarak, 2002). Knowledge about capital structures has mostly been derived from data from developed economies that have many institutional similarities (Booth 2001). It is important to note that different countries have different institutional arrangements, mainly with respect to their tax and bankruptcy codes, the existing market for corporate control, and the roles banks and securities markets play. Capital structure refers to a mixture of a variety of long term sources of funds and equity shares including reserves and surpluses of an enterprise. The historical attempt to building theory of capital structure began with the presentation by Modigliani miller (MM)(1958). They revealed the situations under what conditions that the Capital structure (CS) is relevant or irrelevant to the financial performance of the listed companies. most of the decision making process related to the CS are deciding factors when determining the CS, a number of issues e.g. cost, various taxes and rate, interest rate have been proposed to explain the variation in Financial Leverage across firms (Van Horne,1993; Hampton,1998; Titman Wessels,1998).these issues suggested that the depending on attributes that caused the cost of various sources of capital the firms select CS and benefits related to debt and equity financing The relationship between capital structure and financial performance is one that received considerable attention in the finance literature. How important is the concentration of control for the company performance or the type of investors exerting that control are questions that authors have tried to answer for long time prior studies show that capital structure has relating with corporate governance, which is the key issues of state owned enterprise. To study the effects of capital structure or financial performance, will help us to know the potential problems in performance and capital structure. 2. Literature Review Modigliani and Miller(M M)(1958) wrote a paper on the irrelevance of capital structure that inspired researchers to debate on this subject. This debate is still continuing. However, with the passage of time, new dimensions have been added to the question of relevance or irrelevance of capital structure. MM declared that in a world of frictionless capital markets, there would be no optimal financial structure (Schwartz Aronson, 1979). This theory later became known as the Theory of Irrelevance. In M Ms over-simplified world, no capital structure mix is better than another. M Ms Proposition-II attempted to answer the question of why there was an increased rate of return when the debt ratio was increased. It stated that the increased expected rate of return generated by debt financing is exactly offset by the risk incurred, regardless of the financing mix chosen. Brander and Lewis (1986) and Maksimovic (1988) provide the theoretical framework that links capital structure and market structure. Contrary to the profit maximization objective postulated in industrial organization literature, these theories are similar to the corporate finance theory in that they assume that the firms objective is to maximize the wealth of shareholders. Furthermore, market structure is shown to affect capital structure by influencing the competitive behavior and strategies of firms. Firms in an oligopolistic market will follow the strategy of maximizing their output in favorable economic conditions to optimize profitability (Brander Lewis 1986). The theory also holds in unfavorable economic conditions; firms would take a cut in production and reduce their profitability. Shareholders, though, while enjoying increased wealth in good periods, tend to ignore a decline in profitability in bad times. This is due to the fact that unfavorable consequences are passed in to lenders because of shareholders limited liability status. Therefore, the oligopolistic firms, in contrast to firms in competitive markets, would employ higher levels of debt to produce more when opportunities to earn higher profits arise. The implied prediction of the output maximization hypothesis is that capital structure and market structure have a positive relationship. In corporate finance, the agency costs theory supports the use of high debt, and it is consistent with the prediction of the outp ut maximization hypothesis. Jensen and Meckling (1976) argue that the shareholders-lenders conflict has the effect of shifting risk from shareholders and of appropriating wealth in their favor as they take on risky investment projects (asset substitution). Hence, shareholders, and managers as their agents, are prompted to take on more borrowing to finance risky projects. Lenders receive interest and principal if projects succeed, and shareholders appropriate the residual income; however, it is the lender who incurs the loss if the project fails. It is difficult and costly for debt holders to be able to assess and monitor Huson, and Nazrul Hisyam. (2008) examined that the relationship between ownership structure and company performance has been issue of interest among academics, investors and policy makers because of key issue in understanding the effectiveness of alternative governance system in which government ownership serve as a control mechanism. Therefore, this study examines the impact of alternative ownership/control structure of corporate governance on firm performance among government linked companied (GLCs) and Non-GLC in Malaysia. It is believed that government ownership serve as a monitoring device that lead to better company performance after controlling company specific characteristics. We used Tobins Q as market performance measure while ROA is to determine accounting performance measure. This study is based on a sample of 210 firms over a period from 1995 to 2005. We use panel based regression approach to determine the impact of ownership mechanism on firms performance. Findings appe ar to suggest that there is a significant impact of government ownership on company performance after controlling for company specific characteristics such as company size, non-duality, leverage and growth. The finding is off significant for investors and policy marker which will serve as a guiding for better investment decision. Mohammed Omran (2001) evaluates the financial and operating performance of newly privatized Egyptian state-owned enterprises and determines whether such performance differs across firms according to their new ownership structure. The Egyptian privatization program provides unique post-privatization data on different ownership structures. Since most studies do not distinguish between the types of ownership, this paper provides new insight into the impact that post-privatization ownership structure has on firm performance. The study covers 69 firms, which were privatized between 1994 and 1998. For these newly privatized firms, these study documents significant increases in profitability, operating efficiency, capital expenditures, and dividends. Conversely, significant decreases in employment, leverage, and risk are found, although output shows an insignificant decrease following privatization. The results also show that Egyptian state-owned enterprises, which were sold to anchor-inves tors and employee shareholder associations, seem to outperform other types of privatization, such as minority and majority initial public offerings. B.Nimalathasan and Brabete (2010) pointed out that Dept equity ratio is positively and strongly associated to all profitability ratios in Listed Manufacturing Companies. 3. Conceptual Frame Work Based on the Litteratures, the following conceptual model is constructed. It shows that hypotgesized the relationship between capital structure and Performance of listed Business companies in Sri Lanka Debt Equity CS GP NP FP ROE ROI 4. Objectives The main objective is to find out the impact of Capital Structure on Financial Performance of the Business companies in Srilanka. To achieve the above objective the following sub objective are considered To identify the relationship between capital structure and performance To determinants of a capital structure 5.0 Hypotheses The following hypothesis is formulated for the study H1:- The capital structure has significant impact on financial performance. H2:-Capital structure is significantly correlated with financial performance 6.0 Methodology To produce the above mentioned research objective, the data for this study was gathered from the financial statements as published by Business Companies. In addition, another source of data was through reference to the review of different articles, papers, and relevant previous studies. For this purpose, collecting data of Business firms is used which are listed on Colombo Stock Exchange.. All firms are taken for the study representing the period of 2005-2009, and the average values of each item was considered for the purpose of ratio computation and analysis. 6.1 Mode of Analysis 1.Capital structure Role of debt and equity Debt ÃÆ'—100 equity Debt ÃÆ'—100 Total funds Total funds 2.Financial Performance Gross profit Gross profit ÃÆ'—100 Net Sales Net Sales Net profit Net profit Net profit ÃÆ'—100 Sales ROA PAIT ÃÆ'—100 Assets ROI/ROCE Investment PBIT ÃÆ'—100 Equity 7. Results and Discussions 7.1 Correlation Analysis Correlation is concern describing the strength of relationship between two variables. In this study the correlation co-efficient analysis is under taken to find out the relationship between capital structure and financial performance. It can be said that the what relationship exist among variables Capital structure correlated with R value R2 value Gross profit 0.360 0.1296 Net profit 0.110 0.0121 ROI -0.104 0.0108 ROA -0.196 0.0384 Performance -0.114 0.0129 7.1.1 Capital structure and Gross profit Table I Variables Capital structure Gross profit Capital structure 1 0.360 Gross profit 0.360 1 It shows the relationship between gross profit and capital structure variables. There is a weak positive relationship between two variables. The correlation is 0.360. significant level is 0.01. the co-efficient of determination is 0.1296. that is only 12.96% of variance in the capital structure is accounted by the gross profit. So, There is a weak positive relationship between capital structure and gross profit 7.1.2 Capital structure and Net profit Table II Variables Capital structure Net profit Capital structure 1 -0.110 Net profit -0.110 1 It illustrates the relationship between net profit and capital structure variables. There is a weak negative relationship between two variables. The correlation is -0.110. Significant level is 0.01. The co-efficient of determination is 0.0121. That is only 1.21% of variance in the capital structure is accounted by the net profit. 7.1.3 Capital structure and ROI Table III Variables Capital structure ROI Capital structure 1 -0.104 ROI -0.104 1 It indicates the relationship between ROI and capital structure variables. There is a weak negative relationship between two variables. The correlation is -0.104. Significant level is 0.01. The co-efficient of determination is0.0108. that is only 1.08% of variance in the capital structure is accounted by the ROI. 7.1.4 Capital structure and ROA Table IV Variables Capital structure ROA Capital structure 1 -0.196 ROA -0.196 1 It shows the relationship between ROA and capital structure variables. There is a weak negative relationship between two variables. The correlation is -0.196 significant level is 0.01. the co-efficient of determination is 0.0384. that is only 3.84% of variance in the capital structure is accounted by the ROA. 7.1.5 Capital structure and Financial performance Table V Variables Capital structure Financial performance Capital structure 1 -0.114 Financial performance -0.114 1 It illustrates the relationship between performance and capital structure variables. There is a weak negative relationship between two variables. The correlation is -0.114. Significant level is 0.01. The co-efficient of determination is 0.0129. that is only 1.29% of variance in the capital structure is accounted by the performance. 7.2 Regression Analysis Regression analysis is used to test the impact of financial performance on capital structure of the listed companies traded in Colombo stock exchange 7.2.1 Capital structure and Gross profit Table VI Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std.Error of the Estimate 1 0.360a 0.129 0.098 0.32306 The above table shows the weak positive correlation between the capital structure and gross profit. Table VII Model Un standardized Coefficients Standardized Coefficients t sig B Std.Error Beta 1(constant) Capital structure 0.187 0.047 0.073 0.023 0.360 2.556 2.039 0.016 0.051 The above table indicates the coefficient of correlation between the capital structure and gross profit. multiple r2 is 0.1296. only 1.29% of variance of gross profit is accurate by the capital structure. But, remaining 98.21% of variance with gross profit is attributed to other factors. 7.2.2 Capital structure and Net profit Table VIII Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std.Error of the Estimate 1 0.110a 0.012 -0.023 0.36514 The above table shows the weak negative correlation between the capital structure and net profit. Table IX Model Un standardized Coefficients Standardized Coefficients t sig B Std.Error Beta 1(constant) Capital structure 0.124 -0.015 0.083 0.026 -0.110 1.498 -0.584 0.145 0.564 The above table indicates the coefficient of correlation between the capital structure and net profit. Multiple r2 is 0.012. Only 1.2% of variance of net profit is accurate by the capital structure. But, remaining 98.8 % of variance with net profit is attributed to other factors 7.2.3Capital structure and ROI Table X Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std.Error of the Estimate 1 0.104a 0.011 -0.025 115.19484 The above table shows the weak positive correlation between the capital structure and ROI. Table XI Model Un standardized Coefficients Standardized Coefficients t sig B Std.Error Beta 1(constant) Capital structure 31.283 -4.563 26.050 8.250 -0.104 1.201 -0.553 0.240 0.585 The above table indicates the coefficient of correlation between the capital structure and ROI. Multiple r2 is 0.011. Only 1.1% of variance of ROI is accurate by the capital structure. But, remaining 98.9% of variance with ROI is attributed to other factors 7.2.4 Capital structure and ROA Table XII Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std.Error of the Estimate 1 0.196a 0.039 0.004 0.10866 The above table shows the weak positive correlation between the capital structure and ROA. Table XIII Model Un standardized Coefficients Standardized Coefficients t sig B Std.Error Beta 1(constant) Capital structure 0.099 -0.008 0.025 0.008 -0.196 4.020 -1.060 0.000 0.298 The above table indicates the coefficient of correlation between the capital structure and ROA. multiple r2 is 0.039. only 3.9% of variance of ROA is accurate by the capital structure. But, remaining 96.1% of variance with ROA is attributed to other factors 7.2.5 Capital structure and Financial performance Table XIV Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std.Error of the Estimate 1 0.114a 0.013 -0.022 0.98395 The above table shows the weak positive correlation between the capital structure and performance. Table XV ANOVA b .354 1 .354 .366 .550 a 27.109 28 .968 27.463 29 Regression Residual Total Model 1 Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. Predictors: (Constant), Capital_structure a. Dependent Variable: Performance b. Table XVI Model Un standardized Coefficients Standardized Coefficients t sig B Std.Error Beta 1(constant) Capital structure 0.704 -0.043 0.223 0.070 -0.114 3.162 -0.605 0.004 0.550 The above table indicates the coefficient of correlation between the capital structure and performance. multiple r2 is 0.013. only 1.3% of variance of performance is accurate by the capital structure. But, remaining 98.7% of variance with performance is attributed to other factors. 8. Concluding Remarks Correlation analysis explains, there is a weak positive relationship between gross profit and capital structure (0.360).at the same time, there is a negative relationship between net profit and capital structure (-0.110).it reflects the high financial cost among the firms. ROI and ROA also has negative relationship with capital structure at -0.104, -0.196 respectively. It is focused on the overall point of view of the relationship between the capital structure and financial performance. There is a negative association at -0.114. Co-efficient of determination is 0.013. F and t values are 0.366, -0.605 respectively. It is reflect the insignificant level of the Business Companies in Sri Lanka. Business companies mostly depend on the debt capital. Therefore, they have to pay interest expenses much. 8.1 Testing of Hypotheses Statistical Techniques Results Correlation -0.114 Co à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"efficient of determination -0.0129 Based on the empirical results of this study, H1this hypothesis come false .Because in this study the empirical results shows that there is a insignificant negative relationship H2: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“There is a positive relationship between the capital structure and firms financial performanceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. At the first step of testing the hypothesis(H1), hypothesis (H1) was considered and tested for its validity. It has the following result between the capital structure and firms financial performance measured by performance measures such as ROA , ROI ,Net profit margin and etc. Based on the above evidence gathered, the H2 was rejected. Because research result is negative relationship between the capital structure and firms financial performance. H0: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“there is a negative relationship between the capital structure and firms financial performanceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. After the rejection of H1, the Null hypothesis (H0) was tested for its validity. H0 was accepted based on the above evidence gathered. it has been provided that there is a negative relationship between the capital structure and firms financial performance(-0.114). 9.0 Suggestions and Recommendations The following suggestions are recommended to increase the Companys financial performance based on capital structure. Performance standards should be established and communicated to the investors. This will help investors to achieve the standard and take better investment decisions. Identifying weaknesses of investment may be best one to improve the firms financial performance, because it indicates the area which decision should be taken. Motivating the investors to help to achieve the high level of firms financial performance.. Political changes are very important factor in the share market. It is also determine the firm performance. Therefore, political should possible to increase the financial performance of the listed companies. Inflation and exchange rate also affect the listed companys performance. So, government should consider the economic growth to control the inflation.

Comparing the AIDS Epidemic and The Plague :: Compare Contrast Disease Health Essays

Comparing the AIDS Epidemic and The Plague The destruction and devastation caused by the 'Black Death' of the Middle Ages was a phenomenon left to wonder at in text books of historical Europe. An unstoppable plague swept the continent taking as much as eighty percent of the European population along with it (Forsyth). Today the world is plagued with a similar deadly disease. The AIDS epidemic continues to be incurable. In an essay written by David Herlihy, entitled 'Bubonic Plague: Historical Epidemiology and the Medical Problems,' the historic bubonic plague is compared with the current AIDS epidemic of today. According to his research, AIDS will probably prove to be the plague of the millennium (Herlihy p. 18). If one compares the epidemiology and social impact of these diseases they prove to be quite similar. The current AIDS epidemic has the potential to be the most dangerous and destructive plague of the millennium. No one knows exactly how the AIDS virus erupted. However, one presently dominant theory states that AIDS originated from monkeys in Africa that transmitted the HIV virus to humans through bites (Forsyth). As people migrated it reached Haiti and then spread to America (Clark p. 65). The bubonic plague, too, was a spontaneous epidemic. The Black Death occurred because a bacillus was carried by fleas that fed off the blood of humans and transmitted the deadly bacillus in the process (Packer). It began in China and spread by migration throughout all of Europe and even America (Forsyth). Efforts to contain both diseases were entirely unsuccessful. AIDS is now an international problem as was the bubonic plague. Like the bubonic plague did in the Middle Ages, AIDS is spreading at an alarming rate. In 1994 seventeen million people around the world were infected with the HIV virus that causes AIDS, and four million had developed the disease (Packer). It is estimated that by the year 2000 more than forty million people, ninety percent in developing countries will be infected (Packer). The Black Death of the Middle Ages exterminated a third of the population of Europe in just four years. Also, like the bubonic plague, AIDS was once only found among certain delineated social groups: (Herlihy p. 18) drug abusers and homosexuals in this country and in prostitutes and their contacts in Africa. Due to the early epidemiology of AIDS cases, it was believed that only certain populations in specific areas were infected. Aids may have started out in small communities, but it spread quickly and widely.

The 2008 Beijing Olympics: China Pushes Towards Modernization Essays

The 2008 Beijing Olympics: China Pushes Towards Modernization The Olympics are always used as a way for the host city to put on a display of its culture and show the world its myriad social and economical triumphs. The host country can, in just a couple weeks, show the world what a wonderful place it is. The Olympics have in the past been able to prompt a world awareness of the host country and create a lingering legacy. Beijing will attempt to do all these things, but the stakes will be much higher. China is the most populous country in the world and at the center of many global issues. With its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001, China made a big step in accepting the challenge from other world powers to open up its markets, address human rights, and transform itself from a developing country to a modern world power. With its official Olympic Action Plan, Beijing has made it its mission to directly address these issues with its emphasis on the concepts of â€Å"Green Olympics, High-tech Olympics, and Peopleâ€℠¢s Olympics.† Indeed, Beijing is maneuvering itself into position to use its fifteen minutes at the center of the world stage to put on quite a show. At the same time, Beijing can use the opportunity of putting on the Games to better its economic position in the world. China’s economic growth has been strong due to foreign investment in Chinese manufacturing. The trend will continue. Foreign investment for the Games will stimulate growth while Chinese manufacturers will be able to exploit the new export market for Olympic goods. At the same time, China hopes to boost its position in making its own high tech developments to go along with its already strong manufacturing sector. While change in C... ...ent Strategy: Issues and Prospects. Japan: Institute of Developing Economies, 2001. Phillips, Richard. â€Å"Big Business Demands a Corporate Olympics.† 16 March 1999. World Socialist Web Site. 1 June 2003 . Studwell, Joe. The China Dream: The Elusive Quest for the Greatest Untapped Market on Earth. London: Profile Books , 2002. Tseng, Wanda, and Markus Rodlauer, eds. China: Competing in the Global Economy. Washington D.C. : Interational Monetary Fund, 2003. US Commerical Service. â€Å"Beijing 2008 Olympics.† 2003. 1 June 2003 . â€Å"US textile quota plan critized.† Xinhua Economic News Service [Beijing] 25 April 2003. Webber, Michael, Mark Wang, and Zhu Ying, eds. China’s Transition to a Global Economy. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2002.

Plastic Surgery On Society Health And Social Care Essay

The promotions in engineering in medical scientific discipline have opened the doors to better intervention possibilities with minimum side effects being witnessed station intervention. Peoples are now able to avail interventions for such complications which require extremely complex and minute processs to be performed where the deductions of the being of mistakes are extremely fatal. With the inclusion of robotic engineering and advanced medical equipment substructure, processs have now become extremely convenient and accessible to the people and this feasibleness has besides enabled the health care professionals to supply better medical service to the consumers ( Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Overview, 2008 ) . The development of plastic surgery that has been witnessed over the recent old ages has given rise to assorted chances wherein the usage of medical engineerings are being used to heighten personal physical characteristics instead than seeing the medical processs as a agency of intervention of unwellnesss. Among these processs, plastic surgery is the most widely sought characteristic alteration and sweetening methods which have enabled farther developments in the medical field. Plastic surgery had originated as a means to supply rehabilitative steps for the damaged parts of the physical parts of the organic structure. These parts can acquire damaged or injured due to accidents or assorted other stimulation. Plastic surgery aims at retracing and / or modifying the visual aspect every bit good as the map of the several limb ( Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Overview, 2008 ) . Plastic surgery is divided into two parts, decorative plastic surgery and rehabilitative plastic surgery. Cosmetic surgery seeks to better the patient ‘s characteristics on a strictly beauty degree. Reconstructive surgery seeks to repair any physical characteristic, which is deformed by unwellness, accidents or birth defect or imperfectness. It besides provides a important grade of functional sweetening so as to enable the patient to recover most of the existent functionality which existed for the several portion. Traditionally these procedures have been used to handle amendss and conceal the cicatrixs originating out of deep lesions or skin harm. Reconstructive surgery is besides being considered as a feasible option for those who want to heighten one ‘s mobility and functionality in instances of incidents which render a individual partly disable ( Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Overview, 2008 ) . Cosmetic plastic surgery nevertheless is one of the most popular medical processs to be undertaken today with the advancement of this process being witnessed geographically. This has been farther strengthened by the presence of medical touristry possibilities which has enhanced the possibilities for availing the decorative intervention in foreign locations. One of the primary grounds which can be attributed to the addition in the use of decorative surgery processs is the desire of the people to resemble their favourite famous persons in footings of physical visual aspect and beauty. Peoples have been known to pass immense sums of money and have undertaken painful attempts in order to do themselves similar to the famous persons. Though this may look like a mere captivation and grasp of the famous persons by the fans, there is a dark side to the uninterrupted use of such processs wherein an compulsion is created in the people sing the frequent use of the processs for keeping their cove ted degrees of characteristics. Plastic surgery is associated with a broad scope of results witnessed chiefly on the emotional, psychological and physical degrees. All of these degrees have positive and negative facets associated with them ( Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Overview, 2008 ) . However the current tendency of going competitory in footings of physical characteristics has led to the inauspicious results being witnessed in instances where the patients have resorted to the usage of new unseasoned drugs or in instances when there is a natural inauspicious reaction to the process. In either instance, there is a terrible impact of these processs on the societal environment wherein assorted persons and groups are subjected to the results ( Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Overview, 2008 ) .General Impacts of Lipoplasty:The turning corpulent and fleshy population in the universe today has led people to seek suction lipectomy which is one of most sought decorative processs for cut downing the fat content in the organic structure. However this process has now diversified into processs being conducted on specific parts of the organic structure wherein the fat is removed normally by equipment which is used to suction the fat that is antecedently made into a more liquid pr ovince by agencies of certain chemicals. It is due to this suction of the lipoids that the process has been popularly termed as suction lipectomy. This process is an instant solution to overweight and people are provided important alleviation from traveling to the gym or to set about strenuous exercise agendas. But this process is an invasive procedure affecting the surgical invasion of the equipment into the organic structure and hence like any other surgery, there is a reasonably high hazard of the happening of inauspicious reactions to the process. These hazards are inclusive of bad bruising, thrombophlebitis, redness, Contour Irregularities, numbness, puncturing of the internal variety meats, infections, pneumonic hydrops, pneumonic intercalation, tegument Burnss, and allergic reactions to the processs and / or the drugs used, complications in the lungs or the bosom, lidocaine toxicity and in some instances, even decease. There is a important deficiency of consciousness about su ch processs in the society wherein the people are normally awed by the benefits of the process and in their attempts to accomplish the desired results they overlook the possible hardships which could be experienced by them if equal safeguards are non undertaken ( Sunishka Wimalawansa, 2009 ) . There is a high degree of fight in the society which is characterized by the inordinate accent being maintained on the expressions of a individual. The current tendencies indicate the demand for every person to possess the perfect organic structure and fat free personalities so as to be able to look acceptable in the societal kingdom. The fright of being made merriment of and being pushed away by the society has driven the people, particularly the young person and the aged section to set about such steps. While the young person and the aged cabal of the population have differing demands from the suction lipectomy process, the results have been reported to be drastic which non merely has a durable impact on the emotional kingdom of the people but it has besides driven people to bizarre behaviour. The aged are motivated for following this process as it helps them to look younger even though their natural capacity and opposition is maintained as per their existent age. Social norms and peer force per unit area agents dictate the extent to which the people may travel to transform and modify their visual aspect ( Sadick, 2008 ) . The older cabal ‘s demand to look immature and dissemble one ‘s true age has reached paramount importance in people. They try to copy the famous persons and take attempts to be able to hold a vernal personality like them. These instant alterations are hazards for the people as the famous persons undergo infinite processs affecting big disbursals made in this respect. As a consequence of the high demand for these processs, the medical practicians have increased overall costs of the processs which have resulted in the being of another issue for the society in footings of pecuniary inadequacy. Peoples have been known to pass immense sums of valuable money to set about these processs which may hold a direct impact on the other fundss which the people may hold. Their compulsion with beauty has caused more harm than good when a bulk of the income of the members of the society is being diverted to the payment for the plastic surgeries. Another facet of this state of affairs is t hat people have been known to get loans for obtaining the financess for the intervention processs. These processs are non merely short lived but in order to keep the effectivity of the results, these processs need to be repeated after specific intervals which non merely affects the wellness of the person but besides incurs immense disbursals for the patients ( J & A ; aacute ; vo, 2012 )Emotional and Psychological Impact of Lipoplasty on the Society:Fleshiness is a serious societal immorality where corpulent people are frequently made the topic of jeer and are looked down upon in the society. This behavioural response of the people in the society drives the people to set about such drastic steps to accomplish the coveted physical characteristics. But in this procedure, the people set up really high outlooks from the processs with unreal and excessively ambitious results being expected from the medical practicians. In the event of the accomplishment of fewer results in comparing with the coveted results, the people might come in a province of depression which is further complicated by the deficiency of emotional support being provided to the patients. Another inauspicious result which is apparent in such instances is the return of fleshiness which would impact overall perceptual experience of the patient. When faced with this contradiction, the patient either loses all religion in the processs or is driven to set about more processs till the clip the desired results are achieved. However the human organic structure has adaptability continuance and such drastic and frequent alterations in the organic structure might take to the rejection of the alterations and could give manner to severe complications that would hold a long term impact on the patient ( David J Castle, 2007 ) . Surveies have shown that fleshiness is one such status which can impact the psychological positions of the person. In the event of the development of complexnesss and contraindications in the patients, they may besides be exhibit turns of emotional effusions due to their perceived self image being much more glorious than the existent results. However the psychological facets of suction lipectomy do non ever have a negative result. The other facet of this process is that the decrease in organic structure weight and fat have enabled to do themselves more presentable in societal circles and this has been one of the major factors for the development of ego assurance in the people. In some instances, the effects of suction lipectomy have besides provided the persons with the opportunity of get bying with the quandary of societal individuality and presence quandary. Other plastic surgery processs have enabled people to dissemble their cicatrixs and other such characteristics such as gynaec omastia which may seen socially unacceptable due to their eccentric characteristics and mentality. In footings of suction lipectomy, gynaecomastia is the major issue refering the male population as this status leads to the expansion of the mammary parts in males which makes them resemble like female chests. This is non merely an awkward characteristic sing the image of the male in the society but besides subjects the patient with societal jeer and rejection at times. With the aid of suction lipectomy, the people are able to do themselves more presentable to the society and thereby get awaying jeer or being made the topic of rejection. This is an illustration of the benefits of the use of plastic surgery processs on the emotional and psychological facets of such processs ( David J Castle, 2007 ) . Peoples globally have generated a belief in the society where the demand to hold perfect organic structure proportions defines the mode in which the image of a individual is perceived in the society. This perceptual experience has besides infiltrated the confines of the households where hubbies have expressed an involvement in the physical mentality of their life spouses. If the married womans are unable to follow with their outlooks, so their soldierly relation is frequently nullified as the work forces seek more beautiful opposite numbers for their married womans. Every civilization puts frontward certain features that are preferred in both work forces and adult females and the absence or deficiency of such characteristics causes depression in the people as they are non seen in a feasible place in the society. This besides drives them to set about the surgical processs in order to get the better of their defects. The demand for these processs to be adopted by adult females is acqui ring attending of their hubbies. The positive facets of this scenario are that they are made capable of run intoing the outlooks as per societal norms and in bend they are able to engender spouses with good physical features. They besides develop a higher degree of assurance which enables better interactions to be maintained in the societal kingdom. The negative facets of this scenario is that the possible complications originating from such processs could turn out to be fatal for the patient and their finding to follow with societal norms would merely take to sculpt results being faced by them ( David J Castle, 2007 ) .Effectiveness of the Plastic Surgery Procedures:The effectivity of the plastic surgery processs has ever been a subject of argument as the rating of the results is significantly dependent on the perceptual experiences of the people and the extent to which the surgical process is able to stand up to their outlooks. There are several factors which may take to the devel opment of complications or may even decline the complications that have surfaced in the patients. The bulk of the factors pertain to the physical features of the person and the ability of the individual ‘s immune system to integrate the drugs that are administered in the procedure ( What Is Liposuction? Liposuction Risks And Benefits, 2012 ) . The followers is a summarisation of the factors that contribute to the development of the complications in the patient station operation: Sl. No. Factors impacting Surgery Possible Complications Factors declining Complications 1 Age of Patient Infection at the operation site. Smoke and / or Consumption of spirits in any signifier 2 Overall Patient Health Excessive hemorrhage. Damaging of connective tissues. 3 Patient ‘s Medical History Bruising of the operated site / part. Happening of skin harm due to proviso of radiation therapy. 4 Extent of the abnormalcy / malformation Incomplete healing of lesion. Adverse effects of weakened immune system due to the presence of HIV+ in the patient. 5 Expectations of the patients Surgical complications Poor nutritionary wonts. 6–Complications based on the type of anaesthesia used during the process. Decrease in blood flow station operation which could detain the healing of the operated site and could take to the incurrence of assorted infections. ( Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Overview, 2008 ) The above mentioned factors determine to some extent the predicted result of the surgeries in such conditions. The processs conducted on the patients are irrevokable and irreversible but this does non intend that the effects of the surgery are besides lasting. These alterations last for a limited clip on the footing of the precautional steps and the environmental factors impacting the same ( What Is Liposuction? Liposuction Risks And Benefits, 2012 ) . Procedures such as suction lipectomy have been late reported to hold uneffective results. But the patients do non see their ain personal features or the deficiency of equal attending being given to the operated site. In the instance of such deficiency of attention, there is a high hazard of developing complications. If intelligence of such drastic results are made public so the people are misled either deliberately or accidentally to discourage from utilizing a peculiar engineering. While this may be considered as a positive move being made by the people, the negative facet associated with this is normally ignored as the people do non experience that the other facets have a important impact on their lives. But the mass disincentive to utilize a peculiar engineering has driven people to set about such processs in hastiness which are non certified by authorised organic structures and this subjects them to high hazard of damaging themselves and their external expressions drastically ( W hat Is Liposuction? Liposuction Risks And Benefits, 2012 ) .Research Data Analysis:In order to understand the deductions of plastic surgeries, a study was conducted so as to obtain the sentiment of the people sing the impact of plastic surgery processs, particularly suction lipectomy, on the societal kingdom. ( Please refer to Appendix A for a transcript of the Survey Prepared for obtaining the positions of the people sing plastic surgery. ) The sample size was maintained at 100 respondents consisting of people from all age groups and ethnicity. No specific population has been identified for the research as the society in general is constituted of people belonging to diverse cultural sections.Discussion:On the footing of the replies obtained by the study designed for this study, it was noted that people by and large indulge in plastic surgery today to heighten their characteristics and do themselves more attractive while avoiding the existent functional usage of the plastic surgeries. The attainment of a perfect figure was the primary ground stated by the respondents in the context of the demand to set about such surgeries. This is in support of our statement which highlighted this demand as the drive factor behind the use of these processs. Assorted responses were obtained from the respondents in the context of the proviso of emotional support which clearly indicates the fact there is no installation to supply the requi re support to the patients by agencies of which they may be able to get the better of their complications or even develop the needed assurance to get by with the alterations. Peoples have besides expressed their vacillation in accepting those members of the society who indulge in surgical processs for the sweetening of their characteristics. This is clearly a society specific position where the positions may differ from society to society. A bulk of the respondents were unsure of the effectivity of the surgical processs and were non certain whether these effects lasted everlastingly or for a specific continuance. In this respect it should be noted that the proviso of equal public consciousness is quintessential for keeping the efficiency and effectivity of the procedure. About 80 % of the respondents have agreed to the fact that these processs have been extremely good in the development of ego assurance in the people and the people have been enabled to do themselves more presentable to the society. Assorted responses were obtained when the respondents were asked whether people could be driven to compulsion and dependence with regard to these processs. Similar responses were obtained in the instance of the hazards associated with these processs which farther strengthen the demand for public consciousness to be made in this respect.Recommendation:In order to guarantee the effectivity of the plastic surgery process, the undermentioned recommendations are made: Awareness should be generated among the people sing the hazards involved with these processs and the results / complications which could develop if equal precautional steps are non undertaken. The outlooks from the process should be maintained realistically with no extraordinary and bizarre purposes being defined by the people. Tested and adequately certified processs should be sought by the patients in order to minimise the hazard of the development of station operative complications. The patients should measure their ain personal physical features and the resiliency of the immune systems before set abouting any process. The society should be encouraged to accept people in their existent individuality without specifying rigorous positions based on physical features. This is a signifier of complete biasness towards the members of the several society.Decision:Plastic Surgery is decidedly a great tool for rectifying physical malformations and get the better ofing societal carelessness due to the presence of these malformations in a individual. However the abuse of this blessing has resulted in the lives of many people with an every bit big population still enduring from the desperate effects of the surgeries. Most of these effects are realized after a important clip has elapsed after the surgery has been conducted. It is quintessential for people to understand the hazards associated with these processs before choosing for it. The disenchantment offered by widespread promotion of such processs by famous persons has endangered the wellness and lives of many who undergo this life changing process merely to accomplish flawlessness immediately. A thorough cognition of such surgeries should be availed to salvage non merely 1 ‘s ain life and wellness but besides of those who have been influenced into choosing for such processs. Hence the deductions of plastic surgery portray a important negative impact on the people ( Holley, 2011 )