The dietary requirements necessary to maintain a healthy Essay

The dietary requirements necessary to maintain a healthy - Essay Example Digestion breaks down proteins into amino acids. Amino acids are of three categories – essential, nonessential and conditional amino acids. Essential amino acids are nine – â€Å"Histidine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lycine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Threonine, Tryptophan and Valine† – and can only be obtained from food intake. Nonessential amino acids are four – â€Å"Alanine, Asparagine, Aspartic Acid and Glutamic Acid† – and are made by the body by breaking down essential amino acids. Conditional amino acids are eight in number – â€Å"Arginine, Cysteine, Glutamine, Glycine, Ornithine, Proline, Serine and Tyrosine† – and are not viewed as essential. They are only needed in times of illness. There are many sources of proteins: all types of meat, all types of beans, nuts and seeds, soy proteins products, dairy products and eggs. Intake of proteins should be regulated. This is because a high level of proteins may overwork the kidney. Meat and eggs intake should also be watched as these products contain high levels of cholesterol. Accumulation of cholesterol in the body is a risk factor for heart disease. In severe deficiency of proteins, Kwashiorkor is likely to develop. The recommended daily intake of proteins is â€Å"2 to 3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish;  ½ cup of cooked dried beans; 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, or 1 ounce of cheese†. Carbohydrates Carbohydrates are very important as they provide the fuel to the body after being broken down to glucose which is oxidized to release energy. Carbohydrates are of two main types – complex and simple carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates include starch and dietary fiber. Complex carbohydrates must be broken down to glucose for the body to utilize. Starch is contained in foods such as breads, cereals and vegetables. Dietary fiber is of two categories: soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble dietary fibers include oatmeal, nuts and seeds among others while insoluble dietary fibers include brown rice, barley, fruits among others. Simple carbohydrates are those that naturally have sugars, for instance, fruits, milk products among others (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2012). Dietary fibers are recommended over refined meals. Removing the external cover of grains converts them into refined foods. The diagram below show the recommended amount of grams required daily (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2012). Nutrient (Units) Child 1-3 Female 4-8 Male 4-8 Female 9-13 Male 9-13 Female 14-18 Male 14-18 Female 19-30 Male 19-30 Female 31-50 Male 31-50 Female 51+ Male 51+ Total Fiber (grams) 14 17 20 22 25 25 31 28 34 25 31 22 28 Excessive intake of carbohydrates especially the simple carbohydrates are associated with obesity because excess glucose is stored. Deficiency in carbohydrates in the body forces the body to burn fats and proteins to use as a source of energy (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2012). This deficiency therefore leads to malnourished people. However, in severe cases of carbohydrate deficiency, marasmus is likely to develop. Marasmus develops when there is severe malnutrition. Lipids Lipids are needed in the body to transport the fat soluble vitamins, supply energy and provide fatty acids. Lipids exist in various forms; if a lipid is a liquid at room temperature then it is called oil, if it is solid at room temperature t hen it referred to as fat. Lipids are hydrolyzed to release glycerol, fatty acids, diglycerides and monoglycerides. Fatty acids are particularly important in the

Visual analysis paper Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Visual analysis paper - Coursework Example Rococo or late Baroque style later came in the 18th century and impacted on art’s sculpture, painting, decoration and interior design. Giotto di Bondone’s â€Å"Madonna Enthroned† created in 1300 by an Italy using the Rococo technique and Garofalos "Madonna and Child in Glory" created in 1935 in Pinacoteca Capitolina are two distinct but closely related masterworks whose exploration can be quite enthralling. This paper shall candidly and comprehensively analyze the two artworks with the predominant aim of determining how similar or different they are in terms of style and the thematic implications or the messages that the artists envisioned to deliver to the audience. Giotto’s â€Å"Madonna Enthroned†, drawn on tempera on panel, patently indicates that the art was painted by an iconic painter, probably cultured and trained in Greek but working in Italy or for a western promoter. This can be derived from the way the artist blends byzantine with western elements in the entire masterpiece. The folds of the cloths are defined by a byzantine concord and the image’s composition is modeled on the Hodegetria, the virgin, who points at the child to show that he is the way, the truth and the light. Additionally, the son, Jesus, gives the Western signs of blessings. The halos on the side of the child are decorated with floral patterns that are popular in Italy. Moreover, the image has a 3-D view, particularly in the virgin’s thrown, to indicate western influence. The artist intentionally uses a virgin with archangels’ majestic regalia and red shoes in the elaborate throne to accentuate Mary’s role as the crowned hea d of Heaven. In the artwork, the golden background connotes the heavenly kingdom implying that the artist knew quite well how gold was treasured in the then community due to its economic value and its imperative role in determining one’s social and economic status. At

Analysis of Board of Directors and Risk Propensity

Analysis of Board of Directors and Risk Propensity Banks are all similarly confronted with particular regulations and inspections of banking supervisions. Within this topic, the board of directors plays an important role. There are different factors considering how the composition of a board might influence its performance and the decision-making process. Therefore, factors like independence, age structure, percentage of minorities and women and the size of the board will be analyzed. After determining the composition, the influence of it on the percentage of equity financing and therefore the risk propensity will be analyzed. Furthermore, the composition will also be linked to performance indicators as Return on Assets (ROA), Return on Equity (ROE), and the development of stock quotations. 3.1. Corporate Governance The term corporate governance describes processes through which an organization is controlled and directed. Those structures specify which rights and duties certain participants in a company have and how the decision-making process works. This mostly affects the board of directors, the top management team (TMT) as well as shareholders and other stakeholders (OECD, 2005). Corporate governance is concerned with the possible abuse of power of the managers and the need for certain qualities like openness, integrity and accountability during the whole decision-making process. As shown in Figure 3.1, it also examines how certain mechanisms, including incentives, can help to minimize transactions costs that arise in an organization between principals and agents as described in the agency theory below (Mathiesen, 2002). 3.2 Structure of the Board of Directors The members of the board are generally elected by the shareholders and their responsibilities vary with the nature and the complexity of the organization. However, there are two different systems regarding the boards of directors. On the one hand there is the Anglo-Saxon system in countries like the United States and Japan (12Manage: The Executive Fast track, 2008). This consists of a one-tier board structure, where executive and non-executive directors work together in the board of directors (Weimer and Pape, 1999). This single board is usually entirely appointed by the shareholders and the CEO often also holds the board chair (12Manage: The Executive Fast track, 2008). On the other hand, in countries like Germany and the Netherlands, companies have adopted a two-tier board structure. There, the board is divided into the managing board and the supervisory board to formally separate powers (12Manage: The Executive Fast track, 2008). The managing board is monitored and advised in major policies by the supervisory board (Weimer and Pape, 1999). The CEO holds the chair of the managing board, but cannot hold the chair of the supervisory board at the same time (12Manage: The Executive Fast track, 2008). Even though, the board of directors is usually elected by the shareholders, in some cases also employees elect their own representative(s) from the workforce to support their interests on the board. In state-owned banks directors are delegated to the bank by the State Council and in where the board of directors is spitted up into managing board and supervisory board, the managing directors are appointed by the supervisory board members as shown in Figure 3.2. 3.3 Tasks of the Board of Directors In general, directors represent the shareholders interests, because they provide the elementary assets for running a company. Therefore, the main role of the board of directors is to govern an organization while acting for the shareholders in order to protect their assets and to ensure a decent return on their investments (Oss, 2003; Kennon, 2008). The board of directors is the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“highest governing authority within the management structure at any publicly traded companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Kennon, 2008, n.p.). For this reason, the board is in charge of defining the corporate mission, setting the companys objectives and approving the firms strategy concerning the well judged allocation of the financial resources (Oss, 2003). Even though the board holds the total authority for a companys decision making they cannot manage the companys day-to-day operations, because this is the role of the CEO and the TMT (Oss, 2003). The resulting conflict potential is discussed in the Agency Theory below. According to Oss (2003) it is the boards task to govern and the CEOs to manage. Therefore, a clarified classification of who is in charge will eliminate these conflicts. Furthermore, another stakeholder group exists, as mentioned in the Stak eholder Theory (see Figure 3.3) with additional interests and requirements for the board of directors. Regarding all players and interest groups in an organization, the responsibilities of the board are possible to be divided into a Governance Role, a Service Role and a Control Role. Beside the strategic decisions, an important task of the board members is to appoint special committees like the Audit and Risk Committee, and to select qualified managers, as well as to help and to support them with their skills and expertise. Finally, the board controls if the management meets the companys objectives concerning ethical tenets or laws (Oss, 2003). 3.5 Related Research regarding Board Composition From the theories and former research, it becomes clear that boards have different tasks. Therefore, an optimal structure or composition of the board is essential for fulfilling the tasks. The main tenor in the literature is that in order to work efficiently boards have to be independent with diversity in backgrounds, gender, race and age. However, a certain composition of the board might also affect how much risk the directors are willing to take. The composition of the board receives more and more attention in terms of structure and stability. If a better structured and more stable board of directors is related to a better firm performance, companies with a well-composed board should perform better than other companies. For the purpose of this paper, a well-composed board is defined as a stable and diverse board composed of a majority of independent members along with a number of women and ethnic minority directors. To build the connection to the topic terms à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" board composition on the one side and firm performance and risk propensity on the other side à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" it is important to focus on different behavioral patterns which are the result of variations in board compositions. By investigating the influence of the board composition on firm performance and risk propensity it is possible to get insights into how differently composed boards behave regarding specific board tasks. Differently composed boards behave differently in various situations; for example, when they decide whether to replace a poorly performing CEO or when they choose at what price the company should be sold. The boards decision is also important when the acquisition of another firm has to be approved or whe n takeover defenses have to be adopted and employed. Finally, the board plays a big role when it comes to establishing the CEO and executives compensation packages (Bhagat and Black, 1999). 3.5.4 Board Size Board size is seen as one of the most important factors when it comes to the influence on the performance of a company (Kyereboah-Coleman and Biekpe, 2005). The main view regarding board size is that large boards have a negative impact on the performance of the company. That is, because tasks like coordination, decision-making and the communication between the members are more difficult and expensive, the more directors have to be included (Belkhir, 2008). Therefore, the costs would outweigh the gains of having more expertise on the board. Belkhir (2008) cited Jensens (1993) statement that boards with more than seven or eight people are less effective and easier to control for the CEO. Earlier research of the board size supports the proposition that smaller boards are better. Yermack (1996) discovered a negative relationship between board size and firm performance measured by Tobins Q and several other accounting figures. In their sample of small Finnish firms, Eisenberg et al. (1998) also find a negative relationship between the number of directors and financial success of the company. Furthermore, Kyereboah-Coleman and Biekpe (2005) determined that large board sizes are bad for the sales and growth ratio of companies in Ghana. However, Belkhir (2008) found a non-negative relationship between the size of the board of directors and the firm performance measured by Tobins Q, as well as, by return on assets (ROA) for financial institutions. Especially savings-and-loan holding companies (SLHC) might increase the value of the company with a rising number of directors. Therefore, the next hypothesis is that: H4a: An increasing board size has no negative influence on the company performance. When it comes to taking risks, there is not as much empirical evidence. However, if one looks at the decision-making process of a board, especially when its number of directors is very high, the obvious assumption is that for risky decsions it is more difficult to get a consensus the more people have to vote for it. Furthermore, Pfeffer and Salancick (1978) and Lipton and Lorsch (1992) determined a relationship between the capital structure of a company and its board size. Additionally, a study of Abor and Biepke (2005) discovered that an increasing board size and the debt level of Ghanaian SME are negatively related. Thus, the authors assume that: H4b: The board size is negatively related to the risk propensity of the company. 3.5.5 Board Independence You can distinguish between inside directors (current officers of the company) affiliated outsiders (former company officers, and persons who have business relationships with the company) and independent directors (Bhagat and Black, 1999, p. 4). Independent board members (outside directors) are à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“not associated with or employed by the companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Kennon, 2008, n.p.). According to Kennon, in the United States at least fifty percent of the directors must meet the requirements of independence. A board with fifty percent of independent directors is called a majority-independent board (Bhagat and Black, 1999, p. 4). The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 places a strong emphasis on the independence of directors. Brown et al. (2004) confirmed this requirement with positive results in their study on the effects of the independence of the board members on financial firm performance data. They found that independent boards have higher return on equity (ROE) and profit margins. Furthermore, it is determined that outside directors can monitor the management more effectively than insiders (Bonn, Yoshikawa, and Phan, 2004). Therefore, the conclusion of several empirical studies is that, besides a more diverse board, a more independent board has a positive effect on the financial performance (see also Adams and Mehran, 2008). But, boards with majority-independent directors have both positive and negative effects. On the one hand, inside directors are more involved in the companys operations and might know the business better than outsiders. On the other hand, outside directors might keep cool and act in a more objective way than insiders. Besides that, several studies did not find significant evidence that a higher number of independent directors within the board is related to the quality of financial reporting, or to the likelihood of firm failure. Additionally, there is no evidence of more firm-level diversification or a connection to research and development spending (Bhagat and Black, 1999). Therefore, Bhagat and Black (1999) recommend that it might be valuable for companies to compose their boards with at least a moderate number of inside directors. This is supported by their results that there is a negative relationship between the degree of board independence and firm performance. However, different firms need different types of boards and an optimal board contains a combination of inside, affiliated and independent directors who bring different skills and knowledge to the board (Bhagat and Black, 1999, pp. 32-33). Along with the companys objectives and shareholder interests, boards of banks additionally bear micro- and macro-economic responsibilities, which can be positively influenced by the optimal composition of the board. For board members of financial institutions, a cooperative board-CEO relationship is elementary. Only when the board gets the complete information about the operating business processes from the CEO, can they make the right decisions for the company. For this reason, it is important to know if inside or outside directors can deal better with the CEO or TMT and generate a higher performance. The writers therefore hypothesize for the banking sector, that: H5a: A higher number of outside directors does not influence firm performance. Pfeffer and Salancik (1978) developed the Resource Dependency Theory and determined that a number of outside directors upgrade a companys ability to protect itself against outside influences and reduce the uncertainty level. Furthermore, they stated that outsiders might help the company retain a certain status and raise funds. Thus, a higher number of outside directors on the board should increase the debt level of the company. On top of that, independent directors might act more in the shareholders interests than inside directors (Bonn, Yoshikawa, and Phan, 2004), and for this reason we hypothesize: H5b: A higher number of outside directors will be positively connected to the risk propensity of the company. 3.6 Summary of the Hypotheses In table 3.1. below, all hypotheses are presented at one glance. These propositions have been derived from past studies and behavioral theories as presented above. Table 3.1 Hypotheses Composition Company Performance Risk Propensity Gender Diversity H1a: A higher percentage of women on the board of direc-tors has a positive influence on firm performance. H1b: A higher percentage of women on the board is nega-tively connected to the risk pro-pensity of the company. Average Age of Directors H2a: The average age of the board of directors is nega-tively connected with firm performance. H2b: The average age of the board is positively connected to risk avoidance of the company. Ethnic Diversity H3a: A higher number of minority directors on the board is positively related to company performance. H3b: Minority directors do not affect the risk propensity of the company. Board Size H4a: Increasing board size has no negative influence on the company performance. H4b: The board size is nega-tively related to the risk pro-pensity of the company. Board indepen-dence H5a: A higher number of outside directors does not in-fluence firm performance. H5b: A higher number of outside directors is positively related to the risk propensity of the company. 4. Empirical Study 4.1 Research Methodology 4.1.1 Sample In this empirical research the top 50 banks in the world according to Bankersalmanac.com4 were investigated. The banks were ranked according to their total assets as of June 30, 2008. For the data collection, there was a time span of three years, from 2005 to 2007. This particular group of banks has been chosen, because of their size and international branches. The reasons for choosing the largest banks from all around the world were to have a comparable size of international business when comparing them. If the banks had only been from one or two countries the differences in size would have been significant and the developments on the financial market would have probably only affected the bigger banks. This might have had an effect on the performance. Thuse, for 2007 the results could have possibly been very inconsistent. Regarding the chosen sample, it can be assured that the international situation has affected them all à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" some banks more than others, depending on how risky their business operations were. That results in a possible interpretation on how each bank, with managers and board directors, has dealt with the problems and obstacles. 4.1.2 Data Collection Method The necessary data for this study were collected from the annual reports of the 50 financial institutions. The data about the board of directors were found in the corporate governance section of the reports. Data about the company performance were gathered from the consolidated income statements and balance sheets of the banks. The data were usually dated the 31st December of the year. However, some bans adopted a fiscal year ending on March 31, or September 30 of the year. Then, we considered the Annual Reports from March 31, 2008 as belonging to 2007 as well as the Annual Reports from September 30, 2007. This way, it could be assured that the figures were all derived during the similar time period. Furthermore, the main capital ratios, necessary for the risk propensity were taken from the section risk management. However, there are no strict regulations on how companies have to structure their annual reports. Therefore, the relevant data of some financial institutions was found in different parts of the annual reports or on the websites of the companies. 4.2 Operationalization The research data were collected in an Excel sheet for further calculations and preparation purposes with regard to the statistical analysis using the statistics program SPSS. During the research process the researchers also used a complementary list to record secondary and supportive information needed to calculate the total numbers for the primary Excel list. 4.2.1 Board Composition Data The five board composition variables were selected by the authors and the corresponding information about those data were collected as presented in the following paragraphs. 4.2.1.1 Board Size The board size was recorded by counting the members and listing their names. This was done for all three years to find out if there were any changes in the board composition from one year to another. The changes were recorded in the complementary lists. The total number of board members for each bank and each of the three years were transferred to the primary Excel sheet. 4.2.1.3 Independent Directors Next, the authors looked at the percentage of independent directors. The financial institutions usually indicated in the annual reports or on their homepage which members of the board were independent. However, sometimes it was not explicitly alluded neither in the annual report nor on the companys website. Then, the researchers decided if a director was independent or not using an own definition described above. The authors examined if s/he has any other connection to the company beyond the board activities; for instance if him/her is or was employed by the bank in the last years or bears executive tasks. If there was no connection (excluding shareholding) at all, s/he was defined as independent director. The share ownership of directors was excluded, because at some banks each director is obliged to hold at least a small number of shares. The sum of all independent directors of each bank was copied to the list and divided by the total number of members. 4.2.2 Company Performance Indicators To investigate the influence of the board composition on the firm performance the authors chose four performance measures divided into two categories: operating performance and shareholder payout. The three most important financial indicators are the performance measures Return on Assets (ROA), Return on Equity (ROE), and the Efficiency Rate (CIR). Besides this, the researchers also looked at the share performances compared to previous years. These are all common indicators, which are important for shareholders. Furthermore, they are well comparable to the results previous studies in other industry branches showed using the same indicators. To control for the possibility that the performance indictors will be connected to the size of the bank, total assets were also recorded and will be included in the correlation tables and regression models. 4.2.2.1 Return on Assets The accounting measure of a companys profitability, Return on Assets (ROA), indicates net income from all of the banks operations relative to the average book value of all assets (Carter, DSouza, Simkins, Simpson, 2007, p. 15). It shows how beneficial assets are used by management to create earnings for the company. This means that it is possible to see how much profit was derived from invested assets (Investopedia, Definitions, 2008). It is calculated as: ROA= Net Income/ Avg. Total Assets 4.3 Credibility of the Research Data 4.3.1 Reliability Reliability is concerned with the question if the data that were collected by the researchers would be consistent with the findings other researchers would have using the same sources (Saunders et al., 2007). The most data were collected by the authors in a quantitative but diligent manner from the published and certified annual reports of the banks. Due to this fact, the research data cannot be interpreted wrong by the researchers and therefore have a high reliability. However, when it comes to the board composition data about women, minorities and independent directors, the authors had to interpret by using pictures or curriculum vitae of the directors. The gender of the board members is usually recognizable when using pictures. Thus, it is clear and should not be inconsistent when other researchers collect these data. A little more difficult is the question about minorities. For that part, the biographies have to be considered, especially, when it comes to questions about backgrou nds and where the people grew up. This fact can lead to different interpretations depending on who collects the data. However, the definitions on ethnic minorities were made clear in the theoretical part and thus, the results should be very consistent. When deciding about the independence of the directors, there are two factors to consider. First, when the banks noted if the directors were independent, this was just copied for the research. These data are very reliable, because there is no space for interpretation. However, if it was not indicted and the biographies of the directors were read and the decisions about the independence were basically made after reading the professional background. Therefore, other researchers could have a different opinion about directors independence. To summarize, most of the data are very reliable, because they are published and just have to be copied. Only for factors, that the authors had to interpret, it could come to inconsistencies, which should be very limited though, because the data collection was done very diligently and clearly set definitions have been used. 4.3.2 Validity Validity of data is concerned with the question if the findings are what they appear to be. The researcher has to find out if the variables really have a causal relationship (Saunders et al., 2007, p.150). In this study, it was made clear through the theoretical background that board composition and company performance, as well as, risk propensity influence each other. This is mainly secured by the fact that the board of directors makes decisions which are intended to influence the financial results. However, to make sure that the relations between the board and firm performance and risk propensity are not accidental, four performance measures and two risk measures that were studied. A problem could arise, if the results are inconsistent. If that was the case, the contradicting results have to be interpreted and explained. 4.3.3 Generalisability The aim of this research study was to be able to generalize the results, which means to be able to apply the results to other settings (Saunders et al., 2007). Other settings could be for example a different group of banks or maybe other companies located in the same countries and also have international operations. For this reason, the quantitative research method was applied. To get reliable and valid results the authors collected almost 150 data sets by investigating 50 banks over three years. The number of banks was not selected by the authors but provided by a public resource which registered the 50 largest banks as measured by their total assets as of June 30, 2008. This amount of research data and the fact, that the sample includes banks situated on three continents in many different countries, allows the authors to generalize the findings. 5. Analysis 5.1 General Findings The sample of fifty banks consists of the largest financial institutions from North America, Europe and Asia. The biggest group are the European banks. One bank from the sample had to be excluded because its structure differed too much from the other banks and did not fit to the research questions. It was a state-owned bank which was controlled by politicians to a large percentage. Furthermore, for the year 2005, one more bank had to be left out, because it was just created in 2006 by a merger of two smaller banks. To be able to compare the banks, all performance indicators that were stated in different currencies have been converted into Euros with the currency rate of December 31 of each year.6 In table 5.1 general statistical values of the variables are listed. A value that was controlled for in the research was total assets. This was important for detecting if the board size or any of the other independent variables changed with the size of the bank. However, there is no significant relationship between the total assets and the size of the board (see table 5.2). Therefore, it is possible to say, that banks do not decide about the number of directors based on their size measured by total assets. It is rather noticeable that banks with a two-tier board system have larger boards than the other banks. The maximum number of directors came up to 48, when adding up the number of directors in the supervisory and the managing board compared to a minimum of seven board members in a one-tier system bo ard of directors. Table 5.1 Descriptive Statistics years 2005-2007 Samples Minimum Maximum Mean Median Std. Deviation Total Assets (Mio. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬) 146 168,119 2,579,194 732,994 557,269 415,293 Board Size 146 7 48 18.36 17.00 6.92 Board Age (years) 142 49.1 64.70 57.32 57.74 3.44 Women (%) 146 0.00 42.90 10.02 6.8 9.32 Minorities (%) 146 0.00 41.20 3.73 0.00 7.79 Independent Directors (%) 146 0.00 94.10 49.15 50.00 28.80 Share Development cp. to Previous Year (%) 100 -44.75 106.67 14.61 16.90 27.52 ROE (%) 146 -37.90 37.50 14.56 15.35 8.60 ROA (%) 146 -0.30 1.75 0.65 0.59 0.40 Cost/Income Ratio (%) 125 34.70 114.00 58.89 56.00 13.07 Debt-Ratio (%) 146 87.73 98.54 95.31 95.95 2.19 B.I.S Capital (%) 135 8.5 19.70 11.79 11.60 1.72 5.2 Interdependency between the Independent Variables Before checking for the influence of the board composition on performance and risk propensity, the interdependency of the independent variables was evaluated in table 5.2. It is noticeable that many of the factors correlate with each other within the one percent significance level. The strongest correlation exists between the variables board age and percentage of independent directors. It shows that the higher the average age of the directors is the more independent directors are on the board. This leads to the conclusion that outside board members are usually older than executive directors. Another strong significant relationship is shown between the variables board age and board size. This correlation is negative and implies that the average age of the directors decreases when the number of board members increases. The reason for this link could be that the younger board members are introduced into the tasks before the older directors retire. One more noticeable factor is that the percentage of women on the board is positively correlated with the percentage of minorities on the board. This supports the results of Carter et al. in 2002. Furthermore, independent directors correlate significantly positively with women and minorities, which supports the conclusion that female and minority directors usually seem to be outsiders to the bank. An interesting fact is also that minority directors usually seem to be of more importance in smaller boards. The correlation between the board size and the percentage of minorities is slightly negative, which indicates that smaller boards have a higher percentage of ethnic minority directors. Furthermore, it is interesting that the boards of directors of banks do not significantly correlate with their total assets, as mentioned before. However, the board age has a very significant positive correlation with the assets. This implies that larger banks usually have an older board of directors. Besides, those banks also seem to have a slightly higher percentage of independent outside directors as shown by the positive correlation between these two factors. With the high interdependencies between the independent variables, it could come to multicollinearity problems in the regression analyses for the dependent performance and risk indicators. Fortunately, this is not the case as shown by the VIF-values, which are lower than 2.5, in the regression models below. Table 5.2 Correlations between Independent Variables 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 Total Assets a 1 2 Board Size a -.113 1 3 Board Age a .308*** -.403*** 1 4 Women (%) a -.052 .037 -.026 1 5 Minorities (%) a .098 -.176** .254*** .267*** 1 6 Indep. Directors (%) a .208** -.114 .465*** .369*** .308*** 1 *** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) ** Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed) a Pearson correlation coefficient 5.3 Influence of Board Composition on Performance Data At the beginning, the correlations of the data from all three years were evaluated together to get a general overview over the connections made between the independent and dependent variables. 5.3.1 Return on Assets When regarding the influence of the board composition on the first performance indicator it is very obvious that ROA is connected to all variables, except for total assets (see table 5.3). The strongest positive correlation exists between the variables return on assets and percentage of independent directors, followed by minorities. A little weaker connection is shown with the percentage of female directors and the board age. The linkages indicate that outsiders or a more divers and experienced board (concerning average

Social Exclusion and Disability

The convention to give right to disable ppl should be supported with capacity building on different levels in the government as well as the private sector. it is estimated that a large number of women in Pakistan are having various forms of disability. â€Å"In our society women are already considered weak and disability adds to their woes,women having disability in our country is considered as â€Å"double disability†. steps il be taken for anti discrimination of disabled ppl.. n swat A large group of disabled persons staged a protest in Mingora on Thursday over government’s alleged indifference towards ensuring their rights. govt promised to give faculties like job opportunity to disability card holder issued by the National Database and Registration Authority. However 2 years have passed but nothing was done. these disable ppl wanted to stand on thr own feet and earn there living but they werent provided wid job opportunites or equal right to receive education. ocat ional centres were demanded where they can learn some practical skills. they said that there are not being but askng govt of pakistan to strt a realistic programme,which enables us to learn,work and earn. Some people from the government agree that government is not successful in providing the disable people with their rights. They agree that people have equal right as they are also part of the society,they agree that disable people are not considered prefect for the society ,if given chance they will prove capable to be fit in society.Special Persons Development Association president Mr Daudzai said his organisation would continue fighting for the rights of the disabled persons. He said physically challenged persons were contributing their due share to national development and progress by serving in many private and public sector institutions. also stated that, disable are not given facilities as given by other countries. UN adopted â€Å"Convention on the Rights of Persons with Di sabilities 2006† to make legal framework for providing PWDs equal opportunities in every sphere of life.Pakistan being signatory to this convention had taken a number of steps to facilitate such persons. â€Å"Disabled Persons' (Employment and Rehabilitation) Ordinance fixed the responsibility of the State toward the prevention of disabilities; protection of of persons with disabilities; and provision of medical care, education, training, employment, and rehabilitation to the persons with disabilities. rights

Impact of Technology Essay

Every day we cannot live without technology. We wake up in the morning, we take a bath, we have breakfast, we do our daily activities, and all are affected by something called technology. From the simplest form of it until the most complex one, technology filled our daily life. The famous phrase â€Å"Information Technology† of course is one of the forms of technology. Before we continue talking about technology, we must know its definition. Shortly, technology is something related to science and engineering, which is used by the human or other creatures in dealing with their environment, to make their life easier. The technology develops fast. From the ancient age to the modern age, there are billions of its products that have made our life easier. In prehistoric age, the ancient human created the tools made of stone. They also invented the wheel, which is very important to the next centuries. Imagine that there weren’t any invention of wheel. We must give a lot of energy to move our goods from one place to another. Many centuries later, there are a lot of important inventions for human’s life, such as the invention of telephone. Using it, we may communicate through long distances. And the latest technology which has given many changes to the world and is still being developed is the information technology. The development of technology gives some impacts to human beings and the other creatures. The positive impact is, it makes our life easier. Without the inventions of technology, I think we would live our lives just like the prehistoric men did. Technology, just like the other things in this world, also has negative impacts. I’ll give you three examples. First, technology takes out the filters, like social filter, cultural filter, and religious filter. We can see in Internet technology. Internet is a medium in which no filter and censorship. Without parental guidance, your children may consume inappropriate materials from the Internet. The second one is the decrease of your social skills. Too much usage of technology makes you more antisocial. In the past, children used to play traditional games with their friends outside the house. But now they prefer playing video games in their own room, all by themselves. The easy access of technology also makes you too dependent to it. In the past, our people had more memorizing skills. They had to memorize things, because there was no tool to use to record things, except notebooks (the original phrase of notebook, not the portable computer). But nowadays, by using the computer, you can save any information you want in its memory to retrieve it in another day. In advance, by using the Internet connection, you may search any information you need through any search engine like Google, Yahoo, Altavista instantly. Dealing with those negative impacts, what can we do? First, we must be aware of them. We must be aware that technology could also cause bad things. After that, we must give the people knowledge of those negative impacts and how to deal with them. The government also has to do some actions about this. They must give some regulations relating with the press and the media. It is just need to be done to protect our society, not to restrain the press. And then, to increase the social skills, we must create the real community; build the real network, makes friends in the real world, of course not in the cyber world. By doing that, it will take us back to our nature as social creatures.

The Jnc Guidelines For Hypertension - 1251 Words

The goal population for this study includes adults over the age of 18, who do not have any comorbidity. Though the JNC guidelines are meant to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of healthy adults and those with chronic illness, this review will focus on adults without any chronic illnesses. This will allow for a much more concise report on how guidelines have changed within this target population alone. It will also put into perspective, how the major diagnosing criterion has changed in the last twenty years for those without any other chronic illnesses. The need for evolving guidelines has stemmed from groundbreaking research on the topic of hypertension and antihypertensive medications. In the last two decades, there has been a change†¦show more content†¦Data is collected using software that is able to compute averages, standard deviations, p-values, and confidence intervals. All of the studies used in this review provided values within a confidence interval of 95%. Thes e statistical analyses are useful in determining the effectiveness of a certain interventions, as well as organize data to find specific trends. Quantitative research is important to further support guidelines or help researchers move away from recommendations that do not work, as well as move towards recommendations that have the most amount of support. Hypertension related research could be assessed using meta-analyses and randomized control trials. A combination of both will be used for this narrative review, since all three have been useful in determining JNC guidelines. Much of the research conducted has been on different interventions that include lifestyle and pharmacological treatment that have been used to reduce blood pressure and control hypertension. JNC 6 focused its efforts on improving dietary habits to avoid developing hypertension or manage it once diagnosed. JNC 7 appears to be an intermediate of the other two guidelines. It contains information on the lifestyle mo difications as well as pharmacological treatment. JNC 8 is formatted quite differently that the other two and appears to be geared towards proper and prompt diagnoses of the disease, as well as forms of treatment.Show MoreRelatedLifestyle Modifications : Provider Adherence1492 Words   |  6 PagesProvider Adherence to JNC7 Guidelines Introduction Hypertension, a condition more commonly known as high blood pressure, is a major risk factor for many medical diseases and comorbidities. Hypertension affects 1 of 3 American adults each year, leading to comorbidities such as heart disease, coronary artery disease, stroke, and kidney disease. The treatment of hypertension totals $46 billion annually (CDC High Blood Pressure Facts, 2015). Clinical treatment guidelines, developed in 2003 by TheRead MoreHypertension : An Abnormal Elevation Of Blood Pressure1886 Words   |  8 PagesIntroduction Hypertension is a modifiable risk factor defined as an abnormal elevation of blood pressure. Health problems can result if it remains elevated for extended periods (Centers for Disease Control, 2015). High blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and stroke, which are leading causes of death in the United States (Mozzafarian et al., 2015). Randomized trials have shown that morbidity and mortality from heart disease and stroke are reduced with treatment of hypertensionRead MoreThe Gap Analysis Of Hypertensive Heart Disease1271 Words   |  6 PagesAccording to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2016) report, one out of three Americans suffers hypertension (HTN), and that accounts for 75 million or 29% of the adult population in the United States (U.S). All told, hypertension costs America 48.6 billion dollars in health care expenditures, medications, and missed days of work among the American population (CDC, 2016). According to the Tex as Health Data (2013), death rate among 26,448,193 residents of Texas, 170.1 deathsRead MoreThe Management Of Co Morbidities : America Is An Escalating Dilemma For Advance Practice Nurses1294 Words   |  6 Pagespractice will focus on ongoing management and care of diverse populations that present to the APNs practice with hypertension and other co-morbidities which must be treated suitably with the best evidenced based approach and current guidelines aimed at promotion, maintenance and advancement of patient’s health, prevention or reduction in progression of maladies burden and cost. Hypertension and co-morbidities such as Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and Hyperlipidemia are health problems frequently seenRead MoreHypertension In Nursing1340 Words   |  6 Pagespractices for treating and managing hypertension in comparison with the practice of health promotion and maintenance NCSBN category while addressing a clinical issue of hypertension and also suggesting a solution to the problem. Current evidenced-based practice guidelines for treatment of hypertension was created by a panel of the Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC 8), whom reviewed peer-reviewed research and current practice to create guidelines. A hypertension management algorithm was createdRead MoreA Short Note On Diabetes And Adolescent Adolescents1577 Words   |  7 PagesHypertension in Adolescents I. Case Presentation A 16 year old African American male arrives at his pediatrician’s office for a preparticipation physical evaluation. His history includes asthma as a toddler, tonsillectomy in 2010. His mother, grandmother, and uncle all have hypertension. His grandmother has diabetes as well. He has an older brother and younger sister, both are healthy. His father is a paraplegic due to a MVA, otherwise his father has no health issues. The patient vital signsRead MoreHypertension And High Blood Pressure1703 Words   |  7 PagesHypertension Hypertension is referred to as high blood pressure. Hypertension is frequently asymptomatic in the early stages, and the initial signs are often vague and nonspecific. They include fatigue, malaise, and sometimes morning headache. Consistently elevated blood pressure under various conditions is the key sign of hypertension. Because of the insidious onset and mild signs, hypertension is often undiagnosed until complications arise and has been called the â€Å"silent killer.† The complicationsRead MoreHigh Blood Pressure Is The Resistance Of Blood Vessels2973 Words   |  12 Pagescalled Hypertension (Madhur, 2014). High blood pressure is a major risk factor for various other illnesses and even death due to several cardiac and vascular diseases. It is assessed that about 54% of strokes, 47% of heart attacks, 75% of hypertensive disease, 25% of other heart disease, 13.5% of all mortality, and 6% of morbidity are linked to Hypertension (Khraim Pike, 2014). Hypertension affec ts about 70 million adults in the United States. Only  about half (52%)  of people with hypertension haveRead MoreHypertension Of Hypertension And Secondary Hypertension2624 Words   |  11 PagesHypertension is defined as blood pressure greater than 140/90 mm Hg on two or more blood pressure readings taken at each of two or more visits after initial screening. There are two types of hypertension which are the primary (essential) hypertension and secondary hypertension. Essential hypertension is referred to patients with hypertension without any secondary identifiable cause. Secondary hypertension has an identifiable cause, such as renal artery stenosis or pheochromocytoma, and is managedRead MoreHypertension : The Most Common Chronic Disease ( Barranger )1268 Words   |  6 PagesHypertension is one of the most common chronic disease (Barranger, 2013). Many people are unaware of the fact that they have hypertension because they do not have any symptoms associated with this ch ronic disease. Hypertension can be a major risk factor for many other chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, and kidney disease. Hypertension is strongly associated with obesity and diabetes. Hypertension caused morbidity and mortality are the highest, occur early and

Sex And Disability An Open Minded Perspective From...

Rarely, do we find in society, the overlapping topic of sex and disability being discussed. In fact, it is hardly ever addressed because there is an underlying notion which seems to discourage such an open minded perspective from individuals. In fact, the topic of sexual intercourse itself is seemingly discouraged. However, why is that the case? Our society has been conformed to hold such restricted societal values; such that in a way, the desire for sex is shunned upon and confronted with negativity. There is also the implication of gender roles that ties into this subject. However, the subject becomes much more complex when the matter of disability ties in. Often times, those with disabilities are almost â€Å"hidden away† from topics such as†¦show more content†¦There is a discrete difference between the definition of sex and gender. Sex, is more so, the physical differences that is noted in the human anatomy. On the other hand, gender, more so addresses the ideali zed image that is often associated with the given sex. Women are â€Å"weak†. Men are â€Å"strong†. To further analyze and add on to this definition, in Rethinking Sex and Gender, Christine Delphy addresses the terms of which â€Å"the idea that gender is independent of sex has progressed.† She then goes on to state, â€Å"the aspect of ‘sex roles’ and sexual situations that are recognized to be socially constructed rather than biologically determined† (Delphy). The idea of sex roles has been socially constructed through our moral values, rather than it being biologically constructed. Yet, where do such sex roles attribute to those with long term disabilities? Often times, the physical or intellectual disability of individuals lead them to feel less of a boy or a girl. They feel like they don’t conform to the stereotypical image of the perfect male or female. There is a lack of association of being â€Å"feminine† or â€Å"mas culine† with their own identity. In 2014, a research was conducted of men with long- term conditions to study their feelings regarding their own identity. It was concluded that the â€Å"interviewees said that they want to be sexually active but feel as if their sexuality is ignored as they are ‘genderless’† (Learning Disability Practice).Show MoreRelatedThe Impact Of Employment Law On The Human Resources Arena927 Words   |  4 Pagesyears. However, treating people with respect and dignity is not a new concept. This biblical perspective focuses on Philemon. You may recall the plea Paul had for Onesimus in Philemon 1:8-9. In this passage, we hear about doing the right thing based on our love for one another. Forgetting the past and focusing on doing the right thing in the future is a key part of this lesson. Although we should learn from our past mistakes, it is important to use this information ethically and legally as we consultRead MoreWhat Is Wellness As A Quality And State Of Being Healthy1522 Words   |  7 Pagesdisease prevention program. Wellness programs have been incorporated into law in forms of exceptions to promote health and reduce costs associated with absenteeism, healthcare spending and insurance premiums. The author of the article â€Å"Critical Perspective on Wellness† published in Journal of health politics, policy and law in 2014, argues that today’s workplace wellness programs give provision for discrimination. Moreover, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act further facilitate discriminatoryRead MoreDefinition Of Wellness As A Quality And State Of Being Healthy1511 Words   |  7 Pagesdisease prevention programs. Wellness programs have been incorporated into law in forms of exceptions to promote health and reduce costs associated with abse nteeism, healthcare spending and insurance premiums. The author of the article â€Å"Critical Perspective on Wellness† published in Journal of health politics, policy and law in 2014, argues that today’s workplace wellness programs give provision for discrimination. Moreover, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act further facilitate discriminatoryRead MoreDemocratic Or Republican Essay1141 Words   |  5 PagesTexas from ten months for pursuing my further education. The place where I am currently dwelling i.e. 3225 West Walnut Hill Lane, Irving, Texas is numbered as district 16. 1 As per the research, I found that Don Huffines represents district 16 in the Texas senate. It is full of diverse population providing several opportunities to its citizens. 2 Around 846,307 people are living in district 16 in which 7.2% of the total population are below five years old, 17.1% belong to the age group from 5 to 17Read MoreThe Reality Of The Disabled1718 Words   |  7 PagesThe misconceptions about people who have disabilities and the sexuality of these people are what is sometimes the most disturbing in society. In the mainstream of society the disabled person is not viewed as a sexually capable person. Society has produced pictures and perceptions that are not conclusive with the actual state of sexuality within the disabled world of dating. It is easily noticed in the media and movies, as romantic roles are rarely given to the disabled, further making the perceptionsRead MoreNontraditional Casting944 Words   |  4 PagesNontraditional Casting Nontraditional casting is also known as colour-blind casting and integrated casting. Non-traditional casting is defined as the casting of ethnic minority and female actors in roles where race, ethnicity, or sex is not considered. Watching Hollywood movies, there is much diversity in a movie depending on what the genre is. Hollywood looks for actors that fit the physical and talent description directors are looking for. Hollywood work with what they only have, not based onRead MoreMy Journey Through My Life1521 Words   |  7 Pagesspecific individuals have all impacted my thinking. In the late 80’s I stayed in an all male residence {Field Hall} located on the Memorial University campus, a division of Queen’s College Anglican church. The academic aspect of university was a fraction of the complete university experience. Being an accepted and recognized member in our athletic residence was critical. Approximately 120+ people became your friends and part of your family. T he majority of the students were white Anglo-Saxons from ruralRead MoreCivil Rights in the United States1282 Words   |  6 Pagesleave us very narrow-minded? The media adds irrelevant detail to every situation. For example, a person’s race, which otherwise makes no difference, could be the topic of discussion while a news crew covers a crime. Another component to solving this dilemma is spreading word of a new set of civil rights to the next generation starting at a young age. If adults with young children start to tell their kids what is right and what is wrong, from a civil rights perspective, from a young age, they willRead MoreQueer : The Queer Nation Manifesto1973 Words   |  8 Pagessociety with regards to sexuality. The point of the Manifesto is to evoke a passionate response from the queer community by breaking free of the chains that repress any sexuality or sexual desire that is not heterosexual, and demanding to be treated just like any other member of the general public. The first step to fighting back is to â€Å"be proud. Do whatever you need to do to tear yourself away from your customary state of acceptance. Be free. Shout (Shout it!, Queer Nation Manifesto).† This isRead MoreDiversity Analysis And Reflection On Diversity Essay2454 Words   |  10 PagesThe purpose of reflecting on others diversity presentation is to allow us students to learn how we compare to others and how we differ from others in the aspect of the internal and external dimensions. This summary will reflect the dimensions of religion, sexual orientation/identity, and disability. Others presentations allow us to be informed on other perspective per these dimensions. Not any two people in the world are complet ely the same. Everyone goes through life differently and many times some