Thursday, November 28, 2019

Zak Brooks Essays (708 words) - 2nd Millennium,

Zak Brooks Del Carey Essay Questions WorldCivII 12November2017 American Revolution Vs. French Revolution TheAmericanRevolution was thethirteen American colonies leading a revolt on GreatBritain. The revolt took place in 1765-1783 becoming the United States of America. The French Revolutionwas a period of far-reaching social and political upheaval in Francethat lasted from 1789 -1799. The revolution was to overthrow the Monarchy. The French and American revolution had similarities and differences. The French Revolution and American Revolution were the instances of civilians rebelling against their government. They were both based offofunfairtaxationbythe Monarchy.The French peasants were not represented by the Parliament. It was mainly composed of middle andupper-classpeople. Now, the American colonists were not represented in England because of their lack of presence. Both wanted to set up a Republic, which provided liberty and justice to all classes of citizens.TheFrench rebelled against their government in a violent manner, as did the Americans. Both revolutions wereordinarycitizens who had taken up arms and turned on and started attacking their government. This is important because both revolutions were executed in this way. They both used weapons andartilleryto attack the opposition intosubmission. Both revolutions had differences as well. One majordifferencewas the fact that theAmericanrebels had the use of warships. This means thatunlikethe French the Americans had use of a Navy. Being able to have access to a navy means more weapons as well as ability to attack by sea as well as land. TheFrenchdid not have a Navy so they were limited toattacking by land.The American Revolution started out by not wanting bloodshed andviolence, whereasFrancestarted out with violence and bloodshed.The American Revolution was the first significant revolution of the century, and it was also the first to be successful. The main reason it was successful was that it did not start out being "rebellious" in nature, but rather conservative. In anotherwords, it was not a rebellion against the Government, but rather against having too much government controlling them.The French revolution was a true rebellion against the King and the government in general. The French were the ones on the offensive, fighting to gain new freedom starting with the Storming of the Bastille.TheAmericanswere also their own colony that was rebelling against their government. They also had more time to prepare seeing as Britain was across an ocean and could notact quickly. Because they had to travel acrossan ocean the Americans would be prepared for them whentheyFinally arrived in America. The revolutionary Moment of the American Revolution would probably be when it started to turn hostile. Prior to the British forces destroying supplies atLexingtonand concord in 1775 the Americans had two main protests. The burning of theGaspeein Rhode Island 1772and the Boston Tea Party in 1773, which destroyed aconsignmentof taxed tea. Following thisact,theBritishclosed theBostonHarbor. The conflict overthesupplies atLexingtonand concord eventually erupted into a global war between the American Patriots and the British Loyalists. Eachof the thirteen colonies built aProvincial Congressthat assumed power from the old colonial governments and suppressed Loyalism, and from there they built a Continental Armyunder the leadership of GeneralGeorge Washington. This eventually led to the American and French allies capturing the last British Forces inYorktowneffectively ending the war. The Turning point of the FrenchRevolution was that people began to want toself-governin Europe, already there was a republic in America. This made France feel that they would be able to overthrow the French Monarch to achieve their own freedom as well. The major turning point was the storming of thebasillebecause it was a point of no return for many because they hadcommittedan act of treason.king Louis sent soldiers to break up the National Assembly which was being held on his Tennis Court. This caused the people to retaliate and storm theBasillebecause they wanted a republic and theBasillerepresented the oppressive and wrong Monarchy. I believe that the American Revolution was more influential to the world because it was the first one to happen. It also led to theUnitedStates becoming a country on their own Which was big step for the western world. It also being the first to happen seemed to open up a door for the rest of the world including the French who followed shortly after.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Essay Sample on Marketing Plan Writing Based on the Coca-Cola Company

Essay Sample on Marketing Plan Writing Based on the Coca-Cola Company Marketing plan A marketing plan is a detailed, researched and written report that a business uses in order to outline the actions that should be taken to customers and clients and measures taken to persuade them to purchase the product. It communicates to the customers on the value of goods and services. Marketing personnel evaluate the results marketing decisions made in previous years and the market in which a business operates in order to make the right decisions .They also set goals that provide direction on how marketing should be carried out. Coca-Cola Company success has been attributed by a well structured marketing plan. Marketing plan prepared by the management determines how well it will exist in the market. Product identification A brief discussion is made concerning an existing or new product of a business in the marketing plan. Product identification involves knowing the identity of a product from its source of production, raw materials used in production, work –in- progress, finished product storage and the delivery of the products to the customers. Identification of a product can be controlled through electronic and physical methods. Product decisions should include products brand name, quality, and scope of the product line, warranty and its mode of packaging. (Derek 45). Coca-Cola Company sells soft drinks and beverages to the customers. Its management takes into consideration the advantages of selling a product and how it’s leveraged in the market so as to maximize on its profits. The branding and packaging of its products unique thus has a higher competitive advantage as opposed to that of its competitors. Marketing objective The basic strategy of a business is to determine a business objective .Some non-financial market metrics can be used to measure the success of a business. These include target market objectives and market shares- total number of new or retained customers and rate and size of purchases made in a business. These metrics show the conditions and a circumstance facing a company that cannot be solved through using financial methods (Baker 19).Coca Cola Company overall objective has been to meet the needs of its customers, to penetrate the market through providing high quality products and having a big market share through distributing its products to all parts of the world. Market The size and mark up of a market is determined by the products being sold in a business. It is also indicated by the environment in which it’s conducting its business. In the marketing there should be a mission statement that identifies a businesses long-run goal, market it serves incentives and products and services given to customers. Coca-Cola Company’s markets it products through producing concentrate syrup that is fit for consumption to all its franchise shops in the world, this increases the sale returns of the company. Competition When preparing marketing plan one should take into consideration the reasons that make a customer prefer a product from one business as opposed from its competitor. According to Porter, he stated that it is important to prepare a detailed competitive summary of the products and services variables and be ranked in comparison to those of its competitors so as to prepare the right plan for a business. The variables include; pricing, sales, trends, positioning, clarity, quality, target market focus, packaging, advertising and customer service. The management of a company should know it competitors so as to understand its strengths and weaknesess.These can be achieved through evaluating the competitors experience in business, purchasing power, market position, strength predictability and the freedom to abandon the market. The Coca Cola Company produces different kinds of products which increases of its sale turnover and makes it to have a higher competitive advantage as opposed to its com petitors. It sometimes gives free samples and incentives to its customers. Pricing A price is determined by the net income and the objective that a company have for the market of its product. The pricing decisions can be determined by knowing the market, competitors, the economic condition of a country and the customers. Tables and graphs can be used to show the pricing trends and decisions of different products of a company. The main factors that an organization should take into account while setting up its prices is that of pricing stategy,the expected volume and decision for following a pricing variable for instance; list  price, discounts, payment terms and financing options. Coca Cola company pricing is friendly as its products are recyclable therefore minimizing on the cost of producing the empty bottles used to pack its products. Promotion A product should be advertised and promoted in the market so that the customer can get to know about its existence in the market. A business should determine how much and which media should be used in advertising a product. Kotler, et.al stated there are factors that should be taken into account when promoting a product that include; public relations, promotional programs, projected results for promotional programs and budget that determines the break-even point for making a sale of a product. Coca-Cola Company has been using the fat and jolly Santa Claus in advertising of its products, this has enabled it to increase on its sales and production for its products. Distribution This process involves ensuring the products reach the customers on time. In marketing plan, distribution is an important element that consists of decision variables such as; distribution channels as direct, retail and intermediate channels; criteria for evaluating distributions ;locations; motivators of channels such as distributor margins and logistics such as transportation ,warehousing and order fulfillment . An organization should choose the best channel that can enable it maximize on its profits (Porter 34).Coca-Cola company produces syrups fit for consumption thus reducing the cost of transporting products from one place to another. Sales forecast Sales forecast is derived through understanding a product, market for a product, price, promotional methods used, and types of distribution a channel for a product .Sales forecast is the driving force of all financial forecasts. It is required to give a brief summary of current sales, identify changes, summarize changes in the forecast, and justify a forecast so as to determine the right information concerning about a product and who well it can fair in the market. The sales forecast helps the management of an organization to determine the kind of resources that should be implemented in an organization in order to maximize on its profits .In this case, factors such as political, environmental, technological and competitive factors are evaluated so as to determine whether the business operates in a good environment. Coca-Cola sales team derives the sales turnover on different intervals in the year to evaluate the position of the company in the beverage industry. Sales forecast review by management Sales forecast review by management can be achieved through using the sales manager who can understand the contacts in the industry, can familiarize themselves with advertising and promotion techniques that will increase sales revenue for an organization. The qualification of the sales personnel to generate sales leads, their relationship with the distributors and location of their sales outlets in order to increase the revenue of an organization is taken into consideration .These mechanisms can ensure the management reviews it sales forecast with the actual sales so as to understand the position of business in the market. Coca-Cola company employees prepare financial reports on an annual basis to inform the customers at its existence and production of high quality products. Conclusion Marketing plans should be reviewed on an annual basis so as to determine how a business is performing in the industry. The management of business should use the marketing plan to determine the environment in which a business can flourish in the industry. These are prepared in relation to the products and services that are sold that result from marketing strategy implemented through marketing programs. Coca-Cola company success has been contributed by well structured strategy and market penetration and production of a variety of products that are suitable for its customers.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Investment recommendatin Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

SABMiller Plc and Kingfisher Plc - Coursework Example Although regarded as a non-cyclical industry, beer brewing has been affected by reduced overall demand for goods worldwide, including consumer goods, and SABMiller saw its turnover drop, albeit not very significant, in 2009. According to the CBI Economic Forecast published in December 2009, there will be a modest recovery of world economic activity in 2010, but the longer-term trend will not resume until 2011. For the UK, this marginal growth will be driven by continuing strong Government spending, a modest increase in exports, and some recovery of consumer spending. The UK Gross Domestic Product is forecast to grow by 2.2 percent this year, and 2.5 percent the year after that. Consumer spending growth will be hampered by high energy costs, unwillingness to borrow, and the need to save for future needs. The company belongs to the non-cyclical consumer goods and services sector, and the beverages/brewers industry. (Reuters). According to Hoovers, industry demand is driven by consumer preferences for alcohol consumption as well as demographic trends. As is true for most consumer products, success often goes to large companies because of their effective sales operations, broad distribution networks, and economies of scale. The industry is capital intensive. The top competitors of SABMiller plc are, Diageo plc, Heineken NV., and Anheuser-Busch InBev. The latter replaced SABMiller as the worlds biggest brewer after InBev acquired Anheuser-Busch for $52 billion in 2008. The company recorded a revenue level of US$18.7 billion in 2009 and a net income of US$2.16 billion compared to US$2.29 the year before. Sales in 2009 dropped 12.6 percent due to the global recession, but overall revenue has grown by an annual average of 10.5 percent over 5 years and 6.9 percent over three years. Earnings per share average 18.6 percent over five years and 6.13 for the last three years.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Big brother show Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Big brother show - Research Paper Example The relevance of a media product encompasses political, social, technological, and cultural features. With urbanization and globalization, societies integrated resulting in cultural and contextual fusions. Because of the integration, social and cultural features became common as the media became an integral influencer of cultures (Kopp and Max 25). The increased human interaction broke the previously existing definitive cultures resulting in independent families with relative lifestyles. In such societies, the consumption of media content thus becomes relative as some of the features of television shows require social advisories and have relative relevance to the contemporary social and cultural structures as presented in the analysis of the Big brother show below. The Big brother show is one of the most watched television programs globally; the program is a reality show measuring the adaptability of housemates to different environments. It is a personality evaluation program. The mu ltibillion-dollar program selects participants from all over Africa and converges them in a single institution for a duration of two months a period within which the moderators evaluate their personality traits and their ability to adapt to the new metropolitan environment. While at the facility, the contestants face numerous challenges and evaluated on their ability to overcome the different social, cultural, and political challenges. The program has massive viewership and the organizers continue to market the show through the social media such as Facebook and twitter thus creating a big international viewership for their show. Just as with any other media product in the contemporary society, the show presents a number of both disadvantages and disadvantages thereby imploring relative consumption and assimilation of the ideas it represents. Africa is a multi-ethnic society with hundreds of smaller societies each speaking different dialects. The different societies thus exhibited di verse cultural practices effectively communicated through their different native languages. However, with colonization the different African states further adopted different European languages such as English, French, and German among others, which thus became their official languages. The Big Brother show draws participants from these societies indiscriminately creating a virtual society with several smaller cultures. The Big Brother show is a typical representation of a modern social setup, the show seeks to integrate the countries in Africa by uniting the people in their differences. Most of the participants and their fans align their likeness or hatred of the different countries depending on the nature of the relationship among them while at the house. The show’s main objective is to unite Africa thereby developing a cohesive society that share cultural and social values despite their differences (Andrejevic 33). Different African countries have previously had civil wars and political conflicts thus disintegrating the societies further. Such a social television program as the Big Brother provides an effective social platform for uniting the disintegrated countries. Citizens of a country unite and rally behind contestants from their countries a feature that effectively unites the diverse ethnic groups in the countries. The fans interact extensively on the social media such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter among others. In the normal political context, such societies fight and antagonize each other for presenting conflicting political and social ideologies. However, during their patronage of the Big Brother show, they all unite thereby presenting similar views and support about the different

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Features of Chinese Economic Development Article

Features of Chinese Economic Development - Article Example This paper critically reviews recent trends in economic policies by Chinese government, leading to a rapid economic development of the country in the last decades. Economic development is the measure of the progress of an economy. China is an Asian nation that has a unique economy. Reforms in China began in 1978 and since then the economic development has undergone various changes and implementations. Following these reforms between 1978 and 2005 the gross domestic product was on average 9.6% per year. China’s financial industry is of importance to the political system as they depend on the banking sector for funding. The financial reforms after 1997 involved formation of Communist Party Central Financial Work Commission. By establishing the CFWC, the Zhu Rongji government used Leninist political means to bolster the financial market integrity and reform. Zhu Rongji was a key economic policy maker in China. The CFWC served as a coordinating and planning body for regulatory bodies. It was dissolved and a Banking Regulatory Commissionestablished as a separate banking watchdog in autumn. The formation of Ministry of Information Industry in 1998 marked the beginning of reforms in the telecommunications industry. It was formally in charge of the entire information industry. China’s leadership governs key sectors whose assets and wealth contribute to the national economy through the State-owned Asset Supervision and Administration Commission. SASAC was established in 2003 and has since taken a regulatory role in China.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Effect of Demographics on the Choice of Investments

Effect of Demographics on the Choice of Investments It has been observed that over the last decade the Income of the third world countries such as India, China and Indonesia has grown at a high pace. As the wealth of the people increases they will have confidence in the markets and start investing in financial products. This research paper deals with the investment decisions of all individuals across different income groups, age, gender etc. and tries to identify the affect of demographic factors on the decision making investors The study aims to find out if the demographic factors of an individual namely his age, income, gender, savings, source of income and investment experience have any effect on the patterns of investment and hence affect his risk taking ability. Advanced quantitative techniques have been used to investigate the data and judgment has been given on the basis of statistical output. The results would help the managers in the Wealth Management process in advising their clients better regarding investments that are most suitable according to their demographics and personality type. The study provides evidence that the investment choice depends on and is affected by the demographic variables. Introduction India, China and Brazil showed the highest growth in the number of HNIs in the year 2007 (The world wealth report 2008). The growth in the exposure that these markets have still remains untapped as they have only 3 percent exposure to equities. As the wealth of the people increases they will have confidence in the markets and start investing in financial products. In the 1970s and early 1980s, researchers found enough evidences that the markets are efficient and investment decisions are taken rationally. However, over a period of time there have been major challenges to the rationality assumption. Such challenges, coming from behavioral finance, continue to advance the argument that the traditional finance theorys predictive power is no match to what investors observe and experience in the markets, in reality. Behavioral finance is a new emerging science that exploits the irrational behavior of the investors. According to the behavioral economists, individuals do not function perfectly as the classical school opines. Weber (1999) makes the observation, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Behavioral finance closely combines individual behavior and market phenomena and uses the knowledge taken from both psychological field and financial theoryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. The key result of a behavioral finance-enhanced relationship will be a portfolio to which the advisor can comf ortably adhere while fulfilling the clients long-term goals. This result has obvious advantages which suggests that behavioral finance will continue to play an increasing role in Wealth Management The study aims to find out if the demographic factors of an individual namely his age, income, gender, savings, source of income and investment experience have any effect on the patterns of investment and hence affect his risk taking ability. Quantitative techniques shall be used to investigate the data and the decision will be given on the basis of the analysis. The results would help the people involved in the Wealth Management process in advising their clients better regarding investments that are most suitable according to their demographics and personality type. Objective The objective of this paper is to investigate how the investment choice is affected by the demographics of the investors, once we study the choice effecting variables, we will use past data and monitor what have been the returns achieved from such proportion of investments and we shall determine the ideal portfolio and mix in the portfolio. Such knowledge will be highly useful for financial advisors as it will help them to advise their clients regarding investments that are appropriate with respect to their demographic profiles. Literature review A number of studies have been conducted to study how risk tolerance varies with the individual demographics, such as, gender, age, education, income, etc. Most of these studies have, however, concentrated on exploring the gender differences in investment choice. Harlow and Keith (1990) found that women prefer low risk bets when asked to make choices in an experimental market environment, involving auctions and lotteries (Olsen and Cox, 2001). Experimental evidence suggests that women may be more risk averse towards gamble (Hershey and Schoemaker, 1980). Large-scale one-on-one attitude surveys by the Investment Company Institute and SRI International in the year 1996 and 1997 respectively, also revealed that women tend to prefer lower risk assets than men. (Olsen and Cox, 2001). Women hold less risky assets than men (Jianakoplos and Bernasek, 1998) and they also choose less risky alternatives (Powll and Ansic, 1997). Women exhibited less risk-taking behavior than men in their most recent, largest and riskiest mutual fund investment decisions (Dwyer et al., 2002). Women are more risk averse than men in gambles, investment frames with possibility of loss and gamble frame with no losses (Eckel and Grossman, 2003). Brynes and Miller (1999) have studied and investigated the relationship between risk and gender and concluded that women tend to take less risk than men (Olsen and Cox, 2001). Women are less likely to invest in riskier but high return assets than men (Mc Donald, 1997). However, the empirical investigation of gender difference in risk taking is inconclusive (Charness and Gneezy, 2004). While most research conducted prior to 1980 concluded that gender difference clearly exists, more recent research studies yield mixed results (Changanti and Parasuraman, 1996; and Powell and Ansic, 1997). Males and females are equally successful in taking decisions under conditions of risk (Hudgen and Fatkin, 1985). They are equally effective in the leadership role (Eagly et al., 1995) and are equally capable of processing and reacting to information (Stinerock et al., 1991). As businessmen/women, many studies have found similar level of performance for women-owned business as those which are owned by men (Kalleberg and Leicht, 1991; and Fischer et al., 1993). In an abstract lottery choice, Schubert et al. (2000) framed choices as either potential gain, or potential loss. They found that women are more risk averse than men in domain of gain, while men are more risk averse than women in the frame of loss domain. Women fund mangersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ both domestic and internationalà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ hold portfolios which are marginally riskier than those of men, and their returns also outperform those of men (Bliss and Potter, 2001). Women were found to be less risk averse than men when the gambles were framed as insurance (Duda et al., 2004). Although, the impact of gender on risk taking is significantly weakened when investor knowledge of financial markets and investments is controlled in the regression equation, the greater level of risk aversion among wome n, which is frequently documented in the literature, cannot be completely, explained by knowledge disparities (Dwyer et al., 2002). In the Indian context, Gupta (www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/bandhk/1118105.html) has indicated that from the angle of investor protection, the regulation of the new issue market is important for several reasons. The number of small investors in new issue market is massive. Most of new investors make their first entry into equity investments via the new issue market. So retaining common investor confidence in primary markets is important. Madhusoodan (www.nyse.com/press/NT00545421.html) has indicated that in the Indian stock market, higher risk is not priced, hence investment in higher risk instruments is of no use. Kakati (www.investorclaims.com/html/bokermisconduct.html) has indicated that Indian IPOs are under priced in the short run and overpriced in the long run. Selling after allotment, around the listing month, is the cause of major return differences between IPOs performance in the short run and long run. Gokaran has studied the financing patterns of the corporate growth in the country. The study indicated that equity markets suffer serious inadequacies as a mechanism for raising capital. Murali (www.ssrn.com) has indicated that new issues market (NIM) focuses on decreasing information asymmetry, easy accessibility of capital by large sections of medium and small enterprises, national level participation in promoting efficient investments, and increasing a culture of investments in productive sector. In order that these goals are achieved, a substantial level of improvement in the regulatory standards in India at the voluntary and enforcement levels is warranted. The most crucial steps to achieve these goals would be to develop measures to strengthen the new issues market. To effectively and efficiently serve clients in todays competitive industry, financial planners increasingly rely on information technology. The larger the financial planning firm, the more critical the use of information technology becomes as its applications extend to areas outside financial planning such as payroll, accounting, marketing, and operations. This article proposes the establishment of a new research discipline, financial planning informatics, which focuses on the development of technology tools to support the unique needs of financial planners. We live in the information age. Information is the result of processing, manipulating, and organizing data in a way that creates new knowledge (Rahman 2006). A number of studies have been conducted to study how risk tolerance varies with the individual demographics, such as, gender, age, education, income, etc (Schooley Worden, 1996; Shaw, 1996; Xiao Noring, 1994; Watson and Naughton, 2007). Most of these studies have, however, concentrated on exploring the gender differences in investment choice. The impact of other demographic factors, such as, age, education, income, occupation and dependents on investment choice has not been investigated by many researchers. But whatever studies have been done suggest that they (other demographic factors) affect individuals investment decisions. Risk tolerance, a persons attitude towards accepting risk, is an important concept which has implications for both financial service providers and consumers. For the latter, risk tolerance is one factor which may determine the appropriate composition of assets in a portfolio which is optimal in terms of risk and return relative to the needs of the individual (Droms, 1987). In fact, the well-documented home country bias of investors may be a manifestation of risk aversion on the part of investors (see Cooper, and Kaplanis, 1994 and Simons, 1999). For fund managers, Jacobs and Levy (1996) argue that the inability to effectively determine investor risk tolerance may lead to homogeneity among investment funds. Further, Schirripa and Tecotzky (2000) argue that the standard Markowitz portfolio optimization process can be optimised by pooling groups of investors together with different attitudes to risk into a single efficient portfolio that maintains the groups average risk tolerance. Although a number of factors have been proposed and tested, a brief survey of the results reveals a distinct lack of consensus. First, it is generally thought that risk tolerance decreases with age (see Wallach and Kogan 1961; McInish 1982; Morin and Suarez 1983; and Palsson 1996) although this relationship may not necessarily be linear (see Riley and Chow 1992; Bajtelsmit and VanDerhai 1997). Intuitively this result can be explained by the fact that younger investors have a greater (expected) number of years to recover from the losses that may be incurred with risky investments. Interestingly, there is some suggestion that biological changes in enzymes due to the aging process may be responsible (see Harlow and Brown, 1990). More recent research however, reveals evidence of a positive relationship or fails to detect any impact of age on risk tolerance (see Wang and Hanna 1997; Grable and Joo 1997; Grable and Lytton 1998, Hanna, Gutter and Fan, 1998; Grable 2000, Hariharan, Chapman a nd Domian, 2000; and Gollier and Zeckhauser, 2002). A second demographic which is frequently argued to determine risk tolerance is gender and Bajtelsmit and Bernasek (1996), Palsson (1996), Jianakoplos and Bernasek (1998), Bajtelsmit, Bernasek and Jianakoplos (1999), Powell and Ansic (1997), and Grable (2000) find support for the notion that females have a lower preference for risk than males. Grable and Joo (1999) and Hanna, Gutter and Fan (1998) however, find that gender is not significant in predicting financial risk tolerance. Education is a third factor which is thought to increase a persons capacity to evaluate risks inherent to the investment process and therefore endow them with a higher financial risk tolerance (see Baker and Haslem, 1974; Haliassos and Bertaut, 1995; Sung and Hanna, 1996). Shaw (1996) derives a model which suggests an element of circularity in this argument however, as the relative risk aversion of an individual is shown to determine the rate of human capital acquisition. Income and wealth are two related factors which are hypothesised to exert a positive relationship on the preferred level of risk (see Friedman 1974; Cohn, Lewellen, Lease and Schlarbaum 1975; Blume 1978; Riley and Chow 1992; Grable and Lytton 1999; Schooley and Worden 1996; Shaw 1996; and Bernheim et al, 2001). For the latter, however, the issue is not clear cut. On the one hand, wealthy individuals can more easily afford to incur the losses resulting from a risky investment and their accumulated wealth may even be a reflection of their preferred level of risk. Alternatively, wealthy people may be more conservative with their money while people with low levels of personal wealth may view risky investments as a form of lottery ticket and be more willing to bear the risk associated with such payoffs. This argument is analogous to Bowmans (1982) proposition that troubled firms prefer and seek risk. Investigation of the investment decisions made by married individuals presents a unique challenge to researchers as the investment portfolio of the couple may reflect the combined risk preferences of the couple (Bernasek and Shwiff, 2001). The available evidence suggests that single investors are more risk tolerant (Roszkowski, Snelbecker and Leimberg, 1993) although some research has failed to identify any significant relationship (McInish, 1982; Masters, 1989; and Haliassos and Bertaut, 1995). Methodology The study employs primary data collected by communicating with the respondents with the help of a structured questionnaire. Before undertaking the survey, a pilot test of the questionnaire was done with 40 respondents. Their views were incorporated in the final questionnaire and desired results were obtained. The study is based on responses obtained from the respondents belonging to a wide cross section. The total sample consisted of about 150 people, Males/Females from Salaried/ Self Employed, were split from different Age groups of Less than 35, 35-45, 45 and above. Investment Experience (Measured in the No of years) and the savings of Individuals post investment was also observed. The study employed non-probabilistic sampling method to select the respondents. The sampling method used can best be described as a mix of judgmental and convenient sampling. The questionnaire (Annexure) consists of a risk profiling exercise combined with the demographic characteristics required about the investor. Later a combination of cluster analysis along with a couple of other tests like LOGIT, PROBIT Etc will be used. DATA ANALYSIS The risk taking ability of the respondents was found by looking at the patterns and similarities that could be found and understood in the data. Techniques of Regression and Logit tests are used. Then the demographic characteristics of the people to their risk taking ability and any similar patterns are also identified. From the final questionnaire we got to know the risk profile, demographic profile, choice of investments, other habits and observations etc. Later any patterns and similarities were looked at in the data. The analysis was done using Logit tests identifying probabilities, Multi logistic regression, Man- Whitney U test and chi square. The following hypotheses were formulated to study whether the choice of Investment depends upon variables, such as, gender, age, income, educational qualification and occupation. The hypotheses are stated as follows: Ho.1: There is no significant difference between the males and females in their choice of investment avenues. Ho.2: There is no significant difference among the investors belonging to different age groups in their choice of investment avenues. Ho.3: There is no significant difference between the investors of different occupations in their choice of investment avenues. Ho.4: There is no significant difference between the investors having different investment experience in their choice of investment avenues. Ho.5: There is no significant difference between the investors having different savings post investment in their choice of investment avenues. Logit Regression Using the data, we have calculated if the respondent is a risk taking or a risk averse investor. His risk taking behavior is taken as a Dependent variable. The various independent variables include Age, Gender, No of dependents, Income; savings post investments, investment experience etc. The model studies the change in the dependent variable due to change in all these independent variables. We use ungrouped method of Logit regression as we observe that these variables are independent and are not very much correlated with each other; hence they show lesser chance of hetroscedasticity with each other. Wald statistic (test) was used to test the significance of individual logistic regression coefficients for each independent variables ( that is to test the null hypothesis in logistic regression that a particular logit coefficient is zero). It is the ratio of the unstandardised logit coefficient to its standard error. The Wald statistic and its corresponding p probability level is part of the SPSS output. The independents may be dropped from the equations when their effect is not significant by the Wald statistic. We observe that the regression equation is significant at 10% with Wald value of 2.959. It was observed that among the independent variables the Age, gender and Investment experience are considered to be significant with a Wald value of 18.571, 3.47, 3.457 respectively they are also significant as they fall in significance level of 10%. However No of dependents, the Income and savings post investment are not significant enough and they are not at a significant level too with more than 10% significance level. It is observed that the number of dependents or siblings of a person does not define his risk taking ability and capacity, same is the reason for the person being salaried or being self employed for his living. There is no pattern observed for the level of savings that person has after his investment habits. Hence it can be said that the risk taking capacity can be mainly judged by his Age, Gender and Investment experience. The logit can be converted easily into an odds ratio simply by using an exponential function. The original odds are multiplied by e to the bth power, where b is the logistic regression coefficient, when the given independent increases by one unit. The ratio of odds ratio of the independent is the ratio of the relative importance of the independent variables on the dependent variables. The value of ratio for income 1.083 . Hence a unit change in income affects the change in risk taking ability by 1.083 Further in the regression equation the variable Age is highly significant with the score of 21.443 in the equation, so is gender and investment experience. The equation has a overall statistics of 28.953 with a appropriate significance level. R Square in logistic regression R2 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" measures attempts to measure strength of association. For small examples, for instance, an R2 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" like measure might be high when the goodness of fit was unacceptable by model chi- square or some other test. Cox and Snell R square is used to in the interpretation of multiple R square based on the likelihood, but the value lesser than1 is, the better. Here the value is 0.230. Nagelkerkes R2 divides Cox and Snells R2 by its maximum in order to achieve a measure that ranges from 0 to 1. Therefore Nagelkerkes R2 which is here 0.310 will normally be higher than the Cox and Snell measure but will tend to run lower than the corresponding OLS R2 which is 133.048. Nagelkerkes R2 is the most-reported of the R-squared estimates. Conclusion The insight of how an investment choice gets affected by the demographic variables helps the financial advisors to advise their clients better. The clients, on the other hand, on being advised regarding the investments that suit their profile, will not only rate such an advice higher but will also appreciate it. This study thus, will certainly improve the mutual trust between the advisor and his client. Similar studies with diverse samples will help in understanding the investment psychology better. From the research we observe that the risk taking ability can be mainly judged by his Age, Gender and Investment experience. That is if the person falls in a specific age category, the financial planner cab be readily prepared for the desires level of risky portfolio to be offered to the client. It has been noticed from the data that mostly people with high age are risk adverse on the contrary young people like to take very high risks and invest in aggressive stocks and speculative instruments. Men have been observed to be more risk taking and aggressive than most females. And people who have experience of trading in the financial markets also determine the level of risk they like to take. It is observed that the no of dependents or siblings that a person does not define his risk taking ability and capacity initially we thought that people who have more no of siblings would like to take less risk however same has not been observed in this case, same is the case for the person being salaried or being self employed for his living. Similarly no pattern has been observed for the level of savings that person has after his investment habits and the level of risk that he like to take.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The Closet :: Creative Writing Essays

The Closet Wolfgang knew about his father's past. It wasn't talked about much, but when it was, Wolfgang's mouth would perspire saliva and he would swallow it with fear. His past scared him, scared him so much one time while listening a small puddle began to form around his left leg. His father had never hit him or anything. His friends, they all got the belt, slap across the butt. Wolfgang tried to explain to them the stories, but they all thought he had it easy. The stories consisted of a kid, a non descriptive child. Wolfgang guessed it was supposed to be his dad. The stories were of the same idea, of a kid being bad and getting punished for it. But they weren't your butt slapping punishments like all the other kids got. They were kids locked away in basements for the rats to eat, getting sold on the street to dirty men, things to the degree only the grotesque mind could imagine such a horror. But when Wolfgang was really menacing or his dad was drunk he would tell the story of the kid in the closet. The kid in the closet story scared Wolfgang so much he wouldn't dare get near one. The night had fallen and the dealers came out just after dusk, so Wolfgang moved his toys from the corner and walked up the apartment stairs. As his little twelve year old legs climbed the steps, he had to pass the bums that lay cold on the steps with their bottles of liquor. Once to the top of the staircase he passed a late dealer, and headed toward his home. As Wolfgang reached to the door it swung open nearly swiping off his arm. "What the hell do you think your doing out this late?" It was his father, again in a drunken state. "Get your ass in here!" he grabbed Wolfgang by the ear and pulled in him. "You know what use to happen to me when I was a kid?" he asked. "Not the closet, please no." Wolfgang pleaded with him. He didn't want to hear it one more time, or not ever again. " Oh you want to hear about the kid in the closet?" he took time to say it with ease and in such a matter that it scared Wolfgang so much he began to beg. "No, no, please, please don't, anything, whip me like the other boys, anything." He couldn't hold back the tears. Wolfgang's crying only worsened the scene and his father picked him up by

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Conflict of Interest

CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY Article I Purpose The purpose of the conflict of interest policy is to protect Diamond Cut Loyalty Canine Rescue and Pit Bull Rehabilitation, Inc. ’s (herein â€Å"Organization†) interest when it is contemplating entering into a transaction or arrangement that might benefit the private interest of an officer or director of the Organization or might result in a possible excess benefit transaction. This policy is intended to supplement but not replace any applicable state and federal laws governing conflict of interest applicable to nonprofit and charitable organizations. Article II Definitions . Interested Person Any director, principal officer, or member of a committee with governing board delegated powers, who has a direct or indirect financial interest, as defined below, is an Interested Person. 2. Financial Interest A person has a financial interest if the person has, directly or indirectly, through business, investment, or family: a. An o wnership or investment interest in any entity with which the Organization has a transaction or arrangement, b. A compensation arrangement with the Organization or with any entity or individual with which the Organization has a transaction or arrangement, or . A potential ownership or investment interest in, or compensation arrangement with, any entity or individual with which the Organization is negotiating a transaction or arrangement. Compensation includes direct and indirect remuneration as well as gifts or favors that are not insubstantial. A financial interest is not necessarily a conflict of interest. Under Article III, Section 2, a person who has a financial interest may have a conflict of interest only if the Board of Directors decides that a conflict of interest exists. 3. Board of Directors The directors, collectively, of the Organization. Article IIIProcedures 1. Duty to Disclose In connection with any actual or possible conflict of interest, an Interested Person must dis close the existence of the financial interest and be given the opportunity to disclose all material facts to the Board of Directors relating to the proposed transaction or arrangement. 2. Determining Whether a Conflict of Interest Exists After disclosure of the financial interest and all material facts, and after any discussion with the interested person, he/she shall leave the Board of Directors meeting while the determination of a conflict of interest is discussed and voted upon.The remaining board members shall decide if a conflict of interest exists. 3. Procedures for Addressing the Conflict of Interest a. An interested person may make a presentation to the Board of Directors, but after the presentation, he/she shall leave the meeting during the discussion of, and the vote on, the transaction or arrangement involving the possible conflict of interest. b. The chairperson of the Board of Directors shall, if appropriate, appoint a disinterested person or committee to investigate al ternatives to the proposed transaction or arrangement. c.After exercising due diligence, the Board of Directors shall determine whether the Organization can obtain with reasonable efforts a more advantageous transaction or arrangement from a person or entity that would not give rise to a conflict of interest. d. If a more advantageous transaction or arrangement is not reasonably possible under circumstances not producing a conflict of interest, the Board of Directors shall determine by a majority vote of the disinterested directors whether the transaction or arrangement is in the Organization’s best interest, for its own benefit, and whether it is fair and reasonable.In conformity with the above determination it shall make its decision as to whether to enter into the transaction or arrangement. 4. Violations of the Conflicts of Interest Policy a. If the Board of Directors has reasonable cause to believe a member has failed to disclose actual or possible conflicts of interest, it shall inform the member of the basis for such belief and afford the member an opportunity to explain the alleged failure to disclose. . If, after hearing the member’s response and after making further investigation as warranted by the circumstances, the Board of Directors determines the member has failed to disclose an actual or possible conflict of interest, it shall take appropriate disciplinary and corrective action. Article IV Records of Proceedings The minutes of the Board of Directors’ meeting shall contain: a.The names of the persons who disclosed or otherwise were found to have a financial interest in connection with an actual or possible conflict of interest, the nature of the financial interest, any action taken to determine whether a conflict of interest was present, and the Board of Directors’ decision as to whether a conflict of interest in fact existed. b. The names of the persons who were present for discussions and votes relating to the trans action or arrangement, the content of the discussion, including any alternatives to the proposed transaction or arrangement, and a record of any votes taken in connection with the proceedings.Article V Compensation a. A voting member of the Board of Directors who receives compensation, directly or indirectly, from the Organization for services is precluded from voting on matters pertaining to that member’s compensation. b. A voting member of any committee whose jurisdiction includes compensation matters and who receives compensation, directly or indirectly, from the Organization for services is precluded from voting on matters pertaining to that member’s compensation. c.No voting member of the Board of Directors whose jurisdiction includes compensation matters and who receives compensation, directly or indirectly, from the Organization, either individually or collectively, is prohibited from providing information to any committee regarding compensation. Article VI Annu al Statements Each director, principal officer and member of a committee with governing board delegated powers shall annually sign a statement which affirms such person: a. Has received a copy of the conflicts of interest policy, . Has read and understands the policy, c. Has agreed to comply with the policy, and d. Understands the Organization is charitable and in order to maintain its federal tax exemption it must engage primarily in activities which accomplish one or more of its tax-exempt purposes. Article VII Periodic Reviews To ensure the Organization operates in a manner consistent with charitable purposes and does not engage in activities that could jeopardize its tax-exempt status, periodic reviews shall be conducted.The periodic reviews shall, at a minimum, include the following subjects: a. Whether compensation arrangements and benefits are reasonable, based on competent survey information, and the result of arm’s length bargaining. b. Whether partnerships, joint ve ntures, and arrangements with management organizations conform to the Organization’s written policies, are properly recorded, reflect reasonable investment or payments for goods and services, further charitable purposes and do not result in inurement, impermissible private benefit or in an excess benefit transaction.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Free Essays on Goddesses In The Odyssey

Goddesses in the Odyssey The appearance of many goddesses in The Odyssey by Homer exemplifies the fact that they are essential to Odysseus’ journey. They each play a different role, helping Odysseus in one way or the other, corresponding with his needs at that point in the voyage. Goddesses have been a constant in Greek literature and art, assisting in the essence of Greek culture. The Odyssey mentions many gods and goddesses, all of whom are involved with Odysseus’ journey. The Odyssey begins with a meeting of the gods and goddesses who are trying to decide upon the fate of Odysseus. From this we can infer the importance the divine play on mortal lives, namely he protagonist himself. Some, however, are more involved in the journey than others. The three most prominent goddesses are Circe, Calypso, and Athena. These three change Odysseus in ways he could never expect, weaving his fate into the epic that is The Odyssey. Calypso is one of Odysseus’ lovers. She falls in love with him and holds him captive on her island, Ogygia, for seven of the ten years of his journey home, while at the same time protecting him from Poseidon’s fury. At the beginning of Book 5, Calypso speaks at Hermes about the double standard regarding goddesses and mortals. â€Å"Hard-hearted you are, you gods! You unrivaled lords of jealousyscandalized when goddesses sleep with mortals, openly, even when one has made the man her husband.†# This criticism can be applied to the Greek culture itself, where Odysseus can take on a lover and Penelope is reprimanded for allowing the suitors to stay in her house. The name Calypso can mean â€Å"eclipse,†# which is appropriate in this case as she eclipsed his life. She became a distraction to Odysseus, devoted and consuming, seductive: someone to fear and desire both. Calypso took Odysseus away from the very things he defined himself with; the desire to return home was for him something dis... Free Essays on Goddesses In The Odyssey Free Essays on Goddesses In The Odyssey Goddesses in the Odyssey The appearance of many goddesses in The Odyssey by Homer exemplifies the fact that they are essential to Odysseus’ journey. They each play a different role, helping Odysseus in one way or the other, corresponding with his needs at that point in the voyage. Goddesses have been a constant in Greek literature and art, assisting in the essence of Greek culture. The Odyssey mentions many gods and goddesses, all of whom are involved with Odysseus’ journey. The Odyssey begins with a meeting of the gods and goddesses who are trying to decide upon the fate of Odysseus. From this we can infer the importance the divine play on mortal lives, namely he protagonist himself. Some, however, are more involved in the journey than others. The three most prominent goddesses are Circe, Calypso, and Athena. These three change Odysseus in ways he could never expect, weaving his fate into the epic that is The Odyssey. Calypso is one of Odysseus’ lovers. She falls in love with him and holds him captive on her island, Ogygia, for seven of the ten years of his journey home, while at the same time protecting him from Poseidon’s fury. At the beginning of Book 5, Calypso speaks at Hermes about the double standard regarding goddesses and mortals. â€Å"Hard-hearted you are, you gods! You unrivaled lords of jealousyscandalized when goddesses sleep with mortals, openly, even when one has made the man her husband.†# This criticism can be applied to the Greek culture itself, where Odysseus can take on a lover and Penelope is reprimanded for allowing the suitors to stay in her house. The name Calypso can mean â€Å"eclipse,†# which is appropriate in this case as she eclipsed his life. She became a distraction to Odysseus, devoted and consuming, seductive: someone to fear and desire both. Calypso took Odysseus away from the very things he defined himself with; the desire to return home was for him something dis...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Analysis of Good Country People by Flannery OConnor

Analysis of Good Country People by Flannery OConnor Good Country People by Flannery OConnor (1925–1964) is a story, in part, about the dangers of mistaking platitudes for original insights. The story, first published in 1955, presents three characters whose lives are governed by the platitudes they embrace or reject: Mrs. Hopewell, who speaks almost exclusively in cheerful clichà ©sHulga (Joy), Mrs. Hopewells daughter, who defines herself solely in opposition to her mothers platitudesA Bible salesman, who turns the clichà ©d beliefs of the unsuspecting mother and daughter against them Mrs. Hopewell Early in the story, OConnor demonstrates that Mrs. Hopewells life is governed by upbeat but empty sayings: Nothing is perfect. This was one of Mrs. Hopewells favorite sayings. Another was: that is life! And still another, the most important, was: well, other people have their opinions too. She would make these statements [†¦] as if no one held them but her [†¦] Her statements are so vague and obvious as to be almost meaningless, except, perhaps, to convey an overall philosophy of resignation. That she fails to recognize these as clichà ©s suggest how little time she spends reflecting on her own beliefs. The character of Mrs. Freeman provides an echo chamber for Mrs. Hopewells statements, thereby emphasizing their lack of substance. OConnor writes: When Mrs. Hopewell said to Mrs. Freeman that life was like that, Mrs. Freeman would say, I always said so myself. Nothing had been arrived at by anyone that had not first been arrived at by her. We are told that Mrs. Hopewell liked to tell people certain things about the Freemans - that the daughters are two of the finest girls she knows and that the family is good country people. The truth is that Mrs. Hopewell hired the Freemans because they were the only applicants for the job. The man who served as their reference openly told Mrs. Hopewell that Mrs. Freeman was the nosiest woman ever to walk the earth. But Mrs. Hopewell continues to call them good country people because she wants to believe they are. She almost seems to think that repeating the phrase will make it true. Just as Mrs. Hopewell seems to want to reshape the Freemans in the image of her favorite platitudes, she also seems to want to reshape her daughter. When she looks at Hulga, she thinks, There was nothing wrong with her face that a pleasant expression wouldnt help. She tells Hulga that a smile never hurt anyone and that people who looked on the bright side of things would be beautiful even if they were not, which could be insulting. Mrs. Hopewell views her daughter entirely in terms of clichà ©s, which seems guaranteed to make her daughter reject them. Hulga-Joy Mrs. Hopewells greatest platitude is perhaps her daughters name, Joy. Joy is grumpy, cynical and utterly joyless. To spite her mother, she legally changes her name to Hulga, partly because she thinks it sounds ugly. But just as Mrs. Hopewell continually repeats other sayings, she insists on calling her daughter Joy even after her name is changed, as if saying it will make it true. Hulga cant stand her mothers platitudes. When the Bible salesman is sitting in their parlor, Hulga tells her mother, Get rid of the salt of the earth [†¦] and lets eat. When her mother instead turns down the heat under the vegetables and returns to the parlor to continue singing the virtues of real genuine folks way out in the country, Hulga can be heard groaning from the kitchen. Hulga makes it clear that if it werent for her heart condition, she would be far from these red hills and good country people. She would be in a university lecturing to people who knew what she was talking about. Yet she rejects one clichà © – good country people – in favor of one that sounds superior but is equally trite – people who knew what she was talking about. Hulga likes to imagine herself as being above her mothers platitudes, but she reacts so systematically against her mothers beliefs that her atheism, her Ph.D. in philosophy and her bitter outlook begin to seem as thoughtless and trite as her mothers sayings. The Bible Salesman Both the mother and the daughter are so convinced of the superiority of their perspectives that they dont recognize theyre being duped by the Bible salesman. Good country people is meant to be flattering, but its a condescending phrase. It implies that the speaker, Mrs. Hopewell, somehow has the authority to judge whether someone is good country people or, to use her word, trash. It also implies that the people being labeled this way are somehow simpler and less sophisticated than Mrs. Hopewell. When the Bible salesman arrives, he is a living example of Mrs. Hopewells sayings. He uses a cheerful voice, makes jokes, and has a pleasant laugh. In short, hes everything Mrs. Hopewell advises Hulga to be. When he sees that hes losing her interest, he says, People like you dont like to fool with country people like me! Hes hit her in her weak spot. Its as if hes accused her of not living up to her own cherished platitudes, and she overcompensates with a flood of clichà ©s and an invitation to dinner. Why! she cried, good country people are the salt of the earth! Besides, we all have different ways of doing, it takes all kinds of make the world go round. Thats life! The salesman reads Hulga as easily as he reads Mrs. Hopewell, and he feeds her the clichà ©s she wants to hear, saying that he likes girls that wear glasses and that Im not like these people that a serious thought dont ever enter their heads. Hulga is as condescending toward the salesman as her mother is. She imagines that she can give him a deeper understanding of life because [t]rue genius [†¦] can get an idea across even to an inferior mind. In the barn, when the salesman demands that she tell him she loves him, Hulga feels pity, calling him poor baby and saying, Its just as well you dont understand. But later, faced with the evil of his actions, she falls back on her mothers clichà ©s. Arent you, she asks him, just good country people? She never valued the good part of country people, but like her mother, she assumed the phrase meant simple. He responds with his own clichà ©d tirade. I may sell Bibles but I know which end is up and I wasnt born yesterday and I know where Im going! His certainty mirrors - and therefore calls into question - Mrs. Hopewells and Hulgas.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Workplace Policy Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Workplace Policy Project - Research Paper Example The above policies only apply to customers in the United States. International Privacy Policies exist for customers outside the United States which are dependent on the laws of the country that govern their relationship with Wells Fargo This policy describes how the company utilizes and protects the customers’ information. The privacy of an individual, to a large extent, determines the customer service provided by the company. This policy was aimed at protecting information pertaining to individuals’ business accounts, loans, leasing and sales programs among others. The company determines how they share the personal information of its customers and whether the customers can limit the sharing and are required to inform their customers on how they go about it. The type of information being referred to here is the social security number and employment information, account balances and history of transactions and the credit and investment history. Some of the reasons the company may choose to share customer information include: For trust accounts in which the trustee happens to be Wells Fargo, there are special rules of confidentiality under which these accounts are protected. This kind of information needs specific consent before it can be shared for market purposes. Wells Fargo gives provisions for their customers to limit sharing of information. To protect the customers’ personal information from any form of unauthorized access, the company uses security measures that are required to be in compliance with federal law. Some of these measures include computer safeguards to prevent computer hacking and securing files and buildings. To cater to visitors, Wells Fargo provides various demos designed to help customers make the right financial decisions in selecting the products and services the customers need. It has applications to enable the customers to generate ‘what if’ scenarios to determine whether they

Friday, November 1, 2019

Health Insurance - Obama Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health Insurance - Obama Care - Essay Example The law was meant to eliminate the current pre-existing health conditions in the state, stop the insurance companies from getting rid of the customers when they fall sick, protect any form of gender discrimination that exists in the healthcare industry and expand on the existing preventive services and health benefits available (Noonan). Furthermore, the law stipulates that big organizations insure all their employees, create a subsidised insurance in order to lower the cost of insurance and consequently reduce the cost of healthcare spending and the discrepancy. As much as the idea was taken well by many, this was not the case with everyone. This is especially so with the religious community, which believed that the law raised many controversies in terms of the morals and ethics of the religious groups. This was in relation to the laws of the birth control mandate. The ObamaCare plan requires that all for-profit employer’s health plan to provide insurance for up to twenty contraception methods. Among the twenty contraception methods, five of them in the eyes of the religious community was viewed as a form of abortion or sterilization. The basis the religious leaders used in their defence was the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which was passed in 1993 (Tate, 106). The statute merely stipulated that if the government at any point interferes in any way with the free exercise of religion, it must narrowly alter its regulations to serve a persuasive concern and inflict the least â€Å"oppressive† option. Most religions are against the idea of the use of contraceptives, especially in an instance when the mod e of contraception seems to be a form of taking away life. This, therefore, necessitated the need for the law to be adjusted such that it suits the needs of everyone in the community.   Consequently, the Health and Human Services was forced to make an exemption for churches from the mandate, which implied that religious non-profits were allowed to apply for quasi-exemption from the rule.